Ehrenasterol and biemnic acid; new bioactive compounds from the Red Sea sponge Biemna ehrenbergi

In continuation of our efforts to identify bioactive compounds from the Red Sea marine sponges, we have recently investigated the organic extract of the sponge Biemna ehrenbergi. This study resulted in the isolation of eight compounds including a new sterol, ehrenasterol (1), a new C₂₄-acetylenic acid, biemnic acid (2), together with six known compounds including a hopanoid, three steroids and two nucleosides. The isolated compounds were identified as (22E)-ergosta-22-ene-8,14-epoxy-3,7-dione (1), (E)-tetracos-8-en-5-ynoic acid (2), (22E)-ergosta-5,8,22-trien-7-one-3β-ol (3), 32,35-anhydrobacteriohopanetetrol (4), (24R)-ergosta-6,22-diene-5,8-epidioxy-3-ol (5), melithasterol B (6), thymidine (7) and 2′-deoxyuridine (8). The structures of the isolated compounds were assigned by different spectral data including 1D and 2D NMR (COSY, HSQC, and HMBC) and high-resolution mass spectrometry. Compound 1 displayed inhibition zone of 20 mm at 100 μg/disc against Escherichia coli in the disc diffusion assay. Similarly, compounds 2 and 4 displayed inhibition zones of 20 and 18 mm respectively against Candida albicans at the same concentration. Compounds 1–3 displayed weak cytotoxic activity against human colon adenocarcinoma (HCT-116) cancer cell line.     

Biotransformation of pentacyclic terpene isolated from Alstonia scholaris (R.BR.)

Abstract

Betulin (1) a pentacyclic triterpene was isolated from medicinal plant Alstonia scholaris (R.BR.) and its structural modification by five filamentous fungi was investigated using flask shake and stirred bioreactor methods. Screening-scale and preparative-scale biotransformation with a standard two-stage protocol yielded betulinic acid (2). Out of five fungal strains (Microsporum canis, Trichophyton tonsurans, Aspergillus niger, A. niger NIAB-280 and Penicillium spp.) only two strains, M. canis and T. tonsurans, showed significant yield of (2). Samples withdrawn from fermentation medium were extracted with ethyl acetate and purified using column chromatography. Compound 2 was extracted from fermentation medium after 5–10 days. Flasks and the bioreactor were stirred at 250 rpm and 28°C. The yield of (2) gradually increased with incubation time. A stirred bioreactor was found to be convenient and simple for compound 1 oxidation. A validated analytical HPLC method was employed to confirm the biotransformation of compound 1 to 2.     

Synthesis and preliminary evaluation of new ursolic and oleanolic acids derivatives as antileishmanial agents

A series of new ursolic and oleanolic acids derivatives was synthesized via ursolic or oleanolic acids, previously extracted from South American Ilex species. These new compounds were tested for in vitro antiparasitic activity on Leishmania amazonensis and Leishmania infantum strains. Some of these compounds showed activity against the promastigote forms of L. amazonensis or L. infantum, with IC₅₀ ranging from 5 to 12 μM. As expected, most of the compounds showed a significant level of cytotoxicity against monocytes (IC₅₀ = 2-50 μM). From a structure-activity relationships point of view, these pharmacological results enlightened mainly the importance of an acetylation at position 3 of the oleanolic acid skeleton in the activity against the L. amazonensis strain, and of a bis-(3-aminopropyl)piperazine moiety on the carboxylic function of ursolic acid against the L. infantum strain.     

Three new terpenoids from Trigonostemon xyphophylloides (Croiz.) L.K. Dai and T.L. Wu

Two new daphnane diterpenoids, trigoxyphins J and K (1 and 2), and one new friedelane triterpene derivative, 3-O-benzoylpluricostatic acid (3), together with thirteen known terpenoids (4–16) were isolated from Trigonostemon xyphophylloides (Croiz.) L.K. Dai and T.L. Wu. Their structures were identified on the basis of physicochemical properties and spectroscopic data. All compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxicity against K562, SGC-7901, and BEL-7402 tumor cell lines, respectively.     

The Co-immobilization of NAD and Dehydrogenases and Its Application to Bioreactors for Synthesis and Analysis

A polymerizable NAD derivative, N⁶-[N-[N-(2-hydroxy-3-methacrylamidopropyl)carbamoylmethyl]carbamoylmethyl]-NAD, formate dehydrogenase, and malate dehydrogenase were entrapped all together in polyacrylamide gels. The entrapment was carried out by radical copolymerization, and consequently NAD was bound on the matrix which enclosed the enzymes. These gels had the function of producing l-malate from oxalacetate and formate. The l-malate production was also continuously done in a column reactor for 3 days. Another gel was similarly prepared with N⁶-[N-(6-methacrylamidohexyl)carbamoylmethyl]-NAD, horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase, and diaphorase. This gel was shown to catalyze the formation of resorufin from resazurin and ethanol. This gel was applicable to ethanol analysis using a fluorescence spectrophotometer to determine resorufin. The analyzer was usable for one week.     

Characterisation of fungal lanostane-type triterpene acids by electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry

Lanostane-triterpene acids obtained from the culture of the fungus Coriolellus malicola were studied by electrospray mass spectrometry in the negative ion mode using quadrupole time-of-flight and quadrupole ion trap analysers. Despite the differences observed in the mass spectra recorded with these instruments, a set of fragment ions was found to be characteristic of the family, depending on the Delta(7,9(11)) or Delta(8) skeleton and the particular functional group at C-3.     

A novel caffeoyl triterpene attenuates cerebral ischemic injury with potent anti‐inflammatory and hypothermic effects

Despite the intense efforts in searching for stroke therapies, an urgent need still exists to explore novel neuroprotective agents for ischemic stroke that have high efficacy and wide therapeutic time‐window. Here, we provide the first demonstration that 28‐O‐caffeoyl betulin (B‐CA), a novel derivative of naturally occurring caffeoyl triterpene, could significantly alleviate brain infarction and neurological deficit when given as late as 6 h after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion in the rat. Moreover, post‐ischemia B‐CA administration exhibited long‐term (14 days post stroke) protective effects on both brain infarction and functional (i.e., motor and sensory) deficits. Protective B‐CA effects correlated with decreased inflammatory responses as indicated by inhibition of microglia and astrocyte activation [stained with ionized calcium‐binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba‐1) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) antibody, respectively], as well as suppression of tumor necrosis factor‐α, interleukin‐1β, and cyclooxygenase‐2 overproduction in the ipsilateral cortex of ischemic rat. B‐CA administration caused significant hypothermia in the focal cerebral ischemic rat, which may contribute to its ameliorative effects on brain damage and inflammation. In view of its potency in wide therapeutic time‐window, robust anti‐inflammatory and hypothermic effects, this novel caffeoyl triterpene derivative may lead toward the development of effective therapeutic strategies for the treatment of ischemic stroke.

     

金腰属植物化学成分和构效关系研究进展

介绍从金腰属(Chrysospleruium)植物中分离得到的化合物及其生理活性研究概况和构效关系,为进一步开展该属植物成分和药效研究提供参考。金腰属植物成分主要为黄酮类化合物,还有五环三萜。都有较强的生物活性。     

Exploration of Phytoconstituents from Mussaenda roxburghii and Studies of Their Antibiofilm Effect

In the context of ethno botanical importance with no phytochemical investigations, Mussaenda roxburghii have been investigated to explore it's phytoconstituents and studies of their antibiofilm activity. Four compounds have been isolated from the aerial parts of this plant and were characterized as 2α,3β,19α,23‐tetrahydroxyurs‐12‐en‐28‐oic acid ( 1 ), β‐sitosterol glucoside ( 4 ), lupeol palmitate ( 5 ), and myoinositol ( 6 ). All these compounds were tested for antibacterial and antibiofilm activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Compound 1 exhibited three times more antibiofilm activity with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) at 0.74 mm compared to that of streptomycin. Molecular docking studies exhibited a very high binding affinity of 1 with P. aeruginosa quorum sensing proteins and motility associated proteins viz. LasR and PilB, PilY1, PilT, respectively. Compound 1 was also found to be non‐cytotoxic against sheep RBC and murine peritoneal macrophages at selected sub‐MIC doses.     

复合有机氮源对灵芝三萜液态深层发酵的影响

以灵芝为材料,在前期研究基础上,以不同酵母粉作为氮源,研究复合有机氮源对灵芝三萜液态深层发酵的影响。首先,由单因素实验考察3种不同的酵母粉对灵芝菌丝体合成灵芝三萜的影响,确定酵母粉的最适宜浓度范围。在此基础上,根据中心组合实验设计,对3种酵母粉分别采用2种复合和3种复合的方式,优化复合有机氮源的最佳组合配比。结果表明：当基础培养基中添加6.6g/L的酵母粉N-1与6.6g/L的酵母粉N-2时,灵芝三萜产量可达0.478g/L（理论产量为0.485g/L）,比添加单一酵母粉N-1、N-2、N-3分别提高了21%、139%、103%,其氮源用量为两种组合时最低。当基础培养基中酵母粉N-1、N-2与N-3添加量分别为5.07g/L、3.78g/L、7.63g/L时,灵芝三萜产量达0.514g/L（理论产量为0.510g/L）,比单因素对照组分别提高了30%、157%和74%。本研究优化的复合氮源添加方式可明显提高灵芝菌丝体液态深层发酵生产灵芝三萜的产量,为其规模化液态深层发酵的生产提供科学数据。