Investigation of sexual dimorphisms through mouse models and hormone/hormone-disruptor treatments.

Sexual dimorphism in mouse reproductive tissues is observable in adult, post-natal, and embryonic stages. The development of sexually dimorphic tissues starts with an ambisexual structure. It is followed by sex-specific organogenesis as guided by different signaling pathways that occur from late embryonic stages.

Chemical constituents and bioactivities of Glinus oppositifolius.

Objectives: To isolate the secondary metabolites from the dichloromethane (DCM) extracts of Glinus oppositifolius; to test for the cytotoxicity of a new triterpene, oppositifolone (1); and to test for the hypoglycemic, analgesic, and antimicrobial potentials of 1, DCM and aqueous leaf extracts of G. oppositifolius.

Methods: The compounds were isolated by silica gel chromatography and identified by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Sexually dimorphic expression of Mafb regulates masculinization of the embryonic urethral formation.

Masculinization of external genitalia is an essential process in the formation of the male reproductive system. Prominent characteristics of this masculinization are the organ size and the sexual differentiation of the urethra. Although androgen is a pivotal inducer of the masculinization, the regulatory mechanism under the control of androgen is still unknown.

Angio-suppressive triterpenoids from Ardisia cf. elliptica (subgenus Tinus) on duck (Anas platyrynchos L.) chorioallantoic membrane.

The dichloromethane extract of the air-dried leaves of Ardisia cf. elliptica (subgenus Tinus) afforded a mixture of bauerenol (1a), α-amyrin (1b) and β-amyrin (1c). Their structures were identified by NMR spectroscopy.

Effects of the oral administration of nonpolar extract from Ardisia squamulosa Presl (Myrsinaceae) leaves on spermatogenesis in rats.

Background: Several Ardisia species have been found to possess numerous bioactivities but their reproductive toxicity has been poorly explored. In the present study, the effects of the leaf hexane extract of Philippine indigenous Ardisia squamulosa on epididymal sperm count, %viability and %aberration of sperms and weights of seminal vesicle, cauda epididymis, and testes in addition to the weights of liver, kidney, and body were evaluated.

Methods: The extracts at daily dose levels of 1, 10, and 100 mg/Kg BW in 10% polysorbate-80 in corn oil were administered by gavage for 8 successive days to 8-10 weeks old male SD rats and sacrificed after 9 days.

Bioactivities of triterpenes and a sterol from Syzygium samarangense.

Cycloartenyl stearate (1a), lupenyl stearate (1b), sitosteryl stearate (1c), and 24-methylenecycloartanyl stearate (1d) (sample 1) from the air-dried leaves of Syzygium samarangense exhibited potent analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities at effective doses of 6.25 mg/kg body weight and 12.5 mg/kg body weight, respectively.

Hypoglycaemic effects of tea extracts and ent-kaurenoic acid from Smallanthus sonchifolius.

Hypoglycaemic activity was observed in normoglycaemic mice orally administered with the aqueous Smallanthus sonchifolius leaf tea extract, alloxan-induced diabetic mice orally administered with ent-kaurenoic acid (1), and normoglycaemic mice intraperitoneally administered with 1 from S. sonchifolius leaves. A single dose administration of 50 mg kg(-1) BW yacon leaf tea extract demonstrated immediate but relatively short hypoglycaemic activity, with significant effects observed during 1-2 h.

A bioactive sesquiterpene from Bixa orellana.

A dichloromethane extract of the air-dried leaves of Bixa orellana afforded ishwarane 1, phytol 2, polyprenol 3, and a mixture of stigmasterol 4a and sitosterol 4b by silica gel chromatography. The structure of 1 was elucidated by extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. Compound 1 at three doses (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg BW) was tested for prophylactic, gastrointestinal motility, analgesic, hypoglycemic, and antimicrobial potentials.

Bioactive triterpenes from Diospyros blancoi.

The ethyl acetate extract of the air-dried leaves of Diospyros blancoi afforded isoarborinol methyl ether (1), a mixture of alpha-amyrin palmitate, alpha-amyrin palmitoleate, beta-amyrin palmitate and beta-amyrin palmitoleate (2) in a 13 : 4 : 3 : 1 ratio, and squalene. The structures of 1, 2 and squalene were elucidated by extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus and Trichophyton mentagrophytes, and were found inactive against Bacillus subtilis and Aspergillus niger.