Bioactive compounds from transformed root cultures and aerial parts of Bethencourtia hermosae

A chemical study of Bethencourtia hermosae, aerial parts and in vitro root cultures, transformed by Agrobacterium rhizogenes, afforded the hitherto unreported sesquiterpenes ceratopicanol angelate (1), 8β-hydroxy-african-4(5)-en-3-one tiglate (4), 8β-hydroxy-african-4(5)-en-3-one 3′-angeloxy-2′-methylbutanoate (5), 1α,8β-dihydroxy-african-4(5)-en-3-one 8β-angelate (7) and 6α,8β-dihydroxy-african-4(5)-en-3-one 8β-angelate (8). In addition, 8β-hydroxy-african-4(5)-en-3-one (6) was isolated for the first time from a natural source, along with the rare sesquiterpenoid senecrassidiol (10) and two jacaranone derivatives 14 and 16. Known pyrrolizidine alkaloids, together with previously unreported hermosine (23), have also been isolated from this plant. The insect antifeedant activities of the extracts and compounds were studied together with their cytotoxic effects against insect (Sf9) and mammalian (CHO) cell lines.This work has been supported by Grant CTQ2012-38219-C03-01, MINECO, Spain. We gratefully acknowledge A. Fernández, Director of the Garajonay National Park (Gomera Island) for his advice on plant collection and to N. Martín-Sánchez for technical assistance. L.J.A. is grateful to the Spanish Research Council (CSIC) and the European Social Foundation for an I3P fellowship. We thank S. Carlin and P. Agnew for language advice.Peer Reviewe