Prolyl endopeptidase and thrombin inhibitory diterpenoids from the bark of Xylopia aethiopica.

The inhibitory effects of seven diterpenes, belonging to three different structural classes and isolated from the bark of Xylopia aethiopica, were investigated against the enzymes prolyl endopeptidase (PEP) and alpha-thrombin. Five compounds exhibited inhibitory activity against them.

Bioactive constituents from Boswellia papyrifera.

Phytochemical investigation of the stem bark extract of Boswellia papyrifera afforded two new stilbene glycosides, trans-4',5-dihydroxy-3-methoxystilbene-5-O-{alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->6)]-beta-D-glucopyranoside (1), trans-4',5-dihydroxy-3-methoxystilbene-5-O-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->6)]-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2), and a new triterpene, 3alpha-acetoxy-27-hydroxylup-20(29)-en-24-oic acid (3), along with five known compounds, 11-keto-beta-boswellic acid (4), beta-elemonic acid (7), 3alpha-acetoxy-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid (8), beta-boswellic acid (9), and beta-sitosterol (10). The stilbene glycosides exhibited significant inhibition of phosphodiesterase I and xanthine oxidase. The triterpenes (3-9) exhibited prolyl endopeptidase inhibitory activities.

New diterpene isopimara-7,15-dien-19-oic acid and its prolyl endopeptidase inhibitory activity.

The ethanolic extract of the bulbs of Fritillaria imperialis was subjected to fractionation by solvent-solvent extraction. The nonpolar fraction showed inhibitory activity against prolyl endopeptidase (PEP) (EC.3.

Biotransformation of (+)-androst-4-ene-3,17-dione.

Fermentation of (+)-androst-4-ene-3,17-dione (1) with Curvularia lunata for 10 days yielded five oxidative and reductive metabolites, androsta-1,4-diene-3,17-dione (2), 17beta-hydroxyandrosta-1,4-dien-3-one (3), 11alpha-hydroxyandrost-4-ene-3,17-dione (4), 11alpha,17beta-dihydroxyandrost-4-en-3-one (5) and 15alpha-hydroxyandrosta-1,4-dien-17-one (6). The structures of these metabolites were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic techniques. These microbially transformed products were assayed against the clinically important enzymes, tyrosinase and prolyl endopeptidase.

Leucosceptrine--a novel sesterterpene with prolylendopeptidase inhibitory activity from Leucosceptrum canum.

A novel sesterterpene, leucosceptrine, was isolated from the medicinal plant Leucosceptrum canum from Nepal. The structure was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and spectroscopic techniques. The biosynthesis of leucosceptrine (1) is proposed here.

Prolyl endopeptidase inhibitors from Syzygium samarangense (Blume) Merr. & L. M. Perry.

Compounds isolated from the hexane extract of the leaves of Syzygium samarangense (Blume) Merr. & L. M.

Isotamarixen - a new antioxidant and prolyl endopeptidase-inhibiting triterpenoid from Tamarix hispida.

A new pentacyclic triterpenoid, 3alpha-(3",4"-dihydroxy- trans-cinnamoyloxy)- D-friedoolean-14-en-28-oic acid ( 1) has been isolated along with two known compounds, rhamnocitrin ( 2) and isorhamnetin ( 3) from the aerial parts of Tamarix hispida Willd. Compound 1 was found to be a potent antioxidant. In addition, compounds 1 - 3 showed significant inhibitory activity against prolylendopeptidase (PEP).

Microbial transformation of cortisol and prolyl endopeptidase inhibitory activity of its transformed products.

Incubation of cortisol (1) with Gibberella fujikuruoi for 12 days yielded an oxidatively cleaved product, 11beta-hydroxyandrost-4-en-3,17-dione (2), while incubation with Bacillus subtilis and Rhizopus stolonifer yielded the reduced product, 11beta, 17alpha,20,21-tetrahydroxy-(20S)-pregn-4-en-3-one (3). Other reduced products, 11beta, 17alpha, 21-trihydroxy-5alpha-pregnan-3, 20-dione (4) and 3beta, 11beta, 17alpha, 21-tetrahydroxy-5alpha-pregnan-20-one (5) were obtained by incubation of compound 1 with Bacillus cerus. The inhibitory activity of compounds 1-5 against prolyl endopeptidase enzyme (PEP) was also assayed.

New bioactive diterpene polyesters from Euphorbia decipiens.

A reinvestigation with a modified extraction procedure of Euphorbia decipiens resulted in the isolation and structure elucidation of three new myrsinane-type diterpene esters (1-3). The structures of compounds 1-3 were elucidated by spectroscopic data interpretation. Compound 1 showed inhibitory activity against prolyl endopeptidase (PEP), whereas compound 2 exhibited DNA-damaging activity in a mutant yeast bioassay.

First natural urease inhibitor from Euphorbia decipiens.

Three new diterpene esters with a myrsinol-type skeleton have been isolated from Euphorbia decipiens BOISS. & BUHSE. The structure elucidation of the isolated compounds was based primarily on two-dimensional (2D)-NMR techniques including correlation spectroscopy (COSY), heteronuclear multiple quantum coherence (HMQC), heteronuclear multiple bond correlation (HMBC) and nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (NOESY) experiments.

Enzyme inhibitory constituents from Duranta repens.

Isoprenylated flavonoids 5,7-dihydroxy-3'-(2-hydroxy-3-methyl-3-butenyl)-3,6,4'-trimethoxyflavone (1), 3,7-dihydroxy-3'-(2-hydroxy-3-methyl-3-butenyl)-5,6,4'-trimethoxyflavone (2) and an isoprenylated acetophenone derivative (3) have been isolated from Duranta repens along with known compounds, 5-hydroxy-3,6,7,4'-tetramethoxyflavone (4), rosenonolactone (5), 6,7-dimethoxycoumarin (6), 5alpha,8alpha-epidioxyergosta-6,22-dien-3beta-ol (7) and 5alpha,8alpha-epidioxyergosta-6,9(11),22-trien-3beta-ol (8), isolated for the first time from this species. Their structures and the relative configuration were determined by spectroscopic methods (1H- and 13C-NMR, IR, UV and MS) and two-dimensional (2D)-NMR experiments. The compounds 1-5 showed inhibitory activity against prolyl endopeptidase while 4 and 5 were also active against thrombin.