Phytochemistry and pharmacology of natural prenylated flavonoids.

Prenylated flavonoids are a special kind of flavonoid derivative possessing one or more prenyl groups in the parent nucleus of the flavonoid. The presence of the prenyl side chain enriched the structural diversity of flavonoids and increased their bioactivity and bioavailability. Prenylated flavonoids show a wide range of biological activities, such as anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, cardioprotective effects, and anti-osteoclastogenic activities.

Cucurbitane-type triterpenoids from the fruits of Citrullus colocynthis.

A phytochemical investigation of the fruits of Citrullus colocynthis resulted in the isolation of 21 structurally diverse cucurbitane triterpenoids, including 9 previously undescribed ones, colocynins A-I (1-9). Their absolute configurations were elucidated by means of quantum chemical electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations, CD exciton chirality method, and single-crystal X-ray crystallography. Colocynins A-C (1-3) represent the first examples of nonanorcucurbitane-type triterpenoids.

Cytotoxic phenyl polyketides from N. Robson.

(±)-Hypecurvone A ( and B (, two new undescribed phenyl polyketides, along with seven known analogues (-) were isolated from the whole plant of . Chiral separation of and yielded two pairs of enantiomers / and /, respectively. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analyses and ECD spectra simulations.

Three New Xanthones from and Their Quorum Sensing Inhibitory Activities against .

Quorum sensing (QS) plays an important role in the production of virulence factors and pathogenicity in pathogenic bacteria and is, therefore, a hopeful target to fight against bacterial infections. During our search for natural QS inhibitors, two new xanthonolignoids ( and ), each existing as a racemic mixture, one new simple oxygenated xanthone (), and eight known analogs (-, -) were isolated from Linn. Chiral separation of yielded a pair of enantiomers and .

Bioactive polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols from Hypericum scabrum.

Eighteen polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols were isolated from the whole plant of Hypericum scabrum Linn., including six new compounds (1-6). Their structures were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic analyses.

Monoterpenoid Glycosides from the Leaves of and Their Bioactivities.

The leaves of have been applied as Ku-Ding-Cha, a functional tea to clear heat, remove toxins, and treat obesity and diabetes, in Southwest China. The phytochemical research on the leaves of led to the isolation and identification of eight new monoterpenoid glycosides (-) and three known monoterpenoid glycosides (-). Compounds - were tested for the inhibitory activities on fatty acid synthase (FAS), -glucosidase, -amylase, and the antioxidant effects.

Structural characterization and immunomodulatory activity of a mannan from Helvella leucopus.

A new polysaccharide fraction HLP-1 (2.55 × 10 Da) was obtained from the fruiting bodies of Helvella leucopus. Structural characterization of HLP-1 was elucidated by infrared spectroscopy, monosaccharide composition analysis, methylation analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and Congo red assay.

Anti-inflammatory effect of a polysaccharide fraction from Craterellus cornucopioides in LPS-stimulated macrophages.

Immunocytes-involved inflammation is considered to modulate the damage in various diseases. Oxidative stress is initiated by oxidative agents such as LPS and ROS, which are strongly involved in chronic inflammation. Our previous study found that a polysaccharide fraction from Craterellus cornucopioides (CCPP-1) showed good antioxidant activity.

Amicoumacins from a desert bacterium: quorum sensing inhibitor against .

In our study, the anti-quorum sensing (QS) activity of fermentation broth from TRM B-02, a bacterium isolated from Taklimakan desert, was investigated using the biosensor bioassay on ATCC12472. TRM B-02 was 100% similar to subsp. Inaquosorum KCTC 13429 by genotypic and phenotypic analyses.

A new chlorine-containing iridoid glycoside from .

A phytochemical investigation on the whole plant of Juss. ex Jacq led to the isolation of a new and rare chlorinated iridoid glycoside named plantomoside (), along with three known compounds, geniposidic acid (), 10-deoxygeniposidic acid (), and viteoid II (). The structure of was determined through 1 D and 2 D NMR spectroscopic data analysis, HR-ESI-MS, and acid hydrolysis.

Lycocasuarines I-Q, new Lycopodium alkaloids isolated from Lycopodiastrum casuarinoides.

Lycocasuarines I-Q (1-9), nine new lycodine-type Lycopodium alkaloids were isolated from the aerial parts of Lycopodiastrum casuarinoides (Spring) Holub ex R.D.Dixit.

Lycodine-type alkaloids and their glycosides from Lycopodiastrum casuarinoides.

Thirteen previously undescribed lycodine-type Lycopodium alkaloids, namely, five alkaloids (lycocasuarines D-H) each possessing an uncommon five-membered C ring and eight Lycopodium alkaloid glycosides (casuarinosides A-H), together with a known analog, were isolated from the aerial parts of Lycopodiastrum casuarinoides (Spring) Holub ex R.D.Dixit (Lycopodiaceae).

Polycyclic Polyprenylated Derivatives from Hypericum uralum: Neuroprotective Effects and Antidepressant-like Activity of Uralodin A.

The isolation of the new polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols uraliones A-K (1-11) together with five known analogues (12-16) from a whole Hypericum uralum plant was reported. The structures of these compounds were established through spectroscopic methods, and a single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis was used to confirm the absolute configuration of 1. The protective effects of the isolates against corticosterone-induced PC12 cell injury were assessed.

[Study on Flavonoids of Ophioglossum thermal].

Objective: To investigate the chemical components of Ophioglossum thermale,one of the original species of Chinese medicine "Yizhijian".

Methods: The air-dried whole plant material of Ophioglossum thermale was extracted by thermal reflux with 95%Et OH,then separated and purified by joint utilization of various chromatography techniques including macroporous resin,silica gel,Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography and HPLC. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic methods.

Four New Flavonoids with α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activities from Morus alba var. tatarica.

Four new flavonoids, mortatarins A-D (1-4, resp.), along with eight known flavonoids (5-12) were isolated from the root bark of Morus alba var. tatarica.

Cytotoxic polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols from Hypericum attenuatum.

Six new polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols, attenuatumiones A-F (1-6), together with twelve known analogs (7-18) were isolated from the whole plant of Hypericum attenuatum. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, and the absolute configuration of C-13 in attenuatumione C (3) was deduced via the circular dichroism datum of the in situ formed [Rh2(OCOCF3)4] complexes. All isolates were evaluated for the cytotoxic activities on three human cancer cell lines.

Bioactive benzofuran neolignans from Aristolochia fordiana.

Six new benzofuran neolignans (1-6) were isolated from the EtOAc-soluble fraction of the aerial part of Aristolochia fordiana, together with twelve known analogues (7-18). The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic methods. All isolates were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccaride-activated RAW264.

Geranylated 2-arylbenzofurans from Morus alba var. tatarica and their α-glucosidase and protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B inhibitory activities.

Ten new geranylated 2-arylbenzofuran derivatives, including two monoterpenoid 2-arylbenzofurans (1 and 2), two geranylated 2-arylbenzofuran enantiomers (3a and 3b), and six geranylated 2-arylbenzofurans (4-9), along with four known 2-arylbenzofurans (10-13) were isolated from the root bark of Morus alba var. tatarica. Their structures and relative configurations were established on the basis of spectroscopic data analysis.