Biotransformation of furanocoumarins by fungi: preparation of imperation analogs.

Imperation analogs have the furanocoumarin skeleton, with the isopentenyl group, which displayed significant bioactivities. The biotransformation of furanocoumarins imperation, isoimperation and phellopterin (1-3) by fungi has been proved to be an efficient method for the structural modification. Ten transformed furanocoumarin analogs were obtained by fungal biotransformation, including one new highly oxygenated furanocoumarin (4c). Aspergillus niger AS 3.739 displayed selectively transformed capability toward furanocouamrins (1-3) with one or two major products. So, seven hydroxylation and hydrolysis derivatives have been prepared efficiently. Additionally, the biotransformation of phellopterin gave multiple products (4a, 4b, 4c) by Cunninghamella blakesleana AS 3.970. The biotransformation time-courses of furanocoumarins have been established, which suggested the preferred incubation time. The bioactivities of furanocoumarin analogs have been investigated in an in vitro bioassay. And, furanocoumarins 1-3, 2a, and 2c displayed moderate anti-osteoporosis activities using MCET3-E1 cell line at the concentrations of 1, 10, and 100 µM.

Biotransformation of resibufogenin by Actinomucor elegans.

Resibufogenin (RB), a major bioactive bufadienolide, has the potential anticancer activity. In the present work, biotransformation of RB by Actinomucor elegans AS 3.2778 yielded five products, namely 3-oxo-resibufogenin (1), 3-epi-resibufogenin (2), 3-epi-12-oxo-hydroxylresibufogenin (3), 3α-acetoxy-15α-hydroxylbufalin (4), and 3-epi-12α-hydroxylresibufogenin (5), respectively. Among them, metabolites 3 and 4 are previously unreported. The chemical structures of metabolites 1-5 were fully elucidated on the basis of 2D NMR and HR-MS. The highly stereo- and regio-specific isomerization, hydroxylation, and esterification reactions were observed in the biotransformation process of RB by A. elegans. Their cytotoxicities against A549 and H1299 cells were evaluated.

Microbial transformation of resibufogenin by Curvularia lunata AS 3.4381.

In this paper, the microbial transformation of resibufogenin by Curvularia lunata AS 3.4381 was investigated, and four transformed products were isolated and characterized as 3-epi-resibufogenin (2), 12α-hydroxy-3-epi-resibufogenin (3), 12-oxo-16ß-hydroxy-3-epi-resibufogenin (4), and 12ß,15-epoxy-3-epi-bufalin-14,15-ene (5). Among them, 4 and 5 are new compounds, and isomerization, hydroxylation, and oxidation reactions in microbial transformation process were observed. Additionally, the cytotoxicities of transformed products (2-5) were also investigated.

Phytochemical properties and antioxidant capacities of various colored berries.

BACKGROUND: Berries are known to be rich in anthocyanins. These compounds give berries their distinctive colors and, more importantly, have several health benefits, such as contributing to the prevention of heart disease, cancer and inflammatory disease. In this study, anthocyanin-rich extracts from 12 colored berries found in northern China were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detection and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD/ESI-MS). Total polyphenol content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), total anthocyanin content (TAC) and antioxidant capacity (AOC) of the berries were assayed. The contribution of anthocyanins in the berries to their antioxidant capacity and bioactivity was also investigated. RESULTS: The 12 berries analyzed had typical profiles with different anthocyanin compositions, which can be considered as an indicator for differentiating berries. Cyanidin-3-xylosyl-galactoside and cyanidin-3-xylosyl-rutinoside were identified for the first time in Acanthopanax S. and Chinese dwarf cherry respectively. All berry extracts showed potent antioxidant activity, and TPC correlated well with AOC. Blue honeysuckle, blackcurrant and blueberry had higher TAC/TPC ratio, with anthocyanins contributing more to AOC. The higher flavonoid content in yellow raspberry and sea buckthorn might increase their antioxidant activity. In addition, wild raspberry had higher antioxidant activity than cultivated raspberries, but they all had lower anthocyanin content with less contribution to AOC. CONCLUSION: There is great potential to improve human health through consumption of these colored berries, especially those high in AOC.

Association of the CUN-BAE body adiposity estimator and other obesity indicators with cardiometabolic multimorbidity: a cross-sectional study.

Cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CM), defined as the coexistence of two or three cardiometabolic disorders, is one of the most common and deleterious multimorbidities. This study aimed to investigate the association of Clínica Universidad de Navarra-Body Adiposity Estimator (CUN-BAE), body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) with the prevalence of CM. The data were obtained from the 2021 health checkup database for residents of the Electronic Health Management Center in Xinzheng, Henan Province, China. 81,532 participants aged ≥ 60 years were included in this study. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the odd ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for CUN-BAE, BMI, WC, and WHtR in CM. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used to compare the discriminatory ability of different anthropometric indicators for CM. The multivariable-adjusted ORs (95% CIs) (per 1 SD increase) of CM were 1.799 (1.710-1.893) for CUN-BAE, 1.329 (1.295-1.364) for BMI, 1.343 (1.308-1.378) for WC, and 1.314 (1.280-1.349) for WHtR, respectively. Compared with BMI, WC and WHtR, CUN-BAE had the highest AUC in both males and females (AUC: 0.642; 95% CI 0.630-0.653 for males, AUC: 0.614; 95% CI 0.630-0.653 for females). CUN-BAE may be a better measure of the adverse effect of adiposity on the prevalence of CM than BMI, WC, and WHtR.

Novel microbial transformation of resibufogenin by Fusarium solani.

In this paper, microbial transformation of resibufogenin by Fusarium solani AS 3.1829 was investigated, and five transformed products were isolated and identified as 3-ketone-resibufogenin (2), 3-one-cyclic 3-(1,2-dimethyl-1,2-ethanediylacetal)-resibufogenin (3), 3-dimethoxyl-resibufogenin (4), 3-epi-resibufogenin (5), and 3-epi-15α-hydroxy-7ßH-bufalin (6), respectively. Among them, 3, 4, and 6 are new compounds, and the rare double oxidization of C-3 was reported. In addition, the cytotoxicities of transformed products were also investigated.

Microbial transformation of dehydroandrographolide by Cunninghamella elegans.

The biotransformation of dehydroandrographolide (1) by Cunninghamella elegans was performed and four transformed products were obtained. Based on their extensive spectral data, the structures of these metabolites were identified as 3-oxo-dehydroandrographolide (2), 3-oxo-2beta-hydroxy-dehydroandrographolide (3), 3-oxo-8beta,17alpha-epoxydehydroandrographolide (4), 3,19-dihydroxy-7,11,13-ent-labdatrien-15,16-olide (5), respectively. Among them, products 3-5 are new compounds.

Novel microbial transformation of resibufogenin by Absidia coerules.

Resibufogenin is one of the major active components of the Chinese medicine ChanSu. In this paper, microbial transformation of resibufogenin by Absidia coerules AS 3.3382 was investigated and five metabolites were isolated and identified as 5beta-hydroxy-resibufogenin (2), 3-epi-resibufogenin (3), 3alpha-hydroxy-15-oxo-14alphaH-bufa-20, 22-dienolide (4), 3alpha,14alpha,15beta-trihydroxy-bufa-20, 22-dienolide (5) and 3-epi-15beta-hydroxy-bufalin (6). Among them, 4-6 are novel compounds, and compound 3 is a major transformed product. The cytotoxicities of the compounds against Bel-7402 and Hela cells were investigated, and our result suggested that 14,15-OH configuration was directly related to the cytotoxicities of bufadienolides.

Composition analysis and anti-hypoxia activity of polysaccharide from Brassica rapa L.

Crude water-soluble polysaccharides (BRP) were extracted from the root of Brassica rapa L. using boiling-water. The polysaccharides were successively purified by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and Sephadex G-100 column, giving three major polysaccharide fractions termed BRP1-1, BRP2-1, BRP3-1. The gel permeation chromatography (GPC) analysis showed that the average molecular weight (Mw) of polysaccharides (BRP1-1, BRP2-1, BRP3-1) were approximately 5.53×10(3) Da, 3.35×10(4) Da and 3.37×10(4) Da, respectively. Monosaccharide components analysis indicated that BRP1-1 was composed of arabinose and glucose in a molar ratio of 1.66:98.34. BRP2-1 was composed of arabinose, galactose and glucose in a molar ratio of 9.3:14.63:76.07. BRP3-1 was composed of arabinose, rhamnose, galactose and glucose in a molar ratio of 24.98:24.10:44.09:6.83. The evaluation of anti-hypoxia activity in vivo revealed that BRP is a novel potential anti-hypoxia agent.

Two new lavandulyl flavonoids from Sophora flavescens.

Two novel lavandulyl flavonoids, (2S)-7-methoxyl-4",5"-dihydroxynorkurarinone (1) and (2S)-6"-hydroxynorkurarinone-7-O-beta-D-galactoside (2), were isolated from the rhizome of Sophora flavescens. Their structures were elucidated by spectral methods, including 2D NMR spectroscopy. Both compounds showed cytotoxic activity against Hela cells, with 2 being more active than 1.