A New Glucosyl Flavone with Inhibitory Activity of Cancer Cell Viability and Other Bioactive Constituents from the Traditional Kurdish Plant Plantago loeflingii L.

A new glucosyl flavone, 5,7,2',5'-tetrahydroxyflavone 7-O-ß-d-glucopyranoside, named loeflingiin, together with apigenin 6-C-glucoside (isovitexin), coumarins citropten and isompinellin, triterpenoids betulin and betulinic acid, and a mixture of phytosterols ß-sitosterol, stigmasterol and campesterol were isolated for the first time from the leaves of wild Plantago loeflingii L. (Plantaginaceae) collected in the Iraqi Kurdistan region. The plant is used by local people to treat wounds and as a vulnerary remedy. The structures of isolated compounds were determined by spectroscopic analysis. The activities of isovitexin and loeflingiinon the viability of breast (MCF7), ovarian (BG-1), endometrial (Ishikawa), and mesothelioma (IST-MES1) human cancer cells and two normal cell lines were determined with an MTT assay. Notably, the new 7-O-glucosyl flavone showed effects higher than cisplatin against the Ishikawa and IST-MESI cell lines. The significant biological activities exhibited by all the compounds isolated from P. loeflingii provided scientific evidence to support the use of the plant in the Kurdish traditional medicine.

Chemical Identification of Specialized Metabolites from Sulla (Hedysarum coronarium L.) Collected in Southern Italy.

Sulla (Hedysarum coronarium L.) is a biennal forage legume originated from the Mediterranean basin and used for animal feeding due to its high forage quality and palatability. Several species of Hedysarum have been considered for their nutritional, pharmaceutical, and biological properties, and different applications have been reported, both for human consumption and animal nutrition. Although a systematic investigation of the chemical constituents of Hedysarum spp. has been performed in order to provide chemotaxonomic evidences for the genus and to support the pharmacological application of several species within the genus, few data are available on the chemical constituents of H. coronarium, and only the content of condensed tannins and flavonoids in leaves has been previously reported. In the present paper, results from a detailed chemical analysis of the extracts from the leaves and flowers of H. coronarium grown wild in southern Italy are presented. Identification of the main specialized metabolites within the chemical classes of flavonoids, proanthocyanidins and saponins, is described, including considerations on their content in the two plant organs. Information acquired from this study expands the knowledge on H. coronarium as a source of valuable phytochemicals for different applications in human and animal health and nutrition.

Photochemistry of Tris(2,4-dibromophenyl)amine and its Application to Co-oxidation on Sulfides and Phosphines.

The photochemistry of tris(2,4-dibromophenyl)amine was investigated via time-resolved nanosecond spectroscopy. The tris(2,4-dibromophenyl)amine radical cation ("Magic Green") was immediately detected after the laser pulse; this intermediate then cyclizes to N-aryl-4a,4b-dihydrocarbazole radical cation. The latter transient reacted with molecular oxygen to provide the corresponding hydroperoxyl radical, which smoothly co-oxidize sulfides into sulfoxides. On the other hand, the photogenerated "Magic Green" was exploited to promote the co-oxidation of nucleophilic triarylphosphines to triarylphosphine oxides through an electron transfer process preventing the amine cyclization. In this case, the intermediate Ar3 POO•+ was found to play a key role in phosphine oxide formation.

N,O-Nucleoside Analogues: Metabolic and Apoptotic Activity.

Two new families of N,O-nucleoside analogues containing the anthracene moiety introduced through the nitrosocarbonyl ene reaction with allylic alcohols were prepared. The core structure is an isoxazolidine heterocycle that introduces either atom either a phenyl ring or dimethyl moiety at the C3 carbon. Different heterobases were inserted at the position 5 of the heterocyclic ring. One of the synthesized compounds demonstrated a good capacity to induce cell death and an appreciable nuclear fragmentation was evidenced in treated cells.

Triterpenic saponins from Medicago marina L.

The saponin composition of leaves and roots from Medicago marina L., sea medic, was investigated by a combination of chromatographic, spectroscopic and spectrometric (GC, LC, ESI-MS/MS, NMR) methods. Several compounds were detected and quantified by HPLC using the external standard method. Saponins from this plant species consist of a mixture of high molecular weight bidesmosidic derivatives of medicagenic and zanhic acid, containing up to six sugars in the molecules. Six of the detected saponins were previously isolated and reported as constituents of other Medicago spp.; one saponin was previously described in other plant species; four saponins are undescribed compounds in Medicago and never reported before in other plant species. These are: 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-ß-D-glucopyranosylzanhic acid 28-O-ß-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-[ß-D-apiofuranosyl-(1 → 3)]-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl ester; 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-ß-D-glucopyranosylzanhic acid 28-O-ß-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl ester; 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-ß-D-glucopyranosylmedicagenic acid 28-O-ß-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-[α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1 → 3)]-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl ester and 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranosylmedicagenic acid 28-O-ß-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-[α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1 → 3)]-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl ester. The specific saponins synthesized by M. marina may have a role in its tolerance to environment, representing a reservoir of osmolytic sugars.

Fluorescent Probes from Aromatic Polycyclic Nitrile Oxides: Isoxazoles versus Dihydro-1λ3,3,2λ4-Oxazaborinines.

Anthracenenitrile oxide undergoes 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction with propargyl bromide affording the expected isoxazole as single regioisomer, suitably synthetically elaborated and functionalized with a protected triple bond. The introduction of a bromine atom at the position C10 of the anthracene moiety allows for inserting a variety of aromatic and heterocyclic substituents through Suzuki coupling. A two-way synthetic route can lead to simple isoxazole derivatives or, after N-O bond reductive cleavage and BF3 complexation, enamino ketone boron complexes. The photophysical properties of both the substituted isoxazoles and the corresponding boron complexes were investigated to show the potentialities for the employment as fluorescent tags in imaging techniques. The quite good quantum yield values confirm the suitability of these compounds in the cellular environment. Scope and limitations of the methodology are discussed.

Selectivity in the Photo-Fries Rearrangement of Some Aryl Benzoates in Green and Sustainable Media. Preparative and Mechanistic Studies.

Irradiation of a series of p-substituted aryl benzoates under N2 atmosphere in homogeneous and micellar media was investigated by means of steady-state condition and of time-resolved spectroscopy. A notable selectivity in favor of the 2-hydroxybenzophenone derivatives was observed in micellar media. The benzophenone derivatives were the main photoproduct. On the other hand, in homogeneous media (cyclohexane, acetonitrile, and methanol) the observed product distribution was entirely different, viz. substituted 2-hydroxybenzophenones, p-substituted phenols, benzyl and benzoic acid were found. The binding constants in the surfactant were also measured and NOESY experiments showed that the aryl benzoates were located in the hydrophobic core of the micelle. Laser flash photolysis experiments led to the characterization of both p-substituted phenoxy radical and substituted 2-benzoylcyclohexadienone transients in homogeneous and micellar environment.

Artefact formation during acid hydrolysis of saponins from Medicago spp.

Artefact compounds obtained during acid hydrolysis of saponins from Medicago spp. (Fabaceae), have been monitored and evaluated by GC-FID. Their identification has been performed by GC-MS and 1H and 13C NMR. Saponins with different substituents on the triterpenic pentacyclic aglycones were considered, and their hydrolysis products were detected and quantified during 10 h of time course reaction. From soyasapogenol B glycoside the well known soyasapogenols B, C, D and F were obtained together with a previously undescribed sapogenol artefact identified as 3ß,22ß,24-trihydroxyolean-18(19)-en and named soyasapogenol H. From a zanhic acid saponin two major artefact compounds identified as 2ß,3ß,16α-trihydroxyolean-13(18)-en-23,28-dioic acid and 2ß,3ß,16α-trihydroxyolean-28,13ß-olide-23-oic acid were obtained, together with some zanhic acid. Other compounds, detected in very small amount in the reaction mixture, were also tentatively identified based on their GC-MS and UV spectra. The other most characteristic saponins in Medicago spp., hederagenin, bayogenin and medicagenic acid glycosides, under acidic condition of hydrolysis, released instead the correspondent aglycones and generated a negligible amount of artefacts. Nature of artefacts and mechanism of their formation, involving a stable tertiary carbocation, is here proposed and discussed for the first time.

Variation in Herbage Biochemical Composition among Pitch Trefoil (Bituminaria bituminosa) Populations from Elba Island, Italy.

This study assessed the variation in herbage protein and fiber content as well as concentration of furocoumarins, plicatin B, (E)-werneria chromene, and pterocarpans of pitch trefoil (Bituminaria bituminosa) germplasm sampled in situ in both summer and autumn in Elba Island, Italy. Populations were sampled from a range of climatic and edaphic conditions, on light soils with pH > 7.5. Valuable variation occurred for forage quality and chemical composition. The quality features, relevant for a possible forage utilization of the species, were promising for the leaves, which represented about two-thirds of the total aerial biomass in early summer and the whole green regrowth in autumn. The species can also represent a source of psoralen, angelicin, plicatin B, bitucarpin A, and erybraedin C for possible pharmaceutical and/or agrochemical use, with individual populations showing high levels of these compounds.

Design, Synthesis, and Conformational Analysis of Proposed ß-Turn Mimics from Isoxazoline-Cyclopentane Aminols.

Constrained aminols from oxazanorbornene derivatives have the geometrical features to be used as ß-turn inducers. Four different stereoisomers were prepared and spectroscopically characterized (MD calculations, NMR-titration and VT-NMR experiments). Temperature coefficients in DMSO are indicative for the existence of an intramolecular hydrogen bond. Chirooptical properties revealed a ß-turn arrangement of all the synthesized compounds, where, depending on the absolute configuration of the cyclopentane spacer, they can be labeled as left- or right-handed turns.

N,O-Nucleosides from ene reactions of nitrosocarbonyl intermediates with the 3-methyl-2-buten-1-ol.

Nitrosocarbonyl intermediates undergo ene reactions with allylic alcohols, affording regioisomeric adducts in fair yields. Nitrosocarbonyl benzene reacts with 3-methyl-2-buten-1-ol and follows a Markovnikov orientation and abstracts preferentially the twix hydrogens over the lone ones. With the more sterically demanding nitrosocarbonyl mesitylene and anthracene, the Markovnikov directing effect is relieved and lone abstraction is observed, affording the 5-hydroxy-isoxazolidines that serve as synthons for the preparation of N,O-nucleoside analogues according to the Vorbrüggen protocol.

Targeting loop adenines in G-quadruplex by a selective oxirane.

Caught in the oxirane: Naphthalene diimides conjugated to a quinone methide and an oxirane have been synthesized and investigated as selective DNA G-quadruplex alkylating agents. The oxirane derivative generates a stable adduct with a G-quadruplex and shows selective alkylation of the loop adenines, as illustrated.

Variation in terpene and linear-chain hydrocarbon content in yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.) germplasm from the Rhaetian Alps, Italy.

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.) is a herbaceous species common in the Alpine region of Europe and used in folk medicine since antiquity. Its organs are rich in monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, two subclasses of plant terpenoids with relevant ecological significance, which were reported as valuable markers for the traceability of mountain dairy products. The variability in chemical composition of yarrow germplasm may be related with its genetic diversity, accounting for possible differences in medical properties, and supporting its use as a specific territorial marker. Aim of this work was to assess the leaf chemical composition of 16 yarrow populations collected at altitudes exceeding 1600 m in three valleys of the Rhaetian Alps, Italy, and jointly evaluated in a lowland site. The most abundant compounds detected generally differed from those of the germplasm from other countries. A trend of valley-specific pattern of composition was evident. However, the variability among individual populations was even more remarkable, regardless of their valley of origin. The concentrations of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, oxygenated monoterpenes, and oxygenated sesquiterpenes discriminated the populations in multivariate analysis. A few prevailing chemotypes were characterized, which differed from those previously reported in the literature. The geographic isolation from other germplasms, and the local ecotypization, likely originated a chemically distinct gene pool.

Cationic pentaheteroaryls as selective G-quadruplex ligands by solvent-free microwave-assisted synthesis.

We report herein a solvent-free and microwaved-assisted synthesis of several water soluble acyclic pentaheteroaryls containing 1,2,4-oxadiazole moieties (1-7). Their binding interactions with DNA quadruplex structures were thoroughly investigated by FRET melting, fluorescent intercalator displacement assay (G4-FID) and CD spectroscopy. Among the G-quadruplexes considered, attention was focused on telomeric repeats together with the proto-oncogenic c-kit sequences and the c-myc oncogene promoter. Compound 1, and to a lesser extent 2 and 5, preferentially stabilise an antiparallel structure of the telomeric DNA motif, and exhibit an opposite binding behaviour to structurally related polyoxazole (TOxaPy), and do not bind duplex DNA. The efficiency and selectivity of the binding process was remarkably controlled by the structure of the solubilising moieties.

Acetalization allows the photoheterolysis of the Ar-Cl bond in chlorobenzaldehydes and chloroacetophenones.

The nonaccessibility of phenyl cations by irradiation of electron-poor aryl chlorides was circumvented by transforming the carbonyl group of aromatic ketones or aldehydes into the corresponding 1,3-dioxolanes and the carboxyl group of benzoate ester into an orthoester functionality. This transformation allowed the heterolytic photoactivation of the Ar-Cl bond in protic media and the generation of phenyl cations. In the presence of π-bond nucleophiles, arylated products were obtained in good to excellent yields.

The chemoselective reduction of isoxazoline γ-lactams through iminium Aza-Diels-Alder reactions: a short-cut synthesis of aminols as valuable intermediates towards nucleoside derivatives.

Isoxazoline γ-lactams are prepared starting from the regioisomeric cycloadducts of benzonitrile oxide to the N-alkyl 2-azanorbornenes taking advantage of the efficient catalytic oxidation by RuO(4). The reduction of the amide groups is easily conducted in the presence of LiAlH(4) under mild conditions, which allowed for the chemoselective reduction of the amide moiety followed by ring opening to afford the desired conformationally locked isoxazoline-carbocyclic aminols, as valuable intermediates for nucleoside synthesis.

Triterpenoid glycosides from the leaves of two cultivars of Medicago polymorpha L.

The saponin composition of leaves from the Medicago polymorpha cultivars 'Santiago' and 'Anglona' belonging to the botanical varieties brevispina and vulgaris, respectively, was investigated by a combination of chromatographic, spectroscopic, and spectrometric techniques. Several compounds were detected and quantitated by HPLC analysis using the external standard method. Twelve triterpene saponins (1-12) were purified by reverse-phase chromatography and their structures elucidated by spectroscopic (1D and 2D NMR, ESI-MS/MS) and chemical methods. They were identified as glycosides of echinocystic acid, hederagenin, caulophyllogenin, bayogenin, and soyasapogenol B. Two of them (2, 10) were previously reported in M. polymorpha; five of them (4, 6, 7, 9, 12) were already identified in other Medicago species; and three of them (1, 8, 11) were found in other plant genera. The two saponins identified as 3-O-α-L-arabinopyranosyl-28-O-[ß-D-glucopyranosyl(1→6)ß-D-glucopyranoside] echinocystic acid (3) and 3-O-α-L-arabinopyranosyl-28-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside echinocystic acid (5) are newly identified natural compounds. The presence of echinocystic acid is reported here for the first time in the genus Medicago. Saponins from the cultivar 'Anglona' were characterized by a higher amount of echinocystic acid glycosydes, whereas saponins from the cultivar 'Santiago' were characterized by a higher amount of hederagenin glycosydes.

Quinone methide generation via photoinduced electron transfer.

Photochemical activation of water-soluble 1,8-naphthalimide derivatives (NIs) as alkylating agents has been achieved by irradiation at 310 and 355 nm in aqueous acetonitrile. Reactivity in aqueous and neat acetonitrile has been extensively investigated by laser flash photolysis (LFP) at 355 nm, as well as by steady-state preparative irradiation at 310 nm in the presence of water, amines, thiols, and ethyl vinyl ether. Product distribution analysis revealed fairly efficient benzylation of the amines, hydration reaction, and 2-ethoxychromane generation, in the presence of ethyl vinyl ether, resulting from a [4 + 2] cycloaddition onto a transient quinone methide. Remarkably, we found that the reactivity was dramatically suppressed under the presence of oxygen and radical scavengers, such as thiols, which was usually associated with side product formation. In order to unravel the mechanism responsible for the photoreactivity of these NI-based molecules, a detailed LFP study has been carried out with the aim to characterize the transient species involved. LFP data suggest a photoinduced electron transfer (PET) involving the NI triplet excited state (λ(max) 470 nm) of the NI core and the tethered quinone methide precursor (QMP) generating a radical ions pair NI(•-) (λ(max) 410 nm) and QMP(•+). The latter underwent fast deprotonation to generate a detectable phenoxyl radical (λ(max) 390 and 700 nm), which was efficiently reduced by the radical anion NI(•-), generating detectable QM. The mechanism proposed has been validated through a LFP investigation at 355 nm exploiting an intermolecular reaction between the photo-oxidant N-pentylnaphthalimide (NI-P) and a quaternary ammonium salt of a Mannich base as QMP (2a), in both neat and aqueous acetonitrile. Remarkably, these experiments revealed the generation of the model o-QM (λ(max) 400 nm) as a long living transient mediated by the same reactivity pathway. Negligible QM generation has been observed under the very same conditions by irradiation of the QMP in the absence of the NI. Owing to the NIs redox and recognition properties, these results represent the first step toward new molecular devices capable of both biological target recognition and photoreleasing of QMs as alkylating species, under physiological conditions.

Benzoyl radicals from (hetero)aromatic aldehydes. Decatungstate photocatalyzed synthesis of substituted aromatic ketones.

Benzoyl radicals are generated directly from (hetero)aromatic aldehydes upon tetrabutylammonium decatungstate ((n-Bu(4)N)(4)W(10)O(32)), TBADT) photocatalysis under mild conditions. In the presence of alpha,beta-unsaturated esters, ketones and nitriles radical conjugate addition ensues and gives the corresponding beta-functionalized aryl alkyl ketones in moderate to good yields (stereoselectively in the case of 3-methylene-2-norbornanone). Due to the mild reaction conditions the presence of various functional groups on the aromatic ring is tolerated (e.g. methyl, methoxy, chloro). The method can be applied to hetero-aromatic aldehydes whether electron-rich (e.g. thiophene-2-carbaldehyde) or electron-poor (e.g. pyridine-3-carbaldehyde).

Quinone methides tethered to naphthalene diimides as selective G-quadruplex alkylating agents.

We have developed novel G-quadruplex (G-4) ligand/alkylating hybrid structures, tethering the naphthalene diimide moiety to quaternary ammonium salts of Mannich bases, as quinone-methide precursors, activatable by mild thermal digestion (40 degrees C). The bis-substituted naphthalene diimides were efficiently synthesized, and their reactivity as activatable bis-alkylating agents was investigated in the presence of thiols and amines in aqueous buffered solutions. The electrophilic intermediate, quinone-methide, involved in the alkylation process was trapped, in the presence of ethyl vinyl ether, in a hetero Diels-Alder [4 + 2] cycloaddition reaction, yielding a substituted 2-ethoxychroman. The DNA recognition and alkylation properties of these new derivatives were investigated by gel electrophoresis, circular dichroism, and enzymatic assays. The alkylation process occurred preferentially on the G-4 structure in comparison to other DNA conformations. By dissecting reversible recognition and alkylation events, we found that the reversible process is a prerequisite to DNA alkylation, which in turn reinforces the G-quadruplex structural rearrangement.