Antifouling Activity of Celastroids Isolated from Maytenus Species, Natural and Sustainable Alternatives for Marine Coatings

PEREZ, M.; SANCHEZ, M.; STUPAK, M.; GARCÍA, M.; ROJO DE ALMEIDA, M.T.; OBERTI, J.C.; PALERMO, J.; BLUSTEIN, G.

INDUSTRIAL & ENGINEERING CHEMICAL RESEARCH

AMER CHEMICAL SOC

Lugar: Washington; Año: 2014 vol. 53 p. 7655 - 7659

0888-5885

A group of celastroids, quinone-methide nortriterpenes isolated from Maytenus vitis-idaea and 3 Maytenus spinosa were assayed for their antifouling activity. Toxicity assays were performed 4 on Balanus amphitrite nauplii, and the most promising compounds were then incorporated in 5 soluble-matrix antifouling paints, which were tested in the ocean. The results obtained after a 45 6 day-field trial of the paints indicated in all cases promising antifouling potencies. Although all 7 compounds showed antifouling activity on a wide range of organisms, tingenone and celastrol 8 were the most effective inhibitors of the settlement of fouling organisms. The effect of these 9 substances on nauplii in laboratory tests was temporary instead of toxic, with a high recovery 10 rate, which may avert a potentially adverse ecological damage on the benthic community. These 11 results may provide a more environmentally-friendly alternative for the control of biofouling, 12 replacing toxic additives actually in use in marine paints.