3,4-Bis-O-propargyl-1,2:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-D-mannitol: a study of multiple weak hydrogen bonds in the solid state.

The title homochiral compound, C18H26O6, 1, was examined by single-crystal X-ray crystallography in order to understand its potential as a synthetic building block, particularly in inter- and intramolecular cyclocondensation reactions. It has also proven to be an excellent model for understanding multiple weak donor-acceptor D-H...A interactions involving terminal acetylenes as donors and as acceptors. The asymmetric unit of 1 comprises three almost identical independent molecules, each with the mannitol 2R,3R,4R,5R configuration and different conformations. Like independent molecules align in strands through acetylenic donor C-H...O contacts with equivalent dioxolanyl acceptor groups. Two of the strands are aligned unidirectionally, in parallel, while the third strand aligns perpendicular to the first two, to give interwoven layers in the supramolecular structure. A detailed study of the interdigitation of the second propargyl group from each independent molecule between strands, and of other short interstrand C-H...O contacts, provides new insight into the application of weak hydrogen-bond theory within the context of a conformationally flexible symmetrical molecule. Analyses of the Cambridge Structural Database using Crystal Packing Features and ConQuest search motifs support the importance of the D...A distance parameter, demonstrate the different influences of donor and acceptor types, and reveal the interplay between H...A and D...A contributions in different contact types.

A lignan with glucose uptake activity in 3T3-L1 adipocytes from the stem bark of Knema patentinervia.

A new naturally occurring dibenzylbutyrolactone lignan named isocubebinic ether has been isolated from Knema patentinervia. The structure was established by spectroscopic methods, which include Ultraviolet, Infrared, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Mass Spectrometry. The compound showed activity in the stimulation of glucose uptake by 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

Chemical constituents of Swertia longifolia Boiss. with α-amylase inhibitory activity.

α-Amylase inhibitors play a critical role in the control of diabetes and many of medicinal plants have been found to act as α-amylase inhibitors. Swertia genus, belonging to the family Gentianaceae, comprises different species most of which have been used in traditional medicine of several cultures as antidiabetic, anti-pyretic, analgesic, liver and gastrointestinal tonic. Swertia longifolia Boiss. is the only species of Swertia growing in Iran. In the present investigation, phytochemical study of S. longifolia was performed and α-amylase inhibitory effects of the plant fractions and purified compounds were determined. Aerial parts of the plant were extracted with hexane, chloroform, methanol and water, respectively. The components of the hexane and chloroform fractions were isolated by different chromatographic methods and their structures were determined by (1)H NMR and (13)C NMR data. α-Amylase inhibitory activity was determined by a colorimetric assay using 3,5-dinitro salysilic acid. During phytochemical examination, α-amyrin, ß-amyrin and ß-sitosterol were purified from the hexane fraction, while ursolic acid, daucosterol and swertiamarin were isolated from chloroform fraction. The results of the biochemical assay revealed α-amylase inhibitory activity of hexane, chloroform, methanol and water fractions, of which the chloroform and methanol fractions were more potent (IC50 16.8 and 18.1 mg/ml, respectively). Among examined compounds, daucosterol was found to be the most potent α-amylase inhibitor (57.5% in concentration 10 mg/ml). With regard to α-amylase inhibitory effects of the plant extracts, purified constituents, and antidiabetic application of the species of Swertia genus in traditional medicine of different countries, S. longifolia seems more appropriate species for further mechanistic antidiabetic evaluations.

Cytotoxic sesquiterpene lactones from the aerial parts of Inula aucheriana.

Inula aucheriana DC is a member of the family Asteraceae which is known to produce cytotoxic secondary metabolites noted as sesquiterpene lactones. In the present study, sesquiterpene lactones inuchinenolide B, 6-deoxychamissonolide (stevin) and 14-acetoxy-1ß,5α,7αH-4ß-hydroxy-guai-9(10),11(13)-dien-12,8α-olide were isolated from I. aucheriana. Inuchinenolide B and 14-acetoxy-1ß,5α,7αH-4ß-hydroxy-guai-9(10),11(13)-dien-12,8α-olide were further evaluated by the MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay to demonstrate cytotoxic activity with IC50 values of (56.6, 19.0), (39.0, 11.8), and (55.7, 15.3) µg/mL against HepG-2, MCF-7 and A-549 cells, respectively. The cytotoxic activity of the two evaluated sesquiterpene lactones partly explains the cytotoxic activity that was previously observed for the extracts of Inula aucheriana. The isolated compounds could be further investigated in cancer research studies.

M2 Subtype preferring dibenzodiazepinone-type muscarinic receptor ligands: Effect of chemical homo-dimerization on orthosteric (and allosteric?) binding.

A series of new dibenzodiazepinone-type muscarinic receptor ligands, including two homo-dimeric compounds, was prepared. Sixteen representative compounds were characterized in equilibrium binding studies with [(3)H]N-methylscopolamine ([(3)H]NMS) at the muscarinic receptor subtype M2, and seven selected compounds were additionally investigated at M1, M3, M4 and M5 with respect to receptor subtype selectivity. The side chain of the known M2 preferring muscarinic receptor antagonist DIBA was widely varied with respect to chain length and type of the basic group (amine, imidazole, guanidine and piperazine). Most of the structural changes were well tolerated with respect to muscarinic receptor binding, determined by displacement of [(3)H]NMS. Compounds investigated at all subtypes shared a similar selectivity profile, which can be summarized as M2>M1≈M4>M3≈M5 (46, 50, 57, 62-64) and M2>M1≈M4>M3>M5 (1, 58). The homo-dimeric dibenzodiazepinone derivatives UNSW-MK250 (63) and UNSW-MK262 (64) exhibited the highest M2 receptor affinities (pIC50=9.0 and 9.2, respectively). At the M2 receptor a steep curve slope of -2 was found for the dimeric ligand 63, which cannot be described according to the law of mass action, suggesting a more complex mechanism of binding. In addition to equilibrium binding studies, for selected ligands, we determined pEC50,diss, an estimate of affinity to the allosteric site of M2 receptors occupied with [(3)H]NMS. Compounds 58 and 62-64 were capable of retarding [(3)H]NMS dissociation by a factor >10 (Emax,diss >92%), with highest potency (pEC50,diss=5.56) residing in the dimeric compound 64. As the monomeric counterpart of 64 was 100 times less potent (62: pEC50,diss=3.59), these data suggest that chemical dimerization of dibenzodiazepinone-type M receptor ligands can enhance allosteric binding.

Cytotoxic tirucallane triterpenes from the stem of Luvunga scandens

Two tirucallane triterpenes, namely flindissol (1) and 3-oxotirucalla-7,24-dien-21-oic-acid (2), were isolated from the dichloromethane extract of the stem of Luvunga scandens (Roxb.) Buch-Ham ex Wight & Arn, Rutaceae. This is the first report of their isolation from this plant. Their structures were constructed by high resolution mass and 2D NMR spectroscopic data. The cytotoxic potential of the two pure compounds 1 and 2 were determined by MTT assay against human breast adenocarcinoma cell line (MCF-7). Compounds 1 and 2 showed potent cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cell line with IC50 values of 13.8 μM and 27.5 μM, respectively. This result suggested their potential activity as antitumor agents.

An easy one-pot synthesis of diverse 2,5-di(2-pyridyl)pyrroles: a versatile entry point to metal complexes of functionalised, meridial and tridentate 2,5-di(2-pyridyl)pyrrolato ligands.

A wide variety of 2,5-di(2-pyridyl)pyrroles (dppHs) substituted at the C3 and C4 positions of the pyrrole core were obtained by direct condensation of a 2-pyridylcarboxaldehyde (2 equiv), an α-methylene ketone with at least one electron-withdrawing substituent and ammonium acetate. A novel 2,5-di(1,10-phenanthrolin-2-yl)pyrrole was also characterised. The dppHs provide a direct, quick entry to dipyridylpyrrolato (dpp(-) )-metal complexes. The meridial tridentate dpp(-) ligand is a useful anionic analogue of the terpyridyl ligand. The first (dpp)Ru complexes are described; the 3,4-substitution of the central pyrrole significantly perturbs the potentials of the redox processes of these complexes. A [(dpp)Ru(bpy)(MeCN)](+) (bpy=2,2'-bipyridine) complex is an electrocatalyst for the reductive disproportionation of carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide and the carbonate ion.

Anti-proliferative activity and apoptotic potential of britannin, a sesquiterpene lactone from Inula aucheriana.

Inula aucheriana n-hexane, CHCl3 and MeOH extracts were evaluated for their anti-proliferative activity against HepG-2, MCF-7, MDBK and A-549 cells. The CHCl3 extract exhibited cytotoxic activity to the above cell lines with IC50 values of 13.5, 23.4, 10.5, and 26.9 microg/mL, respectively. The sesquiterpene lactone britannin was isolated from the above extract. This was further evaluated in the MTT assay to demonstrate strong cytotoxicity to the mentioned cell lines (IC50: 2.2, 5.9, 5.4, and 3.5 microg/mL, respectively), and the apoptotic inducing properties of britannin were evaluated on human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) cells through the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay.

Two dibenzodiazepinone molecules with dissimilar dimeric associations and apparent different tautomeric forms.

In two dibenzodiazepinones, viz. the tricyclic core structure, 5H-dibenzo[b,e]diazepin-11(10H)-one, C(13)H(10)N(2)O, and an acylated derivative, 1-(11-hydroxy-5H-dibenzo[b,e]diazepin-5-yl)-2-{4-[3-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl]piperidin-1-yl}ethanone ethanol monosolvate, C(26)H(29)N(5)O(2)·C(2)H(5)OH, dimeric association via hydrogen-bond bridging between the cyclic amide entities is evident, but there are considerable differences between the parent compound and the amidated derivative. Highly consistent with reported structures of related tricyclic lactams, two molecules of the nonsubstituted compound are bridged through two N-H...O hydrogen bonds across a crystallographic centre of symmetry and the bond lengths of the cyclic amide entity correspond to the amino-oxo (lactam) tautomeric form. In contrast, the structure of the derivative shows two similar, but crystallographically unique, molecules hydrogen bonded into a dimeric unit exhibiting an approximate (noncrystallographic) C2 axis. The bond lengths of the two derivative cyclic amide groups support their potential presence in the hydroxyimine (lactim) tautomeric forms, with the resulting possibility of intermolecular tautomerism. Likely driving forces for the two extreme configurations are discussed.

Sesquiterpene lactones from Inula oculus-christi.

Inula oculus-christi L. (Compositae) extract was chromatographed and three sesquiterpene lactones ergolide, gaillardin and pulchellin C were isolated. The structures of these compounds were determined by analysis of their spectroscopic data, and their crystal structures were defined using X-ray crystallography; the isolation of ergolide and pulchellin C is reported for the first time from this species. These three compounds were evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxic activity against MDBK, MCF7 and WEHI164 cells; ergolide and gaillardin exhibited lower and significantly different IC50 values compared with pulchellin C (p<0.001).

Indole alkaloids from the leaves of Philippine Alstonia scholaris.

The first seco-uleine alkaloids, manilamine (1) (18-hydroxy-19,20-dehydro-7,21-seco-uleine) and N4-methyl angustilobine B (2), were isolated from the (pH 5) alkaloid extract of Philippine Alstonia scholaris leaves together with the known indole alkaloids 19,20-(E)-vallesamine (3), angustilobine B N4-oxide (4), 20(S)-tubotaiwine (5), and 6,7-seco-angustilobine B (6). The structure of the alkaloids was established from MS and NMR experiments.