Dioscorealides and dioscoreanone,novel cytotoxic naphthofuranoxepins,and 1,4-phenanthraquinone from Dioscorea membranacea Pierre

[structure: see text] Commonly used among ingredients in Thai traditional anticancer preparations, the rhizome of Dioscorea membranacea Pierre was found potently cytotoxic and possibly contributed to such a therapeutic effect. Bioassay-guided isolation resulted in two novel cytotoxic naphthofuranoxepins, dioscorealides A (1) and B (2), and a new 1,4-phenanthraquinone, dioscoreanone (3). The structure determination, achieved mainly by means of NMR and CD spectral and X-ray crystallographic analyses, and cytotoxicity are discussed here.     

Transition metal-doped graphene nanoflakes for CO and CO2 storage and sensing applications: a DFT study

Structural Chemistry - The adsorptions of CO and CO2 on pristine and transition metal-doped graphene nanoflakes (GNFs) were theoretically investigated using the density functional theory. Doping of...     

Study on glucose transport in muscle cells by extracts from Mitragyna speciosa (Korth) and mitragynine

The leaves of Mitragyna speciosa Korth (Rubiaceae) have been used in folk medicine for its unique medicinal properties. This study examined the water, methanolic and crude alkaloidal extracts from M. speciosa leaves and its major constituent mitragynine for the enhancement of glucose transport. Cellular uptake of radioactive 2-deoxyglucose was determined in rat L8 myotubes. Involving signalling pathway was determined with the specific inhibitors. Cell cytotoxicity was monitored by lactate dehydrogenase assay. Protein levels of glucose transporters (GLUTs) were measured by Western blotting. The results show that test samples significantly increased the rate of glucose uptake. The uptake was associated with increase in GLUT1 protein content. Co-incubation with insulin had no additional effect, but the cellular uptake was decreased by wortmannin and SB 203580, specific inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), respectively. It is concluded that the increased glucose transport activity of M. speciosa is associated with increases in activities of the key enzymes dependent to the insulin-stimulated glucose transport for its acute action, and increases in the GLUT1 content for its long-term effect. This study demonstrated the effect of M. speciosa in stimulating glucose transport in muscle cells, implicating the folkloric use of M. speciosa leaves for treating diabetes.     

Cyclic alkoxyamines for nitroxide‐mediated radical polymerization

A 5‐membered cyclic alkoxyamine and a 17‐membered cyclic alkoxyamine were synthesized and used in the polymerization of styrene. Polymerizations using the 5‐membered cyclic alkoxyamine resulted in polymers with uncontrolled molecular weights and high polydispersities. Polymerizations using the 17‐membered cyclic alkoxyamine produced oligomeric polymers in which multiple polymer chains are linked through NO‐C bonds. EPR homolysis experiments revealed that the 5‐membered cyclic alkoxyamine does not dissociate to form a nitroxide species, even at temperatures as high as 403 K. In contrast, the 17‐membered cyclic alkoxyamine does dissociate to form nitroxide, but the rate of dissociation is slower than that of parent acyclic alkoxyamine 2,2,5‐trimethyl‐3‐(1‐phenylethoxy)‐4‐phenyl‐3‐azahexane. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 8049–8069, 2008     

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method for determination of mitragynine in serum and its application to a pharmacokinetic study in rats

A simple HPLC technique for determining mitragynine levels in serum was developed. The separation system consisted of a C18 column heated to 35 degrees C, a methanol-water (80:20, v/v) mobile phase, a flow rate of 0.8 mL/min and detection in the ultraviolet at 225 nm. Mitragynine, with a retention time of 10.09 min, was well resolved from any interferences in human serum and the internal standard peak. The calibration curve was linear from 0.1 to 10 microg/mL (r = 0.9995). Extraction of mitragy-nine from alkalinized serum using diethyl ether gave a high recovery (>or=85%). The intra- and inter-day precisions of the method were 4.29-5.88%RSD and 7.06-8.45%RSD, respectively. The accuracy ranged from -9.54 to +0.67%DEV. The limit of detection was 0.03 microg/mL and the lower limit of quantification was 0.1 microg/mL. Mitragynine in the stock solution was stable during 30 days of storage at 4 degrees C. This method was successfully applied to determine the pharmacokinetic characteristics of mitragynine levels in the serum of rats after it was administered orally.