[Research progress of Codonopsis Radix and prediction of its Q-markers].

Codonopsis Radix is a traditional tonic medicine commonly used in China, which has the effects of strengthening the spleen and tonifying the lung, as well as nourishing blood and engendering liquid. The chemical constituents of Codonopsis species are mainly polyacetylenes, alkaloids, phenylpropanoids, lignans, terpenoids and saponins, flavonoids, steroids, organic acids, saccharides, and so on. Modern pharmacological studies showed that Codonopsis Radix also has a variety of pharmacological effects such as enhancing body immunity, protecting gastrointestinal mucosa and resisting ulcers, promoting hematopoietic function, regulating blood sugar, and delaying aging. In this paper, the chemical constituents of Codonopsis species and the pharmacological effects of Codonopsis Radix were summarized, and on this basis, the quality markers of Codonopsis Radix were analyzed. It was predicted that lobetyolin, tangshenoside I, codonopyrrolidium A, and the oligosaccharides were the possible Q-markers of Codonopsis Radix. This paper will provide scientific references for the quality evaluation and profound research and the development of Codonopsis Radix.

Two new guaiane sesquiterpenes from the fruiting bodies of Lactarius Deliciosus.

Two new guaiane sesquiterpenes, 7-(1-hydroxyethyl)-4-methyl-1-azulenecarboxaldehyde (1) and 7-isopropenyl-4-methyl-1-azulenecarboxylic acid (2), together with 5 known sesquiterpenes, were isolated from the fruiting bodies of Lactarius deliciosus. All structures were elucidated based on extensive spectroscopic methods, including 1 D and 2 D-NMR spectroscopy and high resolution mass spectrometry.

[Research progress of studies on chemical constituents and biologic activities of Anemone species].

Anemone is an important genus which was distributed widely and used to folk medicines in China. It is rich of pentacyclic triterpenoid saponins,and more than 100 kinds of pentacyclic triterpenoid saponins had been isolated and identified. Anemone has been used to treat punch injury and rheumatoid arthritis. This article reviews the latest research progress of Anemone decoction from two aspects: chemical constituents and pharmacological. It will provide reference for further research and development of Anemone.

Activation of the dormant secondary metabolite production by introducing gentamicin-resistance in a marine-derived Penicillium purpurogenum G59.

A new approach to activate silent gene clusters for dormant secondary metabolite production has been developed by introducing gentamicin-resistance to an originally inactive, marine-derived fungal strain Penicillium purpurogenum G59. Upon treatment of the G59 spores with a high concentration of gentamicin in aqueous DMSO, a total of 181 mutants were obtained by single colony isolation. In contrast to the strain G59, the EtOAc extracts of nine mutant cultures showed inhibitory effects on K562 cells, indicating that the nine mutants had acquired capability to produce antitumor metabolites. This was evidenced by TLC and HPLC analysis of EtOAc extracts of G59 and the nine mutants. Further isolation and characterization demonstrated that four antitumor secondary metabolites, janthinone (1), fructigenine A (2), aspterric acid methyl ester (3) and citrinin (4), were newly produced by mutant 5-1-4 compared to the parent strain G59, and which were also not found in the secondary metabolites of other Penicillium purpurogenum strains. However, Compounds 1-4 inhibited the proliferation of K562 cells with inhibition rates of 34.6% (1), 60.8% (2), 31.7% (3) and 67.1% (4) at 100 µg/mL, respectively. The present study demonstrated the effectiveness of a simple, yet practical approach to activate the production of dormant fungal secondary metabolites by introducing acquired resistance to aminoglycoside antibiotics, which could be applied to the studies for eliciting dormant metabolic potential of fungi to obtain cryptic secondary metabolites.