Phenolic compounds from the twigs and leaves of Tara (Caesalpinia spinosa).

Two new homoisoflavans, 4'-hydroxy-7-methoxy-3-benzyl-2H-chromene (1) and 3,4-cis-di-O-3-hydroxy-7-methoxy-3-(4-hydroxybenzyl)-4-ethoxychroman (2), one new coumarin, 7-methoxy-3-(4-hydroxybenzyl)coumarin (4), together with seven known phenolic compounds, bonducellin (3), anemarcoumarin A (5), (+)-syringaresinol (6), curuilignan D (7), scopoletin (8), and p-hydroxybenzaldehyde (9), were isolated from Tara (Caesalpinia spinosa Kuntze). The structures of the new compounds were characterized from their 1D and 2D NMR spectral data. All the compounds were isolated from this plant for the first time.

Molecular cloning and expression of 17ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 gene in Hu sheep.

17ß-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (17ß-HSD2) catalyzes the NADP+-dependent oxidation of the most potent estrogen 17ß-estradiol into the weak estrogen estrone, and the conversion of testosterone to androstenedione. It has been reported that 17ß-HSD2 was expressed in many tissues in human, rats, however, the full-length sequence of 17ß-HSD2 gene and its expression in ewe were still unknown. In this study, we cloned the full-length cDNA sequence and investigated mRNA differential expression in 28 tissues of 12 adult Hu-Sheep which were fed with high- and low- dietary intake. The 1,317 bp full-length cDNA sequence was first cloned. The coding region was 1,167 bp in length, and the monomer was estimated to contain 389 amino acid residues. It shares high AA sequence identity with that of bos Taurus (96.13 %), sus scrofa (77.06 %), canis lupus familiaris (70.44 %), Callithrix jacchus (65.72 %), Nomascus leucogenys (65.46 %), pan troglodytes (65.21 %), human (64.69 %), mus musculus (58.35 %), and a comparatively lower identity to danio rerio (37.85 %). 17ß-HSD2 gene was high expressed in gastrointestinal (GI) tract, liver, but weakly expressed in other tissues. No detected expression was examined in lung. 17ß-HSD2 gene expression was significantly difference in rumen, omasum, duodenum, cecum, hypophysis after high- and low- dietary intake. Results from the present study suggested that 17ß-HSD2 plays a crucial role in almost all tissues protecting against excessive levels of active steroid hormone, and GI tract maybe an important steroid hormone metabolizing organ in Hu-Sheep. This present study is the first to provide the primary foundation for further insight into this ovine gene.

A new natural naphtho[1,2-b]furan from the leaves of Cassia fistula.

A new naphtho[1,2-b]furan, 2,9-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-4-methylnaphtha[1,2-b]furan-3(2H)-one (1), along with 10 known compounds vanillic acid (2), naringenin (3), glyceryl-1-tetracosanoate (4), moracin J (5), 1,3,8-trihydroxyanthraquinone (6), esculetin (7), mauritianin (8), kaempferol 3-neohesperidoside (9), ß-sitosterol (10), and ß-daucosterol (11), was isolated from the leaves of Cassia fistula. The structure of the new compound was determined by NMR and X-ray analysis. Compounds 1, 3, 5-9 were isolated from this plant for the first time. The naphtha[1,2-b]furan was firstly isolated from the natural resources.