ABSTRACT
The activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) in vascular endothelial cells may be involved in vascular pathogeneses such as vasculitis or atherosclerosis. Recently, it has been reported that some amino acids exhibit anti-inflammatory effects. We investigated the inhibitory effects of a panel of amino acids on cytokine production or expression of adhesion molecules that are involved in inflammatory diseases in various cell types. The activation of NF-κB was determined in human coronary arterial endothelial cells (HCAECs) because NF-κB modulates the production of many cytokines and the expression of adhesion molecules. We examined the inhibitory effects of the amino acids cysteine, histidine and glycine on the induction of NF-κB activation, expression of CD62E (E-selectin) and the production of interleukin (IL)-6 in HCAECs stimulated with tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α. Cysteine, histidine and glycine significantly reduced NF-κB activation and inhibitor κBα (IκBα) degradation in HCAECs stimulated with TNF-α. Additionally, all the amino acids inhibited the expression of E-selectin and the production of IL-6 in HCAECs, and the effects of cysteine were the most significant. Our results show that glycine, histidine and cysteine can inhibit NF-κB activation, IκBα degradation, CD62E expression and IL-6 production in HCAECs, suggesting that these amino acids may exhibit anti-inflammatory effects during endothelial inflammation.
Subject(s)
Anti-Inflammatory Agents/pharmacology , Arteritis/prevention & control , Coronary Vessels/cytology , Cysteine/pharmacology , Endothelial Cells/drug effects , Glycine/pharmacology , Histidine/pharmacology , Cells, Cultured/drug effects , Cells, Cultured/metabolism , Drug Evaluation, Preclinical , E-Selectin/biosynthesis , E-Selectin/genetics , Endothelial Cells/metabolism , Endothelium, Vascular/cytology , Gene Expression Regulation/drug effects , Humans , I-kappa B Proteins/metabolism , Interleukin-6/biosynthesis , Interleukin-6/genetics , NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha , NF-kappa B/metabolism , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/pharmacologyABSTRACT
Three new labdane diterpenoids, pacovatinins A-C (1-3), were isolated from seeds of the Brazilian medicinal plant Renealmia exaltata ("Pacová-catinga"), and their structures including absolute configurations were elucidated by spectroscopic data and a modified Mosher method.
Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic/isolation & purification , Diterpenes/isolation & purification , Plants, Medicinal/chemistry , Animals , Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic/chemistry , Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic/pharmacology , Brazil , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell , Diterpenes/chemistry , Diterpenes/pharmacology , Humans , Leukemia L1210 , Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy/methods , Mice , Molecular Conformation , Molecular Structure , Seeds/chemistry , Stereoisomerism , Structure-Activity Relationship , Tumor Cells, Cultured/drug effectsABSTRACT
Two new clerodane-type diterpenes, porwenins A (1) and B (2), were isolated from Portulaca okinawensis, and the structures were elucidated by spectroscopic data.
Subject(s)
Diterpenes/chemistry , Plants, Medicinal/chemistry , Diterpenes/isolation & purification , Japan , Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy , Spectrometry, Mass, Fast Atom Bombardment , Spectrophotometry, InfraredABSTRACT
Acutifolin A (1), a novel constituent with a bicyclo[3.3.1]non-3-ene-2,9-dione ring, acutifolins B-F (2-6), five new flavans, and three known flavans were isolated from the bark of Brosimum acutifolium, a Brazilian folk medicine ("Mururé"). Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, including 2D NMR.
Subject(s)
Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/isolation & purification , Flavonoids/isolation & purification , Moraceae/chemistry , Plants, Medicinal/chemistry , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/chemistry , Brazil , Flavonoids/chemistry , Medicine, Traditional , Molecular Conformation , Molecular Structure , Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular , Plant Bark/chemistry , Spectrophotometry, Infrared , Structure-Activity RelationshipABSTRACT
Four new nitrogen-containing clerodane diterpenoids, echinophyllins C-F (1-4), were isolated from the leaves of the Brazilian medicinal plant Echinodorus macrophyllus ("Chapéu-de-couro"), and their structures and relative stereochemistry were elucidated from their spectroscopic data. Compounds 1-4 possess an alpha,beta-unsaturated gamma-lactam ring consisting of a clerodane diterpene unit and an amine moiety.
Subject(s)
Diterpenes/chemistry , Plants, Medicinal/chemistry , Diterpenes/isolation & purification , Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy , Molecular Conformation , Plant Leaves/chemistry , Spectrometry, Mass, Fast Atom Bombardment , Spectrophotometry, Infrared , Spectrophotometry, UltravioletABSTRACT
A new seco-labdane-type diterpenoid, chapecoderin A (1), and two new rearranged labdane-type diterpenoids, chapecoderins B (2) and C (3), were isolated from the leaves of the Brazilian medicinal plant Echinodorus macrophyllus ("Chapéu-de-couro"), and their structures and relative stereochemistry were elucidated by spectroscopic data. Chapecoderins A-C (1-3) possess in common an alpha,beta-unsaturated gamma-lactone ring in the side chain.
Subject(s)
Plants, Medicinal/chemistry , Molecular Structure , Spectrum AnalysisABSTRACT
A selective potent anti-Helicobacter pylori isoflavone was isolated from a Brazilian Medicinal Plant, Myroxylon peruiferum. The isolation bioassay-guided and the characterization of an active anti-H. pylori constituent was performed using the methanol extract of plant of minute amount. The active compound was identified as cabreuvin (1), an isoflavone derivative. The structure-activity relationships of several related compounds were also investigated.
Subject(s)
Anti-Bacterial Agents/chemical synthesis , Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Helicobacter pylori/drug effects , Isoflavones/analysis , Plants, Medicinal/chemistry , Isoflavones/pharmacology , Structure-Activity RelationshipABSTRACT
Flavonoids, triterpenoids, and steroids were isolated from the leaves of Leucoseptrum stellipillum (MIQ). Kitamura et Murata and identified as apigenin, luteolin, chrysoeriol, ursolic acid, pomolic acid, tormentic acid, beta-sitosterol, and beta-sitosterol glucoside by comparison of their spectral data with those of authentic specimens. Among these compounds, the triterpenoids showed significant antibacterial activities against Streptococcus mutans.