Endangered-rare plant species have been selected as being good sources of bioactive and valuable compounds. Artemisia granatensis Boiss. (Royal chamomile) (Asteraceae) is a small aromatic perennial bush endemic to Sierra Nevada and its presence has been reduced to scree deposits and rocky areas at high altitude (2400-3220 m). At present it is seriously endangered and protected by the EU Habitats Directive. Despite the medicinal and ecological interest of this plant there is only one report on the presence of eudesmanolides in the aerial part1.We have successfully cultivated A. granatensis in artificial systems (plants in artificial soil and transformed in vitro roots) to generate enough plant biomass (aerial and root) for its chemical and biological study 2. A new eudesmanolide (17) along with six sesquiterpenes (11-16), nine monoterpenes (2-10), one nor-monoterpene (1), three acetylenic spiroacetal enolethers (18-20) and one coumarin (21) have been identified from the aerial plant ethanolic extract. Acetylenic spiroacetal enolethers 18-19 and coumarins 21-23 have been isolated from the transformed root ethanolic extract. Significant insect antifeedant properties were determined for the aerial plant extract, spiroacetals 19-20 and secoguaianolides 13+14 and 16.

This work has been supported by Junta de Andalucía (Excellence Project P08-FQM-3596) and a JAE-CSIC predoctoral Fellowship to A.G. Portero.

Trabajo presentado en la VI Reunión Química Orgánica del Mediterráneo (VI REQOMED) celebrado en Granada del 19 al 21 de junio de 2013.

Peer Reviewed