Phytochemical and biological studies of Gomesa recurva R. Br. (Orchidaceae): Chemotaxonomic significance of the presence of phenanthrenoids

Abstract The phytochemical study of Gomesa recurva R. Br. (Orchidaceae) allowed the identification of nine compounds, daucosterol (1); the phenanthrenes 3,4,9-trimethoxy-2,5-phenanthrenediol (2); 4-methoxy-2,3,5-phenanthrenetriol (3); 3,4-dimethoxy-2,5-phenanthrenediol (4); 2,4-dimethoxy-3,5-phenanthrenediol (5); the phenolic compounds 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-propanoic acid (6); 2-( E )-propenoic acid, 3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-methyl ester (7); 2-( E )-propenoic acid, 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-hexadecyl ester (8), and propanoic acid, 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-pentadecyl ester (9). Biological assays against fungi, neotropical parasites and human cancer cell lines were also performed. The chemotaxonomic relevance of the presence of phenanthrenoids was discussed.