A lignan with glucose uptake activity in 3T3-L1 adipocytes from the stem bark of Knema patentinervia

A new naturally occurring dibenzylbutyrolactone lignan named isocubebinic ether has been isolated from Knema patentinervia. The structure was established by spectroscopic methods, which include Ultraviolet, Infrared, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Mass Spectrometry. The compound showed activity in the stimulation of glucose uptake by 3T3-L1 adipocytes

Anticholinesterase and Anti-inflammatory Constituents from Beilschmiedia pulverulenta Kosterm

Phytochemical investigation from the stem bark of Beilschmiedia pulverulenta resulted in the isolation of five lignans, (+)-yangambin (1), (+)-sesartemin (2), (+)-excelsin (3), (+)-sesamin (4), and (+)-syringaresinol (5), together with lupeol (6), lupenone (7), β-sitosterol (8), and β-sitostenone (9). Their structures were established by the analysis of their spectroscopic (1D and 2D NMR) and spectrometric (MS) data, as well as by comparison with those reported in the literature. The isolated lignans were tested for their anticholinesterase (AChE: acetylcholine esterase and BChE: butyryl cholineesterase) and anti-inflammatory (COX-2: cyclooxygenase-2 and LOX: lipoxygenase) activities. All the isolated lignans (1 – 5) exhibited significant inhibition activities in AChE/BChE and COX-2/LOX assays with IC50 values ranging from 168.8 – 504.2 µM and 21.0 – 59.4 µM, respectively.

Cytotoxic, Anti-Inflammatory and Adipogenic Effects of Inophyllum D, Calanone, Isocordato-oblongic acid, and Morelloflavone on Cell Lines

This paper reports in vitro cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory and adipocyte diffentiation with adipogenic effects of coumarins inophyllum D (1) and calanone (2), and a chromanone carboxylic acid namely isocordato-oblongic acid (3) isolated from Calophyllum symingtonianum as well as a biflavonoid morelloflavon e (4) isolated from Garcinia prainiana on MCF-7 breast adenocarcinoma RAW 264.7 macrophages and 3T3-L1 preadipocytes cells, respectively. The cytotoxicity study on MCF-7 cell was conducted by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Meanwhile, the study of anti-inflammatory effects in RAW 264.7 macrophages and adipogenic effects on 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes were conducted through nitrite determination assay and induction of adipocyte differentiation, respectively. In the cytotoxicity study, inophyllum D (1) was the only compounds that exhibited significant cytotoxic effect against MCF-7 cell with IC₅₀ of 84 µg/mL. Further, all by inhibiting the compounds have shown anti-inflammatory effects in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages of nitrite concentration with production. In addition, the compounds also exhibited adipogenic effects on 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes by stimulating lipid formation. Thus, this study may provide significant input in discovery of the potential effects cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory and adipogenic agents.

The phytochemical content and antimicrobial activities of Malaysian Calophyllum canum [stem bark]

Recently there was huge increase in using of 'herbal products'. These can be defined as plants, parts of plants or extracts from plants that are used for curing disease. However, Calophyllum species is a tropical plant and it has been used in traditional medicine, the limitation in safety and effectiveness information could lead to serious health problems. Providing information for communities by evaluating the phytochemical contents, antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities will improve the therapeutic values. Three main Calophyllum canum fractions [none - high polar] were tested to find out the phenolic, flavonoid, flavonol content, DPPH radical scavenging, reducing power and chelating iron ions. Also were tested against Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans, and Cryptococcus neoformans. In addition, cytotoxic activity was assayed against lung cancer A549 cell line. The methanol fraction showed no bioactivity but achieved the highest amount of phenolic, flavonol and flavonoid contents, also it showed a significant result as antioxidant, reducing power and chelating agent. The n-hexane fraction achieved the minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC] value 12.5 microg. mL[-1] against B. cereus while the MIC value for DCM fraction was 25 microg. mL[-1]. The DCM fraction was more active against S. aureus where the result was 50 microg. mL[-1] while the n-hexane fraction was 100 microg. mL[-1]. The three main fractions have shown no activity against gram negative bacterial and fungal. The n-hexane and DCM fractions have shown cytotoxicity against lung cancer cell line; the 50% inhibition concentration [IC50] was 22 +/- 2.64 and 32 +/- 3.78 microg. mL[-1] respectively. The results were statistically significant [P < 0.05]. Among the results, C. canum fractions proved to be effective against gram positive bacterial and anti-proliferation activity. Also it showed antioxidant activity as well. The results provided beneficial information for communities as well as can help to search for alternative drugs, and will contribute to establish safe and effective use of phytomedicines in the treatment of diseases

Apoptosis, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of phytochemicals from Garcinia malaccensis Hk.f

OBJECTIVE@#To study the chemical constituents of stembark of Garcinia malaccensis (G. malaccensis) together with apoptotic, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities.@*METHODS@#Purification and structure elucidation were carried out by chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques, respectively. MTT and trypan blue exclusion methods were performed to study the cytotoxic activity. Antibacterial activity was conducted by disc diffusion and microdilution methods, whereas antioxidant activities were done by ferric thiocyanate method and DPPH radical scavenging.@*RESULTS@#The phytochemical study led to the isolation of α,β-mangostin and cycloart-24-en-3β-ol. α-Mangostin exhibited cytotoxic activity against HSC-3 cells with an IC(50) of 0.33 μM. β- and α-mangostin showed activity against K562 cells with IC(50) of 0.40 μM and 0.48 μM, respectively. α-Mangostin was active against Gram-positive bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Bacillus anthracis (B. anthracis) with inhibition zone and MIC value of (19 mm; 0.025 mg/mL) and (20 mm; 0.013 mg/mL), respectively. In antioxidant assay, α-mangostin exhibited activity as an inhibitor of lipid peroxidation.@*CONCLUSIONS@#G. malaccensis presence α- and β-mangostin and cycloart-24-en-3β-ol. β-Mangostin was found very active against HSC-3 cells and K562. The results suggest that mangostins derivatives have the potential to inhibit the growth of cancer cells by inducing apoptosis. In addition, α-and β-mangostin was found inhibit the growth of Gram-positive pathogenic bacteria and also showed the activity as an inhibitor of lipid peroxidation.