Separation and Identification of Ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one from Ganoderma atrum by High-Speed Counter-Current Chromatography and Spectroscopic Methods

High speed counter-current chromatography in semi-preparative scale was used to separate and purify ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one from Ganoderma atrum, a famous traditional Chinese medicine. A two-phase solvent system composed of a mixture of n-hexane–ethanol–water (6: 5: 1, v/v/v) was used and the separation conditions were optimized. In a typical run in less than 400 min, 100 mg of samples can be separated to yield 14 mg of ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one with 99.1% purity. The structure of this compound was elucidated by UV, EI-MS, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR.

     

Six immunosuppressive features from an ascomycete, Zopfiella longicaudata, found in a screening study monitored by immunomodulatory activity

In a screening study on immunomodulatory fungal metabolites, three known anthraquinones, carviolin (roseo-purpurin) (1), 1-O-methylemodin (2), omega-hydroxyemodin (citreorosein) (4), and a new anthraquinone, omega-acetylcarviolin (3), together with a known steroid, ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one (5) and a new steroid, 25-hydroxyergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one (6) were isolated from an Ascomycete, Zopfiella longicaudata, and found to have moderate immunosuppressive activities. The structure-activity relationships of these metabolites are discussed.     

Ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one from Vietnamese Xylaria sp. possessing inhibitory activity of nitric oxide production

From the methanolic extract of Xylaria sp. collected in Vietnam, a fluorescent constituent, ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one (1) was isolated and elucidated by the combination of 2D NMR, high resolution MS, IR and UV spectroscopy. Its inhibitory activity of nitric oxide production in RAW 264.7 cells stimulated by lipopolysaccharide was examined and showed a potential activity with the IC(50) value of 28.96 microM.     

A new lignan glycoside from the aerial parts and cytotoxic investigation of Uvaria rufa

Chemical investigation of the aerial parts of Uvaria rufa (Dunal) Blume collected from Vietnam yielded one new lignan glycoside, ufaside (1), along with six known compounds, oxoanolobine (2), ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one (3), catechin (4), epicatechin (5), daucosterol (6) and glutin-5-en-3-one (7). Their chemical structures were determined by using NMR, HR-MS spectroscopic analyses and in comparison with the reported data. A cytotoxic analysis of U. rufa herb extracts was performed for the first time using nine human cancer cell lines (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, LNCaP, MKN7, SW480, KB, LU-1, HepG2 and HL-60) derived from different tumour types. Of these seven constituents, compounds 2 and 3 displayed moderate cytotoxicity against the human lung adenocarcinoma cell line (LU-1) with IC₅₀ values of 9.22 ± 1.02 μg/mL and 10.21 ± 1.16 μg/mL, respectively.     

Acetylcholinesterase inhibitory active metabolites from the endophytic fungus Colletotrichum sp. YMF432

An endophytic fungus, Chaetomium sp. YMF432, was isolated from Huperzia serrata (Thunb. ex Murray) Trev. and subjected to phytochemical investigation based on its special environment. From the extracts of fermentation solid of strain YMF 432, eight compounds including 1-O-methylemodin (1), 5-methoxy-2-methyl-3-tricosyl-1,4-benzoquinone (2), 4,8-dihydroxy-1-tetralone (3), (3β,5α,6α, 22E)-3-hydroxy-5,6-epoxy-7-one-8(14),22-dien-ergosta (4), ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one (5), β-sitostenone (6), β-sitosterol (7) and (22E,24R)-ergosta-5,7,22 -trien-3β-ol (8) were obtained. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of their spectroscopic data. These compounds were evaluated for acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities in vitro. Compounds 1, 2, and 4 showed moderate acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities (IC₅₀ from 37.7 ± 1.5 to 370.0 ± 2.9 μM).     

An Efficient Method for Extraction, Separation and Purification of Naphthoquinone Pigments from Lithospermum erythrorhizon Sieb. et Zucc. by SFE and HSCCC

Supercritical fluid extraction was used to extract naphthoquinone pigments from Lithospermum erythrorhizon Sieb. et Zucc. The crude extracts were separated and purified by high-speed counter-current chromatography with light petroleum–ethyl acetate–methanol–water (5:5:8:2, v/v) as the two-phase solvent system. Three kinds of naphthoquinone pigments including 17.6 mg of β-hydroxyisovalerylshikonin (I), 17.6 mg of acetylshikonin (II), and 19.7 mg of isobutyrylshikonin (III) were obtained from 150 mg crude sample. The purity of these compounds was 96.7, 99.3 and 95.5%, respectively, as determined by liquid chromatograph. Their structures were identified by ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR.     

远东疣柄牛肝菌的化学成分

从远东疣柄牛肝菌(Leccinum extremiorientale)子实体中提取分离得到13个 化合物，通过理化常数和波谱数据分析，它们的结构被鉴定为：麦角甾-7，22-二 烯-3β，5α，6β-三醇（1），麦角甾醇过氧化物（2），麦角甾醇（3），麦角甾 -4，6，8（14），22-四烯-3-酮（4），麦角甾-5，7-二烯-3β-醇（5），棕榈酸 （6），（2S，3S，4R，2’R）-2-（2’-羟基二十四碳酰胺）十八烷-1，3，4-三 醇（7），脑苷脂B（8），脑苷脂D（9），尿嘧啶（10），肌苷（11），腺苷（12 ），D-阿洛醇（13），利用2D NMR（~1H-~1H COSY，HMBC，HMQC）技术首次对化合 物8和9的氢谱和碳谱数据进行了全归属。在浓度为100 μg/mL时，化合物2，7和8 表现出选择性地抗蛇毒Crotalus adamenteus分泌的磷脂酶A_2活性，而对蜂毒 Apis mellifcra磷脂酶A_2却无活性。此外，远东疣柄牛肝菌提取物对粘虫拒食率 和小莱蛾死亡率分别为67%和55%。     

Terrenolide S,a new antileishmanial butenolide from the endophytic fungus Aspergillus terreus

Terrenolide S, a new butenolide derivative (6), together with six known compounds: (22E,24R)-stigmasta-5,7,22-trien-3-β-ol (1), stigmast-4-ene-3-one (2), stigmasta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one (3), terretonin A (4), terretonin (5) and butyrolactone VI (7) have been isolated from the endophytic fungus Aspergillus terreus isolated from the roots of Carthamus lanatus (Asteraceae). Their structures were established by extensive spectroscopic analyses (1D, 2D NMR and HRESIMS), as well as optical rotation measurement and comparison with literature data. Compound 1 displayed a potent activity towards methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Cryptococcus neoformans with IC₅₀ values of 2.29 and 10.68 µM, respectively. Moreover, 1, 2 and 6 exhibited antileishmanial activity towards Leishmania donovani with IC₅₀ values of 11.24, 15.32 and 27.27 µM, respectively and IC₉₀ values of 14.68, 40.56 and 167.03 µM, respectively.     

Separation and Purification of Baishouwubenzophenone, 4-Hydroxyacetophenone and 2,4-Dihydroxyacetophenone from Cynanchum auriculatum Royle ex Wight by HSCCC

A preparative high-speed counter-current chromatography method for isolation and purification of three acetophenones, baishouwubenzophenone, 4-hydroxyacetophenone and 2,4-dihydroxyacetophenone from the Chinese medicinal plant Cynanchum auriculatum Royle ex Wight was successfully established. With a two-phase solvent system composed of light petroleum (b.p. 60–90 °C)–ethyl acetate–methanol–water (4:9:6:6, v/v), about 20.2 mg compound 1, 35.0 mg compound 2 and 8.3 mg compound 3, each at over 95% purity as determined by LC, were obtained in one-step elution from 400 mg of the ethanol extract. The structures of these compounds were identified by UV, IR, ESI-MS, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. Among them, compounds 2,4-dihydroxyacetophenone and 4-hydroxyacetophenone were obtained from C. auriculatum for the first time.     

Preparative Isolation and Purification of Two Phenylpropanoids from Daphne giraldii Nitsche by HSCCC

Preparative high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) was successfully applied to purify phenylpropanoids from the stem and root bark of Daphne giraldii Nitsche, a traditional Chinese medicine. Their structures were identified on the basis of ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR technology. The two-phase solvent system composed of n -hexane–ethyl acetate–methanol–water (2: 3: 0.5: 4, v/v/v/v) was selected for HSCCC. A total of 8.0 mg woonenoside XI (1) and 18.0 mg daphnetin (2) were obtained in one-step separation from 200 mg of the crude extract with purity of 96.0 and 99.1%, respectively, as determined by LC. And the major compound (2) showed antithrombotic activity in vitro.     

Ergosta-5,7,9(11), 22-tetraen-3β-ol and its 24ξ-Ethyl Homolog,Two New Marine Sterols from the Red Sea Sponge Biemna fortis

The steroidal components of a Red Sea sponge, Biemna fortis, were fractionated through reversed phase HPLC. and analyzed by a combination of physical methods, including high resolution GC./MS. and 360 MHz ¹H-NMR. The sponge contains five conventional Δ⁵-sterols, 1a – c , 1e , 1g , which comprise about 25% of the mixture and 2,5% of gorgosterol (1h) , a sterol never found before in Porifera. Three Δ^5,7,22-sterols were also present as major components in the mixture (～70%): cholesta-5,7,22-trien-3β-ol (2a) , ergosta-5,7,22-trien-3β-ol (2c) and (24R)-ethylcholesta-5,7,22-trien-3β-ol (2e) whereas two new tetra-unsaturated sterols were identified in minor amounts (2%): ergosta-5,7,9(11),22-tetraen-3β-ol (3c) and 24ξ-ethylcholesta-5,7,9 (11), 22-tetraen-3β-ol ( 3e or 3f ). NMR. spectroscopy made possible the assignment of a 24R configuration for all the C(24) substituted sterols isolated in sufficient amount from the mixture. The possible symbiotic, dietary or biosynthetic origins of these sterols are discussed.     

Isolation of Terpenoids from Trichilia quadrijuga (Meliaceae) by Droplet Counter-Current Chromatography

The Trichilia genus (Meliaceae) consists of about 230 species distributed throughout tropical America and its phytochemical profile is rich in terpenic metabolites. Droplet counter-current chromatography (DCCC) was used for the isolation and purification of secondary metabolites obtained from a dichloromethane fraction (2.9 g) of Trichilia quadrijuga stems. A hexane–ethyl acetate–methanol–water (1:2:1.75:1, v/v/v/v) solvent system was chosen to isolate 2β,3β,4β-trihydroxypregnan-16-one (1, 24.5 mg, 0.8%), kudtdiol (2, 45.0 mg, 1.6%) and 3-O-β-d-glucopyranosylsitosterol (3, 6.0 mg, 0.2%). The results showed that DCCC was a very effective tool for the isolation of terpenes from T. quadrijuga.     

Steroids and an oxylipin from an algicolous isolate of Aspergillus flavus

A new oxylipin, (8E,12Z)-10,11-dihydroxyoctadeca-8,12-dienoic acid (1), a new steroid, 3β,4α-dihydroxy-26-methoxyergosta-7,24(28)-dien-6-one (2), and four known steroids, episterol (3), (22E,24R)-ergosta-7,22-dien-3β,5α,6α-triol (4), (22E,24R)-ergosta-5,22-dien-3β-ol (5), and (22E,24R)-ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one (6), were isolated from the cultures of Aspergillus flavus, an endophytic fungus isolated from the marine red alga Corallina officinalis. Their structures and relative stereochemistry were elucidated by 1D, 2D NMR and mass spectroscopic techniques. 1 and 2 exhibited low activity to inhibit acetylcholinesterase and no activity against plant pathogenic fungi Colletotrichum lagenarium and Fusarium oxysporum.     

Separation and Purification of Three Flavonoids from Helichrysum arenarium (L.) Moench by HSCCC

Following an initial clean-up step on a Sephadex LH-20 column, high-speed countercurrent chromatography was successfully applied to the isolation and purification of three flavonoids from a crude sample of Helichrysum arenarium (L.) Moench. HSCCC was performed with a two-phase solvent system composed of ethyl acetate–water (1:1, v/v). Naringenin-7-O-β-d-glycoside (2.3 mg), isoquercitrin (3.5 mg), and astragalin (6.7 mg), with purities of 96.05%, 93.63%, 95.23%, respectively, were separated from 160 mg of crude sample in a one-step separation. The structure identification was by ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR.     

A new pregnane steroid from cultures of Aspergillus versicolor

A new pregnane steroid, named aspergillon A (1), together with two known compounds, (22E,24R)-ergosta-5,7,22-trien-3β-ol (2) and (22E, 24R)-ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one (3) were isolated from cultures of the tin mine tailings-associated fungus Aspergillus versicolor. The new structure and absolute configuration were determined with the help of extensive spectroscopic analyses and quantum chemical calculations of the electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra.     

Use of pH-Zone Refining Countercurrent Chromatography for Preparative Separation of Fangchinoline and Tetrandrine from Stephania tetrandra

pH-Zone-refining countercurrent chromatography with a multilayer coil planet centrifuge has been successfully used for separation of fangchinoline and tetrandrine from crude extracts of Stephania tetrandra. The two target compounds were completely resolved by use of the two-phase solvent system petroleum ether (60–90 °C)–ethyl acetate–methanol–water 5:5:1:9 (v/v), with 10 mm triethylamine in the organic stationary phase and 5 mm hydrochloric acid in the aqueous mobile phase. Separation of 3.5 g sample yielded 126 mg fangchinoline (LC purity >93%) and 249 mg tetrandrine (LC purity >95%). The structures of the compounds were confirmed by use of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and ¹H NMR.     

Isolation and Purification of Highly Polar Antioxidants from Chirita longgangensis by Combination of Macroporous Resin and HSCCC

An efficient and simple method to isolate and purify highly polar antioxidants from the antioxidant active site of Chirita longgangensishas been established. Firstly, the antioxidant active site was enriched with D101 macroporous resin, and then high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) was used with the two-phase solvent system ethyl acetate–n-butanol–methanol–water (5:0.1:0.5:4.5, v/v) to obtain four antioxidants in one step. They were identified as plantainoside D (28.4 mg), plantainoside B (9.5 mg), calcedarioside B (18.1 mg) and calcedarioside A (16.7 mg) by analysis of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra. The purities were all above 97 % as determined by HPLC. The inhibiting effects of the crude extracts, enriched fraction and the obtained compounds on superoxide anion radical, hydroxyl radical and hydrogen peroxide were determined by different chemiluminescence (CL) systems. The result shows that all of them have good antioxidant activity. However, the sequence of antioxidant abilities among compounds I–IV was different when assayed by different CL systems (superoxide anion radical, hydroxyl radical, and hydrogen peroxide). This is the first report on preparative isolation and purification of antioxidants from C. longgangensis by HSCCC combined with macroporous resin and their inhibition of free radical-induced luminol chemiluminescence.     

Simultaneous Quantitation of Paracetamol, Pseudoephedrine and Chlorpheniramine in Dog Plasma by LC-MS-MS

A simple, rapid and sensitive liquid chromatography/electrospray tandem mass spectrometry quantitative detection method, using amantadine as internal standard, was developed for the simultaneous analysis of paracetamol, pseudoephedrine and chlorpheniramine concentrations. Analytes were extracted from plasma samples by liquid–liquid extraction with n-hexane–dichloromethane–2-propanol (2:1:0.1, v/v), separated on a C18 reversed-phase column with 0.1% formic acid–methanol (40:60, v/v) and detected by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry in positive multiple reaction monitoring mode. Calibration curves for plasma were linear over the concentration range 10–10,000 ng mL^?1 of paracetamol, 2–2,000 ng mL^?1 of pseudoephedrine and 0.2–200 ng mL^?1 of chlorpheniramine. The method has a lower limit of quantitation of 10 ng mL^?1 for paracetamol, 2.0 ng mL^?1 for pseudoephedrine and 0.2 ng mL^?1 for chlorpheniramine. Recoveries, precision and accuracy results indicate that the method was reliable within the analytical range, and the use of the internal standard was very effective for reproducibility by LC-MS-MS. This method is feasible for the evaluation of pharmacokinetic profiles of a novel multicomponent sustained release formulation containing 325 mg of paracetamol, 30 mg of pseudoephedrine hydrochloride and 2 mg of chlorpheniramine maleate. It is the first time the pharmacokinetic evaluation of a novel sustained-action formulation containing paracetamol, pseudoephedrine and chlorpheniramine has been elucidated in vivo using LC-MS-MS.     

Microporotriol,a new cadinane-type sesquiterpenoid from the cultures of the wood-decay fungus Microporus affinis HFG829

Abstract

A new cadinane-type sesquiterpenoid, microporotriol (1), together with four known compound, 5-methylresorcinol (2), (22E,24R)-ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one (3), (22E,24R)-ergosta-5,7,22-trien-3β-ol (4), (22E,24R)-5α,8α-epidioxy-ergosta-6,22-dien-3β-ol (5), were isolated from the fermentation broth of the wood decaying fungus Microporus affinis HFG829. The structures of the compounds were established by extensive spectroscopic methods, including 1D & 2D NMR, along with HRMS spectroscopic analysis. The relative configuration of 1 was confirmed by NMR calculation. Compound 1 was evaluated for the cytotoxicity against five human cancer cell lines.     

Agariblazeispirols A and B, an unprecedented skeleton from the cultured mycelia of the fungus, Agaricus blazei

Agariblazeispirols A and B, which have a unique steroidal skeleton, have been isolated from the cultured mycelia of Agaricus blazei (Agaricaceae). The absolute structure of Agariblazeispirol A was established to be (20S,22R,23R,24S)-13β,22:22,25-diepoxy-5-methoxy-14β-methyl-18-nor-des-A-ergosta-5,7,9,11-tetraen-23-ol by extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectral data, and X-ray analysis. The structure of Agariblazeispirol B was elucidated to be a stereoisomer of agariblazeispirol A at its carbon 22, (20S,22S,23R,24S)-13β,22:22,25-diepoxy-5-methoxy-14β-methyl-18-nor-des-A-ergosta-5,7,9,11-tetraen-23-ol by comparison of extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectral data with those of agariblazeispirol A. Both compounds showed a moderate circumvention of drug resistance on mouse leukemia P388/VCR cells.