Essential Oil Composition and Antibacterial Activity of the Leaves of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Stachys schtschegleevii</Emphasis> from Iran

The composition of the essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation from the leaves of Stachys schtschegleevii Sosn. before the flowering stage was analyzed by GC and GC-MS. Forty-five compounds representing 98.7% of the total oil were identified, of which α-pinene (36.4%), germacrene-D (18.6%), limonene (8.2%), and piperitone (6.2%) were the major constituents. Furthermore, antibacterial activity of the entire oil and its two main monoterpenes was evaluated against six Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The oil exhibited moderate activity against the tested bacteria.__________Published in Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 2, pp. 138–140, March–April, 2005.     

Essential Oil Composition of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nepeta involucrata</Emphasis> from Iran

The essential oil of Nepeta involucrata (Bunge) Bornm. (Lamiaceae) obtained by hydrodistillation from the aerial parts during the flowering stage was analyzed by GC and GC-MS. Forty-eight compounds representing 97.2% of total oil were identified. The main compounds of the oil were 1,8-cineol (23.1%), germacrene-D (15.1%), and β-pinene (12.2%). No traces of nepetalactone isomers were found as oil constituents. __________ Published in Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 562–564, November–December, 2005.     

Composition of essential oils from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Salvia anatolica</Emphasis>, a new species endemic from Turkey

The component composition of essential oils produced by steam distillation from flower heads, leaves, and stems of Salvia anatolica (Lamiaceae), a recently described new species endemic from Turkey, was studied by GC/FID and GC/MS. A total of 127 volatile components representing 96% of the oil was identified in essential oil from flower heads and leaves. It was found that the principal oil components of flower heads and leaves were α-pinene (10.9%), β-pinene (6.7%), α-copaene (6.3%), heptacosane (6.2%), and hexadecanoic acid (5.0%). A total of 109 volatile compounds representing 87.9% of the oil was characterized in essential oil isolated from stems. The principal oil components of stems were identified as hexadecanoic acid (27.2%), tetradecanoic acid (15.2%), dodecanoic acid (5.5%), and α-copaene (5.0%). __________ Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 552–555, November–December, 2007.     

Chemical Composition of the Essential Oil of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Salvia macilenta</Emphasis> from Iran

The hydrodistilled essential oil composition from the aerial parts of Salvia macilenta (Lamiaceae) from Iran was analyzed by GC and GC-MS. The oil analysis confirmed the characterization of thirty-one compounds, accounting for 99.4% of the total oil. Analysis of the oil showed that the oil of S. macilenta was rich in monoterpene hydrocarbons with a-pinene (60%) as the main component followed by γ-elemene (6.1%), thymol (5.2%), elemol (4.7%), and β-caryophyllene (4.1%).__________Published in Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 2, pp. 136–137, March–April, 2005.     

Composition of the Essential Oil of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhabdosciadium strausii</Emphasis> from Iran

The essential oil from the aerial parts of Rhabdosciadium strausii (Apiaceae) growing wild in Iran was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC and GC-MS. Forty-two compounds were characterized, representing 97.5% of the total oil. β-Elemene (37.9%) and germacrene-D (32.2%) were identified as the major constituents. __________ Published in Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 4, pp. 333–334, July–August, 2005.     

Reaction of frangula-emodin with <Emphasis Type="Italic">α</Emphasis>-bromoalkylmethylketones

The alkylation of 1,6,8-trihydroxy-3-methylanthraquinone (frangula-emodin) by α-bromoalkylmethylketones was investigated. Hydroxyls in the 1-and 8-positions of the β-derivatives were O-acylated. The compositions and structures of the prepared compounds were confirmed by elemental analysis and UV, IR, PMR, and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. __________ Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 4, pp. 324–326, July–August, 2007.     

Fatty acids of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Stachys milanii</Emphasis> seeds

For the first time the total acid composition of the seeds of Stachys milanii Petrovic, a species endemic to the central and eastern Balkan Peninsula and growing spontaneously at two localities, was examined by GC and GC/MS. The major fatty acid was linoleic or oleic acid. Besides fatty acids that represent the usual seed oil constituents, 6-octadecynoic and 9-oxononanoic acid were identified in considerable amounts. The high content of 6-octadecynoic acid makes S. milanii seed oil a good potential source for the active substance in antifungal preparations. From the chemotaxonomical point of view, small amounts of octadecatrienoic acid detected in the seeds suggested classification of S. milanii as an archaic taxon. Published in Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 4, pp. 315–317, July–August, 2007.     

Chemical Composition of the Essential Oils of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bunium elegans</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bunium caroides</Emphasis>

Analyses of the essential oils of Bunium elegans (Fenzl) Freyn and B. caroides (Boiss.) Hausskn. ex Bornm., using GC, GC/MS, and¹³ C-NMR spectroscopy resulted in identification of their chemical constituents. The oils of both species contain mainly the sesquiterpene hydrocarbons germacrene-D and E-caryophyllene, which amounted to 24.1% and 38% for B. elegans and 22.1% and 26.6% for B. caroides respectively. The oil of B. caroides contained the monoterpenes α-pinene and Z-β-ocimene in 4.1 and 5.9% respectively, while traces of monoterpenes were detected for B. elegans. On the other hand, in B. caroides the phenylpropanoid derivatives asaricin (7.5%) and dillapiole (10.2%) were among the major constituents. __________ Published in Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 4, pp. 335–336, July–August, 2005.     

The Heterotactic Enthalpic Interaction Coefficients of <Emphasis Type="Italic">α</Emphasis>-Amino Acids with Maltose in Aqueous Solution at <Emphasis Type="Italic">T</Emphasis>=298.15 K

The mixing enthalpies of maltose with several typical α-amino acids (glycine, L-alanine, L-serine, L-valine, L-threonine and L-proline) and dilution enthalpies of each compound have been determined in aqueous solutions at T=298.15 K by a flow-mixing microcalorimeter. The heterotactic enthalpic pairwise interaction coefficients, h _xy , of each amino acid with maltose have been calculated by the McMillan–Mayer formalism, and are discussed in terms of intermolecular interactions of the hydrated solute species.     

Novel <Emphasis Type="Italic">S</Emphasis>-containing lactones from monoterpene oxides

A new type of S-containing terpene lactones was produced by the reactions of limonene-1,2-oxide and β-pinene-α-oxide with mercaptoacetic acid. __________ Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 3, pp. 220–223, May–June, 2007.     

Chemical Constituents of Brown Rice Grain (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Oryza sativa</Emphasis>)

One new compound 3,7,11,15,19-pentamethyl-9α,10α,11α,17α,18α-pentahydroxy-n-tetracosan-1-oxy-p-hydroxycaffeoate (oryzaterpenyl caffeoate) (1), together with three known fatty acids linoleic acid, stearic acid and myristic acid were isolated and identified from the rice grain of Oryza sativa. The structure of the new compound was elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic techniques (¹H-¹HCOSY, ¹H-¹³C HETCOR) aided by EI-MS, and IR spectra. __________ Published in Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 535–537, November–December, 2005.     

Composition of the essential oil of Stachys benthamiana Boiss. from the south of Iran

The chemical composition of the essential oil (EO) obtained from the aerial parts of Stachys benthamiana Boiss. was analysed by using GC and GC/MS. Thirty-three components were identified in the oil. β-Bisabolene (19.2%), humulene epoxide II (10.7%), epi-α-bisabolol (7.2%), (E)-γ-bisabolene (6.9%), n-decanal (6.8%) and caryophyllene oxide (6.6%), were the main compounds in the EOs. This is the first report on the different chemical compositions of S. benthamiana EOs from the south of Iran.     

Chemical Components of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Leptopus chinensis</Emphasis>

Six substances were isolated from the branches and leaves of the Chinese herb Leptopus Chinensis (Bunge) Pojark. by column chromatography for the first time. Their structures were elucidated as 3α-hydroxyfriedelan-2-one, saccharose, triacontanol, friedelane-2α,3β-diols, β-sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glucoside, and β -sitosterol on the basis of x-ray, chemical, and spectroscopic methods. __________ Published in Kimiya Prirodnikh Soedinenii, No. 5, pp. 462–464, September–October, 2005.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-Bromoacetyl-β-<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">D</Emphasis>-glycopyranosylamines in the synthesis of glycoconjugates of nitrogen-containing physiologically active compounds

A series of nitrogen-containing physiologically active compounds underwent smooth N-monoalkylation with N-bromoacetyl-β-glycopyranosylamines derived from N-acetyl-D-glucosamine and lactose. This reaction was demonstrated to be promising for the introduction of carbohydrate residues into heterocyclic compounds, viz., pyridine, imidazole, pyrimidinetrione, carboline, and piperazine derivatives, and into an amino acid, 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan, which is unstable in alkaline media. Dedicated to Academician N. K. Kochetkov on the occasion of his 90th birthday. __________ Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 5, pp. 1256–1259, May, 2005.     

Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of the Essential Oils of Two Endemic Species from Turkey: <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sideritis cilicica</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sideritis bilgerana</Emphasis>

Aerial parts of Sideritis cilicica Boiss. & Bal. and Sideritis bilgerana P.H. Davis (Lamiaceae) were hydrodistilled to obtain essential oils that were then analyzed by GC and GC/MS. β-Pinene (39%), α-pinene (28%), and β-phellandrene (20%) were the main components in the oil of S. cilicica, while β-pinene (48%), and α-pinene (32%) were the major constituents in the oil of S. bilgerana. The antimicrobial activities of the oils were evaluated by using the microdilution broth method. Both of the oils showed good inhibitory effects on C. albicans. __________ Published in Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 559–561, November–December, 2005.     

Transformations of peroxide ozonolysis products of natural olefins by <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-containing organic compounds in methanol

Transformations of peroxide ozonolysis products of cyclic and acyclic natural olefins with different degrees of saturation by hydroxylamine and semicarbazide hydrochlorides were investigated. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 3, pp. 272–275, May–June, 2009.     

Solid state studies on molecular inclusions of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lippia sidoides</Emphasis> essential oil obtained by spray drying

Inclusion complexes of Lippia sidoides essential oil and β-cyclodextrin were obtained by slurry method and its solid powdered form was prepared using spray drying. The influence of the spray drying, as well as the different essential oil:β-cyclodextrin ratio on the characteristics of the final product was investigated. With regard to the total oil retention 1:10 mass/mass ratio as optimal was found between the essential oil and β-cyclodextrin. Thermoanalytical techniques (TG, EGD, TG-MS) were used to support the formation of inclusion complex and to examine their physicochemical properties after accelerated storage conditions. It may be assumed that the thermal properties of the complexes were influenced not only by the different essential oil/ β-cyclodextrin ratio but also by the storage conditions. In the aspect of their thermal stabilities, complex prepared with 1:10 m/m ratio (essential oil:β-cyclodextrin) was the most stable one.     

Components of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Artemisia pontica</Emphasis>

Chemical components from the aerial part of the Kazakhstan population of Artemisia pontica, from which the rarely encountered flavonoids 7-O-methyl- and 4′,7-di-O-methyl-esters of apigenin were isolated for the first time, were identified. The complete chemical composition of the essential oil was established using GC-MS.__________Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 2, pp. 143–145, March–April, 2005.     

5-Arylidene Derivatives of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Meldrum</Emphasis>’s Acid as Synthons in Pyrano[4,3-<Emphasis Type="Italic">b</Emphasis>]pyran Synthesis

Summary. The reactions of 5-arylidene derivatives of Meldrum’s acid with ethyl vinyl ether or N-vinyl-2-oxazolidinone yielded trans-trans-(2,4:4,7)-pyrano[4,3-b]pyrans, cis-trans-(2,4:4,7)-pyrano[4,3-b]pyrans, or diastereoisomeric mixtures of pyrano[4,3-b]pyrans and reactions with 3,4-dihydro-2H-pyran afforded Michael adducts. The reactions of 5-arylidene derivatives of Meldrum’s acid with cyanoacetic acid derivatives do not provide appropriate pyrans.     

Hetero-<Emphasis Type="Italic">Diels-Alder</Emphasis> reaction of propenenitriles with enol ethers: a convenient approach to functionalized 3,4-dihydro-2<Emphasis Type="Italic">H</Emphasis>-pyrans

The hetero-Diels-Alder reaction of 3-(N-acetyl-N-benzylamino)-2-formylprop-2-enenitrile with enol ethers yielded cis/trans diastereoisomers of 2-alkoxy-4-amino-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyran-5-carbonitriles in moderate yields. Acidic hydrolysis of cis-diastereoisomer in concentrated sulfuric acid gave 2-oxo-1,2-dihydropyrydine-3-carbaldehyde. The reaction of 2-benzoyl-3-heteroaromaticprop-2-enenitriles with enol ethers afforded diastereoisomeric cis/trans cycloadducts in good yields. The structure of the products is discussed in terms of configuration and preferred conformation. Correspondence: Aleksandra Pałasz, Department of Organic Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland.