Phragmanthera austroarabica A.G.Mill. and J.A.Nyberg Triggers Apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 Cells In Vitro and In Vivo Assays: Simultaneous Determination of Selected Constituents.

Phragmanthera austroarabica (Loranthaceae), a semi-parasitic plant, is well known for its high content of polyphenols that are responsible for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Gallic acid, catechin, and methyl gallate are bioactive metabolites of common occurrence in the family of Loranthaceae. Herein, the concentrations of these bioactive metabolites were assessed using high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC). Methyl gallate, catechin, and gallic acid were scanned at 280 nm. Their concentrations were assessed as 14.5, 6.5 and 43.6 mg/g of plant dry extract, respectively. Phragmanthera austroarabica extract as well as the three pure compounds were evaluated regarding the cytotoxic activity. The plant extract exhibited promising cytotoxic activity against MDA-MB-231 breast cells with the IC50 value of 19.8 µg/mL while the tested pure compounds displayed IC50 values in the range of 21.26-29.6 µg/mL. For apoptosis investigation, P. austroarabica induced apoptotic cell death by 111-fold change and necrosis by 9.31-fold change. It also activated the proapoptotic genes markers and inhibited the antiapoptotic gene, validating the apoptosis mechanism. Moreover, in vivo studies revealed a significant reduction in the breast tumor volume and weight in solid Ehrlich carcinoma (SEC) mice. The treatment of SEC mice with P. austroarabica extract improved both hematological and biochemical parameters with amelioration in the liver and kidney histopathology to near normal. Taken together, P. austroarabica extract exhibited promising anti-cancer activity through an apoptosis-induction.

Influence of Pickling Process on Allium cepa and Citrus limon Metabolome as Determined via Mass Spectrometry-Based Metabolomics.

Brine, the historically known food additive salt solution, has been widely used as a pickling media to preserve flavor or enhance food aroma, appearance, or other qualities. The influence of pickling, using brine, on the aroma compounds and the primary and secondary metabolite profile in onion bulb Allium cepa red cv. and lemon fruit Citrus limon was evaluated using multiplex metabolomics technologies. In lemon, pickling negatively affected its key odor compound "citral", whereas monoterpene hydrocarbons limonene and γ-terpinene increased in the pickled product. Meanwhile, in onion sulphur rearrangement products appeared upon storage, i.e., 3,5-diethyl-1,2,4-trithiolane. Profiling of the polar secondary metabolites in lemon fruit via ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to MS annotated 37 metabolites including 18 flavonoids, nine coumarins, five limonoids, and two organic acids. With regard to pickling impact, notable and clear separation among specimens was observed with an orthogonal projections to least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) score plot for the lemon fruit model showing an enrichment of limonoids and organic acids and that for fresh onion bulb showing an abundance of flavonols and saponins. In general, the pickling process appeared to negatively impact the abundance of secondary metabolites in both onion and lemon, suggesting a decrease in their food health benefits.

Mollamides B and C, Cyclic hexapeptides from the indonesian tunicate Didemnum molle.

Two new cyclic hexapeptides, mollamides B (1) and C (2), were isolated from the Indonesian tunicate Didemnum molle along with the known peptide keenamide A (3). The structures were established using 1D and 2D NMR experiments. The relative configuration of mollamide B at the thiazoline moiety was determined using molecular modeling coupled with NMR-derived restraints. Their absolute configuration was determined using Marfey's method. The new peptides have been evaluated for their antimicrobial, antimalarial, anticancer, anti-HIV-1, anti-Mtb, and anti-inflammatory activities. Keenamide A and mollamide B show cytotoxicity against several cancer cell lines.

Manzamine B and E and ircinal A related alkaloids from an Indonesian Acanthostrongylophora sponge and their activity against infectious, tropical parasitic, and Alzheimer's diseases.

Four new manzamine-type alkaloids, 12,28-oxamanzamine E (2), 12,34-oxa-6-hydroxymanzamine E (3), 8-hydroxymanzamine B (5), and 12,28-oxaircinal A (11), were isolated from three collections of an Indonesian sponge of the genus Acanthostrongylophora together with 13 known manzamine alkaloids, ircinal A, ircinol A, xestomanzamine A, manzamines A, E, F, J, and Y, manadomanzamines A and B, neo-kauluamine, 8-hydroxymanzamine A, and manzamine A N-oxide. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by means of 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic methods. Three of these compounds (2, 3, and 11) possess a unique manzamine-type aminal ring system generated through an ether linkage between carbons 12-28 or between carbons 12-34. In the case of manzamine B and related metabolites, carbons 11 and 12 of the typical manzamine structure have an epoxide group and add to our growing understanding of manzamine structure-activity relationships (SAR) and metabolism. The bioactivity and SAR for a number of previously reported manzamine-related metabolites against malaria, leishmania, tuberculosis, and HIV-1 are also presented. Manzamine Y (9) showed significant inhibitory activity of GSK3, an enzyme implicated in Alzheimer's disease pathology. The toxicity of manzamine A and neo-kauluamine was evaluated against both medaka fry and eggs.