Dihydrophenanthro[b]furan derivatives from the tubers of Bletilla striata.

Two pairs of new dihydrophenanthro[b]furan enantiomers blephebibnols G-H (1-2), one new dihydrophenanthro[b]furan derivative blephebibnol I (3), along with four known analogues (4-7), were isolated from the tubers of Bletilla striata. Their structures including the absolute configurations were determined by the combination of spectroscopic data analysis, ECD and NMR calculations. Compounds 1a, 1b, and 2b showed inhibition of NO production in LPS-stimulated BV-2 cells, with IC50 values ranging from 4.11 to 14.65 µM. Further mechanistic study revealed that 1a suppressed the phosphorylation of p65 subunit to regulate the NF-κB signaling pathway. In addition, some compounds displayed selective cytotoxic activities against HCT-116, HepG2, A549, or HGC27 cancer cell lines with IC50 values ranging from 0.1 to 8.23 µM.

Phenanthrenequinone enantiomers with cytotoxic activities from the tubers of Pleione bulbocodioides.

Eight new phenanthrenequinones (four pairs of enantiomers), named bulbocodioidins A-D (1-4), have been isolated from the ethanolic extract of tubers of Pleione bulbocodioides. Their structures, including absolute configurations, were determined by extensive NMR analysis combined with experimental and calculated ECD (electronic circular dichroism) data analyses. Compounds 1-4 possessed a 9(10)H-phenanthren-10(9)-one structure, which is a rarely reported instance from natural sources. Their possible biosynthetic pathway was discussed in the text. The cytotoxic effects of the isolated phenanthrenequinones were evaluated in several human cancer cell lines, and compounds 1a and 4a exhibited marked cytotoxic activities.

[Design and analyze mathematical algorithms of intestinal absorption and metabolism of multicomponent drug].

Evaluation of the permeability mainly focuses on intestinal absorption in biopharmaceutics classification system (BCS). It is more complicated that the absorption and metabolism under multicomponent environment in biopharmaceutics classification system of Chinese materia medica (CMMBCS) compared with single component environment, which needs suitable mathematical models to be described. Therefore, with full consideration of existing single component mathematical algorithm combining with the characteristics of intestinal absorption and metabolism, we explored and designed a new mathematical algorithm of intestinal absorption and metabolism of multicomponent drug. Then we put forward a new coefficient, P (influence), the relative change rate of the single component's intestinal absorption and metabolism under multicomponent environment compared with single component environment, which described the influences of intestinal absorption and metabolism of the component under multicomponent environment. Moreover, P (influence) highlights the distinctive characteristics of multicomponent drug's intestinal absorption and metabolism, and lays the foundation for the construction of CMMBCS.

Phenanthrene, 9,10-dihydrophenanthrene and bibenzyl enantiomers from Bletilla striata with their antineuroinflammatory and cytotoxic activities.

Thirteen undescribed phenanthrene and bibenzyl derivatives, named blestanols A-M, including one pair of biphenanthrene enantiomers, two bis 9,10-dihydrophenanthrene ethers, five pairs of 9,10-dihydrophenanthrene/bibenzyl atropisomers, one racemic 9,10-dihydrophenanthrene/bibenzyl dimer, one 9,10-dihydrophenanthrenebibenzyl ether, two pairs of bibenzyl derivatives, and one stilbene, together with 12 known analogues were isolated from the tubers of Bletilla striata. The structures were elucidated via spectroscopic data analysis. 15 compounds were purified to yield enantiomers (a, b) via chiral-phase HPLC, and their configurations were determined by optical rotation values and the comparison of the experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) curves. Blestanols K-L possessed a cycloheptene moiety, which is rarely observed in bibenzyl derivatives. A putative biosynthetic pathway for the identified components is deduced. Among these compounds, 14 compounds showed inhibition of NO production, with IC50 values ranging from 5.0 to 19.0 µM. Eight compounds displayed selective cytotoxic activities against HCT-116, HepG2, BGC-823, A549 or U251 cancer cell lines, with IC50 values ranging from 1.4 to 8.3 µM. In addition, their structure-activity relationships are discussed briefly.