Vanessa Hequet

Publications (2)3.74 Total impact

• Article: Neotropical soldier flies (Stratiomyidae) reared from Lecythis poiteaui in French Guiana: Do bat-pollinated flowers attract saprophiles?

  Julie Feinstein, Kenneth L. Purzycki, Scott Mori, Vanessa Hequet, Amy Berkov
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  ABSTRACT: Two species of Stratiomyidae, Ptecticus nigrifrons Enderlein and Ptecticus sp., were reared from fallen androecia of Lecythis poiteaui Berg (Lecythidaceae) at rain forest sites in French Guiana. Floral aromas were collected by headspace adsorption from the night-blooming flowers. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis (GC-MS) identified several sulfur-containing compounds that contribute to the characteristic foul odor of the flowers. Although stratiomyids are thought to be generalist associates of decaying matter of plant and animal origin, we suggest that fetid floral attractants may make L. poiteaui flowers especially attractive to certain flies. This is the first report of Lecythidaceae flowers hosting stratiomyid flies.
  Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society 01/2009; · 0.61 Impact Factor
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  Article: New bioactive polyphenols from Theobroma grandiflorum ("cupuaçu").

  Hui Yang, Petr Protiva, Baoliang Cui, Cuiying Ma, Scott Baggett, Vanessa Hequet, Scott Mori, I Bernard Weinstein, Edward J Kennelly
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  ABSTRACT: Activity-guided fractionation of Theobroma grandiflorum ("cupuaçu") seeds resulted in the identification of two new sulfated flavonoid glycosides, theograndins I (1) and II (2). In addition, nine known flavonoid antioxidants, (+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin, isoscutellarein 8-O-beta-d-glucuronide, hypolaetin 8-O-beta-d-glucuronide, quercetin 3-O-beta-d-glucuronide, quercetin 3-O-beta-d-glucuronide 6' '-methyl ester, quercetin, kaempferol, and isoscutellarein 8-O-beta-d-glucuronide 6' '-methyl ester, were identified. Theograndin II (2) displayed antioxidant activity (IC(50) = 120.2 microM) in the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free-radical assay, as well as weak cytotoxicity in the HCT-116 and SW-480 human colon cancer cell lines with IC(50) values of 143 and 125 microM, respectively. While 1 was less active as an antioxidant than 2, the known compounds were more potent in the DPPH assay (IC(50) range 39.7-89.7 microM).
  Journal of Natural Products 12/2003; 66(11):1501-4. · 3.13 Impact Factor