The Amazon rain forest plant Uncaria tomentosa (cat's claw) and its specific proanthocyanidin constituents are potent inhibitors and reducers of both brain plaques and tangles.

Brain aging and Alzheimer's disease both demonstrate the accumulation of beta-amyloid protein containing "plaques" and tau protein containing "tangles" that contribute to accelerated memory loss and cognitive decline. In the present investigation we identified a specific plant extract and its constituents as a potential alternative natural solution for preventing and reducing both brain "plaques and tangles". PTI-00703 cat's claw (Uncaria tomentosa from a specific Peruvian source), a specific and natural plant extract from the Amazon rain forest, was identified as a potent inhibitor and reducer of both beta-amyloid fibrils (the main component of "plaques") and tau protein paired helical filaments/fibrils (the main component of "tangles"). PTI-00703 cat's claw demonstrated both the ability to prevent formation/aggregation and disaggregate preformed Aß fibrils (1-42 and 1-40) and tau protein tangles/filaments. The disaggregation/dissolution of Aß fibrils occurred nearly instantly when PTI-00703 cat's claw and Aß fibrils were mixed together as shown by a variety of methods including Thioflavin T fluorometry, Congo red staining, Thioflavin S fluorescence and electron microscopy. Sophisticated structural elucidation studies identified the major fractions and specific constituents within PTI-00703 cat's claw responsible for both the observed "plaque" and "tangle" inhibitory and reducing activity. Specific proanthocyanidins (i.e. epicatechin dimers and variants thereof) are newly identified polyphenolic components within Uncaria tomentosa that possess both "plaque and tangle" reducing and inhibitory activity. One major identified specific polyphenol within PTI-00703 cat's claw was epicatechin-4ß-8-epicatechin (i.e. an epicatechin dimer known as proanthocyanidin B2) that markedly reduced brain plaque load and improved short-term memory in younger and older APP "plaque-producing" (TASD-41) transgenic mice (bearing London and Swedish mutations). Proanthocyanidin B2 was also a potent inhibitor of brain inflammation as shown by reduction in astrocytosis and gliosis in TASD-41 transgenic mice. Blood-brain-barrier studies in Sprague-Dawley rats and CD-1 mice indicated that the major components of PTI-00703 cat's claw crossed the blood-brain-barrier and entered the brain parenchyma within 2 minutes of being in the blood. The discovery of a natural plant extract from the Amazon rain forest plant (i.e. Uncaria tomentosa or cat's claw) as both a potent "plaque and tangle" inhibitor and disaggregator is postulated to represent a potential breakthrough for the natural treatment of both normal brain aging and Alzheimer's disease.

Fungicidal sesquiterpene dialdehyde cinnamates from Pseudowintera axillaris.

Bioactivity-directed separation of a foliage extract from the New Zealand shrub Pseudowintera axillaris led to a compound with fungicidal activity against the plant pathogen Phytophthora infestans. This was identified as a new sesquiterpene dialdehyde cinnamate named paxidal. Two 6-hydroxy derivatives were present at lower levels in the extract. A further nine derivatives were synthesized from these natural products for a structure-activity study against a range of important food crop pathogens. The cinnamate group was important for fungicidal effects, and protection of the dialdehyde as a dimethyl acetal gave more potent, broader spectrum activity.

Sesquiterpenes from the New Zealand Liverwort Lepidolaena hodgsoniae.

NMR studies have shown that seven new sesquiterpenoids, 3, 4, 5a, and 7-10, isolated from dried samples of the New Zealand liverwort Lepidolaena hodgsoniae have the same substituted cyclopentapyran ring system as the previously described insecticidal sesquiterpene diene hodgsonox (1), which has been reported only from this plant. In all but one compound, 10, the 1,1-disubstituted double bond of hodgsonox has migrated into an endocyclic position, but only two, 5a and 9, have the double bonds in conjugation. These seven new compounds represent a variety of different oxidation levels. Two of the new derivatives, 9 and 10, were isolated only from an aged sample and are presumably artifacts. The only other terpenoid isolated in significant quantity was (7R,10R)-calamenene (2).

Biosynthesis of the sesquiterpene hodgsonox from the New Zealand liverwort Lepidolaena hodgsoniae.

The incorporation of [1-13C] labelled glucose into hodgsonox, a sesquiterpene epoxide with a unique, doubly allylic ether functionality has been studied in axenic cultures of the liverwort Lepidolaena hodgsoniae. Quantitative 13C NMR spectroscopic analysis showed that the isoprene units are derived exclusively from the methylerythritol phosphate pathway.

Insecticidal activity of huperzine A from the New Zealand clubmoss, Lycopodium varium.

A bioactivity-directed investigation of an extract of the New Zealand clubmoss, Lycopodium varium, collected on subantarctic Campbell Island, has led to the isolation of the alkaloid huperzine A (1) as the major antifeedant and insecticidal component. Huperzine A showed insecticidal activity against the Australian carpet beetle, Anthrenocerus australis (LD(50) = 110 ppm), the Australian sheep blowfly, Lucilia cuprina (LD(50) = 2380 ppm), and the webbing clothes moth, Tineola bisselliella (LD(50) = 630 ppm). Feeding by A. australis was reduced by 97% at 63 ppm.