Three new lignans, longipedunins A-C, from Kadsura longipedunculata and their inhibitory activity against HIV-1 protease.

Three new lignans, longipedunins A (1), B (2) and C (3), together with three known compounds, benzoyl-binankadsurin A (4), acetyl-binankadsurin A (5) and schisanlactone A (6), were isolated from Kadsura longipedunculata. Their structures and stereochemistry were determined by spectral and single-crystal X-ray analyses. Compounds 1 and 6 showed appreciable inhibitory activity against HIV-1 protease with IC50 values of 50 and 20 microM, respectively.

Interiotherins C and D, two new lignans from Kadsura interior and antitumor-promoting effects of related neolignans on Epstein-Barr virus activation.

Two new lignans, interiotherins C (1) and D (2), together with the known compounds interiorin (3), heteroclitin F (4), neokadsuranin (5), heteroclitin D (6), kadsurin (7), gomisin A (8), schisandrin C (9), interiotherin A (10), angeloylgomisin R (11), gomisin G (12), interiotherin B (13), and gomisin C (14), were isolated from the stems of Kadsura interior. The structures and stereochemistries of the new compounds were determined from mass, CD, and NMR spectral data. Fourteen neolignans were screened as potential antitumor promoters by examining their ability to inhibit Epstein-Barr virus early antigen (EBV-EA) activation (induced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate) in Raji cells.

Asparosides A and B, two new steroidal saponins from Asparagus meioclados.

Asparosides A (1) and B (2), two new saponins, were isolated from the roots of Asparagus meioclados. On the basis of chemical and spectroscopic evidence, their structures were elucidated as 23-O-alpha-arabinopyranosyl-(5beta,25s)-spirostan-3beta,23alpha-diol-3-O-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1-->4)]-beta-D-glucopyranoside and 26-O-beta-glucopyranosyl-5beta-furost-20(22)-ene-3beta,26-diol-3-O-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1-->4)]-beta-D-glucopyranoside, respectively.