Photophysical, photochemical and photobiological properties of anthraquinones isolated from a phototoxic vegetal species: Heterophyllaea pustulata

COMINI L.R.; NÚÑEZ MONTOYA S.C.; ARGÜELLO, G.A.; CABRERA J.L.

Trends of in Photochemistry & Photobiology

Editorial Executive Research Trends.

Lugar: Poojapura, India; Año: 2010; p. 17 - 36

Studies undertaken on isolated photosensitizing agents from Heterophyllaea pustulata, a phototoxic plant, which natural habitat is the Northwestern part of Argentina, are presented here. The carried out work involved several steps that were initiated with the chemical-structural study of their most important secondary metabolites. As a result, three flavonoids, one iridoid glycoside (asperuloside) and ten aglycone anthraquinones were identified. Through the study of the photophysical, photochemical and photobiological properties of the anthraquinone derivatives, we concluded that they show good photosensitizing (type I and type II) characteristics. The performed toxicological assays in vivo showed a direct cause-effect relation between these metabolites and the reported phototoxicity for H. pustulata. Finally, a few words about the potential application of these photsensitizing compounds as antibacterial agents will be given.