[Determination of the Amino Acids in the Raw and Processed Products of Turtle Shell by HPLC Combining Pre-column Derivatization].

Objective: To establish the pre-column derivatization combining HPLC to determine the contents of the amino acids of the raw and processed products of Turtle shell. Methods: The samples were prepared by the acidic hydrolysis method, derivatized by OPA and FMOC, and analyzed by C18 column with gradient elution. Results: 18 kinds of amino acids were separated within 38 min, which showed a good linear relationship( r ≥0. 9991). The average recoveries of 16 amino acids in the samples were between 90. 43% ~110. 69%,and the RSD were between 0. 76% ~ 5. 89%( n = 6). Conclusion: This method can be used to determine the contents of the amino acids in the raw and processed products of Turtle shell.

[Study on the chemical constituents of Viscum ovalifolium].

OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents of Viscum ovalifolium. METHODS: The chemical constituents from Viscum ovalifolium were isolated and purified by silica gel column chromatography, polyamide column chromatography and recrystallization methods. Their structures were elucidated by physicochemical properties and spectral analysis. RESULTS: Twelve compounds were isolated and their structures were identified as 1-octadecene (1), ethyl palmitate (2), 28-hydrxy-amyrone (3), betulinic acid (4), rutin (5), quercetin (6), beta-amyrinpalmitate (7), lupeol acetate (8), beta-amyrin (9), beta-sitosterol (10), lupeol (11) and oleanolic acid (12). CONCLUSION: Compounds 1 - 6 are obtained from this plant for the first time.

[Analysis of the volatile constituents from Loranthus delavayi].

OBJECTIVE: To study the volatile constituents of Loranthus delavayi. METHODS: The volatile constituents were extracted by steam distillation and supercritical CO2 fluid extraction, and the chemical compositions were analyzed by GC-MS techniques. RESULTS: Sixty-one peaks were separated and 41 of them were identified, accounting for 81.15% of the total content from the extracts of steam distillation; Ninty-tuo peaks were separated from the extracts of supercritical CO2 fluid extraction, and 46 of them were identified, accounting for 63.31% of the total content. CONCLUSION: There are great differences between the chemical compositions of the volatile constituents extracted by steam distillation and supercritical CO2 fluid extraction.

Notoginsenoside ST-4 inhibits virus penetration of herpes simplex virus in vitro.

Further study on steam-treated notoginseng, the roots of Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F.H. Chen (Araliaceae), which is a famous traditional Chinese medicine that is used both in raw and treated forms for a long time, led to the isolation of a new dammarane-type saponin, namely notoginsenoside ST-4. Its structure was elucidated to be 3ß,12ß,20(S)-tri-hydroxydammar-24-ene-3-O-ß-d-xylopyranosyl-(1 â†’ 2)-ß-d-glucopyranosyl-(1 â†’ 2)-ß-d-glu-copyranoside, based on the detailed analyses of the 1D and 2D NMR spectral data and acidic hydrolysis. Notoginsenoside ST-4 was investigated for its antiviral activity on herpes simplex type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2) in vitro. The 50% effective concentration (EC(50)) values, determined by plaque reduction assay, were 16.47 ± 0.67 and 19.44 ± 1.16 µM for HSV-1 and HSV-2, respectively, whereas the 50% cytotoxic concentration (CC(50)) determined by the XTT test on Vero cells was 510.64 ± 4.56 µM. As analyzed by attachment assay and penetration assay based on plaque reduction assay, the antiviral activity of notoginsenoside ST-4 was principally due to the penetration inhibition effects, which was confirmed by fluorescence microscopy observation that notoginsenoside ST-4 blocked the penetration of virus. Therefore, notoginsenoside ST-4 might be a promising agent for herpes simplex virus infection.

Dammarane-type glycosides from steamed notoginseng.

Notoginseng, the root of Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F. H. Chen (Araliaceae), is a Chinese traditional medicine, which is used in both raw and processed forms due to their different pharmacological activities. Detailed chemical investigation on steamed notoginseng led to the isolation of 27 dammarane-type triterpenoids (1-27), including 4 new glycosides, namely, notoginsenosides ST-1-ST-3 and ST-5 (1-4), in addition to 3 other known compounds. Of the new compounds, 1-3 possess new aglycones. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of detailed analyses of their 1D and 2D NMR spectra and chemical reactions. The known compounds, koryoginsenoside-R1 (19), yesanchinoside D (20), 6''-O-acetylginsenoside Rg3 (24), and 3beta,6alpha,12beta-trihydroxydammar-20(21),24-diene ( 25), were isolated from notoginseng for the first time.