Chemical constituents and biological activities of the genus Linaria (Scrophulariaceae)

This is a review on 95 references dealing with the genus Linaria (Scrophularioideae-Antirrhineae tribe), a known genus of the Scrophulariaceae family, which comprises about 200 species mainly distributed in Europe, Asia and North Africa. The use of some Linaria species in folk medicine has attracted the attention for chemical and biological studies. This report is aimed to be a comprehensive overview on the isolated or identified known and often new metabolites from the 41 Linaria species so far cited. It is organised presenting first the phytochemical classes of alkaloids, polyphenols including flavonoids, the latter being quite diffused and mostly present as flavones, flavonols and their glycosides, and terpenoids including iridoids and steroids. Second, the results from biological investigation on plant extracts, pure natural products isolated from Linaria species and some synthetic derivatives are reported, with antitumour, anti-acetylcholinesterase, anti-inflammatory and analgesic, antioxidant and antibacterial activities.     

Chemical constituents from rauvolfia verticillata and bioactivities research

A new acridone alkaloid, named 9-hydroxynoracronycine (1), together with four known compounds, including coumarins, lignan, and indole alkaloid, was isolated and identified from the roots and rhizomes of Rauvolfia verticillata. The structure of the new compound was determined by spectroscopic means (UV, IR, MS, and NMR). The acridone alkaloid and coumarins were identified as new constituents of Rauvolfia genus. The cytotoxic activities of the new compound were tested against human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 and human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60. Results showed that compound 1 decreased MCF-7 cell proliferation in a statistically IC₅₀ significant manner at 102.8 μmol/L. In addition, compound 1 exhibited moderate small intestine smooth muscle relaxation.     

Chemical constituents and their bioactivities from the fruits of Vitex negundo var. cannabifolia

Phytochemical investigation of the fruits of Vitex negundo var. cannabifolia led to the isolation of 22 compounds (1–22). Their structures were elucidated mainly by spectroscopic analysis and comparison with the literature data. Among them, compounds 1 and 2 were two new artificial lignans. Primary bioassay showed that the polymethoxyflavones 9–12 displayed moderate-to-weak cytotoxicity against human HepG2 and rat C6 cell lines, while the triterpenoids 13–17 exhibited significant brine shrimp lethality with LC₅₀values of 7.5–29.4 μM.     

Chemical constituents of a marine soft coral of the genus Lobophytum

Chemical investigations on the marine soft coral Lobophytum sp., collected from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, yielded two new acyl glycerol monoalkyl ethers along with two known compounds of this series (1a-d), and a new ceramide (4a). The structures of the new and known compounds were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic studies and chemical reactions.     

Chemical constituents of Piper betle Linn. (Piperaceae) roots

Column chromatography of the alcoholic extract of Piper betle roots furnished aristololactam A-II and a new phenyl propene, characterized as 4-allyl resorcinol, while the petroleum-ether extract yielded a diketosteroid, viz. stigmast-4-en-3,6-dione. All these compounds were characterized by spectroscopic means. Isolation of these compounds from this source is being reported here for the first time.     

Chemical constituents of Nepalese propolis (II)

A novel flavanonol (1), three new isoflavones (2-4) and a new flavan-3-ol (5) were isolated along with ten other known flavonoids (6-15) from the methanolic extract of propolis collected from Chitwan, Nepal. Their structures were determined on the basis of spectral analysis.     

Chemical composition of essential oils of plants of the genus Schizonepeta

Tomsk State Medical Institute. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 2, pp. 290–291, March–April, 1989.     

Chemical constituents of the Mexican mistletoe (Psittacanthus calyculatus)

A phytochemical study of the methanol-soluble fraction of an aqueous extract of a sample of Psittacanthus calyculatus collected from the host plant Prosopsis laevigata (Smooth Mesquite) using several techniques, including co-chromatography coupled with UV detection, chromatographic purifications and IR, NMR and MS studies, resulted in the identification of gallic acid, two flavonol-3-biosides and the nonprotein amino acid N-methyl-trans-4-hydroxy-L-proline.     

红树林真菌Penicillium sp．No．ZZF33发酵液化学成分的研究

海洋微生物是寻找药物先导化合物的一个新的源泉,人类已从海洋微生物的次级代谢产物中发现了许多有生物活性的结构新颖的化合物[1]。近几年,本研究组对来自南中国海红树林的海洋真菌的代谢产物进行了系统的研究,从中发现大量有生物活性的化合物,揭示了红树林真菌的巨大应用潜力     

Chemical characteristics of three medicinal plants of the Panax genus determined by HPLC-ELSD

The morphological appearance and main ingredients of three Chinese medicines (CMs), P. ginseng, P. quinquefolius, and P. notoginseng of the Panax genus, are similar. However, their pharmacological activities are obviously different. To ensure their safety and efficacy, chemical characteristics of the three CMs were determined using pressurized liquid extraction and HPLC-evaporative light scattering detection. Twelve major saponins, namely notoginsenoside R1, pseudo-ginsenoside F11, ginsenosides Rg1, Re, Rf, Rb1, Rg2, Rc, Rb2, Rb3, Rd, and Rg3 were also quantitatively compared among the three CMs. The contents of total investigated saponins varied considerably, by up to 4-14-fold, between the highest (P. notoginseng, 82.8-136.5 mg/g) and the lowest values (P. ginseng, 10.0-21.1 mg/g). Hierarchical clustering analysis based on the characteristics of 11 investigated saponins (except ginsenoside Rb3) and notoginsenoside R1, pseudo-ginsenoside F11, and the ratio of ginsenoside Rg1/Rb1 and Rg1/Re showed that 56 tested samples were divided into three main clusters in accordance with the three Panax species. Similarity evaluation of chromatograms was also performed using "Similarity Evaluation System for Chromatographic Fingerprint of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Version 2004A)". The results showed that a high degree of similarity existed within individual clusters, but a low degree between the clusters, which could be used for quality control of the three CMs.     

Chemical constituents from the flowering buds of Bauhinia tomentosa Linn (FBBT)

Isolation and characterisation of compounds, 1-(2′-hydroxy-4′-methoxyphenyl)-3-(4″-methoxyphenyl)-2-hydroxypropane-1,3-dione (1), 5-hydroxyflavone (2), 3,5,7,3′,4′-pentahydroxyflavone (3), 3,5,7,2′,4′-pentahydroxyflavone (4) and 5,7,3′,4′-tetrahydroxyflavone-3-O-rhamnoside (5) are reported from the air dried flowering buds of Bauhinia tomentosa Linn. Their structures are determined on the basis of extensive chemical and spectral evidences. Compound (1) is reported for the first time from the plant source. While compounds (2) and (4) are reported for the first time from this genus, compound (2) is reported for the second time from the natural source.     

Chemical constituents of the defensive secretion of the striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis)

The volatile components in the musk of the striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) were analyzed by GC-MS. Several thiols (mercaptans), thioethers (sulfides), and disulfides were identified.     

Chemical constituents from leaves and trunk bark of Rinorea oblongifolia (Violaceae)

Abstract

Two new coruleoellagic acid derivatives, 3,4′,5,5′,-tetramethylcoruleoellagic acid (1); 3′,4,4′,5,5′-pentamethylcoruleoellagic acid (2) and a new friedelane-type triterpene derivative rinol (5), were isolated from leaves and trunk bark of Rinorea oblongifolia (Violaceae) along with seven known compounds including 3,3′,4,4′,5′-pentamethylcoruleoellagic acid (3), hexamethylcoruleoellagic acid (4), 28-hydroxyfriedelin (6), friedelin (7), friedelan-3-ol (8), scopoletin (9) and β-sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (10). Their structures were elucidated by means of spectroscopic methods including IR, 1D and 2D NMR in conjunction with mass spectrometry. Crude extracts of leaves and trunk bark as well as compounds 1–4 were evaluated for their antibacterial activities against 7 pathogenic bacterial strains (Streptococcus pneumoniae ATCC49619, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 43300, Klepsiella pneumoniae ATCC 700603, Haemophilus influenza ATCC 49247, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Pseudomonas aeruginosa HM601, Staphylococcus aureus BAA 977). Compound (3) displayed noteworthy activity against Haemophilus influenza with MIC value of 9.38?µg/mL.     

Chemical constituents of Bolbostemma paniculatum (Maxim) Franquet: III. Structure of tubeimoside I

From the bulbs of Bolbostemma paniculatum (Maxim) Franquet (Cucurbitaceae), five glycosides: tubeimosides I, II, III, IV, and V were isolated. The structure of the tubeimoside I was elucidated by degradation and spectral analyses. It has inter-saccharide chain bridgied by a dicrotalic acid to form a unique macrocyclic structure.     

Chemical constituents from rhizomes of Cautleya spicata (Sm.) Baker (Zingiberaceae)

The chemical investigation of ethanolic extract from rhizomes of Cautleya spicata (Sm.) Baker (Zingiberaceae) has resulted in the isolation of eight compounds which were characterised as β-sitosterol (1), β-sitosterol β-D-glucoside (2), bergapten (3), zerumin A (4), (E)-labda-8(17),12-diene-15,16-dial (5), kaempferol (6), quercetin (7) and astragalin (8). All compounds were identified by spectroscopic and chemical methods. This paper describes the first phytochemical work on C. spicata.