Five new polyphenolic derivatives with antimicrobial activities from the root barks of Periploca sepium.

Five new polyphenolic derivatives, sepiumols A-E (1-5), were isolated from the root barks of Periploca sepium. Their structures were elucidated by interpretation of NMR spectroscopic and mass spectrometric data. Compounds 1, 3 and 5 were found to exhibit significant antifungal activity, particularly for 3 with the remarkable activity against Gibberella saubinetii and Alternaria longipes with MIC values of 1.

(+)- and (-)-Preuisolactone A: A Pair of Caged Norsesquiterpenoidal Enantiomers with a Tricyclo[4.4.0.0]decane Carbon Skeleton from the Endophytic Fungus Preussia isomera.

A pair of enantiomeric norsesquiterpenoids, (+)- and (-)-preuisolactone A (1) [(+)-1 and (-)-1)] featuring an unprecedented tricyclo[4.4.0.

Three new hopane-type triterpenoids from the aerial part of Adiantum capillus-veneris and their antimicrobial activities.

Three new hopane-type triterpenoids (1-3), fern-7(8)-en-19α, 28-diol (1), pteron-14-ene-7α,19α,28-triol (2) and 3β,4α,25-trihydroxyfilican (3), were isolated from the aerial parts of Adiantum capillus-veneris. Their structures were determined by NMR spectroscopic and mass spectrometric data. Compounds 2 and 3 exhibited remarkable antifungal activity against Helminthosporium maydis and Alternaria alternata with MIC values of 12.

[Research of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine on regularity of clinical acupuncture].

In the present article, the authors, in the light of their research in recent a decade of years, make an overall summary on the regularities of clinical acupuncture from the stimulated points, the superficial and deep layers, the literature basis and the innovation points. These basic regularities include symmetry or corresponding, segmental innervation, center or central axis, superiority of distal limbs, ending-stimulation accelerating analgesia, periphery-stimulation accelerating easiness and smooth, local feed back, specific feed back, selection of the stimulated points, acupuncture of different layers, etc..

Studying the signaling role of 2-oxoglutaric acid using analogs that mimic the ketone and ketal forms of 2-oxoglutaric acid.

2-Oxoglutaric acid (2-OG), a Krebs cycle intermediate, is a signaling molecule in many organisms. To determine which form of 2-OG, the ketone or the ketal form, is responsible for its signaling function, we have synthesized and characterized various 2-OG analogs. Only 2-methylenepentanedioic acid (2-MPA), which resembles closely the ketone form of 2-OG, is able to elicit cell responses in the cyanobacterium Anabaena by inducing nitrogen-fixing cells called heterocysts.