associated with the synthesis of linolenic acid appeared to be active throughout the growth period of each cultivar. Although we previously showed hydrocarbon profiles of these three orange cultivars to correlate closely with dates of ripening (Nordby and Nagy, 1977), the present study showed no definitive correlation between these cultivars fatty acid patterns and ripening dates.

A series of disubstituted catechol derivatives was synthesized and tested as potential COMT inhibitors. The most active compounds were more than 1000 times more potent (IC50 = 3-6 nM) in vitro than the known COMT inhibitor, 3',4'-dihydroxy-2-methylpropiophenone (U 0521, IC50 = 6000 nM). The new compounds were also highly selective COMT inhibitors with no activity against other essential enzymes involved in the synthesis and metabolism of catecholamines.

The volatile components of bilberry, bog blueberry and cultivated high-bush blueberry (cv. Rancocas) were analysed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Several new compounds not reported previously as blueberry volatiles were detected. These included methyl and ethyl 2-hydroxy-3-methylbutanoate, methyl and ethyl 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutanoate, 2-phenylethyl formate, methyl salicylate, farnesol, farnesyl acetate, vanillin, myristicine, 4-vinylphenol, 2-methoxy-5-vinylphenol, citronellol, hydroxycitronellol and some y-and 8-lactones. The character impact compounds of bilberry were found to be the above-mentioned hydroxy esters together with 2-phenylethanol and its esters and the y-and 6-lactones, whereas myristicine, citronellol, hydroxycitronellol, farnesol and farnesyl acetate were typical of the aroma of high-bush blueberry.

No abstract

No abstract