Climbing strategies of Taiwan climbers.

BACKGROUND: The climbing strategies of lianas and herbaceous vines influence climber competition abilities and survival. The aim of this study was to investigate the climbing strategies of each plant species and observe their organs of origin. RESULTS: The results showed that all Taiwan climbers were approximately 555 species, accounting for 11% of the native flora. Among the 555 climbers, the twining stem type was the most common, with a total of 255 species (46%), the remaining climbing methods accounted for 300 species. Approximately twenty one climbing methods, including nine combination types, were exhibited, of which the most common type was the twining stem, followed by simple scrambling and twining tendrils. Most species of Fabaceae and Apocynaceae were twining stems in dextrorse, excluding Wisteriopsis reticulata and Alyxia taiwanensis, which were in sinistrorse. The prehensile branch of Fissistigma genus, Ventilago genus, and Dalbergia benthamii, originated from second-order or modified stems. In the simple scrambling type, some climbers were covered spines and prickles to attach the host, and the others were clinging to the supports or creeping on the ground without speculation. The hooks or grapnels of the genus Uncaria are derived from the branches, and a pair of curved hooks or a spine of Artabotrys hexapetalus are originated from the inflorescence to tightly attach to a host. The Piper genus use adhesive roots to climb their hosts. Among the genus Trichosanthes, only Trichosanthes homophylla exhibits a combination of twining modified shoots and adhesive roots. Gentianales includes four families with seven climbing mechanisms, while Fabales includes only Fabaceae, which presents six climbing methods. CONCLUSIONS: The twining tendrils had nine organs of origin in Taiwan climber, that these opinions of originated organs might be available to the studies of convergent evolution. The data presented herein provide crucial basic information of the climber habits types and origin structures, which are available for terms standardization to improve field investigation. The terminologies would aid in the establishment of climber habits as commonly taxon-specific and the combination of two climber habits could be a characteristic of taxonomic value.

Orthoquinone and naphthalenone derivatives from Berrya ammonilla and their anti-inflammatory activity.

A new orthoquinone, berryammone A (1), and four new naphthalenone derivatives, berryammone B (2), berryammone C (3), 6-O-methylberryammone C (4), and 4-O-methylberryammone C (5), have been isolated from the stem of Berrya ammonilla, together with eleven known compounds (6-16). The structures of these new compounds were determined through spectroscopic and MS analyses. Among the isolates, compounds 1-3, 5, (+)-pinoresinol (6), and betulinic acid (12) exhibited inhibition (IC50 ≤ 4.41 µM) of superoxide anion generation by human neutrophils in response to formyl-L-methionyl-L-leucyl-L-phenylalanine/cytochalasin B (fMLP/CB). Compounds 1, 2, and 5 also inhibited fMLP/CB-induced elastase release with IC50 values ≤ 3.95 µM.

Stem cambial variants of Taiwan lianas.

BACKGROUND: Cambium in lianas, responsible for secondary growth, develop diverse and diagnostic traits during the climbing phase. Studies on the cross-section of Taiwanese liana cambial variants are scarce. We collected multiple stem cross-sections from 287 liana species belonging to 52 families. Each sample was examined on five occasions, and the observations were documented. RESULTS: The results showed that approximately 22 cambial variants types were displayed in Taiwan lianas. Among these, axial vascular elements in radial segments were the most common, followed by the variants with the irregular conformation and intraxylary phloem. Based on our assessment, we provide the following identification features of a few families: Apocynaceae had intraxylary phloem; Convolvulaceae had intraxylary phloem combined with successive cambia; Lardizabalaceae, Menispermaceae, and Ranunculaceae possessed axial vascular elements in segments; Piperaceae had external primary vascular bundle cylinder combined with axial vascular elements in segments; Vitaceae had axial vascular elements in segments combined with irregular conformation. Axial vascular elements in segments and intraxylary phloem appeared in six or five combination types, showing that these two types combined with many variants are helpful for the identification of lianas. Two species, Momordica charantia var. abbreviata, and Momordica cochinchinensis had a cambium element in the outer cylinder of cortical bicollateral vascular bundles and formed directional layers of successive cambia. CONCLUSIONS: Our study documented regular secondary growth with a single cambium in 36 species and cambial variants present in 16 species of Taiwanese lianas. Furthermore, we provide crucial baseline data on liana cambial variations, thereby improving our understanding of their morphology and identification.

A new ferulic acid ester, a new ellagic acid derivative, and other constituents from pachycentria formosana: effects on neutrophil pro-inflammatory responses.

A new ferulic acid ester derivative, tetracosane-1,24-diyl di[(Z)-ferulate] (1), and a new ellagic acid derivative, 3,4 : 3',4'-bis(O,O-methylene)ellagic acid (2), have been isolated from leaves and twigs of Pachycentria formosana, together with eight known compounds. Their structures were determined by in-depth spectroscopic and mass-spectrometric analyses. Among the isolated compounds, oleanolic acid (6), ursolic acid acetate (7), and 3-epibetulinic acid (9) exhibited potent inhibition (IC(50) values ≤ 21.8 µM) of O2(-) generation by human neutrophils in response to N-formyl-L-methionyl-L-leucyl-L-phenylalanine/cytochalasin B (fMLP/CB). In addition, oleanolic acid (6), 3-O-[(E)-feruloyl]ursolic acid (8), 3-epibetulinic acid (9), and lawsonic acid (10) also inhibited fMLP/CB-induced elastase release with IC(50) values ≤ 18.6 µM.

Triterpenoids from Angiopteris palmiformis.

Two new fernane triterpenoids, 7alpha-hydroxyfern-8-en-11-one (1) and 11beta-hydroxyfern-8-en-7-one (2), and two new filicane triterpenoids, 3beta-hydroxyfilic-4(23)-ene (3) and filicenol (5), together with one known filicane-type triterpenoid, 3alpha-hydroxyfilic-4(23)-ene (4), were isolated from the methyl alcohol extract of the leaves of Angiopteris palmiformis. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive analyses of their spectroscopic data (NMR, MS, IR) and comparison with spectroscopic data in the literature.

First report of the root parasite Cansjera rheedei (Santalales: Opiliaceae) in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: The family Opiliaceae in Santalales comprises approximately 38 species within 12 genera distributed worldwide. In Taiwan, only one species of the tribe Champereieae, Champereia manillana, has been recorded. Here we report the first record of a second member of Opiliaceae, Cansjera in tribe Opilieae, for Taiwan. NEW INFORMATION: The newly-found species, Cansjera rheedei J.F. Gmelin (Opiliaceae), is a liana distributed from India and Nepal to southern China and western Malaysia. This is the first record of both the genus Cansjera and the tribe Opilieae of Opiliaceae in Taiwan. In this report, we provide a taxonomic description for the species and colour photographs to facilitate identification in the field.

Anti-HIV tigliane diterpenoids from Reutealis trisperma.

Bioassay-guided fractionation of the n-butanol extract from the branches and leaves of Reutealis trisperma resulted in the isolation of six undescribed (crotignoids L ~ Q) together with two known (12-deoxyphorbol-13-hexadecanoate and 12-deoxyphorbol-13-myristate) tigliane diterpenoids. Their structures, especially the absolute configurations, were determined from extensive spectroscopic studies, including 2D NMR spectra, CD data analysis and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. All isolates were tested for anti-HIV activity against HL4-3 virus in MT4 cells. Except for crotignoid Q, the remaining seven tigliane diterpenoids exhibited potent anti-HIV activity with IC50 values ranging from 0.0023 to 4.03 µM.

Cambial variations of Piper (Piperaceae) in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: Cambial variations in lianas of Piperaceae in Taiwan have not been studied previously. The stem anatomy of seven Piper species from Taiwan was examined to document cambial variations and better distinguish the species when leaves are absent. RESULTS: A key for the seven species is provided, based on the internal stem anatomy. The seven Piper species climb via adventitious roots, and in cross section, the stems were generally eccentric and oblate, although a transversely elliptic stem was found in P. kadsura (Choisy) Ohwi and P. sintenense Hatus. A cambial variant with secondary growth of external primary vascular bundles and xylem in plates was observed in all species except Piper betle L., which developed another cambium variant with xylem furrowed deeply by parenchyma proliferation. The sclerenchymatous ring surrounding the medullary vascular bundles was always continuous except in P. betle, where it was discontinuous. Mucilage canals varied from absent to present in the center of the pith, or present in the pith and inner cortex. Different sizes of vessels dispersed throughout the stem were ring or diffuse porous. The numbers of medullary and peripheral vascular bundles were distinctive and the widths of rays were noticeably different in each species. Differences in the growth rate of the medullary vascular bundles produced two development types of vascular bundles, although in both types, the peripheral vascular bundles gradually lengthen and become separated from each other by wide rays. CONCLUSIONS: We documented the internal stem anatomy of six previously unstudied species of Piper, including three endemic species, P. kwashoense Hayata, P. sintenense, and P. taiwanense Lin and Lu, and found that P. betle had deeply furrowed xylem, which had not been reported for the species before. The descriptions and photographs of seven Piper species will also provide a basis for further morphological studies.

New terpenoids from Amentotaxus formosana.

[structure: see text] Amentoditaxone (1), possessing an unprecedented diterpenoid skeleton, along with two new terpenoids, amentotaxin WC (2) and amentotaxone (3), were established by extensive analysis of spectroscopic data.

Endocarps of menispermaceous plants in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: The fruits of the family Menispermaceae are drupes, and because the drupe endocarps are morphologically diverse, they are generally used to classify members of this family. There is a lack of detailed knowledge of Menispermaceae endocarps in Taiwan. Therefore, in this study, the endocarps of seven genera and 14 species were dissected, and their morphological characters were photographed and described. Furthermore, a key for the 14 species based on the endocarps features, as well as a key of the studied genera, is proposed. RESULTS: The endocarp types comprise a straight shape in Tinospora dentata Diels and a horseshoe shape in the other 13 species. In general, the genus Cyclea bears two dorsal crests with 16 small spines, although there are about 25 spines in Cyclea insularis (Makino) Hatusima. The genus Cocculus has a dorsal convex endocarp with a subannular. In Taiwan, the endocarp of Sinomenium acutum (Thunb.) Rehder & E. H. Wilson has up to 26 transverse ridges, without spines on the crest and might be categorized under the genus Menispermum. Transverse endocarp ridges are found in Stephania cephalantha Hayata and Stephania tetrandra S. Moore, whereas transverse endocarp strips are found in Stephania japonica (Thunb.) Miers, Stephania longa Lour. and Stephania merrillii Diels. CONCLUSION: We believe that the descriptions and photographs of the endocarp traits of T. dentata, which is endemic to Taiwan, will provide more evidence for further studies on extant and fossil species.

Dihydrochalcone glucosides and antioxidant activity from the roots of Anneslea fragrans var. lanceolata.

Bioassay-guided fractionation of the roots of Anneslea fragrans var. lanceolata led to the isolation of four dihydrochalcone glucosides, davidigenin-2'-O-(6″-O-4″'-hydroxybenzoyl)-ß-glucoside (1), davidigenin-2'-O-(2″-O-4″'-hydroxybenzoyl)-ß-glucoside (2), davidigenin-2'-O-(3″-O-4″'-hydroxybenzoyl)-ß-glucoside (3), and davidigenin-2'-O-(6″-O-syringoyl)-ß-glucoside (4), and 13 known compounds. The structures were identified by means of spectroscopic analysis. Davidigenin-2'-O-(6″-O-syringoyl)-ß-glucoside (4), 1-O-3,4-dimethoxy-5-hydroxyphenyl-6-O-(3,5-di-O-methylgalloyl)-ß-glucopyranoside (5), lyoniresinol (10), and syringic acid (13) showed ABTS [2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)] cation radical scavenging activity, with SC(50) values of 52.6 ± 5.5, 26.0 ± 0.7, 6.0 ± 0.2, and 27.5 ± 0.6 µg/mL in 20 min, respectively. Lyoniresinol (10), isofraxidin (12), and syringic acid (13) also showed DPPH [1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl] radical scavenging activity, with SC(50) values of 8.4 ± 1.8, 51.6 ± 2.2, and 4.3 ± 0.7 µg/mL in 30 min, respectively.

Antitubercular dihydroagarofuranoid sesquiterpenes from the roots of Microtropis fokienensis.

Four new dihydroagarofuranoid sesquiterpenes (1-4) and a new hydroxybenzylsalicylaldehyde, forkienin (5), together with nine known compounds have been isolated from the roots of Microtropis fokienensis. The structures of the new compounds were determined through analyses of physical data. Compounds 3, 4, 7, and 8 exhibited potent antitubercular activities (MICs < or = 26.0 microM) against Mycobacterium tuberculosis 90-221387 in vitro.

Novel epoxyfuranoid lignans and antitubercular constituents from the leaves of Beilschmiedia tsangii.

Three new epoxyfuranoid lignans, 4alpha,5alpha-epoxybeilschmin A (1), 4alpha,5alpha-epoxybeilschmin B (2), and beilschmin D (3), together with nine known compounds have been isolated from the leaves of Beilschmiedia tsangii. The structures of these new compounds were determined through spectral analyses. Among the isolates, beilschmin A (4) and beilschmin B (5) exhibited potent antitubercular activities (MICs = 2.5 and 7.5 microg/mL, respectively) against Mycobacterium tuberculosis 90 - 221387 in vitro.

New cytotoxic tetrahydrofuran- and dihydrofuran-type lignans from the stem of Beilschmiedia tsangii.

Five new compounds including two tetrahydrofuran-type lignans, beilschmin A and beilschmin B, a dihydrofuran-type lignan, beilschmin C, and two 1-phenylbutyl benzoates, tsangin A and tsangin B, together with thirteen known compounds have been isolated from the stem of Beilschmiedia tsangii. The structures of these new compounds were determined through spectral analyses. Among the isolates, beilschmin A (1), beilschmin B (2), beilschmin C (3), tsangin A (4), tsangin B (5), 2,6,11-trimethyldodeca-2,6,10-triene (14), alpha-tocopherylquinone (17), and alpha-tocospiro B (18) were cytotoxic (IC (50) values < 4 microg/mL) in P-388 and/or HT-29 cell lines in vitro.

Cytotoxic prenylflavonoids from Artocarpus elasticus.

Five new prenylated flavonoids, artelastoheterol (1), artelasticinol (2), cycloartelastoxanthone (3), artelastoxanthone (4), and cycloartelastoxanthendiol (5), along with five known compounds, were isolated from the root bark of Artocarpus elasticus. The structures of 1-5 were elucidated by spectroscopic methods and through comparison with data reported in the literature. The previously known compound artonol A (6) exhibited cytotoxic activity against the A549 human cancer cell line, with an ED50 value of 1.1 microg/mL.

Beta-rhizobia from Mimosa pigra, a newly discovered invasive plant in Taiwan.

A total of 191 rhizobial isolates from the root nodules of three geographically separate populations of the invasive plant Mimosa pigra in Taiwan were examined using amplified rDNA restriction analysis, 16S rDNA sequences, protein profiles and ELISA. Of these, 96% were identified as Burkholderia and 4% as Cupriavidus taiwanensis. The symbiosis-essential genes nodA and nifH were present in two strains of Burkholderia (PAS44 and PTK47), and in one of C. taiwanensis (PAS15). All three could nodulate M. pigra. Light and electron microscopy studies with a green fluorescent protein transconjugant variant of strain PAS44 showed the presence of fluorescent bacteroids in M. pigra nodules. These bacteroids expressed the nifH protein, hence this is the first confirmation that Burkholderia is a genuine symbiont of legume nodules. The predominance of Burkholderia in Taiwanese M. pigra suggests that this species may have brought its symbionts from its native South America, rather than entering into association with the Taiwanese Mimosa symbiont C. taiwanensis which so successfully nodulates Mimosa pudica and Mimosa diplotricha.

New phenylpropane and anti-inflammatory diterpene derivatives from Amentotaxus formosana.

One new diterpene, 8(14),15-sandaracopimaradiene-2alpha,3beta,18-triol (1), two new phenylpropane derivatives, i.e., (E)-methyl 2-(3,4-methylene-dioxyphenyl)-3-methoxypropenoate (2) and (E)-2-(3,4-methylene-dioxyphenyl)-3-methoxypropenoic acid (3), and two known diterpenes, ent-8(14),15-sandaracopimaradiene-2alpha,18-diol (4) and 8(14),15-sandaracopimaradiene-2alpha,18,19-triol (5), were isolated from the heartwoods and barks of Amentotaxus formosana, respectively. The anti-inflammatory activity of the diterpenes 1, 4, and 5 was assessed in vitro by determining their inhibitory effects on the chemical mediators released from mast cells, neutrophils, macrophages, and microglial cells. Compounds 1, 4, and 5 showed significant concentration-dependent inhibitory effects on the release of beta-glucuronidase from rat neutrophils in response to formyl-Met-Leu-Phe/cytochalasin B (fMLP/CB) with IC50 values of 5.5 +/- 1.8, 8.4 +/- 2.9 and 19.2 +/- 3.3 microM, respectively. Compounds 1 and 5 also showed significant concentration-dependent inhibitory effects on superoxide anion generation in rat neutrophils stimulated with fMLP/CB and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) with IC50 values of 12.6 +/- 1.2 and 9.4 +/- 1.7, and 10.7 +/- 3.3 and 12.9 +/- 0.9 microM, respectively.

Lanostanoids of Amentotaxus formosana.

Three lanostanoids, 3beta-methoxycycloartan-24(24(1))-ene (1), 3beta,23beta-dimethoxycycloartan-24(24(1))-ene (2), and 3beta,23beta-dimethoxy-5alpha-lanosta-24(24(1))-ene (3), were isolated from the leaves of Amentotaxus formosana. The structures of new compounds 2 and 3 were determined by NMR and MS studies, and the structure of 3 was further confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis.

New alkaloids and a tetraflavonoid from Cephalotaxus wilsoniana.

A new homoerythrina alkaloid, C-3-epi-wilsonione (1), a new tetraflavonoid, taiwanhomoflavone C (2), and a new stereoisomer of desmethylcephalotaxinone (3) have been isolated from the leaves and heartwood of Cephalotaxus wilsoniana, respectively. The structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods. Compound 1 showed cytotoxic activity against a number of human cancer cell lines in vitro.