ARS | Publication request: Allelochemical phenolic acids from Gypsophila paniculata

Submitted to: Journal of Undergraduate Chemistry Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: February 6, 2008
Publication Date: June 1, 2008
Citation: Chou, S., Everngam, M.C., Beck, J.J. 2008. Allelochemical phenolic acids from Gypsophila paniculata. Journal of Undergraduate Chemistry Research.7(2):40-42.

Interpretive Summary: Using antifungal and antimicrobrial assays to guide the fractionation process, the phenolic compounds p-coumaric acid, dihydroferulic acid, and syringic acid were isolated from the plant Gypsophila paniculata L. (Caryophyllaceae). All three phenolics exhibited weak- to modest inhibition activity against the Gram-positive bacteria Bacilus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus, and only p-coumaric acid provided inhibition against the Gram-negative bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae. Dihydroferulic acid demonstrated weak activity against the fungi Candida kefyr and Aspergillus niger. In addition to their noted antimicrobial activity, p-coumaric acid and syringic acid are known to be potent exuded allelochemicals. Dihydroferulic acid has been reported to undergo microbial degradation to vanillic acid, which is also known to be an exuded allelochemical. This is the first report of these phenolics from G. paniculata.

Technical Abstract: Bioassay-guided fractionation of Gypsophila paniculata L. (Caryophyllaceae) resulted in the isolation of the phenolics p-coumaric acid (1), dihydroferulic acid (2), and syringic acid (3). In addition to their noted weak antimicrobial activity, compounds 1 and 3 are known to be potent exuded allelochemicals. Compound 2 has been reported to undergo microbial degradation to vanillic acid (4), which is also known to be an exuded allelochemical. This is the first report of these phenolics from G. paniculata.