Defensive Chemistry of Senecio miser

Three eremophilanolides, 1α-acetoxy-8β-methoxy-10βH-eremophil-7(11)-en-8α,12-olide (1); 1α-angeloyloxy-6β-hydroxy-8β-methoxy-10βH-eremophil-7(11)-en-8α,12-olide (2); and 1α-angeloyloxy-8βH,10βH-eremophil-7(11)-en-8α,12-olide (3), and two pyrrolizidine alkaloids, integerrimine (4) and its N-oxide (5), were isolated from bioactive fractions of Senecio miser. The structures of the new compounds 1 and 2 were established by NMR spectroscopic analysis and chemical transformation. The X-ray analysis of compound 1 was also performed. Eremophilanolides 1 and 2 and alkaloids 4 and 5 were found to be strong insect antifeedants, further supporting a proposed defensive role for these classes of compounds.