Silver-dendrimer nanocomposite as emerging therapeutics in anti-bacteria and beyond.

To develop next-generation nanomedicine, theranostic nanotherapeutic strategies are increasingly being emphasized. In recent years, it is observed that the effective lifetime of anti-bacterial and anti-cancer agent is diminishing, which undermines the economic incentives necessary for clinical development and therapeutic applications. Thus, novel formulations ought to not only kill drug resistant strains and cancerous cells but also inhibit their formation.

Correlation Study of Galectin-3 in Patients with an Ascending Aortic Aneurysm and Ventricular Remodeling Before and After Surgical Correction.

Objective: The present study aims to observe the changes in galectin-3 (Gal-3) expression levels in patients with an ascending aortic aneurysm and ventricular remodeling and analyze Gal-3's correlation with ventricular remodeling.

Methods: A total of 102 patients with an ascending aortic aneurysm were included as the research subjects. Gal-3 expression levels in the peripheral blood of the patients were detected by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay before the operation and then three and six months after.

Flavonoids rather than alkaloids as the diagnostic constituents to distinguish Sophorae Flavescentis Radix from Sophorae Tonkinensis Radix et Rhizoma: an HPLC fingerprint study.

Sophorae Flavescentis Radix (Sophora flavescens Ait., SFR) and Sophorae Tonkinensis Radix et Rhizoma (S. tonkinensis Gapnep.

[Anti-complement alkaloids from whole plants of Viola yedoensis].

Fifteen alkaloids were isolated from the 95% ethanol extract of the whole plants of Viola yedoensis by various column chromatographic techniques such as silica gel and Sephadex LH-20. Their structures were identified as neoechinulin A（1）,N-benzoyl-L-p-hydroxy-phenylalaninol（2）,aurantiamide acetate（3）,aurantiamide（4）,anabellamide（5）,trichosanatine（6）,indole-3-carboxylic acid methyl ester（7）,3-carboxyindole（8）,N-trans-feruloyl-tyramine（9）,paprazine（10）,7'-（3', 4'-dihydroxyphenyl）-N-[(4-methoxyphenyl)ethyl]propenamide（11）,cannabisin F（12）,N-(4-hydroxyphenethyl)octacosanamide（13）,N-(4-hydroxyphenethyl)hexacosanamide（14）and N-benzoyl-L-phenylalaninol（15）. All the compounds except 3 and 4 were isolated from this plant for the first time.

Preparative separation and quantitative determination of two kaurenoic acid isomers in root barks of Acanthopanax gracilistylus.

The kaurenoic acid-type diterpenoids in Acanthopanacis Cortex have been reported to be the major active components. However, the diterpenoids are present as position isomers that exacerbate the challenges in obtaining standards compounds. Little work has been done on the quantitative analysis of the diterpenoids in the herb.

Regio- and stereo-selective hydroxylations of ingenane diterpenoids by Mortierella ramanniana and Gibberella fujikuroi.

The regio- and stereo-selective hydroxylations of two ingenane diterpenoids, 20-deoxyingenol (1) and 13-oxyingenol dodecanoat (2), by the filamentous fungi Mortierella ramanniana and Gibberella fujikuroi were investigated in the present study. Four undescribed metabolites (3-6) of substrate 1 and two undescribed metabolites (7 and 8) of substrate 2 were isolated. All the metabolites were identified as hydroxylated ingenane derivatives by extensive NMR and HR-ESI-MS data analyses.

Anti-Complementary Components of Helicteres angustifolia.

A first phenalenon derivative with an acetyl side chain at C-8, 8-acetyl-9-hydroxy-3-methoxy-7-methyl-1-phenalenon (compound ), and a pair of new sesquilignan epimers at C-7″ of hedyotol C and hedyotol D analogs, hedyotol C 7″-β-d-glucopyranoside (compound ) and hedyotol D 7″--β-d-glucopyranoside (compound ) were isolated from the aerial parts of together with nine known compounds (-). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic methods, including mass spectroscopy, and 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance. Eleven isolates exhibited anti-complementary activity.

Anticomplement monoterpenoid glucosides from the root bark of Paeonia suffruticosa.

Six new (1-6) and 19 known monoterpenoid glucosides were isolated from the root bark of Paeonia suffruticosa. The monoterpenoid glucosides 1, 2, 7, 10-19, and 22 exhibited anticomplement effects with CH50 and AP50 values ranging from 0.14 to 2.

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of flavonoids in Sophora tonkinensis by LC/MS and HPLC.

Aim: To develop analytical methods for the identification and determination of the flavonoids in Sophora tonkinensis for comprehensive quality evaluation.

Methods: An HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS method was used for the separation and characterization of the flavonoids in S. tonkinensis, and a liquid chromatographic method was employed to simultaneously determine five major active flavonoids in this crude drug.

Viola yedoensis liposoluble fraction ameliorates lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury in mice.

Viola yedoensis is a component of traditional Chinese herb medicine for inflammatory diseases. Chemical constituents of V. yedoensis have been shown to possess antibacterial, anti-HIV, and anticoagulant effects in experimental research; however, their anti-inflammatory properties remain to be demonstrated.

β3GnT8 regulates laryngeal carcinoma cell proliferation via targeting MMPs/TIMPs and TGF-β1.

Previous evidence showed β1, 3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase 8 (β3GnT8), which can extend polylactosamine on N-glycans, to be highly expressed in some cancer cell lines and tissues, indicating roles in tumorigenesis. However, so far, the function of β3GnT8 in laryngeal carcinoma has not been characterized. To test any contribution, Hep-2 cells were stably transfected with sense or interference vectors to establish cell lines that overexpressed or were deficient in β3GnT8.

Quantitative analysis of multiple methylated genes in plasma for the diagnosis and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

This study was aimed to evaluate the clinical value of plasma methylation analysis of a panel of four genes (APC, GSTP1, RASSF1A, and SFRP1), which was identified by our previous work, for the noninvasive diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The methylation status of these four genes in 150 plasma samples from 72 patients with HCC, 37 benign live diseases and 41 normal controls was detected with methylation-sensitive restriction enzymes-based quantitative PCR (MSRE-qPCR) method. The plasma methylation levels of APC, GSTP1, RASSF1A, and SFRP1 were significantly higher in HCCs than those in normal or benign controls (P<0.

Quantitative methylation analysis of multiple genes using methylation-sensitive restriction enzyme-based quantitative PCR for the detection of hepatocellular carcinoma.

DNA methylation is a promising biomarker for cancer. This study was aimed at investigating the methylation levels of multiple genes in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to identify a combination of methylation markers that would be useful for the diagnosis of HCC. The methylation status of a panel of nine tumor-associated genes (APC, GSTP1, RASSF1A, CDKN2A, SFRP1, RUNX3, SOCS1, Hint1, and HIC-1) in 8 normal liver tissues and 47 paired HCCs and non-tumorous tissues (NTs) was determined using a modified methylation-sensitive, restriction enzyme-based quantitative PCR (MSRE-qPCR) method.

Iridoid glycosides from Harpagophytum procumbens D.C. (devil's claw).

Iridoid glycosides, harprocumbide A (6''-O-alpha-D-galactopyranosylharpagoside, 1) and harprocumbide B (6''-O-(cis-p-coumaroyl)-procumbide, 2) were isolated from the tubers of Harpagophytum prucumbens D.C., along with nine known iridoid glycosides 6-O-alpha-D-galactopyranosylharpagoside (3), and harpagoside (4), harpagide (5), 8-cinnamoylmyoporoside (6), 8-O-feruloylhapagide (7), procumbide (8), 6''-O-(p-coumaroyl)-procumbide (9), 8-O-(p-coumaroyl)-harpagide (10) and 8-O-(cis-p-coumaroyl)-harpagide (11).

[Identification of the fumatory Radix Bupleuri with sulfur by static headspace GC-MS].

Objective: To identify whether Radix Bupleuri (Bupleurum chinense) was fumed with sulfur.

Method: A static headspace GC-MS method was used to detect sulfur in the fumatory Radix Bupleuri, the authentic samples free of sulfur was detected as reference.

Result: Sulfur was detected in six samples from nine samples collected in different locations.

Immobilized carbon nanotubes as matrix for MALDI-TOF-MS analysis: applications to neutral small carbohydrates.

In this work, we reported on the advantages of immobilized carbon nanotubes as a novel MALDI-matrix. Recently, carbon nanotubes have been reported to be an effective MALDI matrix for small molecules (Anal. Chem.

[A study on quality standard for Herba Siegesbeckidae].

Objective: To establish the qualitative and quantitative methods of Herba Siegesbeckiae.

Method: A TLC method was used for qualitative identification and a HPLC analysis was applied for quantitative determination of Herba Siegesbeckiae with kirenol as the reference substances.

Result: Chloroform-methanol-formic acid (25:5:1) as a mobile phase of TLC, the spot of kirenol can be easily detected; Methanol extracts of Herba Siegebeckiae were separated on a Polaris C18 column with acetonitrile-water (25:75) as mobile phase and kirenol was separated well.

cis-Eudesmane sesquiterpene glycosides from Liriope muscari and Ophiopogon japonicus.

Two new cis-eudesmane sesquiterpene glycosides, liriopeoside A (1) and ophiopogonoside A (2), were extracted and purified from tubers of Liriope muscari and Ophiopogon japonicus, respectively, along with three known compounds. Their structures were elucidated as 1beta,6beta-dihydroxy-cis-eudesm-3-ene-6-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (1) and 1beta,4beta,6beta-trihydroxy-cis-eudesmane-6-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2) by spectral data analysis. The structure and the relative configuration of compound 1 were confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis.

Biotransformation of quinovic acid glycosides by microbes: direct conversion of the ursane to the oleanane triterpene skeleton by Nocardia sp. NRRL 5646.

[reaction: see text] Quinovic acid glycosides were microbially deglycosylated by a Nocardia sp. to their aglycon quinovic acid and its biogenetic counterpart, cincholic acid (3), via an unprecedented carbon skeleton rearrangement involving a methyl group migration. The structures of the metabolites were established by ESI-LC/MS and 2D-NMR techniques.

ING4 induces G2/M cell cycle arrest and enhances the chemosensitivity to DNA-damage agents in HepG2 cells.

The known members of inhibitor of growth (ING) gene family are considered as candidate tumor suppressor genes. ING4, a novel member of ING family, is recently reported to interact with tumor suppressor p53, p300 (a major component of histone acetyl transferase complexes), and p65(RelA) subunit of NF-kappaB. In this study, we investigated the cellular behaviors of HepG2 cells with exogenous ING4.

A novel liver-specific zona pellucida domain containing protein that is expressed rarely in hepatocellular carcinoma.

We currently identified a liver-specific gene that encodes a novel zona pellucida (ZP) domain-containing protein named liver-specific ZP domain-containing protein (LZP). The full-length complementary DNA (cDNA) of human LZP has 2,255 bp with a complete open reading frame (ORF) of 1,635 bp. The gene is localized on chromosome 10q21.

[Triterpenoid saponins from bark Mitragyna inermis].

Objective: To study the constituents of Mitragyna inermis that have an anti-tumor activity on Bel-7402 of hepatic carcinoma.

Method: The compounds were isolated by column chromatography on silica gel, ODS, Sephadex LH-20 separately and their structures were elucidated by chemical and spectral technology.

Result: Three quinovic acid glycosides, quinovic acid 3 beta-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-28-O-beta- D-glucopyranoside(I), quinovic acid 3 beta-O-beta-D-quinovopyranoside(II), quinovic acid 3 beta-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside(III), were obtained.

27-Nor-triterpenoid glycosides from Mitragyna inermis.

From the bark of Mitragyna inermis, two 27-nor-triterpenoid glycosides, named inermiside I (1) and II (2), were isolated and their structures determined based on extensive 2D-NMR and MS spectral analysis as 6-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-[3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-pyrocincholate and 6-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-pyrocincholate, respectively. In addition, the known quinovic acid (6), 3-O-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl]-quinovoic acid (3),beta-D-glucopyranosyl-[3-O-(beta-D-glucopyranosyl)]-quinoviate (4) and cytotoxic 3-O-(beta-D-6-deoxy-glucopyranosyl)-quinovic acid (5) were also isolated.