Luteolin 7-glucuronide-3′-mono(trans)ferulylglucoside and other unusual flavonoids in the aquatic liverwort complex, Riccia fluitans

Thirteen flavonoid glycosides, including eight which are new have been identified in Riccia fluitans; aquatic and terrestrial forms of this plant have the same pattern. Luteolin 7-O-glucuronide-3′-O-mono(trans)ferulylglucoside is proposed as the type flavonoid for this species. Its absence from, and the presence of chrysoeriol in R. duplex, support the proposed separation of R. duplex from the R. fluitans complex. A micro-deacylation technique is described which can also be used for specific deglycosylation of luteolin glycosides at the 4′-hydroxyl.     

Flavonoids from Erythroxylon argentinum

Quercetin 3-rutinoside, quercetin 3-α-l-rhamnoside, 7,4′-dimethylquercetin 3-rutinoside and the novel glycoside 7,4′-dimethylquercetin 3-rutinoside-5-glucoside have been identified from aerial parts of Erythroxylon argentinum.     

Species-specific kaempferol derivatives in ferns of the appalachian Asplenium complex

A series of kaempferol derivatives have been identified in fronds of three parental species of the Appalachian Asplenium complex. Asplenium platyneuron is characterised by the presence of the 7-glucoside of kaempferol 3,4′-dimethyl ether and also contains kaempferol 3,7-diglucoside, free and with an aliphatic acyl attachment. By contrast, A. rhizophyllum contains a remarkable caffeoyl complex of kaempferol glycosides, which appears to be chromatographically homogenous. However, on deacylation, the complex yields caffeic acid and the 7-glucoside, 3,7-diglucoside, 3-sophoroside-7-glucoside and 7,4′-diglucoside of kaempferol. Asplenium montanum, in addition to having previously characterised glycosylxanthones, has two further kaempferol derivatives. It has been confirmed that these various species specific flavonoids are inherited in an additive fashion in three interspecific hybrids.     

On the decarboxylation of α-keto acids by isolated chloroplasts

The mechanism of the decarboxylation of α-keto acids by isolated chloroplasts has been studied with the aid of superoxide dismutase and catalase. Using photosynthetic and enzymatic systems, which are known to catalyze peroxidic oxidations, we have been able to demonstrate that both the superoxide free radical ion and H₂O₂ are necessary for maximal rates of decarboxylation. In isolated chloroplasts, an auto-oxidizable electron acceptor as well as an electron donor for Photosystem I are absolute requirements for the decarboxylation. H₂O₂ seems to be the primary oxidant in the decarboxylation of pyruvate or glyoxylate by isolated chloroplasts. A secondary rate of decarboxylation is superimposed on the primary one, mediated by superoxide free radical ion. Mn²⁺ stimulates the decarboxylation probably via intermediarily-formed Mn³⁺ in a reaction, which is neither inhibited by catalase nor by superoxide dismutase. A decarboxylation of pyruvate or glyoxylate by isolated chloroplasts in the presence of NADP⁺ is initiated, as soon as the available NADP⁺ is fully reduced. In this case, the open-chain electron transport seems to switch from NADP⁺ to oxygen as the terminal electron acceptor.     

Isoflavonoids from Phaseolus coccineus

After treatment with CuCl₂, the following isoflavonoids have been isolated from the runner bean, Phaseolus coccineus: daidzein, genistein, isoprunetin, 2′-hydroxygenistein, phaseoluteone, 2′-hydroxydihydrodaidzein, isoferreirin, kievitone, cyclokievitone, glycinol, phaseollidin, phaseollin, demethylvestitol, phaseollinisoflavan, 2′-hydroxyisoprunetin and 7,4′-dihydroxy-5,2′-dimethoxyisoflavanone. The latter two compounds are novel natural products.     

Neolignans from Virola carinata

The wood of Virola carinata (Benth.) Warb. contains besides the known neolignans (+)-guaiacin and (?)-galcatin, (?)-isootobaphenol [(2R,3S,4S)-4-guaiacyl-2,3-dimethyl-6,7-methylenedioxytetralin], in addition to 7,4′-dimethoxyflavanone.     

Products of the peroxidase-catalysed oxidation of 4,2′,4′-trihydroxychalcone

The enzyme responsible for the previously reported oxidation of 4,2′,4′-trihydroxychalcone to the corresponding dihydroflavonol and “hydrated aur     

Les constituants flavonoïdes de Cephalanthus spathelliferus

We have isolated from Cephalanthus spathelliferus (Rubiaceae) five compounds: umbelliferone, skimmin, 7,4′-dimethylkaempferol,7,4′-dimethylaromadendrin and its 5-glucoside. The latter two are new compounds.     

The site of inhibition of photosystem II by 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-N-N'-dimethylurea in thylakoids of the cyanobacterium Anabaena cylindrica.

Thylakoids isolated from the cyanobacterium $\text{Anabaena}\text{cylindrica}$ exhibit Photosystem II activity. Photosynthetic electron transfer from water to ferricyanide and to 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol is inhibited by 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-N-N′-dimethyl urea. Diphenylcarbazide stimulates ferricyanide and 2,6-dichlorphenolindophenol photoreduction, whilst inhibiting oxygen evolution. Diphenylcarbazide-supported Photosystem II activity is completely insensitive to 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-N-N′-dimethyl urea, indicating that the site of action of this inhibitor lies on the donor side of Photosystem II in $\text{A}\text{.}\text{cylindrica}$, before the site of electron donation by diphenylcarbazide.     

Flavans from Zephyranthes flava

A new optically active flavan aglucone, 7-hydroxy-3′,4′-methylenedioxyflavan, and its 7-glucoside have been isolated from the bulbs of Zephyranthes flava, collected at flowering. Additionally, two known flavans, 7,4′-dihydroxy-3′-methoxyflavan and 7-methoxy-2′-hydroxy-4′,5′-methylenedioxyflavan, have been isolated for the first time from this species. The structures of these flavans have been established by comprehensive analyses (UV, IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, mass spectrometry, [α]_D) of the compounds and their acetates, and also by chemical correlation.     

Amorphastilbol,an antimicrobial agent from Amorpha nana

Bioassay-directed fractionation of Amorpha nana demonstrated that the anti Gram positive/antitubercular constituent is amorphastilbol. The chemical structure of amorphastilbol was confirmed by chemical transformation to known (Radula variabilis) dihydroamorphastilbol and its methyl ether. Inactive 3,5-dihydroxy-7,4′-dimethoxyflavone was detected in this plant for the first time and identified by interconversion with kaempferol. All compounds were evaluated in vitro for antimicrobial spectrum and potency.     

Evidence for the involvement of a rapidly turning over protease in the degradation of cytochrome oxidase in Neurospora crassa

The reaction of L-aromatic aminoacid decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.28) with α-methyl-L-DOPA or 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan leads to the formation of dihydroxyphenylacetone or, respectively, 5-hydroxyindolacetaldeyde. These are produced in amounts far exceeding, on molar basis, that of the coenzyme, pyridoxal-5′-phosphate. The reaction cannot therefore be simply a decarboxylation-dependent transamination, using the coenzyme as an amino group acceptor. Evidence is presented which rules out the possibility that this phenomenon is due to an oxidative deamination.     

Investigations of Antibacterial,Antioxidant, and Antidiabetic Potential of Extract and Its Active Fractions from the Leaves of Horsfieldia spicata (Roxb.) J. Sinclair

This study was undertaken to analyse the potential bioactivities including antibacterial, antioxidant and antidiabetic derived from the methanolic extract and the column chromatography ethyl acetate fraction (AcOEt Fr) of Horsfieldia spicata leaves. Methanolic extract and 4 other fractions was calculated for total phenol and flavonoid contents along with tested for antibacterial, antioxidant and antidiabetic properties. Interestingly, the AcOEt Fr had the highest value for total flavonoid content and the best antioxidant, and antidiabetic activities. Therefore, the AcOEt Fr was further separated using column chromatography technique for obtaining 9 selected fractions namely fraction 1 (F1) - fraction 9 (F9) which were further tested. The results showed that the AcOEt column chromatography fractions namely F2, F3, F4 and F6 had the best clear inhibition antibacterial value against all bacterial tested. In addition, these fractions also exhibited better Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentrations (MBC) values than others. Antioxidant, 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assayed indicated that AcOEt Fr had the strongest IC₅₀ value of 47.30 μg/mL. Further, F4 column chromatography fraction showed the best inhibition against α-Glucosidase enzyme related to antidiabetic activity with an IC₅₀ value of 6.11 μg/mL. Liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) analysis identified that F4 derived from AcOEt fraction had several compounds belonging to the flavonoid and phenolics such as 3′,5-dihydroxy-7,4′-dimethoxyflavone, 5,7-dihydroxy-3-(4′-hydroxybenzyl)chromone, and Kadsurenin I.     

Binding of 8-bromoguanylic acid to ribonuclease T1 as studied by absorption and circular dichroism spectroscopy

8-Bromoguanosine 2'- and 3'-phosphates have been shown to bind to RNase T1 with the same affinity as the corresponding guanosine phosphates, inducing difference absorption and circular dichroism spectra similar to those induced by the guanosine phosphates. Since the brominated ligands have reduced electron density on N-7 of the guanine ring and syn-fixed conformation due to a bulky, electron-withdrawing Br substituent on C-8, the difference spectra are not attributable to the protonation on N-7 and to the restriction of the ligand to syn-conformation as proposed previously.