ARS | Publication request: Algicide Constituents from Swinglea glutinosa

Submitted to: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: October 15, 2009
Publication Date: October 30, 2009
Repository URL: http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf902561c
Citation: Purcaro, R., Schrader, K., Burandt, C., Dellagreca, M., Meepagala, K.M. 2009. Algicide Constituents from Swinglea glutinosa. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 57:10632-10635.

Interpretive Summary: A particular type of blue-green algae that grows in catfish production ponds in the southeastern United States produces an odorous compound that causes musty off-flavor in pond-raised catfish. Extract from the roots of a plant from South America were found to inhibit the growth of the odor-producing blue-green alga. Further studies isolated and identified a compound from the root extract that was responsible for the growth inhibition of the musty blue-green alga.

Technical Abstract: Oscillatoria perornata, a cyanobacterium (blue-green alga) common in catfish production ponds in the southeastern United States, produces the monoterpene 2-methylisoborneol (MIB) which is absorbed into catfish flesh and imparts a “musty” taste rendering them unpalatable and unmarketable. Algicides that are currently in the commercial market to control O. perornata have broad-spectrum toxicity towards other beneficial phytoplankton, such as the green alga Selenastrum capricornutum, as well as low biodegradability. As part of our continuing efforts to search for natural product-based algicides, the ethyl acetate extract of the roots of Swinglea glutinosa was investigated. This report describes isolation and structure elucidation of one novel coumarin, two known coumarins, and nine acridone alkaloids from S. glutinosa root extracts and the evaluation of these compounds for algicidal activity against O. perornata.