Isolation and anticomplement activity of compounds from Dendropanax morbifera.

Dendropanax morbifera Leveille (Araliaceae) is used in Korea for a variety of disease, such as migraine headache and dysmenorrhea. A new polyacetylene (1) and six known compounds (2-7) were isolated from the leaves of this plant by conventional chromatographic techniques. The structure of the new polyacetylene (1) was determined as (9Z,16S)-16-hydroxy-9,17-octadecadiene-12,14-diynoic acid by spectroscopic means including 2D NMR, which comprised the determination of a chiral by modified Mosher's ester method.

Hematein inhibits atherosclerosis by inhibition of reactive oxygen generation and NF-kappaB-dependent inflammatory mediators in hyperlipidemic mice.

Hematein, a natural compound, is a known anti-inflammatory and antiatherogenic agent in the rabbit model. The authors investigated the effects of this compound on atherogenesis and possible mechanisms of the actions in the hyperlipidemic mice. Low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient (Ldlr-/-) mice fed a high-cholesterol diet alone for 8 weeks developed the fatty streak lesion in the aortic sinus, whereas this lesion was significantly reduced by hematein treatment without a change in plasma lipid levels compared with control mice.

Effects of oleanane-type triterpenoids from fabaceous plants on the expression of ICAM-1.

We examined the inhibitory effects of oleanane-type triterpenoids from fabaceous plants on the TNF-alpha-induced expression of cell adhesion molecules on THP-1 human monocytic leukemia cells and compared them with a glucocorticoid dexamethasone. In a cell-based ELISA, abrisapogenol E, soyasapogenols B and C, soyasapogenol B, kuzusapogenol B-methyl ester, and oleanolic acid significantly inhibited intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1) expression. Moreover, these triterpenoids showed the same activity as dexamethasone.

Androstane alkaloids from musk of Moschus moschiferus.

Two androstane alkaloids were isolated from the musk of Moschus moschiferus. The structures were elucidated to be 3alpha-ureido-androst-4-en-17-one (1) and 3alpha-ureido-androst-4-en-17beta-ol (2) by two-dimensional NMR analysis (HMQC, 1H-1H COSY, HMBC, and NOESY).

Constituents from the stems of Actinodaphne lancifolia.

Two C(16)-lactonic compounds, actinolides A-B (1-2), were isolated from the stems of Actinodaphne lancifolia, together with five known lactones (3-7) and three known lignans (8-10). Their structures were determined spectroscopically, which included 2D NMR spectroscopic analysis.

Structure determination of a new lupane-type triterpene, tiarellic acid, isolated from Tiarella polyphylla.

A new 27-carboxylic lupane-type triterpene, tiarellic acid (1), was isolated from Tiarella polyphylla together with corosolic acid (2) and tormentic acid (3). Tiarellic acid was characterized as 3,23-dihydroxy-20(29)-lupen-27-oic acid and its NMR data were unambiguously assigned using 2-D NMR techniques.