Steroids and triterpenoids from <Emphasis Type=Italic>Cucumis sativus</Emphasis> roots

Investigations on the EtOH extract of Cucumis sativus roots led to the isolation of 15 compounds (1–15). Their structures were identified using spectroscopic methods. Among these compounds, compound 1, stigmasta-8(14),22-diene-7α-methoxy-3β-ol, is a new steroid, and 2, 4–15 were isolated from this plant for the first time.     

Comparative characteristics of water-soluble proteins from <Emphasis Type=Italic>Larix sibirica</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type=Italic>Picea obovata</Emphasis>, and <Emphasis Type=Italic>Abies sibirica</Emphasis> bud meristem

The amount of water-soluble proteins in bud meristem of Larix sibirica L., Picea obovata L., and Abies sibirica L. was shown to increase by 2-3 times in autumn during development of low-temperature resistance. The fractional composition of water-soluble proteins of the studied species and the amino-acid composition of groups of water-soluble proteins with different molecular weight (MW) were similar. Nitrogen accumulated as aspartic acid, glycine, and alanine in high- and medium-molecular-weight proteins. The peptides (MW < 5 kDa) typically had a high content of hydrophobic proline and hydrophilic tyrosine.     

Reaction of methylpheophorbides <Emphasis Type=Italic>d</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type=Italic>b</Emphasis> with amines

A series of formyl analogs of chlorin e₆ 13-amides were synthesized in high yields by reaction under mild conditions of primary and secondary amines with methylpheophorides b and d. In contrast with the secondary 13-amides, tertiary 13-amides were found as two isomers differing in the orientation of the amide plane relative to the plane of the chlorin ring. Methylpheophorbides b and d were more reactive toward the amines than methylpheophorbide a.