Aphrodisiac Principles and other Constituents from the Roots of and .

Bioassay-guided fractionation of and root extracts afforded six compounds. Among these, two bioactive compounds ginsenoside Re () and (20)-ginsenoside Rg2 () exhibiting significant relaxation in rabbit corpus cavernosum with EC values of 95.1 and 114.

A feasible and practical H NMR analytical method for the quality control and quantification of bioactive principles in Lycii Fructus.

Lycii Fructus, a solanaceous drug, is widely used as functional foods and in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Samples collected from different regions of China have been found to be not identical in chemical compositions which might affect the biological activities. Although many chromatographic and spectrometric methods have been reported to determine the concentration of betaine and other bioactive amino acids, disturbance resulted from other polar substances with low UV-absorbance and expensive mass facilities reduced the applicability of these techniques.

Mechanistic Study of Tetrahydrofuran- acetogenins In Triggering Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Response-apotoposis in Human Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

For past three decades, numerous studies have elucidated the antiproliferative effects of acetogenins in hopes of developing a new class of clinical anticancer agents. However, clear and definitive action mechanisms of acetogenins were less clarified. In the present study, three tetrahydrofuran (THF)-containing acetogenins were found to have potent and selective antiproliferative activity against human nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cell lines and their methotrexate-resistant counterparts.

Isolation and synthesis of melodamide A, a new anti-inflammatory phenolic amide from the leaves of Melodorum fruticosum.

Together with twelve known compounds (2-13), melodamide A (1), a new phenolic amide possessing p-quinol moiety, was purified and characterized from the methanolic extracts of the leaves of Melodorum fruticosum. The structure of melodamide A (1) was established with a combination of 2D NMR experiments, HR-ESI-MS and X-ray analyses. The other known compounds were identified by comparison of their spectroscopic and physical data with those reported in the literature.

Bioactive constituents of Clausena lansium and a method for discrimination of aldose enantiomers.

Glycosides, clausenosides A and B, and carbazole alkaloids, clausenaline A, claulamine A, and claulamine B, together with 50 known compounds, were isolated from the stems of Clausena lansium. Their structures were determined by means of spectroscopic methods, including that of CD and 1D/2D NMR analysis. Claulamine A has a 1-oxygenated carbazole skeleton with a rare 2,3-lactone ring, and claulamine B represents an hitherto unknown acetal carbazole alkaloid.

Ajugalide-B (ATMA) is an anoikis-inducing agent from Ajuga taiwanensis with antiproliferative activity against tumor cells in vitro.

Ajuga taiwanensis is widely used for the treatment of hepatitis and hepatoma in Taiwanese folk medicine. However, its bioactive components and mechanism of action are unclear. Herein, ajugalide-B (ATMA), a neoclerodane diterpenoid isolated from Ajuga taiwanensis, is reported to exhibit high anti-proliferative activity against tumor cell lines from various tissues.

Drimane-type sesquiterpenes with a dioxabicyclooctane skeleton from the fruiting bodies of Nigrofomes melanoporus and their cytotoxicity.

Two new drimane-type compounds, nigrofomins A ( 1) and B ( 2), possessing a rare dioxabicyclooctane moiety, were purified from the fruiting bodies of Nigrofomes melanoporus. Their structures were determined using 1D-, 2D-NMR and HR-ESI-MS spectroscopic analyses. In addition, 1 was established by X-ray crystallographic studies.

Preparation of a series of novel bichalcones linked with a 1,4-dimethylenepiperazine moiety and examination of their cytotoxicity.

The chalcone basic skeleton is a unique template which is associated with widespread biological activities. In the present study, a series of novel bichalcones linked with a 1,4-dimethylenepiperazine moiety was prepared through Mannich reaction and Clasien-Schmidt condensation. The synthetic analogs 2-16 were subjected into the cytotoxicity examinations using a panel of 25 human tumor cell lines.

Chemical constituents and biological studies of the leaves of Grevillea robusta.

Three new compounds: Graviquinone (1), cis-3-hydroxy-5-pentadecylcyclohexanone (2), and methyl 5-ethoxy-2-hydroxycinnamate (3), and thirty-eight known compounds were isolated and identified from the leaves of Grevillea robusta. The structures of these compounds were determined by spectroscopic and chemical transformation methods. Graviquinone (1) showed the strongest cytotoxicity against MCF-7, NCI-H460, and SF-268 cell lines.

Bioactive constituents from the roots of Panax japonicus var. major and development of a LC-MS/MS method for distinguishing between natural and artifactual compounds.

Two new saponins, panajaponol (1) and pseudoginsenoside RT1 butyl ester (2), together with 35 known compounds (3-37), were isolated from the roots of Panax japonicus var. major. The structures of 1 and 2 were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis and chemical methods.

Anti-inflammatory, anticholinesterase and antioxidative constituents from the roots and the leaves of Salvia nipponica Miq. var. formosana.

Reactive oxygen species and granule proteases produced by neutrophils contribute to the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases. The extracts of the roots and the leaves of Salvia nipponica var. formosana were showed potent inhibitory effects on superoxide anion production in fMLP/CB-activated human neutrophils as well as other anti-inflammatory effects, and led to the isolation of 25 compounds.

Biologically active constituents from the fruiting body of Taiwanofungus camphoratus.

Five new benzenoids, benzocamphorins A-E (1-5), and 10 recently isolated triterpenoids, camphoratins A-J (16-25), together with 23 known compounds including seven benzenoids (6-12), three lignans (13-15), and 13 triterpenoids (26-38) were isolated from the fruiting body of Taiwanofungus camphoratus. Their structures were established by spectroscopic analysis. Selected compounds were examined for cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory activities.

β-carboline alkaloids from Stellaria dichotoma var. lanceolata and their anti-inflammatory activity.

The present investigation on the chemical constituents of the roots of Stellaria dichotoma var. lanceolata has resulted in the isolation of 21 β-carboline alkaloids, including 13 new compounds, dichotomides III-XIV (1-12) and dichotomine E (13), and eight known compounds. The structures of the new compounds were established on the basis of spectroscopic data analysis.

Isolation of substances with antiproliferative and apoptosis-inducing activities against leukemia cells from the leaves of Zanthoxylum ailanthoides Sieb. & Zucc.

Extraction of the leaves of Zanthoxylum ailanthoides Sieb. & Zucc. affords extracts and four isolated compounds which exhibit activities against leukemia cells.

Camphoratins A-J, potent cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory triterpenoids from the fruiting body of Taiwanofungus camphoratus.

Ten new triterpenoids, camphoratins A-J (1-10), along with 12 known compounds were isolated from the fruiting body of Taiwanofungus camphoratus. Their structures were established by spectroscopic analysis and chemical methods. Compound 10 is the first example of a naturally occurring ergosteroid with an unusual cis-C/D ring junction.

Potent alpha-glucosidase inhibitors from the roots of Panax japonicus C. A. Meyer var. major.

Bioassay-guided fractionation of the CHCl(3) soluble portion of the roots of Panax japonicus C. A. Meyer var.

Anthraquinones from Ophiorrhiza hayatana OHWI.

Three new naturally occurring anthraquinones, ophiohayatone-A (1), -B (2), and -C (3), together with four known anthraquinones, were isolated from Ophiorrhiza hayatana OHWI (Rubiaceae). Structures of these new compounds were established by spectral methods.