Vertebrata lanosa (L.) T.A.Christensen is a red alga that grows epiphytically on other algae, especially
on the brown alga Ascophyllum nodosum (L.) Le Jol. [1]. It is known to contain several bromophenols, compounds that are unique in the plant
kingdom. Only marine organisms are able to biosynthesize them, as they have direct
access to the bromide contained in seawater, but also by virtue of a rare enzyme called
vanadium bromoperoxidase [2]. Some of these brominated molecules are thought to play a crucial role in the chemical
protection of marine plants, but their functional role is not fully known [2].
In order to obtain deeper understanding of bromophenolic compounds in red algae, seven
bromophenols were isolated from the methanolic extract of Vertebrata lanosa, collected in Brittany (France), by using various chromatographic techniques. The
structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated by nuclear magnetic resonance
and mass spectrometry. Among the isolated substances are compounds like lanosol, methylrhodomelol
and 2,2ʹ,3-tribromo-3ʹ,4,4ʹ,5-tetrahydroxy-6ʹ-methoxymethyldiphenylmethane and other
structurally similar compounds. A simultaneously developed high performance liquid
chromatography assay was used to determine the content of each bromophenol in the
alga and furthermore applied to screen for respective compounds in other red algal
species, too.
In addition, these substances pose very interesting candidates for a pharmacological
investigation in different assay systems as a broad range of relevant activities of
bromophenolic compounds has been reported in literature, ranging from antioxidant,
antimicrobial, anti-thrombotic, anti-diabetic to anticancer effects [3].
