Biotransformation of (−)-α-Bisabolol by Absidia coerulea

(−)-α-Bisabolol, a bioactive monocyclic sesquiterpene alcohol, has been used in pharmaceutical and cosmetic products with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and skin-caring properties. However, the poor water solubility of (−)-α-bisabolol limits its pharmaceutical applications. It has been recognized that microbial transformation is a very useful approach to generate more polar metabolites. Fifteen microorganisms were screened for their ability to metabolize (−)-α-bisabolol in order to obtain its more polar derivatives, and the filamentous fungus Absidia coerulea was selected for scale-up fermentation. Seven new and four known metabolites were obtained from biotransformation of (−)-α-bisabolol (1), and all the metabolites exhibited higher aqueous solubility than that of the parent compound 1. The structures of newly formed metabolites were established as (1R,5R,7S)- and (1R,5S,7S)-5-hydroxy-α-bisabolol (2 and 3), (1R,5R,7S,10S)-5-hydroxybisabolol oxide B (4), (1R,7S,10S)-1-hydroxybisabolol oxide B (5), 12-hydroxy-α-bisabolol (7), (1S,3R,4S,7S)- and (1S,3S,4S,7S)-3,4-dihydroxy-α-bisabolol (8 and 10) on the basis of spectroscopic analyses. These compounds could also be used as reference standards for the detection and identification of the metabolic products of 1 in the mammalian system.     

Novel microbial transformation of resibufogenin by Absidia coerules

Resibufogenin is one of the major active components of the Chinese medicine ChanSu. In this paper, microbial transformation of resibufogenin by Absidia coerules AS 3.3382 was investigated and five metabolites were isolated and identified as 5beta-hydroxy-resibufogenin (2), 3-epi-resibufogenin (3), 3alpha-hydroxy-15-oxo-14alphaH-bufa-20, 22-dienolide (4), 3alpha,14alpha,15beta-trihydroxy-bufa-20, 22-dienolide (5) and 3-epi-15beta-hydroxy-bufalin (6). Among them, 4-6 are novel compounds, and compound 3 is a major transformed product. The cytotoxicities of the compounds against Bel-7402 and Hela cells were investigated, and our result suggested that 14,15-OH configuration was directly related to the cytotoxicities of bufadienolides.     

天然单萜柠檬烯的微生物转化

天然单萜柠檬烯资源丰富,价格便宜,在日用化工和医药行业已得到重要的应用。近几十年来,以柠檬烯为起始原料的新产品的研究与开发一直受到关注。大量文献报道了微生物能够对柠檬烯进行生物转化,得到系列在化妆品、食品、医药、有机合成等领域有重要应用价值的含氧衍生物。本文系统地综述了柠檬烯的微生物转化菌株和所得到转化产物的结构,分析了微生物对柠檬烯的主要转化途径以及影响微生物转化效率的主要因素。柠檬烯经微生物转化所得到的产物具有区域和立体选择性,并且难以通过人工合成方法得到。对生物转化过程进行系统优化,将有可能实现有用化合物的工业化生产。此外,在转化过程中诱导的高活性酶,尤其是单加氧酶和羟化酶的研究与应用也展现了诱人的前景。     

Biotransformation of Jervine by Cunninghamella echinulata

Biotransformation of jervine ( 1 ) by Cunninghamella echinulata (ACCC 30369) was carried out. Four biotransformation products were obtained, and three of them, 3 – 5 , were identified as new compounds. On the basis of their NMR and mass‐spectral data, their structures were characterized as jervinone ( 2 ), 7α‐hydroxyjervine ( 3 ), 14α‐hydroxyjervine ( 4 ), and 1β,7α‐dihydroxyjervine ( 5 ). The X‐ray diffraction structure of 1 is also reported for the first time.     

Biotransformation of daidzein ditiglate by microorganisms

Biotransformation of the daidzein ditiglate (2) by fungi, Aspergillus niger and Glomerella cingulata was investigated. Compound 2 was transformed to daidzein (1) by A. niger and G. cingulata. This suggested that compound 2 was converted to compound 1 by hydrolysis at both of the C-7 and C-4' positions.     

Biotransformation of Vermitaline by Cunninghamella echinulata

Biotransformation of vermitaline ( 1 ) by Cunninghamella echinulata (ACCC 30369) was carried out. Four biotransformation products were obtained and three of them were characterized as new compounds. On the basis of their NMR and mass‐spectral data, their structures were characterized as 7α‐hydroxyrubijervine ( 2 ), 7α‐hydroxyrubijervine‐7‐O‐β‐D ‐galactofuranoside ( 3 ), 7α‐hydroxyvermitaline ( 4 ), and 7α‐hydroxyvermitaline‐7‐O‐β‐D ‐galactofuranoside ( 5 ).     

海洋细菌对柠檬烯的生物转化及萜类产物鉴定

从南海大亚湾的海洋微生物中筛选出3株对单萜D-柠檬烯有显著生物催化转化作用的海洋细菌(Vibrio cholerae、Listonella dam sela和Vibrio alginolyticus)。以2216E为培养基,添加200mg/L的柠檬烯,在28℃,以120 r/m in摇瓶培养5 d,用乙酸乙酯提取培养液,经GC-MS分析其转化产物,结果显示,这些细菌能在柠檬烯的不同位置进行羟基化、羰基化等,并伴随有还原、水解、酯化、开环等反应,但转化能力和转化程度不同;在产物中,还检测到系列结构不同的其它萜类:包括倍半萜、二萜以及三萜等,这些萜类化合物的产生跟柠檬烯的加入有关,说明柠檬烯能影响细菌代谢产物的产生。单萜微生物转化反应操作简单、条件温和、高效率和高选择性、无毒、环境友好,能够分离发现系列新的在医药、有机合成、精细化工等领域有用的化合物,为丰富的天然单萜资源的开发与利用提供新的途径和方法。     

Biotransformation of beta-nortestosterone by cultured porcine hepatocytes

The metabolism of beta-nortestosterone by porcine hepatocytes was investigated. Initially beta-nortestosterone was rapidly oxidized to norandrostenedione, which was further transformed into a number of more hydrophilic compounds. It is assumed that most of these compounds were glucuronides, considering the effect of beta-glucuronidase treatment. The main product of enzymatic cleavage was investigated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry but could not be identified until now.     

Biotransformation of phorbol by human intestinal bacteria

Anaerobic incubation of phorbol (1) from Croton tiglium with human intestinal bacteria afforded five metabolites: isophorbol (2), deoxyphorbol (3), 4beta,9alpha,20-trihydroxy-13,15-seco-1,6,15-tigliatriene-3,13-dione (4), 4beta,9alpha,20-trihydroxy-15,16,17-trinor-1,6-tigliadiene-3,13-dione (5) and 4beta,9a,20-trihydroxy-14(13-->12)-abeo-12alphaH-1,6-tigliadiene-3,13-dione (6). All these metabolites (2-6) were identified and characterized by spectroscopic means, including two-dimensional (2D)-NMR. Nine defined strains from the human intestine showed an ability to transform 1 to these metabolites.     

Biotransformation of Oleaside A by Cunninghamella echinulata

Biotransformation of oleaside A ( 1 ) by Cunninghamella echinulata (ACCC 30369) was carried out to afford two products, (6R)‐6‐hydroxyoleaside A ( 2 ) and (7S)‐7‐hydroxyoleaside A ( 3 ). The structures of 2 and 3 were elucidated by extensive NMR analyses and further confirmed by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis. We also report herein the X‐ray diffraction structure of oleaside A ( 1 ) for the first time. Compounds 1 – 3 were evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against the A549, HCT116, HepG2, and HL‐60 human cancer cell lines.     

Biotransformation of Valdecoxib by Plant Cell Cultures

Valdecoxib is a new anti-inflammatory drug that is highly selective for inhibition of the inducible form of cyclooxygenase (COX-2). In the present study, biotransformation of valdecoxib was investigated in cell cultures of five medicinal plants, viz., Catharanthus roseus, Azadirachta indica, Capsicum annuum, Ervatamia heyneana, and Nicotiana tabacum. Identification of the biotransformed products was carried out by using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detection and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry analysis. All the cultures transformed valdecoxib into more polar compounds, and C. roseus also produced one unknown compound that is less polar than the substrate. The reactions performed by these plant cell cultures include hydroxylation, methylation, and demethylation. Optimization studies were performed to investigate the effect of the day of extraction and substrate concentration on biotransformation.     

Biotransformation of agallochaexcoerin A by Aspergillus flavus

Agallochaexcoerin A (1), a seco-manoyl oxide diterpenoid was metabolised by pathogenic fungus, Aspergillus flavus, in growth media to yield a new metabolite, termed agallochaexcoerin G (2). It was confirmed by using IR, UV, ¹H NMR and HR-ESI-MS techniques. This microbial bioconversion was achieved by unusual dehydration at C-4 position.     

Biotransformation of triptolide by Cunninghamella blakesleana

Biotransformation of triptolide 1 by Cunninghamella blakesleana (AS 3.970) was carried out. Seven biotransformation products were obtained and four of them were characterized as new compounds. On the basis of their NMR and mass spectral data, their structures were characterized as 5α-hydroxytriptolide 2, 1β-hydroxytriptolide 3, triptodiolide 4, 16-hydroxytriptolide 5, triptolidenol 6, 19α-hydroxytriptolide 7 and 19β-hydroxytriptolide 8. All the new transformed products (2, 3, 7 and 8) were found to exhibit potent in vitro cytotoxicity against some human tumor cell lines.     

Biotransformation of chrysin and apigenin by Cunninghamella elegans

Biotransformation of chrysin by Cunninghamella elegans NRRL 1392 produced apigenin, apigenin 7-sulfate, apigenin 7,4'-disulfate, and a new metabolite identified as chrysin 7-sulfate. On the other hand, fermentation of apigenin, using the same microorganism, yielded apigenin 7-sulfate and apigenin 7,4'-disulfate. The structures of the metabolites were established by spectral analysis, and acid and enzyme hydrolyses in addition to comparison with reference samples.     

Biotransformation of 1,8-cineole by human liver microsomes

The biotransformation of 1,8-cineole has been investigated by using human liver microsomes. A single oxidized metabolite, 2-exo-hydroxy-1,8-cineole, was isolated. Its formation was investigated under various conditions by changing incubation time, P450 level in liver microsomes, and substrate concentration.     

Biotransformation of arsenate to arsenosugars by Chlorella vulgaris

Chlorella vulgaris was cultivated in a growth medium containing arsenate concentration of <0.01, 10, 100 and 1000 mg l^?1. Illumination was carried out in 12 h cycles for 5 days. The health status of the culture was monitored by continuous pH and dissolved oxygen (DO) readings. Destructive sampling was used for the determination of biomass, chlorophyll, total arsenic and arsenic species. The chlorophyll a content, the DO and pH cycles were not significantly different for the different arsenate concentrations in the culture. In contrast, biomass production was significantly (p < 0.05) increased for the arsenic(V) treatment at 1000 mg l^?1 compared with 100 mg l^?1. The arsenic concentration in the algae increased with the arsenate concentration in the culture. However, the bioconcentration factor decreased a hundred‐fold with increase of arsenate from the background level to 1000 mg l^?1. The arsenic species were identified by using strong anion‐exchange high‐performance liquid chromatography–inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry analysis after methanol/water (1 : 1) extraction. The majority (87–100%) of the extractable arsenic was still arsenate; arsenite was found to be between 1 and 6% of total extractable arsenic in the algae. In addition to dimethylarsinic acid, one unknown arsenical (almost co‐eluting with methylarsonic acid) and three different arsenosugars have been identified for the first time in C. vulgaris growing in a culture containing a mixture of antibiotics and believed to be axenic. The transformation to arsenosugars in the algae is not dependent on the arsenate concentration in the culture and varies between 0.2 and 5% of total accumulated arsenic. Although no microbiological tests for bacterial contamination were made, this study supports the hypothesis that algae, and not associated bacteria, produce the arsenosugars. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.