Competitive CatSper Activators of Progesterone from Rhynchosia volubilis.

The root Rhynchosia volubilis was widely used for contraception in folk medicine, although its molecular mechanism on antifertility has not yet been revealed. In human sperm, it was reported that the cation channel of sperm, an indispensable cation channel for the fertilization process, could be regulated by various steroid-like compounds in plants. Interestingly, these nonphysiological ligands would also disturb the activation of the cation channel of sperm induced by progesterone. Therefore, this study aimed to explore whether the compounds in R. volubilis affect the physiological regulation of the cation channel of sperm. The bioguided isolation of the whole herb of R. volubilis has resulted in the novel discovery of five new prenylated isoflavonoids, rhynchones A - E (1:  - 5: ), a new natural product, 5'-O-methylphaseolinisoflavan (6: ) (1H and 13C NMR data, Supporting Information), together with twelve known compounds (7:  - 18: ). Their structures were established by extensive spectroscopic analyses and drawing a comparison with literature data, while their absolute configurations were determined by electronic circular dichroism calculations. The experiments of intracellular Ca2+ signals and patch clamping recordings showed that rhynchone A (1: ) significantly reduced cation channel of sperm activation by competing with progesterone. In conclusion, our findings indicat that rhynchone A might act as a contraceptive compound by impairing the activation of the cation channel of sperm and thus prevent fertilization.

Sesquiterpene Lactones from Sigesbeckia glabrescens Possessing Potent Anti-inflammatory Activity by Directly Binding to IKKα/ß.

Chromatographic fractionation of Sigesbeckia glabrescens led to the identification of 10 new sesquiterpene lactones, named siegesbeckialides I-O (1-7) and glabrescones A-C (8-10), along with 14 known analogues. An anti-inflammatory activity assay showed that siegesbeckialide I (1) most potently inhibited LPS-induced NO production in RAW264.7 murine macrophages. Furthermore, siegesbeckialide I suppressed the protein expression of iNOS and COX2, as well as the release of PGE2, IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Mechanistically, siegesbeckialide I directly binds to inhibitors of IKKα/ß and suppresses their phosphorylation. This leads to the inhibition of IKKα/ß-mediated phosphorylation and degradation of inhibitor α of NF-κB (IκBα), as well as the activation of NF-κB signaling.

Euphorfistrines A-G, cytotoxic and AChE inhibiting triterpenoids from the roots of Euphorbia fischeriana.

Seven new triterpenoids including two cycloartanes (1-2), a lanostane (3), a tirucallane (4), a dammarane (5), an ursane (6), and an oleanane (7), along with nineteen known triterpenoids (8-26), have been obtained from the roots of Euphorbia fischeriana. Their structures were established by NMR, HRESIMS, single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, Mosher's method, NMR calculations, ECD analysis, and comparison with structurally related known analogues. Among them, compounds 1 and 8 were a pair of cycloartane-type triterpenoids epimers. Our bioassays have established that compounds 1-5 and 10 displayed moderate cytotoxic effects, and the structure-activity relationships of cycloartane-type triterpenoids (CTTs) were further examined. Notably, some triterpenoids displayed moderate inhibitory effects against AChE by an in vitro screened experiment. Triterpenoid 7 (Euphorfistrine G, ETG) displayed the potent inhibitory effect with IC50 = 2.45 and Ki = 2.30 µM (inhibition kinetic). And, in silico docking analyses have been performed to investigate the inhibitory mechanism of compound 7.

ent-Pimarane diterpenoids from Siegesbeckia glabrescens with anti-inflammatory activity.

Nine new ent-pimarane-type diterpenoids, siegesbeckia A-I (1-9), together with four known analogues ent-3α,15,16,19-tetrahydroxypimar-8(14)-ene (10), 15,16-dihydroxypimar-8(14)-en-3-one (11), 14ß,16-epoxy-7-pimarene-3α,15ß-diol (12) and darutigenol (13), were obtained from the aerial parts of Siegesbeckia glabrescens Makino. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by the interpretation of HRESIMS, 1D NMR and 2D NMR data. Their configurations were determined by ECD analysis and the structure of compound 1 was confirmed by X-ray crystallography. Putative biosynthetic pathways were proposed for 1-13. The anti-inflammatory effects of the compounds were evaluated by testing their inhibition of LPS-induced NO production in BV2 microglial cells. The results revealed that new compounds 2, 6 and 8 exhibited potent inhibitory activities with IC50 values of 33.07, 42.39 and 63.26 µM, which compared well with the positive control minocycline (IC50 32.84 µM).

Effects of Deacidification on Composition of Schisandra chinensis Ethanolic Extract and Studies on Acute Toxicity in Mice.

Schisandra chinensis Fructus (SCF), a well-known traditional medicinal material, is a rich source of dibenzocyclooctene type lignans and polyphenols, which are important ingredients in SCF and show various activities. SCF also contains about 18% organic acids, mainly citric acid, which makes the fruit and extract taste extremely sour and limited its application in beverages or food industries. In the present study, a chemical deacidification method was applied to defatted and non-defatted ethanol extract of SCF, and the effects on organic acid, lignans, and phenolic compounds were evaluated. Free radical scavenging activity and acute toxicity in mice before and after deacidification were also compared. Our results demonstrated that chemical deacidification significantly decreased the contents of organic acid and lignan compounds and markedly improves the safety of the ethanol extract of SCF, which will facilitate the comprehensive utilization of SCF extract in food and beverage industries.

Screening of an Endophyte Transforming Polydatin to Resveratrol from Reynoutria Japonica Houtt and the Optimization of Its Transformation Parameters.

Resveratrol showed various kinds of bioactivities, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer effects and, therefore, has been used widely as an important ingredient in medication, healthy foods and cosmetics. However, in nature, resveratrol usually exists at low content and more often exists as polydatin. Therefore, it becomes important to find the cost-effective and environmental-friendly way to transform polydatin to resveratrol. In this study, endophytes were isolated from the rhizome tissue of Reynoutria japonica and screened for transforming polydatin to resveratrol using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and confirmed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. A bacterium identified as Bacillus aryabhattai using 16S rRNA phylogenetic tree analysis showed highest transformation rate. The transforming conditions were optimized including substrate concentration, substrate addition time, culture temperature and inoculation ratio. Our results demonstrated that the bacteria isolated from R. japonica rhizome tissue showed high activity in transforming polydatin into resveratrol. Crude extract of R. japonica root and rhizome (RJE) was also tested as substrate and it was found that the transformation was significantly inhibited at 10.0 mg/mL RJE. Emodin at equivalent concentration of 10.0 mg/mL RJE showed no inhibition activity, and glucose content in RJE was trace and far from enough to exhibit the inhibitory activity. Successive solvent partition followed by an inhibition activity assay revealed that the ethyl acetate fraction showed the main inhibition activity. However, due to the coexistence of polydatin and compounds with inhibitory activity, the concentration of RJE can only be used at limited concentration as substrate.

Comparative Studies on Polysaccharides, Triterpenoids, and Essential Oil from Fermented Mycelia and Cultivated Sclerotium of a Medicinal and Edible Mushroom, Poria Cocos.

Poria cocos, an important medicinal and edible fungus, is well known in East Asia. The main active components are water-soluble polysaccharides (WPS) and triterpenoids. Due to the growing market demand, long cultivation period, and consumption of pine trunk during cultivation, alternative methods for producing P. cocos or its active components should be investigated. In this study, WPS, triterpenoids, monosaccharide composition, and essential oil in fermented mycelia and cultivated sclerotium were analyzed using UV spectrophotometry, HPLC, pre-column derivatization, and HS-GC/MS, respectively. Our results showed that the WPS and triterpenoids in mycelia are several times higher than those in sclerotium. Among the 62 compounds identified by HS-GC/MS analysis from the essential oil obtained from the fermentation media and a fresh external layer, the two main fragrances in common were linalool and methyl phenylacetate. Our results suggested that it is applicable to produce polysaccharides and triterpenoids by the fermentation of P. cocos, and a strategy to improve triterpenoid production in the fermentation process was proposed.

Constituents from the Seeds of Sophora Alopecuroides L.

Three new isoflavone glucosides, kudonol A-C (1-3), two new ester derivatives of phenylpropanoid, kudolignan A and B (4-5) and five known compounds, (-)-maackiain (6), neoliquiritin (7), methyl 4-coumarate (8), methyl ferulate (9) and (+)-wikstromol (10), were isolated from an extract of dried seeds of the traditional Chinese medicinal plant Sophora alopecuroides L. Their structures were established by NMR and HRESIMS data analyses. The monosaccharide part's configuration of isoflavone glucosides was confirmed by acid hydrolysis and analyzed by a JAsco OR-4090 chiral detector, comparing it to standard substance D-glucose. The cytotoxicity effects against HeLa, Hep3B, MCF-7 and H1299 cells were tested by CCK-8 assay.

A sensitive UPLC-MS/MS method for simultaneous determination of polyphenols and theaflavins in rat plasma: Application to a pharmacokinetic study of Da Hong Pao tea.

A method based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry has been developed for the rapid and simultaneous determination of five catechins and four theaflavins in rat plasma using ethyl gallate as internal standard. The pharmacokinetic profiles of these compounds were compared after oral administration of five kinds of Da Hong Pao tea to rats. Biosamples processed with a mixture of ß-glucuronidase and sulfatase were extracted with ethyl acetate-isopropanol. Chromatographic separation was achieved by gradient elution using 10 mm HCOONH4 solution and methanol as the mobile phase. Analytes were detected using negative ion electrospray ionization in multiple reaction monitoring mode. The lower limits of quantification were 1.0, 0.74 and 0.5 ng/mL for theaflavins, two catechins and three catechins, respectively. The validation parameters were well within acceptable limits. The average half-lives (t1/2 ) in blood of the reference solution group was much shorter than those of tea samples. The values of AUC0-t and Cmax of the polyphenols and theaflavins exhibited linear pharmacokinetic characteristics which were related to the dose concentration.

Paris saponin VII induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis by regulating Akt/MAPK pathway and inhibition of P-glycoprotein in K562/ADR cells.

Paris saponinVII (PSVII) is a steroidal saponin isolated from the roots and rhizomes of Trillium tschonoskii Maxim. We found that PSVII could inhibit the growth of adriamycin-resistant human leukemia cells (K562/ADR) in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, the molecular mechanism underlying the cytotoxicity and downregulation of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) expression by PSVII was clarified. PSVII significantly suppressed cell proliferation by cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase, which was associated with an obvious decrease in cyclin B1/D1 and CDK2/4/6 protein expression. Moreover, PSVII could attenuate mitochondrial membrane potential, increase the expression of apoptosis-related proteins, such as Bax and cytochrome c, and decrease the protein expression levels of Bcl-2, caspase-9, caspase-3, PARP-1, and p-Akt. We also found that JNK, ERK1/2, and p38 were regulated by PSVII in K562/ADR cells. And further studies indicated that the decrease in the reactive oxygen species level inhibited intrinsic P-gp expression. Therefore, PSVII-induced apoptosis in K562/ADR cells was associated with Akt/MAPK and the inhibition of P-gp. In addition, PSVII induced a robust autophagy in K562/ADR cells as demonstrated by the degradation of LC3-I. These results provide a biochemical basis for possible clinical applications of PSVII in the treatment of leukemia.

GC-MS Analysis of the Composition of the Essential Oil from Dendranthema indicum Var. Aromaticum Using Three Extraction Methods and Two Columns.

Dendranthema indicum var. aromaticum, which is an aromatic plant with a strong and special fragrance throughout the whole plant, is used for the treatment of colds and headaches, and as a mosquito repellant in Shennongjia, Hubei province, China. To analyze the composition of the essential oil from this medicinal herb, we developed a gas chromatography-mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) method including microwave-assisted extraction, hydrodistillation and direct headspace analysis in two different stationary phase columns. In total, 115 volatile compounds were identified, of which 90 compounds were identified using Rxi-5MS and 78 using HP-INNOWAX. Our results revealed that the oil was mainly composed of five categories of compound: oxygenated monoterpenes (28.76-78.10%), oxygenated sesquiterpenes (4.27-38.06%), sesquiterpenes (3.22-11.57%), fatty hydrocarbons (1.65-9.81%) and monoterpenes (0-3.32%). The major constituents are α-thujone, ß-thujone, cis-sabinol, sabinyl acetate and (-)-neointermedeol.However, the essential oil composition in the published literature differs significantly. Therefore, a cluster analysis was carried out using the top ten compositions in the reported literature as well as this study, using Minitab software. To provide detailed information on plant origin, the ITS1-5.8s-ITS2 region was amplified and sequenced (Accession No. MF668250). Besides, in order to provide a macroscopic view of the chemical composition, the biosynthetic pathway of the main components was summarized according to the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database and the published literatures.

Wound Stress, an Unheeded Factor for Echinacoside Accumulation in Cistanche deserticola Y. C. Ma.

Cistanche deserticola Y. C. Ma, a precious parasitic medicinal herb distributed in desert areas in the Northwest of China, also known as "desert ginseng", has been used in China for thousands of years for its nourishing effects. The phenylethanoid glycosides (PeGs) have been proven as the main effective compounds due to their neuroprotective effects and were used for quality control. In this study, echinacoside content, a representative PeG, total phenolic content, DPPH scavenging activity, and PAL activity were determined in different tissues of C. deserticola. Our results showed that most indices had a similar pattern of scale > cambium ring > pith and bottom part > middle part > upper part. Besides, stereomicroscopic observation showed that the scale surface was densely covered with physical wounds formed during vertical and broadwise growth in sand. Thus, wound area was quantified and a linear regression analysis was conducted between wound area and PAL activity, total phenolics, and echinacoside content. Our results suggested that physical wounding caused by sand might play an important role in echinacoside biosynthesis which has never been noticed in C. deserticola development. Furthermore, the coexistence of the highest PAL activity and highest echinacoside accumulation in scale tissue might indicate that the biosynthetic site of echinacoside in C. deseticola Y. C. Ma is mainly in the scale tissue.

Optimization of Culture Condition for Ganoderic Acid Production in Ganoderma lucidum Liquid Static Culture and Design of a Suitable Bioreactor.

Ganoderma lucidum, a famous medicinal mushroom used worldwide, is a rich source of triterpenoids which, together with polysaccharides, are believed to be the main effective constituents of G. lucidum. With the increase of market demand, the wild resource is facing serious limitations, and the quality of cultivated fruiting bodies can be seriously affected by the availability of wood resources and by cultivation management practices. In the present study, we aimed to develop an alternative way to produce useful triterpenoids from G. lucidum. We cultured the strain using a two-stage liquid culture strategy and investigated the effects of nitrogen limitation, carbon supply, static culture volume and air supply in the static culture stage on the accumulation of five triterpenoids (GA-P, GA-Q, GA-T, GA-S, GA-R). Our results showed that, under optimized condition, the total yield of the five triterpenoids reached 963 mg/L (as determined by HPLC). Among the five triterpenoids, GA-T accounted for about 75% of the total yield. Besides, a bioreactor suitable for fungal liquid static culture with a 10 L extensible plastic bag shaped culture unit was designed and in which the maximum total yield of the five GAs reached 856.8 mg/L, and the GAs content reached 5.99%. Our results demonstrate the potential of industrial application of G. lucidum culture for the production of triterpenoids, especially GA-T. Air supply significantly improved the accumulation of triterpenoids, and this will provide important clues to understand why more triterpenoids are produced in the mycelia mat under static liquid culture conditions.

Comparative Analysis of Chemical Composition, Anti-Inflammatory Activity and Antitumor Activity in Essential Oils from Siegesbeckiaorientalis, S. glabrescens and S. pubescens with an ITS Sequence Analysis.

Herba Siegesbeckiae (HS), derived from the aerial parts of three plants, Siegesbeckia orientalis (SO), S. glabrescens (SG), and S. pubescens (SP), has been used for the treatment of inflammatory diseases in China for centuries. In the present study, hydrodistillation was applied to extract essential oils from dried SO, SG, and SP aerial parts, and chemical composition analysis by gas chromatography⁻mass spectrometry (GC-MS) led to the identification of a total of 148 compounds (56 in SO, 62 in SG, and 59 in SP). The main components in the essential oils of SO, SG, and SP differed significantly. In vitro anti-inflammatory activity assays showed that SP essential oils (IC50, 0.97 µg/mL) significantly reduced the ability of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages to release NO, and the SO essential oil (IC50, 14.99 µg/mL) was better than the others at inhibiting the LPS-induced release of cytokine IL-6. Furthermore, the essential oils exhibited antitumor activities (IC50, 37.72⁻123.16 µg/mL) against Hep3B (liver) and Hela (cervical) cells. Linear regression analysis showed that, caryophyllene oxide peak area percentages showed remarkably high negative correlation coefficients with IC50 values of Hep3B and Hela cytotoxicity, which suggested the contribution of this compound on the cancer cell cytotoxicity of three essential oils. Finally, the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region was amplified and sequenced in order to generate genomic reference sequences for each plant. These can be used to identify the origins of the plants, and will assist other research studies related to these three plants.

[Dynamic accumulation of three main triterpenic acids in submerged cultivation mycelium of Poria cocos].

OBJECTIVE: To study the dymamic accumulation of triterpenic acids production in submerged cultivation mycelium of Poria cocos. METHOD: Liquid culture method of P. cocos was established and RP-HPLC was applied to determine the contents of three main triterpenic acids dehydrotumulosic acid (DTA), 3-epi-dehydrotumulosic acid (eDTA) and polyporenic acid C (PAC) in submerged cultivation mycelium P. cocos at different culture stages and the contents were compared with cultivated P. cocos. The HPLC method is as follows, column: Plastisil ODS (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm); mobile phase: ACN/0.5% phosphate (80:20); flow rate: 1.0 mL . min-1; detective wavelength: 242 nm. RESULT: The maximum biomass occurred at the 8th d after inoluctation, however, the contents and yield of three compounds increased till the 17th day. The contents of three compounds were 1. 2% (DTA), 0. 42% (eDTA) and 1.0% (PAC) at the 17th day after inoculation, which were significantly higher than that in cultivated material [0.2% (DTA), 0. 12(eDTA) and 0. 16% (PAC) ]. Furthermore, a correlation analysis between the content ratios of three independent compounds was carried out. The results showed that DTA negatively correlated with eDTA and PAC, with R2 of 0. 857 6 and 0. 971 7, respectively, which suggested the role of DTA as an important intermediate in the biosynthesis of triterpenic acids in P. cocos. CONCLUSION: The sum content of three main terpenoids in submerged cultivation mycelium P. cocos was 5. 55 times as that in cultivated material, which strongly suggested the possibility of fermentation in the production of medicinally important triterpenic acids in the future.

Chemical constituents from Trillium camschatcense.

Two undescribed polyacetylated 18-norspirostanol saponins, trilliumosides J (1) and 21-deoxyepitrillenoside C (2), a novel resveratrol aneuploid, 3a,3b-dimethoxyhopeachinol B (3) along with four known steroidal saponins (4-7), were isolated from the 70% EtOH extract of the roots and rhizomes of Trillium camschatcense. The structures of isolated compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis and chemical degradation. Compounds 1,3 and 4 had potential cytotoxic activity against MCF-7, with IC50 values 86.38 ± 2.59 µM, 56.20 ± 1.57 µM and 45.70 ± 0.63 µM.

[Quality evaluation and antioxidant activity research of Schisandra chinensis from various habitats].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the contents of lignans, crude polysaccharides (CP) and total phenolic compounds (TPC) of Schisandra chinensis from various habitats in Liaoning province and evaluate their quality and free radical scavenging (FRS) activity. METHODS: Contents of schisandrol, deoxyschizandrin and schisandrin B were determined by RP-HPLC. Contents of TPC, CP and FRS activity were determined by Folin-Cicalteu's, phenol-sulfuric acid and DPPH x method, respectively. RESULTS: Sample from Liaoyang city had the highest contents of lignans (21.75 mg/g); Sample from Shenbei New district of Shenyang city had the highest contents of CP (88.72 mg/g); Sample from Guanmenshan district of Benxi city had the highest contents of TPC and FRS activity (26.06 mg/g and 86.3%, respectively). Linear regression analysis results showed that contents of TPC had higher correlation coefficient with FRS activity than that of lignans. Their linear regression equations were Y = 1.3677X + 46.97, R2 = 0.6869 and Y = 2.5916X + 57.927, R2 = 0.1747 for TPC and lignans with FRS activity, respectively. CONCLUSION: The contents of lignans, CP and TPC are significantly different from samples collected from various habitats in Liaoning province. The main antioxidative substances are TPC, and lignans have no significant correlation with FRS activity.

Black Tea Reduces Diet-Induced Obesity in Mice via Modulation of Gut Microbiota and Gene Expression in Host Tissues.

Black tea was reported to alter the microbiome populations and metabolites in diet-induced obese mice and displays properties that prevent obesity, but the underlying mechanism of the preventative effect of black tea on high-fat diet (HFD) induced obesity has not been elucidated. Epigenetic studies are a useful tool for determining the relationship between obesity and environment. Here, we show that the water extract of black tea (Lapsang souchong, LS) reverses HFD-induced gut dysbiosis, alters the tissue gene expression, changes the level of a major epigenetic modification (DNA methylation), and prevents obesity in HFD feeding mice. The anti-obesity properties of black tea are due to alkaloids, which are the principal active components. Our data indicate that the anti-obesity benefits of black tea are transmitted via fecal transplantation, and the change of tissue gene expression and the preventative effects on HFD-induced obesity in mice of black tea are dependent on the gut microbiota. We further show that black tea could regulate the DNA methylation of imprinted genes in the spermatozoa of high-fat diet mice. Our results show a mechanistic link between black tea, changes in the gut microbiota, epigenetic processes, and tissue gene expression in the modulation of diet-induced metabolic dysfunction.

Sophoranone A and B: two new cytotoxic prenylated metabolites and their analogs from the root bark of Sophora flavescens.

Sophora flavescens Ait. has been utilized as an anticarcinogen, antibacterial and insecticide. Two new prenylflavonoids, Sophoflavonoid A (1) and Sophoflavonoid B (2), together with four known analogues were isolated from the root bark of S. flavescens. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by the interpretation of spectroscopic data and chemical evidence. Their absolute configurations were determined by ECD analysis. The inhibitory effects of compounds 1-6 against three lung carcinoma cells were determined using the MTT assay. The results revealed that compound 3 displayed strong cytotoxic effect against H460 cell line (IC50, 4.67 µM), while compounds 1, 4-6 exhibited significant inhibitory effects against three tumor cells. Therefore, this study suggests that the isopentenyl flavonoid-rich products of S. flavescens, including the new compounds, could be valuable candidates for the development of pharmaceuticals in the prevention and treatment for tumors.

Sigesbeckia K and L, two new diterpenoids from Sigesbeckia glabrescens with anti-inflammatory activity.

A chemical investigation of Sigesbeckia glabrescens Makino identified four compounds. On the basis of spectroscopic data, they were determined to be ent-pimarane-type diterpenoids and their analogues, among which were two previously undescribed compounds, Sigesbeckia K (1) and Sigesbeckia L (2). The anti-inflammatory effects of these compounds were evaluated by testing their inhibition of LPS-induced NO production in BV2 microglial cells, which revealed potential inhibitory effects with IC50 value at 62.56 µM and compared with the positive control minocycline (IC50 32.84 µM).