Bioactive metabolites from the Andean flora. Antituberculosis activity of natural and semisynthetic azorellane and mulinane diterpenoids

Natural products are recognized as an important source of new and better pharmaceuticals for the treatment of diseases such as tuberculosis. The azorellane and mulinane diterpenoids represent an interesting group of bioactive metabolites produced by Andean plants belonging to the Azorella, Mulinum, Laretia and Bolax genus. Testing of natural and semisynthetic azorellanes and mulinanes against two Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains showed that while most changes in the structure of the natural metabolites result in the loss of antituberculosis activity, methylation of the C-20 carboxyl group improves the biological activity of the corresponding derivatives.