Isolation of a new member of the ecdysteroid glycoside family: 2-deoxy-20-hydroxyecdysone 22-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside

A new ecdysteroid glycoside, 2-deoxy-20-hydroxyecdysone 22-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, is isolated from the herb Silene italica ssp. nemoralis (Waldst. and Kit.) Nyman. The compound is purified with multistep chromatography, such as classical column chromatography on alumina and droplet countercurrent distribution. Also, it is expanded using twice low-pressure reversed-phase liquid column chromatography. Chromatography in four steps results in the purified 2-deoxy-20-hydroxyecdysone 22-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside. Two other ecdysteroids have also been separated, including the formerly identified integristerone A and 24(28)-dehydromakisterone A.     

Isolation of a new class of ecdysteroid conjugates (glucosyl-ferulates) using a combination of liquid chromatographic methods

The Polynesian medicinal fern Microsorum membranifolium contains very large amounts of ecdysteroids, including ecdysone, 20-hydroxyecdysone, 2-deoxy-20-hydroxyecdysone, and 2-deoxyecdysone. It also contains large amounts of unusual ecdysteroids which have been unambiguously identified by mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance. A new class of ecdysteroid conjugates (3-glucosyl-ferulates of 2-deoxyecdysone and 2-deoxy-20-hydroxyecdysone) is isolated, together with a new glycoside (2-deoxyecdysone 25-rhamnoside). The simultaneous presence of a sugar and an aromatic moiety results in a very particular chromatographic behavior of these conjugates. They behave like flavonoids and polyphenols when using the classical purification on polyamide, aimed at removing the latter from crude plant extracts, and would therefore be lost. They elute as non-polar ecdysteroids on reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), whereas their behavior on normal-phase (NP) HPLC is strongly dependent on the mobile phase composition. Our data highlight the importance of selectivity in the choice of HPLC methods used for ecdysteroid separations.     

Preparative-scale chromatography of ecdysteroids: a class of biologically active steroids

A simple separation procedure is developed for the isolation of the main phytoecdysteroid 20-hydroxyecdysone from the herb Silene viridiflora. The purification in four steps uses only a simple preparative-scale separation technique (i.e., liquid-liquid extraction, precipitation, solid-phase extraction on octadecyl silica, and crystallization). This procedure is extended using classical normal-phase liquid column chromatography, rotation planar chromatography, and preparative high-performance liquid chromatography for the isolation of the minor ecdysteroids: integristerone A, 26-hydroxypolypodine B, 2-deoxy-20,26-dihydroxyecdysone, and polypodine B. 2-Deoxy-20,26-dihydroxyecdysone is isolated from this species for the first time. The isolation of these ecdysteroids in adequate amounts makes them readily available for insect physiology experiments and for structure-activity relationship studies. The preparative-scale separation work also results in a minor, as yet unknown ecdysteroid.     

Preparative scale purification of shidasterone, 2-deoxy-polypodine b and 9a,20-dihydroxyecdysone from Silene italica ssp. nemoralis

A suitable combination of preparative scale separation methods results in effective clean-up of the ecdysteroids of Silene italica ssp. nemoralis (Waldst. and Kit.) Nyman. The isolation of minor ecdysteroids from the partially purified extract is based on the use of both droplet counter-current chromatography and low-pressure reversed-phase liquid chromatography. The purification is completed by preparative thin-layer chromatography and preparative high-performance liquid chromatography to obtain the minor ecdysteroids, such as 2-deoxy-20-hydroxyecdysone, shidasterone, 2-deoxy-polypodine B, makisterone C, and 9alpha,20-dihydroxyecdysone.     

High performance liquid chromatography coupled to nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and mass spectrometry applied to plant products: Identification of ecdysteroids fromSilene otites

Summary HPLC coupled in parallel to nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS) has been used to obtain¹H NMR and mass spectra of a number of ecdysteroids present in an extract of the plantSilene otites. Reversed phase gradient chromatography was performed using a D₂0-acetonitrile-based solvent system. NMR and mass spectra were obtained for integristerone A, 20-hydroxyecdysone, 2-deoxy-20-hydroxyecdysone and 2-deoxyecdysone to provide structural confirmation using continuous and stopped flow HPLC-NMR. The combined HPLC-NMR-MS system described here provided a more comprehensive analysis of the ecdysteroids present in the extract than HPLC-NMR alone.     

Ecdysteroid glycosides: identification, chromatographic properties, and biological significance

Ecdysteroid glycosides are found in both animals and plants. The chromatographic behavior of these molecules is characteristic, as they appear much more polar than their corresponding free aglycones when analyzed by normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), whereas the presence of glycosidic moieties has a very limited (if any) impact on polarity when using reversed-phase HPLC. Biological activity is greatly reduced because the presence of this bulky substituent probably impairs the interaction with ecdysteroid receptor(s). 2-Deoxy-20-hydroxyecdysone 22-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, which has been isolated from the dried aerial parts of Silene nutans (Caryophyllaceae), is used as a model compound to describe the rationale of ecdysteroid glycoside purification and identification.     

Ecdysteroids from Silene claviformis

The ecdysteroid content ofSilene claviformishas been analyzed and the four major compounds have been identified as 20-hydroxyecdysone, 2-deoxy-20-hydroxyecdysone, 2-deoxyecdysone, and integristerone A. Two new minor compounds have also been identified An erratum to this article can be found at     

A Developmental Analysis of Ecdysteroids During the Metamorphosis of Drosophila Melanogaster

Abstract

A combination of ion suppression reverse phase high pressure liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and differential radioimmunoassay (RIA) was used to identify and quantify ecdysteroids from Drosophila melanogaster during the development of the white puparium to the adult. The whole body ecdysteroid titer revealed a large peak approximately 30 hours after pupariation. RP-HPLC-RIA analysis of the brain-ring gland complex secretion in vitro revealed the presence of: ecdysone, 20-deoxymakisterone A, and a yet uncharacterized low polarity ecdysteroid (LP-1). The metabolism of ecdysone and 20-deoxymakisterone A was followed by analysis of the ecdysteroids during development. The white puparium (0 hour) yielded a four-fold greater quantity of free 20-hydroxyecdysone and makisterone A than ecdysone and 20-deoxymakisterone A, respectively, indicating high 20-monooxygenase activity during this stage. Another metabolite of ecdysone, 20,26-dihydroxyecdysone, was present at a quantity intermediate between that of ecdysone and 20-hydroxyecdysone. Highly polar ecdysteroids (conjugates) treated with an esterase-phosphatase mixture yielded the free ecdysteroids, ecdysone, 20-deoxymakisterone A, 20-hydroxyecdysone, and makisterone A, suggesting the presence of novel ecdysteroid conjugates of 20-deoxymakisterone A and makisterone A. At 18 hours post-pupariation the levels of all free ecdysteroids were reduced when compared to the 0 hour white puparium with the highly polar ecdysteroids predominating. By 30 hour after pupariation the level of free ecdysteroids had increased, indicating net ecdysteroid synthesis. Both ecdysone and 20-deoxymakisterone A were in greater concentrations than 20-hydroxyecdysone and makisterone A, indicating a reduced level of 20-monooxygenase activity at this stage. At 48 hours post-pupariation Drosophila contained decreasing amounts of ecdysteroids except for 20,26-dihydroxy- ecdysone and low polar products. 20, 26-Dihydroxyecdysone was the only known ecdysteroid to remain at a high level during the rest of adult development.     

5-Alpha- and 5-beta-2-deoxyintegristerone A,a 5-alpha and 5-beta isomer pair of ecdysteroids isolated from the Silene genus

5-Alpha-2-deoxyintegristerone A and 5-beta-2-deoxyintegristerone A were isolated from the aerial parts of Silene italica ssp. nemoralis (Waldst. and Kit.) Nyman using a specific combination of absorption column chromatography, preparative thin-layer chromatography and preparative HPLC. Both normal-phase and reversed-phase modes of HPLC were employed for isolation. Structural elucidation of 5-alpha-2-deoxyintegristerone A was completed by X-ray diffraction. Both 5-alpha-2-deoxyintegristerone A and 5-beta-2-deoxyintegristerone A were firstly isolated from this plant. We propose that 5-alpha-2-deoxyintegristerone A is not an artifact but an integral part of the ecdysteroid spectrum of Silene italica ssp. nemoralis (Waldst. and Kit.) Nyman.     

Phytoecdysteroids of Plants of the Silene Genus. 2-Dehydroxyecdysterone-3-O-benzoate from Silene wallichiana

The known ecdysteroids 2-dehydroxyecdysone, 2-dehydroxyecdysterone, ecdysterone-22-O-benzoate, ecdysterone, integristerone A, and a new ecdysteroid identified as 2-dehydroxyecdysterone-3-O-benzoate are isolated from roots ofSilene wallichianaKlotzsch     

Two minor phytoecdysteroids of the plant Silene viridiflora

Chemical investigations of Silene viridiflora (L.) yielded a new ecdysteroid, 20-hydroxyecdysone 20,22-monoacetonide-25-acetate (1), and a known ecdysteroid, 2-deoxypolypodine B-3-beta-D-glucoside (2). The elucidation of the chemical structures was established by 1D and 2D NMR experiments.     

Thin-layer chromatography of ecdysteroids originated fromSilene otites L. (Wib.)

Summary Thin-layer chromatographic investigations of ecdysteroids have been carried out to monitor their isolation by column chromatography and droplet countercurrent chromatography as well as to control the homogeneity of the pure products. Isolation scheme and chemical structure of the 20-hydroxyecdysone-22-benzoate and that of three new ecdysteroid compounds, 2-deoxy-1,20-dihydroxyecdysone, 2-deoxyecdysone-22-acetate and 2-deoxy-20-hydroxyecdysone-22-acetate are also presented.     

Stereoselective synthesis and moulting activity of integristerone A and analogues

Integristerone A, a rare ecdysteroid of plant origin, has been synthesized from 20-hydroxyecdysone with 2-deoxy-1,2-didehydro-20-hydroxyecdysone as the key intermediate, followed by stereoselective asymmetric dihydroxylation. The analogues 1,2-di-epi-integristerone A and 1,2-di-epi-5α-integristerone A have also been synthesized. Integristerone A exhibited approximately 9-fold lower moulting activity than the parent 20-hydroxyecdysone in the Musca domestica bioassay, indicating that the presence of a 1β-hydroxyl group resulted in a decrease in activity. As expected, the 1,2-di-epi-5α-analogue was inactive in this assay.     

New cytotoxic steroid from Stachyurus imalaicus var. himalaicus

A phytochemical study of the ethanolic extract of Stachyurus imalaicus var. himalaicus was undertaken and as a result a new polyoxygenated steroid, named stachsterol ((20S)-20, 25-dihydroxy-4-cholesten-3-one, 1) and three known ecdysteroids, 20-hydroxyecdysone (2), 20-hydroxyecdysone-20, 22-monoacetonide (3) and polypodine B-20,22-monoacetonide (4), were isolated. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, including UV, NMR, MS and HR-MS. The purified product 1 was found to have in vitro cytotoxic activity against human Hela cell lines with an IC50 value of 2.5 microg/mL. This is the first time that phytoecdysteroids have been found in the genus Stachyurus.     

Structural characterization and identification of ecdysteroids from Sida rhombifolia L. in positive electrospray ionization by tandem mass spectrometry

Seven ecdysteroids isolated from Sida rhombifolia L. were studied by electrospray ionization multi-stage tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS(n)) in the positive ion mode using an ion trap analyzer and high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a diode-array detector (HPLC/DAD). The HPLC experiments were performed by means of a reversed-phase C(18) column and a binary mobile phase system consisting of water (containing 0.05% formic acid) and acetonitrile (containing 0.05% formic acid) under gradient elution conditions. According to mass spectral features and the substitution at C-2, C-20, C-24 and C-25, ecdysteroids in S. rhombifolia were classified into three sub-groups. Structural identification of these three sub-groups of ecdysteroids was established by LC/multi-stage ion trap mass spectrometry on-line or off-line. The fragmentation patterns of ecdysteroids yielded ions of successive loss of 1-4 water molecules. Furthermore, ions corresponding to the complete loss of the side chain at C-17 will help to identify the sub-groups of ecdysteroids in addition to containing a hydroxyl moiety at one of the above-mentioned positions. Based on the HPLC retention behavior, the diagnostic UV spectra and the molecular structural information provided by ESI-MS(n) spectra, a total of nine naturally occurring ecdysteroids were identified, of these two are identified for the first time in S. rhombifolia.     

Functional group-mediated biotransformation by Curvularia lunata NRRL 2178: synthesis of 3-dehydro-2-deoxy-ecdysteroids from the 3-hydroxy-2-mesyloxy analogues

Microbial transformation of ecdysteroids with 3-hydroxy-2-mesyloxy functional group by the fungus Curvularia lunata NRRL 2178 furnished 3-dehydro-2-deoxy analogues. The metabolites included 3-dehydro-2-deoxy analogues of 20-hydroxyecdysone, pterosterone, ponasterone A, 20-hydroxyecdysone 20,22-acetonide, shidasterone, and poststerone. The mild biotransformation conditions prevented the metabolites from C-5 epimerization.     

Micellar capillary electrophoresis of the ecdysteroids

Summary The technique of micellar capillary electrophoresis has been applied to the separation of ecdysteroids (polyhydroxylated insect hormones) both as pure standards and in the extracts of plants and insect eggs. Succesful separations of a range of closely related ecdysteroids were obtained, however, the quality of the result was found to be critically dependent on the solvent in which the sample was applied and the degree of purity of the extracts. The technique was found to be suitable for the analysis of purified ecdysteroid-rich extracts of plants (Silene nutans, S. otites) and the eggs of the desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria). The elution order of the analytes was similar to that obtained using reversed-phase HPLC.     

Profiling of ecdysteroids in complex biological samples using liquid chromatography/ion trap mass spectrometry

A sensitive method using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to a mass spectrometer with electrospray ionization source (HPLC/ESI-MS) was developed for detection of ecdysteroids in biological samples. We report here for the first time that ecdysteroids can be classified into three groups based on ESI full-scan mass spectra: group 1 (ecdysone (E), 2-deoxyecdysone (2dE), 2,22-dideoxyecdysone (3beta5beta-KT), and 3alpha5alpha[H]-dihydroxycholest-7-en-6-one (3alpha5alpha-KD)), in which loss of one molecule of water from the protonated molecular ion ([M+H](+)) represents the dominant ion; group 2 (20-hydroxyecdysone (20E), makisterone A (MakA), 3beta5beta-KD, and 3beta5alpha-KD), in which [M+H](+) is a major ion but some water loss is observed; and group 3 (muristerone A (MurA) and ponasterone A (PonA)), in which [M+H](+) is the dominant ion with no water loss observed. Based on the analytical procedure in combination with structural information from the group classification and with the application of source-induced dissociation, we identified free ecdysteroids in biological samples: 20,26-dihydroxyecdysone and ecdysonic acid in the larval hemolymph, and the progressive metabolism of 26-hydroxyecdysone (26E) to 3alpha-26E from day-1 to day-3 embryos of the tobacco hornworm Manduca sexta.     

Extraction and monitoring of phytoecdysteroids through HPLC

The size of the phytoecdysteroids family is rapidly growing. Recent data shows over 250 ecdysteroid analogs have been identified so far in plants. It is theorized that there are over 1000 possible structures, which might occur in nature, but it is a fact that ecdysteroids usually occur in plants as a complex cocktail of structurally different compounds. Among these compounds, the major component is usually the common ecdysteroid-like 20-hydroxyecdysone. Ecdysteroids are polar steroids, almost sugar-like in their solubility properties. Extraction and purification of ecdysteroids (polyhydroxy steroids) is complicated by their polar nature and poor crystallizing properties. These properties make them difficult to separate from other polar plant constituents. Besides, this plant extract is very often processed by multistep procedures to isolate the major and minor ecdysteroids from the new or existing sources. A simplified scheme consisting of a few extraction steps for the purification of ecdysteroid from plants is in great demand. A quantitative approach through high-performance liquid chromatography has been initiated for developing an easy method for the extraction of ecdysteroids from Ipomoea hederacea (kaladana) seeds.     

Spectroscopic characterisation and identification of ecdysteroids using high-performance liquid chromatography combined with on-line UV--diode array, FT-infrared and 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and time of flight mass spectrometry

A prototype multiply hyphenated reversed-phase HPLC system has been applied to the analysis of a mixture of pure ecdysteroids and an ecdysteroid-containing plant extract. Characterisation was achieved via a combination of diode array UV, ¹H NMR, FT-IR spectroscopy and time of flight (TOF) mass spectrometry. This combination of spectrometers allowed the collection of UV, ¹H NMR, IR and mass spectra for a mixture of pure standards enabling almost complete structural characterisation to be performed. The technique was then applied to a partially purified plant extract in which 20-hydroxyecdysone and polypodine B were identified despite incomplete chromatographic resolution and the presence of co-chromatographing interferents. The experimental difficulties in the use of such a systems for these analytes are described.