Nine prenylated acylphloroglucinols with potential anti-depressive and hepatoprotective activities from Hypericum scabrum.

In our screening program for new biologically active secondary metabolites, nine new polycyclic polyprenyled acylphloroglucinols, hyperscabins D-L, together with three known compounds, were obtained from the aerial parts of Hypericum scabrum. The chemical structures of 1-9 were characterized by extensive spectroscopic analyses, nuclear magnetic resonance calculation with DP4+ probability analysis, and the electronic circular dichroism spectra were calculated. Compound 1 was an unusual prenylated acylphloroglucinol decorated with a 5-oxaspiro [4,5] deca-1,9-dione skeleton. Compound 2 was a newly identified spirocyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinol possessing a rare 5,5-spiroketal segment. Compounds 3, 8, and 10 (10 µM) exhibited pronounced hepatoprotective activity against d-galactosamine-induced WB-F344 cell damage in vitro assays. All test compounds (1, 3, and 7-12) demonstrated potential inhibitory effects at 10 µM against noradrenalinet ([3H]-NE) reuptake in rat brain synaptosome.

Cembranoids from the Gum Resin of Boswellia carterii as Potential Antiulcerative Colitis Agents.

Eight new cembranoids, boscartins A-H (1, 2, and 4-9), and the known incensole oxide were isolated from the gum resin of Boswellia carterii. The absolute configurations of 1, 2, 4, and incensole oxide were unequivocally resolved using single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis with Cu Kα radiation, and the absolute configuration of 5 was resolved via electronic circular dichroism data. The antiulcerative colitis activities of the compounds were evaluated in an in vitro x-box-binding protein 1 (XBP 1) transcriptional activity assay using dual luciferase reporter detection. At 10 µM, compounds 1, 5, 6, and 7 significantly activated XBP 1 transcription with EC50 values of 0.34, 1.14, 0.88, and 0.42 µM, respectively, compared with the pGL3-basic vector control.

Furostanol saponins from the seeds of Allium cepa L.

Allium cepa L. is one of the most widely cultivated and used plants. In addition to its bulb (onion), which is used as food in many cultures, the seeds of A. cepa L. are used as a traditional herbal medicine by the Uygur nationality in China to treat diarrhea and promote blood flow. In a bioactivity-screening, the ethanol extract of seeds of A. cepa L. showed inhibitory effects on protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) enzyme, with 81.1% inhibition. Phytochemical investigation of the ethanol extract of red onion (Allium cepa L.) seeds led to the isolation of eight new furostanol saponins, named ceparosides E-L (1-8). Their structures were established using 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and chemical methods. Compounds 1-8 were screened for inhibitory effects on the PTP1B enzyme and cytotoxic activity against five human cells, including HCT-8, Bel-7402, BGC-823, A549 and A2780, but all were found to be inactive.

Two new polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols from Hypericum scabrum.

Two new polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols, (1S,32R,5S,6R,7R)-6-((R)-3,4-di-hydroxy-4-methylpentyl)-2-(2-hydroxypropan-2-yl)-7-isobutyryl-6-methyl-5,9-bis(3-methylbut-2-en-1-yl)-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-2H-32,7-methanocycloocta[b]furan-8,10(3H)-dione (1) and (4R,5R,7R)-4-((R)-3,4-dihydroxy-4-methylpentyl)-2,2,4-trimethyl-5,7-bis(3-methyl-but-2-en-1-yl)-7-(5-methylhex-4-enoyl)-4,5,6,7-tetrahydrobenzofuran-3(2H)-one (2) were isolated from Hypericum scabrum. The structures were elucidated by means of spectroscopic methods, including MS, IR, NMR, OR, and CD.

[Studies on chemical constituents of the seeds of Allium cepa].

OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents from the seeds of Allium cepa L., the constituents of the seeds of Allium cepa L. METHODS: To isolate and purify by silica gel, macroporous resin HP-20, Sephadex LH-20, RP-18 column. RESULTS: Seven compounds were isolated from the EtOH extract of the seeds of Allium cepa., their structures were elucidated by physico-chemical properties and spectroscopic analysis as tianshic acid (I), N-trans-feruloyl tyramine (II), beta-sitosterol-3 beta-glucopyranoside-6'-palmitate (III), sitosterol (IV), daucosterol (V), tryptophane (VI), adenine riboside (VI). CONCLUSION: Compounds V-VIII are obtained from this plant for the first time, compounds I-IV are isolated from the genus Allium for the first time.