Salviacoccin,a neo-clerodane diterpenoid from Salvia coccinea

A new neo-clerodane diterpenoid, salviacoccin, was isolated from the aerial part of Salvia coccinea. Its structure, 15,16-epoxy-10-hydroxy-neo-cleroda-2,7,13(16), 14-tetraene-17,12R:18,19-diolide, was established by chemical and spectroscopic means and by comparison with closely related compounds.     

Cissogenin,a pregnane genin from Marsdenia tenacissima

A new polyhydroxy pregnane designated as cissogenin has been isolated from the seeds of Marsdenia tenacissima. Its structure has been established as 3β,11α,12β,14β,20 S-pentahydroxy-pregn-5-ene.     

Glochidioside,a triterpene glycoside from Glochidion heyneanum

A new triterpenoid glycoside, glochidioside, has been isolated from Glochidion heyneanum. Its structure has been established as 3β[(O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 3)-O-α-L-arabinopyranosyl)oxy]-16β-benzoyloxy-olean-12-ene-21β,23,28-trio     

Punicafolin,an ellagitannin from the leaves of Punica granatum

A new ellagitannin, punicafolin has been isolated from the leaves of Punica granatum and characterized by physicochemical data and spectral evidence as 1,2,4-tri-O-galloyl-3,6-(R)-hexahydroxydiphenoyl-β-D-glucose. The occurrence in the leaves of the known tannins, granatins A and B, corilagin, strictinin, 1,2,4,6-tetra-O-galloyl-β-D-glucose and 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-β-D-glucose has also been demonstrated.     

New diterpenes from Sideritis sicula

Two new diterpenes have been isolated from Sideritis sicula: sideripol, ent-18-acetoxy-7α-hydroxykaur-15-ene and epoxysideritriol, ent-15β,16β-epoxykauran-7α,17,18-triol. The previously known diterpene eubol, ent-7α-acetoxykaur-16-en-15β,18 diol has also been obtained from the same source.     

Polymer-supported biopolymer synthesis: 3. Preparation of fully and partially protected βh-endorphin segments with a new phenolic poly [N-(2-methoxyethyl)-acrylamide]-based support

A new phenolic peptide resin, which is a bead-form derivative of crosslinked poly[N-(2-methoxyethyl)acrylamide], has been prepared by a suspension polymerization technique. The resin, which is highly expanded in all common peptide solvents, has been used for the solid (gel) phase synthesis of protected acylpeptide hydrazides. Fully protected acylpeptide hydrazide segments corresponding to β_h-endorphin (15–17), β_h-endorphin (6–14) and β_h-endorphin (6–17) have been prepared. Conversion, by selective catalytic transfer hydrogenation, of the fully protected acylpeptide hydrazide segment corresponding to β-_h-endorphin (15–17) to the partially protected form has been explored.     

Epoxy-isosidol: A new diterpenoid from Sideritis biflora

The new diterpenoid ent-3β-acetoxy-7α,18-dihydroxy-15β,16-epoxykaurane has been isolated from Sideritis biflora. Twelve previously known ent-kaurane derivatives have also been obtained from the same source.     

Solaverbascine—a new 22,26-epiminocholestane alkaloid from Solanum verbascifolium

Besides solasodine and tomatidine the new alkaloid solaverbascine has been obtained from the leaves of Solanum verbascifolium and identified as (22S:25R)-22,26-epiminocholest-5-ene-3β, 16β-diol by physical data and direct comparison with synthetic material.     

Membrane charge dependent states of the β-amyloid fragment Aβ (16-35) with differently charged micelle aggregates

Aβ (16-35) is the hydrophobic central core of β-amyloid peptide, the main component of plaques found in the brain tissue of Alzheimer's disease patients. Depending on the conditions present, β-amyloid peptides undergo a conformational transition from random coil or α-helical monomers, to highly toxic β-sheet oligomers and aggregate fibrils. The behavior of β-amyloid peptide at plasma membrane level has been extensively investigated, and membrane charge has been proved to be a key factor modulating its conformational properties. In the present work we probed the conformational behavior of Aβ (16-35) in response to negative charge modifications of the micelle surface. CD and NMR conformational analyses were performed in negatively charged pure SDS micelles and in zwitterionic DPC micelles “doped” with small amounts of SDS. To analyze the tendency of Aβ (16-35) to interact with these micellar systems, we performed EPR experiments on three spin-labeled analogues of Aβ (16-35), bearing the methyl 3-(2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-1-oxypyrrolinyl) methanethiolsulfonate spin label at the N-terminus, in the middle of the sequence and at the C-terminus, respectively. Our conformational data show that, by varying the negative charge of the membrane, Aβ (16-35) undergoes a conformational transition from a soluble helical-kink-helical structure, to a U-turn shaped conformation that resembles protofibril models.     

Havanine—a steroidal alkaloid glycoside from Solanum havanense

A new steroidal alkaloid glycoside named havanine has been isolated from the leaves of Solanum havanense and its structure elucidated by spectral data as (25S)-O(3)-β-D-glucopyranosyl-16α-acetoxy-22,26-epiminocholesta-5,22(N)-dien-3β-ol.     

Potential anti-diabetic applications of a new molecule with affinity for β3-Adrenoceptors

β₃-adrenoceptors have been described through both molecular and pharmacological studies. In this context, it has been characterized the β₃-adrenoceptors agonist activity of a new compound (Trecadrine^®), and evaluated whether it exhibits additional activity at β₁ and β₂- adrenoceptor subtypes. In addition, it has been tested its potential anti-diabetic properties in a model of alloxan-induced diabetes in rats. Our data show that Trecadrine^® induces oesophageal muscularis mucosae relaxation, indicating a putative action on β₃-adrenoceptors. In the absence of β₃-adrenoceptors antagonists, assays with β₁ and β₂-adrenergic antagonists reveal a quite remarkable selectivity for β₃-adrenoceptors. Furthermore, it has been suggested that this molecule has hypoglycaemic and lipomobilizing effects, although hypoglycaemia was not related to an increase in insulin secretion in diabetic rats. It is concluded that Trecadrine^® mainly acts through β₃-adrenoceptors, and it may constitute a potential drug in the treatment of diabetes.     

Tenasogenin,a pregnane ester from Marsdenia tenacissima

A new polyhydroxy pregnane ester named tenasogenin was isolated from the seeds of Marsdenia tenacissima. On the basis of chemical and spectroscopic evidence and identification of its hydrolysis products, its structure has been established as 11α-O-β,β-dimethylacryloyl-3β,12β,14β,20R-tetrahydroxypregn-5-ene.     

Diterpenes from sideritis dendrochahorra and s. cystosiphon

A new diterpene, sidendrodiol (ent-16β,18-dihydroxykaur-11-ene), has been isolated from Sideritis dendrochahorra. From S. cystosiphon two new diterpenic esters, the 18-palmitate of epicandicandiol and the diacetate of epicandicandiol have been identified. The ¹³CNMR spectra of ent-16β-hydroxykaur-11-ene and ent-16β-hydroxykaurane derivatives have been assigned.     

Sarcogenin,a pregnane derivative from Pergularia pallida and Sarcostemma brevistigma

A new pregnane genin, designated as sarcogenin has been isolated from Pergularia pallida and Sarcostemma brevistigma and characterized as 3β,8β,11α,12β,14β,17β-hexahydroxypregn-5-en-20-one.     

Structure of tigmobiose

A new, nonreducing disaccharide, tigmobiose, has been isolated from the dried twigs of Sarcostemma brevistigma. On the basis of chemical and spectroscopic evidence, and identification of its sole hydrolysis product, its structure has been established as 2,6-dideoxy-β-d-ribo-hexopyranosyl 2,6-dideoxy-β-d-ribo-hexopyranoside (β-d- digitoxopyranosyl β-d-digitoxopyranoside).     

The microbiological transformation of some ent-3β-hydroxykaur-16-enes by Gibberella fujikuroi

The preparation of ent-3β-hydroxykaur-16-ene from linearol and of ent -3β,18-dihydroxykaur-16-ene from foliol is described. The microbiological transformation of these and of foliol by Gibberella fujikuroi has been studied. A 3α-hydroxyl group appears to exert an inhibitory effect on transformations involving oxidation at C-19.     

Steroidal alkaloids from Solanum khasian um: Application of 13C NMR spectroscopy to their structural elucidation

The solasodine glycosides, solasonine, solamargine and khasianine have been isolated from berries of Solanum khasianum and characterized by ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. By application of this method, the structure of khasianine has been elucidated as O-α-l-rhamnosyl (1→4_glu)-O (3)-β-d-glucopyranosyl-solasodine (β₂-solamargine).     

Torvonin-A,a spirostane saponin from Solanum torvum leaves

A new steroidal saponin, torvonin-A, has been isolated from S. torvum leaves and its structure has been established as neochlorogenin-3-O-β-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1→2)β-L-rhamnopyranoside.     

New biocatalytic route for the production of enantioenriched β-alanine derivatives starting from 5- and 6-monosubstituted dihydrouracils

Taking advantage of the catalytic promiscuity of pyrimidine-catabolism enzymes (dihydropyrimidinase (E.C. 3.5.2.2), N-carbamoyl-β-alanine amidohydrolase (E.C. 3.5.1.6)), the production of different β-alanine derivatives starting from 5- and 6-monosubstituted dihydrouracils has been evaluated using a mimesis approach. In this work, the S-enantioselective character of dihydropyrimidinase from Sinorizhobium meliloti toward 6-monosubstituted dihydrouracil derivatives has been shown. An inverted R-/S-enantioselectivity of N-carbamoyl-β-alanine amidohydrolase from Agrobacterium tumefaciens toward two different N-carbamoyl-β-amino acids has been proved. Our results have shown for the first time that this mimetic tandem constitutes an interesting biotechnological tool for the preparation of different β-alanine derivatives in an environmentally friendly way, allowing the production of enantioenriched (R)-α-phenyl-β-alanine (e.e. > 95%) and (R)-α-methyl-β-alanine (e.e. > 90%).