Red alder (Alnus rubra) is the most commercially important hardwood tree species in the Pacific Northwest and has a long history of traditional medicinal use as a source of fungicide and insecticide. Chemical analysis has shown that the diarylheptanoid oregonin ((5S)-1,7-bis(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5-(β-D-xylopyranosyloxy)-heptan-3-one) is the dominant phytochemical contributing to medicinal activity. It was recently discovered that high oregonin concentration in alder leaves is associated with enhanced resistance to western tent caterpillar (Malacosoma californicum), a leaf eating lepidopteran herbivore; however, oregonin has never been directly tested on insects, or red alder-associated fungal species. In this thesis, a novel purification method was developed for the preparative extraction of oregonin from red alder leaf and bark material to directly test its biological activity. A battery of insect feeding and toxicity bioassays were carried out with several tree-defoliating caterpillars, and fungal inhibition was tested against a range of plant-associated fungal species, including several alder-associated species. This research represents the first evaluation of oregonin biological activity on insects, plant-associated fungi of the phyla Basidiomycota, and fungal-like pathogens of the phyla Oomycota. Oregonin exhibited promising insect feeding deterrent activity against generalist lepidopteran pests, including cabbage loopers (Trichoplusia ni), white-marked tussock moths (Orgyia leucostigma), and fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea) at similar concentrations shown to reduce western tent caterpillar herbivory in alder leaf bioassays. The results suggest that oregonin concentration has potential for selection as a breeding trait in managed populations of red alder to improve host resistance to leaf-eating pests. / Graduate / 2021-08-10

Dans le cadre de la recherche de nouveaux composés à activité antiplasmodiale, deux plantes de Madagascar ont été étudiées : Pyrostria major (Rubiaceae) et Gonioma malagasy (Apocynaceae). Leurs extraits acétate d’éthyle et alcaloïdique ont montré une activité antiplasmodiale significative vis-à-vis de la souche chloroquino-résistante FcB1 lors d’un criblage préliminaire. L’étude phytochimique des feuilles de P. major a conduit à l’isolement du β sitostérol ainsi que de huit nouveaux diarylheptanoïdes glycosylés, décrits pour la première fois dans une plante appartenant à la famille des Rubiaceae. L’activité antiplasmodiale de l’extrait AcOEt des feuilles est probablement due à la présence du β sitostérol. Cette activité serait due à l’effet stomatocytogénique provoqué par cette famille de composés. L’utilisation de l’"Exciton chirality" a permis de déterminer la configuration absolue des diarylheptanoïdes glycosylés isolés. Cette étude structurale nous a permis d’obtenir d’une part, deux composés antiplasmodiaux sélectifs et non cytotoxiques et d’autre part, un composé antileishmanien et un autre antitrypanosomal. L’étude de l’extrait alcaloïdique de G. malagasy a conduit à l’isolement d’une nouvelle série chimique, "les goniomedines". Ces dernières sont caractérisées par un squelette bisindolique constitué de deux monomères dihydroindoliques reliés par une unité dihydropyrane. Une étude configurationnelle basée sur le calcul théorique de spectres de dichroïsme circulaire ainsi que sur des considérations biogénétiques, a permis la détermination de leur configuration absolue. Parmi ces composés, un seul a montré une activité antiplasmodiale significative. / As part of the search for new compounds with antiplasmodial activity, two malagasy plants were studied: Pyrostria major (Rubiaceae) and Gonioma malagasy (Apocynaceae). The Ethyl acetate and alkaloidic extracts showed significant antiplasmodial activity against the chloroquine-resistant strain FcB1 during a preliminary screening. The phytochemical study of the leaves of P. major has led to the isolation of β-sitosterol together with eight new diarylheptanoid glucoside, described for the first time in a plant belonging to the Rubiaceae family. The antiplasmodial activity of the EtOAc extract of the leaves is probably due to the presence of β-sitosterol. This activity is due to the stomatocytogenic effect caused by this family of compound. The use of the "exciton chirality" has determined the absolute configuration of the natural diarylheptanoid glucoside. This structural study allowed us to obtain, two selective antiplasmodial and non-cytotoxic compounds, as well as potential antileishmanial and antitrypanosomal compounds. The study of the alkaloidic extract of G. malagasy led to the isolation of a novel chemical series, "The goniomedines." They are characterized by a bisindole backbone consisting of two monomers connected by a dihydropyran unit. Their absolute configurations were deduced following the comparison of experimental and theoretically calculated ECD spectra and through biogenetic considerations. Among these compounds, only one showed a significant antiplasmodial activity.