Untargeted Metabolomics Analysis of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Discovers Dysregulated Metabolic Pathways and Potential Diagnostic Biomarkers.

: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most fatal diseases worldwide. Because early diagnosis is difficult, ESCC is mostly diagnosed at an advanced stage, leading to a poor overall prognosis. The purpose of this study was to explore the differences between plasma metabolic profiles in ESCC patients and healthy controls and to establish a diagnostic model of ESCC.

Polyphyllin VI induces apoptosis and autophagy in human osteosarcoma cells by modulation of ROS/JNK activation.

Purpose: Polyphyllin VI, a main active saponin isolated from traditional medicinal plant , has exhibited antitumor activities in several cancer cell lines. In the present study, we investigated the antitumor effect of Polyphyllin VI against human osteosarcoma cells (U2OS) and the underlying molecular mechanisms.

Methods: The U2OS cell lines were used to determine the antiproliferative effect of Polyphyllin VI by CCK8 assay.

Timosaponin B-II Ameliorates Palmitate-Induced Insulin Resistance and Inflammation via IRS-1/PI3K/Akt and IKK/NF-[Formula: see text]B Pathways.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of timosaponin B-II (TB-II) on palmitate (PA)-induced insulin resistance and inflammation in HepG2 cells, and probe the potential mechanisms. TB-II, a main ingredient of the traditional Chinese medicine Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge, notably ameliorated PA-induced insulin resistance and inflammation, and significantly improved cell viability, decreased PA-induced production of tumor necrosis factor-[Formula: see text] (TNF-[Formula: see text]) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels. Further, TB-II treatment notably decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, and improved superoxide dismutase (SOD) and nitric oxide (NO).

Timosaponin B-II ameliorates diabetic nephropathy via TXNIP, mTOR, and NF-κB signaling pathways in alloxan-induced mice.

Background: Many synthesized drugs with clinical severe side effects have been used for diabetic nephropathy (DN) treatment. Therefore, it is urgent and necessary to identify natural and safe agents to remedy DN. Timosaponin B-II (TB-II), a major steroidal saponin constituent in Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge, exhibits various activities, including anti-inflammatory and hypoglycemic functions.

Shinjulactone O, a new quassinoid from the root bark of Ailanthus altissima.

A new quassinoid, shinjulactone O (1), and seven known quassinoids, were isolated from the 50% ethanol extract of the root bark of Ailanthus altissima. The structures of these compounds were determined based on spectroscopic methods including UV, IR, HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR. Their cytotoxic activities were evaluated on the tumour cell lines MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, HepG2 and A549 cells, as well as the normal HUVEC line in vitro.

Isolation and identification of a new ent-kaurane diterpenoid from the leaves of Isodon japonica.

A new ent-kaurane diterpenoid, 3α, 14β, 16α-trihydroxy-ent-kaurane (1), together with seven known diterpenoids (2-8), was isolated from the leaves of Isodon japonica. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, including 1D and 2D NMR experiments, IR, HR-ESI-MS and X-ray crystallographic analysis.

Isolation, structural elucidation, and cytotoxicity of three new ent-kaurane diterpenoids from Isodon japonica var. glaucocalyx.

Three new ENT-kaurane diterpenoids, glaucocalyxin H ( 1), glaucocalyxin I ( 2), and glaucocalyxin J ( 3), together with four known diterpenoids ( 4- 7), were isolated from the leaves of Isodon japonica Hara var. glaucocalyx. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis, and the structures of compounds 2 and 3 were further confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis.

3β,11α-Dihy-droxy-12-ursen-3-yl palmitate.

In the title compound, C(46)H(80)O(3), a natural ursane-type triperpenoid, four of the five six-membered rings adopt chair conformations; the fifth, which has a C=C double bond, adopts an approximate half-boat conformation. In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked by O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming chains along [010].