[Chemical constituents from stems and leaves of Cratoxylum cochinchinense and their inhibitory effects on proliferation of synoviocytes in vitro].

The chemical constituents from the stems and leaves of Cratoxylum cochinchinense were isolated and purified using silica gel, ODS gel, and Sephadex LH-20 gel column chromatography, as well as preparative HPLC. The chemical structures of all isolated compounds were identified on the basis of their physicochemical properties, spectroscopic analyses, and the comparison of their physicochemical and spectroscopic data with the reported data in literature. As a result, 21 compounds were isolated from the 90% ethanol extract of the stems and leaves of C. cochinchinense, which were identified as cratocochine(1), 1-hydroxy-3,7-dimethoxyxanthone(2), 1-hydroxy-5,6,7-trimethoxyxanthone(3), ferrxanthone(4), 3,6-dihydroxy-1,5-dimethoxyxanthone(5), 3,6-dihydroxy-1,7-dimethoxyxanthone(6), 1,2,5-trihydroxy-6,8-dimethoxyxanthone(7), securixanthone G(8), gentisein(9), 3,7-dihydroxy-1-methoxyxanthone(10), pancixanthone B(11), garcimangosxanthone A(12), pruniflorone L(13), 9-hydroxy alabaxanthone(14), cochinchinone A(15), luteolin(16), 3,5'-dimethoxy-4',7-epoxy-8,3'-neolignane-5,9,9'-triol(17), N-benzyl-9-oxo-10E,12E-octadecadienamide(18), 15-hydroxy-7,13E-labdadiene(19), stigmasta-4,22-dien-3-one(20), and stigmast-5-en-3ß-ol(21). Among these isolates, compound 1 was a new xanthone, compounds 2-5, 7, 8, 12, and 16-21 were isolated from the Cratoxylum plant for the first time, and compounds 11 and 13 were obtained from C. cochinchinense for the first time. Furthermore, all isolated compounds 1-21 were appraised for their anti-rheumatoid arthritis activities by MTS method through measuring their anti-proliferative effect on synoviocytes in vitro. As a result, xanthones 1-15 displayed notable anti-rheumatoid arthritis activities, which showed inhibitory effects on the proliferation of MH7A synoviocytes with the IC_(50) values ranging from(8.98±0.12) to(228.68±0.32) µmol·L~(-1).

Garcinia mangostana L. fruits and derived food supplements: Identification and quantitative determination of bioactive xanthones by NMR analysis.

Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.), known as "the queen of fruits", is one of the most praised tropical fruit due to its delicious taste. In the last years, the use of mangosteen in functional products has been increasing, mainly in food beverages and nutraceutical formulations due to its biological activities related to the content of xanthones. The quantitative Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (qNMR) analysis, a rapid and accurate method used for simultaneous quantification of plant metabolites, was here employed to determine the amount of bioactive xanthones in the extracts of G. mangostana arils and shells obtained by using solvent of increasing polarity along with ''eco-friendly'' solvents like ethanol and ethanol-water. Furthermore, the content of xanthones was compared with that occurring in four selected commercial food supplements, among which tablets and capsules, and two fruit juices, based on mangosteen. Quantitative results highlighted a significant variability: the extracts of the shells displayed a higher amount of bioactive xanthones than those of the arils, in particular, of γ-mangostin and α-mangostin, while ß-mangostin, demethylcalabaxanthone, mangostanin, 8-deoxygartanin occurred in higher amounts in arils. A certain variability in the amount of biologically active xanthones (i.e. α-mangostin and γ-mangostin) could be observed in commercial food supplements.

Extraction of Tropical Fruit Peels and Development of HPMC Film Containing the Extracts as an Active Antibacterial Packaging Material.

In recent years, instead of the use of chemical substances, alternative substances, especially plant extracts, have been characterized for an active packaging of antibacterial elements. In this study, the peels of mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana), rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum), and mango (Mangifera indica) were extracted to obtain bioactive compound by microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and maceration with water, ethanol 95% and water-ethanol (40:60%). All extracts contained phenolics and flavonoids. However, mangosteen peel extracted by MAE and maceration with water/ethanol (MT-MAE-W/E and MT-Ma-W/E, respectively) contained higher phenolic and flavonoid contents, and exhibited greater antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Thus, both extracts were analyzed by liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometer (LC-MS) analysis, α-mangostin conferring antibacterial property was found in both extracts. The MT-MAE-W/E and MT-Ma-W/E films exhibited 30.22 ± 2.14 and 30.60 ± 2.83 mm of growth inhibition zones against S. aureus and 26.50 ± 1.60 and 26.93 ± 3.92 mm of growth inhibition zones against E. coli. These clear zones were wider than its crude extract approximately 3 times, possibly because the film formulation enhanced antibacterial activity with sustained release of active compound. Thus, the mangosteen extracts have potential to be used as an antibacterial compound in active packaging.

An integrated approach for the valorization of mango seed kernel: Efficient extraction solvent selection, phytochemical profiling and antiproliferative activity assessment.

A novel valorization strategy is proposed in this work for the sustainable utilization of a major mango processing waste (i.e. mango seed kernel, MSK), integrating green pressurized-liquid extraction (PLE), bioactive assays and comprehensive HRMS-based phytochemical characterization to obtain bioactive-rich fractions with high antioxidant capacity and antiproliferative activity against human colon cancer cells. Thus, a two steps PLE procedure was proposed to recover first the non-polar fraction (fatty acids and lipids) and second the polar fraction (polyphenols). Efficient selection of the most suitable solvent for the second PLE step (ethanol/ethyl acetate mixture) was based on the Hansen solubility parameters (HSP) approach. A comprehensive GC- and LC-Q-TOF-MS/MS profiling analysis allowed the complete characterization of the lipidic and phenolic fractions obtained under optimal condition (100% EtOH at 150 °C), demonstrating the abundance of oleic and stearic acids, as well as bioactive xanthones, phenolic acids, flavonoids, gallate derivatives and gallotannins. The obtained MSK-extract exhibited higher antiproliferative activity against human colon adenocarcinoma cell line HT-29 compared to traditional extraction procedures described in literature for MSK utilization (e.g. Soxhlet), demonstrating the great potential of the proposed valorization strategy as a valuable opportunity for mango processing industry to deliver a value-added product to the market with health promoting properties.

Chemical fingerprint analysis and metabolic profiling of 50% ethanol fraction of Lomatogonium rotatum by ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry.

Lomatogonium rotatum (L.) Fries ex Nym (L. rotatum), a member of Gentianaceae, is an important mongolian medicine in China used to treat febrile diseases in liver and gallbladder. The aim of present study was to investigate the chemical constituents and metabolites of the 50% ethanol fraction of L. rotatum (50EtLR). Firstly, the extract of L. rotatum was partitioned by macroporous resin to obtain the target fraction (50EtLR), then several compounds were isolated from 50EtLR to obtained the standards for further analysis of chemical constituents of 50EtLR. Secondly, the chemical constituents of 50EtLR were characterized using the ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS). Finally, prototype constituents and related metabolites were analyzed after orally administerng 50EtLR to rats. As a result, a new compound, 6-O-[ß-d-xylopyranosyl-(1 → 6)-O-ß-d-glucopyranosyl]-1,4,8-trimethoxyxanthone (6) along with seven known compounds (1-5, 7 and 8) were isolated from the 50EtLR, 92 components were either unambiguously or tentatively identified. Additionally, 34 prototype constituents and 112 metabolites in rat plasma along with 32 prototype constituents and 53 metabolites in rat liver were tentatively identified. Therefore, xanthones and flavonoids were the main chemical constituents of 50EtLR and sulfation and glucuronidation are the main enzyme-induced metabolic pathways involved post-administration.

Mangifera indica L. Leaf Extract Induces Adiponectin and Regulates Adipogenesis.

Natural bioactive compounds may be used in obese patients because of their ability to impact on various key mechanisms involved in the complex pathophysiological mechanisms of such condition. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a Mangifera indica L. leaf extract (MLE) on adipogenic differentiation of murine preadipocyte cells. 3T3-L1 cells were treated during their differentiation with various concentrations of (Mangifera indica L.) leaves extract (MLE) (750, 380, 150, 75 and 35 µg) in order to assess their lipid content, adiponectin production, expression profile of genes involved in lipid metabolism, oxidative stress and inflammation. Our results showed that MLE was particularly enriched in polyphenols (46.30 ± 0.083 mg/g) and that pharmacological treatment of cells resulted in a significant increase of adiponectin levels and reduction of intracellular lipid content. Consistently with these results, MLE resulted in a significant decrease of the expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism (FAS, PPARG, DGAT1, DGAT2, and SCD-1). In conclusion, our results suggest that MLE may represent a possible pharmacological tool for obese or metabolic syndrome patients.

Membrane selection and optimisation of tangential flow ultrafiltration of Cyclopia genistoides extract for benzophenone and xanthone enrichment.

Ultrafiltration of Cyclopia genistoides extract was optimised to increase its benzophenone and xanthone content as quantified using HPLC-DAD. Regenerated cellulose (RC) and polyethersulphone membranes with molecular weight cut-offs of 10 and 30 kDa were evaluated in terms of compound enrichment, permeate flux and permeate yield, using dead-end ultrafiltration. Compound enrichment was subsequently optimised using the 10 kDa RC membrane and tangential flow ultrafiltration (TFU). The effect of extract composition on compound enrichment, due to natural variation in the source material, was assessed using extracts from different batches of plant material (n = 11). Transmembrane pressure and feed flow rate affected (p < 0.05) process efficiency (mean permeate flux, compound enrichment and membrane fouling). TFU achieved ≥20% enrichment of the target compounds, proving its suitability for preparation of a nutraceutical extract of C. genistoides.

Tissue distribution study of mangiferin after intragastric administration of mangiferin monomer, Rhizoma Anemarrhenae, and Rhizoma Anemarrhenae-Phellodendron decoctions in normal or type 2 diabetic rats by LC-MS/MS.

A simple, accurate, and reliable liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed and validated for the determination of mangiferin in rat plasma and tissue homogenates using rutin as an internal standard (IS). Chromatographic separation was achieved on a Shiseido CAPCELL PAK C18 column (150 × 2.0 mm, 5 µm) using a gradient elution of 1% acetic acid in water and methanol at a flow rate of 300 µL·min-1. Quantification was performed on an API 4000+ triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer equipped with a turbo electrospray ionization (ESI) source in positive ion multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. Selected ion monitoring transitions of 423.1 → 273.1 and 611.4 → 303.3 were chosen to quantify mangiferin and IS. Biological samples were pretreated via protein precipitation with acetonitrile-acetic acid. The standard calibration curves were above the ranges of 2 to 500 ng·mL-1 and 5 to 2000 ng·mL-1 for tissues, and 1 to 600 ng·mL-1 for plasma. All calibration curves for tissue and plasma samples showed good linearity (r ≥ 0.9974) over the concentration ranges. Intra- and inter-day precisions were <14.0%, and accuracy ranged from 97.2% to 111.7%. The established method was successfully applied on mangiferin tissue distribution following the intragastric administration of mangiferin, Rhizoma Anemarrhenae (A. Rhizoma) decoction, or Rhizoma Anemarrhenae-Phellodendron (herb pair, HP) decoction under healthy or diabetic conditions. Mangiferin was detected from all the tested tissues (except for brain) after monomer administration, and the concentrations were lower compared with the decoction groups. Distributions in the HP group were lower than those in the A. Rhizoma group, but mangiferin content in pancreas was obviously higher than in other tissues and in the A. Rhizoma group. Compared with healthy rats, mangiferin distributions in pancreas and intestine were lower in diabetic rats administered with the same dose of the herb pair, but still higher than those in other tissues. In addition, distributions in liver, spleen, lung, kidney, stomach, and plasma were higher than those in the normal group.

Regulation of the levels of health promoting compounds: lupeol, mangiferin and phenolic acids in the pulp and peel of mango fruit: a review.

There is a demand for feasible methodologies that can increase/maintain the levels of health-promoting phytochemicals in horticultural produce, due to strong evidence that these compounds can reduce risk of chronic diseases. Mango (Mangifera indica L.), ranks fifth among the most cultivated fruit crops in the world, is naturally rich in phytochemicals such as lupeol, mangiferin and phenolic acids (e.g. gallic acid, chlorogenic acid and vanillic acid). Yet, there is still much scope for up-regulating the levels of these compounds in mango fruit through manipulation of different preharvest and postharvest practices that affect their biosynthesis and degradation. The process of ripening, harvest maturity, physical and chemical elicitor treatments such as low temperature stress, methyl jasmonate (MeJA), salicylic acid (SA) and nitric oxide (NO) and the availability of enzyme cofactors (Mg2+ , Mn2+ and Fe2+ ) required in terpenoid biosynthesis were identified as potential determinants of the concentration of health-promoting compounds in mango fruit. The effectiveness of these preharvest and postharvest approaches in regulating the levels of lupeol, mangiferin and phenolic acids in the pulp and peel of mango fruit will be discussed. In general spray application of 0.2% iron(II) sulphate (FeSO4 ) 30 days before harvest, harvest at sprung stage, storage of mature green fruit at 5 °C for 12 days prior to ripening, fumigation of mature green fruit with 10-5  mol L-1 and/or 10-4  mol L-1 MeJA for 24 h or 20 and/or 40 µL L-1 NO for 2 h upregulate the levels of lupeol, mangiferin and phenolic acids in pulp and peel of ripe mango fruit. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Cellular antioxidant activity and in vitro intestinal permeability of phenolic compounds from four varieties of mango bark (Mangifera indica L.).

BACKGROUND: Mango bark is an important agro-industrial residue from mango pruning. In traditional medicine, the aqueous extract from mango bark (MBE) has been used in ethnomedicine for the treatment of many diseases. However, there is scarce information using cellular models to evaluate the potential use of this plant material for human consumption. In this study, the phenolic content from the MBE from four varieties (Kent, Keitt, Ataulfo and Tommy Atkins) was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to photodiode array detector (HPLC-DAD) and liquid chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC/MS-TOF). Additionally, the cellular antioxidant activity of the MBE from the four mango varieties were compared. Finally, the intestinal permeability of the main polyphenols found in the MBE (mangiferin and gallic acid) was evaluated. RESULTS: Mangiferin and gallic acid were the main constituents in the MBE from the four mango varieties. Furthermore, the Ataulfo variety showed the highest cellular antioxidant activity (67%) at the concentration of 100 µg mL−1 . The intestinal permeability of mangiferin present in the bark extracts was 3- to 4.8-fold higher than those of mangiferin as standard, whereas the intestinal permeability of gallic acid varied among the tested extracts. CONCLUSION: MBE has the potential to exert antioxidant activity at the cellular level and can have an impact on human health. It may also be a good source for the extraction of polyphenols mainly mangiferin.

Nutraceutical compounds: Echinoids, flavonoids, xanthones and caffeine identified and quantitated in the leaves of Coffea arabica trees from three regions of Brazil.

There are relatively few studies concerning the use of coffee leaves for medicinal purposes and the composition of secondary plant substances. Therefore, we identified and quantitated polyphenolic compounds along with caffeine present in methanol extracts of Coffea arabica leaves from three different regions of Brazil (Ceará, Minas Gerais and São Paulo) by HPLC-ESI-MS. In addition, correlations between polyphenolic content of the coffee leaves and antioxidant assays DPPH, FRAP and ORAC were evaluated. Fifteen compounds belonging to three classes of polyphenols (xanthones, chlorogenic acids and flavonoids) along with the alkaloid caffeine were detected. The mean concentration of total polyphenolic compounds in the leaves of C. arabica, harvested from three different regions of Brazil was quite variable. The highest values were detected in the coffee leaves harvested in Minas Gerais (n = 4) at 40.80(13.00) g/kg (SD), followed by coffee leaves harvested in São Paulo (n = 20) at 24.79(20.19) g/kg, and the lowest in coffee leaves harvested in Ceará (n = 11) in the Northeast of Brazil at 10.30(5.61) g/kg. The three classes of polyphenols, all showed excellent correlations in the antioxidant assays. Coffee leaf tea, appears to be an excellent functional beverage, with its high content of polyphenolic compounds, which may render positive biologic effects, when inbibed as part of the normal human diet.

Anti-inflammatory activity of compounds isolated from Swertia mussotii.

Six compounds were isolated from an ethanol extract of Swertia mussotii and identified as 2-phenylethyl-ß-D-glucoside (1), amaroswerin (2), 1,3,7,8-tetrahydroxyxanthone (3), swertiamarine (4), 1,3,8-trihydroxy-5-methoxyxanthone (5) and methylswertianin (6). Compounds 1, 2 and 6 were isolated from S. mussotii for the first time. The anti-inflammatory activities of the compounds were evaluated by determining their effect on the production of NO by LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Amaroswerin was the most potent inhibitor of NO release, with an IC50 value of 5.42 µg/mL. Treatment with amaroswerin inhibited expression of iNOS at both protein and mRNA levels. Amaroswerin also dose-dependently suppressed production of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1ß and reduced expression of mRNA for these LPS-stimulated pro-inflammatory mediators. Amaroswerin thus inhibits the expression of iNOS, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1ß by downregulating transcription in LPS-induced RAW264.7 macrophage cells, indicating that amaroswerin may be a valuable therapeutic agent for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.

Evaluation of Cycloferin Supplement on Health Parameters in Experimentally Induced Diabetic Rats with and Without Exogenous Insulin.

Cycloferin is an extract of the chemicals from the Cyclopia species, which grows only in small areas in the southwest and southeast of South Africa and has been consumed traditionally as a nourishing tea to treat numerous health issues and illnesses. Previous studies report that some of the active compounds in Cycloferin, such as pinitol (a modified sugar) and mangiferin (a glucoside), may reduce blood sugar levels and therefore may be used as a treatment for diabetes. Mangiferin, in particular, has been shown to stimulate carbohydrate oxidation and alleviate some effects of insulin resistance and hyperglycemia. Other active components of Cycloferin include flavones, isoflavones, coumestans, luteolin, 4-hydroxycinnamic acid, polyphenols, and xanthones. These active compounds are antioxidants, which can enhance glucose breakdown, lower blood lipids, and reduce the number of highly reactive compounds known as free radicals, which can alter cellular structure and function when present in large amounts. In this study, we explored the ameliorative effects of Cycloferin by treating streptozotocin- (STZ) injected rats with Cycloferin and evaluating its long-term and short-term effect on blood glucose levels and kidney and liver conditions of the diabetic-rendered rats. Our results demonstrated the ability of Cycloferin to both lower the blood glucose levels and reduce evidence of damage in kidney and liver in diabetic rats with and without exogenous insulin treatment for partial control of diabetic state.

Ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled with principal component and cluster analysis of Swertia chirayita for adulteration check.

This article describes the study to standardize phytochemically and distinguish Swertia chirayita from that of possible substitution/adulteration using ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) with photodiode array detector (PDA) and chemometric tools viz. principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA). Five ecotypes of Swertia chirayita and five possible substitutions, e.g.,Swertia bimaculata (SB), Swertia chordata (SCH), Swertia ciliata (SCL), Swertia paniculata (SP), and Halenia elliptica (HE) collected from different Indian Himalayan region. Samples evaluated for 04 marker compounds- swertiamarin (SM), mangiferin (MF), gentiopicroside (GP), and sweroside (SW). Reverse phase column (Waters Acquity BEH C18, 50 mm × 2.1 mm , 1.7 µm) provided high resolution for all target analytes with binary gradient elution. The detector response was linear (concentration 2.5-125 µg/mL, R2 > 0.999). The limit of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) of targeted compounds was in the range of 1.40-2.06 and 4.57-6.27 µg/mL respectively. The combined relative standard deviation (%RSD) for intra-day and inter-day precision values were less than 2%. The recoveries study comply the method suitability. Chromatogram similarity analysis based on congruence coefficient was higher than 0.925 for the chirayita ecotypes while much lower than 0.629 for possible substitutes. HCA showed that the samples could be clustered (all 5 clusters in two-level) reasonably into different ecotypes and substitutes. HCA together with loading plots has indicated different chemical properties of all five groups. PCA results showed that the discrimination of chirayita ecotypes is because of the presence of SW while SM may have more influence on the targeted substitutes to discriminate from chirayita ecotypes. Therefore, UPLC fingerprint in association with chemometric tools provides a reliable and accurate quality assessment and detection of possible adulteration.

Rapid Characterization and Identification of Chemical Constituents in Gentiana radix before and after Wine-Processed by UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap MSn.

Gentiana radix is used in traditional Chinese medicine and has functions of clearing heat and drying dampness, as well as purging liver and gallbladder fire. A highly sensitive and effective strategy for rapid screening and identification of target constituents has been developed by using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with linear ion trap-Orbitrap mass spectrometry (UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap) in crude and wine-processed Gentiana radix. Based on the accurate mass measurement (<5 ppm), retention times, and MS fragmentation ions, 52 constituents were unambiguously or tentatively characterized from Gentiana radix, including 21 iridoids, 11 flavonoids, 19 xanthones, and a triterpenoid. This study demonstrated that the established method could be a rapid, effective analytical tool for screening and characterization of compounds in the complex systems of Gentiana radix. By comparing the structure and peak areas of chemical constituents in crude and wine-processed Gentiana radix, we found that some compounds in crude and wine-processed Gentiana radix were significantly different.

From the Front or Back Door? Quantitative analysis of direct and indirect extractions of α-mangostin from mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana).

The pulp and pericarp of mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) fruit are popular food, beverage and health products whereby 60% of the fruit consist of the pericarp. The major metabolite in the previously neglected or less economically significant part of the fruit, the pericarp, is the prenylated xanthone α-mangostin. This highly bioactive secondary metabolite is typically isolated using solvent extraction methods that involve large volumes of halogenated solvents either via direct or indirect extraction. In this study, we compared the quantities of α-mangostin extracted using three different extraction methods based on the environmentally friendly solvents methanol and ethyl acetate. The three solvent extractions methods used were direct extractions from methanol (DM) and ethyl acetate (DEA) as well as indirect extraction of ethyl acetate obtained via solvent partitioning from an initial methanol extract (IEA). Our results showed that direct extraction afforded similar and higher quantities of α-mangostin than indirect extraction (DM: 318 mg; DEA: 305 mg; IEA: 209 mg per 5 g total dried pericarp). Therefore, we suggest that the commonly used method of indirect solvent extraction using halogenated solvents for the isolation of α-mangostin is replaced by single solvent direct extraction using the environmentally friendly solvents methanol or ethyl acetate.

Determination of xanthones and flavonoids of methanol extracts obtained from different parts of the plants of three Gentianaceae species.

Gentianopsis barbata, Halenia corniculata, and Gentianella acuta were widely distributed throughout China and commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine. However, owing to similar living environments and morphological features, locals often had trouble distinguishing between these three species. In this present study, chromatograms at 350 nm were obtained and the composition and content of their chemical compounds determined using HPLC-DAD/ESI-MS2. In total, 35 chemical compounds were detected, 32 of which were identified, 25 of which were xanthones, 6 flavonoids, and 1 chlorogenic acid. The 350 nm chromatograms of these three species displayed evident differences. The individual compounds and their occurrence and content in different parts of the plant within different species were included in our results. This basic data will be useful for future pharmacological study. The total compositions of flavonoids and xanthones were approximately comparable in G. barbata and H. corniculata. Meanwhile, xanthones were predominant in G. acuta. From the perspective of chemical compound compositions, the leaf is recommended as the most valuable medicinal section for each of these three species.

Xanthones Content in Swertia multicaulis D. Don from Nepal.

The medicinal plant Swertia multicaulis D. Don was collected in Rasuwa District (Nepal) and the xanthone content of its ethyl acetate extracts was studied. The total amount of xanthones in S. multicaulis determined by HPLC reaches almost 13 g of xanthones per 1 kg of dry matter. The identification of xanthones in S. multicaulis was achieved by a combination of HPLC, LC⁻MS and LC⁻NMR. The final assignment of the individual chemical structures was provided by NMR, supported by preparative HPLC. In eight chromatographic peaks, four major xanthones were identified­1,3-dihydroxy-5,8-dimethoxyxanthone, 1-hydroxy-3,5,8-trimethoxyxanthone, bellidifolin (1,5,8-tri-hydroxy-3-methoxyxanthone), and decussatin (1-hydroxy-3,7,8-trimethoxyxanthone).

Illumination on "Reserving Phloem and Discarding Xylem" and Quality Evaluation of Radix polygalae by Determining Oligosaccharide Esters, Saponins, and Xanthones.

The root of Polygala tenuifolia Willd. or Polygala sibirica L. exhibits protective effects on the central nervous system and is frequently used to treat insomnia, amnesia, and other cognitive dysfunction. In our study, we studied nine bioactive compounds spanning oligosaccharide esters, saponins, and xanthones by using a sensitive, efficient, and validated method established on ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. The quantified result of interesting compounds proved that accumulation of those compounds were found in phloem rather than in xylem. By taking the standardized result of nine compound contents into account, the "Spider-web" analytical result of xylem and phloem from Radix polygalae (RP) unveiled the rationality of RP's classical use in clinic including discarding the xylem and reserving the phloem. Moreover, the remarkable variation was also revealed from the quantitative result of 45 samples with different diameters from the different origins, which did not significantly correlate with the variation of RP's diameter. Our study could shed the light on the quality assessment of RP for further research and illustrate the scientific connotation of the processing method of "discarding the xylem and reserving the phloem".

Botryane Sesquiterpenoids, Cyclopentadepsipeptides, Xanthones, and Trichothecenes from Trichoderma oligosporum.

Five new botryane sesquiterpenes (1: -5: ), one new cyclopentadepsipeptide (9: ), and two new xanthones (11:  - 12: ), together with 11 known compounds, were isolated from Trichoderma oligosporum. The structures of the new compounds were identified by comprehensive spectroscopic methods including nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry. The cytotoxicity of 1: -19: was evaluated against K562, A549, and ASPC cell lines. Compounds 5, 8, 11, 17: , and 18: showed cytotoxicity against the K562 cell line with more than 50% inhibition at 12.5 µM. As to A549 cell line, compound 8: showed the strongest cytotoxicity with approximately 50% inhibition at 25.0 µM. No compounds showed cytotoxicity against the ASPC cell line.