Antitumor evaluation and multiple analysis on different extracted fractions of the root of Cynanchum auriculatum Royle ex Wight.

The root of Cynanchum auriculatum (C. auriculatum) Royle ex Wight has been shown to possess various pharmacological effects and has recently attracted much attention with respect to its potential role in antitumor activity. The C-21 steroidal glycosides are commonly accepted as the major active ingredients of C. auriculatum. In this study, the antitumor abilities of different extracted fractions of the root bark and the root tuber of C. auriculatum were investigated by using a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay in human cancer cell lines HepG2 and SMMC-7721. The results showed that the chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions of the root tuber suppressed tumor cell growth strongly. To identify and characterize the chemical constituents of different active fractions, an ultra high performance liquid chromatography with triple-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry method was developed for the simultaneous quantitation of eight C-21 steroidal glycosides. The analysis revealed that the C-21 steroidal glycosides were concentrated in the chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions, and the total contents of different fractions in the root tuber were significantly higher than those of corresponding ones in the root bark. Furthermore, the C-21 steroidal glycosides based on different types of aglucones were prone in different medicinal parts of C. auriculatum.

[Studies on the chemical constituents in fruits of Acanthopanax gracilistylus].

OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents in the fruits of Acanthopanax gracilistylus. METHODS: The chemical components were isolated and purified by silica gel, ODS C-18, and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatogram. The chemical structures were elucidated on the basis of physicochemical properties and spectral data. RESULTS: Ten compounds were isolated and identified as acankoreoside D(1), 3alpha, 11alpha-dihydroxylup-20(29)-en-28-oic acid(2), 3/3-([O-beta-D-glucopyranuronosyl] oxy) -olean-12-ene-28-olc acid (3),3beta-([O-beta-D-glucopyranuronosyl]oxy)-28-O-P3-D-glucopyranosyl-olean-12-ene-28-olc acid(4),oleanolic acid-3-O-6'-O-methyl-beta-D-glucuronopyranoside(5), acantrifoside A(6), acankoreoside A(7), (-)-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid(8), protocatechuic acid (9),beta-sitosterol(10). CONCLUSION: Compounds 2-5 are obtained from the fruits of the plant for the first time.

[Detection of hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids in Ligularia Cass. with LC/MSn].

AIM: To detect the hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (HPA) in the genus Ligularia Cass.. METHODS: The alkaloid extracts of Ligularia plant materials were detected and analyzed by the method of combination of TLC, and LC/MSn. RESULTS: Among 22 species of Ligularia Cass., HPA were detected in 18 species with LC/MSn, and no HPA was detected in the remaining 4 species. CONCLUSION: HPA was first detected with LC/MSn in L. tongelensis and other 15 species of Ligularia Cass.; HPA from these plants should be isolated, separated and identified and it is necessary to study the activities and toxicities of the HPA. The types and kinds of HPA from different species and sources are different, they should be detected separately.