Components of Stem Barks of Winchia calophylla A. DC. and Their Bronchodilator Activities

The Dai medicinal plant Winchia calophylla A. DC. (Apocynaceae) has efficacy as an anticough and anti-asthmatic medication. In order to investigate its relative bioactive components, we studied the chemical constituents of this plant. Using repeated column chromatography, 28 compounds, including loganin, six phenolic compounds, 17 indole alkaloids, three pyridine alkaloids, and a quinoline alkaloid, were isolated from the stem barks of W. calophylla. Loganin, paeonol, N (4)-methyl akuammicine, and cantleyine exhibited a moderate relaxation effect on isolated smooth muscles of guinea-pig tracheal spirals and lung strips and may be the bioactive components responsible for the bronchodilation produced by W. calophylla.     

Chemical Constituents from the Seeds of Ziziphus jujuba var. Spinosa (Bunge) Hu

To search for new and bioactive minor components from traditional Chinese medicines, a new compound, named jujuphenoside (1), was isolated from the seeds of Ziziphusjujuba var. spinosa (Bunge)Hu. The structure of jujuphenoside was elucidated by spectral and chemical methods, particularly twodimensional nuclear magnetic resonance analysis. Together with the new compound, 22 known compounds were also isolated and identified from the seeds of Z. jujuba var. spinosa, among which, epiceanothic acid (2) was first obtained from natural resources, whereas compounds 7-16 were first obtained from this plant.     

Peimisine and peiminine production by endophytic fungus Fusarium sp. isolated from Fritillaria unibracteata var. wabensis

Steroidal alkaloids, as the major biologically active components in Bulbus Fritillariae, possess a variety of toxicological and pharmacological effects on humans. The objective of this work was to determine whether endophytic fungi isolated from fresh bulbs of Fritillaria unibracteata var. wabensis can produce one or more alkaloids like its host plant. Four classical reagents including Wagner's, iodine-potassium iodide, Mayer's and improved Dragendorff's were used for primary screening. Then thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and high performance liquid chromatography-evaporative light scattering detection (HPLC-ELSD) were employed to identify the fermentation products of the selected strains. The results showed that extract from one stain (WBS007) has positive reactions in process of primary screening. A further TLC scan and HPLC-ELSD showed that strain WBS007 had two components with the same TLC relative front (Rf) value and HPLC retention time (RT) as authentic peimisine and peiminine. In addition, strain WBS007 was identified as Fusarium sp. based on phylogenetic analysis of ITS sequences. Thus, strain WBS007 produced the bioactive ingredient peimisine and peiminine, as does its host plant, and could be used for the production of peimisine and peiminine by fermentation.     

Chemical Constituents from the Seeds of Ziziphusjujuba var. spinosa （Bunge） Hu

To search for new and bioactive minor components from traditional Chinese medicines, a new compound, named jujuphenoside (1), was isolated from the seeds of Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa (Bunge) Hu. The structure ofjujuphenoside was elucidated by spectral and chemical methods, particularly twodimensional nuclear magnetic resonance analysis. Together with the new compound, 22 known compounds were also isolated and identified from the seeds of Z. jujuba var. spinosa, among which, epiceanothic acid (2) was first obtained from natural resources, whereas compounds 7-16 were first obtained from this plant.     

Simultaneous determination of four sesquiterpene alkaloids in Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. F. extracts by high-performance liquid chromatography

Wilfortrine, wilfordine, wilforgine and wilforine are four major bioactive sesquiterpene alkaloids in Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. F. The first analytical determination of the four major bioactive alkaloids is described. The four alkaloids are well-resolved within 15 min using the developed HPLC method. The identity of the analytes was confirmed by an HPLC-MS experiment, with all compounds being clearly assignable by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) positive mode analysis. The method was validated for limit of qualification, linearity and inter-day variation of precision and accuracy. Seven T. wilfordii samples (extracts and commercial product) were successfully analysed.     

Activity and QSAR study of baogongteng A and its derivatives as muscarinic agonists

Baogongteng A (BGT-A), a naturally occurring tropane muscarinic agonist isolated from Chinese medicinal plant, exhibits a bioactive effect different from those of many tropane alkaloids that are muscarinic antagonists. A series of racemic derivatives of BGT-A was synthesized to study the structure-activity relationships (SAR). To explore further the SAR in this series and to ultimately design muscarinic agonists for drug development, a Comparative Molecular Field Analysis (CoMFA) was performed. The values of the leave-one-out cross-validated correlation coefficient q2 and the conventional correlation coefficient r2 for the model are 0.613 and 0.965, respectively. The regression analysis of the data indicated that the steric effect of N-substituted group on tropane of analyzed compounds critically affected the agonistic activity to muscarinic receptors.     

Chemical Constituents of Schisandra rubriflora Rehd.et Wils.

Schisandra rubriflora Rehd. et Wils. is a traditional Chinese medicine. To search for new and bioactive components from traditional Chinese medicines and provide scientific evidence for taxonomy, the chemical constituents ofthe plant were investigated by various column chromatography methods (silica gel,Sephadex LH-20, and RP-18). From the aerial parts ofS. rubriflora, three new megastigmane glycosides,namely (3S, 5R, 6S, 9R)-megastigmane-3, 9-diol 3-O-[α-L-arabionfuranosyl-(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranoside](1), 7-megastigmene-3-ol-9-one 3-O-[o-L-arabionfuranosyl-(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranoside] (2), and megastigmane-3α, 4β, 9ξ-triol 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (3), along with 14 known compounds, were isolated.The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by a combination of spectroscopic and chemical methods.     

The alkaloids and other constituents from the root and stem of Aristolochia elegans

Two new aristolactams, aristolactam E (1) and aristolactam-AIIIa-6-O-beta-D-glucoside (2), three novel benzoyl benzyltetrahydroisoquinoline ether N-oxide alkaloids, aristoquinoline A (3), aristoquinoline B (4), and aristoquinoline C (5), and a new biphenyl ether, aristogin F (6), together with 62 known compounds have been isolated from the root and stem of Aristolochia elegans Mast. The structures of the new natural products were established on the basis of spectral evidence. Some of the isolated compounds were examined for their antioxidative and antityrosinase activities. Occurrence of the isoquinolones, biphenyl ethers, and benzoyl benzyltetrahydroisoquinoline ether alkaloids in the same plant indicated the definite possibility of these metabolites as biotransformation intermediates of bisbenzyltetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloids. This can be useful to solve the catabolic process of bisbenzyltetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloids.     

Cellular Localization of Debromohymenialdisine and Hymenialdisine in the Marine Sponge <Emphasis Type="Italic">Axinella</Emphasis> sp. Using a Newly Developed Cell Purification Protocol

Sponges (Porifera), as the best known source of bioactive marine natural products in metazoans, play a significant role in marine drug discovery and development. As sessile filter-feeding animals, a considerable portion of the sponge biomass can be made of endosymbiotic and associated microorganisms. Understanding the cellular origin of targeted bioactive compounds from sponges is therefore important not only for providing chemotaxonomic information but also for defining the bioactive production strategy in terms of sponge aquaculture, cell culture, or fermentation of associated bacteria. The two alkaloids debromohymenialdisine (DBH) and hymenialdisine (HD), which are cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors with pharmacological activities for treating osteoarthritis and Alzheimer's disease, have been isolated from the sponge Axinella sp. In this study, the cellular localization of these two alkaloids was determined through the quantification of these alkaloids in different cell fractions by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). First, using a differential centrifugation method, the dissociated cells were separated into different groups according to their sizes. The two bioactive alkaloids were mainly found in sponge cells obtained from low-speed centrifugation. Further cell purifications were accomplished by a newly developed multi-step protocol. Four enriched cell fractions (C1, C2, C3, and C4) were obtained and subjected to light and transmission electron microscopy, cytochemical staining, and HPLC quantification. Compared to the low concentrations in other cell fractions, DBH and HD accounted for 10.9% and 6.1%, respectively, of dry weight in the C1 fraction. Using the morphological characteristics and cytochemical staining results, cells in the C1 fraction were speculated to be spherulous cells. This result shows that DBH and HD in Axinella sp. are located in sponge cells and mostly stored in spherulous cells.     

潞西山龙眼的化学成分研究

从山龙眼属植物潞西山龙眼的叶子中分离了6个化合物,利用核磁共振等方法,鉴定为熊果苷(1)、ro-bustaside B(2)、robustaside D(3)、β-谷甾醇(4)、helicide(5)和(E)-(4-羟基苯基)-丙烯酸甲酯(6)。这6个化合物均为首次从该植物中分离得到。     

Phytochemical and antiulcerogenic properties of rhizomes from Simaba ferruginea St. Hill. (Simaroubaceae)

Simaba ferruginea (Simaroubaceae) is a Brazilian medicinal plant used in traditional medicine to treat several ailments, including gastric ulcers, fever, diarrhea, and dolorous and inflammatory processes. This study examines the chemical composition and antiulcerogenic effects of rhizomes from this plant. Bioassay-guided fractionation led to the isolation of two bioactive indole alkaloids called canthin-6-one (1) and 4-methoxycanthin-6-one (2). The alkaloid fraction and both alkaloids demonstrated potent antiulcerogenic effects when evaluated in gastric lesion-induced animals, as well as significant antinociceptive activity in mice. These results confirm and justify the popular use of S. ferruginea against gastric ulcers and dolorous processes.     

Two New C19-Diterpenoid Alkaloids from Delphinium shawurense

Shawurenine C ( 1a ) and D ( 1b ), a new pair of regioisomeric C₁₉-diterpenoid alkaloids, and five known C₁₉-diterpenoid alkaloids ( 2 – 6 ) were isolated from the aerial part of Delphinium shawurense W. T. Wang. The chemical structures of new compounds were established based on spectroscopic analyses: HR-ESI-MS, and 1D, 2D NMR spectroscopic data. The anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activities of these diterpenoid alkaloids were also evaluated.     

Five New C19‐Diterpenoid Alkaloids from Delphinium tianshanicum W.T.Wang

Five new diterpenoid alkaloids, tianshanitines A‐E ( 1  –  5 ), along with ten known compounds ( 6  –  15 ), were isolated from the EtOH extracts of the whole plant of Delphinium tianshanicum W.T.Wang . Their structures were determined based on extensive spectroscopic analyses, including 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR, HR‐ESI‐MS, and the structure of tianshanitine C ( 3 ) was confirmed by X‐ray diffraction analysis. Tianshanitine A ( 1 ) is the first example of natural diterpenoid alkaloid containing a benzoyl group at C(1) position. Tianshanitine B ( 2 ) is a rare natural diterpenoid alkaloid bearing a OH group at C(16) position. Compounds 1  –  5 , 6 , 8 , 10 , 12 and 14 were evaluated for cytotoxicity against HCT116, MCF‐7 and HepG2 human cancer cell lines.     

Terrestrial Plant-Derived Anticancer Agents and Plant Species Used in Anticancer Research

Cancer is a major cause of death and the number of new cases, as well as the number of individuals living with cancer, is expanding continuously. Due to the enormous propensity of plants that synthesize mixtures of structurally diverse bioactive compounds, the plant kingdom is potentially a very diverse source of chemical constituents with tumor cytotoxic activity. Despite the successful utilization of few phytochemicals, such as vincristine and taxol, into mainstream cancer chemotherapy, commercial plant-derived anticancer formulations represent only one-fourth of the total repertoire of the available treatment options. Though significant progress has been made towards the characterization of isolated compounds and their structure-related activities, the complex composition of plant extracts, along with the lack of reproducibility of activity and the synergy between different, even unidentified, components of an extract, prohibits the full utilization of plants in pharmaceutical research. In this review, the results of an extensive literature survey on the anticancer properties of terrestrial plants, covering a thirty-five-year-long span (1970–2005) are presented. A total of 187 plant species, belonging to 102 genera and 61 families have been identified as an active or promising source of phytochemicals with antitumor properties, corresponding to a 41 percent increase during the last five years. Among them, only 15 species (belonging to ten genera and nine families) have been utilized in cancer chemotherapy at a clinical level, whereas the rest of the identified species are either active against cancer cell lines or exhibit chemotherapeutic properties on tumor-bearing animals under experimental conditions. Phenylpropanoids are the most widely distributed compounds (18 families), followed by terpenoids (14 families), and alkaloids (13 families). Analytical, species-specific information on bioactive constituents and target cancers is provided. The outlook of phytochemistry-based cancer therapy is discussed, particularly in the perspective of identifying immunomodulatory anticancer agents with minimal toxicity on healthy tissues.

     

Diterpenoid alkaloids and flavonoids from Delphinium albocoeruleum Maxim

Ten compounds (1–10) including two C₂₀-diterpenoid alkaloids, five C₁₉-diterpenoid alkaloids, one triterpenoid and two flavonoids were isolated from the whole plant material of Delphinium albocoeruleum Maxim for the first time. The chemotaxonomic significance of these compounds was summarized.     

药用植物盆架树中的马钱子苷及其衍生物

从药用植物盆架树(Winchia calophylla A．Dc．)的茎皮中分离得到4个环烯醚萜苷类化合物,其结构经现代波谱技术鉴定为马钱子苷、7-O-甲酰基马钱子苷、6 '-O-甲酰基马钱子苷和6',7-O-二甲酰基马钱子苷,其中后3个化合物为新化合物。     

Chemical Constituents of Schisandra rubriflora Rehd. et Wils.

Schisandra rubriflora Rehd. et Wils. is a traditional Chinese medicine. To search for new and bioactive components from traditional Chinese medicines and provide scientific evidence for taxonomy, the chemical constituents of the plant were investigated by various column chromatography methods (silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, and RP-18). From the aerial parts of S. rubriflora, three new megastigmane glycosides,namely (3S, 5R, 6S, 9R)-megastigmane-3, 9-diol 3-O-[α-L-arabionfuranosyl-(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranoside](1), 7-megastigmene-3-ol-9-one 3-O-[α-L-arabionfuranosyl-(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranoside] (2), and megastigmane-3α, 4β, 9ξ-tfiol 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (3), along with 14 known compounds, were isolated.The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by a combination of spectroscopic and chemical methods.     

药用植物盆架树中的缩醛

夹竹桃科药用植物盆架树(Winchiacalophylla)茎皮的乙醇提取物,经石油醚脱脂后用盐酸和氨水处理,再用石油醚、氯仿和正丁醇萃取。从正丁醇部分分离出6个化合物,其中3个为新成分,分别命名为盆架丁基缩醛、异盆架丁基缩醛和盆架乙基缩醛;另3个已知化合物依次为丁基-β-D-呋喃葡萄糖甙、丁基-β-D-吡喃葡萄糖甙和丁基-α-D-吡喃葡萄糖甙。他们可能是人工产物。     

Lycopodium alkaloids from Lycopodium obscurum L. f. strictum

Two new Lycopodium alkaloids, strictumines A (1) and B (2), along with 18 related known compounds were isolated from the whole plant of Lycopodium obscurum L. f. strictum. The structures of the new compounds were established by spectroscopic methods and chemical transformation. This is the first report on chemical constituents of the title plant. All the isolates were evaluated for their inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and only a few were found to show slight bioactivity.     

Naturally occurring plant isoquinoline N-oxide alkaloids: Their pharmacological and SAR activities

The present review describes research on novel natural isoquinoline alkaloids and their N-oxides isolated from different plant species. More than 200 biological active compounds have shown confirmed antimicrobial, antibacterial, antitumor, and other activities. The structures, origins, and reported biological activities of a selection of isoquinoline N-oxides alkaloids are reviewed. With the computer program PASS some additional SAR (structure–activity relationship) activities are also predicted, which point toward new possible applications of these compounds. This review emphasizes the role of isoquinoline N-oxides alkaloids as an important source of leads for drug discovery.