Anti-allergic Hydroxy Fatty Acids from Explored through ChemGPS-NP.

Increasing prevalence of allergic diseases with an inadequate variety of treatment drives forward search for new alternative drugs. Fatty acids, abundant in nature, are regarded as important bioactive compounds and powerful nutrients playing an important role in lipid homeostasis and inflammation. Phytochemical study on Nicolson and Sivadasan (Araceae), a folk anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory medicine, yielded four oxygenated fatty acids, 12-hydroxyoctadec-9,13-dienoic acid methyl ester () and 10-hydroxyoctadec-8,12-dienoic acid methyl ester (), 9-hydroxy-10-octadecenoic acid methyl ester (), and 12-hydroxy-10-octadecenoic acid methyl ester ().

The oestrogenic and anti-platelet activities of dihydrobenzofuroisocoumarins and homoisoflavonoids from Liriope platyphylla roots.

The ethanolic extract of Liriope platyphylla (Liliaceae) roots showed potential oestrogenic and anti-platelet activities. Twenty-six compounds were isolated and classified as 10 skeletons, including two unusual new dihydrobenzofuroisocoumarins, (+)-platyphyllarin A (1) and B (2), one new butanoate, ethyltributanoate (3), and two new homoisoflavanones, (-)-liriopein A (4) and B (5), along with 21 known compounds, including six homoisoflavonoids, one chalcone, six amides, one lignan, one fatty acid derivative, one alkaloid, three benzenoids, and two steroids. The biosynthetic pathway of compounds 1 and 2 was proposed in the current investigation.

Aqueous extract of the edible Gracilaria tenuistipitata inhibits hepatitis C viral replication via cyclooxygenase-2 suppression and reduces virus-induced inflammation.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an important human pathogen leading to hepatocellular carcinoma. Using an in vitro cell-based HCV replicon and JFH-1 infection system, we demonstrated that an aqueous extract of the seaweed Gracilaria tenuistipitata (AEGT) concentration-dependently inhibited HCV replication at nontoxic concentrations. AEGT synergistically enhanced interferon-α (IFN-α) anti-HCV activity in a combination treatment.

Synthesis of chalcone derivatives as potential anti-diabetic agents.

Chalcones bearing electron donating or electron withdrawing substitutions were prepared and their glucose uptake activity was evaluated. Chalcone derivatives were synthesized in one step protocol with high purity and yield. Chalcones with chloro, bromo, iodo and hydroxy substitutions at position 2 on A-ring exhibited the highest activity with glucose medium concentration (210 to 236 mg/dl) compared to pioglitazone and rosiglitazone (230 and 263 mg/dl, respectively).

Recent progress of research on medicinal mushrooms, foods, and other herbal products used in traditional Chinese medicine.

This article will review selected herbal products used in traditional Chinese medicine, including medicinal mushrooms ( bā xī mó gū; Agaricus blazei, yún zhī; Coriolus versicolor, líng zhī; Ganoderma lucidum, xiāng xùn; shiitake, Lentinus edodes, niú zhāng zhī; Taiwanofungus camphoratus), Cordyceps ( dōng chóng xià cǎo), pomegranate ( shí liú; Granati Fructus), green tea ( lǜ chá; Theae Folium Non Fermentatum), garlic ( dà suàn; Allii Sativi Bulbus), turmeric ( jiāng huáng; Curcumae Longae Rhizoma), and Artemisiae Annuae Herba ( qīng hāo; sweet wormwood). Many of the discussed herbal products have gained popularity in their uses as dietary supplements for health benefits. The review will focus on the active constituents of the herbs and their bioactivities, with emphasis on the most recent progress in research for the period of 2003 to 2011.

Recent Progress of Research on Herbal Products Used in Traditional Chinese Medicine: the Herbs belonging to The Divine Husbandman's Herbal Foundation Canon ( Shén Nóng Běn Cǎo Jīng).

This article will review selected herbal products from Chinese Materia Medica that are used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The herbs come from the upper, middle, and lower class medicines as listed in The Divine Husbandman's Herbal Foundation Canon ( Shén Nóng Běn Cǎo Jīng). The review will focus on the active constituents of the herbs and their bioactivities, with emphasis on the most recent progress in research for the period of 2003 to 2011.

Anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic neoflavonoids and benzofurans from Pterocarpus santalinus.

Five new benzofurans, pterolinuses A-E (1-5), six new neoflavonoids, pterolinuses F-J (8-13), and five known compounds (6, 7, 14-16) were isolated from an extract of Pterocarpus santalinus heartwood. All new structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, and configurations were confirmed by CD spectral data and optical rotation values. The isolates were evaluated for anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activities.

A novel alkaloid, aristopyridinone A and anti-inflammatory phenanthrenes isolated from Aristolochia manshuriensis.

A novel alkaloid, aristopyridinone A (1) and a new phenanthrene, aristolamide II (2), were isolated from Aristolochia manshuriensis (Guanmutong) together with eight known phenanthrenes (3-10). All structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods. Compound 2 showed a selective inhibitory effect on elastase release by human neutrophils in response to fMLP with an IC(50) value of 4.

Anti-hepatitis C virus activity of Acacia confusa extract via suppressing cyclooxygenase-2.

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection continues to be an important cause of morbidity and mortality by chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) throughout the world. It is of tremendous importance to discover more effective and safer agents to improve the clinical treatment on HCV carriers. Here we report that the n-butanol-methanol extract obtained from Acacia confusa plant, referred as ACSB-M4, exhibited the inhibition of HCV RNA replication in the HCV replicon assay system, with an EC(50) value and CC(50)/EC(50) selective index (SI) of 5 ± 0.

Camptothecinoids from the seeds of Taiwanese Nothapodytes foetida.

Two new alkaloids, 9-methoxy-18,19-dehydrocamptothecin (1) and 5- hydroxymappicine-20-O-beta-glucopyranoside (2a/2b as a racemic mixture), together with nine known compounds: camptothecin (3), 9-methoxy-camptothecin (4), 5-hydroxycamptothecin (5a/5b racemic mixture), 5-hydroxy-9-methoxycamptothecin (6a/6b racemic mixture), diosmetin (7), apigenin (8), apigenin-7-O-glucopyranoside (9), rosin (cinnamyl-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside) (10) and amarantholidoside IV (11) were isolated from the immature seeds of Nothapodytes foetida (Wight) Sleumer. The structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses. In the present research, compounds 1, 3, 4, 5a/5b and 6a/6b, also showed in vitro cytotoxicity against six cancer cell lines (HepG2, Hep3B, MDA-MB- 231, MCF-7, A549, and Ca9-22).