Growing with dinosaurs natural products from the

Authors: Ole Johan Juvik Xuan Hong Thy Nguyen Heidi Lie Andersen Torgils Fossen

Publish Date: 2015/02/22

Volume: 15, Issue: 2, Pages: 161-195

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Abstract

After the sensational rediscovery of living exemplars of the Cretaceous relict Metasequoia glyptostroboides—a tree previously known exclusively from fossils from various locations in the northern hemisphere there has been an increasing interest in discovery of novel natural products from this unique plant source This article includes the first complete compilation of natural products reported from M glyptostroboides during the entire period in which the tree has been investigated 1954–2014 with main focus on the compounds specific to this plant source Studies on the biological activity of pure compounds and extracts derived from M glyptostroboides are reviewed for the first time The unique potential of M glyptostroboides as a source of bioactive constituents is founded on the fact that the tree seems to have survived unchanged since the Cretaceous era Since then its molecular defense system has resisted the attacks of millions of generations of pathogens In line with this some recent landmarks in Metasequoia paleobotany are covered Initial spectral analysis of recently discovered intact 53 million year old wood and amber of Metasequoia strongly indicate that the tree has remained unchanged for millions of years at the molecular levelMetasequoia glyptostroboides Hu et Cheng Cupressaceae is a deciduous conifer native to southeast China Hu 1948b The tree is particularly interesting because it seems to have remained unchanged for millions of years since the Cretaceous period 145–66 million years ago During this long timespan the tree has survived substantial ecological and climate changes and resisted attacks from countless generations of bacteria viruses fungi and other plant pathogens Phytochemical investigations of natural products from M glyptostroboides have been performed since the early 1950s BateSmith 1954 BateSmith and Lerner 1954 Hattori et al 1954 A significant number of natural products have hitherto been characterised from M glyptostroboides although there is as yet no complete review of natural products thereof In current literature a limited number of natural products from M glyptostroboides have occasionally been included in reviews which focused on specific compound classes such as flavonoids Beckmann et al 1971 Gadek and Quinn 1989 Harborne and Mabry 1982 Hida 1958 Sawada 1958 Takahashi et al 1960b carotenoids Ida 1981a b and sugars Hida et al 1962 A review reports on sources of shikimic acid including M glyptostroboides Hattori et al 1954 Another review which includes this tree examines leaf waxes of several deciduous conifers without reporting any chemical constituents Isoi 1958 The lack of complete comprehensive literature of natural products from M glyptostroboides has consequently led to cases of double reporting where previous characterizations from this plant source have been overlooked

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