Trihydroxylated linear diterpenes from the brown alga Bifurcaria bifurcata

Two novel polar diterpenes were isolated from the brown alga Bifurcaria bifurcata collected off the Atlantic coast of Morocco, and their structures established by spectral methods. Both compounds are trihydroxylated acyclic diterpenes derived from 12-hydroxygeranylgeraniol. They were tested in vitro for their cytotoxicity and proved to be active against the NSCLC-N6 cell line. Their absolute configuration at the C-12 position has been determined with a modified Mosher's method [J. Am. Chem. Soc. 113 (1991) 4092] and that of the 12-hydroxygeranylgeraniol (bifurcadiol) has been revised.     

Cytotoxic clerodane diterpenes from Glossocarya calcicola

Three clerodane diterpenes were isolated and identified from leaf extract of Glossocarya calcicola. Compound has been characterised as (rel)-10betaH-trans-12xi-(2-methylbut-2(E)-enoyl)-1beta-(isobutanoyl)-6alpha,13xi-dihydroxyclerodan-4(20),8(18)-dien-7,15-dione-15,16-oxide, to which we have assigned the trivial name calcicolin-A. The other two compounds had the same skeletal structure and C-12 substituent but in compound, the C-1 esterifying group becomes 2-methylbut-2(E)-enoic acid and in it becomes 2-methylbutanoic acid. Although anti-insect activity was not observed for G. calcicola, cytotoxicity against insect and human carcinoma cell lines was detected.     

Linear diterpenes from the marine brown alga Bifurcaria bifurcata: a chemical perspective

This article will give a complete overview of linear diterpenes isolated from the brown alga Bifurcaria bifurcata. For this purpose all published acyclic diterpenoids are listed and gathered in three main biosynthetic families with respect to their structural similarities. These are the C-12 oxidized (e.g. eleganediol), the C-13 oxidized (e.g. eleganolone), and the direct geranylgeraniol derivatives. The origin and plausible biosynthesis of all compounds are discussed. Additionally, the issues concerning the configurational assignment such as the configuration of trisubstituted double bonds and the configuration of oxidized stereogenic centers are pointed out. Special emphasis is also given on synthesis, biological activities (cytotoxic, antimicrobial, and antifouling activities), chemotaxonomy, and ecology of the compounds.     

Labdane-type diterpenoids from hairy root cultures of Coleus forskohlii,possible intermediates in the biosynthesis of forskolin

Significant attention has been devoted to studying hairy root cultures as a promising strategy for production of various valuable secondary metabolites. These offer many advantages, such as high growth rate, genetic stability and being hormone-free. In this study, a detailed phytochemical investigation of the secondary metabolites of Coleus forskohlii hairy root cultures was undertaken and which resulted in the isolation of 22 compounds, including four forskolin derivatives and a monoterpene. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analyses. These compounds could be classified into four groups viz.: labdane-type diterpenes, monoterpenes, triterpenes and phenylpropanoid dimers. Apart from one compound, all labdane type diterpenes are oxygenated at C-11 as in forskolin and a scheme showing their biosynthetic relationships is proposed.     

Semisynthetic neoclerodanes as kappa opioid receptor probes

Modification of the furan ring of salvinorin A (1), the main active component of Salvia divinorum, has resulted in novel neoclerodane diterpenes with opioid receptor affinity and activity. Conversion of the furan ring to an aldehyde at the C-12 position (5) has allowed for the synthesis of analogues with new carbon-carbon bonds at that position. Previous methods for forming these bonds, such as Grignard and Stille conditions, have met with limited success. We report a palladium catalyzed Liebeskind-Srogl cross-coupling reaction of a thioester and a boronic acid that occurs at neutral pH and ambient temperature to produce ketone analogs at C-12. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported usage of the Liebeskind-Srogl reaction to diversify a natural product scaffold. We also describe a one-step protocol for the conversion of 1 to 12-epi-1 (3) through microwave irradiation. Previously, this synthetically challenging process has required multiple steps. Additionally, we report in this study that alkene 9 and aromatic analogues 12, 19, 23, 25, and 26 were discovered to retain affinity and selectivity at kappa opioid receptors (KOP). Finally, we report that the furan-2-yl analog of 1 (31) has similar affinity to 1. Collectively, these findings suggest that different aromatic groups appended directly to the decalin core may be well tolerated by KOP receptors, and may generate further ligands with affinity and activity at KOP receptors.     

Phanginin A-K, diterpenoids from the seeds of Caesalpinia sappan Linn

The first chemical study on the seeds of Caesalpinia sappan Linn. led to isolation of 11 cassane-type diterpenes, named phanginin A-K (1-11). The skeleton present in compounds 1-8 is rather unusual, consisting of a cassane-type diterpene with an ether bridge between C-19/C-20 in compounds 1-6 and C-11/C-20 in compounds 7 and 8. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic techniques. In addition, the X-ray structure of phanginin A (1) is reported. Only phanginin I (9) exhibited cytotoxic effect against KB cell line with IC50 value of 4.4 microg/ml.     

Biosynthesis of lasalocid A: biochemical mechanism for assembly of the carbon framework

Labeling experiments on the biosynthesis of the polyether antibiotic lasalocid A (1) using carboxylic acid precursors bearing 13C, 2H, and 3H labels at various positions established the following: (1) 2H or 3H at C-2 of propionate or 2H at C-2 of butyrate was partially retained at C-12 and C-14 of 1, respectively. (2) 2H at C-2 of propionate or at C-2 and C-3 of succinate did not label C-10. These and earlier data [Hutchinson, C. R., Sherman, M. M., Vederas, J. C., & Nakashima, T. T. (1981) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 103, 5953; Hutchinson, C. R., Sherman, M. M., McInnes, A. G., Walter, J. A., & Vederas, J. C. (1981) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 103, 5956] are consistent with a hypothesis for the stereochemical control of lasalocid A biosynthesis, whose main tenets are that the configuration of C-12 and C-14 is determined by the stereoselectivity of the carbon chain forming condensation between acyl thio ester and 2-carboxyacyl thio ester intermediates and that the configuration of C-11 and C-15 results from the reduction of 2-keto thio ester intermediates with opposing stereospecificities.     

In vitro cytotoxic activity of abietane diterpenes from Peltodon longipes as well as Salvia miltiorrhiza and Salvia sahendica

Phytochemical investigations of the n-hexane extract from the roots of Peltodon longipes (Lamiaceae) resulted in the isolation of 12 known abietane diterpenes (1-12). Structures were established on the basis of one and two dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic data ((1)H and (13)C, COSY, HSQC and HMBC), electron ionization mass spectrometric analysis (EIMS) as well as comparison with data from literature. These compounds, as well as eight known diterpenes (13-19) from Salvia miltiorrhiza, and two from Salvia sahendica (20 and 21) were evaluated for their cytotoxic effects in human pancreatic (MIAPaCa-2) and melanoma (MV-3) tumor cell lines using the MTT assay. Tanshinone IIa (13), 7α-acetoxyroyleanone (1), 1,2-dihydrotanshinone (16) and cryptotanshinone (14) had the highest cytotoxic effects in MIAPaCa-2, displaying IC(50) of 1.9, 4.7, 5.6, and 5.8 μM, respectively. Structure-activity relationships of abietane diterpenoid quinones are discussed.     

Stereoselective oxidation of regioisomeric octadecenoic acids by fatty acid dioxygenases

Seven Z-octadecenoic acids having the double bond located in positions 6Z to 13Z were photooxidized. The resulting hydroperoxy-E-octadecenoic acids [HpOME(E)] were resolved by chiral phase-HPLC-MS, and the absolute configurations of the enantiomers were determined by gas chromatographic analysis of diastereoisomeric derivatives. The MS/MS/MS spectra showed characteristic fragments, which were influenced by the distance between the hydroperoxide and carboxyl groups. These fatty acids were then investigated as substrates of cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1), manganese lipoxygenase (MnLOX), and the (8R)-dioxygenase (8R-DOX) activities of two linoleate diol synthases (LDS) and 10R-DOX. COX-1 and MnLOX abstracted hydrogen at C-11 of (12Z)-18:1 and C-12 of (13Z)-18:1. (11Z)-18:1 was subject to hydrogen abstraction at C-10 by MnLOX and at both allylic positions by COX-1. Both allylic hydrogens of (8Z)-18:1 were also abstracted by 8R-DOX activities of LDS and 10R-DOX, but only the allylic hydrogens close to the carboxyl groups of (11Z)-18:1 and (12Z)-18:1. 8R-DOX also oxidized monoenoic C(14)-C(20) fatty acids with double bonds at the (9Z) position, suggesting that the length of the omega end has little influence on positioning for oxygenation. We conclude that COX-1 and MnLOX can readily abstract allylic hydrogens of octadecenoic fatty acids from C-10 to C-12 and 8R-DOX from C-7 and C-12.     

UGT86C11 is a novel plant UDP-glycosyltransferase involved in labdane diterpene biosynthesis

Glycosyltransferases constitute a large family of enzymes across all domains of life, but knowledge of their biochemical function remains largely incomplete, particularly in the context of plant specialized metabolism. The labdane diterpenes represent a large class of phytochemicals with many pharmacological benefits, such as anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, and anticarcinogenic. The medicinal plant kalmegh (Andrographis paniculata) produces bioactive labdane diterpenes; notably, the C19-hydroxyl diterpene (andrograpanin) is predominantly found as C19-O-glucoside (neoandrographolide), whereas diterpenes having additional hydroxylation(s) at C3 (14-deoxy-11,12-didehydroandrographolide) or C3 and C14 (andrographolide) are primarily detected as aglycones, signifying scaffold-selective C19-O-glucosylation of diterpenes in planta. Here, we analyzed UDP-glycosyltransferase (UGT) activity and diterpene levels across various developmental stages and tissues and found an apparent correlation of UGT activity with the spatiotemporal accumulation of neoandrographolide, the major diterpene C19-O-glucoside. The biochemical analysis of recombinant UGTs preferentially expressed in neoandrographolide-accumulating tissues identified a previously uncharacterized UGT86 member (ApUGT12/UGT86C11) that catalyzes C19-O-glucosylation of diterpenes with strict scaffold selectivity. ApUGT12 localized to the cytoplasm and catalyzed diterpene C19-O-glucosylation in planta. The substrate selectivity demonstrated by the recombinant ApUGT12 expressed in plant and bacterium hosts was comparable to native UGT activity. Recombinant ApUGT12 showed significantly higher catalytic efficiency using andrograpanin compared with 14-deoxy-11,12-didehydroandrographolide and trivial activity using andrographolide. Moreover, ApUGT12 silencing in plants led to a drastic reduction in neoandrographolide content and increased levels of andrograpanin. These data suggest the involvement of ApUGT12 in scaffold-selective C19-O-glucosylation of labdane diterpenes in plants. This knowledge of UGT86 function might help in developing plant chemotypes and synthesis of pharmacologically relevant diterpenes.     

Siphonols A-E: novel nitric oxide inhibitors from Orthosiphon stamineus of Indonesia

From the methanolic extract of Orthosiphon stamineus, four novel highly oxygenated isopimarane-type diterpenes named siphonols A-D (1-4) and a novel biogenetically interesting norisopimarane-type diterpene named siphonol E (5) were isolated. The new compounds 1-3 and 5 showed more potent inhibitory effects on the nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated macrophage-like J774.1 cells than a positive control N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA). Siphonols A-E (1-5) represent the first examples of isopimaranes oxygenated at C-20.     

In vitro cytotoxicity of Tanshinones isolated from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge against P388 lymphocytic leukemia cells

The cytotoxic effect of four tanshinones isolated from the dried root of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Lamiaceae) were studied in vitro using P388 lymphocytic leukemia cells. Tanshinone I and tanshinone IIA were shown to be quite strongly cytotoxic against the cells (86.76% and 56.05% cell inhibition at 25 microg/ml). Dihydrotanshinone I and cryptotanshinone, which lack of saturation at C-15, showed little cytotoxicity (13.71% and 39.21% cell inhibition at 25 microg/ml). The results also revealed a structure activity relationship. We suggest that the unsaturation at C-15 and saturation on ring A may be critical structural components for cytotoxicity in these diterpenes.     

Bacteriochlorophyllide c C-8(2) and C-12(1) methyltransferases are essential for adaptation to low light in Chlorobaculum tepidum

Bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) c is the major photosynthetic pigment in the green sulfur bacterium Chlorobaculum tepidum, in which it forms protein-independent aggregates that function in light harvesting. BChls c, d, and e are found only in chlorosome-producing bacteria and are unique among chlorophylls because of methylations that occur at the C-8(2) and C-12(1) carbons. Two genes required for these methylation reactions were identified and designated bchQ (CT1777) and bchR (CT1320). BchQ and BchR are members of the radical S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) protein superfamily; each has sequence motifs to ligate a [4Fe-4S] cluster, and we propose that they catalyze the methyl group transfers. bchQ, bchR, and bchQ bchR mutants of C. tepidum were constructed and characterized. The bchQ mutant produced BChl c that was not methylated at C-8(2), the bchR mutant produced BChl c that was not methylated at C-12(1), and the double mutant produced [8-ethyl, 12-methyl]-BChl c that lacked methylation at both the C-8(2) and C-12(1) positions. Compared to the wild type, the Qy absorption bands for BChl c in the mutant cells were narrower and blue shifted to various extents. All three mutants grew slower and had a lower cellular BChl c content than the wild type, an effect that was especially pronounced at low light intensities. These observations show that the C-8(2) and C-12(1) methylations of BChl c play important roles in the adaptation of C. tepidum to low light intensity. The data additionally suggest that these methylations also directly or indirectly affect the regulation of the BChl c biosynthetic pathway.     

Studies on structure-activity relationship of sphaeropsidins A-F, phytotoxins produced by Sphaeropsis sapinea f. sp. cupressi

Six forms of sphaeropsidins (SA-SF), three- and tetra-cyclic unrearranged pimarane diterpenes produced by Sphaeropsis sapinea f. sp. cupressi, as well as eight derivatives obtained by chemical modification of SA-SC, were assayed for their bioactivity. The effect of each compound on plants which are host or non-host of the pathogen was investigated. Activity on some plant pathogenic fungi was also tested. Some structure-activity relationships have been identified for both phytotoxic and antifungal activity. It appears that the integrity of the tricyclic pimarane system, the preservation of the double bond C(8)-C(14), the tertiary hydroxyl group at C-9, the vinyl group at C-13, and the carboxylic group at C-10 as well as the integrity of the A-ring provide these molecules with non selective phytotoxic and antimycotic activity.     

Terpenoids from the seed of chamaecyparis pisifera: the structures of six diterpenoids

Six new diterpenes, 12-hydroxy-20-nor-abieta-1(10),2,8,11,13-pentaene, pisiferanol (10S,12-dihydroxy-9(10 → 20)-abeo-abieta-8,11,13-triene), pisiferadinol (20S-hydroxypisiferanol), 12-deoxypisiferanol, 1β-hydroxyisopisiferin (1R,12-dihydroxy-9(10 → 2O)abeo-abieta-8,10(20),11,13-tetraene), and the dimethylamine salt of O-methylpisiferic acid were isolated from the seed of Chamaecyparis pisifera. The structures of these diterpenes were established by spectral and chemical methods. In addition, 15 mono-, four sesqui- and nine diterpenes were identified.     

Comparative analysis of mutagenic potency of 1-nitro-acridine derivatives

The anticancer effect of 1-nitro-9-hydroxyethylamino acridine (C-857), a compound belonging to the 1-nitroacridine class, has been well documented. Despite its therapeutic efficacy, the clinical development of C-857 has been impeded partly due to its high systemic toxicity. In an effort to enhance antitumor efficacy and lower toxicity, derivatives of C-857 have been synthesized with substitutions made at position C-4 and/or an esterified hydroxyl group in side chain at the C-9 position. The introduction of a methyl group at C-4 resulted in C-1748, which has a significantly higher therapeutic efficacy and is being clinically developed as an anticancer agent for solid tumors. The present study was undertaken to correlate the mutagenicity of C-857, C-1748, C-1790, C-1872 and C-1873 with their cytotoxicity and their anti-tumor efficacy. The mutagenicity of these drugs was determined using three Ames Salmonella typhimurium strains TA1537, TA98 and TA102. The bacteria were treated with different molar concentrations, ranging from 10(-3) to 10(-12) M, of the drugs and drug-induced histidine revertants were then counted after a 48 h incubation. C-1748 did not induce any revertants in both TA1537 and TA98 at a dose of 10(-6) M, whereas, C-857 at the same dose induced approximately 842 and approximately 1034 revertants respectively. In TA102, mutagenicity was lower than observed with TA98 and TA1537 with highest revertants observed at 10(-5) M with C-857 (approximately 606) and C-1748 (approximately 108). Higher mutagenicity was observed in the derivatives C-1790, C-1872 and C-1873 compared to C-1748, but lower than C-857. These studies demonstrate that C-1748 has the least mutagenic potential, with a much higher antitumor effect in prostate cancer and is a promising chemotherapeutic agent for clinical development.     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of C-12 triazole and oxadiazole analogs of salvinorin A

Salvinorin A (1), the main active ingredient of Salvia divinorum, is a potent and selective κ-opioid receptor (KOPR) agonist. A series of C-12 triazole analogs and the oxadiazole (4) analog of 1 are synthesized and screened for binding affinity at κ, μ (MOPR), or δ (DOPR). Surprisingly, all triazole analogs have shown negligible binding affinity at opioid receptors and the oxadiazole 4, a reported MOPR and KOPR antagonist, exhibits very low affinities to opioid receptors and no antagonism in our binding assays. These results suggest that electronic factors that may affect either the electron density of hydrogen bond acceptor at C-12 or hydrophobic interactions between C-12 moiety and KOPR are critical to C-12 analog’s affinity for KOPR.     

Parvitexins A-E, clerodane-type diterpenes isolated from the in vitro-cultured liverwort, Scapania parvitexta

New clerodane-type diterpenes, designated as parvitexins A (1)-E (5), were isolated from the in vitro-cultured liverwort, Scapania parvitexta. These compounds were determined to be monoacetylated clerodane-type diterpenes based on spectroscopic evidence.     

Cytotoxic triterpenoid saponins from the fruits of Aesculus pavia L

Continued chemical investigation on the fruits of North American Aesculus pavia L. resulted in the isolation and identification of 13 polyhydroxyoleanene pentacyclic triterpenoid saponins, named aesculiosides IIe-IIk (1-7), and IIIa-IIIf (8-13), together with 18 known compounds: aesculiosides Ia-Ie (14-18), IIa-IId (19-22), IVa-IVc (23-25), 3-O-[beta-D-galactopyranosyl(1-->2)]-alpha-L-arabinofuranosyl(1-->3)-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-21,22-O-diangeloyl-3beta,15 alpha,16 alpha,21 beta,22 alpha,28-hexahydroxyolean-12-ene (26), 3-O-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->2)]-alpha-L-arabinofuranosyl(1-->3)-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-21,22-O-diangeloyl-3beta,16 alpha,21 beta,22 alpha,24 beta,28-hexahydroxyolean-12-ene (27), 3-O-[beta-D-galactopyranosyl(1-->2)]-alpha-L-arabinofuranosyl(1-->3)-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-21,22-O-diangeloyl-3beta,16 alpha,21 beta,22 alpha,28-pentahydroxyolean-12-ene (28), R(1)-barrigenol (29), scopolin (30), and 5-methoxyscopolin (31). The structures of these compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic and chemical analyses. Compounds 14-22 and 26-28 were tested in vitro for their activity against 59 cell lines from nine different human cancers including leukemia, non-small cell lung, colon, CNS, melanoma, ovarian, renal, prostate, and breast. It was found that compounds with two-acyl groups at C-21 and C-22 had cytotoxic activity for all cell lines tested with GI(50) 0.175-8.71 microM, while compounds without acyl groups at C-21 and C-22 had weak or no cytotoxic activity. These results suggest that the acyl groups at C-21 and C-22 are essential for their activity.