Triptolide induces apoptosis in endometrial cancer via a p53­independent mitochondrial pathway.

Triptolide (TP), the primary active component purified from the traditional Chinese herbal medicine Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. F (TWHF), has been shown to possess antitumor activity in several types of solid tumors. In the present study, we investigated the antitumor effect of TP in human endometrial cancer cells (HEC-1B) and elucidated its possible underlying mechanisms. HEC-1B cells were treated with various doses of TP (10, 20, 40, 80, 160 and 320 nM), and the cell viability was assessed by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and flow cytometric analysis. Results indicated that TP inhibited the proliferation of HEC-1B cells in a dose- and time­dependent manner. To further investigate its mechanisms, the levels of apoptosis and the changes in caspase-3/9 expression in HEC-1B cells by pretreatment with z-VAD-fmk, a pan-caspase inhibitor, were detected by CCK-8 and western blotting. The cytotoxic effects of TP were significantly inhibited by z-VAD­fmk. At the molecular level, TP did not effectively activate the p53 signaling pathway, but upregulated caspase-3/9 and downregulated bcl-2 without changing the bax level. Our studies revealed that TP has an effect on the apoptotic ability of endometrial cancer cells via a p53-independent mitochondrial pathway, presenting a novel strategy to evade drug resistance in tumorigenesis. The ability of TP to be a potential chemotherapeutic agent for endometrial cancer should be considered.

A new xanthone from Halenia elliptica D. Don.

A new xanthone, 1,5-dihydroxy-2,3,4-trimethoxyxanthone (1), together with 15 known compounds (2-16), was isolated from an ethanolic extract of Halenia elliptica D. Don. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods. Among the known compounds, the (13)C NMR spectroscopic data of 2,3,4,5-tetramethoxyxanthone-1-O-gentiobioside (2) were reported for the first time.

A comparative study on the individual and combined effects of baicalin and jasminoidin on focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.

To compare the individual effects of baicalin and jasminoidin with the combined effect of them on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury, and test whether the combined administration of baicalin and jasminoidin can improve the therapeutic effect. Male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent focal cerebral ischemia for 1.5 h and reperfusion for 24 h. Just before reperfusion, tested drugs (baicalin, jasminoidin, a drug combination consisting of baicalin and jasminoidin, or nimodipine) were intravenously treated. Diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), behavior examination, 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining, histological examination, and real-time PCR for BDNF and caspase-3 were performed. All of the drug treatments could significantly ameliorate the results of TTC and histological examination, and the baicalin/jasminoidin combination did so most prominently. This combination could also significantly ameliorate DWI of MRI and behavior examination results, and promote the expression of BDNF and inhibit the expression of caspase-3. On the whole, both baicalin and jasminoidin have a preventive effect against ischemic stroke, although their effects are not very strong. However, the combination of baicalin and jasminoidin can significantly improve their effectiveness. This may be related to its better regulation on the BDNF and caspase-3.

[Studies on the chemical constituents from Caragana intermedia].

OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents from Caragana intermedia. METHODS: The compounds were separated by chromatography methods. Their structures were identified by spectral analysis. RESULTS: Eight compounds were isolated and identified as 7,5'-dihydroxy-3 '-methoxyisoflavone-7-O-beta-D-glucoside (1), isorhamnetin 7-O-alpha-L-rhamnoside (2), 3, 4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (3), N-trans-caffeoyltyramine (4), D-3-O-methyl-inositol (5),7alpha-hydroxy-beta-sitosterol (6),7beta-hydroxy-beta-sitosterol (7) and stearic acid (8). CONCLUSION: All these compounds were obtained from this plant for the first time.

[Studies on flavonoid constituents of Caragana intermediia].

AIM: To study the chemical constituents of Caragana intermedia. METHODS: The compounds were separated by chromatography methods, their structures were identified by spectral analysis. RESULTS: Ten compounds were isolated and identified as 5,7,4'-trihydroxy-3,3'-dimethoxyflavone (1), 3,5,7,8,4'-pentahydroxy-3'-methoxyflavone(2), puercetin(3), limocitrin(4), 5,7,3',4'-tetrahydroxy-3-methoxyflavone(5), 7,3',5'-trihydroxyflavanone(6), 5,7,3',4'-tetrahydroxy-3,8-dimethoxyflavone(7), butein(8), liquiritigenin(9) and 5,7,4'-trihydroxy-3,8-dimethoxyflavone(10). CONCLUSION: Compound 6 is a new compound and the others were obtained from this plant for the first time.