Chemophenetic Insights and Exploration of Cytotoxic and Anticholinesterase Compounds in Conchocarpus J. C. Mikan and Dryades Groppo, Kallunki & Pirani Species

• Grant number: 24/18578-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: July 01, 2025
• End date: February 29, 2028
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Thiago André Moura Veiga
• Grantee: Victor Menezes Sipoloni
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Químicas e Farmacêuticas (ICAQF). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus Diadema. Diadema , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 24/03978-6 - Distribution of alkaloids in Conchocarpus J. C. Mikan and Dryades Groppo, Kallunki & Pirani: molecular dereplication, chemophenetics and biological properties, AP.R

Abstract

The Rutaceae family, which includes around 170 genera and 2,000 species, is predominantly found in tropical and temperate regions. Within this family, Conchocarpus J. C. Mikan holds particular significance, having recently led to the establishment of the genus Dryades Groppo, Kallunki & Pirani based on morphological and molecular analyses. However, there is a notable scarcity of chemical studies focusing on these genera, especially concerning alkaloids, which serve as important bioactive metabolites and taxonomic markers. Emerging techniques like chemophenetics and molecular dereplication are vital for exploring the chemical diversity and bioactivity of these natural products. Alkaloids are particularly valuable due to their cytotoxic properties and capacity to inhibit acetylcholinesterase, positioning them as promising candidates for new therapeutic agents targeting cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. This project aims to investigate the chemical profiles and chemophenetic relationships between Conchocarpus and Dryades species, employing differential extraction techniques and metabolomic approaches. Key activities will include: preparing extracts in ethanol and isolating alkaloid fractions using acid-base methods and natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES), conducting chemical analyses via liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and constructing molecular networks, implementing molecular dereplication through multivariate statistical analyses to prioritize the purification of bioactive fractions, performing cytotoxic assays on various tumor cell lines and identifying acetylcholinesterase inhibitors through ligand-fishing assays. Overall, this study aims to enhance our understanding of the chemical and biological properties of metabolites from these genera, contributing to the discovery of new bioactive compounds with pharmacological potential. (AU)