Hydnocarpus sharmae (Flacourtiaceae), a new species from Andaman Islands, India

A new species, Hydnocarpus sharmae (Flacourtiaceae) from North Andaman, India is described and illustrated.     

Lupane,friedelane, oleanane,and ursane triterpenes from the stem of Siphonodon celastrineus Griff

Twenty-one triterpenes consisting of a lupane derivative, two friedelanes, an oleanane derivative, and 17 ursane-type triterpenoids, together with three known triterpenes, three sterols, a fatty acid, a sesquiterpene alkaloid, and a glycerol derivative, were isolated from the stem of Siphonodon celastrineus. Their structures were characterized by various spectroscopic techniques, as well as comparison with literature data. Twenty-seven metabolites of these were evaluated for cytotoxic activity against six human cancer cell lines. The biosynthetic formation of a 1,4-dioxane bridge is also discussed.     

Terpenoids from Tripterygium doianum (Celastraceae)

The extract of Tripterygium doianum (Celastraceae) afforded three triterpenoids [3beta-acetoxy-11-ursen-13alpha,30-olide, 25-chloro-24-hydroxytirucall-7-en-3-one and tirucall-7-en-3,24-dione], two sesquiterpenoids [5alpha-acetoxy-1beta,8alpha-bis-cinnamoyl-4alpha-hydroxydihydroagarofuran and 5alpha-acetoxy-1beta-benzoyl-8alpha-cinnamoyl-4alpha-hydroxydihydroagarofuran] and nine known triterpenoids. Their structures were established based on spectroscopic studies.     

Zur Androeciumanlage und Antherenentwicklung beiCaloncoba echinata (Flacourtiaceae)

The polyandrous androecium ofCaloncoba echinata (Oliv.)Gilg initially consists of a flat, ring-like mound. On it stamen primordia arise almost simultaneously and in somewhat irregular (neither clearly centrifugal nor centripetal) sequence. This fits the development reported for other members of theGuttiferales-Violales group. The anther loculi are transversely septate as in someAnnonaceae and a few other Angiosperm families. This character does not appear to be phylogenetically primitive.     

Three new species of Salacioideae (Celastraceae)

This paper describes three new species of Salacioideae Cheiloclinium and Salacia (Celastraceae) from South America: C. brevipetiolatum Lombardi is characterized by its very short, only 5 mm long petioles; S. krigsneri Lombardi is distinguished by its dichasium (inflorescence) with shortened lateral branches, a unique feature among neotropical species; and S. vernicosa Lombardi can be discerned from other species by its fascicled inflorescences and large leaves, dried inflorescence covered with resinous substance, tubuliform flowers, flat, ring‐shaped disc, and berries with ribs at base and lobes at apex.     

A new species of Banara (Flacourtiaceae) from Bolivia

A new species,Banara boliviana, known only from Depto. Santa Cruz, Prov. Florida, in the easternmost Andes of Bolivia, is described and illustrated. It is compared toB. glauca from the northern Andes.     

Breeding system and seed set inEuonymus europaeus (Celastraceae)

The seed set and breeding system in a naturalized population ofEuonymus europaeus is described. The average seed set is lower (5.7%) and more variable in male than in female plants (9.3%). Some male plants set little or no seed. The results are compared with those ofDarwin, who describedE. europaeus as polygamous and trioecious; it is concluded that the species is better described as gynodioecious.     

Kaurane and abietane diterpenoids from Tripterygium doianum (Celastraceae)

Extraction of Tripterygium doianum (Celastraceae) afforded five new diterpenoids and 11 known diterpenoids belonging to the ent-kaurane and abietane families. Their structures were established based on spectroscopic studies. The isolated compounds showed moderate cytotoxicity against human tumor cell assays.     

Triterpenoids from Cassine xylocarpa and Celastrus vulcanicola (Celastraceae)

Two new pentacyclic triterpenoids, xyloketal (1), a 3,25-epoxy-olean-12-ene, and 3β,21α-dihydroxyglut-5-ene (2) along with seven known triterpene compounds (3–9) were isolated from the root barks of Cassine xylocarpa and Celastrus vulcanicola. Their structures were characterized by spectroscopic methods, mainly NMR (¹H, ¹³C, HSQC, HMBC and ROESY) and EIMS, and comparison with data reported in the literature. Also molecular mechanic calculations were used to calculate the minimum energy conformer of compound 1 and its epimer.     

Medicinal chemistry and pharmacology of genus Tripterygium (Celastraceae)

Plants in the genus Tripterygium, such as Tripterygium wilfordii Hook.f., have a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine. In recent years there has been considerable interest in the use of Tripterygium extracts and of the main bioactive constituent, the diterpene triepoxide triptolide (1), to treat a variety of autoimmune and inflammation-related conditions. The main mode of action of the Tripterygium extracts and triptolide (1) is the inhibition of expression of proinflammatory genes such as those for interleukin-2 (IL-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). The efficacy and safety of certain types of Tripterygium extracts were confirmed in human clinical trials in the US and abroad. Over 300 compounds have been identified in the genus Tripterygium, and many of these have been evaluated for biological activity. The overall activity of the extract is based on the interaction between its components. Therefore, the safety and efficacy of the extract cannot be fully mimicked by any individual constituent. This review discusses the biochemical composition and biological and pharmacological activities of Tripterygium extracts, and their main bioactive components.     

贵州卫矛属二新种

鳞果卫矛新种图１ＥｕｏｎｙｍｕｓｆｕｒｆｕｒａｃｅｕｓＱＨＣｈｅｎ,ｓｐｎｏｖＳｐｅｃｉｅｓｈａｂｉｔｕＥａｃａｎｔｈｏｃａｒｐｏＦｒａｎｃｈａｆｉｎｉｓ,ａｑｕｏｄｉｆｅｒｔｐｅｄｕｎｃｕｌｉｓｂｒｅｖｉｏｒｉｂｕｓ,２～３ｃｍｌｏｎｇ...     

Celastrus obovatifolius sp. nov. (Celastraceae) from China

A new bittersweet species, Celastrus obovatifolius X. Y. Mu & Z. X. Zhang (Celastraceae) is described from China. It is morphologically most similar to C. orbiculatus Thunb., but differs in having lamellate pith, obovate leaves, flower stalk with an articulation in its upper half, and terminal and axillary inflorescences. This is the first study using scanning electron microscope (SEM) to study the seed micromorphology of Celastrus L., which can provide valuable characters for species identification in the genus.     

Anti-tumor promoting effects of sesquiterpenes from Maytenus cuzcoina (Celastraceae)

Ten sesquiterpenoids (1-10), with a dihydro-beta-agarofuran skeleton, were isolated from Maytenus cuzcoina (Celastraceae). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral analysis, including homo- and heteronuclear correlations NMR experiments (COSY, ROESY, HMQC and HMBC), and chemical correlations. The compounds have been tested for their inhibitory effects on Epstein-Barr virus early antigen (EBV-EA) activation induced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), as a test for potential cancer chemopreventive agents. Compounds 1-3, 6 and 7 showed strong inhibitory effects on EBV-EA induction (100% inhibition at 1000 mol ratio/TPA). Their structure-activity relationship is discussed.     

卫矛科植物苦皮藤杀虫成分化学研究新进展

卫矛科植物苦皮藤(Celastrus angulatus Max.)是我国著名的杀虫植物。近些年来,我国对这一杀虫植物从化学和生物学的角度进行了多学科的交叉研究。本文结合笔者近年来的研究,从苦皮藤的杀虫化学成分的结构、构效关系、环境中的稳定性以及结构修饰等方面综述了对苦皮藤杀虫成分化学研究的新进展。     

卫矛属刺果卫矛组的数量分类学分析

通过对1500余份标本的测量和统计,结合文献和野外考察,选取了30个形态学性状,对卫矛属（Euonymus）刺果卫矛组（sect. Echinococcus）13个种进行了数量分类学分析。聚类分析结果表明,美国卫矛（E.americanus）和陈谋卫矛（E.chenmoui）的亲缘关系最近,不支持Blakelock将本组划分为两个系的观点。本组中系统位置有争议的物种：厚叶卫矛（E.hemsleyanus）与紫刺卫矛（E.angustatus）、棘刺卫矛（E.echinatus）和无柄卫矛（E.subsessilis）、刺猬卫矛（E.hystrix）和蒙自卫矛（E.mengtseanus）、刺果卫矛（E.acanthocarpus）和腾冲卫矛（E.tengyuehensis）,在聚类图中显示出较远的亲缘关系,通过方差分析对这些物种间有较明显差异的性状进行进一步分析。结果表明,这些物种在叶尖角度、叶长、侧脉与主脉的夹角、花序梗长等性状上均具有显著差异。分析结果支持将蒙自卫矛与腾冲卫矛排除出刺果卫矛组,支持厚叶卫矛和紫刺卫矛作为独立的种,由于在交叉分布地域没有足够的研究资料,棘刺卫矛和无柄卫矛的系统位置有待进一步确认。因子分析结果表明,本实验所用性状间的独立性较强,叶长、侧脉与主脉的夹角、花序分支数、果实带刺的长度等18个性状在本组中具有重要的分类学意义。     

Anatomy of the floral nectaries of some neotropical Salacioideae (Celastraceae)

Floral nectaries have contributed to the systematics of different taxonomic groups. Since those of the neotropical genera included in subfamily Salacioideae—Cheiloclinium Miers, Peritassa Miers, Salacia L. and Tontelea Aubl.—have different forms and positions, we explored their anatomy to delimit more precisely the genera of subfamily Salacioideae. Buds and open flowers of six species were treated following the usual techniques in plant anatomy. The obtained data were helpful in characterizing the floral nectary anatomy of the studied species. Furthermore, some features such as form, position and surface of nectaries; form of their epidermal cells; presence and distribution of stomata; occurrence of idioblasts containing druses in the nectariferous parenchyma; and absence of nectary vascularization can contribute to the taxonomy and phylogeny of the Salacioideae studied. In most of the studied species the nectar is probably released by both the stomata and the nectary epidermal surface. In Cheiloclinium cognatum, the structure acknowledged as nectary is actually a vestigial tissue and the functions of attracting and rewarding pollinators has phylogenetically migrated to the stigmatic region. The druses and phenolic substances observed in the nectariferous parenchyma probably help defend flowers against herbivore attacks. The minute size of the nectaries of Salacioideae may explain the absence of vascularization. The floral nectaries of Salacia elliptica are epithelial while those of the other species are mesenchymal.