Vicatia thibetica de Boiss: Botany, Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry, Quantitative Analysis, and Pharmacology.

BACKGROUND: Vicatia thibetica de Boiss is a common Tibetan medicine used for both medicine and food, belonging to the family Apiaceae. This plant has the functions of dispelling wind, removing dampness, dispersing cold, and relieving pain. It has great development potential and application prospects in food development and medicinal value. METHODS: The related references on botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, quantitative analysis, and pharmacology of V. thibetica de Boiss had been retrieved from both online and offline databases, including PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Elsevier, Willy, SpringLink, SciFinder, Google Scholar, Baidu Scholar, ACS publications, SciHub, Scopus, and CNKI. RESULTS: V. thibetica de Boiss exerts nourishing, appetizing, and digestive effects according to the theory of Tibetan medicine. Phytochemical reports have revealed that V. thibetica de Boiss contains flavonoids, coumarins, sterols, and organic acids. Meanwhile, the quantitative analysis of the chemical constituents of V. thibetica de Boiss has been done by means of UPLC-Q-TOF-MS. It has also been found that V. thibetica de Boiss possesses multiple pharmacological activities, including anti-fatigue, anti-oxidant, anti-aging, and non-toxic activities. CONCLUSION: This paper has comprehensively summarized botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, quantitative analysis, and pharmacology of V. thibetica de Boiss. It will not only provide an important clue for further studying V. thibetica de Boiss, but also offer an important theoretical basis and valuable reference for in-depth research and exploitation of this plant in the future.

Hippophae rhamnoides L.: A Comprehensive Review on the Botany, Traditional Uses, Phytonutrients, Health Benefits, Quality Markers, and Applications.

Hippophae rhamnoides L. (sea buckthorn), consumed as a food and health supplement worldwide, has rich nutritional and medicinal properties. Different parts of H. rhamnoides L. were used in traditional Chinese medicines for relieving cough, aiding digestion, invigorating blood circulation, and alleviating pain since ancient times. Phytochemical studies revealed a wide variety of phytonutrients, including nutritional components (proteins, minerals, vitamins, etc.) and functional components like flavonoids (1-99), lignans (100-143), volatile oils (144-207), tannins (208-230), terpenoids (231-260), steroids (261-270), organic acids (271-297), and alkaloids (298-305). The pharmacological studies revealed that some crude extracts or compounds of H. rhamnoides L. demonstrated various health benefits, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, anticardiovascular disease, anticancer, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, neuroprotective, antibacterial activities, and their effective doses and experimental models were summarized and analyzed in this paper. The quality markers (Q-markers) of H. rhamnoides L. were predicted and analyzed based on protobotanical phylogeny, traditional medicinal properties, expanded efficacy, pharmacokinetics and metabolism, and component testability. The applications of H. rhamnoides L. in juice, wine, oil, ferment, and yogurt were also summarized and future prospects were examined in this review. However, the mechanism and structure-activity relationship of some active compounds are not clear, and quality control and potential toxicity are worth further study in the future.

Structurally diverse Monascus pigments with hypolipidemic and hepatoprotective activities from highland barley Monascus.

Highland barley Monascus has historically been used in solid state fermentation and traditional fermented foods in Tibet. It is possessed of the characteristics of medicine and food. Three new 8,13-unsaturated benzocyclodiketone-conjugated Monascus pigments (1-3), three new benzofuran Monascus pigments (4-6), three new butylated malonyl Monascus pigments (7-9), and eleven known Monascus pigment derivatives (10-20) were isolated from highland barley Monascus for the first time. Their structures were determined by analyzing NMR, MS, UV, and IR spectral data and compared with relevant references. Among them, compounds 2, 4, 6 showed important inhibition of pancreatic lipase activity, and decreased significantly FFA-induced lipid accumulation in HepG2 liver cells. Additionally, compounds 1, 10, 14, 16, 18 exhibited certain hepatoprotective activities against the damage in acetaminophen-induced HepG2 cells. The plausible biogenetic pathway and preliminary structure activity relationship of the selected compounds were scientifically summarized and discussed in this work.

Structurally diverse biflavonoids from the fruits of Citrus medica L. var. sarcodactylis Swingle and their hypolipidemic and immunosuppressive activities.

The fruit of Citrus medica L. var. sarcodactylis Swingle is not only used as a traditional medicinal plant, but also served as a delicious food. Six new (3'→7″)-biflavonoids (1-6), and twelve known biflavonoid derivatives (7-18) were isolated and characterized from the fruits of C. medica L. var. sarcodactylis Swingle for the first time. Their structures were determined by extensive and comprehensive analyzing NMR, HR-ESI-MS, UV, and IR spectral data coupled with the data described in the literature. Compounds (1-18) were evaluated for their hypolipidemic activities with Orlistat as the positive control, and assayed for their immunosuppressive activities with Dexamethasone as the positive control, respectively. Among them, compounds (1-3) exhibited moderate inhibition of pancreatic lipase activity by inhibiting 68.56 ± 1.40%, 56.18 ± 1.57%, 53.51 ± 1.59% of pancreatic lipase activities at the concentration of 100 µM, respectively. Compounds (4-6) and 8 showed potent immunosuppressive activities with the IC50 values from 16.83 ± 1.32 to 50.90 ± 1.79 µM. The plausible biogenetic pathway and preliminary structure activity relationship of the selected compounds were scientifically summarized and discussed in this study.

[Studies on phenylpropanoids from Eleocharis dulcis and their hepatoprotective activities].

To study phenylpropanoids from Eleocharis dulcis and their hepatoprotective activities. The compounds were separated and purified from ethyl acetate part by conventional column chromatography and preparative liquid chromatography, and their structures were identified by various spectral techniques. The HL-7702 cells damage model of hepatocytes induced by APAP was used to screen and evaluate the hepatoprotective activities of these compounds. Sixteen compounds were isolated from ethyl acetate part of E. dulcis, and their structures were identified as 6'-(4″-hydroxy-3″-methoxy-phenylpropenyl)-1-(10-methoxy-phenylacetone)-1'-O-ß-D-glucopy-ranoside(1), susaroyside A(2), clausenaglycoside B(3), clausenaglycoside C(4), clausenaglycoside D(5), emarginone A(6), emarginone B(7), thoreliin B(8), 4-O-(1',3'-dihydroxypropan-2'-yl)-dihydroconiferyl alcohol 9-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside(9), 2-[4-(3-methoxy-1-propenyl)-2-methoxy-phenoxy]-propane-1,3-diol(10), 6'-O-(E-cinnamoyl)-coniferin(11), methyl 3-(2-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-3,4,5,6-tetramethoxyphenyl) propanoate(12), clausenaglycoside A(13), 9-O-(E-cinnamoyl)-coniferin(14), 6'-O-(E-cinnamoyl)-syringin(15), 2'-O-(E-cinnamoyl)-syringin(16). Among them, compound 1 was a new compound. Compounds 2-16 were isolated from this plant for the first time. Among them, compounds 2 and 8 showed certain hepatoprotective activities.

Structurally diverse coumarin-homoisoflavonoid derivatives with hepatoprotective activities from the fruits of Cucumis bisexualis.

Cucumis bisexualis is a favorite wild fruit with high nutritional and medicinal values because of its bioactive constituents. Four previously undescribed coumarin-homoisoflavonoid derivatives (1-4), together with seven known coumarin and homoisoflavonoid derivatives (5-11) were isolated from the fruits of C. bisexualis for the first time. All the compounds were elucidated by their extensive and comprehensive spectroscopic data and references. Compounds (1-11) were evaluated for their hepatoprotective activities in HepG2 cells by the acetaminophen (APAP)-induced damage model at 10.0 µM with bicyclol as the positive control. Among them, compounds 1, 3, 5, and 6 showed moderately hepatoprotective activities to improve the HepG2 cell survival rates from 51.68 ± 2.49% (APAP, 10 mM) to 71.55 ± 4.08%, 65.95 ± 4.39%, 60.77 ± 3.44%, 62.94 ± 2.30%, respectively.

Tropolone derivatives with hepatoprotective and antiproliferative activities from the aerial parts of Chenopodium album Linn.

Chenopodium album Linn is used as the traditional Chinese medicine for treating cough, anorexia, piles, dysentery, diarrhea, and kills small worms in China. Nine new tropolones (1-9), and fourteen known tropolone derivatives (10-23) were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic data analysis and references from C. album Linn for the first time. Compounds (1-4) and compounds (13-14) displayed notably hepatoprotective activities in intro for lowering AST levels (19.63 ± 2.34 to 29.87 ± 1.27 U•L-1) and ALT levels (15.21 ± 1.18 to 20.29 ± 2.11 U•L-1) in HepG2 cells treated with H2O2. Compounds (8-9) and compounds (15-17) exhibited moderate antiproliferative activities in vitro against the human tumor cell lines with IC50 values ranging from 0.5 ± 0.2 to 15.5 ± 2.7 µM. A preliminary structure activity relationship was summarized and discussed scientifically, which provided new clues to design novel hepatoprotective and antiproliferative drugs based on the tropolone derivatives.

Structurally Diverse Flavonolignans with Immunosuppressive and Neuroprotective Activities from the Fruits of Hippophae rhamnoides L.

The fruit of Hippophae rhamnoides L. has been used for centuries in Europe and Asia as a food with high nutritional and medicinal values. In this study, a bioactivity-guided phytochemical investigation of H. rhamnoides L. has resulted in four new dimethylallylated flavonolignans (1-4), four new isopropylpentenone-flavonolignan heterodimers (5-8), two new geranylated flavonolignans (9 and 10), and 14 known flavonolignan derivatives (11-24); they were elucidated by their spectrometric and spectroscopic methods, including HR-ESI-MS, NMR, IR, and UV from the fruit of H. rhamnoides L. for the first time. Among them, compounds 2, 5, 6, 20, and 21 showed potent immunosuppressive activities with IC50 values from 19.42 ± 3.91 to 48.05 ± 12.56 µM. Meanwhile, compounds 1, 4, 11, 12, and 13 showed moderate neuroprotective activities, which increased the cell survival rate from 50.30 ± 4.24% for the model group to 71.63 ± 3.04%, 70.02 ± 4.13%, 61.53 ± 5.93%, 61.08 ± 3.58%, and 65.68 ± 4.88% at 10 µM, respectively. The hypothetical biogenetic pathway and preliminary structure-activity relationship were found and discussed scientifically.

Identification of benzisoquinolinone derivatives with cytotoxicities from the leaves of Portulaca oleracea.

Three new benzisoquinolinones (1-3), together with seven known benzisoquinolinone derivatives (4-10), were isolated from Portulaca oleracea for the first time. The structures of the isolated compounds (1-10) had been elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic methods including ultraviolet, infrared, mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance techniques and by comparison with data reported in the references. All isolated compounds were assayed for cytotoxicities against selected human lines in vitro by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide assay. Compounds 1, 2, 4, and 7 showed important cytotoxicities against HCT116, MCF-7, U87, and A549 cell lines with IC50 values in the range of 11.62-84.45 µM, which compared with positive control doxorubicin.

Molecular Characterization and Bioactivity of Coumarin Derivatives from the Fruits of Cucumis bisexualis.

Cucumis bisexualis (Cucurbitaceae) is known as "mapao egg" or "muskmelon egg", which has been widely used as a wild melon in Chinese folk. Nine new coumarin derivatives (1-9), named 7-hydroxy-3-(4',6'-dihydroxy-5'-isopropyl-3″,3″-dimethyl-2 H-chromen)-6-prenyl-2 H-chro-men-2-one (1), 7-hydroxy-3-(5'-prenyl-3″,3″-dimethyl-2 H-chromen)-6-prenyl-2 H-chromen-2-one (2), 3-(6'-hydroxy-5'-prenyl-3″,3″-dimethyl-2 H-chromen)-6-prenyl-2 H-chromen-2-one (3), 3-(5'-ethyl-3″,3″-dimethyl-2 H-chromen)-6-prenyl-2 H-chromen-2-one (4), 3-(4',6'-dihydroxy-5'-dimeth-ylallyl-3″,3″-dimethyl-2 H-chromen)-6-prenyl-2 H-chromen-2-one (5), 3-[4',6'-dihydroxy-5'-(2-pro-penyl)-3″,3″-dimethyl-2 H-chromen]-14,15-dimethyl-pyrano-chromen-2-one (6), 3-(6'-dihydroxy-5'-isopropanol-3″,3″-dimethyl-2 H-chromen)-14,15-dimethyl-pyrano-chromen-2-one (7), 3-(5'-iso-pentenol-3″,3″-dimethyl-2 H-chromen)-14,15-dimethyl-pyrano-chromen-2-one (8), 3-(4',6'-dihydr-oxy-5'-prenyl-3″,3″-dimethyl-2 H-chromen)-14,15-dimethyl-pyrano-chromen-2-one (9), together with 12 known compounds (10-21), were isolated and identified by spectroscopic analysis and references from the active site (EtOAc soluble fraction) of the fruits of C. bisexualis for the first time. Compounds (1-21) were evaluated for antiacetylcholinesterase (AChE) and hepatoprotective activities for the first time. Compounds 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, and 9 showed anti-AChE activities with IC50 values ranging from 11.23 to 89.69 µM, and compounds 2, 4, 12, 15, 17, 18, and 19 (10 µM) exhibited moderate hepatoprotective activities. These findings shed much light on a better understanding of the anti-AChE and hepatoprotective effects of these coumarin derivatives and provided new insights into developing better anti-AChE and hepatoprotective drugs in the future.

Characterization of Chalcones from Medicago sativa L. and Their Hypolipidemic and Antiangiogenic Activities.

Medicago sativa L. is the most important cultivated herbage, known as "the king of forage" and "feed queen", in the world. A total of 8 new chalcones (1-8), and 12 known chalcones (9-20) were isolated from the aerial parts of M. sativa for the first time. Their structures were identified by extensive spectral data and references. The hypolipidemic and antiangiogenic activities of compounds (1-20) were evaluated for the first time. Compounds 3, 4, 11, 12, and 20 (10 µM) exhibited significant hypolipidemic activities by measuring the triglyceride content in HepG2 cells, with simvastatin as the positive control. Moreover, compounds 6, 8, 18, and 19 exhibited moderate antiangiogenic activities, which inhibited vascular-endothelial-growth-factor-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cell proliferation in vitro, with IC50 values of 13.86 ± 0.43, 15.53 ± 0.19, 39.52 ± 0.24, and 45.04 ± 0.51 µM, respectively. These research results may guide the search for new natural products with hypolipidemic and antiangiogenic attributes.

Alkenes with antioxidative activities from Murraya koenigii (L.) Spreng.

Four new alkenes (1-4), and six known alkenes (5-12) were isolated from Murraya koenigii (L.) Spreng. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analyses and references. Compounds (1-12) were evaluated for antioxidative activities. Among them, compounds 1, 2, 4, and 7 exhibited significant antioxidative activities using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay with IC50=21.4-49.5 µM. The known compounds (5-12) were isolated from this plant for the first time.

[Studies on flavonoids from Cirsium setosum].

To investigate the chemical constituents of ethyl acetate from Cirsium setosum, fifteen flavonoids were obtained by column chromatography on silica gel, MCI, Sephadex LH-20, and preparative HPLC. Their structures were identified as 4',5,6-trihydroxy-7-methoxyflavone(1), 4',5-dihydroxy-7,8-dimethoxyflavone(2), sorbifolin-6-O-ß-glucopyranoside(3), kaempferol-7-O-α-L-rhamnoside(4), kaempferol(5), quercetin-3-O-ß-D-glucosyl-7-O-α-L-rhamnoside(6), myricetin(7), myricetin-3-O-ß-D-glucoside(8), 5,7- dihydroxy -3',4'- dimethoxyflavone(9), 3',4',5- trihydroxy-3,7-dimethoxyflavone(10), 3',3,4',5-tetrahydroxy-7-methoxyflavone(11), 3'-hydroxy-4',5,7-trimethoxyflavone(12), 7-hydroxy-3',4',5-trimethoxyflavone(13), 4',5-dihydroxy-2',3',7,8-tetramethoxylflavone(14), and 5-hydroxy-2',3',7,8-tetramethoxylflavone(15) by spectroscopic data analysis. All compounds were isolated from this plant for the first time.Compounds(1-15) were evaluated for their hypoglycemic activities by PTP1B enzyme model. Among them, compounds 2, 12, and 14 showed significant PTP1B inhibitory activities with IC50 values of 2.54, 1.85, 2.11 µmol•L⁻¹, respectively.