First report of the genus emRhicnogryllus/em Chopard, 1925 (Orthoptera: Trigonidiidae; Trigonidiinae) in China with description of a new species.

A new species, Rhicnogryllus nanlingensis sp. n., was reported from Guangdong, China. This was the first time of Rhicnogryllus was recorded from China. Description and illustrations for the new species were provided.

Taxonomy of scaly crickets (Orthoptera: Mogoplistidae: Mogoplistinae) from China: five new species groups and three new species of the genus Ornebius Guérin-Méneville, 1844.

The genus Ornebius Guérin-Méneville, 1844 was divided into five species groups based on the structure of the male genitalia. Three new species of Ornebius were described from the Chinese provinces of Hainan, Guangxi and Guangdong. Type specimens are deposited at the Museum of Flora and Fauna of Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China (SNNU).

The second species of the genus Gorochovius Xie, Zheng amp; Li, 2004 (Orthoptera: Phalangopsidae: Phaloriinae) discovered from China.

Gorochovius furvus sp. n. is the second known species of the genus Gorochovius Xie, Zheng Li, 2004. The new one is very similar to G. trinervus. But it is distributed farther south than the that species. They can be identified by morphological and acoustical characters. Here, the new species was described, and all species are illustrated and their calling songs analyzed.

Safety of Aqueous Extract of Calea ternifolia Used in Mexican Traditional Medicine.

There is a trend to use medicinal plants for primary medical care or as dietary supplements; however, the safety of many of these plants has not been studied. The objective of this work was to determine the toxic effect of the aqueous extract of Calea ternifolia (C. zacatechichi), known popularly as "dream herb" in vivo and in vitro in order to validate its safety. In vivo, the extract had moderate toxicity on A. salina. In vitro, the extract induced eryptosis of 73% at a concentration of 100 µg·mL-1 and it inhibited CYP3A by 99% at a concentration of 375 µg/mL. After administering 8.5 mg/kg of C. ternifolia to rats, we found a reduction in platelets and leukocytes and an increase in urea and the liver enzymes alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Histological analysis showed spongiform changes in the proximal tubules of renal tissue and a lymphoid infiltrate in liver tissue. This plant is used in the treatment of diabetes, and it is commercialized as a dietary supplement in several countries. Our results show renal and hepatic toxicity; therefore, more profound research on the toxicity of this plant is needed.

Protective effects of sodium tanshinone IIA sulphonate against adriamycin-induced lipid peroxidation in mice hearts in vivo and in vitro.

Protective effects of sodium tanshinone IIA sulphonate against adriamycin-induced lipid peroxidation were investigated. Data showed that treatment with sodium tanshinone IIA sulphonate could prevent mice from decrease in body weight caused by adriamycin. It was found that myocardial lipid peroxidation in sodium tanshinone IIA sulphonate-treated mice was lower compared with that in adriamycin-treated ones. The activities of some endogenous antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase, were higher in the sodium tanshinone IIA sulphonate group than that in the adriamycin group. In vitro experiments showed that sodium tanshinone IIA sulphonate could inhibit adriamycin-induced mitochondrial lipid peroxidation and swelling. Sodium tanshinone IIA sulphonate could scavenge adriamycin semiquinone free radical in heart homogenate dose-dependently. Thus, protective effects of sodium tanshinone IIA sulphonate may not only be related to its antioxidant activity but also to its regulation of antioxidant enzyme activities in the heart.

Flavonoids from Koelreuteria henryi and other sources as protein-tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

The EtOH extract of Koelreuteria henryi was investigated in a search for natural products with potential protein-tryrosine kinase (PTK) inhibitory activity. The PTK inhibitory activity of the crude fractions was determined by measuring their inhibition of p56lck partially purified from bovine thymus using angiotensin I as a substrate. Analysis of those fractions that exhibited significant activity led to the isolation of kaempferol and quercetin, in addition to two kaempferol glycosides, kaempferol-O3-alpha-rhamnopyranoside [1] and kaempferol-O3-alpha-arabinopyranoside [2]. This study represents the first report on the isolation of flavonols and their PTK inhibitory activities from the genus Koelreuteria. Eight other flavonoids were also examined to study the role of the hydroxy groups on the B ring on PTK inhibitory activity.

[Hypotensive effect of dihydrolycorine].

Dihydrolycorine-HCL(DL) is a derivative of lycorine, an alkaloid isolated from Lycoris radiata Herb. DL iv 20, 40, and 80 mg.kg-1 lowered the mean arterial pressure in pentobar-bitone-anesthetized normotensive rats, cats, and conscious rats either normotensive or renovascular hypertensive. In pithed rats DL depressed the hypertensive effect of reaction to electric stimulation to the T7-9 segments of spinal cord. DL also depressed the hypertensive effect of phenylephrine. In rabbit aorta ring and rat anococcygeus muscle, DL antagonized the contractile effect of methoxamine, with pA2 values of 5.93 and 6.35, respectively. These results suggest that DL can block alpha 1-adrenoceptors.

[Studies on the alkaloids of Cephalotaxus. VII. Structures and semi-synthesis of two anticancer cephalotaxine esters].

Two new alkaloids, namely neoharringtonine (1) and anhydroharringtonine (2) with significant antileukemic activity were isolated from Cephalotaxus fortunei Hook f.. Their structures have been established by spectral analyses and semi-synthesis. Seven known alkaloids, deoxyharringtonine (3), isoharringtonine (4), isocephalotaxinone (5), acetylcephalotaxine (6), cephalotaxine (7), harringtonine (8) and homoharringtonine (9), were also isolated and identified.

[Studies on the alkaloids of Cephalotaxus. IX. Semi-synthesis of cephalotaxine esters and their anti-leukemic activity].

Harringtonine, homoharringtonine, deoxyharringtonine and isoharringtonine isolated from Cephalotaxus plant are the esters of cephalotaxine with significant inhibitory activity against P-388 leukemia. In this investigation seventeen new esters of cephalotaxine type alkaloids have been synthesized. Preliminary pharmacological examination showed that compounds 1, 2, 2 + 3, 6 and 8 showed similar antileukemic activity as homoharringtonine. Compounds 4, 5, 15 and 16 showed moderate inhibitory activity. Some structure activity correlations of these esters were discussed.

[Studies on the chemical constituents of Fritillaria thunbergii Miq. III. Isolation and identification of zhebeinone].

A new C- nor D-homo steroidal alkaloid named zhebeinone was isolated from the bulbs of Fritillaria thunbergii Miq. Its structure was determined by spectral analyses and chemical conversion as 5 alpha, 14 alpha-cevanine-3 beta, 20 beta-dihydroxy-6-one or C-27 epimer of peiminine.

[Chemical studies of Salvia miltiorrhiza f. alba].

Fourteen constituents were isolated from the roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza f. alba. Two of them were new compounds and were named 1,2,15,16-tetrahydrotanshiquinone (I) and tanshinaldehyde (II). The others were identified as Ro-090680 (III), dihydroisotanshone I (IV), danshexinkun B (V), miltirone (VI), nortanshinone (VII), hydroxytanshinone II-A (VIII), tanshinone I (IX), dihydrotanshinone I (X), tanshinone II-A (XI), cryptotanshinone (XII), methylenetanshiquinone (XIII), methyltanshinonate (XIV), I and III showed inhibitory activity against P388 Leukemia cell in vitro. III was reported to be a potent inhibitor of rabbit platelet aggregation induced by collagen.

[Studies on chemical constituents of Fritillaria thunbergii Miq].

A new C-nor-D-homosteroidal alkaloid was isolated from the bulbs of Fritillaria thunbergii Miq. with peimine (I) and peiminine (II), named zhebeinine (III), C27H45O3N, mp. 240-242 degrees C. On the basis of the IR, 1HNMR, 13CNMR and MS of zhebeinine (III), the structure of zhebeinine (III) has been established as 5 alpha, 14 alpha-cevanine-3 beta, 6 alpha, 20 beta-triol.

Alkaloids of Lycoris guangxiensis1.

A new alkaloid, N-allylnorgalanthamine ( 1), was isolated from the bulbs of LYCORIS GUANGXIENSIS Y. Hsu et Q. J. Fan (Amaryllidaceae). Additionally, seven known alkaloids, lycorine, narwedine, galanthamine, lycoramine, crinine, norgalanthamine, and pseudolycorine were also obtained. The structure of 1 was established through the interpretation of spectral data.

Constituents of Cannabis sativa, XXV. Isolation of two new dihydrostilbenes from a Panamanian variant.

Two new dihydrostilbene compounds (named cannabistilbenes I and II) were isolated from a polar acidic fraction of a Panamanian variant of Cannabis sativa grown in Mississippi. The structure of cannabistilbene I was shown to be 3,4'-dihydroxy-5-methoxy-3'-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-dihydrostilben e (1) from spectral data which was confirmed by synthesis. There is spectral evidence to indicate that cannabistilbene II could be represented by either structure 3 or 4.