Anti-inflammatory Activity of Tanshinone-Related Diterpenes from Perovskia artemisioides Roots.

Perovskia artemisioides is a perennial and aromatic plant widely distributed in the Baluchestan region of Iran. Phytochemical analysis of a n-hexane extract of P. artemisioides roots, guided by an analytical approach based on LC-ESI/LTQOrbitrap/MS/MS, yielded six previously undescribed diterpenoid compounds (2, 9-11, 16, and 20), and 19 known diterpenoids, for which the structures were elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR experiments. Some of the isolated compounds showed significant anti-inflammatory activity using J774A.1 macrophage cells stimulated with Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide. In particular, compounds 6, 8, 17, 18, 20, and 22 significantly inhibited the release of nitric oxide and the expression of related pro-inflammatory enzymes, such as inducible nitric oxide synthase and cycloxygenase-2. Moreover, two compounds that showed the highest activity in reducing nitric oxide release (6 and 18) were tested to evaluate their effects on nitrotyrosine formation and reactive oxygen species release. Both compounds inhibited ROS release and, in particular, compound 6 also inhibited nitrotyrosine formation at all tested concentrations, thus indicating a significant antioxidant potential.

Salviolone from Salvia miltiorrhiza Roots Impairs Cell Cycle Progression, Colony Formation, and Metalloproteinase-2 Activity in A375 Melanoma Cells: Involvement of P21(Cip1/Waf1) Expression and STAT3 Phosphorylation.

Melanoma is a highly malignant solid tumor characterized by an elevated growth and propagation rate. Since, often, melanoma treatment cannot prevent recurrences and the appearance of metastasis, new anti-melanoma agents need to be discovered. Salvia miltiorrhiza roots are a source of diterpenoid derivatives, natural compounds with several biological activities, including antiproliferative and anticancer effects. Seven diterpenoid derivatives were purified from S. miltiorrhiza roots and identified by NMR and MS analysis. Tanshinone IIA and cryptotanshinone were detected as the main components of S. miltiorrhiza root ethanol extract. Although their antitumor activity is already known, they have been confirmed to induce a reduction in A375 and MeWo melanoma cell growth. Likewise, salviolone has been shown to impair the viability of melanoma cells without affecting the growth of normal melanocytes. The underlying anticancer activity of salviolone has been investigated and compared to that of cryptotanshinone in A375 cells, showing an increased P21 protein expression in a P53-dependent manner. In that way, salviolone, even more than cryptotanshinone, displays a multitarget effect on cell-cycle-related proteins. Besides, it modulates the phosphorylation level of the signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)3. Unexpectedly, salviolone and cryptotanshinone induce sustained activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK)1/2 and the protein kinase B (Akt). However, the blockage of ERK1/2 or Akt activities suggests that kinase activation does not hinder their ability to inhibit A375 cell growth. Finally, salviolone and cryptotanshinone inhibit to a comparable extent some crucial malignancy features of A375 melanoma cells, such as colony formation in soft agar and metalloproteinase-2 activity. In conclusion, it has been shown for the first time that salviolone, harboring a different molecular structure than tanshinone IIA and cryptotanshinone, exhibits a pleiotropic effect against melanoma by hampering cell cycle progression, STAT3 signaling, and malignant phenotype of A375 melanoma cells.

Metabolite Profiling of "Green" Extracts of Cynara cardunculus subsp. scolymus, Cultivar "Carciofo di Paestum" PGI by 1H NMR and HRMS-Based Metabolomics.

Globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus L. var. scolymus L.), is a perennial plant widely cultivated in the Mediterranean area, known for its edible part named capitula or heads. Its functional properties are related to its high levels of polyphenolic compounds and inulin. "Carciofo di Paestum", an Italian traditional cultivar, is a labeled PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) product of the Campania region, representing an important economic resource. So far, a few chemical investigations were performed on this cultivar, mainly focused on the analysis of methanol extracts. Due to the increasing use of food supplements, in this study, a comprehensive analysis of green extracts of "Carciofo di Paestum" PGI heads was performed. EtOH, EtOH: H2O (80:20, 70:30, 60:40) extracts, as well as infusions and decoctions prepared according to Pharmacopeia XII were analyzed by LC-ESI/QExactive/MS/MS. A total of 17 compounds corresponding to caffeoylquinic acid derivatives, phenolics, flavonoids, and terpenoids were identified. The extracts were further submitted to NMR analysis to highlight the occurrence of primary metabolites. Both LCMS and NMR data were analyzed by Principal Component Analysis (PCA), showing significant differences among the extraction methods. Moreover, 5-caffeoylquinic acid and 1,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid were quantified in the extracts by LC-ESI/QTrap/MS/MS using the Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM) method. Furthermore, the phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of C. cardunculus var. scolymus "Carciofo di Paestum" extracts were evaluated.

Comparative Volatilomic Profile of Three Finger Lime (Citrus australasica) Cultivars Based on Chemometrics Analysis of HS-SPME/GC-MS Data.

Finger lime is receiving growing attention as an ingredient of gastronomic preparations of haute cuisine for its delicious flavor and fragrance and for its appealing aspect. Volatile compounds play a crucial role in determining the organoleptic characteristics of the fruit and its pleasantness for consumers. The aim of the present study was to investigate the volatile profiles by headspace solid phase micro-extraction (HS-SPME) coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in the peel and, for the first time, in the pulp of three Australian finger lime cultivars grown in Sicily (southern Italy): Pink Pearl, Sanguinea, and Faustrime, allowing to overall identify 84 volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The analytical data showed that the three cultivars were characterized by distinct volatile chemotypes: limonene/sabinene/bicyclogermacrene in the Pink Pearl, limonene/γ-terpinene/bicyclogermacrene in the Sanguinea, and limonene/ß-phellandrene/γ-terpinene in the Faustrime. Moreover, some volatiles, found exclusively in one cultivar, could be considered potential markers of the individual cultivar. PCA allowed us to clearly discriminate the samples into three clusters: the first related to the Sanguinea peel, the second to the Faustrime peel, and a third group associated with the Pink Pearl peel along with the pulp of the three cultivars. Accordingly, the VOCs that mostly contributed to the differentiation of the three finger lime cultivars were also identified. Among them, D-limonene, sabinene γ-terpinene, α-pinene, α-phellandrene, ß-myrcene, p-cymene, linalool, δ-elemene, ledene, bicyclogermacrene ß-citronellol, α-bergamotene, α-caryophillene, and ß-bisabolene, have been previously reported to exhibit important biological activities, suggesting that these cultivars, in addition to possessing unique volatile profiles, can show promise for several applications in pharmaceutical and food industry, namely for development of functional foods.

Pro-Apoptotic and Pro-Autophagic Properties of Cardenolides from Aerial Parts of Pergularia tomentosa

Pergularia tomentosa L., a milkweed tropical plant belonging to the family Asclepiadaceae, is a rich source of unusual cardiac glycosides, characterised by transfused A/B rings and a sugar moiety linked by a double link, generating a dioxanoid structure. In the present report, five cardenolides isolated from the aerial parts of the plant (calactin, calotropin, 12ß-hydroxycalactin, 12ß,6'-dihydroxycalotropin, and 16α-hydroxycalotropin) were investigated for their biological effects on a human hepatocarcinoma cell line. Cell viability was monitored by an MTT assay. The occurrence of apoptosis was evaluated by detecting caspase-3 activation and chromatin fragmentation. The ability of these compounds to induce autophagy was analysed by monitoring two markers of the autophagic process, LC3 and p62. Our results indicated that all cardenolides had cytotoxic effects, with IC50 ranging from 0.127 to 6.285 µM. All compounds were able to induce apoptosis and autophagy, calactin being the most active one. Some of them also caused a reduction in cell migration and a partial block of the cell cycle into the S-phase. The present study suggests that selected cardenolides from aerial parts of P. tomentosa, particularly calactin, possess potentially desirable properties for further investigation as anticancer agents.

Giffonins, Antioxidant Diarylheptanoids from Corylus avellana, and Their Ability to Prevent Oxidative Changes in Human Plasma Proteins.

With the aim to explore the ability of diarylheptanoids to reduce oxidative changes in human plasma proteins, a phytochemical investigation of the MeOH extract of Corylus avellana leaves was perfomed. Analysis by LC-ESI/LTQOrbitrap/MS/MSn guided the isolation of two new diarylheptanoid derivatives, giffonins W (1) and X (2). The structures 1 and 2 were assigned by analysis of NMR data combined with a QM (quantum mechanical)/NMR approach. The absolute configurations of 1 and 2 were established by analysis of electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra compared with the TDDFT-simulated curves. The antioxidant activity of the new and known giffonins was evaluated by inhibition of human plasma lipid peroxidation. Giffonins with the highest inhibitory activity were tested for their ability to reduce oxidation of thiol groups and carbonylation in plasma proteins, and some of them exhibited higher antioxidant activity than curcumin.

Terpenoid Constituents of Perovskia artemisioides Aerial Parts with Inhibitory Effects on Bacterial Biofilm Growth.

Perovskia artemisioides is a perennial and aromatic plant distributed in the Baluchestan region of Iran. In the present work, an n-hexane extract of P. artemisioides aerial parts showed excellent capabilities to both inhibit the formation of biofilms by different Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens and block the cell metabolism within microbial biofilms. To correlate the activity of the extract with the biologically active compounds present, first an analytical approach based on LC-HRMS/MSn was carried out. The metabolite profile obtained guided the isolation of 21 compounds, among which two sesquiterpenes (8 and 9) and one diterpene (10) were found to be new. The antimicrobial activity of the isolated compounds was evaluated by determining how they were able not only to reduce the growth of different Gram-positive and Gram-negative human bacteria and phytopathogens but also to inhibit the formation of biofilms by these bacteria and affect the metabolism of microbial cells present within the biofilms. With the aim of correlating the activity exhibited by the extract with the concentration levels of the constituent compounds, a quantitative determination was carried out by an analytical approach based on LC-ESI/QTrap/MS.

Pouteria lucuma Pulp and Skin: In Depth Chemical Profile and Evaluation of Antioxidant Activity.

Pouteria lucuma Ruiz and Pav., known as the 'Gold of the Incas' or 'lucuma', is a subtropical fruit belonging to the Sapotaceae family, with a very sweet flavor, used to prepare cakes, ice creams as well as in the baking and dairy industries. To date, the content of primary metabolites is known, but little information is reported about the composition in specialized metabolites. Moreover, no study is reported on skin which represent an important agricultural waste due to the high demand for lucuma. In order to have a preliminary metabolite profile of Pouteria lucuma, the extracts of pulp and skin have been analyzed by LC-ESI/LTQOrbitrap/MS/MS in negative ion mode. The careful analysis of the accurate masses, of the molecular formulas and of the ESI/MS spectra allowed to identify specialized metabolites belonging to phenolic, flavonoid and polar lipid classes. The LC-MS/MS analysis guided the isolation of compounds occurring in the pulp extract whose structures have been characterized by spectroscopic methods including 1D- and 2D-NMR experiments and ESI-MS analysis. Furthermore, the phenolic content of the extracts along with the antioxidant activity of extracts and isolated compounds was evaluated.

Metabolite Profiling of Helichrysum italicum Derived Food Supplements by 1H-NMR-Based Metabolomics.

Helichrysum italicum is a medicinal plant from the Mediterranean area, widely used in traditional medicine for its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antioxidant properties and for its preventive effects on microcirculation diseases. Due to these properties, it finds large applications in cosmetic, food and pharmaceutical fields. Additionally, hydroalcoholic extracts and mother tinctures based on H. italicum represent products with a high commercial value, widely distributed not only in drug stores but also on on-line markets. The different extraction procedures used can greatly affect the fingerprints of the extracts, resulting in a different qualitative or quantitative profile of the chemical constituents responsible for biological activity. The aim of the present study was to characterize the composition of bioactive compounds present in water-ethanol and glycerol extracts of H. italicum derived food supplements. Metabolite profiles of the extracts were obtained by 1H NMR experiments and data were processed by multivariate statistical analysis to highlight differences in the extracts and to evidence the extracts with the highest concentrations of bioactive metabolites. In detail, this work highlights how derived food supplements of H. italicum obtained using ethanol-water mixtures ranging from 45% to 20% of ethanol represent the products with the highest amount of both primary (amino acids) and secondary metabolites including 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid (9), chlorogenic acid (10), 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (11), and kaempferol 3-O-glucopyranoside (12). Moreover, it is evident that the use of an ethanol-water mixture 20:80 is the most suitable method to afford the highest number of phenolic compounds, while food-derived supplements obtained by glycerol extraction are characterized by a high amount of ß-glucose and α-glucose and a low content of phenolic compounds.

Natural Products Targeting ER Stress, and the Functional Link to Mitochondria.

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a dynamic organelle essential for intracellular homeostasis maintenance, controlling synthesis, the folding of secreted and membrane-bound proteins, and transport of Ca2+. During cellular stress, ER dysfunction leads to the activation of unfolded protein response (UPR) due to accumulated misfolded proteins in the ER. This condition is referred as ER stress. Mitochondria and ER form a site of close contact (the mitochondria-associated membrane, MAM) which is a major platform exerting important physiological roles in the regulation of intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis, lipid metabolism, mitochondrial fission, autophagosome formation, and apoptosis progression. Natural products have been receiving increasing attention for their ability to interfere with ER stress. Research works have focused on the capacity of these bioactive compounds to induce apoptosis by activating ER stress through the ER stress-mediated mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. In this review we discuss the role of natural products in the signaling communication between ER and mitochondria, focusing on the effects induced by ER stress including Ca2+ permeability transition and UPR signaling (protein kinase R-like ER kinase/mitofusin 2).

LC-ESI-FT-MSn Metabolite Profiling of Symphytum officinale L. Roots Leads to Isolation of Comfreyn A, an Unusual Arylnaphthalene Lignan.

Preparations of comfrey (Symphytum officinale L.) roots are used topically to reduce inflammation. Comfrey anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties have been proven in clinical studies. However, the bioactive compounds associated with these therapeutic activities are yet to be identified. An LC-ESI-Orbitrap-MSn metabolite profile of a hydroalcoholic extract of comfrey root guided the identification of 20 compounds, including a new arylnaphthalene lignan bearing a rare δ-lactone ring, named comfreyn A. Its structure was determined using extensive 2D NMR and ESI-MS experiments. Additionally, the occurrence of malaxinic acid, caffeic acid ethyl ester, along with the lignans ternifoliuslignan D, 3-carboxy-6,7-dihydroxy-1-(3',4'-dihydroxyphenyl) -naphthalene, globoidnan A and B, and rabdosiin was reported in S. officinale for the first time. These results helped to redefine the metabolite profile of this medicinal plant. Finally, caffeic acid ethyl ester and comfreyn A were found to significantly inhibit E-selectin expression in IL-1ß stimulated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), with EC values of 64 and 50 µM, respectively.

Antiproliferative Cardenolides from the Aerial Parts of Pergularia tomentosa.

The LC-MS analysis of the MeOH extract of the aerial parts of Pergularia tomentosa led to the isolation of 23 compounds, of which the structures were elucidated unambiguously by NMR spectroscopic data analysis. Three new doubly linked cardenolides (4, 13, 14) along with several known cardenolides (1-3, 5, 7, 8, 15-23) and flavonol glycosides (6, 9-12) were identified. LC-HRESIMS analysis, in the negative-ionization mode, showed the absence of flavonoids in a methanol extract of the roots of P. tomentosa. On the basis of the antiproliferative activity reported for cardenolides, the isolated compounds were tested for their ability to decrease the cell viability of five different human cancer cell lines, PC3, HeLa, Calu-1, MCF-7, and U251MG, exhibiting IC50 values ranging from 0.2 to 8.0 µM. Moreover, an S-phase entry assay was performed to investigate if the compounds could affect the cell cycle progression of PC3 prostate carcinoma cells. The results obtained demonstrated that the compounds 4, 7, and 14 at 1 µM considerably reduced the number of cells in the S-phase.

Garcinol and Related Polyisoprenylated Benzophenones as Topoisomerase II Inhibitors: Biochemical and Molecular Modeling Studies.

Garcinol, a polyisoprenylated benzophenone isolated from Garcinia genus, has been reported to inhibit eukaryotic topoisomerase I and topoisomerase II at concentrations comparable to that of etoposide (∼25-100 µM). With the aim to clarify the underlying molecular mechanisms by which garcinol inhibits human topoisomerase IIα and topoisomerase IIß, biochemical assays along with molecular docking and molecular dynamics studies were carried out on garcinol and six congeners. The biochemical results revealed that garcinol derivatives appear to act as catalytic inhibitors of topoisomerase II and to inhibit ATP hydrolysis by topoisomerase II via some form of mixed inhibition. The computational investigation identified the structural elements responsible for binding to the biological target and also provided information for the eventual design of more selective and potent analogues. Collectively, our data suggest that garcinol-type agents may bind to the DNA binding surface and/or ATP domain of type II topoisomerases to antagonize function.

Plant Specialized Metabolites in Hazelnut (Corylus avellana) Kernel and Byproducts: An Update on Chemistry, Biological Activity, and Analytical Aspects.

Corylus avellana (hazelnut) is one of the most popular tree nuts on a worldwide basis. The main products of C. avellana are kernels, a nutritious food, with a high content of healthy lipids, contained in a hard shell. In recent years, along with the ongoing research carried out on hazelnut kernels, a growing interest has been addressed to the hazelnut byproducts including hazelnut skin, hazelnut hard shell, and hazelnut green leafy cover as well as hazelnut tree leaf. These byproducts deriving from the roasting, cracking, shelling/hulling, and harvesting processes have been found as a source of "phytochemicals" with biological activity. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive and critical update on the chemistry and biological activity of specialized metabolites occurring in hazelnut kernels and byproducts. Phenolics are the most abundant phytochemicals not only in the kernels, but also in other processing byproducts. Attention has been also devoted to taxane derivatives isolated from C. avellana leaves. An overview on the biological activity, mainly antioxidant, antiproliferative, and antimicrobial along with less common biological effects, has been provided, contributing to highlight C. avellana as a source of bioactive phytochemicals with the potential to exert beneficial effects on human health. Finally, analytical techniques for the quali-quantitative analysis of specialized metabolites occurring in the different parts of C. avellana have been reviewed.

HR-LC-ESI-Orbitrap-MS based metabolite profiling of Prunus dulcis Mill. (Italian cultivars Toritto and Avola) husks and evaluation of antioxidant activity.

INTRODUCTION: Prunus dulcis Mill. is a plant cultivated for the production of its edible seeds, known as sweet almonds. In the last decades almond demand has highly increased due to their wide use in the industrial manufacturing of almond-based foods; this has led to a huge production of waste materials, mainly corresponding to shells and husks. OBJECTIVE: To achieve a deeper understanding of the chemical composition of almond husks with the aim of exploring these byproducts as a source of bioactives to be used in nutraceutical and cosmetic formulations. METHODS: Methanol, ethanol and ethanol-water extracts of the almond husks were analysed by high-resolution liquid chromatography electrospray ionisation Orbitrap mass spectrometry (HR-LC-ESI-Orbitrap-MS) in negative ion mode. Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) data were acquired by using the Data-Dependent Scan experiment, allowing the precursor ion to be selected as the most intense peak during LC-MS analyses. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments were performed on a Bruker DRX-600 spectrometer. Folin-Ciocalteu, DPPH• (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and TEAC (Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity) assays were employed to determine the total phenolic content and the radical scavenging activity of the extracts. RESULTS: The LC-MS/MS analysis of the methanol extract guided the isolation of phloroglucinol derivatives, flavonoids and terpenes. Eco-friendly extraction methods showed to be selective in extracting flavonoids while the comparison of the LC-MS profiles of the Italian cultivars Toritto and Avola showed significant differences, confirming how different growing conditions may influence the metabolome of a plant species. CONCLUSION: This study led to a deeper insight into the chemical constituents of almond husks and showed how the eco-friendly extraction resulted in an effective method to obtain extracts rich in antioxidant sources.

Chemical metabolome assay by high-resolution Orbitrap mass spectrometry and assessment of associated antitumoral activity of Actinocephalus divaricatus.

RATIONALE: Actinocephalus divaricatus (Eriocaulaceae) is an important source of income for rural communities as it is sold as an ornamental plant. To date, no investigation has been conducted concerning the chemical composition and biological studies of the aerial parts of A. divaricatus. METHODS: The methanolic extract of the aerial parts of this species was chemically characterized. We applied an analytical dereplication approach based on Liquid Chromatography coupled to High-Resolution Orbitrap Mass Spectrometry in order to develop, identify and define rapidly the metabolite fingerprint of the aerial parts of A. divaricatus. Biological in vitro antitumor tests were undertaken using breast and lung cell lines of mice and humans. RESULTS: High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HRMS) allowed the fast determination of 30 compounds, which comprised three different classes of compounds: naphthopyranones, flavonoids and saponins. Chromatographic fractionation of the crude methanolic extract validated these results, since it led to the isolation of compounds belonging to the aforementioned classes of compounds, including new acyl glycosylated flavonoids (6-hydroxy-7-methoxyquercetin-3-O-(2"-O-acetyl)-ß-D-glucopyranoside and 6-hydroxy-7-methoxyquercetin-3-O-(6"-O-acetyl)-ß-D-glucopyranoside), which were fully characterized by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Mass Spectrometry experiments, and a known triterpenic saponin (3-O-ß-D-glucuronopyranosyl-30-norolean-12,20(29)-dien-28-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl ester). Biological assays indicated that the methanolic extract of the capitula exhibited the best in vitro cytotoxicity against MCF7 cells (human breast cancer). CONCLUSIONS: The HRMS technique enabled us to identify several classes of compounds. In addition, saponins were identified for the first time in plants belonging to the Eriocaulaceae family. Thus, the essential contribution of this work lies in the new elements it brings to the taxonomic discussion which the Actinocephalus genus as a distinct genus of the Paepalanthus. The results obtained show that the methanolic extract of the capitula could be a promising source of bioactive fractions and/or compounds that may contribute towards breast cancer treatment.

Cyclic Diarylheptanoids from Corylus avellana Green Leafy Covers: Determination of Their Absolute Configurations and Evaluation of Their Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities.

The methanol extract of the leafy covers of Corylus avellana, source of the Italian PGI (protected geographical indication) product "Nocciola di Giffoni", afforded two new cyclic diarylheptanoids, giffonins T and U (2 and 3), along with two known cyclic diarylheptanoids, a quinic acid, flavonoid-, and citric acid derivatives. The structures of giffonins T and U were determined as highly hydroxylated cyclic diarylheptanoids by 1D and 2D NMR experiments. Their relative configurations were assigned by a combined quantum mechanical/NMR approach, comparing the experimental 13C/1H NMR chemical shift data and the related predicted values. The absolute configurations of carpinontriol B (1) and giffonins T and U (2 and 3) were assigned by comparison of their experimental electronic circular dichroism curves with the TDDFT-predicted curves. The ability of the compounds to inhibit the lipid peroxidation induced by H2O2 and H2O2/Fe2+ was determined by measuring the concentration of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances. Furthermore, the antimicrobial activity of the methanol extract of leafy covers of C. avellana and of the isolated compounds against the Gram-positive strains Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus and the Gram-negative strains Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was evaluated. Carpinontriol B (1) and giffonin U (3) at 40 µg/disk caused the formation of zones of inhibition.

Ruscus Genus: A Rich Source of Bioactive Steroidal Saponins.

The genus Ruscus (Asparagaceae family) is native to the Mediterranean, Southern and Western Europe and is represented by perennial, rhizomatous, and evergreen shrubs. Among the approximately seven species spread throughout Europe up to Iran, Ruscus aculeatus L. (butcher's broom) is the most widely distributed and appreciated. This review provides an overview of the traditional use of Ruscus spp., the current knowledge of the chemistry of this genus, and the pharmacological studies carried out on Ruscus spp. extracts. The underground parts of Ruscus plants are a source of steroidal saponins that can be classified into two structural classes: the hexacyclic spirostanol saponins and the pentacyclic furostanol saponins. The main aglycones are ruscogenin and neoruscogenin. From the pharmacological point of view, the most studied Ruscus species is undoubtedly R. aculeatus, a very ancient phlebotherapeutic agent. Pharmacological investigations since the discovery of the vasoconstrictive and venotonic properties of ruscogenin and neoruscogenin in the underground parts of R. aculeatus are discussed. Preparations based on Ruscus species are currently used for the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency, varicose veins, haemorrhoids, and orthostatic hypotension. Finally, analytical techniques for the quality control of R. aculeatus extracts are reported.

Modulation of Multidrug Resistance Protein 2 Efflux in the Cisplatin Resistance Human Ovarian Carcinoma Cells A2780/RCIS by Sesquiterpene Coumarins.

Recent in vitro studies showed that sesquiterpene coumarins (SCs) can be used as chemosensitizers. In this study, 14 SCs were isolated and purified from roots of four Ferula species and their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods. The purified SCs were evaluated for multidrug resistance (MDR) reversal properties in A2780/RCIS cells (cisplatin-resistant derivatives of the human ovarian carcinoma cell line A2780P). Among the tested compounds, mogoltacin, mogoltadone, farnesiferol A, farnesiferol B, farnesiferol C, lehmferin, conferdione, and samarcandin showed significant MDR reversing effects. The combination of nontoxic concentrations of SCs (20 µM) with cisplatin enhanced cisplatin cytotoxicity on A2780/RCIS cells significantly. Flow cytometric efflux assay confirmed that the intracellular accumulation of 5-carboxyfluorescein diacetate (5-CFDA) was significantly increased in A2780/RCIS cells when treated with SCs. Our findings revealed that conferdione and samarcandin possessed the highest inhibitory effects on multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 pump efflux, and therefore, these compounds could be considered as lead scaffolds for further structure modifications.

Giffonins A-I, antioxidant cyclized diarylheptanoids from the leaves of the hazelnut tree (Corylus avellana), source of the Italian PGI product "Nocciola di Giffoni".

Eight new diaryl ether heptanoids, giffonins A-H (1-8), and one diaryl heptanoid, giffonin I (9), were isolated from the methanol extract of the leaves of Corylus avellana. Its hazelnut is the PGI product of the Campania region (Italy) known as "Nocciola di Giffoni". The MeOH extract of C. avellana leaves and giffonins A-I (1-9) were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on human plasma lipid peroxidation induced by H2O2 and H2O2/Fe(2+), by measuring the concentration of TBARS (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances). Compounds 4 and 8 at 10 µM reduced both H2O2- and H2O2/Fe(2+)-induced lipid peroxidation by more than 60% and 50%, respectively, indicating higher activity than curcumin used as reference compound.