Benzofurans from Eupatorium chinense enhance insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in C2C12 myotubes and suppress inflammatory response in RAW264.7 macrophages.

Fourteen acetylbenzofuran derivatives, including three undescribed carbon skeletons with a newly formed hexane or benzene ring on the other side of the benzofuran ring, (±)-eupatonin A (1), (±)-eupatonin B (2), and eupatonin C (3), two new benzofurans (-)-12β-hydroxygynunone (4) and (+)-12-hydroxyl-13-noreuparin (5), as well as 9 known ones (6-14), were isolated from 95% ethanol extract of the roots of Eupatorium chinense. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic methods and quantum chemical DFT and TDDFT calculations of the NMR chemical shifts and ECD spectra, which helped in the determination of the relative configurations of 1 and 2 and the absolute configurations of 4 and 5, respectively. 1 and 2 were further identified to be racemic mixtures by chiral HPLC analysis.

Tautomerism and bioactivities of curcumenol, a common sesquiterpenoid widely existing in edible plants.

Curcumenol was firstly revealed as a pair of hemiacetal-ketone tautomers in solutions by using temperature variation 1H-NMR experiments, 2D NMR, and chemical methods. Quantum chemical calculation allowed the explanation of its spectroscopic behavior. An antioxidative SAR study on its derivatives verified the tautomeric bio-significance.

Triterpenoids from that Enhance Glucose Uptake in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes.

Four previously undescribed compounds, including three rarely occurring -dammarane triterpenoid glycosides and a pentacyclic triterpenic acid, were isolated from a 70% ethanol extract of the leaves of (Juglandaceae), along with eleven known triterpenoids. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic techniques, including 2D NMR and HRESIMS, as well as chemical methods. Among them, several triterpenoids enhanced insulin stimulated glucose uptake in both 3T3-L1 adipocytes and C2C12 myotubes.

Honokiol protects hepatocytes from oxidative injury through mitochondrial deacetylase SIRT3.

Oxidative stress contributes to the initiation and progression of liver damage. SIRT3 is a member of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-dependent deacetylases that plays a key role in anti-oxidative defense and mitochondrial function in the liver. Honokiol is a natural lignan from the plants of Magnolia genus that exhibits potent anti-oxidative property.

[A new cyclic diarylheptanoid from the bark of Myrica rubra].

To study the chemical constituents from the bark of Myrica rubra, fourteen compounds were isolated from the methanolic extract using various chromatographic techniques, including silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and preparative HPLC. Their structures were identified on the basis of chemical properties and spectroscopic data, as 3, 5-dimethoxy-4-hydroxymyricanol (1), myricanol (2), myricanone (3), myricanol 11-sulfate (4), myricitrin (5), quercetin (6), quercetin-3-rhamnoside (7), tamarixol (8), uvaol (9), ursolic acid (10), taraxerol (11), myricadiol (12), β-sitosterol (13) and β-daucosterol (14). Among them, compound 1 is a new compound, named as 3, 5-dimethoxy-4-hydroxymyricanol, compounds 8, 9 were isolated from the genus Myrica for the first time.

Saikosaponin D acts against corticosterone-induced apoptosis via regulation of mitochondrial GR translocation and a GR-dependent pathway.

Saikosaponin D is an agonist of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), and our preliminary study showed that it possesses neuroprotective effects in corticosterone-treated PC12 cells. However, further proof is required, and the molecular mechanisms of this neuroprotection remain unclear. This study sought to further examine the cytoprotective efficiency and potential mechanisms of action of Saikosaponin D in corticosterone-treated PC12 cells.