Quassinoids from Twigs of Harrisonia perforata (Blanco) Merr and Their Anti-Parkinson's Disease Effect.

Six new C-20 and one new C-19 quassinoids, named perforalactones F-L (1-7), were isolated from twigs of Harrisonia perforata. Spectroscopic and X-ray crystallographic experiments were conducted to identify their structures. Through oxidative degradation of perforalactone B to perforaqussin A, the biogenetic process from C-25 quassinoid to C-20 via Baeyer-Villiger oxidation was proposed. Furthermore, the study evaluated the anti-Parkinson's disease potential of these C-20 quassinoids for the first time on 6-OHDA-induced PC12 cells and a Drosophila Parkinson's disease model of PINK1B9. Perforalactones G and I (2 and 4) showed a 10-15% increase in cell viability of the model cells at 50 µM, while compounds 2 and 4 (100 µM) significantly improved the climbing ability of PINK1B9 flies and increased the dopamine level in the brains and ATP content in the thoraces of the flies.

Acetylcholinesterase inhibitory active metabolites from the endophytic fungus Colletotrichum sp. YMF432.

An endophytic fungus, Chaetomium sp. YMF432, was isolated from Huperzia serrata (Thunb. ex Murray) Trev. and subjected to phytochemical investigation based on its special environment. From the extracts of fermentation solid of strain YMF 432, eight compounds including 1-O-methylemodin (1), 5-methoxy-2-methyl-3-tricosyl-1,4-benzoquinone (2), 4,8-dihydroxy-1-tetralone (3), (3ß,5α,6α, 22E)-3-hydroxy-5,6-epoxy-7-one-8(14),22-dien-ergosta (4), ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one (5), ß-sitostenone (6), ß-sitosterol (7) and (22E,24R)-ergosta-5,7,22 -trien-3ß-ol (8) were obtained. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of their spectroscopic data. These compounds were evaluated for acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities in vitro. Compounds 1, 2, and 4 showed moderate acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities (IC50 from 37.7 ± 1.5 to 370.0 ± 2.9 µM).

New secondary metabolites from an engineering mutant of endophytic Streptomyces sp. CS.

In previous work, a series of bioactive natural products had been isolated from the plant endophytic Streptomyces sp. CS, which was isolated from Maytenus hookeri. To mine new active metabolites, we describe introducing an alien carbamoyltransferase (asm21) gene into the strain CS by conjugal transfer. As a result, three recombinatorial mutants named CS/asm21-1, CS/asm21-2 and CS/asm21-4 were successfully constructed. Three mutants and wild type CS were cultured on solid medium, and the extracts were detected and analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The LC-MS profiles showed several unknown peaks that were present in the spectra of extracts of the CS/asm21-4 cultured on oatmeal solid medium. Then, three new naphthomycins O-Q (1-3), a new macrolide hookerolide (4) as well as nine known compounds were obtained from the solid cultured medium. Their structures were identified by spectra data. These new compounds showed moderate antimicrobial activities.

Four novel antibacterial sesquiterpene-α-amino acid quaternary ammonium hybrids from the mycelium of mushroom Stereum hirsutum.

The mushroom Stereum hirsutum is parasitized by Tremella aurantia to form a heterogeneous basidiocarp Jin'er, which has been used as food and folk medicine in Chinese society. In present work, the S. hirsutum was fermented in YMG broth, and four novel mixed terpenes, stereumamides A-D (1-4), which are sesquiterpenes combined with α-amino acids to form quaternary ammonium hybrids, were isolated from the Stereum hirsutum FP-91666 and their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic data analysis. Stereumamides A and D showed antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella typhimurium, with the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 12.5-25.0 µg/mL. The stereumamides A-D should be apparently the first example of naturally occurring a quaternary ammonium compound (QAC) conjugated by sesquiterpene with an α-amino acid. QAC is a common antibacterial agent in food industry, which is found in the mycelium of Stereum hirsutum would suggest that the complex basidiocarp is a functional food and veritable folk medicine.

Four new steroids from the endophytic fungus Chaetomium sp. M453 derived of Chinese herbal medicine Huperzia serrata.

An endophytic fungus, Chaetomium sp. M453, was isolated from Huperzia serrata (Thunb. ex Murray) Trev. and subjected to phytochemical investigation. Three unusual C25 steroids, neocyclocitrinols E-G (1-3), and 3ß-hydroxy-5,9-epoxy-(22E,24R)-ergosta-7,22-dien-6-one (4) together with three known steroids were isolated from solid fermentation products of the fungus, which were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analyses, including 1D-, 2D-NMR, and HR-ESI-MS experiments. The absolute configuration of 1 was determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis and CD analyses. The acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities of compounds 1-4 were tested in vitro. Compound 4 showed weak acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity.

[Two new lactone derivatives from an endophyte Diaporthe sp. XZ-07 cultivated on Camptotheca acuminata].

To study the secondary metabolites and their cytotoxic activities of an endophytic fungus Diaporthe sp. XZ-07cultivated on Camptotheca acuminata. Colum chromatography by RP-18, Sephadex LH-20 and silica gel was used to isolate and purify the chemical constituent. Two new compounds were isolatedand identified as 5-((E)-1,4,5-trihydroxyhex-2-enyl)furan-2(5H)-one(1)and(5Z)-5-(2,3,4,5-tetrahydroxyhexylidene)furan-2(5H)-one(2)by spectroscopic analysis. Cytotoxic activities were evaluated by MTT method. Compound 1 showed strong inhibitory activity against Human cervical carcinoma cell line Hela, and compound 2 showed strong inhibitory activity against breast cancer cell line MCF-7, Human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y and Lewis lung carcinoma cells 3LL.

Diterpenoids from the Endophytic Fungus Botryosphaeria sp. P483 of the Chinese Herbal Medicine Huperzia serrata.

Two new tetranorlabdane diterpenoids, named botryosphaerins G (1) and H (2), were isolated from the solid fermentation products of Botryosphaeria sp. P483 along with seven known tetranorlabdane diterpenes (3-9). Their structures were elucidated by extensive analysis, including 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HR-ESI-MS). Their absolute configuration was confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses using the anomalous scattering of Cu Kα radiation. All of the isolated compounds were tested for activity against phytopathogenic fungi and nematodes. Compounds 2 and 3 showed antifungal activity and compound 2 showed weak nematicidal activity.

Pestalpolyols A-D, Cytotoxic Polyketides from Pestalotiopsis sp. cr013.

Four novel polyketides, named pestalpolyols A (1), B (2), C (3), and D (4), were isolated from solid fermentation products of Pestalotiopsis sp. cr013. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic methods, including 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance and high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry experiments, and the absolute configuration was confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis using the anomalous scattering of Cu Kα radiation. The inhibitory activities of compounds 1, 2, and 4 against five human tumor lines were tested in vitro, and showed IC50 values 2.3-31.2 µM.

IeCPS2 is potentially involved in the biosynthesis of pharmacologically active Isodon diterpenoids rather than gibberellin.

The traditional Chinese medicinal plant, Isodon L., is remarkably rich in pharmacologically active ent-kaurane diterpenoids of diverse carbon skeletons. In an effort to create a resource for gene discovery and elucidate the biosynthesis of Isodonent-kaurane diterpenoids, three cDNAs (named IeCPS1, IeCPS2 and IeCPS2a) were isolated putatively encoding copalyl diphosphate synthases from Isodoneriocalyx leaves. Recombinant proteins of IeCPS1 and IeCPS2 were expressed, respectively, in Escherichia coli, and were shown to specifically convert geranylgeranyl diphosphate to copalyl diphosphate as demonstrated by GC-MS analyses. Based on tissue-specific expression and metabolic localization studies, the IeCPS2 transcripts were detected in young and mature leaves where the dominant ent-kaurane diterpenoid maoecrystal B accumulates, whereas no detectable expression of IeCPS2 was observed in germinating seeds where the gibberellin biosynthetic pathway is usually active. In addition, no evidence for maoecrystal B was found in germinating seeds. On the other hand, IeCPS1 transcripts significantly accumulated in germinating seeds as well as in leaves. The biochemical and molecular genetic evidence thus indicated that IeCPS2 is a copalyl diphosphate synthase potentially involved in the biosynthesis of Isodon diterpenoids in leaves, while IeCPS1 is more probably relevant to gibberellin formation and may, in addition, participate in Isodonent-kaurane diterpenoid production.

Dolabellane diterpenoids from Aglaia odorata.

Dolabellane diterpenoids, (1R,3E,7E,10S,11S,12R)-dolabella-3,7-dien-10,18-diol (1), (1R,3S,7E,11S,12R)-dolabella-4(16),7-dien-3,18-diol (2), (1R,7E,11S,12R)-18-hydroxydolabella-4(16),7-dien-3-one (3), (1R,3S,4S,7E,11S,12R)-3,4-epoxydolabella-7-en-18-ol (4), and (1R,3R,7E,11S,12R)-dolabella-4(16),7,18-trien-3-ol (5), were obtained from the ornamental plant Aglaia odorata. Their structures were characterized on the basis of spectroscopic analyses and further confirmed by X-ray diffraction. Compounds 1 and 5 showed weak cytotoxicity against the human myeloid leukemia HL-60, hepatocellular carcinoma SMMC-7721, and lung cancer A-549 cells.

Monoterpenoid indole alkaloids from the bark of Alstonia scholaris.

Six new monoterpenoid indole alkaloids, scholarisines B-G (1- 6), together with 15 known analogues (7- 21), were isolated from the bark of Alstonia scholaris. Their structures were determined by 1D and 2D NMR spectra and MS analyses. The structure of 1 was further supported by the single-crystal X-ray.

Approach to the biosynthesis of atisine-type diterpenoid alkaloids.

To determine the biosynthesis pathway of the atisine-type diterpenoid alkaloids spiramines A/B and C/D, feeding experiments in in vitro cultured plantlets and enzymatic transformations in cell-free extracts were performed in combination with LCMS and tandem MS analyses. L-[2-(13)C,(15)N]Serine was used in the feeding experiments and enzymatic transformations, and the diterpene spiraminol was identified as a biosynthetic precursor of spiramine alkaloids. The LCMS and tandem MS spectra of the extracts from these experiments indicated that L-[2-(13)C,(15)N]serine was incorporated into spiramines A/B and C/D. The labeled reaction products show that l-serine is the one possible nitrogen source involved in the biosynthesis of atisine-type DAs.

Mixed lignan-neolignans from Tarenna attenuata.

Six new mixed lignan-neolignans and 20 known compounds were isolated from the whole plant of Tarenna attenuata. By analysis of physical and spectroscopic data, the structures of the new compounds were elucidated as (1R,5R,6R)-6-{4-O-[2-(1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl))glycerol]-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl}-3,7-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octan-2-one (1), 5' '-methoxyhedyotisol A (2), 4' '-O-(8-guaiacylglycerol)buddlenol A (3), 5' '-methoxy-4' '-O-(8-guaiacylglycerol)buddlenol A (4), 4,6-dimethoxy-5-hydroxy-3-hydroxymethyl-2-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran (5), and 7-O-ethylguaiacylglycerol (6). Compounds 1, 5, 6, and 8 showed potent antioxidant activities against H2O2-induced impairment in PC12 cells, and compounds 1, 2, 5, and 7 scavenged DPPH radical strongly with IC50 values of 72, 87, 45, and 55 microM, respectively.