New 2-arylbenzofurans from the root bark of Artocarpus gomezianus and their α-glucosidase inhibitory activity

Two new 2-arylbenzofurans, namely 13-O-methyllakoochin B (1) and artogomezianin (2), were isolated from the root bark of Artocarpus gomezianus, along with six known compounds (3–8). The structures of new compounds were determined by spectroscopic and chemical methods. All of the isolates were evaluated for their α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Artogomezianin (2) and lakoochin A (3) exhibited strong α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with IC₅₀ values of 18.25 and 26.19 µM, respectively, as compared with the positive control acarbose.     

Ferroelectric phase stabilization, phase transformations and?thermal properties in (1? x )PbZrO3– x Pb(Co1/3Nb2/3)O3 solid solution

The solid solution between the antiferroelectric PbZrO₃ (PZ) and relaxor ferroelectric Pb(Co_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃ (PCoN) was synthesized by the columbite method. The phase structure and thermal properties of (1−x)PZ–xPCoN, where x=0.0–0.3, were investigated. With these data, the ferroelectric phase diagram between PZ and PCoN has been established. The crystal structure data obtained from XRD indicates that the solid solution PZ–PCoN, where x=0.0–0.3, successively transforms from orthorhombic to rhombohedral symmetry with an increase in PCoN concentration. The AFE→FE phase transition was found in the compositions of 0.0≤x≤0.10. The AFE→FE phase transition shift to lower temperatures with higher compositions of x. The width of the temperature range of FE phase was increased with increasing amount of PCoN. It is apparent that the replacement of the Zr⁴⁺ ion by (Co_1/3Nb_2/3)⁴⁺ ions would decrease the driving force for antiparallel shift of Pb²⁺ ions, because they interrupt the translational symmetry. This interruption caused the appearance of a rhombohedral ferroelectric phase when the amount of PCoN was more than 10 mol%.     

Surface-grafted poly(acrylic acid) brushes as a precursor layer for biosensing applications: effect of graft density and swellability on the detection efficiency

Carboxyl groups along poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) brushes attached to the surface of a gold-coated substrate served as the precursor moieties for the covalent immobilization of amino-functionalized biotin or bovine serum albumin (BSA) to form a sensing probe for streptavidin (SA) or anti-BSA detection, respectively. Surface-grafted PAA brushes were obtained by acid hydrolysis of poly(tert-butyl acrylate) brushes, formerly prepared by surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization of tert-butyl acrylate. As determined by surface plasmon resonance, the PAA brushes immobilized with functionalized biotin or BSA probes not only showed good binding with the designated target analytes but also maintained a high resistance to nonspecific protein adsorption, especially those PAA brushes with a high surface graft density. Although the probe binding capacity can be raised as a function of the graft density of the PAA brushes or the amount of carboxyl groups along the PAA chains, the accessibility of the target analyte to the immobilized probe was limited at the high graft density of the PAA brushes. The effect was far more apparent for the BSA-anti-BSA probe-analyte pair than for the much smaller biotin-SA probe-analyte pair. The impact of the swellability of the PAA brushes, as tailored by the degree of carboxyl group activation, on both the sensing probe immobilization and analyte detection was also addressed. This investigation demonstrated that PAA brushes having a defined graft density have a promising potential as a precursor layer for biosensing applications.     

New bisbibenzyl and phenanthrene derivatives from Dendrobium scabrilingue and their α-glucosidase inhibitory activity

Abstract

Phytochemical investigation of the whole plant of Dendrobium scabrilingue resulted in the isolation of two new compounds namely dendroscabrols A (1) and B (2), along with eight known compounds (3–10). The structures of these compounds were determined by NMR and HR-ESI-MS experiments. All of the isolates were evaluated for their α-glucosidase inhibitory effect. Dendroscabrol B (2) and RF-3192C (10) showed the most potent α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Dendroscabrol A (1), gigantol (5), coelonin (7) and lusianthridin (9) also exhibited strong activity as compared with the positive control acarbose.     

New dihydrophenanthrenes from Dendrobium infundibulum

Two new dihydrophenanthrenes, dendroinfundin A (1) and dendroinfundin B (2) were isolated from the whole plant of Dendrobium infundibulum, together with 7 known compounds (3–9). The structures of the new compounds (1 and 2) were established on the basis of their spectroscopic data. All of the isolates were evaluated for their α-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase inhibitory activities. Batatasin III (5) and dendrosinen B (9) showed strong α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Dendrosinen B (9) also exhibited appreciable pancreatic lipase inhibitory effect.