Secondary metabolites of lichens in the snow zone of the Sierra Nevada in Mérida-Venezuela and their role in the absorption of ultraviolet radiation

José Alberto Rojas-Fernández; Alirio Balza-Quintero; Vicente Marcano; Paula Andrea Rojas; Delsy Dávila-Vera; Zulma Peña-Contreras; Rosa Virginia Mendoza-Briceño; Ernesto Palacios-Prü

doi:10.3989/ajbm.2008.v65.i1.246

Authors

José Alberto Rojas-Fernández Centro de Microscopía Electrónica “Dr. Ernesto Palacios Prü”, Universidad de Los Andes
Alirio Balza-Quintero Centro de Microscopía Electrónica “Dr. Ernesto Palacios Prü”, Universidad de Los Andes
Vicente Marcano Centro de Microscopía Electrónica “Dr. Ernesto Palacios Prü”, Universidad de Los Andes
Paula Andrea Rojas Centro de Microscopía Electrónica “Dr. Ernesto Palacios Prü”, Universidad de Los Andes
Delsy Dávila-Vera Centro de Microscopía Electrónica “Dr. Ernesto Palacios Prü”, Universidad de Los Andes
Zulma Peña-Contreras Centro de Microscopía Electrónica “Dr. Ernesto Palacios Prü”, Universidad de Los Andes
Rosa Virginia Mendoza-Briceño Centro de Microscopía Electrónica “Dr. Ernesto Palacios Prü”, Universidad de Los Andes
Ernesto Palacios-Prü Centro de Microscopía Electrónica “Dr. Ernesto Palacios Prü”, Universidad de Los Andes

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3989/ajbm.2008.v65.i1.246

Keywords:

lichen substances, UV radiation, UV filter, Venezuelan Andes

Abstract

Photochemical analyses of secondary compounds in lichens from the venezuelan andean snow zone were carried out in order to know the absorbance capacity of UV radiation at the UVA, UVB and UVC ranges and to determine its probable UV protective function. Spectrophotometric (UV) and fine layer chromatographic techniques (TLC) were utilized to separate and identify the compounds. UV radiation values were obtained from the Red Bioclimática del Parque Nacional Sierra Nevada de Mérida which constitutes a program supported by the University of Los Andes, Venezuela. Results indicated the existence of 22 species of lichens at the snow zone; 55% of these species showed a strong resistance to UVC radiation, 95% to UVB radiation, whereas the 100% revealed a strong resistance to UVA radiation. The substances that have the highest resistance to UVA and UVB radiation are characterized by having ester bonds among phenolic units depsids and constitute the most abundant products in lichens, whereas the substances having both ester and ether bonds among the two phenolic units depsidones revealed a higher capacity to absorb UVC radiation that could indicate a primitive origin.

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