Abieta-7,13-Diene in Nematode-Infected Pinewood Pinus pinaster Branch Extracts: Isolation and the Elucidation and Characterization of Its Structure
2025
Marisa C. Gaspar | Pedro F. Cruz | Rui M. M. Brito | Hermínio C. De Sousa | Mara E. M. Braga
The oleoresin and volatile fraction produced by conifers, such as Pinus pinaster, play a crucial role in plant defence, acting as precursors to resin acids and adapting in response to environmental stress or pathogen attacks. Abietadiene (abieta-7,13-diene), the biosynthetic precursor to abietic acid, has been identified as the most abundant compound in extracts from pinewood nematode (PWN)-infected P. pinaster trees. As abietadiene is not commercially available, this study aimed to achieve, for the first time, its isolation, structure elucidation, and detailed characterization from readily available forestry residues. Abietadiene was successfully isolated using thin-layer chromatography (TLC), and its purity and identity were evaluated using multiple analytical techniques: gas chromatography (GC), liquid chromatography (LC), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). GC analysis indicated a purity of over 70% for the isolated compound, while LC provided the higher purity value of 98%. The identity of abietadiene was unequivocally confirmed through LC, FTIR, and NMR analysis. This work represents the first isolation and comprehensive characterization of abietadiene from a natural source, making detailed chemical data on this compound available to the scientific community. These findings may be used for future studies on the biological interactions and ecological roles of abietadiene, particularly in the context of plant defence and pathogen resistance.
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