Biotransformation of Ursonic Acid by and to Discover Anti-Neuroinflammatory Derivatives.

Biotransformation of ursonic acid () by two fungal strains CGMCC 3.5324 and CGMCC 3.407 yielded thirteen new compounds (, , -, and -), along with five recognized ones.

Chemistry and biological activity of resin glycosides from Convolvulaceae species.

Carbohydrate-based drug discovery has gained more and more attention during the last few decades. Resin glycoside is a kind of novel and complex glycolipids mainly distributed in plants of the family Convolvulaceae. Over the last decade, a number of natural resin glycosides and derivatives have been isolated and identified, and exhibited a broad spectrum of biological activities, such as cytotoxic, multidrug-resistant reversal on both microbial pathogens and mammalian cancer cells, antivirus, anticonvulsant, antidepressant, sedative, vasorelaxant, laxative, and α-glucosidase inhibitory effects, indicating their potential as lead compounds for drug discovery.

Biotransformation of Betulonic Acid by the Fungus CGMCC 3.868 and Antineuroinflammatory Activity of the Biotransformation Products.

Biotransformation of betulonic acid () by CGMCC 3.868 resulted in the production of 16 new (, , , and -) and five known compounds. Structures of the new compounds were established by analysis of spectroscopic data.

Bioactive Constituents from the Bryophyta Hypnum plumaeforme.

Chemical investigation of the secondary metabolites of the whole plant of bryophyte Hypnum plumaeforme Wilson led to the isolation of a new pimarane-type diterpenoid, momilactone F (1), along with seventeen known compounds. Their chemical structures were elucidated based on massive spectroscopic data. The allelopathic and antifungal properties were evaluated.

Isolation of evolvulic acids B and C, two new components of crude resin glycoside fraction from .

Two new glycosidic acids, evolvulic acids B and C ( and ), along with a known one, evolvulic acid A (), were isolated from the glycosidic acid fraction afforded by alkaline hydrolysis of crude resin glycosides from whole plants. Their structures were characterized by the spectroscopic data and chemical evidences. Compounds and are both defined as tetrasaccharides, composed of D-fucose, D-glucose, L-rhamnose or D-galactose units.

Evolvulins I and II, Resin Glycosides with a Trihydroxy Aglycone Unit from .

Evolvulins I and II ( and ), representing a new class of resin glycosides with an unprecedented trihydroxy aglycone unit, 3,11,14-trihydroxyhexadecanoic acid (), were isolated from the whole plants of . Their structures were thoroughly characterized by extensive spectroscopic analyses as well as chemical evidence. Compound exhibited the most potent cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 cells, with an IC value of 3.

Glycosidic Acids with Unusual Aglycone Units from Convolvulus arvensis.

Six new glycosidic acids, arvensic acids E-J (1-6), were obtained from a glycosidic acid fraction afforded by alkaline hydrolysis of the crude resin glycosides from Convolvulus arvensis whole plants. Their structures were established from the spectroscopic data obtained and by chemical evidence. They were defined as heptasaccharides or hexasaccharides, comprising d-fucose, d-glucose, and l-rhamnose units.

Arvensic acids A-D, novel heptasaccharide glycosidic acids as the alkaline hydrolysis products of crude resin glycosides from Convolvulus arvensis.

In this study, a resin glycoside fraction with cytotoxic activity was isolated from the alcoholic extract of C. arvensis whole plants. To describe the chemical feature of the resin glycosides, the fraction was alkaline hydrolyzed and four novel glycosidic acids, named arvensic acids A-D (1-4), were isolated.

Medicinal uses, pharmacology, and phytochemistry of Convolvulaceae plants with central nervous system efficacies: A systematic review.

Central nervous system (CNS) disorders play a major impact on individual lives and place a severe strain on health care resources. Convolvulaceae is a family comprising approximately 1,600-1,700 species grouped in 55-60 genera, and many species are reported to have an effect on CNS functions. A systematic review of the literature studies was carried out to summarize available evidences on Convolvulaceae plants with CNS efficacies.

(R)-panaxadiol by whole cells of filamentous fungus Absidia coerulea AS 3.3382.

The microbial transformation of 20(R)-panaxadiol (PD) by the fungus Absidia coerulea AS 3.3382 afforded three new and three known metabolites. The structures of the metabolites were characterized as 3-oxo-20(R)-panaxadiol (1), 3-oxo-7β- hydroxyl-20(R)-panaxadiol (2), 3-oxo-22β-hydroxyl-20(R)-panaxadiol (3), 3-oxo- 7β,22β-dihydroxyl-20(R)-panaxadiol (4), 3-oxo-7β,24β-dihydroxyl-20(R)-panaxadiol (5), and 3-oxo-7β,24α-dihydroxyl-20(R)-panaxadiol (6).

2,3,5,4'-Tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-β-d-glucoside exerted protective effects on diabetic nephropathy in mice with hyperglycemia induced by streptozotocin.

2,3,5,4'-Tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-β-d-glucoside (TSG), an active component from the functional and medicinal herb Polygonum multiflorum Thunb, has the capacity of blocking angiotensin II (ANG II) signaling, a pathway within the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) which plays a critical role in the development of diabetic nephropathy (DN), and blockade of the RAS is currently used for the treatment of DN. Here we investigated the beneficial effect of TSG therapy on renal damage in the streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes model. The STZ-treated C57BL/6J diabetic mice developed progressive albuminuria and renal tubular interstitial fibrosis within 10 weeks, accompanied by increased production of ANG II, fibronection, TGF-β, CTGF, TNF-α, RANTES and MCP-1 and decreased expression of slit diaphragm proteins in the kidney.

UPLC-Q-TOF/MS-based screening and identification of two major bioactive components and their metabolites in normal and CKD rat plasma, urine and feces after oral administration of Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch extract.

Rehmannia glutinosa is a widely used traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in clinical practice to tackle chronic kidney disease for thousands of years. However, the in vivo metabolism of its two major bioactive components (catalpol and acteoside) remains unknown. In this paper, a highly sensitive, rapid and robust ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS) with MetaboLynx™ software combined with mass defect filtering (MDF) method was established.

Characterization of pumpkin polysaccharides and protective effects on streptozotocin-damaged islet cells.

The polysaccharides from pumpkin fruit (PP) were obtained and purified by hot-water extraction, anion-exchange chromatography, and gel column chromatography. The physicochemical properties of PP were determined by gel filtration chromatography, gas chromatography, fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Results indicated that the molecular weight of PP was about 23 kDa and PP was composed of D-Arabinose, D-Mannose, D-Glucose, and D-Galactose with a molar ratio of 1 : 7.

A simple method for the isolation and purification of resveratrol from .

Resveratrol, a polyphenol compound with strong biological activity, has been widely used in medicine, health products and cosmetic industries. It is also the main active component of a well-known traditional Chinese medicine. We developed a simple and effective method for the preparation of resveratrol from .

Simultaneous quantification of eight major bioactive phenolic compounds in Chinese propolis by high-performance liquid chromatography.

A simple, sensitive and specific high-performance liquid chromatography-UV (HPLC-UV) method has been developed to simultaneously quantify the eight major bioactive phenolic compounds in Chinese propolis, namely caffeic acid, isoferulic acid, 3,4-dimethoxycinnamic acid, pinobanksin 5-methyl ether, pinocembrin, benzyl caffeate, chrysin and galangin. This HPLC assay was performed on an Agilent Zorbax Extend-C18 (250 x 4.6 mm, 5 microm) column with a gradient of methanol and 0.

Cytotoxic constituents of chinese propolis.

A pair of new flavanol racemates (1a and 1b) and a new flavanol racemic mixture (2) were isolated from crude propolis from Henan Province, People's Republic of China. Also obtained were nine known compounds, including two flavones, four flavonols, two flavanols, and isoferulic acid. Spectroscopic analysis was employed to assign the structures of these new compounds and the absolute configurations of 1a and 1b.

Cytotoxic polyprenylated xanthones from the resin of Garcinia hanburyi.

Twelve new xanthones (1-12), a pair of new natural products (13 and 14), and 18 known related compounds were isolated from the resin of Garcinia hanburyi. The structures of 1-14 were elucidated by detailed spectroscopic analyses. A cytotoxic assay of the isolated compounds revealed that, with the exception of 2, these compounds were active against the HeLa tumor cell line.

NMR spectral assignments of isoprenylated flavanones from Sophora tonkinensis.

The phytochemical investigation of extracts from the roots of Sophora tonkinensis yielded three new isoprenylated flavanones, the tonkinochromanes F (2), G (3), and H (5), along with four known compounds. Structural elucidation of the compounds were established on the basis of spectral data, particularly by the use of 1D NMR and several 2D shift-correlated NMR pulse sequences ((1)H-(1)H COSY, HSQC, HMBC, and ROESY).

Cytotoxic diterpenoids from Euphorbia helioscopia.

Four new jatrophane-type diterpenoids (1-4), together with 16 known related compounds, were isolated from the Chinese medicinal plant Euphorbia helioscopia. The structures of 1-4 were determined on the basis of spectroscopic and chemical methods. Cytotoxicity of the isolated compounds against HeLa and MDA-MB-231 cells was evaluated, with only helioscopinolide A (5) and euphornin (3a) being active.

Structure elucidation and NMR spectral assignments of three new lignan glycosides from Akebia trifoliata.

Three new lignan glycosides (1-3) were isolated from the stems of Akebia trifoliata. Their structures were elucidated as (7R,8R,7'R,8'R)3,3',5,5'tetramethoxy-4,4'dihydroxy-7,9':7',9-diepoxylignan-4-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (1), (7S,8S,8'R)-4,4',9-trihydroxy-3,3',5,5'-tetramethoxy-7,9'-epoxylignan-7'-one 9-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2), (7R,8R,8'S)-4,4',9-trihydroxy3,3',5,5'-tetramethoxy-7,9'-epoxylignan-7'-one 9-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (3) by spectral analyses, primarily NMR, MS and CD. The NMR assignments for the compounds were carried out using 1H, 13C, DEPT, COSY, HSQC, HMBC and ROESY NMR experiments.

Microbial transformation of ginsenoside Rb(1) by Acremonium strictum.

Preparative-scale fermentation of ginsenoside Rb(1) (1) with Acremonium strictum AS 3.2058 gave three new compounds, 12beta-hydroxydammar-3-one-20 (S)-O-beta-D -glucopyranoside (7), 12beta, 25-dihydroxydammar-(E)-20(22)-ene-3-O-beta-D -glucopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D -glucopyranoside (8), and 12beta, 20 (R), 25-trihydroxydammar-3-O-beta-D -glucopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D -glucopyranoside (9), along with five known compounds, ginsenoside Rd (2), gypenoside XVII (3), ginsenoside Rg(3) (4), ginsenoside F(2) (5), and compound K (6). The structural elucidation of these metabolites was based primarily on one- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance and high-resolution electron spray ionization mass spectra analyses.

Ingenane diterpenoids from Euphorbia esula.

An extensive study of metabolites present in Euphorbia esula led to isolation of 16 ingenane diterpenoids 1-16 together with the known ingenane derivative 17 and four known cycloartane triterpenoids. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic studies and comparison with known related compounds. All the compounds were assayed for their inhibitory activity against human HeLa cervical cancer cell line.

Two new lignans from Mentha spicata L.

Two new lignans named spicatolignan A (1) and spicatolignan B (2) have been isolated from the whole herbs of Mentha spicata L.

[Study of chemical constituents in active parts of Mentha spicata III].

Objective: To study the chemical constituents of Mentha spicata.

Method: The chemical constituents were isolated by silica gel column chromatography, and identified by physical and chemical characters and spectroscopic analysis.

Result: Compounds I - V were obtained and their structures were elucidated as protocatechuic aldehyde (I), protocatechuic acid (II), chrysoeriol (III), 5, 6-dihydroxy-7, 8, 3', 4'-tetramethoxyflavone (IV), nodifloretin (V).