Uncommon secondary metabolites from Etlingera pavieana rhizomes

From the rhizomes of Etlingera pavieana (Pierre ex Gagnep.) R.M. Sm., four phenylpropens, (E)-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)prop-2-en-1-amine (1), (E)-4-methoxycinamaldehyde (2), (E)-4-methoxycinamic acid (3) and (E)-1-methoxy-4-(3-methoxyprop-1-enyl)benzene (4), together with two other compounds, (E)-((E)-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)allyl)3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)acrylate (5) and 4-methoxybenzoic acid (6) were isolated. This is the first report on the presence of all compounds in Etlingera. Compounds 1 and 5 have been previously synthesised, but this is the first report of their isolation from a natural source. Compound 5 exhibited weak activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis with MIC 50.00 μg/mL and cytotoxic activity against the KB, MCF7 and NCI-H187 cells with IC₅₀ values of 25.11, 20.16 and 34.83 μg/mL, respectively.     

A new aldehyde compound from the fruit of Pandanus tectorius Parkinson ex Du Roi

From the fruit of Pandanus tectorius Parkinson ex Du Roi, one new (1) and six known aldehyde compounds (2–7) were isolated by various chromatography methods. Based on their spectroscopic data, these compounds were identified as (Z)-4-hydroxy-3-(4-hydroxy-3-methylbut-2-en-1-yl) benzaldehyde (1), p-hydroxybenzaldehyde (2), syringaldehyde (3), (E)-ferulaldehyde (4), (E)-sinapinaldehyde (5), vanillin (6) and 5-hydroxymethylfurfual (7). The α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of all compounds was measured. The isolated compounds (1–6) showed better α-glucosidase inhibitory activity (IC₅₀ values ranging from 36.5 to 192.4 μM) than the standard drug acarbose (IC₅₀ = 214.5 μM).     

Secondary metabolites from marine-derived Streptomyces antibioticus strain H74-21

A new secondary metabolite, (2S,3R)-l-threonine, N-[3-(formylamino)-2-hydroxybenzoyl]-ethyl ester (streptomyceamide C, 1), together with four known compounds 1, 4-dimethyl-3-isopropyl-2,5-piperidinedione (2), cyclo-((S)-Pro-8- hydroxy-(R)-Ile (3), cyclo-((S)-Pro-(R)-Leu (4), and seco-((S)-Pro-(R)-Val) (5), were isolated from the EtOH extract of the fermented mycelium of the marine-derived streptomycete strain H74-21, which was isolated from sea sediment in a mangrove site. The structure of the new compound was established on the basis of its spectroscopic data, including 1D and 2D NMR, HR-TOF-MS. Their antifungal activities against Candida albicans and cytotoxicities against human breast adenocarcinoma cell line MCF-7, human glioblastoma cell line SF-268 and human lung cancer cell line NCI-H460 were tested. Compounds 1 only displayed cytotoxicity against human breast adenocarcinoma cell line MCF-7 with the IC₅₀ value of 27.0 μg/mL. However, compounds 1–5 do not show antifungal activities at the test concentration of 1 mg/mL, and 2–5 have no cytotoxicities at the test concentration of 50 μg/mL.     

Tetramic acid derivatives and polyphenols from sponge-derived fungus and their biological evaluation

Fifteen compounds, including two tetramic acid derivatives, penicillenol A₁ (1) and penicillenol A₂ (2), six polyphenols containing both phenolic bisabolane sesquiterpenoid and diphenyl ether units, expansols A–F (3–8), together with six phenolic bisabolane sesquiterpenoids (9–14) and diorcinol (15), were isolated from the fermentation broth of the marine-derived fungus ZSDS1-F11 isolated from the sponge Phakellia fusca Thiele collected in the Yongxing island of Xisha. Their structures were elucidated mainly by using extensive NMR spectroscopic and mass spectrometric analyses. Compounds 3–5, 7 and 8 showed potent COX-1 inhibitory activity with IC₅₀ values of 5.3, 16.2, 30.2, 41.0 and 56.8 μM, respectively. Meanwhile, compounds 3–8 showed potent COX-2 inhibitory activity with IC₅₀ values of 3.1, 5.6, 3.0, 5.1, 3.2 and 3.7 μM, respectively. In addition, compound 1 exhibited antituberculosis activity with 96.1% inhibition at concentration of 10 μM.     

A new flavane acid from the fruits of Illicium verum

A new compound, illiciumflavane acid (1), along with 13 known compounds (2–14), were isolated from the fruits of Illicium verum Hook. F. Their structures were elucidated through various spectroscopic methods, including 1D NMR (¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR), 2D NMR (HMQC, HMBC and NOESY) and HRMS. The stereochemistry at the chiral centres was determined using CD spectrum as well as analyses of coupling constants and optical rotation data. Cytotoxicity evaluation of four compounds showed that illiciumflavane acid and (E)-1,2-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)ethene exhibited potential against A549 activities with IC₅₀ values of 4.63 μM and 9.17 μM, respectively.     

Cytotoxicity and Synergistic Effect of the Constituents from Roots of Aglaia odorata (Meliaceae)

Twelve compounds were isolated from the roots of Aglaia odorata. Their structures were established on the basis of NMR and MS data as rocaglaol (1), rocaglamide (2), eichlerialactone (3), sapelins A (4), isofouquierone (5), eichlerianic acid (6), shoreic acid (7), agladupol E (8), 3-epimeliantriol (9), cleomiscosins B (10), 2β,3β-dihydroxy-5α-pregnane-16-one (11) and β-d-glucopyranos-1-yl N-methylpyrrole-2-carboxylate (12). Among them, compounds 1 and 2 showed significant cytotoxicity against human cancer cell (HL-60, SMMC-7721, A-549, MCF-7 and SW480) with IC₅₀ values of 0.007–0.095 μM, while compounds 3–5 and 10 and 11 showed moderate to no cytotoxicity (IC₅₀ 0.43 to values >40 μM). Compound 6 showed only weak cytotoxicity (IC₅₀ 6.87 to >40 μM) and its epmier 7 was completely inactivite (IC₅₀>40 μM) in the assay. However, potent synergistic effect was observed when the molar ratio of 6 to 7 is between 4:1 and 1:1.     

Chemical-epigenetic method to enhance the chemodiversity of the marine algicolous fungus, Aspergillus terreus OUCMDZ-2739

Four new meroterpenoids identified as (R)-4-((2,2-dimethylchroman-6-yl)methyl)-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-5-methoxyfuran-2(5H)-one (1), 1-(2,2-dimethylchroman-6-yl)-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propan-2-one (2), (R,E)-3-(2,2-dimethylchroman-6-yl)-4-hydroxy-5-((2-(2-hydroxypropan-2-yl)-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran-5-yl)methylene)furan-2(5H)-one (3), methyl (R)-2-(2-(2-hydroxypropan-2-yl)-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran-5-yl) acetate (4), along with nine known compounds (5–13) were isolated from a chemical-epigenetic culture of Aspergillus terreus OUCMDZ-2739 with 10 μM trichostatin A (TSA). Under the same condition without TSA, A. terreus OUCMDZ-2739 produced different compounds (14–20), supporting that the chemical-epigenetic modification of fungi could enrich the chemodiversity of the fungal products. The cytotoxicity was observed for compound 8 against K562 cell, 9 against MCF-7 and K562 cells and 12 against MCF-7 cell with IC₅₀ values of 9.5, 10.1, 13.0 and 8.5 μM, respectively. Compounds 3, 8 and 17 exhibited stronger α-glucosidase inhibition than 1-deoxynojirimycin and acarbose (positive controls) with IC₅₀ values of 24.8, 1.2, 61.6, 191.7 and 555.1 μM, respectively. The enzyme kinetics study further indicated that compound 8 was an anticompetitive inhibitor with K_i value of 1.42 μM.     

Synthesis of Repaglinide Congeners

This report describes a synthesis of two potent impurities of repaglinide, benzyl repaglinide 1 and repaglinide isomer 2, from commercially available raw materials: 2-fluoro benzonitrile, (S)-3-methyl-1-[2-(piperidin-1-yl)phenyl]butylamine (5), and 3-ethoxy-[4-(ethoxycarbonyl)phenyl]acetic acid (7). These impurities are the crucial components in determining the quality of the drug substance, repaglinide, during its manufacturing.     

A new alkylbenzoquinone from Embelia rowlandii Gilg. (Myrsinaceae)

A new alkylbenzoquinone named embeliquinone (1) together with five known compounds, lupeol (2), 3-O-[6′-O-palmitoyl-β-d-glucosyl]-spinasta-7,22(23)-diene (3), quercetin (4), (2S,3S,4R,8E)-2-[(2′R)-2′-hydroxy-heneicosanoylamino]-heneicosane-1,3,4-triol-8-ene (5), and β-sitosterol-3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (6) were isolated from the MeOH leaf extract of Embelia rowlandii by using repeated open column chromatography techniques. The structure of the new compound was characterized by analyses of 1D- and 2D-NMR, and MS data. Embeliquinone (1) had moderate anti-cell proliferation activity against A549 cell line with the IC₅₀ value of 21.8 μM. In addition, 1 exhibited weak antibacterial activities against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus with an MIC value of 206.0 μM in both cases.     

A new diarylheptanoid from Alpinia officinarum promotes the differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes

A new diarylheptanoid, namely trans-(4R,5S)-epoxy-1,7-diphenyl-3-heptanone (1), and a new natural product, 7-(4″-hydroxy-3″-methoxyphenyl)-1-phenyl-hepta-4E,6E-dien-3-one (2), were obtained from the aqueous extract of Alpinia officinarum Hance, together with three other diarylheptanoids, 5-hydroxy-1,7-diphenyl-3-heptanone (3), 1,7-diphenyl-4E-en-3-heptanone (4) and 5-methoxy-1,7-diphenyl-3-heptanone (5). The structures were characterised mainly by analysing their physical data including IR, NMR and HRMS. This study highlights that the 4,5-epoxy moiety in 1 is rarely seen in diarylheptanoids. In addition, the five isolates were tested for their differentiation activity of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. The results showed that these compounds could dose-dependently promote adipocyte differentiation without cytotoxicity (IC₅₀ > 100 μM).     

Cytotoxic constituents from Vicia monantha subsp. monantha seeds

Chemical investigation of Vicia monantha subsp. monantha Retz. revealed isolation of one new hydroxy- fatty acid (6) identified as (6-Z, 10-E)-9-hydroxy henicosa-6,10-dienoic acid in addition to six known metabolites; hexadecanoic acid (1), β-sitosterol (2), β-amyrin (3), β-sitosterol-glucoside (4), 2,3-dihydroxypropyl tetradecanoate (5) and (Z)-9-hydroxypentadec-6-enoic acid (7). The cytotoxic effect of the isolated compounds was assessed by MTT assay using lung cancer A-549, prostate cancer PC3, breast cancer MCF-7, colon cancer HCT-116 and liver cancer HepG2 cell lines. Only compounds 1, 2, and 4 showed cytotoxic effect on HCT-116 cells where compound 2 was the most active with IC₅₀ value of 22.61 μg/mL. In addition, compounds 1, 2, 3, and 4 showed promising cytotoxic effect on MCF-7 cells with IC₅₀ values of 21.03, 15.42, 10.089, and 11.34 μg/mL, respectively.     

A simple and efficient approach for the synthesis of a novel class aliphatic 1,3,4-thiadiazol-2(3H)-one derivatives via intramolecular nucleophilic substitution reaction

In this study, we synthesized a new series of substituted aliphatic 1,3,4-thiadiazol-2(3H)-one derivatives (6-24) in yields ranging from 42 to 70% with an interesting mechanism that involves internal nucleophilic substitution followed by an S_N2-type nucleophilic substitution. First, 1-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-((5-methyl-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)thio)ethanone (3) was synthesized from the reaction of 5-methyl-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-thiol (1) with 2-bromo-1-(4-chlorophenyl)ethanone (2) in the presence of potassium hydroxide. Then, 1-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-((5-methyl-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)thio)ethanol (4) was synthesized by a reduction reaction of this compound using NaBH₄. Finally, 5-methyl-3-alkyl-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2(3H)-one derivatives (6-24), which are the target compounds, were synthesized from the reaction of this compound (4), which is a secondary alcohol with various alkyl halides (5a-n) in the presence of sodium hydride (NaH). This study presents an interesting reaction mechanism related to the synthesis of aliphatic 1,3,4-thiadiazol-2(3H)-one derivatives that is not recorded in the literature.     

Two new steroids with cytotoxicity from the marine sponge Dactylospongia elegans collected from the South China Sea

A new steroid, (3S,5R,9R,10S,13R,17R,20R,24S,22E)-ergosta-6,8,22-triene-3,25-diol (1), and its sulfonated analogue (2) together with a known one, 5α,8α-epidioxy-cholest-6-en-3β-ol (3) were isolated from the marine sponge Dactylospongia elegans collected from the South China Sea. The new structures including absolute configurations were established by the HRESIMS and 1D and 2D NMR analysis coupled with the X-ray crystal analysis. Both of 1 and 2 exhibited cytotoxicity against cancer cell line MCF-7 with IC₅₀ values of 9.7 and 8.5 μM, respectively.     

A new caffeic acid tetramer from the Dracocephalum moldavica L.

A new caffeic acid tetramer compound, named (+) methyl rabdosiin (4), together with seven known caffeic acid multimers (1–3, 5–8) and one caffeic acid monomer (9), were isolated from the aerial parts of Dracocephalum moldavica L. The structures of these compounds were assigned on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic and mass spectrometry analyses. The protective effects of compounds 2–4 against hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced apoptosis were evaluated in primary cardiomyocytes of SD neonatal rats in vitro by the MTT method. Three compounds exhibited potent protective activities at 12.5 μg/mL.     

Previously undescribed benzoxepins with bioactivities against inducible pro-inflammatory cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase from Rhizophora annamalayana Kathir

Two unprecedented benzoxepins were obtained from the ethyl acetate fraction of the leaves of Rhizophora annamalayana Kathir, and characterized as 4-(11-(hydroxymethyl)-10-methylpentan-2-yl)-4, 5-dihydrobenzo[c]oxepin-1(3H)-one (1) and (E)-methyl-14-hydroxy-4-(11-(5-hydroxy-1-oxo-3,4,5-tetrahydrobenzo[c]oxepin-4-yl)ethyl)-10-methylhept-11-enoate (2). The benzoxepin 2 exhibited greater 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and 2, 2′-azino-bis-3 ethylbenzothiozoline-6-sulfonic acid diammonium radical scavenging assays (IC₅₀ 0.68 and 0.84 mg/mL, respectively) than those recorded with 1 (IC₅₀ 0.70 and 0.89 mg/mL, respectively). The tetrahydrobenzo[c]oxepin analogue (2) exhibited significantly great cyclooxygenase-2 and 5-lipoxygenase inhibitory properties (IC₅₀ 0.87 and 0.94 mg/mL, respectively), while compared with its dihydrobenzo[c]oxepin-1(3H)-one isoform (1) (IC₅₀ 1.16 and 1.64 mg/mL, respectively). The dihydrobenzo[c]oxepin-1(3H)-one isoform (2) exhibited significantly greater selectivity index (~2) than synthetic ibuprofen (0.44) (p < 0.05), which attributed the higher anti-inflammatory selectivity of the former against inducible pro-inflammatory cyclooxygenase-2 than its constitutive isoform (cyclooxygenase-1). No significant difference in 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) inhibitory activities were apparent between compound 2 (IC₅₀ 0.94 mg/mL) and synthetic ibuprofen (IC₅₀ 0.93 mg/mL).     

Synthesis,characterization, and antitumor activity of mononuclear and dinuclear ruthenium complexes

Abstract

Dinuclear ruthenium complexes [Ru₂(bpy)₄BL](ClO₄)₂ (Ru-1), where bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine and BL = 2,2′-((1E,1′E)-((E)-diazene-1,2-diyl-bis(2,1-phenylene))-bis(azanylylidene))bis(methanylylidene))diphenol (a bidentate bridging ligand), and mononuclear ruthenium complexes [Ru(bpy)₂L](ClO₄) (Ru-2), where L = (E)-2-((phenylimino)methyl)phenol, were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Their photophysical and electrochemical properties were also studied. The cytotoxicity of the two complexes in vitro was evaluated using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. The results indicated that Ru-1 and Ru-2 exhibited significant dose-dependent cytotoxicity to human breast cancer (MCF-7), gastric cancer (SGC-7901), cervical cancer (Hela), and lung cancer (A549) tumor cell lines. Ru-1 showed excellent antitumor effects in a cellular study (IC₅₀ values of 3.61 μM for MCF-7 human breast cancer cells in vitro). However, Ru-2 exhibited the highest cytotoxicity to Hela cells; the IC₅₀ value is 3.71 μM. The results reveal that Ru-1 and Ru-2 have obvious selectivity and might be a potential anticancer agent that could improve the efficacy of common anticancer therapies.     

Westerdijkin A,a new hydroxyphenylacetic acid derivative from deep sea fungus Aspergillus westerdijkiae SCSIO 05233

A new methyl 2-(4-((2-hydroxy-3-methylbut-3-en-1-yl)oxy)phenyl) acetate 1, together with five known compounds 2–6, was isolated from the culture of the deep sea-derived fungus Aspergillus westerdijkiae SCSIO 05233. The new structure was determined by NMR (¹H and ¹³C NMR, HSQC, HMBC and MS) and optical rotation analysis. Compound 5 displayed weak inhibitory activities towards K562 and promyelocytic HL-60 with IC₅₀ values of 25.8 and 44.9 μM, and compound 6 showed strong antifouling activity with EC₅₀ value 8.81 μg/mL.     

A new fatty acid ester from Nigella sativa var. hispidula Boiss showing potent anti-protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B activity

A new fatty acid ester (1) and seven known phenolic compounds, i.e. salfredin B₁₁ (2), nigephenol C (3), nigephenol B (4), acetovanillion (5), p-hydroxybenzoic acid (6), p-hydroxy-acetophenone (7) and p-hydroxybenzaldehyde (8), were isolated from the seeds of Nigella sativa var. hispidula. Among them, compounds 5, 7 and 8 were isolated from Nigella for the first time. Their structures were elucidated with HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR spectra. Evaluation of the isolated compounds on protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP1B) assay indicated that although compounds 2–8 show no promising anti-PTP1B activities, compound 1 possess anti-PTP1B activity with an IC₅₀ value of 7.38 ± 0.14 μM in vitro.     

Isolation,structural elucidation and cytotoxicity evaluation of a new pentahydroxy-pimarane diterpenoid along with other chemical constituents from Aerva lanata

Aervalanata possesses various useful medicinal and pharmaceutical activities. Phytochemical investigation of the plant has now led to the isolation of a new 2α,3α,15,16,19-pentahydroxy pimar-8(14)-ene diterpenoid (1) together with 12 other known compounds identified as β-sitosterol (2), β-sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glucoside (3), canthin-6-one (4), 10-hydroxycanthin-6-one (aervine, 5), 10-methoxycanthin-6-one (methylaervine, 6), β-carboline-1-propionic acid (7), 1-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(2S,3R,8E)-2-[(2′R)-2-hydroxylpalmitoylamino]-8-octadecene-1,3-diol (8), 1-O-(β-D-glucopyranosyl)-(2S,3S,4R,8Z)-2-[(2′R)-2′-hydroxytetracosanoylamino]-8(Z)-octadene-1,3,4-triol (9), (2S,3S,4R,10E)-2-[(2′R)-2′-hydroxytetracosanoylamino]-10-octadecene-1,3,4-triol (10), 6′-O-(4″-hydroxy-trans-cinnamoyl)-kaempferol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (tribuloside, 11), 3-cinnamoyltribuloside (12) and sulfonoquinovosyldiacylglyceride (13). Among these, six compounds (8–13) are reported for the first time from this plant. Cytotoxicity evaluation of the compounds against five cancer cell lines (CHO, HepG2, HeLa, A-431 and MCF-7) shows promising IC₅₀ values for compounds 4, 6 and 12.     

A new butenolide cinnamate and other biological active chemical constituents from Polygonum glabrum

Phytochemical investigation of the methanol extract of the aerial parts of Polygonum glabrum afforded one new natural product ( ? )-2-methoxy-2-butenolide-3-cinnamate (1) along with six known compounds, β-hydroxyfriedalanol (2), 3-hydroxy-5-methoxystilbene (3), ( ? ) pinocembrin (4), sitosterol-(6′-O-palmitoyl)-3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (5), ( ? ) pinocembrin-5-methyl ether (6) and sitosterol-3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (7). Compound 1 showed promising in vitro anti-HIV-1 activity against primary isolates HIV-1_UG070 (X4, subtype D) and HIV-1_VB59 (R5, subtype C) assayed using TZM-bl cell line with IC₅₀ in the range of 15.68–22.43 μg/mL. The extract showed TI in the range of 19.19–27.37 with IC₅₀ in the range of 10.90–15.55 μg/mL. Compounds 1, 3 and 4 exhibited in vitro anti-mycobacterium activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Ra with IC₅₀ values of 1.43, 3.33 and 1.11 μg/mL in dormant phase and 2.27, 3.33 and 1.21 μg/mL in active phase, respectively. Compound 4 was found to be the most active antiproliferative with IC₅₀ values of 1.88–11.00 μg/mL against THP-1, A549, Panc-1, HeLa and MCF7 cell lines.