Structure–Activity Relationship of theWarburgiaSesquiterpene Dialdehydes

Abstract
Sesquiterpene dialdehydes, isolated originally as insect antifeedants from East African Warburgia trees, have been shown to exhibit strong antimicrobial activity. Their chemical reactivities and biological activities were investigated in comparison with those of related compounds. There was a good correlation between the antifungal activity and the papain inhibitory activity of these compounds. Both activities appear to result from their highly specific reactivity with sulfhydryl groups. Consideration of the structure–activity relationships led to the proposal of a structure unit, the enal–aldehyde moiety, that is essential to biological activity.

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