Athenaea (Solanaceae) is an endemic genus belonging to the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest. Recently, botanical investigations suggested the re-evaluation of the generic status of the genus Athenaea as a synonym of Aureliana. In this study, the first investigation of the Athenaea genus performed on Athenaea martiana by means of HPLC-HR-MS-SPE-NMR combined with high-resolution radical scavenging profile led to identification of several phenolic acids as radical scavengers: protocatechuic acid (1), 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (2), caffeic acid (3), vanillic acid (4), and ferulic acid (6). Additional analysis revealed a new steroidal lactone, named athenolide A (9). Their structures were elucidated by extensive use of NMR spectroscopy as well as HR-MS. Chemotaxonomic considerations based on these results supported the chemical relationships between the Athenaea and Aureliana genera, in agreement with the recent botanical findings.
Keywords: Athenaea martiana; HPLC-HR-MS-SPE-NMR; chemotaxonomy; high-resolution radical scavenging profile; steroidal lactone.
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