New tetraoxygenated xanthones of Canscora decussata

From the alcoholic extract of Canscora decussata Schult (Gentianaceae), the previously unreported 1,3,6,7-tetrahydroxyxanthone (I), 1,3,5,6-tetrahydroxyxanthone-C₂-glucoside (II), and 1,5,6-trihydroxy-3-methoxyxanthone (III), have been isolated and identified. The structures of these xanthones have been established by chemical transformations, synthesis (in case of III), and spectral (UV, IR, PMR, MS) evidence. II and III have not been encountered before in nature, while I is reported for the first time in this genus. The significance of mass spectral fragmentation in the structural elucidation of oxygenated xanthones is discussed.     

Two new 1,3,5,6,7-pentaoxygenated xanthones from Canscora decussata

One new pentaoxygenated free xanthone and a new pentaoxygenated xanthone-O-glucoside have been isolated and characterized from the flowering top of a fresh batch of Canscora decussata. The structure previously assigned to ‘xanthone 9’ has now been confirmed by application of NOE. The biochemical significance of xanthone formation and glucosidation in plants is appraised.     

Preparative isolation of closely-related xanthones from Gentianella amarella ssp. acuta by High-speed countercurrent chromatography

Introduction –  A methanolic extract from Gentianella amarella ssp. acuta was shown to contain several xanthones exhibiting acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity. These xanthones were difficult to separate by conventional LC techniques, which prevented the isolation of pure compounds in sufficient amounts to perform in‐depth biological testing. Objective –  To develop a suitable preparative method for the separation of closely related xanthones. Methodology –  The methanolic extract was first partitioned with solvents of increasing polarity, in order to separate glycosides from xanthone aglycones. High‐speed countercurrent chromatography (HSCCC) methods were then optimised for the fractionation of both polar and non‐polar extracts. Results –  The use of HSCCC enabled the separation of xanthones which co‐eluted by HPLC. Ten closely related xanthones—three of which were isomeric—were successfully isolated by developing suitable solvent systems. All compounds were obtained in sufficient amounts to allow further biological assays (e.g. up to 250 mg), including even minor compounds that were not detectable by analytical HPLC. Conclusion –  The orthogonality of HSCCC with HPLC and the absence of solid‐phase supports enabled the detection, separation and preparative isolation of closely related compounds which were difficult to resolve by other techniques. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Three New Glycosides from Halenia clliptica

Three new glycosides have been obtained from the herb Halenia elliptica D. Don (Genti- anaceae) which is used for treatment of liver diseases in Qinghai-Tibetan folk. Their structu- res have been identified as 1-O-[β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranosyl]-2,3,5,7-terameth-oxyxanthone(Ⅰ) or as l-O-primeverosyl-2,3,5,7-tetramethoxyxanthone),1-O-[β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-6)-β-D-glucopyranosyl]-2,3,5-trimethoxyxanthone (Ⅱ, or as 1-O-primeverosyl-2,3,5-trimeth- oxyxanthone), and 1-O-[β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-6)-β-D-glucopyranosyl]-2,3,4,5-tetramethoxyxan- thone (Ⅲ, or as 1-O-primeverosyl-2,3,4,5-tetramethoxyxanthone) respectively, by means of che- mical and spectral methods. Ⅰ and Ⅱ are another two new antihepatitisic constituents of this species, and their biological activity of antihepatitis has been displayed by the pharmacological research. They were named haleniaside (Ⅰ) and demethoxyhaleniaside (Ⅱ).     

Two new xanthone glycosides from Tripterospermum lanceolatum

Oleanolic acid, mangiferin, and two new xanthone glucosides, named lanceoside (1,8-dihydroxy-3,7- dimethoxyxanthone- 4-O-β-d-glucoside) and lancerin (C-4-β-d-glucosyl-1,3,7-trihydroxyxanthone), respectively, were isolated from the aerial parts of Tripterospermum lanceolatum.     

Xanthone and flavonol constituents of Swertia hookeri

The whole plant of Swertia hookeri, collected at flowering has been shown to contain two tri- and nine tetraoxygenated free, glucosyloxy, and stearyl ester xanthones and one flavonol stearyl ester. Among these, three are previously unreported in nature and one was known previously only as a synthetic compound. The xanthones are based on 1,3,5,-, 1,3,5,8- and 1,3,7,8-oxygenated systems with the middle oxygenation pattern predominating. The two ester compounds appeared only at the flowering stage. Plants collected at the pre-flowering stage gave the corresponding free compounds. The biochemical and biological significance of these findings are appraised.     

Minor xanthones of Hypericum mysorense

2-Hydroxyxanthone, 1,7-dihydroxyxanthone, 1-hydroxy-7-methoxyxanthone, 6,7-dimethoxy-1-hydroxyxanthone and a new natural product, 2-hydroxy-3-methoxyxanthone, have been isolated and characterized from the phenolic fraction of the chloroform extract of the timber of Hypericum mysorense. The presence of simple xanthones in this genus supports the classification of Hypericum in the subfamily Hypericoideae in Guttiferae.     

Xanthones and C-glucosylflavones from Gentiana corymbifera

A new xanthone and twelve known compounds were isolated from the aerial parts of Gentiana corymbifera. The new xanthone was shown to be 3-methylcorymbiferin (1,8-dihydroxy-3,4,5-trimethoxy-9H-xanthen-9-one) by spectral and chemical procedures. The chemotaxonomic implications are discussed.     

Major xanthones from Garcinia quadrifaria and Garcinia staudtii stem barks

The stem bark of Garcinia quadrifaria has yielded the novel xanthone 1, 3, 5-trihydroxy-4, 8-di(3,3-dimethylallyl)xanthone and the biflavonoids O-methylfukugetin and morelloflavone. The seeds contained the biflavonoids but not the xanthone. G. staudtii stem bark gave rheediaxanthone-A and the polyisoprenylated benzophenone xanthochymol. .     

Xanthones of Centaurium pulchellum

1-Hydroxy-3,7,8-trimethoxyxanthone, 1,8-dihydroxy-3,7-dimethoxyxanthone and 1,8-dihydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyxanthone have been isolated from the whole plant of Centaurium pulchellum; the compounds were characterized by UV and NMR spectroscopy.     

Separation of (R)- and (S)-tert-butyl 2-tert-butyl-4-methoxy-2,5-dihydro-1,3-imidazole-1-carboxylate (building block for amino acid synthesis) by preparative high performance liquid chromatography on a polysaccharide stationary phase

The preparative separation of the enantiomers of the title compound, a versatile chiral building block for the synthesis of unnatural amino acid esters, by high performance liquid chromatography on a chiral stationary phase (CSP), is reported for the first time. The CSP consists of amylose-(3,5-dimethylphenyl-carbamate), which has been coated onto the surface of macroporous aminopropyl-functionalized silica gel. The effect of mobile phase composition and the amount of amylose derivative on the silica gel has been thoroughly investigated. Using 2-propanol as organic modifier in hexane as mobile phase, on a semi-preparative column (200 mm × 40 mm ID, containing 192 g of stationary phase) about 200 mg of the racemate was separated per injection. Running the equipment under automatic conditions with repetitive injection mode allowed for the separation of 30 g per day. Both enantiomers were obtained with enantiopurities >99.75:0.25. Chirality 10:217–222, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

New antibiotic with typical plant anthraquinone structure obtained studying terrestrial and marine Streptomycetes

In our screening for new antibiotics from bacteria, the streptomycete isolate M097 from Jiaozhou Bay in China was found to produce aloesaponarin II (1a) and 1,6-dihydroxy-8-hydroxymethyl-anthraquinone (2). Similarly, a terrestrial streptomycete GW24/1694 produced 1a and its methyl ether, the new compound 1-hydroxy-6-methoxy-8-methyl-anthraquinone (1b). All structures were derived by spectrochemical analysis and by comparison with reference data. The results showed that the marine streptomycete isolate M097 and the terrestrial streptomycete GW24/1694 could be a promising material for studying the biosynthetic pathway of polyketides.     

RDX (Hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine) Biodegradation in Aquifer Sediments under Manganese-Reducing Conditions

A shallow, RDX (hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine)-contaminated aquifer at Naval Submarine Base Bangor has been characterized as predominantly manganese-reducing, anoxic with local pockets of oxic conditions. The potential contribution of microbial RDX degradation to localized decreases observed in aquifer RDX concentrations was assessed in sediment microcosms amended with [U-¹⁴C] RDX. Greater than 85% mineralization of ¹⁴C-RDX to ¹⁴CO₂ was observed in aquifer sediment microcosms under native, manganese-reducing, anoxic conditions. Significant increases in the mineralization of ¹⁴C-RDX to ¹⁴CO₂ were observed in anoxic microcosms under NO₃-amended or Mn(IV)-amended conditions. No evidence of ¹⁴C-RDX biodegradation was observed under oxic conditions. These results indicate that microbial degradation of RDX may contribute to natural attenuation of RDX in manganese-reducing aquifer systems.     

1,3,5-Triazine multiselector systems: New tools for chiral discrimination

2-Hexylamino-4-[(S)-1-(1-naphthyl)ethylamino]-6-L-valyl-L-valyl-L-valine isopropylester-1,3,5-triazine (1), a molecule characterized by two different chiral selectors, and 2-hexylamino-4,6-bis-L-valyl-L-valyl-L-valine isopropylester-1,3,5-triazine (2) and 2-ethoxy-4-hexylamino-6-[(S)-1-(1-naphthyl) ethylamino]-1,3,5-triazine (3), systems in which a single kind of chiral selector is present, have been prepared. The enantiodiscriminating ability in solution of the three compounds toward the N-3,5-dinitrobenzoyl derivatives of 1-phenylethylamine (4) or valine methylester (5) has been investigated by ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy: 1 shows an improved versatility, relative to 2 and 3, as a chiral solvating agent for NMR spectroscopy. On the basis of the indications obtained, the usefulness of 2-chloro-4-[(S)-1-(1-naphthyl)ethylamino]-6-L-val-L-val-L-valine isopropylester-1,3,5-triazine (1a), a direct precursor of 1, as chiral solvating agent for the determination by NMR of the enantiomeric compositions of derivatives of amines, amino alcohols, amino acids, and carboxyl acids bearing a 3,5-dinitrophenyl moiety, has been demonstrated. Chirality 9:113–121, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

A New triterpenoid in the fruits of Phellodendron chinense Schneid

A new triterpenoid, phellochin, C31H52O4 (HRMS 488.3747), mp. 173–175℃, [α]25D -84.8 (C=0.10, methanol), was isolated from the fruits of Phellodendron chinense Schneid, and its structure was established by spectroscopic methods (IR, MS, NMR and COSY).     

Caged xanthones displaying protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) inhibition from Cratoxylum cochinchinense

Four new caged xanthones (1–4) and two known compounds (5, 6) were isolated from the roots of Cratoxylum cochinchinense, a polyphenol rich plant, collected in China. The structures of the isolated compounds (1–6) were characterized by obtaining their detailed spectroscopic data. In particular, compounds 1 and 6 were fully identified by X-ray crystallographic data. The isolated compounds (1–6) were evaluated against protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B), which plays an important role in diabetes, obesity, and cancer. Among these compounds, 3, 4, and 6 displayed significant inhibition with IC₅₀ values of 76.3, 43.2, and 6.6 µM, respectively. A detailed kinetic study was conducted by determining K_m, V_max, and the ratio of K_ik and K_iv, which revealed that all the compounds behaved as competitive inhibitors.     

(-)-Semivioxanthin,A New Abscisic Active Compound against Hinoki Cypress Leaves Isolated from Cryptosporiopsis abietina

The new naphthopyrone, (-)-semivioxanthin (1) was isolated from Cryptosporiopsis abietina. The structure of 1 was determined as the reversed optical isomer of semivioxanthin by comparing its spectroscopic data with those of semivioxanthin. Compound 1 exhibited abscisic activity against Hinoki cypress leaves and antifungal activity against Cladosporium herbarum.     

Changes in the metabolism of the proteoglycans from sheep articular cartilage in response to mechanical stress

The effect of altered mechanical stress on the metabolism of sheep articular cartilage has been investigated. A simple experimental model involving the immobilisation of a single sheep foreleg was used to study the effect of increased or decreased functional demand on the chemical composition of, and the incorporation of labelled acetate into, the proteoglycans of sheep articular cartilage. By immobilisation of one of the sheep forelegs, mechanical stress is removed from that particular joint, while increased stress is placed on the other foreleg. The load distribution about the two hind legs remains essentially the same. After a 4-week immobilisation period there was a significant increase in the hexuronic acid content of the cartilage from the loadbearing ankle joint, and a corresponding decrease in the hexuronic acid content of the non-loadbearing joint cartilage. Hexosamine analyses of the cartilage from each joint showed that the major chemical occurred in the chondroitin sulphate fraction. From analyses of the extracted and isolated proteoglycans from each experimental joint it was evident that there was a significant decrease in the molecular weight of the proteoglycan from the non-loadbearing joint. In vitro studies showed increased incorporation of labelled acetate into the chondroitin sulphate fraction from the loadbearing joint but a corresponding decreased incorporation into the non-loadbearing immobilised joint cartilage. These results suggest that the changes observed in the chemical composition of the cartilage from the loadbearing and non-loadbearing joints may be accounted for in part by changes in the biosynthesis of the cartilage proteoglycan in response to altered functional demand.     

1,3,5‐Trihydroxy‐13,13‐dimethyl‐2H‐pyran [7,6‐b] xanthone directly targets heat shock protein 27 in hepatocellular carcinoma

We previously showed that the small molecule 1,3,5‐trihydroxy‐13,13‐dimethyl‐2H‐pyran [7,6‐b] xanthone (TDP) induces apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by suppressing Hsp27 expression, although the mechanism is not fully understood. To investigate the functional association between TDP and Hsp27 protein in HCC, recombinant Hsp27 protein was incubated with TDP at room temperature, and assayed by mass spectrum (MS) and natural electrophoresis. TDP effectively stimulated Hsp27 to form aggregates ex vitro, leading to suppression of its chaperone activity. The aggregates were degraded by the ubiquitin–proteasome (UPS) pathway. TDP directly interacted with Asp17 and Phe55 in chain C of Hsp27 on the basis of bioinformatic prediction. In conclusion, Hsp27 is a direct target of TDP in its anti‐cancer activity, which provides strong support for a clinical application.

     

Identification of Des-methyl-DIF-1 Methyltransferase in Dictyostelium purpureum

For the production of D-amino acids using stable N-carbamyl-D-amino acid amidohydrolase (DCase) in an immobilized form, the DCase gene of Agrobacterium sp. KNK712 was mutagenized to increase its enzymatic thermostability. In a search for thermostability-related amino acid sites besides the two known sites of DCase, i.e., the 57th and 203rd amino acids, the new mutant enzyme found, in which the 236th amino acid, valine, had been changed to alanine, showed a 10°C increase in thermostability. These known three thermostability-related amino acids were changed to other amino acids by the PCR technique, and it was proved that the thermostability of the DCase increased when the 57th amino acid of DCase, histidine, was changed to leucine, the 203rd amino acid, proline, to asparagine, glutamate, alanine, isoleucine, histidine, or threonine, and the 236th amino acid, valine, to threonine or serine, in addition to the known mutations.