New bisabolane sesquiterpene from the mycelia of Amanita virgineoides.

A bisabolane type of sesquiterpene was isolated from the culture medium of Amanita virgineoides BAS, together with two known compounds, including lignoren, and harziandion. The structure of the new compound "virgineol" was established using a combination of different NMR spectroscopy techniques, whereas the chemical structure of the known compound was identified as lignoren, and the structure of harziandion was confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis.

Two new oleanane-type triterpenes isolated from Japanese post-fermented tea produced by anaerobic microbial fermentation.

Four triterpenes were isolated from a traditional Japanese tea product produced by anaerobic microbial fermentation of heated green tea leaves (Camellia sinensis). Two of the compounds were novel and characterized by spectroscopic investigation to be 13,26-epoxy-3ß,11α-dihydroxyolean-12-one and 3ß,11α,13ß-trihydroxyolean-12-one. Two known triterpenes were identified as taraxastane-3ß,20ß-diol and taraxastane-3ß,20α-diol. These triterpenes were not detected in the original green tea leaves.

Benzyl benzoate glycoside and 3-deoxy-D-manno-2-octulosonic acid derivatives from Solidago decurrens.

A new benzyl benzoate glycoside and five new 3-deoxy-D-manno-2-octulosonic acid derivatives were isolated from the entire plant of Solidago decurrens together with three known compounds. Their structures were established by extensive analyses of their 1D and 2D NMR spectra and by comparison with physical data of known compounds.

Formation and conformation of baicalin-berberine and wogonoside-berberine complexes.

It is well-known that baicalin-berberine complex (1) precipitates in the water decoction of numerous Chinese Medicinal formulae containing Radix Scutellariae and Rhizoma Coptidis or Cortex Phellodendri. In the current study, ionic interaction between the carboxylate ion of baicalin and the quaternary ammonium ion of berberine was revealed to be responsible for the formation of 1 and wogonoside-berberine (2) by using FAB-MS and NMR titration experiments. In addition, nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (NOESY) correlations observed in 1 and 2 suggested quite different conformation of the two complexes, which was further supported by the fact that the [α](D) of the canadine obtained by reduction of 1 is of an opposite sign to that obtained from 2. Partition coefficients (n-octanol/water) determination demonstrated 12-20 times larger partition coefficient of each complex (1, 2) than that of each single compound (baicalin, wogonoside, and berberine), indicating the significant role of the formation of the complex in the bioavailability enhancement of these pharmacologically active constituents.

α-Amylase and lipase inhibitory activity and structural characterization of acacia bark proanthocyanidins.

The bark extract of Acacia mearnsii showed strong lipase and α-amylase inhibition activities. Fractionation of the extract by column chromatography and subsequent (13)C NMR and MALDI-TOF-MS analysis revealed that the active substances are proanthocyanidin oligomers mainly composed of 5-deoxyflavan-3-ol units. In addition, 4'-O-methylrobinetinidol 3'-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside, fisetinidol-(4α,6)-gallocatechin, and epirobinetinidol-(4ß,8)-catechin were isolated as new compounds, and their structures were determined from spectroscopic data. Furthermore, a modified thiol degradation method using strongly acidic conditions was applied to the extract to yield three thiol degradation products derived from robinetinidol units. This method is useful for characterizing acacia proanthocyanidins (wattle tannins).

A new catechin oxidation product and polymeric polyphenols of post-fermented tea.

A new epicatechin oxidation product with a 3,6-dihydro-6-oxo-2H-pyran-2-carboxylic acid moiety was isolated from a commercially available post-fermented tea that is produced by microbial fermentation of green tea. The structure of this product was determined by spectroscopic methods. A production mechanism that includes the oxygenative cleavage of the catechol B-ring of (-)-epicatechin is proposed. In addition, polymeric polyphenols were separated from the post-fermented tea and partially characterised by (13)C NMR spectroscopy and gel-permeation chromatography. The polymers appear to be primarily composed of epigalloacetechin-3-O-gallate and the molecular weight (Mn) of the acetylated form was estimated to be ∼3500.

New diketopiperazine derivatives isolated from sea urchin-derived bacillus sp.

Two new diketopiperazine derivatives, bacillusamides A (1) and B (2), have been isolated from the EtOAc extract of the sea urchin-derived Bacillus sp. along with the known cyclo(-L-pro-L-val-) (3), cyclo(-L-pro-L-tyr-) (4), cyclo(-L-pro-L-phe-) (5). These structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic methods. Furthermore, the absolute configurations of the amino acid residues were determined using Marfey's method. Compound 1 displayed weak antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger.

Biomimetic one-pot preparation of a black tea polyphenol theasinensin A from epigallocatechin gallate by treatment with copper(II) chloride and ascorbic acid.

Chromatographic separation of black tea polyphenols is too difficult to supply sufficient quantities of pure compounds for biological experiments. Thus, facile methods to prepare black tea constituents were desired. Treatment of epigallocatechin gallate with copper(II) chloride efficiently afforded an unstable quinone dimer, dehydrotheasinensin A, and subsequent treatment with ascorbic acid stereoselectively yielded theasinensin A. The latter is a dimer with an R-biphenyl bond, one of the major polyphenols found in black tea. The method is simpler and more effective than enzymatic preparation.

Reaction of the black tea pigment theaflavin during enzymatic oxidation of tea catechins.

Degradation of the black tea pigment theaflavin was examined in detail. Enzymatic oxidation of a mixture of epigallocatechin and epicatechin initially produced theaflavin, while prolonged reaction decreased the product. Addition of ethanol to the reaction mixture at the point when theaflavin began to decrease afforded four new products, together with theanaphthoquinone, a known oxidation product of theaflavin. The structures of the new products were determined by spectroscopic methods. One of the products was an ethanol adduct of a theanaphthoquinone precursor, and this reacted with theaflavin to give two further products. A product generated by coupling of theaflavin with epicatechin quinone was also obtained. The structures of the products indicate that oxidation and coupling with quinones are key reactions in the degradation of theaflavins. The degradation of theaflavin probably contributes to production of thearubigins.

Chemistry of secondary polyphenols produced during processing of tea and selected foods.

This review will discuss recent progress in the chemistry of secondary polyphenols produced during food processing. The production mechanism of the secondary polyphenols in black tea, whisky, cinnamon, and persimmon fruits will be introduced. In the process of black tea production, tea leaf catechins are enzymatically oxidized to yield a complex mixture of oxidation products, including theaflavins and thearubigins. Despite the importance of the beverage, most of the chemical constituents have not yet been confirmed due to the complexity of the mixture. However, the reaction mechanisms at the initial stages of catechin oxidation are explained by simple quinone-phenol coupling reactions. In vitro model experiments indicated the presence of interesting regio- and stereoselective reactions. Recent results on the reaction mechanisms will be introduced. During the aging of whisky in oak wood barrels, ellagitannins originating from oak wood are oxidized and react with ethanol to give characteristic secondary ellagitannins. The major part of the cinnamon procyanidins is polymerized by copolymerization with cinnamaldehyde. In addition, anthocyanidin structural units are generated in the polymer molecules by oxidation which accounts for the reddish coloration of the cinnamon extract. This reaction is related to the insolubilization of proanthocyanidins in persimmon fruits by condensation with acetaldehyde. In addition to oxidation, the reaction of polyphenols with aldehydes may be important in food processing.

Dammarane-type triterpene saponins from the flowers of Panax notoginseng.

Four new dammarane-type triterpene saponins named floranotoginsenosides A (1), B (2), C (3) and D (4), together with five known triterpene saponins, were isolated from the flowers of Panax notoginseng. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral and chemical evidence.

Enzymatic oxidation of gallocatechin and epigallocatechin: effects of C-ring configuration on the reaction products.

Tea leaf is rich in pyrogallol-type catechins, and their oxidation is important in the generation of black tea polyphenols. In the present study, the enzymatic oxidation of three pyrogallol-type catechins, (+)- and (-)-gallocatechins and (-)-epigallocatechin, was compared. The reactions yielded unstable quinone products, which were trapped as condensation products with o-phenylenediamine. The oxidation of (+)-gallocatechin proceeded very slowly compared to the reaction of (-)-epigallocatechin, and yielded a proepitheaflagallin-type dimer as the major product, though oxidation of (-)-epigallocatechin gave predominantly dehydrotheasinensin C. The cis-configuration of the C-3 hydroxyl group and the B-ring of (-)-epigallocatechin was apparently crucial for rapid and selective production of dehydrotheasinensin C. Oxidation of (-)-gallocatechin proceeded in a manner similar to that of (+)-gallocatechin, and produced an enantiomer of the (+)-gallocatechin product. The results suggest that enzymes catalyze oxidation of the pyrogallol B-ring to the o-quinone, with subsequent non-enzymatic coupling reactions proceed under highly steric control.

Caffeoyl arbutin and related compounds from the buds of Vaccinium dunalianum.

Dunalianosides A-I (1-9), esters of arbutin and related phenolic glucosides, were isolated from the buds of Vaccinium dunalianum Wight (Ericaceae) together with 20 known compounds, and their structures were established on the basis of 1- and 2D NMR spectroscopic evidence. Dunalianosides F-H were dimers of p-hydroxyphenyl 6-O-trans-caffeoyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside (10). The latter was obtained in extraordinary high yield (22% of dry weight), and dunalianoside I (9) was found to be a conjugate of arbutin with an iridoid glucoside.

The first topologically controlled synthesis of doubly bridged beta-cyclodextrin dimers.

Reaction 6(A),6(B)-di(O-tosyl)-beta-cyclodextrin with Na(2)S in DMF gave the cis-dimer of beta-cyclodextrin in 21% isolated yield while the trans-dimer was not detected.

Oxidative coupling of the pyrogallol B-ring with a galloyl group during enzymatic oxidation of epigallocatechin 3-O-gallate.

In order to clarify the mechanism for formation of catechin oligomers during the fermentation stage of black tea manufacture, epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate, the most abundant tea flavanol in fresh tea leaves, was enzymatically oxidized and the resulting unstable quinone metabolites were converted to phenazine derivatives by treatment with o-phenylenediamine. In addition to formation of monomeric and dimeric derivatives, four trimeric derivatives were isolated whose structures were determined by application of spectroscopic methods. The derivatives differed from each other in the location of the phenazine moieties and in the atropisomerism of the biphenyl bond. The results suggested that oxidative coupling of the galloyl group with the B-ring proceeds by a quinone dimerization mechanism similar to that for production of theasinensins.

Antioxidant and hyaluronidase inhibitory activities of diverse phenolics in Phyllanthus emblica.

Fifty-eight phenolic compounds isolated from Phyllanthus emblica were screened and compared for their in vitro and in vivo antioxidant properties, as well as hyaluronidase (HAase) inhibitory activities. Among them, 20 compounds showed to be promising antioxidants due to the stronger scavenging activity in both DPPH radical and Danio rerio reactive oxygen species assays, while nine compounds were potential HAase inhibitors with 100-fold stronger activities than that of the positive control, DSCG. The structure activity relationship was discussed.

Galloyl, caffeoyl and hexahydroxydiphenoyl esters of dihydrochalcone glucosides from Balanophora tobiracola.

Seven galloyl, caffeoyl and (S)-hexahydroxydiphenoyl (HHDP) esters of dihydrochalcone glucosides were isolated from Balanophora tobiracola; based on spectroscopic and chemical evidence, their structures were determined to be 6''-O-galloyl-, 3'',4''-di-O-galloyl-, 4'',6''-di-O-galloyl-, 4'',6''-O-(S)-HHDP-, 3''-O-galloyl-4'',6''-O-(S)-HHDP-, 3''-O-caffeoyl-4'',6''-O-(S)-HHDP-3-hydroxyphloretin 4'-O-beta-D-glucosides and 3''-O-galloyl-4'',6''-O-(S)-HHDP-phloretin 4'-O-beta-D-glucoside, respectively. By contrast, these compounds were not found in the taxonomically related B. japonica. The 3''-galloyl-4'',6''-HHDP esters of the dihydrochalcone glucosides showed strong inhibitory activities against alpha-glucosidase. Four known compounds were also isolated namely, (+/-)-eriodictyol 7-O-beta-D-glucoside, 1-O-caffeoyl-3-O-galloyl-beta-D-glucose, phloretin 4'-O-beta-D-glucoside, and 3-hydroxyphloretin 4'-O-beta-D-glucoside.

A novel black tea pigment and two new oxidation products of epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate.

During tea fermentation, oxidation-reduction dismutation of a number of quinone metabolites of tea catechins yields numerous minor products, which make it difficult to separate and purify black tea polyphenols. In this study, epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate was enzymatically oxidized and then the unstable quinone metabolites in the oxidation mixture were hydrogenated with 2-mercaptoethanol to reduce production of inseparable minor dismutation products. As a result, three new oxidation products including a new black tea pigment were isolated, and their structures were determined based on chemical and spectroscopic data. Dehydrotheasinensin AQ is a new reddish-orange pigment with a 1,2-diketone structure, and its presence in commercial black tea was confirmed. In addition, a new quinone dimer with a complex caged structure and a trimer of epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate were also isolated and their production mechanisms are proposed. The presence of this trimer suggested participation of galloyl quinones in production of minor polyphenols in black tea.

Regioselectivity in benzotropolone formation between catechins and proanthocyanidins.

A theaflavin-related benzotropolone pigment formed between procyanidin B-1 and (-)-epigallocatechin was synthesized enzymatically for the first time. The condensation occurred regioselectively at the extension (upper) unit of the procyanidin, probably due to a steric effect.

Stimulating the production of homoisoflavonoids in cell suspension cultures of Caesalpinia pulcherrima using cork tissue.

It has previously been demonstrated that cork tissue increases the efficiency of the production of lipophilic secondary metabolites in diverse plant cell suspension cultures. In the present study, three new homoisoflavonoids--named dihydrobonducellin, 2'-methoxydihydrobonducellin, and 2'-methoxybonducellin--and bonducellin and isobonducellin were isolated from Caesalpinia pulcherrima cultured cells coincubated with cork tissue. Cork tissue increased the production of 2'-methoxybonducellin by about 7-fold relative to control cells, and more than 80% of the product was recoverable from the cork tissue. When cork tissue and methyl jasmonate or yeast extract were added simultaneously to the medium, the amount of 2'-methoxybonducellin produced increased further. The production of the other four homoisoflavonoids was enhanced by variable amounts. Our results indicate that the addition of cork tissue would be an effective technique for investigating formation of secondary metabolites that usually accumulate only in trace amounts.