Chemical constituents from Ginkgo biloba leaves and their cytotoxicity activity.

One novel neoligan glucoside, Ginkgoside B (1), and one new glucose ester, 6-O-(4-hydroxyhydrocinnamoyl)-D-glucopyranose (2), along with nine known compounds (3-11) were isolated from the ethanol extract of Ginkgo biloba leaves. Their structures were elucidated by combination of spectroscopic analyses and alkaline methanolysis. The absolute configuration of compound 1 was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. All the isolated compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxicity activities, and compound 11 exhibited IC50 values of 36.20 and 58.95 µM against 5637 and HeLa cell lines, respectively.

Triterpenoids and lignans from the fruit of Schisandra sphenanthera.

Three new (1-3) and seven known (4-10) triterpenoids, together with one new (11) and fifteen known (12-26) dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans, were isolated from the fruit of Schisandra sphenanthera Rehd. et Wils. Their structures were elucidated by extensive analysis of spectroscopic methods, including HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR spectra and CD experiments. All of the isolated triterpenoids (1-10) were evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxicities against HepG2 human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line, and compounds 1, 3-7 and 10 exhibited moderate antiproliferative effects against HepG2 cell line with IC50 ranging from 18.12 to 49.52µM. The lignans (11-26) were tested for their neuroprotective activities against CoCl2, H2O2 and Aß25-35-induced SH-SY5Y cell injuries and showed considerable neuroprotective effects of different degrees. And at the low concentration of 3.2nM, compounds 14, 17-19, 23 in CoCl2-induced, compounds 11, 13-15, 17, 19-20, 22-24 in H2O2-induced, and compounds 12-14, 19, 25-26 in Aß25-35-induced SH-SY5Y cell injury models, showed statistically significant neuroprotective activities compared with the negative control group, respectively.

Triterpenoids from the branch and leaf of Abies fargesii.

Eighteen triterpenoids, abifarines A-R, including fourteen previously unknown and four artifacts, together with six known ones, were isolated from the branch and leaf of Abies fargesii. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic data analysis. The relative configurations of abifarines A and F were further confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis with Mo Kα irradiation. All compounds were evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxicity against the mouse cancer B16 cell line, and human cancer HepG2 and MCF7 cell lines. (24R)-cycloartane-3ß,24,25-triol and (24R)-cycloartane-3ß,24,25,28-tetrol showed moderate anti-proliferative effect for B16 and HepG2 cell lines with IC50 values of 32.9, 19.5 µM and 26.4, 21.5 µM, respectively.

Triterpenoids from the fruit of Schisandra glaucescens.

Five new triterpenoids, named schiglausins P-T (1-5), together with twelve known analogues (6-17), were isolated from the fruit of Schisandra glaucescens Diels. Their structures were determined by various spectroscopic methods, including HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR spectra and CD experiment. Additionally, all these compounds were tested for their cytotoxicities against B16 mouse melanoma cell line. Compounds 8, 11, 14, and 15 exhibited moderate anti-proliferative effects against B16 cells with IC50 values ranging from 3.64 to 27.00µM.

Diterpenoids from the branch and leaf of Abies fargesii.

Five new abietane diterpenoids, named abifadines A-E (1-5), and nine known ones (6-14), together with two known podocarpenes (15 and 16), were isolated from the branch and leaf of Abies fargesii. Their structures including the relative configurations were established on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analyses. The absolute configuration of 1 was determined through single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis with Cu Kα irradiation. All the isolates were evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxicities. Only compounds 5 and 12 exhibited weak anti-proliferative effects against three cancer cell lines (B16, MCF7, and HepG2) with IC50 values range from 14.8 to 42.8 µM. The antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Monilia albicans of all compounds were also tested, but none of them showed significant activities.

Bisabolane-Type Sesquiterpenoids from the Whole Plant of Parasenecio rubescens.

Twenty-two new highly oxygenated bisabolane-type sesquiterpenoids, pararubin A-V (1-22), were isolated from the whole plant of Parasenecio rubescens. The structure determination of 1-22, including the assignment of their relative configurations, was accomplished by extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. The absolute configuration of pararubin A (1) was established by single-crystal X-ray crystallographic analysis. The isolated compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic effects against three cancer cell lines (B16 mouse melanoma cells, HepG2 human hepatocellular carcinoma cells, and MCF7 human breast adenocarcinoma cells) and for their antimicrobial effects against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Monilia albicans.

Effect of Ginkgo leaf parenteral solution on blood and cochlea antioxidant and immunity indexes in OM rats.

Oxidative stress is involved in the development and progression of otitis media (OM). In this study, we investigated the effect of Ginkgo leaf parenteral solution on blood and cochlea antioxidant and immunity indexs in OM rats. In OM model rats, blood and cochlea malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels were significantly increased, whereas antioxidant enzymes activities (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and glutathione reductase (GR)) were significantly decreased compared with normal rats. Treatment with Ginkgo leaf parenteral solution restored the altered parameters in a dose-dependent manner. We conclude that Ginkgo leaf parenteral solution confers protection against oxidative injuries in OM rats by increasing activities of antioxidants and immunity, suggesting a potential drug for the prevention and therapy of OM.

[Multiple auditory steady-state responses to bone conduction stimuli].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the accuracy of threshold using the multiple auditory steady state responses (MASSR) to bone conduction stimuli in a group of patients with conductive hearing loss. METHOD: Thirty patients with conductive hearing loss were assessed by MASSR and by pure-tone audiometry, and compared the results of these two methods. RESULT: The thresholds of MASSR and those of PTA were significantly correlated, and the accuracy of MASSR were similar to PTA for the patients with conductive hearing loss. CONCLUSION: MASSR can be used to assess the hearing thresholds of patients with conductive hearing loss.