Novel Antifungal Tetracyclic Compounds from Bauhinia rufescens LAM.

As the root bark CH₂Cl₂ extract of Bauhinia rufescens showed antifungal activity in a bioassay with the plant pathogenic fungus Cladosporium cucumerinum, a phytochemical investigation was undertaken on material collected in Niger. Activity-guided fractionation of this extract, using different preparative chromatographic methods, allowed the isolation of the four new antifungal tetracyclic compounds 1 – 4 . Their structures were established by ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR data, and single-crystal X-ray analyses were used to confirm the structures of 1 and 3 . The isolated compounds seem to be biogenetically related to a stilbene.     

A Study on Corrosion Processes of Archaeological Glass from the Valencian Region (Spain) and its Consolidation Treatment

The combined use of scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (SEM/EDX) and square wave voltammetry (SQWV), is used for studying the corrosion processes that have taken place in buried glass from different archaeological sites in the Valencian Region (Spain). The procedures permit a parallel investigation of morphology and chemical composition. Determination of the chemical composition of the glasses and their alteration crust and identification of the elements responsible for the colour has been also carried out using energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis. The electrochemical response of samples attached to paraffin-impregnated graphite electrodes reveals the presence of different iron and manganese oxide species in the browning areas of the corroded glass. Image analysis applied to microphotographs obtained by means of SEM led to the determination of morphological parameters concerning the corrosion phenomena occurring on the surface of the fragments such as thickness of the corrosion layer and its laminated structure. Additionally, measurement of the thickness of the film of polymer used as coating in the consolidation treatments has been carried out using cryo-scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM) combined with image analysis.     

Acetogenins from Annonaceae: recent progress in isolation, synthesis and mechanisms of action

The aim of the present review is to summarise the knowledge about newly isolated acetogenins (ACGs) in the last six years. It will also report the total syntheses that have allowed either the confirmation or the revision of some structures, together with the biological activities and mechanism of action of such interesting natural products. In fact, of the 417 isolated compounds reviewed, over 176 have been added during the period from 1998 to 2004.