Tetra-glucopyranosyl Diterpene ent-Kaur-16-en-19-oic Acid and ent-13(S)-Hydroxyatisenoic Acid Derivatives from a Commercial Extract of Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) Bertoni.

and its diterpene glycosides are one of the main focuses of food companies interested in developing novel zero calorie sugar substitutes since the recognition of steviol glycosides as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) by the United States Food and Drug Administration. Rebaudioside A, one of the major steviol glycosides of the leaves is more than 200 times sweeter than sucrose. However, its lingering aftertaste makes it less attractive as a table-top sweetener, despite its human health benefits.

Bioactive (+)-manzamine A and (+)-8-hydroxymanzamine A tertiary bases and salts from Acanthostrongylophora ingens and their preparations.

The genus Acanthostrongylophora is famous for producing a wide array of manzamine alkaloids as natural hydrochloride salts. An examination of A. ingens has now yielded two tertiary bases, (+)-8-hydroxymanzamine A (1) and (+)-manzamine A (2), by chromatography over alumina using CHCl3-MeOH-NH3.

Clinic at the health food store? Employee recommendations and product analysis.

Study Objectives: To determine what products health food store employees recommend for depression, to analyze the content of these products based on label claims, and to evaluate employee statements or recommendations for accuracy and safety.

Methods: Twelve health food stores were selected for the study. One investigator approached an employee in each store and asked what they recommended for depression plus five additional questions regarding product use.

Assessment of the quality of reference books on botanical dietary supplements.

Objective: To review books on botanical dietary supplements (BDS) targeted to pharmacists and physicians to assess their overall quality as primary and secondary reference books.

Design: We purchased 52 books for initial review based primarily on their titles. After eliminating books not written for health care professionals and books that contained very limited information on BDS, we selected 22 texts to review in depth.

Substituted indoloquinolines as new antifungal agents.

Cryptolepine (2) possesses desirable properties to serve as a lead in developing new antifungal agents. Using SAR techniques, several analogues of cryptolepine were designed to increase potency and to broaden the antifungal spectrum over several opportunistic microorganisms. A number of 2-substituted indoloquinolines have been synthesized and evaluated in antifungal screens and several have been shown to increase potency and expand the antifungal spectrum of cryptolepine.