Two new steroidal saponins from Neolamarckia cadamba.

Two new steroidal saponins, ß-sitosterol-3-O-α-l-glucopyranoside (3) and ß-sitosterol-3-O-ß-d-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)-ß-d-glucopyranoside (4), were isolated and identified from the bark of Neolamarckia cadamba, along with 13 known compounds. Their structures were established on the basis of spectral data.

Identification of a seven autophagy-related gene pairs signature for the diagnosis of colorectal cancer using the RankComp algorithm.

Based on the colorectal cancer microarray sets gene expression data series (GSE) GSE10972 and GSE74602 in colon cancer and 222 autophagy-related genes, the differential signature in colorectal cancer and paracancerous tissues was analyzed by RankComp algorithm, and a signature consisting of seven autophagy-related reversal gene pairs with stable relative expression orderings (REOs) was obtained. Scoring based on these gene pairs could significantly distinguish colorectal cancer samples from adjacent noncancerous samples, with an average accuracy of 97.5% in two training sets and 90.25% in four independent validation GSE21510, GSE37182, GSE33126, and GSE18105. Scoring based on these gene pairs also accurately identifies 99.85% of colorectal cancer samples in seven other independent datasets containing a total of 1406 colorectal cancer samples.

CT-based radiomics in predicting pathological response in non-small cell lung cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant immunotherapy.

Objectives: In radiomics, high-throughput algorithms extract objective quantitative features from medical images. In this study, we evaluated CT-based radiomics features, clinical features, in-depth learning features, and a combination of features for predicting a good pathological response (GPR) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients receiving immunotherapy-based neoadjuvant therapy (NAT). Materials and methods: We reviewed 62 patients with NSCLC who received surgery after immunotherapy-based NAT and collected clinicopathological data and CT images before and after immunotherapy-based NAT. A series of image preprocessing was carried out on CT scanning images: tumor segmentation, conventional radiomics feature extraction, deep learning feature extraction, and normalization. Spearman correlation coefficient, principal component analysis (PCA), and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) were used to screen features. The pretreatment traditional radiomics combined with clinical characteristics (before_rad_cil) model and pretreatment deep learning characteristics (before_dl) model were constructed according to the data collected before treatment. The data collected after NAT created the after_rad_cil model and after_dl model. The entire model was jointly constructed by all clinical features, conventional radiomics features, and deep learning features before and after neoadjuvant treatment. Finally, according to the data obtained before and after treatment, the before_nomogram and after_nomogram were constructed. Results: In the before_rad_cil model, four traditional radiomics features ("original_shape_flatness," "wavelet hhl_firer_skewness," "wavelet hlh_firer_skewness," and "wavelet lll_glcm_correlation") and two clinical features ("gender" and "N stage") were screened out to predict a GPR. The average prediction accuracy (ACC) after modeling with k-nearest neighbor (KNN) was 0.707. In the after_rad_cil model, nine features predictive of GPR were obtained after feature screening, among which seven were traditional radiomics features: "exponential_firer_skewness," "exponential_glrlm_runentropy," "log- sigma-5-0-mm-3d_firer_kurtosis," "logarithm_skewness," "original_shape_elongation," "original_shape_brilliance," and "wavelet llh_glcm_clustershade"; two were clinical features: "after_CRP" and "after lymphocyte percentage." The ACC after modeling with support vector machine (SVM) was 0.682. The before_dl model and after_dl model were modeled by SVM, and the ACC was 0.629 and 0.603, respectively. After feature screening, the entire model was constructed by multilayer perceptron (MLP), and the ACC of the GPR was the highest, 0.805. The calibration curve showed that the predictions of the GPR by the before_nomogram and after_nomogram were in consensus with the actual GPR. Conclusion: CT-based radiomics has a good predictive ability for a GPR in NSCLC patients receiving immunotherapy-based NAT. Among the radiomics features combined with the clinicopathological information model, deep learning feature model, and the entire model, the entire model had the highest prediction accuracy.

Two new monoterpenoid indole alkaloids from Mappianthus iodoides stems.

Two previously unreported monoterpenoid indole alkaloids, 19(20)E-5-carboxymethylvallesiachotamine (1) and 19(20)Z-5-carboxymethylvallesiachotamine (2), along with five known indole alkaloids (3-7) were isolated from Mappianthus iodoides stems. Their structures were characterized by extensive spectroscopic data. Among these isolates, compounds 1 and 2 were the two new Δ19(20) geometric isomers. The anti-inflammatory activities in vitro of all isolated compounds were evaluated using NO assay.[Formula: see text].

Alpinia hainanensis Rhizome Extract Ameliorates Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Ulcerative Colitis: Active Ingredient Investigation and Evaluation.

Alpinia hainanensis is an important food spice and ethnic medicine in Southwest China. In this study, we found that the EtOAc-soluble fraction (AHE) of the A. hainanensis rhizome ethanol extract could ameliorate dextran sulfate sodium-induced ulcerative colitis (UC). To explore active constituents, five pairs of previously unreported enantiomers (1-5), together with nine known ones (6-14), were obtained. Structural characterization was achieved by comprehensive spectroscopic methods. Compounds 1 and 2 were new curcumin-butyrovanillone hybrids featuring a rare structural fragment of 2,3-dihyrofuran. The anti-inflammatory activities of isolates were evaluated, and the results indicated that compounds (-)-1, (-)-3, 6, 9, 11, and 12 significantly inhibited the nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway. These findings indicate the major active fraction of the A. hainanensis rhizome ethanol extract enriched with diarylheptanoids, flavonoids, phenolics, and their hybrid mixtures, which could be developed as a nutritional and dietary supplement for treating UC.

Two new triterpenoid glycosides from the leaves of Anthocephalus chinensis.

Nine compounds were isolated from the leaves of Anthocephalus chinensis by column chromatography on silica gel and Sephadex LH-20, and their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic techniques as clethric acid-28-O-ß-d-glucopyranosyl ester (1), mussaendoside T (2), ß-stigmasterol (3), hederagenin (4), ursolic acid (5), clethric acid (6), 3ß,6ß,19α,24-tetrahydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid (7), mussaendoside I (8), and cadambine (9). Compounds 1 and 2, and 7 and 8 were isolated from the plants of this genus for the first time, and compounds 1 and 2 were new triterpenoid glycosides.

Chemical constituents and anti-inflammatory activities of Maqian (Zanthoxylum myriacanthum var. pubescens) bark extracts.

In this study, 44 compounds in the petroleum ether extract of Maqian (Zanthoxylum myriacanthum var. pubescens) bark, a traditional Dai herbal medicine, were identified by GC-MS. Major components included 3(2H)-benzofuranone, asarinin and (dimethoxymethyl)-3-methoxy-benzene. A total of 18 compounds were isolated from the ethyl acetate extracts of Maqian bark by column chromatography and identified by chemical and spectral analyses. Rhoifoline B, zanthoxyline dimethoxy derivative, N-nortidine, nitidine, decarine are the major alkaloids. Both the petroleum ether and ethyl acetate extracts showed significant inhibition on NO production, which imply anti-inflammatory activity, in lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW 264.7 cells without cell toxicity. Decarine is the major anti-inflammatory constituent with NO IC50 values of 48.43 µM on RAW264.7 cells. The petroleum ether extract, the ethyl acetate extract and decarine showed anti-inflammatory activities through inhibiting TNF-α and IL-1ß production in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated THP-1 cells without cell toxicity too. Decarine showed anti-inflammatory activity on human colon cells by reducing IL-6 and IL-8 production in TNF-α+IL-1ß-induced Caco-2 cells. These results support the use of Maqian bark as a remedy for enteritis and colitis recorded by Dai medicine in China, and elucidate the major pharmacological compounds in Maqian bark.

Anticancer activity of tirucallane triterpenoids from Amoora dasyclada.

A new tetranortriterpene 3alpha-acetoxy-24,25,26,27-tetranortirucalla-7-ene-23(21)-lactone (3), and eleven other compounds were isolated from the twigs of Amoora dasyclada. The structure of compound 3 was identified on the basis of spectroscopic data, and the bioactive experiments of 1 and 3-5 against AGZY 83-a (human lung cancer cells) and SMMC-7721 (human liver cancer cells) are documented. Among them, compound 5 exhibited a strong activity against SMMC-7721.

Four new prenylated isoflavonoids in Tadehagi triquetrum.

Investigation on the anthelminthic bioactive compounds of the ethanol extract of Tadehagi triquetrum resulted in the isolation of three new prenylated isoflavones, triquetrumones A (1), B (2), and C (3), and one new prenylated biisoflavanone, (R)-triquetrumone D (4), along with 16 known compounds, cyclokievitone (5), yukovanol (6), aromadendrin (7), kaempferol (8), astragalin (9), 2-O-methyl-l-chiro-inositol (10), galactitol (11), p-hydroxycinnamic acid (12), ursolic acid (13), betulinic acid (14), beta-sitosterol (15), daucosterol (16), stigmasterol (17), stigmasta-5,22-dien-3-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside (18), saccharose (19), and docosanoic acid (20). The structures of 1-4 were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic and spectrometric methods. Compounds 1-3 displayed mild anthelminthic bioactivity, and compound 3 showed a significant binding ability to the estrogen receptor.

One new flavonoid from Oroxylum indicum.

One new flavonoid, 5,6,7-trimethoxyflavone-8-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside (1), along with six known compounds 2-7, was isolated from Oroxylum indicum. Their structures were determined on the basis of spectral data. The antibacterial activities of compounds 1-4 were studied. Compounds 1 and 3 showed medium antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus with MIC/MBC at 32-128 µg/ml.

Flavonoids from twigs of Millettia pubinervis.

A new flavone, 3-methoxy-5-hydroxy-[2",3":7,8] furanoflavone, pubinerone (1), was isolated from the twigs of Millettia pubinervis Kurz, together with ten known flavonoids, karanjin (2), kanjone (3), 3,6-dimethoxy-[2",3":7,8] furanoflavone (4), pongaglabrone (5), pongapin (6), pongaflavone (7), 3,6-dimethoxy- 6",6"-dimethylchromene-[2",3":7,8] flavone (8), pongachromene (9), 3,6-dimethoxy-3',4'-methylenedioxy-6",6"-dimethylchromene-[2",3":7,8] flavone (10) and demethoxykanugin (11). This is the first phytochemical investigation of this plant. The structure of compound 1 was elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data interpretation, including 1D and 2D NMR and HREIMS analysis. The cytotoxicity of 1 against five human cancer cell lines; HL-60, SMMC-7721, A-549, MCF-7 and SW480, was evaluated, but it was inactive (IC50 > 40 µM).

Antimicrobial anthraquinones from Morinda angustifolia.

Investigation on Morinda angustifolia resulted in the isolation of a new anthraquinone, 1,8-dihydroxy-2-methyl-3,7-dimethoxyanthraquinone (1), along with five known analogues, lucidin 3-O-beta-primeveroside (2), 1,3-dihydroxy-2-methylanthraquinone (3), lucidin- omega -ethyl ether (4), lucidin-omega-butyl ether (5) and damnacanthol (6). The new compound demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Micrococcus luteus, Sarcina lutea, Candida albicans and Saccharomyces sake.