Cell membrane-camouflaged nanoparticles as drug carriers for cancer therapy.

The translocation of natural cell membranes to the surface of synthetic nanoparticles, which allows man-made vectors to share merits and functionalities created by nature, has been a hot subject of research in the past decade. The resulting biomimetic nanoparticles not only retain the physicochemical properties of nanomaterials, but also inherit the advantageous functions of source cells. Combined with the preponderances of both synthetic and natural platforms, the optimized biomimetic systems can maximize the drug delivery efficiency.

Crokonoids A-C, A Highly Rearranged and Dual-Bridged Spiro Diterpenoid and Two Other Diterpenoids from .

Crokonoid A (), a highly rearranged diterpenoid featuring a dual-bridged tricyclo[4.4.1.

17- nor-Cephalotane-Type Diterpenoids from Cephalotaxus fortunei.

Seventeen new 17- nor-cephalotane-type diterpenoids, fortalpinoids A-Q (1-17), were isolated from the seeds of Cephalotaxus fortunei var. alpine. Compound 12 represents the first 17- nor-cephalotane-type diterpenoid featuring an 8-oxabicyclo[3.

Cytotoxic Tigliane Diterpenoids from Croton damayeshu.

Chemical investigation of an EtOH extract of the twigs and leaves of Croton damayeshu afforded 10 new tigliane diterpenoids, crodamoids A-J (1-10), along with five known compounds. Their structures were elucidated by physical data analysis. Compounds 8, 9, and 15 displayed cytotoxic effects against two human tumor cell lines, A549 and HL-60 (IC: 0.

Ainsliatriolides A and B, Two Guaianolide Trimers from Ainsliaea fragrans and Their Cytotoxic Activities.

Ainsliatriolides A (1) and B (2), two guaianolide sesquiterpenoid trimers possessing an unprecedented skeleton, were isolated from Ainsliaea fragrans. Their structures were elucidated through extensive analysis of spectroscopic data and confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiment. Ainsliatriolides A and B are first examples of compound trimerized from guaianolide sesquiterpenoids through two different C-C linkages (type A, 4-2'/15-14'; type B, 15'-15″).

Cytotoxic 8,9-seco-ent-kaurane diterpenoids from Croton kongensis.

Chemical study on the ethanolic extract generated from the aerial parts of Croton kongensis led to the isolation of three new 8,9-seco-ent-kaurane diterpenoids, kongeniods A‒C (1‒3), together with seven known analogs (4-10). The structures of these compounds were assigned by spectroscopic data analysis. The vitro cytotoxic tests showed that compounds 1-3 exhibited strong activities against HL-60 cell lines with IC values of 0.

Phainanolide A, Highly Modified and Oxygenated Triterpenoid from Phyllanthus hainanensis.

Phainanolide A (1), a highly modified triterpenoid incorporating an unprecedented 6/9/6 heterotricyclic system and a highly oxygenated 5,5-spirocyclic ketal lactone, along with three new triterpenoids 2-4 were isolated from Phyllanthus hainanensis. Their structures were completely elucidated by a combination of diverse methods including 2D NMR, quantum chemical NMR and ECD calculations, and NMR data analogy with model compounds. Compounds 1-4 exhibited both remarkable cytotoxic and immunosuppressive activities.

Diterpenoids and Lignans from Cephalotaxus fortunei.

Five new diterpenoids including two Cephalotaxus troponoids (1 and 2), two 17-nor-cephalotane-type diterpenoids (3 and 4), and an abietane-type diterpenoid (5), two new lignans (6 and 7), and a new trisnorneoligan (8) along with eight known compounds were identified from the twigs and leaves of Cephalotaxus fortunei. The structure of 11-hydroxyhainanolidol was revised as 10-hydroxyhainanolidol (9) by X-ray crystallographic data. Compounds 3 and 4 are the first examples of 17-nor-cephalotane-type diterpenoids that are likely the biosynthesis precursors of the co-occurring troponoids (e.

Nanomolar Antimalarial Agents against Chloroquine-Resistant Plasmodium falciparum from Medicinal Plants and Their Structure-Activity Relationships.

Inspired by the discovery of the antimalarial drug artemisinin from a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), a natural product library of 44 lindenane-type sesquiterpenoids was assessed for activities against the Dd2 chloroquine-resistant strain of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. These compounds were mainly isolated from plants of the Chloranthus genus, many species of which are named "Sikuaiwa" in TCM and have long been used to treat malaria. The compounds consisted of 41 sesquiterpenoid dimers and three monomers, including the 12 new dimers 1-12 isolated from Chloranthus fortunei.

Ciliatonoids A and B, Two Limonoids from Toona ciliata.

Three new ring B-seco limonoids, ciliatonoids A-C (1-3), were isolated from Toona ciliate and structurally characterized by spectroscopic data, X-ray crystallography, and electronic circular dichroism analysis. Ciliatonoids A and B feature an unprecedented limonoid architecture, while ciliatonoid C belongs to a rare class of limonoids. Biological evaluation showed that compound 3 exhibited modest activities against the tested tumor cell lines.

Diterpenoids from Croton laui and their cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities.

Fourteen new diterpenoids including clerodane (1-12), labdane (13), and norlabdane (14) types, as well as nine known analogues were isolated from the aerial parts of Croton laui. Their structures were established on the basis of spectroscopic analysis, and that of crotonolide H (11) was confirmed by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. Crotonolide A (1) exhibited moderate cytotoxicity against two tumor cell lines, HL-60 (human premyelocytic leukemia, IC50 9.

Chemical constituents from Brucea javanica.

Fourteen apotirucallane-type triterpenoids, named brujavanones A-N, were isolated from the twigs of Brucea javanica, along with four known quassinoids and seven known lignans from the seeds of B. javanica. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic data analysis.

Cytotoxic diterpenoids from Sapium insigne.

Chemical investigation into the twigs and leaves of Sapium insigne afforded seven new diterpenoids, sapinsignoids A-G (1-7), together with 10 known diterpenoids. The structures of 1-7 were assigned on the basis of detailed spectroscopic analysis and chemical degradation. Compounds 1-4 exhibited significant cytotoxicity against the A-549 tumor cell line (IC(50) 0.

Constituents of Trigonostemon heterophyllus.

Six new diterpenoids, 1-6, a new prenylated sesquiterpenoid, 7, and six known compounds were isolated from Trigonostemon heterophyllus. The structures of 1-7 were elucidated on the basis of NMR and MS analysis. The daphnane diterpenoids trigoheterins A (1) and B (2) possess a rare 4,6-oxetane moiety within this compound class, and trigoheteric acid methyl ester (6) is the first example of a 15,16-dinor-3,4-seco-cleistanthane.

Daphnane-type diterpenoids from Trigonostemon howii.

Nine new daphnane-type diterpenoids (1-9), named trigohownins A-I, and four known analogues were isolated from Trigonostemon howii. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive NMR and MS analyses. Trigohownins A (1) and D (4) exhibited moderate cytotoxic activity against the HL-60 tumor cell line, with IC50 values of 17.

[The accuracy of posterior curvature method in corneal power calculation after LASIK surgery].

Objective: To estimate the accuracy of posterior curvature method in corneal power calculation after LASIK surgery.

Methods: Corneal power calculation in 11 eyes that underwent Intraocular Lens (IOL) implantation after LASIK surgery (10 cases of Phaco + IOL, 1 case of IOL displacement), all of which used posterior curvature method, was analyzed retrospectively. The differences between post-operative stable refraction and target refraction were calculated, the actual corneal powers were deduced, and the expected refractive errors using other corneal power evaluation methods (auto-keratometry, corneal topography, spherical equivalent method, anterior curvature method, Equivalent K Reading method provided by Pentacam) were analyzed.

Practical method to calculate post-LASIK corneal power: the Actual K(a+p) method.

Aim: To evaluate the accuracy of a practical method (the Actual K(a+p) method) of corneal power measurement for post-LASIK eyes undergoing cataract surgery.

Methods: Ten eyes of 7 patients (4 male, 3 female, average age 50.10±4.

Medicinal chemistry of probimane and MST-16: comparison of anticancer effects between bisdioxopiperazines.

Bisdioxopiperazines, including ICRF-154 and razoxane (ICRF-159, Raz), are a family of anticancer agents developed in the UK, specifically targeting neoplastic metastases. Two other bisdioxopiperazine derivatives, probimane (Pro) and MST-16, were synthesized at the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China. In order to determine the similarities and differences between these agents in medical chemistry, we evaluated the anti-tumor and anti-metastatic effects of Pro and MST-16 in vitro and in vivo against a number of human tumor cell lines and one of murine origin (Lewis lung carcinoma, LLC), and one human tumor xenograft (LAX-83) in nude mice.

Anti-proliferative effects, cell cycle G2/M phase arrest and blocking of chromosome segregation by probimane and MST-16 in human tumor cell lines.

Background: Anticancer bisdioxopiperazines, including ICRF-154, razoxane (Raz, ICRF-159) and ICRF-193, are a family of anticancer agents developed in the UK, especially targeting metastases of neoplasms. Two other bisdioxopiperazine derivatives, probimane (Pro) and MST-16, were synthesized at the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China. Cytotoxic activities and mechanisms of Raz (+)-steroisomer (ICRF-187, dexrazoxane), Pro and MST-16 against tumor cells were evaluated by MTT colorimetry, flow cytometry and karyotyping.