Tyrosinase inhibitors from the leaves of Eucalyptus globulus.

A new isoiphionane sesquiterpene, named (3S, 5S, 7S, 10R)-3, 11-dihydroxyisoiphion-4-one (1), two new phloroglucinol glycosides, named eucalglobuside A (2) and eucalglobuside B (3), along with 15 known compounds were isolated from the leaves of Eucalyptus globulus. Their structures were elucidated based on extensive spectroscopic analysis and in comparison with literature data. The absolute configuration of compound 1 was determined by ECD calculation. All isolates were evaluated their inhibitory activities against the mushroom tyrosinase. As a result, three sesquiterpenoids, 1, 5ß, 11-dihydroxy-iphionan-4-one (5), and (-)-globulol (8), exhibited the most potent activities with IC50 values of 14.17 µM, 10.08 µM and 9.79 µM, respectively.

Electroacupuncture at Baihui (DU20) acupoint up-regulates mRNA expression of NeuroD molecules in the brains of newborn rats suffering in utero fetal distress.

NeuroD plays a key regulatory effect on differentiation of neural stem cells into mature neurons in the brain. Thus, we assumed that electroacupuncture at Baihui (DU20) acupoint in newborn rats exposed to in utero fetal distress would influence expression of NeuroD. Electroacupuncture at Baihui was performed for 20 minutes on 3-day-old (Day 3) newborn Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to in utero fetal distress; electroacupuncture parameters consisted of sparse and dense waves at a frequency of 2-10 Hz. Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR results demonstrated that mRNA expression of NeuroD, a molecule that indicates NeuroD, increased with prolonged time in brains of newborn rats, and peaked on Day 22. The level of mRNA expression was similar between Day 16 and Day 35. These findings suggest that electro acupuncture at Baihui acupoint could effectively increase mRNA expression of molecules involved in NeuroD in the brains of newborn rats exposed to in utero fetal distress.