Compositae plants biological activity

Biologically active isobutylamides have been isolated from plants of the Compositae and the Rutaceae. Some of the isohutyla-mides were found to have paralytic and toxic activities against insects, especially when applied topically to several species of Coleopterans and Dipterans.The present work describes the isolation, spectral identification, synthesis, and insect and snail bioassays of five isobutylamides from the Rutaceae plant, Fagara macrophylla. In addition, the synthesis and bioassay of four analogs of the isbbutylamide natural products are described. 

Compositae plants have been used for medicinal purposes for many centuries, showing different biological activities. Of these, plants belonging to the genus Baccharis are reported to have excellent medicinal value. Several pharmacological activities, including antitumoral, antimicrobial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects have been documented for extracts of Baccharis species and/or their constituents, and we present these below. 

Various biological activities (Table 13 [pp. 489-490]) have been reported for plant diterpenes, principally from members of the Ericaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Lamiaeeae, and Compositae. Each of the major diterpenoid classes from this last family will be discussed below in terms of its biological properties. 

---