The Chilean plants Discaria chacaye, Talguenea quinquenervia (Rhamnaceae), Peumus boldus (Monimiaceae), and Cryptocarya alba (Lauraceae) were evaluated against Codling moth: Cydia pomonella L. (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) and fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster (Diptera: Drosophilidae), which is one of the most widespread and destructive primary pests of Prunus (plums, cherries, peaches, nectarines, apricots, almonds), pear, walnuts, and chestnuts, among other. Four benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (coclaurine, laurolitsine, boldine, and pukateine) were isolated from the above mentioned plant species and evaluated regarding their insecticidal activity against the codling moth and fruit fly. The results showed that these alkaloids possess acute and chronic insecticidal effects. The most relevant effect was observed at 10 µg/mL against D. melanogaster and at 50 µg/mL against C. pomonella, being the alteration of the feeding, deformations, failure in the displacement of the larvae in the feeding medium of D. melanogaster, and mortality visible effects. In addition, the docking results show that these type of alkaloids present a good interaction with octopamine and ecdysone receptor showing a possible action mechanism.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a multifactorial and fatal neurodegenerative disorder. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) plays a key role in the regulation of the cholinergic system and particularly in the formation of amyloid plaques; therefore, the inhibition of AChE has become one of the most promising strategies for the treatment of AD, particularly concerning AChE inhibitors that interact with the peripheral anionic site (PAS). Ceanothic acid isolated from the Chilean Rhamnaceae plants is an inhibitor of AChE through its interaction with PAS. In this study, six ceanothic acid derivatives were prepared, and all showed inhibitory activity against AChE. The structural modifications were performed starting from ceanothic acid by application of simple synthetic routes: esterification, reduction, and oxidation. AChE activity was determined by the Ellmann method for all compounds. Kinetic studies indicated that its inhibition was competitive and reversible. According to the molecular coupling and displacement studies of the propidium iodide test, the inhibitory effect of compounds would be produced by interaction with the PAS of AChE. In silico predictions of physicochemical properties, pharmacokinetics, drug-likeness, and medicinal chemistry friendliness of the ceanothane derivatives were performed using the Swiss ADME tool.

Fruit rots caused by filamentous fungi such as Monilinia fructicola and Monilinia laxa have a strong impact on crop yield and fruit commercialization, especially as they affect a wide variety of stone fruits. The antifungal efficacy of benzylidene-cycloalkanones has been previously described in in vitro assays against M. fructicola; so, this study aims to evaluate the in vivo inhibitory potential of these hybrids on fruits that have been inoculated with M. fructicola, and use molecular docking to visualize the main interactions of these molecules in the active site of the enzyme succinate dehydrogenase (SDH). The results indicate that compound C achieves the highest inhibition of both Monilinia species (15.7–31.4 µg/mL), spore germination in vitro (<10 µg/mL), and has promising results in vivo, without causing phytotoxicity in fruits. The results from molecular docking suggest that hydroxyl groups play a crucial role in enhancing the binding of compound C to SDH and contribute to the formation of hydrogen bonds with amino acid residues on the enzyme active site.

Carbohydrates from lignocellulosic feed can be released by basidiomycete fungi for ruminal fermentation. This study aimed to evaluate the bioconversion of hay of ryegrass-fescue (Lolium perenne—Festuca arundinácea) by solid state fermentation with Pleurotus ostreatus, to obtain superior quality hay. After only 14 days of fermentation, crude protein (CP) (4.73 to 5.16%), and non-fibrous carbohydrates (NFC) (20.84 to 25.04%) increased, while neutral detergent fiber (NDF) (68.72 to 64.87%) and acid detergent lignin (5.88 to 1.98%) decreased. The enzymatic biodegradation carried out by P. ostreatus was verified, through measurements of enzymatic activity. Lignin peroxidase (LiP) and laccase (Lac) reached the higher activity on day 14 (19.51 U/L and 34.17 U/L, respectively), whereas manganese peroxidase (MnP) displayed stability up to 21 days of fermentation (between 6.54 and 7.75 U/L). In conclusion, results indicate that lignocellulosic feed bioconversion by P. ostreatus is promising to improve the ruminal fermentation of fibrous feedstocks and 14 days were considered to be optimal for hay fermentation.

This study investigates the anticancer potential of isocordoin, a prenylated chalcone found in Adesmia balsamica. In vitro assays on colorectal (HT-29), breast (MCF-7) and prostate (PC-3) cancer cell lines, together with a non-cancerous colon cell line (CoN CCD841), revealed that isocordoin is cytotoxic, with PC-3 and MCF-7 cells showing the highest sensitivity. The selectivity index was higher for PC-3 (5.2) than for MCF-7 (3.7) and HT-29 (2.9). Isocordoin induced morphological changes suggestive of apoptosis in tumor cells. Mechanistic studies on HT-29 and MCF-7 lines indicated that isocordoin might possess antioxidant properties while promoting the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and caspases activation. Molecular docking showed a favorable interaction of isocordoin with caspase-3, which could explain its apoptotic effects. In silico predictions suggest that isocordoin has drug-like properties, including good absorption and permeability to the blood-brain barrier. The presence of the prenyl chain in isocordoin appears crucial for cytotoxic activity, supported by its higher lipophilicity and better interaction with caspase-3 compared to non-prenylated 2′,4′-dihydroxychalcone. Overall, isocordoin demonstrates promising anticancer activity, warranting further investigation as a potential therapeutic agent.

Bioinsecticides based on essential oils (EOs) are promising alternatives for agricultural insect control. In this study, the main compounds of Baccharis macraei EOs from two geographical areas were identified using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The insecticidal potential against Drosophila melanogaster, Tenebrio molitor, and Galleria mellonella was evaluated, along with acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition and molecular docking analysis. GC-MS analysis revealed oxygenated sesquiterpenes, such as spathulenol, caryophyllene oxide, and α-cadinol. The EO from Site 1 (S₁) exhibited insecticidal activity with lethal dose 50 (LD₅₀) values of 46.50, 465.76, and 241.2 µg/mL for D. melanogaster, T. molitor, and G. mellonella, respectively. The EO from Site 2 (S₂) showed LD₅₀ values of 74.81, 385.62, and 195.2 µg/mL for the same pests. AChE inhibition yielded inhibitory concentration 50 (IC₅₀) values of 12.8 ± 0.13 µg/mL for S₁ and 11.7 ± 0.07 µg/mL for S₂. Molecular docking analysis revealed a strong binding energy between α-cadinol and AChE. These results highlight that EOs from B. macraei are effective and serve as a natural alternative to traditional insecticides.