Sesquiterpenoids from the Resina Commiphora Promoting the Apoptotic Activity of PC-3 Prostate Cancer Cells

Four new germacrane-type sesquiterpenes commiphoranes M1-M4 ( 1 - 4 ) together with eighteen sesquiterpenes were isolated from the Resina Commiphora. The structures and relative configurations of new substances were determined by using spectroscopic methods. Biological activity investigation revealed that nine compounds including 7 , 9 , 14 , 16 , (+)- 17 , (−)- 17 , 18 , 19 , and 20 could induce the apoptosis of prostate cancer originated PC-3 cells, through classic apoptosis signaling pathway, even using flow cytometry showed that the compound (+)- 17 caused apoptosis of PC-3 cells more than 40 %, suggesting their potential therapeutic application in the development of novel drugs against prostate cancer.     

细菌、真菌共代谢转化龙血树木质形成黄酮类化合物

利用龙血树产脂部位获得的真菌菌株和细菌菌株共同转化龙血树白木质,形成了木质成分中原来没有的黄酮类化合物,表明龙血树体内存在着一类能被转化成黄酮类化合物的前体物质,龙血树这种独特的抗性机制,可能与血竭形成有关。     

枫香树属二种香树脂类生药——苏合香与枫香脂的研究概况

本文对金缕梅科枫香树属两时树脂类生药苏合香和枫香脂的研究作了总结和比较,主要包括它们的分类学、化学成分、药理作用等,并对今后的工作提出设想。     

枫香脂和苏合香的心血管药理学研究

本文比较了苏合香及枫香脂生药、精制枫香脂、枫香脂挥发油的毒性及其对心血管系统的药理作用。结果表明 ,枫香脂毒性小于苏合香。 4种样品均能提高小鼠常压下的心肌耐缺氧能力 ,其中精制枫香脂及枫香脂挥发油的作用最强 ;均可显著降低氯仿诱导的小鼠室颤发生率 ,其中精制枫香脂作用最强 ;对体外血栓干重的抑制率 ,精制枫香脂的作用强于苏合香 ;均可提高冠脉流量 ,其中精制枫香脂及枫香脂挥发油的作用强度及作用维持时间均优于苏合香 ;对离体豚鼠心功能的影响基本相似。提示以精制枫香脂取代苏合香应用于心血管疾病是可能的。     

Analysis of pharmaceutical samples of Resina Draconis by HPLC-PAD

Introduction: The quality evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) represents a particular challenge owing to the complexity of the matrix, which renders separation and identification of the individual components extremely difficult. In recent years, fingerprinting of TCMs has played a dominant role in quality control. Resina Draconis was authorised as a new TCM in 1991, but a satisfactory HPLC fingerprint method for this preparation has not yet been published. Objective: To develop a simple and reliable protocol for the quality control of Resina Draconis using an HPLC‐PAD method. Methodology: The TCM was extracted with methanol at room temperature. Chromatography was carried out using a Lichrospher C₁₈ column eluted with a linear gradient of acetonitrile (A) and water containing 0.1% phosphoric acid (B), initially at 30:70 (A:B) and changing to 60:40 in 90 min. UV (PAD) spectra were acquired in the range 210–400 nm. Results: Four chromatograms of samples of Resina Draconis obtained from different pharmaceutical factories showed 20 peaks in common. The average chromatogram was taken as a template from which the correlation coefficients and cosine ratios of the samples were determined. Whereas the contents of individual components in each sample were different, overall the samples were extremely similar one to another, and the products from different pharmaceutical factories were consistent. Conclusion: A reliable and validated HPLC method has been developed for the fingerprint analysis of Resina Draconis that can be applied for the quality control of this TCM. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dracophane,a metacyclophane derivative from the resin of Dracaena cinnabari Balf

Dracophane, a novel structural derivative of metacyclophane, was isolated from the resin of Dracaena cinnabari Balf. The structure of this compound was determined by spectroscopic methods to be 3,12,21-trihydroxy-1,10,19-tris(4-hydroxyphenyl)-5,14,23-trimethoxy[3.3.3]metacyclophane.     

Commiphoranes K−O,New Terpenoids from Resina Commiphora and Their Anti-Inflammatory Activities

Commiphorane K ( 1 ), a new dinorditerpenoid, commiphoranes L−N ( 2 – 4 ), three new germacrane-type sesquiterpenoids, and commiphorane O ( 5 ), one new guaiane-type sesquiterpenoid, were isolated from Resina Commiphora. Their structures were characterized by spectroscopic and computational methods. In particular, the structure of 4 was confirmed by X-ray crystallography. Compounds 2 – 5 were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activities. The result shows that compound 2 suppresses lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated production of TNF-α in RAW264.7 cells in a dose-dependent manner.