1,2,3-Trioxygenated glucosyloxyxanthones from Polygala triphylla

Four B-ring oxygen-free trioxygenated xanthones, viz. 1-OH-2,3-(OMe)₂-, 1,2,3-(OMe)₃-, 1-OH-2,3- (OCH₂O)-, 1-OMe-2,3-(OCH₂O)-xanthone, two B-ring oxygen-free glucosyloxyxanthones, viz. 1-O-gl.-2-OH-3-OMe- and 1-O-gl.-2,3-(OCH₂0)-xanthone, and a pentaoxygenated xanthone, 1-OMe-2,3,6,7-(OCH₂O)₂-xanthone, have been isolated from the flowering top of Polygala triphylla. The xanthones have been characterized on the basis of chemical transformation, comprehensive spectral evidence, and by direct comparison where possible. This is the first report of occurrence of the glucosyloxyxanthones in nature. The biochemical significance of these chemical characters in higher plants is appraised.     

Alkaloids of Crinum pratense

From the bulbs of Crinum pratense, collected at flowering, lycorine, 1,2-diacetyllycorine, ambelline, narcissidine, and three phenanthridone alkaloids, viz. hippadine, pratorinine and anhydrolycorin-7-one, were isolated and characterized on the basis of comprehensive spectral analyses (UV, IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, MS, [α]_D) and chemical evidence. Among the phenanthridone alkaloids (1–3, only the natural occurrence of hippadine was previously known. Pratorinine is a new phenanthridone alkaloid and anhydrolycorin-7-one was known before only as a synthetic compound. The physiological significance of hippadine is appraised.     

Isolation and Characterization of Antidermatophytic Bioactive Molecules from Piper longum L. Leaves

Piper longum L. (Piperaceae) commonly known as “long pepper” is a well known medicinal plant in ayurveda. Different parts of this plant, such as root, seed, fruit, whole plant etc. are used traditionally in various ailments. Here we have investigated the antidermatophytic activity of sequentially extracted petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol and water extracts from P. longum leaf against Trichophytonmentagrophytes, T. rubrum, T. tonsurans, Microsporum fulvum and M. gypseum. Better activity of chloroform and methanol extracts was observed. The chloroform extract was selected for further study and the MIC value was recorded as 5.0 mg ml⁻¹ against the test organisms. In the chloroform extract, tannins and phenolic compounds were detected. Further activity-guided fractionation of chloroform extract by silica gel column chromatography yielded nine major fractions. Among these, fraction-1, 4, 5 and 7 showed higher antidermatophytic activity. Fraction-4 on further purification by repeated column chromatography yielded a potential antidermatophytic fraction showing MIC value of 0.625 mg ml⁻¹ against T. mentagrophytes and T. rubrum as determined by broth microdilution method. The major compounds were identified as 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid, bis(2-ethylhexyl) ester (C₂₄H₃₈O₄] (41.45 %), 2,2-dimethoxybutane (C₆H₁₄O₂] (13.6 %) and β-myrcene (C₁₀H₁₆) (6.75 %) based on GC–MS data.     

Three chromones from bulbs of Pancratium biflorum

Two polyoxygenated chromones, 5,7-dihydroxy-2-methylchromone (1) and 5,6-dihydroxy-7- methoxy-2-methylchromone(2), and a glucosyloxychromone, 7     

Xanthones of Swertia bimaculata

The whole plant of Swertia bimaculata Hf. & T. has been shown to contain four tetra-and five penta-oxygenated xanthones, three of which are previously unreported in nature. The xanthones are broadly based on 1,3,5- and 1,3,7-oxygenated systems with added oxygen functions at C₂, C₄ and/or C₈ positions and represent a number of methoxylated patterns. In addition, three xanthones have been found to be present in a bound form, the sugar moiety containing glucose and glucuronic acid. This is the first demonstration of the occurrence of xanthones and xanthone disaccharides in a Swertia species which are common to both Swertia and Frasera species. The results are thus of considerable phylogenetic significance.     

A simple and rapid method for analyzing the Monascus pigment-mediated degradation of mutagenic 3-hydroxyamino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole by in-capillary micellar electrokinetic chromatography.

A simple and rapid method is described for analyzing the Monascus pigment-mediated degradation of 3-hydroxyamino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4, 3-b]indole (Trp-P-2(NHOH)). We used the in-capillary micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC). During the electrophoresis, the mutagen and the pigment, due to their different migration velocities, mix for a certain period of time to interact, and then they are separated and quantified. Using this technique, we were able to demonstrate that Trp-P-2(NHOH) is degraded by the pigment. The degradation was pigment-dose dependent, and because the pigment was recovered unchanged, it was deduced that the pigment acted catalytically for the degradation. The entire MEKC procedure takes 8 min.     

Methylglyoxal destroys <Emphasis Type="Italic">Agrobacterium tumefaciens</Emphasis> crown gall tumours in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nicotiana tabacum</Emphasis> without any adverse effect on the host plant

Methylglyoxal (MG) is a highly reactive α-oxoaldehyde, demonstrating anticancer effect on plant neoplastic tumours. In in vivo studies it was observed that MG destroyed crown gall tumours in Nicotiana tabacum produced by Agrobacterium tumefaciens, without any adverse effect on the host. The efficacy of MG in comparison to other anticancer drugs viz. cisplatin and ellagic acid in the treatment of crown gall was investigated. A slight degeneration of galls was noted in plants treated with cisplatin and ellagic acid but the plants died subsequently. With MG however, crown galls were completely cured and the plants completed their usual life cycle by flowering and producing seeds. MG inhibited the respiration of crown gall calluses suggesting that energy depletion resulted in tumour destruction.     

Structure of chinensin: A new lignan lactone from Polygala chinensis

Chinensin, a 1-aryl-2,3-naphthalide lignan, was isolated from Polyqala chinensis. Chemical transformation and UV, IR, PMR and MS evidence established its structure as 6,7-methylenedioxv-]-(3′,4′-dimethoxyphenyl)-3-hydroxymethylnaphthalene-2-carboxylic acid lactone. The lignan has not be en encountered before in nature or prepared synthetically.     

Characterization of rat colonic epithelial cell populations

Colonic epithelial cells from male Sprague-Dawley rats were isolated by incubating everted colon with hyaluronidase suspended in Puck's saline F with an average cell yield of 120 x 10(6). These cells were fractionated by discontinuous Ficoll gradient and by short-term cell culture techniques. Centrifugation of isolated cells on discontinuous Ficoll gradient (15-35%) yielded populations differing in their proliferative activity. Additionally, a short-term cell culture technique was standardized to fractionate these cells according to their proliferating activity as judged by their DNA synthesis and thymidine kinase activity. Viability of these cells were judged by trypan blue exclusion, capacity to oxidize glucose and incorporation of precursors into protein DNA, RNA and glycoproteins. These fractionated cells were examined and identified by cytological studies. Cells showing proliferative activity sedimented at heavier regions of the Ficoll gradient, and the majority of these cells attached to the surface under conditions of short-term culture. Columnar mature absorptive cells and mucus-secreting goblet cells that showed very little proliferative activity sedimented at lighter zones of the Ficoll gradient and a major portion of these cells failed to attach by the cell culture method.