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Review
. 2021 May 10;22(9):5036.
doi: 10.3390/ijms22095036.

Biological Activity of Selected Natural and Synthetic Terpenoid Lactones

Alicja K Surowiak  1 , Lucyna Balcerzak  1 , Stanisław Lochyński  1   2 , Daniel J Strub  1
Affiliations
Review

Biological Activity of Selected Natural and Synthetic Terpenoid Lactones

Alicja K Surowiak et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

Terpenoids with lactone moieties have been indicated to possess high bioactivity. Certain terpenoid lactones exist in nature, in plants and animals, but they can also be obtained by chemical synthesis. Terpenoids possessing lactone moieties are known for their cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticancer, and antimalarial activities. Moreover, one terpenoid lactone, artemisinin, is used as a drug against malaria. Because of these abilities, there is constant interest in new terpenoid lactones that are both isolated and synthesized, and their biological activities have been verified. In some cases, the activity of the terpenoid lactone is specifically connected to the lactone moiety. Recent works have revealed that new terpenoid lactones can demonstrate such functions and are thus considered to be potential active agents against many diseases.

Keywords: biological activity; lactones; terpenoid.

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Conflict of interest statement

The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Lactones from sunflowers (a,b).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Lactones from soft coral possessing an α-methylene-lactone moiety (a,b).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Sesquiterpene lactones from Portuguese liverwort (a–c).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Bromolactone derivatives of monoterpenoids (a,b).
Figure 5
Figure 5
An anisaldehyde lactone derivative.
Figure 6
Figure 6
γ-Butyrolactones with a benzodioxol ring at the β-position (a–c).
Figure 7
Figure 7
Lactones from the guajanolide class (a,b).
Figure 8
Figure 8
Terpenoid lactones from Formosan Soft Coral (a,b).
Figure 9
Figure 9
Asperilin.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Kaunial.
Figure 11
Figure 11
Iodo- (a) and bromolactone (b) from simple aromatic aldehydes.
Figure 12
Figure 12
Andrographolide (a) and its derivatives (b,c).
Figure 13
Figure 13
Psilostachyin derivatives (a–c).
Figure 14
Figure 14
Sesquiterpenoid lactones from Curcuma wenyujin (a,b).
Figure 15
Figure 15
Pseudopterane diterpene.
Figure 16
Figure 16
Antiplasmodial limonoids (a,b).
Figure 17
Figure 17
Antiplasmodial compounds from Artemisia gorgonum (a–c).
Figure 18
Figure 18
Triterpenoid lactones from the oleo-gum-resin of Boswellia serrata (a,b).
Figure 19
Figure 19
Antifeedant lactone from the fruits of Carpesium abrotanoides.
Figure 20
Figure 20
Antifeedant lactones from Pieris Formosa (a,b).
Figure 21
Figure 21
Harzianelactones A (a) and B (b).
Figure 22
Figure 22
Antileishmanicidal lactones from Tithonia diversifolia (a,b)
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