Biomimetic synthesis of rare cannabigerol-type cannabinoids and evaluation of their cytotoxic effect on human glioblastoma cell lines.

Although Cannabis sativa L. is well known for being prolific in phytocannabinoids, their biosynthetic modular mechanism is ruled by a main enzyme: the geranyltransferase able to pursue the C-isoprenylation of olivetolic acid with the geranyldiphosphate. However, the existence of more than 160 meroterpenoids can be partially explained by a side degree of promiscuity of the geranyltransferase itself, able to recognise different substrate than the ordinary ones.

Untargeted metabolomics profiling of Morus alba twigs extract and antibacterial activity of pure metabolites.

Plant natural products offer promise in combating multi-drug resistance by acting as antibacterial agents through various mechanisms. A metabolomic-guided phytochemical investigation, based on a LC-HRMS/MS and Molecular Networking combined approach, was carried out on an extract of M. alba L.

Metabolites from Aerial Parts of as Modulators of Targets Related to Metabolic Syndrome.

A detailed phytochemical investigation has been carried out on the aerial parts of leading to the isolation of 29 pure compounds, mainly belonging to the amorfrutin and polyphenol classes. Among them, the new amorfrutin N () and exiguaflavone L () were isolated and their structures elucidated by means of HR-ESIMS and NMR. All the isolated compounds were investigated for modulation of mitochondrial activity and stimulation of glucose uptake via GLUT transporters, two metabolic processes involved in intracellular glucose homeostasis, which, therefore, correlate with the incidence of metabolic syndrome.

Effect of saline irrigation and plant-based biostimulant application on fiber hemp ( L.) growth and phytocannabinoid composition.

Phytocannabinoids represent the hallmark of the secondary metabolism of . The content of major phytocannabinoids is closely related to genetic variation as well as abiotic elicitors such as temperature, drought, and saline stress. The present study aims to evaluate hemp response to saline irrigation supplied as NaCl solutions with an electrical conductivity (EC) of 2.

Phytochemical Characterization and TRPA1/TRPM8 Modulation Profile of the Cannabigerol-Rich L. Chemotype IV.

The first detailed phytochemical analysis of the cannabigerol (CBG)-rich chemotype IV of L. resulted in the isolation of the expected cannabigerolic acid/cannabigerol (CBGA/CBG) and cannabidiolic acid/cannabidiol (CBDA/CBD) and of nine new phytocannabinoids (-), which were fully characterized by HR-ESIMS and 1D and 2D NMR. These included mono- or dihydroxylated CBGA/CBG analogues, a congener with a truncated side chain (), cyclocannabigerol B (), and the CBD derivatives named cannabifuranols ( and ).

Novel Skeletal Rearrangements of the Tigliane Diterpenoid Core.

To investigate the role of the secondary 5-hydroxy group in the activity of the anticancer drug tigilanol tiglate () (Stelfonta), oxidation of this epoxytigliane diterpenoid from the Australian rainforest plant was attempted. Eventually, 5-dehydrotigilanol tiglate () proved too unstable to be characterized in terms of biological activity and, therefore, was not a suitable tool compound for bioactivity studies. On the other hand, a series of remarkable skeletal rearrangements associated with the presence of a 5-keto group were discovered during its synthesis, including a dismutative ring expansion of ring A and a mechanistically unprecedented dyotropic substituent swap around the C-4/C-10 bond.

Sponge Extract (iSP) Induces Apoptosis in Human Melanoma Cells and Inhibits Melanoma Cell Migration and Invasiveness.

Marine compounds represent a varied source of new drugs with potential anticancer effects. Among these, sponges, including those belonging to the Irciniidae family, have been demonstrated to exert cytotoxic effects on different human cancer cells. Here, we investigated, for the first time, the therapeutic effect of an extract (referred as iSP) from the sponge, (Porifera, Dictyoceratida, and Irciniidae) on A375 human melanoma cells.

Hydroxylated cyclopamine analogues from Veratrum californicum and their hedgehog pathway inhibiting activity.

Cyclopamine (1), the teratogenic steroidal alkaloid isolated from corn lily (Veratrum californicum), has recently gained renewed interest due to its anticancer potential, that has been translated into the FDA approval of three Hedgehog (Hh) pathway inhibiting antitumor drugs. A chemical analysis of mother liquors obtained from crystallization of cyclopamine, extracted from roots and rhizomes of V. californicum, resulted in the isolation of two unprecedented cyclopamine analogues, 18-hydroxycyclopamine (2) and 24R-hydroxycyclopamine (3), the first compounds of this class to show modifications on rings D-F.

ZnO Tetrapods for Label-Free Optical Biosensing: Physicochemical Characterization and Functionalization Strategies.

In this study, we fabricated three different ZnO tetrapodal nanostructures (ZnO-Ts) by a combustion process and studied their physicochemical properties by different techniques to evaluate their potentiality for label-free biosensing purposes. Then, we explored the chemical reactivity of ZnO-Ts by quantifying the available functional hydroxyl groups (-OH) on the transducer surface necessary for biosensor development. The best ZnO-T sample was chemically modified and bioconjugated with biotin as a model bioprobe by a multi-step procedure based on silanization and carbodiimide chemistry.

Phytochemical profile and anti-inflammatory activity of a commercially available Rhodiola rosea root extract.

Rhodiola rosea roots and rhizomes hold an important place in the folk medicines of Russia, Scandinavia, Mongolia, and China as a health supplement for stimulating the nervous system, enhancing physical and mental performances, and nowadays they constitute the active ingredient in many popular commercial preparations sold worldwide as food additives, pharmaceutical remedies, and drinks. This study was aimed at providing a detailed phytochemical characterization of the Rhodiola 5%, a commercially available extract of R. rosea roots, and resulted in the characterization of 18 secondary metabolites, including 13 polyphenols and 6 terpenoids, and in the discovery of the new rhodiosidin (5), the first R.

ROS-Generating Hyaluronic Acid-Modified Zirconium Dioxide-Acetylacetonate Nanoparticles as a Theranostic Platform for the Treatment of Osteosarcoma.

Materials that are able to produce free radicals have gained increasing attention for environmental and biomedical purposes. Free radicals, such as the superoxide anion (O), act as secondary messengers in many physiological pathways, such as cell survival. Therefore, the production of free radicals over physiological levels has been exploited in the treatment of different types of cancer, including osteosarcoma (OS).

Penicillactonin and preaustinoid C, lactone-containing metabolites from a hot spring sediment Penicillium sp.

Phytochemical investigation of Penicillium sp. RO-11 strain, collected from the sediments of a hydrothermal spring located in the southwestern area of Saudi Arabia, afforded, along with previously isolated compounds, the undescribed polyketides penicillactonin (1), penipyranicin D (4) and isopyrenulin B (5) and the undescribed meroterpenoid preaustinoid C (7). The structures of these compounds were elucidated based on data from mass spectrometry, 1D and 2D NMR, and comparison between experimental and calculated ECD spectra.

Phytochemical Characterization of L. Chemotype V Reveals Three New Dihydrophenanthrenoids That Favorably Reprogram Lipid Mediator Biosynthesis in Macrophages.

The growing general interest surrounding L. has led to a renewal in breeding and resulted in an impressive variability of chemotypical characteristics that required the division of cannabis into different recognized chemotypes. The chemotype V has been overlooked in terms of phytochemical composition due to the almost total absence of cannabinoids, on which biomedical attention is focused.

Cryptic Epoxytiglianes from the Kernels of the Blushwood Tree ().

The kernels of the Australian blushwood tree () are the source of the veterinary anticancer drug tigilanol tiglate (, Stelfonta) and contain a concentration of phorboids significantly higher than croton oil, the only abundant source of these compounds previously known. The oily matrix of the blushwood kernels is composed of free fatty acids and not by glycerides as found in croton oil. By active partitioning, it was therefore possible to recover and characterize for the first time a cryptic tigliane fraction, that is, the diterpenoid fraction that, because of its lipophilicity, could not be obtained by solvent partition of crude extracts.

A Comprehensive Update on the Bioactive Compounds from Seagrasses.

Marine angiosperms produce a wide variety of secondary metabolites with unique structural features that have the potential to be developed as effective and potent drugs for various diseases. Recently, research trends in secondary metabolites have led to drug discovery with an emphasis on their pharmacological activity. Among marine angiosperms, seagrasses have been utilized for a variety of remedial purposes, such as treating fevers, mental disorders, wounds, skin diseases, muscle pain, and stomach problems.

Guaiane-rich phytochemical profile of Centaurea kotschyi subsp. persica (Boiss.) Wagenitz and identification of hypoglycaemic metabolites.

Phytochemical investigation of the aerial parts obtained from the Turkish plant Centaurea kotschyi subsp. persica led to the isolation of nine sesquiterpene lactones belonging to the guaiane class, including the undescribed kotschyols A and B, a monoterpene lactone (daphnauranin E), four known lignans (matairesinol, matairesinoside, arctiin and arctigenin) and an undescribed dihydrobenzofuran neolignan (4-O-glucosylcrataegifin A). The structures of these compounds were defined by spectroscopic analysis, including ECD and 1D/2D NMR, and chemical conversion.

Euphocactoside, a New Megastigmane Glycoside from Growing in Saudi Arabia.

A phytochemical investigation of the aerial parts of Ehrenb. ex Boiss. revealed a new megastigmane, euphocactoside (), along with eleven known metabolites.

A Nrf-2 Stimulatory Hydroxylated Cannabidiol Derivative from Hemp ().

A phytochemical analysis of mother liquors obtained from crystallization of CBD from hemp (), guided by LC-MS/MS and molecular networking profiling and completed by isolation and NMR-based characterization of constituents, resulted in the identification of 13 phytocannabinoids. Among them, anhydrocannabimovone (), isolated for the first time as a natural product, and three new hydroxylated CBD analogues (1,2-dihydroxycannabidiol, , 3,4-dehydro-1,2-dihydroxycannabidiol, , and hexocannabitriol, ) were obtained. Hexocannabitriol () potently modulated, in a ROS-independent way, the Nrf2 pathway, outperforming all other cannabinoids obtained in this study and qualifying as a potential new chemopreventive chemotype against cancer and other degenerative diseases.

Phytochemical profile of Centevita®, a Centella asiatica leaves extract, and isolation of a new oleanane-type saponin.

Centella asiatica is a popular medicinal plant and several phytotherapic products in the market include its extracts as active constituents. A LC-MS guided phytochemical investigation on the commercial C. asiatica leaves extract named Centevita® allowed characterization and quantification of 24 secondary metabolites including 10 polyphenols and 14 ursane- or oleanane-type triterpenoids in the sapogenin or saponin form.

Asporychalasin, a bioactive cytochalasan with an unprecedented 6/6/11 skeleton from the Red Sea sediment Aspergillus oryzae.

The cytochalasan asporychalasin (1) was obtained from the marine fungus Aspergillus oryzae, isolated from the Red Sea sediments collected off Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The chemical structure of 1 was elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis and quantum-mechanical calculations of C NMR resonances and ECD to possess an unprecedented 6/6/11-fused tricyclic skeleton, including an isoquinolindione ring in place of the typical isoindolone. Asporychalasin exhibited moderate antiproliferative activity against three human cancer cell lines, lung carcinoma (A549), liver carcinoma (HepG2), and breast carcinoma (MCF7), and no toxicity on zebrafish embryos.

SERS Quantification of Galunisertib Delivery in Colorectal Cancer Cells by Plasmonic-Assisted Diatomite Nanoparticles.

The small molecule Galunisertib (LY2157299, LY) shows multiple anticancer activities blocking the transforming growth factor-β1 receptor, responsible for the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by which colorectal cancer (CRC) cells acquire migratory and metastatic capacities. However, frequent dosing of LY can produce highly toxic metabolites. Alternative strategies to reduce drug side effects can rely on nanoscale drug delivery systems that have led to a medical revolution in the treatment of cancer, improving drug efficacy and lowering drug toxicity.

Antiproliferative Illudalane Sesquiterpenes from the Marine Sediment Ascomycete .

The new asperorlactone (), along with the known illudalane sesquiterpene echinolactone D (), two known pyrones, 4-(hydroxymethyl)-5-hydroxy-2-pyran-2-one () and its acetate , and 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (), were isolated from a culture of , collected from Red Sea marine sediments. The structure of asperorlactone () was elucidated by HR-ESIMS, 1D, and 2D NMR, and a comparison between experimental and DFT calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. This is the first report of illudalane sesquiterpenoids from fungi and, more in general, from ascomycetes.