Semisynthesis and antitumor activity of endertiin B and related triterpenoids from Ganoderma lucidum.

Ganoderma lucidum, a fungus used in traditional Chinese medicine, is known for its medicinal value attributed to its active components called Ganoderma triterpenoids (GTs). However, the limited isolation rate of these GTs has hindered their potential as promising drug candidates. Therefore, it is imperative to achieve large-scale preparation of GTs. In this study, four GTs were effectively synthesised from lanosterol. The antitumor activity of these GTs was evaluated in vivo. Endertiin B exhibited potent inhibitory activity against breast cancer cells (9.85 ± 0.91 µM and 12.12 ± 0.95 µM). Further investigations demonstrated that endertiin B significantly upregulated p21 and p27 and downregulated cyclinD1 expression, arresting the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase and inducing apoptosis by decreasing BCL-2 and increasing BAX and BAK levels. Additionally, endertiin B was found to reduce the expression of proteins associated with the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. To summarize, endertiin B effectively inhibited cell proliferation by blocking the cell cycle and inducing apoptosis through the PI3K-AKT pathway.

A new picrotoxane-type sesquiterpene from Dendrobium findlayanum.

A new picrotoxane-type sesquiterpene, findlayanin (1), was isolated from Dendrobium findlayanum with crystallinin (2). The structure of compound 1 was established to be (1R,2S,3R,4S,5R,6S,9R)-2,3,11,12-tetrahydroxypicrotoxan-12(15)-lactone by spectroscopic methods.

Six new induced sesquiterpenes from the cultures of ascomycete Daldinia concentrica.

Six new sesquiterpenes having the botryane carbon skeleton (1-6), together with known compounds (7-10) were induced and isolated from the ascomycete Daldinia concentrica (strain S 0318). Structures elucidation was accomplished by NMR spectroscopic and X-ray crystallographic studies.

Induced daldinin A, B, C with a new skeleton from cultures of the ascomycete Daldinia concentrica.

Daldinin A, B, C with a new skeleton, together with four known compounds, were induced and isolated from cultures of the ascomycete Daldinia concentrica. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis, and that of daldinin A was confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction.

[Effects of PBD on the luminescence properties of PVK: Ir(ppy)3].

The effects of PBD on the luminescence properties of PVK : Ir(ppy)3 codoped with PBD with lower concentration were investigated. Two kinds of devices with the structures of ITO/PVK : Ir(ppy)3/PBD/Al and ITO/PVK : Ir(ppy)3 : PBD/ Al were fabricated. PVK emission appears in the electroluminescence (EL) spectra of ITO/PVK : Ir(ppy)3/PBD/Al. The reason is that the Forster energy transfer is not efficient enough in the emission layer, and then the emission layer was doped with PBD. A set of devices were fabricated with the configuration of ITO/PVK : Ir(ppy)3 : PBD/BCP/Al. The doping weight ratio of PVK : Ir(ppy)3 was fixed as 100 : 1, and the weight ratio of PBD changed from 100 : 0 (PVK : PBD) to 100 : 20. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra and electroluminescence (EL) spectra of these devices were measured. Through the analysis of their luminescence, it was found that the brightness of these devices codoped with PBD is improved. The brightness of these devices increases with increasing PBD doping ratio as the ratio does not exceed 100:10 (PVK : PBD). The PBD codoping enhances the injection and transportation of electron, resulting in the enhanced carrier recombination probability. If the doping ratio of PBD exceeds 100 : 10 (PVK : PBD), the brightness of the device decreases. There are two reasons. One is that the superfluous PBD causes the carriers to be imbalanced and induces a larger leakage current. The other is that the superfluous PBD may block the hoping of holes or electrons between the PVK chains. The brightness is the strongest when the weight ratio of PVK to PBD is 100 : 10.

A new sweet dihydrochalcone-glucoside from leaves of Lithocarpus pachyphyllus (Kurz) Rehd. (Fagaceae).

A new sweet dihydrochalcone-glucoside, trilobatin 2"-acetate (1), was isolated from the leaves of Lithocarpus pachyphyllus, together with phlorizin and trilobatin. The structures were established by spectroscopic methods, including one- and two-dimensional NMR (COSY, HMQC and HMBC).

Antioxidant activities of three dihydrochalcone glucosides from leaves of Lithocarpus pachyphyllus.

In vitro antioxidant activities of three sweet dihydrochalcone glucosides from the leaves of Lithocarpus pachyphyllus (Kurz) Rehd. (Fagaceae), trilobatin 2"-acetate (1), phloridzin (2) and trilobatin (3), were investigated. The IC50 (50% inhibitory concentration) values for compounds 1-3 of lipid peroxidation in rat liver homogenate were 261, 28, 88 microM, respectively. Compounds 1-3 increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity with EC50 (50% effective concentration) values of 575, 167, 128 microM, and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity with EC50 values of 717, 347, 129 microM, respectively, and showed only weak DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activity.

New phenyl-ethanediols from the culture broth of Boletus edulis.

A new phenyl-ethanediol, (1S)-(4-acetylphenyl)-1, 2-ethanediol (1), and a new natural product, (1S)-(3-ethenylphenyl)-1, 2-ethanediol (2), were isolated from the culture broth of the basidiomycete Boletus edulis together with three related known compounds, 1-(4-ethylphenyl)-1, 2-ethanediol (3), 1-(3-ethylphenyl)-1, 2-ethanediol (4) and 1-(3-formylphenyl)-ethanone (5). Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods including extensive 2D-NMR techniques.

Natural aromatic steroids as potential molecular fossils from the fruiting bodies of the ascomycete Daldinia concentrica.

The identification of aromatic steroid hydrocarbons bearing a methyl group at positions 1, 2, 3, 4, or 6 in sediments and petroleum has been puzzling since possible steroidal precursors have not yet been reported in living organisms. Two new aromatic steroids, (17beta,20R,22E,24R)-19-norergosta-1,3,5,7,9,14,22-heptaene (1) and (17beta,20R,22E,24R)-1-methyl-19-norergosta-1,3,5,7,9,14,22-heptaene (2), were isolated from the ascomycete Daldinia concentrica, of which compound 2 bears an unusual methyl group at position 1. We propose that the origin of these compounds is derived from the transformation undergone by their precursor due to microbial action. Compounds 1 and 2 could be the long-sought, biological precursor steroids for organic matter in Earth's subsurface.