Cassane diterpenoids from Caesalpinia pulcherrima and their anti-inflammatory and α-glycosidase inhibitory activities.

Three undescribed cassane-type diterpenoids (CAs), caesalpulcherrins K-M (1-3), together with three known ones (4-6) were isolated from the aerial parts of Caesalpinia pulcherrima (L.) Sw (Fabaceae). Their structures were elucidated via analysis of NMR (1 D and 2 D) and HRESIMS data. The character for caesalpulcherrin K possessing the olefin bond at C-11 and C-12 in its cassane skeleton was observed, which belonged to a small group among more than 450 CAs. That is, only fifteen derivatives have been reported up to now, to our knowledge. Biological evaluation revealed that compounds 1-6 exhibited moderate anti-inflammatory activity, with an IC50 value from 6.04 ± 0.34 to 8.92 ± 0.65 µM. Furthermore, compounds 5 and 6 exhibited significant α-glucosidase inhibitory activity at 10 µM.

Two new benzophenone glycosides from the aerial parts of Hypericum przewalskii.

Plants of the genus Hypericum contain various types of secondary metabolites that exhibited extensive biological activities. In the ongoing efforts to discover natural neuroinflammatory inhibitors with the potential to develop into therapeutic agents for neurodegenerative diseases, two new benzophenone glycosides, hyperewalones A and B (1 and 2), along with eight known compounds (3-10), were isolated from the aerial parts of Hypericum przewalskii. Their structures were elucidated by comprehensive analysis of IR, HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR spectra, and chemical derivatization. The anti-neuroinflammatory activity of compounds 1-10 was evaluated by determining their ability to inhibit the production of nitric oxide (NO) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated BV-2 microglial cells. Compounds 2, 4, 6-8 exhibited significant anti-neuroinflammatory activity with IC50 values of 0.61-4.90 µM. These findings suggest that the benzophenone, ionone, and flavonoid glycosides isolated from H. przewalskii are promising anti-neuroinflammatory compounds worthy of further investigations.

[Neural Cell Activity Detection Method Based on Near Infrared Spectroscopy Analysis of Spinal Cord Injury].

Traffic accidents, high-altitude drops, mechanical shock and other accidents may lead to human spinal cord injury, interrupting the transmission channel of human nerve signals, resulting in loss of some limb function. Since there is no method of spinal cord injury site of nerve cell activity, while the conventional testing instruments such as X ray, CT and other traditional instruments cannot provide any nerve cell activity, doctors couldn't have a clearer understanding of the patient's condition, which may delay the best timing of treatment, thus causing lifelong paralysis. Spectroscopy method can be used in the detection of cell organization change while near infrared spectrum technology is a kind of fast measurement and simple operation of nondestructive measuring. Therefore, aiming at the shortcomings of the existing medical testing equipment, on the basis of animal experiment, this paper uses near infrared spectrum technology, based on the absorption characteristics of the material in near infrared wave band, and combined with near infrared spectrum analysis technique of qualitative determination and quantitative analysis of the characteristics. Using clustering algorithm for spinal cord injury site of neuron-specific nuclear protein and neurotransmitters classify and simulation, partial least squares (PLS) algorithm is used to calculate the content to achieve a spinal cord accurate detection of the site of injury nerve cell activity. This method provides theoretical basis for the detection of spinal cord injury, bringing hopes to patients with limb function reconstruction and rehabilitation, for clinical provides a method to detect the activity of nerve cells in the noninvasive.

Antioxidant polyketide phenolic metabolites from the edible mushroom Cortinarius purpurascens.

Phytochemical investigation of the ethyl acetate extract of the edible macrofungus, Cortinarius purpurascens, led to the isolation of nine anthraquinone-related pigments, citreorosein 6,8-dimethyl ether (1), physcione (2), rufoolivacin (3), rufoolivacin C (4), rufoolivacin D (5), leucorufoolivacin (6), verbindung cr11 (7), verbindung cr60 (8) and 1-Hydroxy-3-methyl-2-isopropanyl-6,8-dimethoxyanthraquinone (9). The structures of these isolated compounds were characterised by spectroscopic methods and comparison with published data. Among the tested compounds, 3-6 exhibited potent DPPH radical-scavenging activity with IC50 values in the range of 3-8 µg/ml. The results indicated that the fungus is a possible source of natural products with potential antioxidant activity.

Scabronine M, a novel inhibitor of NGF-induced neurite outgrowth from PC12 cells from the fungus Sarcodon scabrosus.

A novel cyathane diterpenoid, designated scabronine M (1), was isolated from the fruiting bodies of the mushroom Sarcodon scabrosus together with 10 known compounds. The structure of the new compound was elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis including 2D-NMR. Among these compounds, only scabronine M (1) significantly inhibited dose-dependently NGF-induced neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells without cytotoxicity, possibly through suppressing the phosphorylation of the receptor Trk A and the extracellular signal regulated kinases (ERK). This is the first report of novel neurite outgrowth-inhibiting activity in PC12 cells of this group of diterpenoids.