Antidiabetic activity of hydro-ethanolic extract of Cyperus rotundus in alloxan induced diabetes in rats

In light of the traditional claim of Cyperus rotundus in the treatment of diabetes, investigations were carried out to evaluate its effect on alloxan induced hyperglycemia in rats. Oral daily administration of 500 mg/kg of the extract (once a day for seven consecutive days) significantly lowered the blood glucose levels. This antihyperglycemic activity can be attributed to its antioxidant activity as it showed the strong DPPH radical scavenging action in vitro.     

Antidiarrhoeal activity of Cyperus rotundus

The methanol extract of Cyperus rotundus rhizome, given orally at the doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg b.w., showed significant antidiarrhoeal activity in castor oil induced diarrhoea in mice. Among the fractions, tested at 250 mg/kg, the petroleum ether fraction (PEF) and residual methanol fraction (RMF) were found to retain the activity, the latter being more active as compared to the control. The ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) did not show any antidiarrhoeal activity.     

Anti-plasmodial activity of the extracts and two sesquiterpenes from Cyperus articulatus

Two sesquiterpenes, corymbolone and mustakone, isolated from the chloroform extract of the rhizomes of Cyperus articulatus, exhibited significant anti-plasmodial properties. Mustakone was approximately ten times more active than corymbolone against the sensitive strains of the Plasmodium falciparum.     

New coumarins from Cedrelopsis grevei

Two new coumarins, 7-methoxy-5-prenylcoumarin (isocedrelopsin) (1) and 3',4'-dihydrobraylin (2), were isolated from the trunk bark of Cedrelopsis grevei, along with five known coumarins, microfolicoumarin (6,7-dimethoxy-5-prenylcoumarin, (3), obliquin (4), 8-methoxyobliquin (5), aesculetin (6), cedrelopsin (7) and scoparone (8).     

New cassane diterpenes from Caesalpinia echinata

An investigation of the ethanolic extract from stems of Caesalpinia echinata Lam (Leguminosae-Caesalpinioideae) led to the isolation of five new cassane diterpenes along with known lambertianic acid. Their structures were determined based on spectroscopic methods. A preliminary study on leishmanicidal activity demonstrated that compounds 1, 2 and 6 were found to inhibit the growth of amastigote-like forms of Leishmania amazonensis without affecting mononuclear cells obtained from human peripheral blood.     

New gingerdione from the rhizomes of Zingiber officinale

A new gingerdione has been isolated from the rhizomes of Zingiber officinale and identified as 1-dehydrogingerdione (1).     

New clerodane diterpenoids from Casearia sylvestris

Two new clerodane diterpenoids 2β-methoxy-cleroda-3,13-dien-18-carboxy-15,16-olide (1) and 15ξ-methoxy-cleroda-3,12-dien-18-carboxy-15,16-olide (2) and one new nitrogen-containing clerodane diterpenoid 15-oxo-echinophyllin A (3), along with six known compounds, namely, echinophyllin A, (−)-patagonic acid, tyrosol, oplopanone, 4-hydroxy-4-methyl-2-[(1R)-1-(1-methylethyl)-4-oxopentyl]-2-cyclohexen-1-one and 1β,6α-dihydroxy-eudesman-4(15)-ene were isolated from the leaves of Casearia sylvestris. Their structures were determined by extensive NMR techniques.     

Antimicrobial activity of some medicinal plants from India

The results of a preliminary antimicrobial screening of the methanol extracts of Zingiber officinale, Asteracantha longifolia, Citrus acida, Salacia microsperma and Tinospora cordifolia are reported.     

微波辅助提取香附精油的条件优化研究

进行了微波辅助提取香附精油的研究。应用单因素试验和正交试验,考察了提取剂类型、微波功率、微波辐射时间、液料质量比、液料湿度和物料粒度对提取效果的影响,得到了微波辅助提取香附精油的最佳条件:以环己烷为溶剂,物料粒度0.28 mm,微波功率450 W,提取两次,每次90 s,每次用液料质量比为6∶1。提取液进行真空浓缩至不再有溶剂蒸出,得精油粗产品。往精油粗产品中加入乙醇溶解,放入-15℃冰箱中冷冻48 h,离心分离去除树脂状物质,过滤,滤液进行真空浓缩后,即得香附精油,产率约1.24%,纯度97.3%。     

New sphingolipids from the root of Isatis indigotica and their cytotoxic activity

Two new sphingolipids were isolated from the 95% EtOH extract of traditional Chinese medicinal plant Isatis indigotica. Their structures were elucidated as (2S,3R)-3-hydroxymethyl-N-(2'-hydroxynonacosanoyl)-trideca-9E-sphingenine(1) and 1-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(2S,3R)-3-hydroxymethyl-N-(2'-hydroxynonacosanoyl)-trideca-9E-sphingenine(2) on the basis of spectroscopic data. Their cytotoxic effects were evaluated by using MTT method.     

A new norlignan from Taxodium ascendens

A new norlignan, (2R,3R,4S,5S)-2,4-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-3,5-dihydroxy-tetrahydropyran (1), together with 9 known compounds were isolated from the branches and leaves of Taxodium ascendens. Their structures were mainly determined on the basis of MS, IR, 1D and 2D NMR spectral evidences. Methanol extract showed inhibitory activity on carbonic anhydrase II with an IC₅₀ value of 4.27 µg/ml, acetone extract and methanol extract inhibited activity of cathepsin B with IC₅₀ values of 2.12 and 3.71 µg/ml, respectively.     

New pregnane saponins from Ecdysanthera rosea and their cytotoxicity

Two new pregnane saponins elucidated as ecdysantheroside A (1) and ecdysantheroside B (2) and six known compounds (3-8) based on spectral data (MS, IR, 1D and 2D NMR) were isolated from the stem bark of Ecdysanthera rosea. The cytotoxicity against six cell lines of these compounds was tested by MTT assay. The results revealed that compounds 5 and 7 showed cytotoxicity against all the cell lines. Compound 2 showed cytotoxicity against cells A549, MDA435, HepG2, and HUVEC, while compound 4 showed cytotoxicity against cells A549, CEM, and HUVEC. Compound 6 had cytotoxicity against the others except cell HepG2.     

Molluscicidal evaluation of three common plants from India

Mortality caused by the aqueous extract of latex of Thevetia peruviana, Alstonia scholaris and Euphorbia pulcherrima against two harmful freshwater snails, Lymnaea acuminata and Indoplanorbis exustus, is reported. Latices of all the plants at high doses were also lethal to freshwater fish Channa punctatus, which shares the habitat with these snails, but within 24 h, LC90 of snail L. acuminata did not cause any mortality to fishes in a mixed population of snail and fish. Therefore, these plant extracts may eventually be of great value for the control of harmful aquatic snails and other molluscan pests.     

New steroids from Clerodendrum colebrookianum

Five new steroids, colebrin A–E (1–5) were isolated from the aerial parts of Clerodendrum colebrookianum. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectral evidence.     

New phenolic esters from the resinous exudate of Haplopappus taeda

Two new phenolic esters 9-trans-p-coumaroyloxy-alpha-terpineol (1) and 7-trans-p-coumaroyloxy-taedol (2), both endowed with free radical scavenger activity and cleroda-3,13 (E)-dien-15,18-diol (3) for which a cis stereochemistry at the decalin junction was found, were isolated from the resinous exudate from Haplopappus taeda upper parts.     

Alkaloids derived from genus Veratrum and Peganum of Mongolian origin as multidrug resistance inhibitors of cancer cells

Alkaloids comprise one of the largest groups of plant secondary metabolites including vinca alkaloids. The ability of six alkaloids from Veratrum lobelianum, one from Veratrum nigrum and three from Peganum nigellastrum to modify transport activity of MDR1 was studied. Flow-cytometry in a multidrug-resistant human MDR1-gene-transfected mouse lymphoma cells (L5178Y) was applied. The inhibition of multidrug resistance was investigated by measuring the accumulation of rhodamine-123 in cancer cells.Veralosinine and veranigrine were the most effective resistance modifiers. In a checkerboard method veralosinine and veranigrine enhanced the antiproliferative effects of doxorubicin on MDR cells in combination. The structure-activity relationships were discussed.     

中间锦鸡儿CiDR1的克隆及干旱胁迫下的表达分析

[目的]研究并了解中间锦鸡儿CiDR1基因功能及其对干旱胁迫的响应,为抗性育种提供候选基因。[方法]通过RACE技术从中间锦鸡儿中克隆CiDR1基因的c DNA全长,利用生物信息学分析软件对其基因结构及功能进行分析和预测。再通过qRT-PCR技术对干旱胁迫后的幼苗中的CiDR1表达模式进行研究。[结果]从中间锦鸡儿中克隆到CiDR1基因的c DNA全长共计4 297 bp,Gen Bank登录号为KP277100。生物信息学分析表明,预测的CiDR1蛋白序列中含有1 243个氨基酸残基,具有抗病基因特征结构域TIR、NB-ARC、LRR等,其等电点为6.35,不稳定指数为42.91,不具备信号肽,为非分泌蛋白,定位于细胞质中。定量PCR检测发现,CiDR1基因在幼年期的茎中表达量较低,在成年期的叶片中表达量较高;在干旱胁迫处理后的幼苗中,CiDR1表达水平有明显下降,表明该基因的表达受干旱抑制,可能与中间锦鸡儿适应干旱相关。[结论]中间锦鸡儿在干旱胁迫后其根、茎和叶中CiDR1的表达均明显下降,表明CiDR1的表达受干旱抑制,可能与中间锦鸡儿适应干旱相关,进一步研究发现CiDR1在根、茎、叶中的表达水平可能受发育阶段调控。     

Stilbenes and flavonoids from Artocarpus nitidus subsp. lingnanensis

The first stilbene possessing a γ-aminobutyric acid lactam function, artocarpene (1), and a new flavanone, 2-hydroxynaringenin 4′-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (2), were isolated from the stems of Artocarpus nitidus subsp. lingnanensis along with four known compounds, 2-hydroxynaringenin (3), oxyresveratrol (4), 3,4′,5-trihydroxy-3′-prenylstilbene (5) and norartocarpetin (6). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data. Compounds 1 exhibited weak antioxidant activity and 2 displayed weak cytotoxicity against human lung cancer A549 cell line.     

New constituents from Gliricidia sepium

The heart wood of Gliricidia sepium stem yielded stigmastanol glucoside (1) and 3',4'-dihydroxy-trans-cinnamic acid octacosylester 2, along with three other known constituents.     

Anti-leishmanial and immunomodulatory activities of extracts from Portulaca hirsutissima and Portulaca werdermannii

Ethyl acetate and chloroform extracts from aerial parts of Portulaca werdermannii and P. hirsutissima were tested in lymphoproliferation assays and axenic cultures of Leishmania amazonensis and Trypanosoma cruzi. Both extracts of P. werdermannii and P. hirsutissima had a potent inhibitory activity on lymphocyte proliferation. On the contrary, only the chloroformic extract of both plants inhibited L. amazonensis growth, without effect on T. cruzi cultures. These results indicate these Portulaca species as potential sources of new active molecules for the treatment of leishmaniasis and immune-mediated pathologies.