12,20-Epoxypregnane Glycosides from the Roots of Oxypetalum caeruleum.

The MeOH extract from dried roots of Oxypetalum caeruleum (Apocynaceae, formerly known as Asclepiadaceae) plants yielded twenty new pregnane glycosides, some of which had a new 12,20-epoxy type aglycone. The structures of these compounds were established using NMR, MS spectroscopic analysis and chemical evidence.

C21 Steroidal Glycosides from the Roots of Oxypetalum caeruleum.

The MeOH extract from dried roots of Oxypetalum caeruleum (Apocynaceae) plants yielded seventeen new pregnane glycosides, some of which had the acylated-ramanone or -isoramanone type aglycone. The structures of these compounds were established using NMR, MS spectroscopic analysis and chemical evidence.

Tetracyclic Triterpenoids, Steroids and Lignanes from the Aerial Parts of Oxypetalum caeruleum.

The MeOH extract from dried aerial parts of Oxypetalum caeruleum (Apocynaceae) plants yielded seventeen compounds, including four new tetracyclic triterpenoids, one pregnane glycoside, two lignane glycosides, and ten known compounds. The structures of the new compounds were established using NMR, MS spectroscopic analysis and chemical evidence.

New 8,12;8,20-diepoxy-8,14-secopregnane hexa- and hepta-glycosides from the roots of Asclepias tuberosa.

Previously, phytochemical investigation of the roots of Asclepias tuberosa (Asclepiadaceae) led to the isolation of some 8,12;8,20-diepoxy-8,14-secopregnane tri-, tetra-, and penta-glycosides. An additional eight new minor 8,12;8,20-diepoxy-8,14-secopregnane glycosides were afforded in the recent investigation of this plant. These glycosides consisted of six or seven 2,6-dideoxy-hexopyranoses together with the aglycone, tuberogenin. The structures of each of these compounds were established using NMR, mass spectroscopic analysis and chemical evidence. As 8,12;8,20-diepoxy-8,14-secopregnane-type glycosides were observed only in A. tuberosa, these compounds were considered to be characteristic phytochemicals of this plant.

Flavonoid Glycosides from Sedum bulbiferum.

The MeOH extract from dried whole Sedum bulbiferum MAKINO (Crassulaceae) plants yielded 34 compounds, including six new flavonoid glycosides and 28 known compounds. The structures of new compounds were established using NMR, Mass spectroscopic analysis and chemical evidence.

Flavonoid glycosides from Botrychium ternatum.

The MeOH extract from dried whole Botrychium ternatum plants yielded 33 compounds, including seventeen new flavonoid glycosides and sixteen known compounds. The structures of new compounds were established using NMR spectroscopic analysis and chemical evidence.

Triterpene saponins from the pericarps of Akebia trifoliata.

Eleven new triterpene saponin components (1-11) were isolated from the MeOH extract of pericarp of Akebia trifoliata (THUNB.) KOIDZ. Each of their structures was determined using NMR techniques and mass spectrometry.

Triterpene saponins with hyaluronidase inhibitory activity from the seeds of Camellia sinensis.

The MeOH extract of the seeds of Camellia sinensis (L.) KUNTZE gave twelve new saponins (1-12) along with ten known saponins (13-22). These saponins (1-22) showed stronger hyaluronidase inhibitory activity than the positive control, rosmarinic acid.

Caffeic acid oligomers with hyaluronidase inhibitory activity from Clinopodium gracile.

Eight new caffeic acid oligomers, clinopodic acids J-Q (1-8), were isolated from whole plants of Clinopodium gracile, together with nine known caffeic acid oligomers. The caffeic acid oligomers with two to four dihydrobenzofuran rings were isolated as natural products for the first time. Clinopodic acid M (4) showed the strongest hyaluronidase inhibitory activity, IC(50) (19 µM) among the 22 compounds isolated from this plant.

Constituents from the roots of Taraxacum platycarpum and their effect on proliferation of human skin fibroblasts.

A MeOH extract from the roots of Taraxacum platycarpum has shown significant effects on the proliferation of normal human skin fibroblasts. Chemical analysis of the extract resulted in the isolation of 26 compounds, including eight new triterpenes, one new sesquiterpene glycoside, and seventeen known compounds. The structure of each new compound was established using NMR spectroscopy. Some triterpenes had a significant effect on the proliferation of normal human skin fibroblasts.

8,12;8,20-diepoxy-8,14-secopregnane glycosides from roots of Asclepias tuberosa and their effect on proliferation of human skin fibroblasts.

A pregnane glycoside fraction from the roots of Asclepias tuberosa L. caused normal human skin fibroblasts to proliferate. This fraction contained 21 pregnane glycosides whose structures were established using NMR spectroscopic analysis and chemical evidence. The aglycones of most of these compounds were identified as 8,12;8,20-diepoxy-8,14-secopregnanes, such as tuberogenin or 5,6-didehydrotuberogenin, the same aglycones as constituents of the aerial parts of this plant. Some of these compounds also caused proliferation of skin fibroblasts.

Cytotoxic triterpenoid saponins acylated with monoterpenic acids from fruits of Gleditsia caspica Desf.

Four bisdesmosidic triterpenoid saponins named caspicaosides A-D, were isolated from the fruits of Gleditsia caspica Desf. Their structures were determined by NMR spectroscopy including HOHAHA, ¹H-¹H COSY, ROE, HMQC, HMBC experiments and HRFAB-MS as well as acid hydrolysis. The four 3,28-O-bisdesmosidic triterpenoid saponins comprised echinocystic acid as the aglycone and common oligosaccharide moieties at C3 and C28. The saccharide moiety at C-3 was identified as ß-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→2)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1→6)-ß-D-glucopyranosyl while that at C-28 was determined as ß-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→3)-ß-d-xylopyranosyl-(1→4)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→6)-]ß-D-glucopyranosyl. The pentasaccharide moiety linked to C-28 was acylated with monoterpenic acid and or monoterpene-arabinoside moieties at C-2 or C-2 and C-3 of the terminal rhamnose unit. The isolated saponins were assayed for their in vitro cytotoxicities against the three human tumor cell lines HepG2, A549 and HT29 using MTT method. The results showed that caspicaosides B and C bearing two and three monoterpene units, respectively, exhibited significant cytotoxic activities against the used cell lines with IC50 values 1.5-6.5 µM. Caspicaosides A and D with one monoterpene unit exhibited significant cytotoxic activities on HepG2 cell line with IC50 values equal to 4.5 and 5.4 µM, respectively, and IC50 values > 10 µM against the other two cell lines. The number of monoterpene units seems to play a main role in determining the activity.

Echinocystic acid 3,16-O-bisglycosides from Albizia procera.

Three triterpene glycosides and two known ones were isolated from the bark of Albizia procera by using chromatographic techniques. The structures of the compounds were determined to be 3-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-(1-->6)-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranosyl echinocystic acid 16-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, 3-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1-->6)-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranosyl echinocystic acid 16-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside and 3-O-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1-->6)-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranosyl echinocystic acid 16-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside. Their structures were determined by NMR techniques including HOHAHA, (1)H-(1)H COSY, ROE, HMQC and HMBC experiments together with FABMS as well as acid hydrolysis. To the best of our knowledge, the new compounds are considered the first examples of echinocystic acid 3,16-O-bisglycosides. In contrast to other cytotoxic echinocystic acid glycosides with N-acetyl glucosamine unit, the new glycosides were found inactive when assayed by MTT method for their cytotoxicities against the human tumor cell lines HEPG2, A549, HT29 and MCF7. The results showed the importance of the free hydroxyl group at the aglycone C-16 for exhibiting cytotoxic properties.

Hyaluronidase inhibitors from "Cimicifugae Rhizoma" (a mixture of the rhizomes of Cimicifuga dahurica and C. heracleifolia).

From the 80% acetone extract of "Cimicifugae Rhizoma" (a mixture of Cimicifuga dahurica and C. heracleifolia used medicinally), seven new fukiic acid derivatives (1-7) and a new phenylethanoid derivative (8) were isolated along with eight known compounds (9-16). Fukinolic acid (9) and cimicifugic acids A-J (10-16, 5-7) showed stronger hyaluronidase inhibitory activities than the positive control, rosmarinic acid.

8,12;8,20-Diepoxy-8,14-secopregnane glycosides from the aerial parts of Asclepias tuberosa.

Further study of constituents from the aerial parts of Asclepias tuberosa afforded twenty-two new steroidal glycosides along with tuberoside B(5) and G(5). These glycosides were confirmed to contain 8,12;8,20-diepoxy-8,14-secopregnanes, tuberogenin and its congeners, as their aglycones. The structure of each of these compounds was elucidated based on the interpretation of NMR and MS measurements and from chemical evidence.

Phenolic constituents of the aerial parts of Cimicifuga simplex and Cimicifuga japonica.

Chemical investigation of the aerial parts of Cimicifuga simplex afforded four new fukinolic acid analogues, cimicifugic acids K-N (1-4), and 10 known compounds, and C. japonica afforded three new fukinolic acid analogues, cimicifugic acids K-M (1-3), a new phenolic glycoside, shomaside F (5), and 10 known compounds. Cimicifugic acids K-N showed more potent hyaluronidase inhibitory activities than rosmarinic acid.

Flavonoids from the heartwood of the Thai medicinal plant Dalbergia parviflora and their effects on estrogenic-responsive human breast cancer cells.

From the heartwood of Dalbergia parviflora, eight new compounds, khrinones A (1), B (2), C (3), D (4), and E (5), isodarparvinol B (6), dalparvin (7), and (3S)-sativanone (22), along with 32 known compounds, have been isolated and characterized as 17 isoflavones, nine isoflavanones, five flavanones, six isoflavans, and three miscellaneous substances. Isolates were evaluated for their cell proliferation stimulatory activity against the MCF-7 and T47D human breast cancer cell lines, and their luciferase inductive effects using luciferase transiently transfected MCF-7/luc and T47D/luc cells were also determined. Isoflavones such as genistein (10), biochanin A (11), tectorigenin (12), and 2'-methoxyformononetin (13) stimulated the proliferation of both cells, and concentrations of lower than 1 muM of these compounds showed equivalent activity to 10 pM of estradiol (E2). The new isoflavanone (22) also showed activity against both cell types, although it was weaker than that of the corresponding isoflavone (2'-methoxyformononetin, 13). Two optically active isoflavanones (22 and 24: (3S)-violanone) stimulated the proliferation of both cell lines at lower concentrations than three racemates (21: vestitone, 23: 7,3'-dihydroxy-4'-methoxyisoflavanone, and 25: 3-O-methylviolanone). Bowdichione (20), an isoflavone with a quinone structure in its B-ring, showed activity against only one cell line associated with MCF-7 in these assays.

8,14-Secopregnane glycosides from the aerial parts of Asclepias tuberosa.

Twenty pregnane glycosides, tuberoside A(1)-L(5), were isolated from the diethyl ether-soluble fraction of the MeOH extract from the aerial parts of Asclepias tuberosa (Asclepiadaceae). The pregnane glycosides were composed of 8,12;8,20-diepoxy-8,14-secopregnane as aglycon, and D-cymarose, D-oleandrose, D-digitoxose and/or D-glucose as the component sugars. Their structures were established using NMR spectroscopic analysis and chemical methodologies.

Matrix metalloproteinase-2 inhibitors from Clinopodium chinense var. parviflorum.

From the aerial parts of Clinopodium chinense var. parviflorum, nine new phenylpropanoids, clinopodic acids A-I (2-10), were isolated together with a known phenylpropanoid, rosmarinic acid (1). The structures of these new compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis. Clinopodic acid C (4) showed MMP-2 inhibitory activity (IC(50) 3.26 microM).

Meehanines A-K, spermidine alkaloidal glycosides from Meehania urticifolia.

From the whole plant of Meehania urticifolia, 11 new spermidine alkaloidal glycosides, meehanines A-K (1-11), were isolated. The structures of these new compounds were elucidated on the basis of the results of spectroscopic data analysis.