Cytotoxic effect of some pentacyclic triterpenes and hemisynthetic derivatives of stigmasterol

Two different oxidation reactions (PCC and KMnO₄) of stigmasterol gave three products, stigmasta-4,22-dien-3-one (1a), stigmasta-4,22-diene-3,6-dione (1b), and 3-O-acetyl-5β,6β-epoxystigmast-22-ene-3-ol (1c). The cytotoxic activities of hemisynthetic compounds, stigmasterol, and four pentacyclic triterpens 2–5 previously isolated from cultivated and wild Triumfetta cordifolia and identified were investigated against human fibrosarcoma cell line (HT1080). Most of the drugs showed moderate cytotoxic activity. It was also notice that the triterpene skeleton had a range of number of OH functions in which activity was observed. Spectroscopic analyses (¹H and ¹³ C NMR) and mass were used to elucidate the structure of hemisynthetic compounds.     

Long-chain alkanoic acid esters of lupeol from Dorstenia harmsiana Engl. (Moraceae)

In addition to lupeol (1a), three long-chain alkanoic acid esters of lupeol, in which two were new, were isolated from the hexane and ethyl acetate twigs extract of Dorstenia harmsiana Engl. (Moraceae). The structures of the new compounds were elucidated on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR experiments. Some isolated compounds were evaluated for their antimicrobial activities. The lupeol and its three long-chain alkanoic acid esters showed antifungal and antibacterial activities.     

Antihepatotoxic and antioxidant activities of methanol extract and isolated compounds from Ficus chlamydocarpa

Free radicals, in particular radical oxygen species (ROS), play an important role in the aetiology and pathogenesis of various diseases. Current research in many countries focuses on the use of local medicinal plants as a promising source of liver protective agents. This paper describes the hepatoprotective effects of the methanol extract and four isolated compounds from Ficus chlamydocarpa on CCl4-induced liver damage, as well as the possible antioxidant mechanisms involved in this protection. The DPPH test, along with the beta-Carotene-Linoleic Acid Model System and Ferric-Reducing Antioxidant Power assays, as well as the inhibition of microsomal lipid peroxidation were used to measure radical-scavenging and antioxidant activities. Pretreatment of rats with the methanol extract of F. chlamydocarpa before CCl4 administration, significantly prevented serum increase of hepatic enzyme markers, glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) and glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT), in a dose-dependent manner. The hepatoprotection was also associated with a significant enhancement in hepatic reduced glutathione (GSH) and a marked decrease of liver malondialdehyde (MDA). Among the four compounds 1-4, isolated from the methanol extract, alpha-amyrin acetate (1) and luteolin (4) showed a significant hepatoprotective activity, as indicated by their ability to prevent liver cell death and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage during CCl4 intoxication.     

Epunctanone,a New Benzophenone,and Further Secondary Metabolites from Garcinia epunctata Stapf (Guttiferae)

A new polyprenylated benzophenone, named epunctanone ( 1 ), was isolated from the stem bark of Garcinia epunctata Stapf , together with eight known compounds, 7‐epiisogarcinol ( 2 ), 2,6‐dimethoxy‐p‐benzoquinone ( 3 ), friedelin ( 4 ), lupeol ( 5 ), 16β‐hydroxylupeol ( 6 ), betulin ( 7 ), stigmasterol ( 8 ), and rheediaxanthone A ( 9 ). The structure of epunctanone ( 1 ) was established by detailed analysis of its spectroscopic data, especially 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR, and HR‐MS data. All these compounds were evaluated for their antimicrobial and anti‐protozoan activities. They were also assayed to determine if any of the compounds were nonpeptide agonist ligands for nematodal G‐protein‐coupled receptors, which would be an indication of potential antinematodal activity. Among the isolated compounds, 7‐epiisogarcinol ( 2 ) was the most active against Candida albicans.     

A xanthone and a polyketide derivative from the leaves of Cassia obtusifolia (Leguminosae)

A new xanthone, 1,8-dihydroxy-3-methoxy-6-methylxantone and a new polyketide derivative, (4R^∗,5S^∗,6E,8Z)-ethyl-4-((E)-but-1-enyl)-5-hydroxypentdeca-6,8-dienoate, together with 20 known secondary metabolites, including 2 steroids, 4 xanthones, 10 anthraquinones, 2 triterpenoids, 1 fatty ester, and (E)-eicos-14-enoic acid, were isolated from the leaves of Cassia obtusifolia. To the best of our knowledge, the last compound was isolated from a natural source for the first time. The structures of all the compounds were elucidated on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR experiments. Some of the compounds were tested against Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans ATCC 9002, and Candida tropicalis, they did not show any activity.     

Three New Derivatives and Others Constituents from the Roots and Twigs of Trilepisium madagascariense DC

Three new compounds, trilepisflavene ( 1 ), trilepisdepsidone ( 2 ), and daturadiol stearate ( 3 ), together with nine known compounds, 2‐hydroxy‐4‐[(4‐hydroxy‐2‐methoxy‐6‐methylbenzoyl)oxy]‐6‐methylbenzoic acid ( 4 ), lichexanthone ( 5 ), naringenin ( 6 ), 3′,4′,5,7‐tetrahydroxyflavanone ( 7 ), 2‐hydroxybenzoic acid ( 8 ), methyl 2,4‐dihydroxy‐6‐methylbenzoate ( 9 ), β‐amyrin ( 10 ), eurothridiol palmitate ( 11 ), and β‐sitosterol ( 12 ), were isolated from the AcOEt extract of the twigs and the roots of Trilepisium madagascariense. Acetylation of eurothridiol palmitate was carried out and a new acetylated derivative ( 13 ) was obtained. The structures of the isolated and acetylated compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis. Antimicrobial activity of all these compounds was evaluated using Mueller–Hinton broth (MHB) and Mueller–Hinton agar (MHA) method. Trilepisdepsidone , 2‐hydroxy‐4‐[(4‐hydroxy‐2‐methoxy‐6‐methylbenzoyl)oxy]‐6‐methylbenzoic acid, 3′,4′,5,7‐tetrahydroxyflavanone, and naringenin exhibited moderate to weak antimicrobial activity.     

Acylated Triterpene Saponins from Atroxima liberica Stapf

The four new acylated triterpene saponins 1 – 4 , isolated as two pairs of isomers and named libericosides A₁/A₂ and B₁/B₂, one pair of isomers 5 / 6 , the (Z)‐isomer libericoside C₂ ( 5 ) being new, one new sucrose ester, atroximoside ( 7 ), and eight known compounds were isolated from the roots of Atroxima liberica by repeated MPLC and VLC on normal and reversed‐phase silica gel. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR studies (¹H‐ and ¹³C‐NMR, DEPT, COSY, TOCSY, NOESY, HSQC, and HMBC) and mass spectrometry as 3‐O‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosylpresenegenin 28‐{O‐α‐L ‐arabinopyranosyl‐(1→3)‐O‐β‐D ‐xylopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐O‐α‐L ‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1→2)‐4‐O‐[(E)‐3,4‐dimethoxycinnamoyl]‐β‐D ‐fucopyranosyl} ester ( 1 ) and its (Z)‐isomer 2 , 3‐O‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosylpresenegenin 28‐{O‐α‐L ‐arabinopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐O‐β‐D ‐xylopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐O‐α‐L ‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1→2)‐O‐[O‐β‐D ‐xylopyranosyl‐(1→3)‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→3)]‐4‐O‐[(E)‐3,4‐dimethoxycinnamoyl]‐β‐D ‐fucopyranosyl} ester ( 3 ) and its (Z)‐isomer 4 , 3‐O‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosylpresenegenin 28‐{O‐β‐D ‐xylopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐O‐α‐L ‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1→2)‐O‐[6‐O‐acetyl‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→3)]‐4‐O‐[(Z)‐3,4‐dimethoxycinnamoyl]‐β‐D ‐fucopyranosyl} ester ( 5 ), and 3‐O‐[(Z)‐feruloyl]‐β‐D ‐fructofuranosyl α‐D ‐glucopyranoside ( 7 ). Compounds 1 – 6 and the known saponins 8 / 9 were evaluated against the human colon cancer cells HCT 116 and HT‐29 and showed moderate to weak cytotoxicity.