Specific inhibition of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptase mediated by soulattrolide, a coumarin isolated from the latex of calophyllum teysmannii.

Soulattrolide (1), a coumarin isolated from Calophyllum teysmannii latex, was found to be a potent inhibitor of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) with an IC50 of 0.34 microM. Inhibition was remarkably specific, with no appreciable activity being observed toward HIV-2 RT, AMV RT, RNA polymerase, or DNA polymerases alpha or beta.

Irritant contact dermatitis from an ornamental Euphorbia.

An ornamental succulent plant sold in many plant stores in the Chicago area has been identified as Euphorbia hermentiana Lem. Open and closed patch testing using undiluted latex from this species was performed on five Caucasian volunteers. Open testing on flexor forearms resulted in irritant follicular dermatitis, while closed testing to the flexor surfaces of both upper arms in each subject produced bullae and vesiculation with residual desquamation and hyperpigmentation. Dermatological signs persisted for over a week following latex application.

Noncariogenic intense natural sweeteners.

There is a definite relationship between the dietary consumption of sucrose and the incidence of dental caries. Noncaloric sucrose substitutes for use in the sweetening of foods, beverages, and medicines may be either synthetic compounds or natural products. In the United States, four potently sweet artificial sweeteners are approved, namely, saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, and sucralose. Highly sweet plant constituents are used in Japan and some other countries, including the diterpene glycoside stevioside and the protein thaumatin. Recent progress in a research project oriented towards the discovery and evaluation of novel potentially noncariogenic sweeteners from plants has focused on substances in the sesquiterpenoid, diterpenoid, triterpenoid, steroidal saponin, and proanthocyanidin structural classes. The feasibility of using Mongolian gerbil electrophysiological and behavioral assays to monitor the sweetness of plant extracts, chromatographic fractions, and pure isolates has been investigated. An in vivo cariogenicity study on the commercially available natural sweeteners stevioside and rebaudioside A has been carried out.

Furanoid lignans from Larrea tridentata.

From the leaves and stems of Larrea tridentata six new furanoid lignans, compounds 1-6, have been isolated and their structures determined through interpretation of physical and spectroscopic properties. The use of 1D and 2D nOe experiments was of particular importance in assigning the stereochemistry.