Biosynthetic pathway analysis combined with feature-based molecular networking to comprehensively characterize the chemical constituents in seeds of Sterculia lychnophora.

Introduction: The seeds of Sterculia lychnophora Hance, commonly known as Pangdahai (PDH) in Chinese, have found extensive use in both culinary and traditional medicinal practices. However, a comprehensive understanding of the chemical composition of PDH has been lacking.

Objectives: This study proposes a strategy that integrates biosynthetic pathway analysis with feature-based molecular networking (FBMN), aiming for a thorough and global characterization of the chemical compositions of PDH.

An unexpected hydratase synthesizes the green light-absorbing pigment fucoxanthin.

The ketocarotenoid fucoxanthin and its derivatives can absorb blue-green light enriched in marine environments. Fucoxanthin is widely adopted by phytoplankton species as a main light-harvesting pigment, in contrast to land plants that primarily employ chlorophylls. Despite its supreme abundance in the oceans, the last steps of fucoxanthin biosynthesis have remained elusive.

Discovery of a potent allosteric activator of DGKQ that ameliorates obesity-induced insulin resistance via the sn-1,2-DAG-PKCε signaling axis.

sn-1,2-diacylglycerol (sn-1,2-DAG)-mediated activation of protein kinase Cε (PKCε) is a key pathway that is responsible for obesity-related lipid metabolism disorders, which induces hepatic insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. No small molecules have been previously reported to ameliorate these diseases through this pathway. Here, we screened and identified the phytochemical atractylenolide II (AT II) that reduces the hepatic sn-1,2-DAG levels, deactivates PKCε activity, and improves obesity-induced hyperlipidemia, hepatosteatosis, and insulin resistance.

A P450 enzyme dimerizes isoflavones from plants.

Dimerization is a widespread natural strategy that enables rapid structural diversification of natural products. However, our understanding of the dimerization enzymes involved in this biotransformation is still limited compared to the numerous reported dimeric natural products. Here, we report the characterization of three new isoflavone dimers from cultured on an isoflavone-containing agar plate.

A database-guided integrated strategy for comprehensive chemical profiling of traditional Chinese medicine.

A comprehensive chemical profiling of traditional Chinese medicine is the basic issue for further pharmacological research and quality assessment. To facilitate chemical identification and potential components discovery, the present study proposed an integrated identification strategy guided by a self-built component database constructed from literatures to carry out the global profiling of complex matrixes. Lanqin Oral Liquid was applied as example to validate the feasibility of this strategy.

A validated UHPLC-MS/MS method for pharmacokinetic and brain distribution studies of twenty constituents in rat after oral administration of Jia-Wei-Qi-Fu-Yin.

A rapid ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QqQ MS/MS) approach with high sensitivity and selectivity was developed for the quantification of twenty compounds, including 9 saponins, 8 flavonoids, 2 oligosaccharide esters and 1 phenolic acid, in rat plasma and brain, which was administrated intragastrically with Jia-Wei-Qi-Fu-Yin (JWQFY), Mass spectrometric detection was operated under multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. All calibration curves possessed good linearity with correlation coefficients ( r) higher than 0.9916 in their respective linear ranges.

Comprehensive chemical profiling of Jia-Wei-Qi-Fu-Yin and its network pharmacology-based analysis on Alzheimer's disease.

Jia-Wei-Qi-Fu-Yin (JWQFY) is a newly developed anti-Alzheimer's disease (AD) prescription modified from a classical traditional Chinese medicine formula, Qi-Fu-Yin (QFY). However, a systematic understanding of its chemical constituents and molecular mechanisms is still elusive. To address this problem, comprehensive chemical profiling followed by network pharmacology-based analysis of JWQFY was performed.

Generation and Reactivity of Amidyl Radicals: Manganese-Mediated Atom-Transfer Reaction.

A simple and efficient protocol to generate amidyl radicals from amine functionalities through a manganese-mediated atom-transfer reaction has been developed. This approach employs an earth-abundant and inexpensive manganese complex, Mn (CO) , as the catalyst and visible light as the energy input. Using this strategy, site-selective chlorination of unactivated C(sp )-H bonds of aliphatic amines and intramolecular/intermolecular chloroaminations of unactivated alkenes were readily realized under mild reaction conditions, thus providing efficient access to a range of synthetically valuable alkyl chlorides, chlorinated pyrrolidines, and vicinal chloroamine derivatives.

Visible-Light-Promoted Manganese-Catalyzed Atom Transfer Radical Cyclization of Unactivated Alkyl Iodides.

An expedient visible-light-promoted atom transfer radical cyclization (ATRC) reaction of unactivated alkyl iodides facilitated by earth-abundant and inexpensive manganese catalysis is described. The practical protocol shows a broad substrate scope and good functional-group tolerance, allowing for the preparation of synthetically valuable alkenyl iodides and diquinanes under simple and mild reaction conditions. Notably, the method provides a net redox-neutral strategy for ATRC reactions that avoids classic hydrogen atom transfer mechanism.

A strategy for screening bioactive components from natural products based on two-dimensional cell membrane chromatography and component-knockout approach.

Cell membrane chromatography (CMC) is a bioaffinity chromatographic method used to screen active compounds from natural products. However, since the receptor capacity of CMC column is limited, high content/affinity compounds may cause column overloading and thus lead to ignorance of other positive candidates. For avoiding this effect and comprehensively discovering bioactive components, a strategy based on two-dimensional CMC and component-knockout approach was proposed.

A fast and accurate method for the identification of peroxidase inhibitors from Radix Salvia Miltiorrhizae by on-flow biochemical assay coupled with LC/Q-TOF-MS: comparison with ultrafiltration-based affinity selection.

Development of fast and accurate methods to discover lead compounds for drug candidates is highly important. In this study, a reliable and effective post-column on-flow biochemical assay (POBA) was established to screen potent peroxidase inhibitors from complex chemical mixtures (e.g.