Microbial transformation of neoandrographolide by Aspergillus niger (AS 3.739).

The biotransformation of neoandrographolide (1) was investigated by using Aspergillus niger (AS 3.739). Five products were obtained and identified as 8(17),13-ent-labdadien-16,15-olid-19-oic acid (2), 19-hydroxy-8(17),13-ent-labdadien-16,15-olide (3), 18-hydroxy-8(17),13-ent-labdadien-16,15-olid-19-oic acid (4), 3alpha-hydroxy-8(17),13-ent-labdadien-16,15-olid-19-oic acid (5) and 8beta,19-dihydroxy-ent-labd-13-en-16,15-olide (6) by spectroscopic and chemical means.

Isolation and identification of ten metabolites of breviscapine in rat urine.

Breviscapine, is the total flavonoid components (the content of scutellarin > or =85%) extracted from the dried whole plant of Erigeron breviscapus (VANT.) HAND.-MAZZ, and its preparations are generally used in the clinic for the treatment of cerebral and cardio-vascular diseases in China.

New sesquiterpenes and calebin derivatives from Curcuma longa.

One novel sesquiterpene with new skeleton, (6S)-2-methyl-6-(4-hydroxyphenyl-3-methyl)-2-hepten-4-one (1), two new bisabolane sesquiterpenes, (6S)-2-methyl-6-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-hepten-4-one (2), (6S)-2-methyl-6-(4-formylphenyl)-2-hepten-4-one (3), and two calebin derivatives, 4''-(4'''-hydroxyphenyl-3'''-methoxy)-2''-oxo-3''-butenyl-3-(4'-hydroxyphenyl)-propenoate (4) and 4''-(4'''-hydroxyphenyl)-2''-oxo-3''-butenyl-3-(4'-hydroxyphenyl-3'-methoxy)-propenoate (5) were isolated along with five known bisabolane sesquiterpenes from Curcuma longa. 1-4 were new compounds and 5 was a new natural product. Their structures were established by spectral methods.

Four novel metabolites from microbial transformation of curcumol by Cunninghamella blakesleana.

Further study on the microbial transformation of curcumol (1) by Cunninghamella blakesleana (AS3.970) led to the isolation of four novel metabolites. Their structures were elucidated as 3beta-hydroxy curcumol (2), 12-hydroxy curcumol (3), 1alpha-hydroxy-10beta,14-epoxy curcumol (4) and (2S,4S,5S,7S)-10-hydroxymethyl-7-isopropyl-2-methoxy-4-methyl-1-oxaspiro[4,6]undec-10-en-8-one (5) on the basis of spectral methods.

[Studies on diterpenoids from Andrographis paniculata].

Objective: To study the diterpenoids in the 85% ethanol extract of the aerial parts of Andrographis paniculata.

Method: Fourteen diterpenoids from the 85% EtOH extract were isolated by the silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, ODS column chromatography and HPLC, and their structures were identified by the spectal analyses and chemical evidences.

Result: The 14 compounds were obtained and identified as neoandrographolide (1), 3, 14-di-deoxyandrographolide (2), andrographolide (3), 14-deoxy-11, 12-didehydroandrographolide (4), 19-hydroxy-8 (17), 13-labdadien-15, 16-olide (5), 14-deoxy-andrographolide (6), 3-oxo-14-deoxy-andrographolide (7), isoandrographolide, (8), bisandrographolide (9, 10, 11), deoxyandrographiside (12), 14-deoxy-11, 12-didehydroandrographiside (13), andrographiside (14), respectively.

[Studies on flavonoids of Andrographis paniculata].

Objective: To study the flavonoids of the aerial parts of Andrographis paniculata.

Method: Twelve flavonoids from the 85% EtOH extract were isolated by the silica gel column, Sephadex LH-20 column, ODS column chromatography and HPLC, and their structures were identified by the spectal analyses and chemical evidences.

Result: The 12 compounds were obtained and identified as 7-O-methylwogonin (1), 7-O-methyldihydrowogonin (2), 5-hydroxy-7, 8, 2', 5'-tetramethoxy-flavone (3), skullcapflavone-2'-methoxylether (4), 5-hydroxy-7, 8, 2', 3'-tetramethoxyflavone (5), 5, 4'-dihydroxy-7, 8, 2', 3'-tetramethoxyflavone (6), dihydroskullcapflavone (7), 5, 7, 8-trimethoxydihydroflavone (8), 5, 2'-dihydroxy-7, 8-dimethoxyflvone (9), andrographidine C (10), 5, 7, 4'-trihydroxyflavone (11), 5, 7, 3', 4'-tetrahydroxyflavone (12).

New furostanol glycosides from the rhizomes of Dioscorea futschauensis R. Kunth.

Two new furostanol glycosides, 26-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-3beta,26-dihydroxy-23(S)-methoxyl-25(R)-furosta-5,20(22)-dien-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1 --> 2)-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1 --> 3)]-beta-D-glucopyranoside (dioscoreside E, 1) and 26-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-3beta,26-dihydroxy-25(R)-furosta-5,20(22)-dien-3-O-alpha-Lrhamnopyranosyl(1 --> 2)-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl (1 --> 3)]-beta-D-glucopyranoside (prtotogracillin, 2), together with 11 known furostanol glycosides were isolated from the rhizomes of Dioscorea futshauensis R. Kunth. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis (NMR and FABMS).