Cynanotophyllosides E-F, two minor pregnane glycosides from the roots of cultivated .

Cynanotophyllosides E-F, two new minor pregnane glycosides were isolated from the antidepressant active fraction of cultivated , and their structures were determined as 12--vanilloyl-deacetylmetaplexigenin 3---D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)--D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)--D-cymaropyranosyl-(1→4)--D-oleandropyranosyl-(1→4)--D-digitoxopyranoside, and 12--nicotinoyl-deacetylmetaplexigenin 3---D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)--D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)--D-cymaropyranosyl-(1→4)--D-oleandropyranosyl-(1→4)--D-cymaropyranoside respectively, with the combination of spectroscopic and chemical analysis.

Acteoside attenuates acute lung injury following administration of cobra venom factor to mice.

Background: Acteoside, a water-soluble active constituent of diverse valuable medicinal vegetation, has shown strong anti-inflammatory property. However, studies on the anti-inflammatory property of acteoside in complement-induced acute lung injury (ALI) are limited. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of acteoside in cobra venom factor (CVF)-stimulated human microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC) and in ALI mice model.

Two new secolignans from the roots of Urtica fissa.

Two new secolignans, 3,4-trans-3-hydroxymethyl-4-[bis(4-hydroxy-3- methoxyphenyl)methyl]butyrolactone (1) and 3,4-trans-3-hydroxymethyl-4- [bis(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)methyl]butyrolactone (2) have been isolated from the roots of Urtica fissa E.Pritz. Their structures were determined on the basis of spectroscopic methods, especially H NMR, C NMR, 2D NMR, and HR-ESI-MS.

Divergent Synthesis of Solanidine and 22-epi-Solanidine.

A divergent synthesis of solanidine and 22-epi-solanidine, two 25S natural steroidal alkaloids, from 25R-configured diosgenin acetate, is described. Initially, solanidine was synthesized through a series of transformations including a cascade ring-switching process of furostan-26-acid, an epimerization of C25 controlled by the conformation of six-membered lactone ring, an intramolecular Schmidt reaction, and an imine reduction/intramolecular aminolysis process. To address the epimerization issue during Schmidt reaction, an improved synthesis was developed, which also led to a synthesis of 22-epi-solanidine.

Pregnane glycosides from the antidepressant active fraction of cultivated Cynanchum otophyllum.

Based on the bioactive screening results, four new pregnane glycosides, namely cynanotophyllosides A-D (1-4) were isolated from the anti-depressant active fraction of cultivated Cynanchum otophyllum, along with thirteen known compounds (5-17). The new compounds were characterized as qingyangshengenin 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-cymaropyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-oleandropyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-cymaropyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-cymaropyranoside (1), qingyangshengenin-3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-oleandropyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-cymaropyranosyl-(1→4)-α-L-cymaropyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-cymaropyranoside (2), caudatin-3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-thevetopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-cymaropyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-digitoxopyranoside (3) caudatin-3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl -(1→4)-β-D-thevetopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-cymaropyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-cymaropyranoside (4), by detailed spectroscopic analysis and acidic hydrolysis.

The antidepressant effect of Cynanchum auriculatum in mice.

Context: Antidepressant effects of various plants are generally attributed to their anti-inflammation and antioxidant activities. Cynanchum auriculatum Royle ex Wight (Asclepiadaceae) is a traditional medicinal plant in China and India used for immunological regulation, anti-inflammation, and antioxidant purposes. However knowledge about its antidepressant activity has been poorly investigated.

Bicyclic polyketide lactones from Chinese medicinal ants, Polyrhacis lamellidens.

Two new bicyclic polyketide lactones, polyrhacitides A ( 1) and B ( 2), were isolated from Chinese medicinal ants, Polyrhacis lamellidens, which have been used as an effective therapeutic agent to treat rheumatoid arthritis and hepatitis in China. Their absolute structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analyses and chemical evidence. The occurrence of polyketides with similar structures in plants of the Lamiaceae, Lauraceae, and Staphyleaceae indicates their significance in the study of chemical ecology.

New pregnane glycosides from the roots of Cynanchum otophyllum.

Six new pregnane glycosides with an acyl at C-12 and a straight sugar chain at C-3, namely otophyllosides H-M (1-6), were isolated from the roots of Cynanchum otophyllum (Asclepiadaceae) collected from Eryuan County in Yunnan province of China. Their structures were characterized to be qingyangshengenin 3-O-beta-d-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-d-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-d-cymaropyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-d-oleandropyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-d-digitoxopyranoside (1), qingyangshengenin 3-O-beta-d-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-d-oleandropyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-d-cymaropyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-d-digitoxopyranoside (2), qingyangshengenin 3-O-beta-d-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-d-cymaropyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-d-oleandropyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-d-cymaropyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-d-digitoxopyranoside (3), qingyangshengenin 3-O-beta-d-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-d-thevetopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-d-cymaropyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-d-digitoxopyranoside (4), caudatin 3-O-beta-d-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-d-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-d-cymaropyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-d-oleandropyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-d-cymaropyranoside (5), caudatin 3-O-beta-d-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-d-cymaropyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-d-oleandropyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-d-cymaropyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-d-cymaropyranoside (6), respectively, on the basis of detailed spectroscopic analysis and chemical method.

Cytotoxic steroidal saponins from Polygonatum punctatum.

Four new steroidal saponins, polypunctosides A-D (1-4, resp.), were isolated from the rhizomes of Polygonatum punctatum, together with five known steroidal saponins. On the basis of chemical and spectral evidence, the structures of the new saponins were established as (3beta,23S,25R)-23-(alpha-L-arabinopyranosyloxy)spirost-5-en-3-yl 4-O-(6-deoxy-alpha-L-mannopyranosyl)-D-glucopyranoside (1), (3beta,23S,25R)-23-[(2-O-acetyl-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl)oxy]spirost-5-en-3-yl 4-O-(6-deoxy-alpha-L-mannopyranosyl)-D-glucopyranoside (2), (3beta,23S,25R)-23-[(3-O-acetyl-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl)oxy]spirost-5-en-3-yl 4-O-(6-deoxy-alpha-L-mannopyranosyl)-D-glucopyranoside (3), and (3beta,23S,25R)-23-[(4-O-acetyl-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl)oxy]spirost-5-en-3-yl 4-O-(6-deoxy-alpha-L-mannopyranosyl)-D-glucopyranoside (4).

Polyhydroxylated steroidal constituents from the fresh rhizomes of Tupistra yunnanensis.

Six new polyhydroxylated steroidal saponins, tupistrosides A-F (1-6), together with nine known steroids, were isolated from the fresh rhizomes of Tupistra yunnanensis. Their structures were elucidated to be (25S)-1beta,4beta,5beta-trihydroxy-spirostane-3beta-yl O-alpha-l-arabinopyranoside (1), 1beta,24beta-dihydroxy-spirost-5,25(27)-dien-3alpha-yl O-beta-d-glucopyranoside (2), (22S,25S)-1alpha,2beta,3alpha,5alpha-tetrahydroxy-furo-spirostane-26-yl O-beta-d-glucopyranoside (3), 1beta,3alpha,22 xi-trihydroxy-furost-5,25(27)-dien-26-yl O-beta-d-glucopyranoside (4), 26-O-beta-d-glucopyranosyl-1beta,22-dihydroxy-furost-5-en-3alpha-yl O-beta-d-glucopyranoside (5) and 22-methoxy-1beta,2beta,3beta,4beta,5beta,7alpha-hexahydroxy-furost-25(27)-en-6-one-26-yl O-beta-d-glucopyranoside (6), respectively, by means of spectroscopic analysis and the results of acid hydrolysis.