Lignan and norditerpene dilactone constituents of Podocarpus saligna

Thujaplicatin methyl ether and a new norditerpene dilactone named salignone I have been isolated from the roots of Podocarpus saligna and their structures determined by high field ¹H NMR and NOE difference spectroscopy.     

Nubigenol: An α-hydroxydihydrochalcone from Podocarpus nubigena

The structure of nubigenol, a new chalcone from Podocarpus nubigena, has been identified as α,2,4,6,4′-pentahydroxydihydrochalcone (I).     

The cytotoxic norditerpene dilactones of Podocarpus milanjianus and Podocarpus sellowii

The cytotoxic norditerpene dilactones nagilactone F and its new congener nagilactone G have been isolated from the bark constituents of Podocarpus milanjianus and Podocarpus sellowii. The diterpenes totarol, 19-oxototarol and macrophyllic acid were also isolated.     

Terpenes of Podocarpus lambertius

Sitosterol and the following terpenic compounds have been isolated from the bark of Podocarpus lambertius: 3β-hydroxytotarol, 4β-carboxynortotarol, and macrophyllic and lambertic acids. The leaves yielded sitosterol, stigmastan-3β,5α-diol-6-one, isopimaric acid, phyllocladene, isophyllocladene, 8,9-abieten-15-ol and 17-isophyllocladenol.     

Diterpenes of Podocarpus ferrugineus bark

The following oxygenated diterpenes have been isolated from the bark of Podocarpus ferrugineus D. Don: isopimarol, isopimaric acid, sandaracopimaric acid, ferruginol, sugiol, sugiyl methyl ether, xanthoperol, royleanone, 6-dehydroroyleanone, cryptojaponol, 5β-hydroxy-6-oxasugiyl methyl ether, 2-ketoferruginol and 2β-acetoxysugiyl methyl ether.     

Isolation and identification of two new biologically active norditerpene dilactones from Aspergillus wentii

Two new biologically-active norditerpenoid dilactones were purified from culture extracts of Aspergillus wentii and assigned the trivial names wentilactone A and wentilactone B. The absolute chemical structure of wentilactone A was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction and circular dichroism. The structure of wentilactone B was determined by ¹H and ¹³C NMR analyses. Wentilactone A had an ld₅₀ of 7.0 mg/kg when administered orally to 1-day-old chickens. Both metabolites inhibited growth in wheat coleoptile bioassays.     

Biflavanoids,norditerpenes and a nortriterpene from Podocarp us urbanii

The structures of a biflavanoid, two new norditerpenes, urbalactone and 2,3-dihydropodolide, an ecdysterol, as well as a known biflavanoid, nagilactone C and podolide from Podocarpus urbanii were elucidated.     

Infraspecific variation of foliage diterpenes of Dacrydium cupressinum

The unique diterpene lauren-1-ene has only been found in the foliage of Dacrydium cupressinum, the New Zealand rimu, but the levels of this and other diterpenes vary greatly from tree to tree. Diterpene levels are apparently under genetic control, as they are not affected by environmental factors. Male and female trees do not differ significantly, but juvenile trees have lower phyllocladene levels than do adult trees. Different regions of New Zealand contain different proportions of high-laurenene trees.     

7-O-methyl-(2R:3R)-dihydroquercetin 5-O-β-D-glucoside and other flavonoids from Podocarpus nivalis

In the course of a chemotaxonomic survey of New Zealand Podocarpus species, a number of new flavonoid glycosides have been isolated from P. nivalis. These are: luteolin 3′-O-β-D-xyloside, luteolin 7-O-β-D-glucoside-3′-O-β-D-xyloside, dihydroquercetin 7-O-β-D-glucoside, 7-O-methyl-(2R:3R)-dihydrokaempferol 5-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, 7-O-methyl-(2R:3R)-dihydroquercetin 5-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, 7-O-methylkaempferol 5-O-β-D-glucopyranoside and 7-O-methylquercetin 5-O-β-D-glucopyranoside. Diagnostically useful physical techniques for distinguishing substitution patterns in dihydroflavonols are discussed and summarized. Glucosylation of the 5-hydroxyl group in (+)-dihydroflavonols is shown to reverse the sign of rotation at 589 nm.     

Isocrotocaudin,A new norclerodane-type diterpene from Croton caudatus

Isocrotocaudin, a new furanoid norditerpene (norclerodane type), has been isolated from the petrol extract of the stem-bark of Croton caudatus (Eup     

New physalins from Physalis angulata and Physalis lancifolia. Structure and reactions of physalins D,I, G and K

The structures of physalins I, G and K are established respectively as 5,6-dihydro-5α-methoxy-6β-hydroxy, 4,5-dehydro-5,6-dihydro-4β-hydroxy and 5,6-dihydro-4α,5α-epoxy-6α-hydroxy derivatives of physalin B. The chemistry of physalin D, and the synthesis of physalins D and I from physalin F and physalin K from physalin G are described.     

New indanone compounds from Onychium japonicum

A new indanone glucoside pteroside M has been isolated from fronds of Onychium japonicumPteridaceae. The structure of its aglycone pterosin M has been established by ¹³C NMR, PMR spectra and degradation with nitric acid.     

The purification of methionine sulfoxide reductase from Escherichia coli

A sensitive assay, based on the acylation of tRNA^Met, has been developed to measure the enzymatic reduction of methionine sulfoxide to methionine. Using this assay, methionine sulfoxide reductase has been purified to near homogeneity from extracts of Escherichia coli.     

Uniformity and distinctness of phyllocladus as evidenced by flavonoid accumulation

The conifer genus Phyllocladus is shown by comparative flavonoid chemistry to be remarkably homogeneous and quite distinct from other studied genera in the Podocarpaceae. It is characterized by the accumulation (in the foliage) of a predominance of flavone O-glycosides, and in particular, luteolin 7- and 3′-O-glycosides. Lower levels of flavonol O-glycosides are also evident. Two flavone glycosides are reported for the first time, luteolin 3′-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside and luteolin 7-O-α-L-rhamnoside.     

Phylloflavan,a characteristic constituent of Phyllocladus species

Selective visualization of 2D TLC of extracts of Phyllocladus species with vanillin—hydrochloric acid showed a characteristic pattern of constituents attributable to catechin, epicatechin and phylloflavan, a new flavanoid compound. Optical rotation measurements showed that while catechin and epicatechin are of the normal type with the 2R configurations, the flavan moiety in phylloflavan is of the opposite 2S configuration. Spectroscopic data of the new compound and its hydrolysis products showed phylloflavan to be ent-epicatechin-3-δ-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-β-hydroxypentanoate.     

Ent-labdanes from Mikania alvimii

The aerial parts of Mikania alvimii afforded in addition to known compounds seven new ent-labdane derivatives and a 15-nor compound. The struct