LC-MS and NMR Based Plant Metabolomics: A Comprehensive Phytochemical Investigation of Symphytum anatolicum.

The application of metabolomics to the study of plants is growing because of the current development of analytical techniques. The most commonly used analytical technology driving plant metabolomics studies is Mass Spectrometry (MS) coupled to liquid chromatography (LC). In recent years, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, not requiring a previous chromatographic separation, has been receiving growing attention for metabolite fingerprinting of natural extracts. Herein, an integrated LC-MS and 1H NMR metabolomic approach provided a comprehensive phytochemical characterization of Symphytum anatolicum whole plant, taking into account both primary and specialized metabolites. Moreover, the NMR analyses provided direct quantitative information. Species belonging to the Symphytum genus, known as comfrey, have shown several biological activities including anti-inflammatory, analgesic, hepatoprotective, antifungal, and antibacterial. The LC-MS profile showed the presence of 21 main specialized metabolites, belonging to the classes of flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, salvianols, and oxylipins. The 1H NMR spectrum revealed the occurrence of metabolites including organic acids, phenolics, flavonoids, sugars, and amino acids. A quantitative analysis of these metabolites was performed and their concentration was obtained with respect to the known concentration of TSP, by means of the software package Chenomx which allows quantification of individual components in the NMR spectra. Furthermore, the phenolic content, antioxidant activity, glucosidase, and tyrosinase inhibitory activity of S. anatolicum extract were evaluated. The resulting bioactivity profile suggests how S. anatolicum represents a source of metabolites with health-promoting activity.

Scabiosa atropurpurea: A rich source of iridoids with α-glucosidase inhibitory activity evaluated by in vitro and in silico studies.

Scabiosa atropurpurea L. subsp. maritima (L.) Arc. (Caprifoliaceae) is a plant widely distributed in the Mediterranean region and represented by 32 taxa in the flora of Turkey. In the present study, an in-depth phytochemical investigation of S. atropurpurea methanol extract of the whole plant was carried out using a combination of LC-ESI-FT-MS and NMR analysis. This approach allowed the isolation and structural elucidation of 28 compounds: 17 iridoids, 7 flavonoids, and 4 phenolic acids. Among these compounds, three previously unreported iridoids named secologanin-methyl-hemiacetal, atropurpurin A, and atropurpurin B were identified. The methanol extract of S. atropurpurea was assayed for its antioxidant and antihyperglycemic activity, showing a potent α-glucosidase inhibitory activity (IC50 = 100 µg/mL), higher than that exerted by acarbose (IC50 = 196 µg/mL), used as the positive control. Thus, the most abundant iridoids were selected to be tested for their antihyperglycemic activity, and molecular docking experiments were carried out to assess the possibility for selected compounds to form complexes with α-glucosidase enzyme active site.

Design, semi-synthesis and examination of new gypsogenin derivatives against leukemia via Abl tyrosine kinase inhibition and apoptosis induction.

Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is characterized by Philadelphia translocation arising from Bcr-Abl fusion gene, which encodes abnormal oncoprotein showing tyrosine kinase (TK) function. Certain mutations in kinase domain, off-target effects and resistance problems of current TK inhibitors require the discovery of novel Abl TK inhibitors. For this purpose, herein, we synthesized new gypsogenin derivatives (6a-l) and evaluated their anticancer effects towards CML cells along with healthy cell line and different leukemic cells. Among these compounds, compound 6l was found as the most active anti-leukemic agent against K562 CML cells compared to imatinib exerting less cytotoxicity towards PBMCs (healthy). This compound also revealed significant anti-leukemic effects against Jurkat cell line. Besides, compound 6l enhanced apoptosis in CML cells with 52.4 % when compared with imatinib (61.8 %) and inhibited Abl TK significantly with an IC50 value of 13.04 ± 2.48 µM in a large panel of kinases accentuating Abl TK-mediated apoptosis of compound 6l in CML cells. Molecular docking outcomes showed that compound 6l formed mainly crucial interactions in the ATP-binding cleft of Abl TK similar to that of imatinib. Ultimately, in silico pharmacokinetic evaluation of compound 6l indicated that this compound was endowed with anti-leukemic drug candidate features.

Triterpene glycosides from Silene odontopetala.

Silene species are known for their use in traditional medicine in treating several diseases. To the authors' knowledge there is no report on the chemical composition of S. odontopetala. Therefore, the phytochemical investigation of the methanol extract of S. odontopetala was carried out, leading to the isolation of six undescribed oleanane-type glycosides along with the known saponin azukisaponin IV. Their structures were elucidated by the analysis of 1D and 2D-NMR experiments, along with mass spectrometry analysis. The cytotoxic activity of oleanane-type saponins was evaluated against a small panel of cancer cell lines, including PC-3 (prostate carcinoma cells), MCF-7 (breast cancer cells), A549 (alveolar basal carcinoma cells), and HeLa (cervical carcinoma cells). Furthermore, the activity of isolated compounds against a normal cell line HEK-293, used for assessing their cytotoxicity, was evaluated.

Phytochemical investigation of Scabiosa sicula guided by a preliminary HPLC-ESIMSn profiling.

The genus Scabiosa (Caprifoliaceae) is represented by 80 species, widely used as medicinal plants for their positive effects on human diseases. On the basis of the interesting biological activity shown by Scabiosa spp., the phytochemical investigation of Scabiosa sicula L., never investigated before, was carried out. An initial LC-MS profile of the MeOH extract of S. sicula whole plant guided the isolation of 34 compounds, of which the structures were unambiguously elucidated by NMR analysis as phenolic compounds and triterpene saponins, among which eight undescribed compounds. Moreover, the total phenolic content of S. sicula methanol extract has been evaluated. On the basis of the pharmacological activities reported for Scabiosa species the antioxidant activity of the methanol extract was tested by TEAC and DPPH assays. Finally, the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of the methanol extract was assayed, showing an IC50 value (49 µg/mL) comparable to that exerted by acarbose (90 µg/mL), used as positive control.

Chemical constituents of Silene montbretiana.

A new steroidal glycoside, 3- O-ß-d-glucopyranosyl-3ß,25-dihydroxy-5ß-cholest-7-en-6-one 25- O-ß-d-glucopyranoside (1), together with six known steroidal derivatives (2-7), one cerebroside (8) and one flavonoid (9) were isolated from Silene montbretiana Boiss (Caryophyllaceae), a perennial herb growing mainly in the Middle and East Anatolia, Azerbaijan, Iran, and Turkey. Their structures were established by the extensive use of 1D and 2D NMR experiments along with ESI-MS analyses. The cytotoxicity against the cancer A549 (human alveolar basal carcinoma) and Hela (human epitheloid cervix carcinoma) cell lines has been evaluated. None of the tested compounds, in a range of concentrations between 12.5 and 100 µM, caused a significant reduction of the cell number.

Cycloartane-type glycosides from Astragalus amblolepis.

Five cycloartane-type triterpene glycosides were isolated from the methanol extract of the roots of Astragalus amblolepis Fischer along with one known saponin, 3-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-16-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-3beta,6alpha,16beta,24(S),25-pentahydroxy-cycloartane. Structures of the compounds were established as 3-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-25-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-3beta,6alpha,16beta,24(S),25-pentahydroxy-cycloartane, 3-O-[beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-xylopyranosyl]-25-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-3beta,6alpha,16beta,24(S),25-pentahydroxy-cycloartane, 3-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-24,25-di-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-3beta,6alpha,16beta,24(S),25-pentahydroxy-cycloartane, 6-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-16,24-di-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-3beta,6alpha,16beta,24(S),25-pentahydroxy-cycloartane, 6-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-16,25-di-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-3beta,6alpha,16beta,24(S),25-pentahydroxy-cycloartane by using 1D and 2D-NMR techniques and mass spectrometry. To the best of our knowledge, the glucuronic acid moiety in cycloartanes is reported for the first time.