Four new eudesmane-type and one new eremophilane-type sesquiterpenes from the whole plant of Carpesium abrotanoides L.

The extract of the whole plant of Carpesium abrotanoides L. yielded five new sesquiterpenes including four eudesmanes (1-4) and one eremophilane (5). The new compounds were characterized by spectroscopic analysis especially 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy and HRESIMS data. Structurally, both compounds 1 and 2 were sesquiterpene epoxides and 2 owned an epoxy group at C-4/C-15 position to form a spiro skeleton. Compounds 4 and 5 were two sesquiterpenes without lactones and 5 possessed a carboxy group in the molecule. Additionally, all the isolated compounds were preliminarily evaluated for the inhibitory activity against SARS-CoV-2 main protease. As a result, compound 2 showed moderate activity with an IC50 value of 18.79 µM, while other compounds were devoid of noticeable activity (IC50 > 50 µM).

Phytochemistry and Pharmacology of Indian Traditional Plant Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis L.): A Review

Hyssopus officinalis is a traditional medicinal plant that belongs to the family Lamiaceae, which has been used for centuries for various purposes like carminative, expectorant, and cough reliever. It has been used for the treatment of numerous diseases in patients such as ulcers, asthma, jaundice, leprosy, dropsy, bronchitis, COPD, diabetes, AIDS, bacterial and fungal infections as an herbal remedy due to its fewer side effects and is more efficacies than other traditional medicine. Major classes of chemical compounds found in H. officinalis essential oil are bicyclic monoter-penes, monoterpenoids, acyclic monoterpenes, phenolic monoterpenoids, monocyclic monoterpenes, monocyclic sesquiterpenes, tricyclic sesquiterpenes, bicyclic sesquiterpenes, tricyclic sesquiterpe-noids, straight chain saturated hydrocarbons. Some of the major chemical constituents present in the H. officinalis are beta-pinene, alpha-pinene, 1, 8-cineole, apigenin, diosmin, caffeic acid, rosmarinic acid, cis-pinocamphone, trans-pinocamphone, iso-pinocamphone, pinocarvone, which are responsible for its various pharmacological activity. Various studies have been performed on the pharmacological activity of its extract, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-diabetic, anticancer, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-leishmanial, anthelmintic, anti-protozoal, and anti-anxiety. Recently, it is used as an anticancer agent and has been demonstrated by studying its cytotoxic and apoptotic effects on breast cancer and colon cancer cells. It is used as a potent antibacterial and antifungal agent being studied on the antibiotic-resistant bacterial and fungal strains recently, which can be further useful in developing herbal medicine against AMR. It is an excellent natural antioxidant due to the presence of polyphenolic compounds, and H. officinalis is used in various food industries as a source of natural antioxidants, which has minimum side effects as compared to artificial antioxi-dants. Furthermore, the pharmacological activity of these individual chemical constituents in H. officinalis extract still needs to be investigated for identifying the effectiveness of this plant in the natural treatment of various diseases. This review aims to collect various data regarding the traditional herbal plant hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis), including its photochemistry, chemical structures of the phyto-constituents and pharmacological profile, along with all the pharmacological models. This plant has significant importance in the health industry, so further studies are required on its effective usage against various emerging health problems, including COVID-19, cancer, diabetes, AMR.Copyright © 2023 Bentham Science Publishers.

New Sesquiterpene Glycosides from the Flowers of Aster koraiensis and Their Inhibition Activities on EGF- and TPA-Induced Cell Transformation.

In total, four new eudesmane-type sesquiterpene glycosides, askoseosides A-D (1-4), and 18 known compounds (5-22) were isolated from the flowers of Aster koraiensis via chromatographic techniques. Chemical structures of the isolated compounds were identified by spectroscopic/spectrometric methods, including NMR and HRESIMS, and the absolute configuration of the new compounds (1 and 2) was performed by electronic circular dichroism (ECD) studies. Further, the anticancer activities of the isolated compounds (1-22) were evaluated using the epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced as well as the 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA)-induced cell transformation assay. Among the 22 compounds, compounds 4, 9, 11, 13-15, 17, 18, and 22 significantly inhibited both EGF- and TPA-induced colony growth. In particular, askoseoside D (4, EGF: 57.8%; TPA: 67.1%), apigenin (9, EGF: 88.6%; TPA: 80.2%), apigenin-7-O-ß-d-glucuronopyranoside (14, EGF: 79.2%; TPA: 70.7%), and 1-(3',4'-dihydroxycinnamoyl) cyclopentane-2,3-diol (22, EGF: 60.0%; TPA: 72.1%) showed higher potent activities.

A Comprehensive Review on the Medicinal Benefits of Honey with an Emphasis on Unani Medicine

Background: Honey has been used medicinally in folk medicine since the dawn of civili-zation. It is a necessary component of medicine and food in a wide variety of cultures. It has been used in Unani Medicine for centuries to treat a variety of ailments. Objective(s): This review article aims to explore the medicinal characteristics of honey in view of Unani and modern concepts, highlight its potential in the treatment of the ailments stated in Unani medical literature, and also explore the relevant evidence-based phytochemistry, pharmacological, and clinical data. Method(s): The authors searched classical texts exhaustively for information on the temperament (Mizaj), pharmacological activities, mechanism of action, and therapeutic benefits of honey. Addition-ally, a comprehensive search of internet databases was conducted to compile all available information on the physicochemical, phytochemical, and pharmacological properties of this compound. Result(s): Evidence suggests that honey contains about 180 different types of various compounds, including carbohydrates, proteins, enzymes, flavonoids, and other chemical substances. In Unani classical literature, it exerts important pharmacological actions besides its immense nutritional signifi-cance. Unani physicians advocated many tested/experimented prescriptions and formulations, which still have their relevance in the amelioration of various diseases. Conclusion(s): This analysis concludes that honey has been successfully utilized in Unani medicine for centuries to treat a variety of maladies and is a potential natural source of remedy for a variety of medical disorders. Future research on honey should include a combination of Unani and modern principles.Copyright © 2023 Bentham Science Publishers.

Artemisinins in Combating Viral Infections Like SARS-CoV-2, Inflammation and Cancers and Options to Meet Increased Global Demand.

Artemisinin is a natural bioactive sesquiterpene lactone containing an unusual endoperoxide 1, 2, 4-trioxane ring. It is derived from the herbal medicinal plant Artemisia annua and is best known for its use in treatment of malaria. However, recent studies also indicate the potential for artemisinin and related compounds, commonly referred to as artemisinins, in combating viral infections, inflammation and certain cancers. Moreover, the different potential modes of action of artemisinins make these compounds also potentially relevant to the challenges the world faces in the COVID-19 pandemic. Initial studies indicate positive effects of artemisinin or Artemisia spp. extracts to combat SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19 related symptoms and WHO-supervised clinical studies on the potential of artemisinins to combat COVID-19 are now in progress. However, implementing multiple potential new uses of artemisinins will require effective solutions to boost production, either by enhancing synthesis in A. annua itself or through biotechnological engineering in alternative biosynthesis platforms. Because of this renewed interest in artemisinin and its derivatives, here we review its modes of action, its potential application in different diseases including COVID-19, its biosynthesis and future options to boost production.

A Comprehensive In Silico Study of New Metabolites from Heteroxenia fuscescens with SARS-CoV-2 Inhibitory Activity.

Chemical investigation of the total extract of the Egyptian soft coral Heteroxenia fuscescens, led to the isolation of eight compounds, including two new metabolites, sesquiterpene fusceterpene A (1) and a sterol fuscesterol A (4), along with six known compounds. The structures of 1-8 were elucidated via intensive studies of their 1D, 2D-NMR, and HR-MS analyses, as well as a comparison of their spectral data with those mentioned in the literature. Subsequent comprehensive in-silico-based investigations against almost all viral proteins, including those of the new variants, e.g., Omicron, revealed the most probable target for these isolated compounds, which was found to be Mpro. Additionally, the dynamic modes of interaction of the putatively active compounds were highlighted, depending on 50-ns-long MDS. In conclusion, the structural information provided in the current investigation highlights the antiviral potential of H. fuscescens metabolites with 3ß,5α,6ß-trihydroxy steroids with different nuclei against SARS-CoV-2, including newly widespread variants.

In Silico Evaluation of Sesquiterpenes and Benzoxazinoids Phytotoxins against Mpro, RNA Replicase and Spike Protein of SARS-CoV-2 by Molecular Dynamics. Inspired by Nature.

In the work described here, a number of sesquiterpenes and benzoxazinoids from natural sources, along with their easily accessible derivatives, were evaluated against the main protease, RNA replicase and spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 by molecular docking. These natural products and their derivatives have previously shown remarkable antiviral activities. The most relevant compounds were the 4-fluoro derivatives of santamarine, reynosin and 2-amino-3H-phenoxazin-3-one in terms of the docking score. Those compounds fulfill the Lipinski's rule, so they were selected for the analysis by molecular dynamics, and the kinetic stabilities of the complexes were assessed. The addition of the 4-fluorobenzoate fragment to the natural products enhances their potential against all of the proteins tested, and the complex stability after 50 ns validates the inhibition calculated. The derivatives prepared from reynosin and 2-amino-3H-phenoxazin-3-one are able to generate more hydrogen bonds with the Mpro, thus enhancing the stability of the protein-ligand and generating a long-term complex for inhibition. The 4-fluoro derivate of santamarine and reynosin shows to be really active against the spike protein, with the RMSD site fluctuation lower than 1.5 Å. Stabilization is mainly achieved by the hydrogen-bond interactions, and the stabilization is improved by the 4-fluorobenzoate fragment being added. Those compounds tested in silico reach as candidates from natural sources to fight this virus, and the results concluded that the addition of the 4-fluorobenzoate fragment to the natural products enhances their inhibition potential against the main protease, RNA replicase and spike protein of SARS-CoV-2.

Anti-Inflammatory and Immunoregulatory Action of Sesquiterpene Lactones.

Sesquiterpene lactones (SL), characterized by their high prevalence in the Asteraceae family, are one of the major groups of secondary metabolites found in plants. Researchers from distinct research fields, including pharmacology, medicine, and agriculture, are interested in their biological potential. With new SL discovered in the last years, new biological activities have been tested, different action mechanisms (synergistic and/or antagonistic effects), as well as molecular structure-activity relationships described. The review identifies the main sesquiterpene lactones with interconnections between immune responses and anti-inflammatory actions, within different cellular models as well in in vivo studies. Bioaccessibility and bioavailability, as well as molecular structure-activity relationships are addressed. Additionally, plant metabolic engineering, and the impact of sesquiterpene lactone extraction methodologies are presented, with the perspective of biological activity enhancement. Sesquiterpene lactones derivatives are also addressed. This review summarizes the current knowledge regarding the therapeutic potential of sesquiterpene lactones within immune and inflammatory activities, highlighting trends and opportunities for their pharmaceutical/clinical use.

Parthenolide: Suggested drug for COVID-19

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) that causes acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) which is the main reason for patients mortality. One of the effective treatments to reduce the effects of this virus is parthenolide (PN). Parthenolide is a sesquiterpene lactone found in medicinal plants. It can inhibit several pro-inflammatory signaling pathways, in particular the ATPase activity of NLRP3. Based on its ability to suppress inflammatory signal transduction and elevated level of serum IL-1β (a surrogate marker for NLRP3 activation) in COVID-19 patients, we suggest that PN could be potentiallyeffective for the treatment of COVID-19.

Antifungal Activity of the Sesquiterpene Lactones from Psephellus bellus.

Due to increasing resistance of pathogenic fungi to antifungal treatments, new types of drugs are needed. For this purpose, active substances with antifungal properties occurring in natural compounds should be considered. The herb Psephellus bellus shows strong antifungal activity and is characterized by unique guaianolides, which have an ester on C-2. Thus, a specialized method of isolation and testing was applied to assess the pharmacological effects of these guaianolides. After phytochemical analysis (chromatography and spectral methods), selected lipophilic compounds and the herb extract of this species containing 26 sesquiterpene lactones were tested. The antifungal effect of the herbal compounds was determined on clinical strains of fungi Candida, Rhodotorula, Trichophyton, Microsporum, and Scopulariopsis using a diffusion test. The MTT assay was employed to study the cytotoxic effects of the extract against human fibroblasts. Statistical analysis was performed. All analyzed compounds exhibited antifungal activity in cultivations suitable for assessment. Most lipophilic cebellins from Psephellus bellus prevent the growth of most fungal strains.

Biologically Active Compounds in Stizolophus balsamita Inflorescences: Isolation, Phytochemical Characterization and Effects on the Skin Biophysical Parameters.

Three germacranolides, as well as five flavonoids, natural steroid and simple phenolic compounds, were isolated from the inflorescence of Stizolophus balsamita growing in Iran. The paper presents active compounds found for the first time in the inflorescence of this species. The flavonoids, simple phenolic compounds and natural steroids have been isolated for the first time in the genus Stizolophus. The MTT assay was employed to study in vitro cytotoxic effects of the taxifolin against human fibroblasts. We also evaluate the possible biological properties/cosmetic effects of Stizolophus balsamita extract and taxifolin on the human skin. Sixty healthy Caucasian adult females with no dermatological diseases were investigated. We evaluate the effects of S. balsamita extract and taxifolin on skin hydration and transepidermal water loss (TEWL). It was revealed that S. balsamita extract might decrease TEWL level and fixed the barrier function of the epidermis. The presence of bioactive phytochemical constituents in S. balsamita inflorescences makes them a valuable and safe source for creating new cosmetics and medicines.