A Dehydrogenative Diels-Alder/Aromatization Sequence to Access 6/6/6/6/5 Pentacyclic Steroids: Their Anti-inflammatory Activities.

6/6/6/6/5 Pentacyclic steroids represent an emerging class of architecturally unique and biologically promising steroids. Herein, we developed a DDQ-mediated dehydrogenative Diels-Alder/aromatization cascade reaction between ergosterol derivatives and dienophiles inspired by plausible biosynthetic pathways, which enabled straightforward access to various 6/6/6/6/5 pentacyclic steroids in 24-66% yields. This work offers significant advantages in assembling 6/6/6/6/5 pentacyclic steroids such as the use of inexpensive starting materials, mild reaction conditions, and simple operations.

Traditional herbal formula Sini Powder extract produces antidepressant-like effects through stress-related mechanisms in rats.

Sini Powder (SP), a traditional Chinese herbal formula, has long been used to treat depression in patients, although the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated. In the present study, we found that rats treated with SP extract for 7 days showed a significant increase in swimming time and reduction in immobility time in forced swimming test in a dose-dependent manner, without changes in locomotion. These effects could be attributed to SP's modulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, because a single pretreatment of SP extract could rescue increased serum corticosterone and plasma adrenocorticotropin levels induced by acute elevated platform stress.

[A new biflavone from Dysosma versipellis].

This study was conducted to investigate the chemical constituents in the root of Dysosma versipellis(Hance) M. Cheng. The constituents were isolated by silica gel, lichroprep RP-C(18) and pharmadex LH-20 column chromatography and the IR, MS, NMR, 2D-NMR spectroscopic analysis were employed for the structural elucidation.