New antifungal xanthones from the seeds of Rhus coriaria L

Phytochemical investigations of the ethanolic extract of the seeds of Rhus coriaria L. (Anacardiaceae) led to the identification of four new xanthones, characterized as 2,3-dihydroxy-7-methyl xanthone (1), 2,3,6-trihydroxy-7-hydroxymethylene xanthone-1-carboxylic acid (2), 2-methoxy-4-hydroxy-7-methyl-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl xanthone-1,8-dicarboxylic acid (4), and 2-hydroxy-7-hydroxymethylene xanthone-1,8-dicarboxylic acid 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(2'-->3")-3"-O-stigmast-5-ene (5), along with the known steroidal glucoside beta-sitosterol-beta-D-glucoside (3). The structures of the isolated compounds have been identified on the basis of spectral data analysis and chemical reactions. All xanthones were active against Aspergillus flavus.     

海洋真菌Penicillium sp. WP-13次级代谢产物研究

本研究分析了海洋真菌Penicillium sp. WP-13的活性次级代谢产物。采用多种柱色谱技术对其发酵液的乙酸乙酯提取物进行分离纯化;根据波谱数据和理化常数分析,并结合文献比对鉴定单体化合物的结构;采用MTT法测定化合物对肿瘤细胞的细胞毒活性。从Penicillium sp. WP-13发酵液的乙酸乙酯提取物中分离鉴定了5个单体化合物,其中2个内酯类化合物为1-hydroxy-3,10-dimethoxy-8-methyl-6,11-dioxo-6,11-dihydrodibenzo[b,e]oxepine-9-carboxylicacid(1)和1,8-dihydroxy-10-methoxy-3-methyl-dibenzo[b,e]oxepine-6,11-dione(2); 3个蒽醌类化合物为endocrocinmethylester(3)、2-chloro-1,3,8-trihydroxy-6-methyl-9,10-anthracenedione (4)和emodin (5)。活性测试结果显示,化合物3和5均对人慢性髓原白血病细胞株K562、人肝癌细胞株BEL-740...     

Anthraquinones from the fruits of Vismia laurentii

Phytochemical study of the fruits of Vismia laurentii resulted in the isolation of five structurally related compounds. Three of them are constituents, namely, laurentiquinone A (1) (methyl 1,6,8-trihydroxy-3-methyl-7-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-9,10-dioxo-9,10-dihydroanthracene-2-carboxylate), laurentiquinone B (2) (methyl 5,7-dihydroxy-2,2,9-trimethyl-6,11-dioxo-6,11-dihydro-2H-anthra[2,3-b]pyran-8-carboxylate) and laurentiquinone C (3) (methyl 9-(ethanoyloxymethyl)-5,7-dihydroxy-2,2-dimethyl-6,11-dioxo-6,11-dihydro-2H-anthra[2,3-b]pyran-8-carboxylate) and two are known compounds, emodin (4) and isoxanthorin (5). Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic means. Crude extracts of hexane and EtOAc showed anti-plasmodial activity against the W2 strain of Plasmodium falciparum.     

Isoquinoline and isoindole alkaloids from Menispermum dauricum

Three isoquinoline alkaloids and an isoindole alkaloid, along with eight known compounds, were isolated from the roots of Menispermum dauricum (Menispermacese). The alkaloids were characterized as 7-hydroxy-6-methoxy-1(2H)-isoquinolinone, 6,7-dimethoxy-N-methyl-3,4-dioxo-1(2H)-isoquinolinone, 1-(4-hydroxybenzoyl)-7-hydroxy-6-methoxy-isoquinoline and 6-hydroxy-5-methoxy-N-methylphthalimide, on the basis of spectral evidence including 1D- and 2D-NMR and MS analyses.     

New chemical constituents from the endophyte Streptomyces species LR4612 cultivated on Maytenus hookeri

From solid cultures of the biologically important endophyte Streptomyces species LR4612, cultivated on Maytenus hookeri, four new and two known compounds were isolated. The new compounds were identified as (2S*,3S*)-5-amino-3-hydroxy-5-oxopentan-2-yl 3-(formylamino)-2-hydroxybenzoate (1), N-[(3R*,4R*)-3-amino-3,4-dihydro-4-methyl-2,6-dioxo-2H,6H-1,5-benzodioxocin-10-yl]formamide (2), (5beta,6alpha)-6,11-dihydroxyeudesmane (3), and 5-(6,7-dihydroxy-6-methyloctyl)furan-2(5H)-one (4); the known compounds were elucidated as sorbicillin (5) and N-acetyltyramine (6). The structures were established by HR-ESI-MS and in-depth NMR analyses.     

三丫苦的化学成分研究

采用硅胶柱层析从三丫苦的乙酸乙酯萃取物中分离得到6种化合物,经波谱分析鉴定为4,7-二甲氧基呋喃喹啉生物碱(1)、顺式-3,4,5-三羟基-6-乙酰基-7-甲氧基-2,2-二甲基色烷(2)、3-羟基-4-乙氧基-5,7-二甲氧基-6-乙酰-2,2-二甲基色烷(3)、3,5-二羟基-4-乙氧基-6-乙酰基-7-甲氧基-2,2-二甲基色烷(4)、异吴茱萸酮酚(5)和异吴茱萸酮酚甲醚(6)。所有化合物均首次从该植物的根部分离得到。     

Synthesis of novel quinolone and quinoline-2-carboxylic acid (4-morpholin-4-yl-phenyl)amides: a late-stage diversification approach to potent 5HT1B antagonists

Multiparallel amenable syntheses of 6-methoxy-8-amino-4-oxo-1,4-dihydroquinoline-2-carboxylic acid-(4-morpholin-4-yl-phenyl)amides (I) and 4-amino-6-methoxy-8-(4-methyl-piperazin-1-yl)-quinoline-2-carboxylic acid (4-morpholin-4-yl-phenyl)amides (II) which facilitate late-stage diversification at the 8-position of (I) and at the 4- and 8-positions of (II) are described. The resulting novel series were determined to contain potent 5HT(1B) antagonists. Preliminary SAR data are presented.     

An Aspergillus niger esterase (ferulic acid esterase III) and a recombinant Pseudomonas fluorescens subsp. cellulosa esterase (Xy1D) release a 5-5' ferulic dehydrodimer (diferulic acid) from barley and wheat cell walls.

Diferulate esters strengthen and cross-link primary plant cell walls and help to defend the plant from invading microbes. Phenolics also limit the degradation of plant cell walls by saprophytic microbes and by anaerobic microorganisms in the rumen. We show that incubation of wheat and barley cell walls with ferulic acid esterase from Aspergillus niger (FAE-III) or Pseudomonas fluorescens (Xy1D), together with either xylanase I from Aspergillus niger, Trichoderma viride xylanase, or xylanase from Pseudomonas fluorescens (XylA), leads to release of the ferulate dimer 5-5' diFA [(E,E)-4,4'-dihydroxy-5,5'-dimethoxy-3,3'-bicinnamic acid]. Direct saponification of the cell walls without enzyme treatment released the following five identifiable ferulate dimers (in order of abundance): (Z)-beta-(4-[(E)-2-carboxyvinyl]-2-methoxyphenoxy)-4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid, trans-5-[(E)-2-carboxyvinyl]-2-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-phenyl) -7-methoxy-2, 3-dihydrobenzofuran-3-carboxylic acid, 5-5' diFA, (E,E)-4, 4'-dihydroxy-3, 5'-dimethoxy-beta, 3'-bicinnamic acid, and trans-7-hydroxy-1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl) -6-methoxy-1, 2-dihydronaphthalene-2, 3-dicarboxylic acid. Incubation of the wheat or barley cell walls with xylanase, followed by saponification of the solubilized fraction, yielded 5-5'diFA and, in some cases, certain of the above dimers, depending on the xylanase used. These experiments demonstrate that FAE-III and XYLD specifically release only esters of 5-5'diFA from either xylanase-treated or insoluble fractions of cell walls, even though other esterified dimers were solubilized by preincubation with xylanase. It is also concluded that the esterified dimer content of the xylanase-solubilized fraction depends on the source of the xylanase.     

Determination of photostability and photodegradation products of moxifloxacin in the presence of metal ions in solutions and solid phase. Kinetics and identification of photoproducts

Photostability of moxifloxacin (MOXI) after UVA irradiation in solutions and solid phase, with and without participation of Cu(II), Zn(II), Al(III), and Fe(III) was tested. The studies were carried out by the TLC-densitometric method and LC-MS/MS method. Elaborated and validated chromatography-densitometric method was used for assaying. It was shown that the number and type of photoproducts depend on the environment and type of the metal ion. The studied ions enhanced the degradation of MOXI in solutions, and the influence of Cu(II) and Fe(III) ions was higher than that of Zn(II) and Al(III) ions. In solid phase, in contrast to solutions, all metal ions decreased the photodegradation, however the influence of ions, Al(III) and Zn(II), was weaker than that of Cu(II) and Fe(III) ions. Identification of the degradation products performed with LC-MS/MS and (1)H NMR identified them as: 1-cyclopropyl-6-fluoro-7-amino-8-methoxy-4-oxo-1,4-dihydroquinoline-3-carboxylic acid, 1-cyclopropyl-6-fluoro-8-methoxy-4-oxo-7-(2-oxo-octahydro-6H-pyrrolo[3,4-b]pyridine-6-yl)-1,4-dihydroquinoline-3-carboxylic acid, 7-[3-hydroxyamino-4-(2-carboxyethyl)pyrrolidin-1-yl]-1-cyclopropyl-6-fluoro-8-methoxy-4-oxo-1,4-dihydroquinoline-3-carboxylic acid.     

Xanthones from a microfungus of the genus Xylaria

Chemical investigations of a microfungus Xylaria sp. isolated from the Australian rainforest tree Glochidion ferdinandi have afforded two new natural products, 2-hydroxy-6-methyl-8-methoxy-9-oxo-9H-xanthene-1-carboxylic acid (1) and 2-hydroxy-6-hydroxymethyl-8-methoxy-9-oxo-9H-xanthene-1-carboxylic acid (2). Compound 1 has previously been synthesised but only partially characterised. Methylation of 1 using diazomethane afforded the crystalline compound 2,8-dimethoxy-6-methyl-9-oxo-9H-xanthene-1-carboxylic acid methyl ester (3), whose structure was determined by single crystal X-ray analysis. This paper reports the full spectroscopic characterisation of compounds 1-3 by NMR, UV, IR and MS data. All compounds were inactive in a brine shrimp lethality assay and several antimicrobial screens.     

Chromone derivatives from Halenia elliptica and their anti-HBV activities

Nine water-soluble chromone derivatives, including chromone-2-carboxylic acids, 2-methylchromones and their structural hybrids, were isolated from aerial tissues of Halenia elliptica (Gentianaceae), six of which were previously unknown. Their structures were elucidated by comprehensive mass, 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic analyses and chemical derivatization. Two unstable structural hybrids of chromone-2-carboxylic acids and 2-methylchromones, viz. 3-acetyl-8-hydroxy-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one-2-carboxylic acid (halenic acid C) and 2-(8-hydroxy-2-methyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one-3-yl)-2-oxoacetic acid (halenichromone A), were isomers and were interconvertible. The proposed mechanism of their acid-catalyzed isomerization in aqueous solvent is described. In addition, 2-methylchromones, 8-hydroxy-2-methyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one, and 8-methoxy-2-methyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one, were found to exhibit a strong inhibitory effect towards hepatitis B virus (HBV) in vitro without showing significant cytotoxicity.     

Chromenes of polyketide origin from Peperomia villipetiola

An extract of leaves and stems of Peperomia villipetiola has been found to contain myristicin (3-methoxy-4,5-methylenedioxy-allylbenzene) and seven chromenes, whose structures are methyl 5-hydroxy-7-methyl-2,2-dimethyl-2H-1-chromene-6-carboxylate (1), methyl 5-methoxy-7-methyl-2,2-dimethyl-2H-1-chromene-8-carboxylate (2), methyl 7-hydroxy-5-methyl-2,2-dimethyl-2H-1-chromene-6-carboxylate (3), methyl 7-methoxy-5-methyl-2,2-dimethyl-2H-1-chromene-6-carboxylate (4), 5-methanol-7-hydroxy-2,2-dimethyl-2H-1-chromene-6-carboxylic acid (5), 5-methanol-7-methoxy-2,2-dimethyl-2H-1-chromene-6-carboxylic acid (6), and methyl 5-acetoxymethanol-7-hydroxy-2,2-dimethyl-2H-1-chromene-6-carboxylate (7). A biosynthetic rationale for 1-7 suggests that orsellinic acid may be a common intermediate. The anti-fungal activities of the chromenes were measured bioautographically against Cladosporium cladosporioides and Cladosporium sphaerospermum: compounds 6 and 7 were found to be the most active.     

Antioxidant, cyclooxygenase and topoisomerase inhibitory compounds from Apium graveolens Linn. seeds

Cyclooxygenase inhibitory and antioxidant bioassay-directed extraction and purification of celery seeds yielded sedanolide (1), senkyunolide-N (2), senkyunolide-J (3), 3-hydroxymethyl-6-methoxy-2,3-dihydro-1H-indol-2-ol (4), L-tryptophan (6), and 7-[3-(3,4-dihydroxy-4-hydroxymethyl-tetrahydro-furan-2-yloxy)-4,5-dihydroxy-6-hydroxymethyl-tetrahydro-pyran-2-yloxy]-5-hydroxy-2-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-phenyl)-chromen-4-one (7). The structures of compounds 1-7 were determined using spectroscopic methods. Compound 4 is reported here for the first time. At 250 pg ml(-1), compounds 1-4, 6 and 7 displayed prostaglandin H endoperoxide synthase-I (COX-I) and prostaglandin H endoperoxide synthase-II (COX-II) inhibitory activities at pH 7. The acetylated product (5) of compound 4 also inhibited COX-I and COX-II enzymes when tested at 250 microg ml(-1). Compounds 6 and 7 exhibited good antioxidant activity at concentrations of 125 and 250 microg ml(-1). Only compounds 1-3 exhibited topoisomerase-I and -II enzyme inhibitory activity at concentrations of 100, 200 and 200 microg ml(-1), respectively.     

Simultaneous determination of l-tryptophan impurities in meat products

L-tryptophan has been used as a feed additive for swine and poultry and as a nutrient supplement for humans. However, some impurities in l-tryptophan have been reported as causative components of eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome. Therefore, from a safety perspective, it is important to analyze meat samples for these impurities. This study aims to develop an analytical method for the simultaneous detection of l-tryptophan impurities in meat products using LC–MS/MS. Among the various impurities, detection methods for (S)-2-amino-3-(5-hydroxy-1H-indol-3-yl)propanoic acid (5-hydroxytryptophan) (HTP), 1-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-carboline-3-carboxylic acid (MTCA), 3a-hydroxy-1,2,3,3a,8,8a-hexahydropyrrolo-[2,3-b]-indole-2-carboxylic acid (PIC), and 1,1′-ethylidenebistryptophan (EBT) and 2-(3-indoylmethyl)-l-tryptophan (IMT) were developed. The developed method allowed simultaneous determination of these four impurities in 5 min. No interferences from the matrix were observed, and the method showed good sensitivity to each analyte. The method detection limit and limit of quantification in meat matrices were below 11.2 and 35.7 μg/kg, respectively.

     

Cordiachromes from Auxemma oncocalyx

Further cordiachromes, rel-10,11β-epoxy-11-ethoxy-8-hydroxy-2-methoxy-8aβ-methyl-5,6,7,8,8a,9,10aβ-octahydro-1,4-anthracendione, 6-formyl-2-methoxy-9-methyl-7,8-dihydro-1,4-phenanthrendione, rel-8,11;9,11-diepoxy-1,4-dihydroxy-2-methoxy-8aβ-methyl-5,6,7,8,8a,9,10,10aβ-octahydro-10-anthracenone, rel-9,11-epoxy-1,4,8-trihydroxy-2-methoxy-8aβ-methyl-5,6,7,8,8a,9,10,10aβ-octahydro-10-anthracenone, rel-2″-methoxy-7″-methyl-1″,4″-naphtalendione-(6″→5)-tetrahydropyran-(2-eq→O→2ax)-tetrahydropyran-(5′→6)- 2-methoxy-7-methyl-1,4-naphthalendione, together with the known, allantoin, sitosterol and 3β-O-d-glucopyranosylsitosterol, have been isolated from Auxemma oncocalyx. Their structures were determined from spectral data, including 2D NMR experiments.     

Catalytic degradation of amygdalin by extracellular enzymes from Aspergillus niger

Amygdalin is a controversial anti-tumor natural product that has been used as an alternative cancer drug for many years. The anti-tumor mechanism and metabolism of amygdalin have been the focus of many studies. However, previous studies by our group demonstrated that amygdalin itself has no anti-tumor activity, but rather the active ingredients were determined to be amygdalin degradation products. To screen novel drugs with anti-tumor activity, the extracellular enzymes from Aspergillus niger were used to degrade amygdalin. Within 4 h of the catalytic reaction at 37°, amygdalin was rapidly degraded into four products. The products were then extracted and purified by column chromatography. By comparing the HPLC chromatograms, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR and MS data, the products were identified as mandelonitrile, prunasin, benzaldehyde and phenyl-(3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-methyl-tetrahydro-pyran-2-yloxy)-acetonitrile (PTMT), a novel hydroxyl derivative of prunasin. Furthermore, pharmacology studies of these compounds demonstrated that 10 mg/kg of PTMT significantly suppressed the growth of S-18 tumor cells within 11 days in a concentration-dependent manner.     

A chalcone and an isoflavone from Millettia pachycarpa seeds

Chemical examination of the seeds of Millettia pachycarpa has yielded a new prenylated isoflavone and a new prenylated chalcone in addition to the previously reported isoflavones 5-hydroxy-4′-methoxy-6″,6″-dimethylpyrano (2″,3″:7,8)isoflavone, 5,7,4′-trihydroxy-6,8-diprenylisoflavone, 5,7,3′,4′-tetrahydroxy-6,8-diprenyl-isoflavone and pomiferin.     

Conformational restriction of the Tyr53 side-chain in the decapeptide HE.

A series of conformationally restricted analogs of the hen egg lysozyme (HEL) decapeptide 52-61 in which the conformationally flexible Tyr53 residue was replaced by several more constrained tyrosine and phenylalanine analogs was prepared. Among these tyrosine and phenylalanine analogs were 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-7-hydroxyisoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid (Htc), 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid (Tic), 4-amino- 1,2,4,5-tetrahydro-8-hydroxy-2-benzazepine-3-one (Hba), 4-amino-1,2,4,5-tetrahydro-2-benzazepine-3-one (Aba), 2-amino-6-hydroxytetralin-2-carboxylic acid (Hat) and 2-amino-5-hydroxyindan-2-carboxylic acid (Hai) in which the rotations around Calpha-Cbeta and Cbeta-Cgamma were restricted because of cyclization of the side-chain to the backbone. Synthesis of Pht-Hba-Gly-OH using a modification of the Flynn and de Laszlo procedure is described. Analogs of beta-methyltyrosine (beta-MeTyr) in which the side-chains were biased to particular side-chain torsional angles because of substitution at the beta-hydrogens were also prepared. These analogs of HEL[52-61] peptide were tested for their ability to bind to the major histocompatibility complex class II I-Ak molecule and to be recognized in this context by two T-cell hybridomas, specific for the parent peptide HEL[52-61]. The data showed that the conformation and also the configuration of the Tyr53 residue influenced both the binding of the peptide to I-Ak and the recognition of the peptide/I-Ak complex by a T-cell receptor.     

A potent allelopathic substance in cucumber plants and allelopathy of cucumber

A potent growth inhibitory substance was isolated from an aqueous methanol extract of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. cv. Phung Tuong) plants and determined as (2S)-2,3-dihydro-2??-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-7-methoxy-5-(1,2,3-trihydroxypropyl)benzofuran-3??-methanol (sisymbrifolin) by spectral data. Sisymbrifolin inhibited the growth of cress (Lepidium sativum) and Echinochloa crus-galli seedlings at concentrations greater than 3???M. Concentration of sisymbrifolin in the cucumber plants was the greatest among four growth inhibitory substances, (S)-2-benzoyloxy-3-phenyl-1-propanol, 9-hydroxy-4,7-megastigmadien-9-one, (6S,7E,9S)-6,9,10-trihydroxy-4,7-megastigmadien-3-one, and sisymbrifolin found in the cucumber, whereas growth inhibitory activity of 9-hydroxy-4,7-megastigmadien-9-one against cress and E. crus-galli was the greatest. Total activities of these substances (concentration of the substance/concentration required 50?% growth inhibition) were 14.4, 13.2, 8.5 and 10.7 for (S)-2-benzoyloxy-3-phenyl-1-propanol, 9-hydroxy-4,7-megastigmadien-9-one, (6S,7E,9S)-6,9,10-trihydroxy-4,7-megastigmadien-3-one and sisymbrifolin, respectively. These total activities were about 100-fold greater than those of phenolic acids, which are often mentioned as putative allelochemicals of plants. Thus, these substances may play important roles in the allelopathy of cucumber plants through the growth inhibition of neighboring plant species.     

Flavonoids from Achyrocline flaccida

Three new flavonoids: 5-hydroxy-7-(3-methyl-2,3-epoxybutoxy)flavanone,5-hydroxy-3,8-dimethoxy 7-(3-methyl-2,3-epoxybutoxy)flavone and 4′-hydroxy-5-methoxy-7-(3-methyl-2,3-epoxybutoxy)flavone were isolated and identified from the aerial parts of Achyrocline flaccida. Tamarixetin, gnaphaliin, isognaphaliin, 5,7,8-trihydroxy-3-methoxyflavone, chrysoeriol, galangin 3-methyl ether, naringenin 5-methyl ether, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid and isochlorogenic acid were also isolated.