[Research progress on chemical constituents from Chloranthus plants and their biological activities].

The genus Chloranthus has 13 species and 5 varieties in China, which can be found in the southwest and northeast regions. Phytochemical studies on Chloranthus plants have reported a large amount of terpenoids, such as diterpenoids, sesquiterpenoids, and sesquiterpenoid dimers. Their anti-inflammation, anti-tumor, antifungal, antivirus, and neuroprotection activities have been confirmed by previous pharmacological research. Herein, research on the chemical constituents from Chloranthus plants and their biological activities over the five years was summarized to provide scientific basis for the further development and utilization of Chloranthus plants.

[Chemical constituents of sesquiterpenes from Chloranthus multistachys].

With repeated silica gel, octadecyl silica(ODS), and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography, normal-phase and reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC), etc., a pair of new enantiomers and 5 known compounds were separated from the 95% ethanol extract of Chloranthus multistachys. These compounds were identified by the nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy(including 1 D-NMR and 2 D-NMR), single-crystal X-ray diffraction, circular dichroism(CD) spectroscopy, mass spectrometry(MS), and some other methods as(1R,4R,5R,8S,10R)-chloraeudolide H(1 a),(1S,4S,5S,8R,10S)-chloraeudolide H(1 b), hydroxyisogermafurenolide(2), 4α-hydroxy-5α,8ß(H)-eudesm-7(11)-en-8,12-olide(3), chloraniolide A(4), chlorantene D(5), 4α,8ß-dihydroxy-5α(H)-eudesm-7(11)-en-8,12-olide(6). Compounds 1 a and 1 b are a pair of new eudesmane-type sesquiterpene enantiomers, and compounds 2-4 were isolated from C. multistachys for the first time.

[A new sesquiterpene from Chloranthus henryi].

Eight sesquiterpenes were isolated and purified from the ethanol extract of Chloranthus henryi by column chromatographies over silica gel, ODS and Sephadex LH-20,and preparative HPLC. Their chemical structures were established by spectral data and physiochemical properties as(1S,6S,8S,10R)-8-ethoxy-10-methoxychlomultin C(1),tianmushanol(2),multistalide A(3),myrrhterpenoid N(4),1α,9α-dihydroxy-8,12-expoxy-eudesma-4,7,11-trien-6-one(5),4ß,10α-aromadendranediol(6),oplopanone(7),10α-hydroxycadinan-4-en-3-one(8). Among them, compound(1) was a new compound, and compounds 2-8 were isolated from Chloranthus henryi for the first time.

[Isoflavones and flavans from Millettia nitida var. hirsutissima].

The current study to separate and identify constituents from Millettia nitida var. hirsutissima. The compounds from Millettia nitida var. hirsutissima were isolated by means of various chromatographic techniques such as column chromatography over ODS and Sephadex LH-20, preparative HPLC, and the structures of these isolated compounds were identified through spectroscopic analyses. Nine isoflavonoids and two flavans were isolated and identified as 5-O-methy genistein (1), 7-hydroxy-3',4'-dimethoxyisoflavone (2), ononin (3), catechin (4), formononetin (5), genistein (6), calycosin (7), (-)-gallocatechin (8), sissotrin (9), wistin (10), daidzin (11). Compounds 1, 2, 9 are obtained from the genus Millettia for the first time,and compounds 4, 8 are isolated from this plant for the first time.

Three pairs of sesquiterpene enantiomers from Chloranthus multistachys pei.

Phytochemical investigation on the whole plant of Chloranthus multistachys pei (Chloranthaceae) afforded three pairs of new sesquiterpene enantiomers (+)/(-)-chlorantene M [(+)/(-)-1], (+)/(-)-chlorantene M1 [(+)/(-)-2] and (+)/(-)-chlorantene N [(+)/(-)-3]. The structures of new compounds were determined through spectroscopic techniques (HR-ESI-MS, 1 D and 2 D NMR), besides, their absolute and relative configurations were established by using Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and CD spectrum. The anti-inflammatory potential of all compounds was evaluated by applying LPS induced RAW 264.7 macrophage inflammatory model, and the results were that none of these compounds showed activity (IC50 > 100 µM).[Formula: see text].

Discovery of eudesmane-type sesquiterpenoids with neuroprotective effects from the roots of Chloranthus serratus.

Seven eudesmane-type sesquiterpenoids, including three pairs of racemic compounds (1a-3a and 1b-3b) and a sesquiterpenoid lactone (4), were obtained from the roots of Chloranthus serratus. The structures of these sesquiterpenoids were characterized based on spectroscopic analyses, ECD calculations, and X-ray diffraction experiment. Neuroprotection assays of the isolated eudesmane-type sesquiterpenoids were conducted on H2O2 damaged PC12 cells. At the concentration of 10 µM, compounds 1b and 4 increased cell viability from 54.8 ± 3.3% to 76.8 ± 2.3 and 72.7 ± 8.2%, respectively.

Sesquiterpenoids with neuroprotective activities from the Chloranthaceae plant Chloranthus henryi.

A rare sesquiterpenoid possessing a 6/6 bicyclic system fused with two clustered furan units and a pair of guaiane-type sesquiterpenoids were acquired from the roots of Chloranthus henryi. Their structures with absolute configurations were characterized with spectroscopic data, ECD, and X-ray diffraction analysis. All three sesquiterpenoids showed moderate neuroprotective activities on PC12 cells damaged with hydrogen peroxide.