Distribution of Drimane Sesquiterpenoids and Tocopherols in Liverworts, Ferns and Higher Plants: Polygonaceae, Canellaceae and Winteraceae Species

The liverwort, Porella vernicosa complex produces a very hot tasting polygodial, a drimane-type sesquiterpene dialdehyde. The same compound has been isolated from two ferns, Thelypteris hispidula and Blechnum fluviatile, as well as from the higher plants Polygonum hydropiper, P. hydropiper f. purpurascens (Polygonaceae), Cinnamosma, Caspicodendron, Canella and Warburgia species (Canellaceae), and Pseudowintera colorata, Tasmannia lanceolata, Drimys and Zygogynum species (Winteraceae). In addition, the liverworts and higher plants which elaborate polygodial and its related pungent drimane dials contain a small amount of alpha-tocopherol, gamma-tocopherol or deltha-tocotrienol. The present paper gives the results of a comparative study on the drimane-type sesquiterpenoids in some liverworts, ferns and higher plants, and the role of tocopherols in these plant groups.Fil: Asakawa,Yoshinori. Tokushima Bunri University; JapónFil: Ludwiczuka, Agnieszka. Tokushima Bunri University; Japón. Medical University of Lublin; PoloniaFil: Harinantenaina, Liva. Tokushima Bunri University; JapónFil: Toyota, Masao. Tokushima Bunri University; JapónFil: Nishiki, Mayumi. Tokushima Bunri University; JapónFil: Bardon, Alicia del Valle. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Química del Noroeste. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia. Instituto de Química del Noroeste; Argentina. Tokushima Bunri University; JapónFil: Nii, Kaeko. Tokushima Bunri University; Japó