Cuceolatins A-D: New Bioactive Diterpenoids from the Leaves of Cunninghamia lanceolata.

Four new diterpenoids named cuceolatins A-D, including three labdane-type (1-3) and one abietane-type (4) as well as three known labdane analogs (5-7), were reported from the leaves of Cunninghamia lanceolata. Structural assignments for these compounds were conducted by analyses of spectroscopic data, and their absolute configurations were determined by time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) based electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. Among them, the abietane-type diterpenoid (11-hydroxy-12-methoxyabieta-8,11,13-trien-3-one (4)) showed significant cytotoxicity against human MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, and HeLa tumor cell lines with IC50 measurements of 4.3, 2.8 and 4.5 µm, respectively, while the labdane-type diterpenoids with a 4α-carboxy group (1-3 and 5) exhibited moderate antibacterial activity towards Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus with IC50 values all below 25 µm.

Isolation of High-Quality Total RNA from Chinese Fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook).

RNA isolation with RNA in a high quantity is a basic analytical method in plant genetics, molecular biology and related physiological investigations. To understand the genetic and molecular biology of Chinese fir, sufficient high-quality total RNA must be obtained for cDNA library construction and other downstream molecular applications. However, extracting RNA from Chinese fir is difficult and often requires the modification of existing protocols. Chinese fir tissues containing large amounts of polysaccharides and polyphenol compounds and are one of the most difficult plant tissues for RNA isolation. Therefore, we developed a simple method for extracting high-quality RNA from Chinese fir tissues. RNA isolations were performed within two hours, RNA quality was measured for yield and purity. Total RNA obtained from this procedure was successfully used for cDNA library construction, RT-PCR and transcriptome sequencing. It was proven that extracted RNA was intact and suitable for downstream molecular applications, including RT-PCR and qPCR, and other downstream molecular applications. Thus, this protocol represents a simple, efficient, and low-cost method.

Nine new diterpenes from the leaves of plantation-grown Cunninghamia lanceolata.

Nine new diterpenes named lanceolatanol hydroperoxide (1), epilanceolatanol hydroperoxide (2), lanceolatanoic acid hydroperoxide (3), epilanceolatanoic acid hydroperoxide (4), lanceolatanol (5), lanceolatanoic acid (6), 11-acetoxylanceolatanoic acid (7), 11-acetoxylanceolatanoic acid methyl ester (8) and epoxyhinokiol (13) were characterized from the leaves of plantation-grown Cunninghamia lanceolata along with twelve known compounds. The compounds were evaluated for their growth inhibitory activities against the human prostate cell line (PC-3).

Diterpenoids with anti-inflammatory activity from the wood of Cunninghamia konishii.

Two new diterpenoids, konishone (1) and 3b-hydroxy-5,6-dehydrosugiol (2), along with three known diterpenoids--hinokiol (3), sugiol (4), and 12-hydroxy-6,7-secoabieta-8,11,13-triene-6,7-dial (5)--were isolated from the wood of Cunninghamia konishii. Compound 1 is a novel skeleton of the 7,20-dinorabietane-type diterpene. In addition, when RAW264.7 macrophages were treated with different concentrations of compounds 1, 3, and 5 together with LPS, a significant concentration-dependent inhibition of NO production was detected. The IC50 values for inhibition of nitrite production of compounds 1, 3, and 5 were about 9.8 ± 0.7, 7.9 ± 0.9, and 9.3 ± 1.3 µg/mL, respectively. This study presents the potential utilization of compounds 1, 3, and 5, as lead compounds for the development of anti-inflammatory drugs.

Composition, anticancer, and antimicrobial activities in vitro of the heartwood essential oil of Cunninghamia lanceolata var. konishii from Taiwan.

This study investigated the chemical composition, anticancer, and antimicrobial activities in vitro of the essential oil isolated from the heartwood of Cunninghamia lanceolata var. konishii from Taiwan. The essential oil was isolated using hydrodistillation in a Clevenger-type apparatus, and characterized by GC-FID and GC-MS. Thirty-seven compounds were identified, representing 100% of the oil. The main components identified were cedrol (58.3%), alpha-cedrene (11.8%), alpha-terpineol (4.2%) and beta-cedrene (3.5%). The oil exhibited cytotoxic activity against human lung, liver and oral cancer cells. The active source compound was cedrol. The antimicrobial activity of the oil was tested by the disc diffusion and micro-broth dilution methods against ten microbial species. The oil exhibited strong growth suppression against Gram-positive bacteria and yeast with inhibition zones of 42-50 mm to MIC values of 31.25-62.5 microg/mL, respectively. For the antimicrobial activities of the oil, the active compound was determined to be cedrol.

[Effects of UV-B radiation on the decomposition of Cunninghamia lanceolata leaf litter].

A litterbag experiment was conducted to study the decomposition of Cunninghamia lanceolata leaf litter under ambient and reduced UV-B radiation (22.1% below ambient). Comparing with ambient treatment, the reduced treatment decreased the decomposition rate of C. lanceolata leaf litter by 69.6% (P<0.001), making the relative contents of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and lignin in the litter increased by 150%, 83.3%, and 13.8%, respectively, and the release of potassium (K) and carbon (C) slowed down. In the process of litter decomposition, photo-degradation of lignin didn't play crucial role. The results suggested that UV-B radiation could accelerate the decomposition rate of C. lanceolata leaf litter, promote the release of N, P, K, and C from it, and increase the nutrients turnover rate in litter layer as well as the carbon flux on the ground, giving potential effects on the function of C. lanceolata forest as a carbon source or sink in humid subtropical China.

Properties of resorcinol-tannin-formaldehyde copolymer resins prepared from the bark extracts of Taiwan acacia and China fir.

Resorcinol-tannin-formaldehyde copolymer resins (RTF) were prepared by using the bark extracts of Taiwan acacia (Acacia confusa) and China fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) to substitute part of the resorcinol. From the results, the content of reactive phenolic materials in Taiwan acacia and China fir bark extracts were 51.6% and 46.5%, respectively. Aromatic compounds were the main components in the bark extracts showed by FT-IR analysis. The conventional synthesis condition used for RF resin was certainly not suitable for the RTF copolymer resin. It should be formed the novolak RF prepolymer by reacting the resorcinol with formaldehyde at the first stage, and then the bark extracts added and underwent the copolymerization reaction under acidic condition at the second-stage. The RTF copolymer resins prepared had cold-setting capability. They had higher viscosity, shorter gel time as compared with the RF resin. The RTF copolymer resins could be carried out the gluing application immediately after the hardener was added and had bonding strength the same as RF resin. But the RTF copolymer resins had worse stability and shorter shelf life than RF resin.

[Gas chromatographic analysis of fatty acids in phosphatidylglycerol from needles of two crosses of Chinese Fir].

This paper reports a method for determination of fatty acids in phosphatidylglycerol from needles of two crosses of Chinese Fir with different cold-resistance. Some simplifications and improvements for analytical method of DEAE CL-6B column chromatography and of silica thin layer chromatography were also discussed. After being extracted with chloroform and methanol, phosphatidylglycerol was isolated from the general lipid extract by using DEAE CL-6B IEC and Silica TLC. Quantitative analysis was conducted by gas chromatography on a DB-FFAP (30m x 0.32mm i.d.) column. The results showed that there was a difference in the ratio of fatty acid (18:1+18:2+18:3)/[16:0+16:1(3t)] between the two crosses of Chinese Fir with different cold-resistance, 1.12 for that with higher cold-resistance and 1.25 for that with lower cold-resistance. A special fatty acid 16:1(3t) was found in both of the two crosses.