Screening and mechanism study of components targeting DNA from the Chinese herb Lonicera japonica by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry and fluorescence spectroscopy

A method which involves combination of centrifugal ultrafiltration sampling with high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detection and mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-MS) analysis was established for screening bioactive compounds binding to calf thymus deoxyribonucleic acid (ct-DNA) from the extracts of Lonicera japonica. Four compounds were screened out and identified as rutin, quercetin-3-O-glucoside, luteolin-7-O-glucoside and lonicerin, based on the comparison of retention time, UV spectra and MS data with those of standards. The DNA-binding capabilities of the latter three flavonoids were found for the first time. The binding mechanisms of rutin, quercetin-3-O-glucoside and luteolin-7-O-glucoside with ct-DNA at the molecular level were explored using acridine orange (AO) as a fluorescence probe. Groove binding is the most appropriate binding mode of these three flavonoids to DNA, according to ultraviolet absorption and fluorescence spectra, as well as melting temperature (T(m)) curves and viscosity measurements. The binding constants of rutin, quercetin-3-O-glucoside and luteolin-7-O-glucoside with DNA-AO complex were 3.81 x 10(3), 3.37 x 10(3) and 5.50 x 10(3) L/mol, respectively.     

The Antioxidant and Hypolipidemic Effects of Mesona Chinensis Benth Extracts

In this study, the antioxidant and hypolipidemic effects of Mesona Chinensis Benth (MCB) extracts were evaluated. Seven fractions (F0, F10, F20, F30, F40, F50 and MTF) were obtained from the MCB ethanol extracts. Compared to the commercial antioxidants (vitamin C), MTF and F30 exhibited higher antioxidant activities in the antiradical activity test and the FRAP assay. The half-inhibition concentration (IC50) for MTF and F30 were 5.323 µg/mL and 5.278 µg/mL, respectively. MTF at 200 µg/mL significantly decreased the accumulation of TG in oleic acid (OA)-induced HepG2 cells and reversed the inhibitory effect of Compound C on AMPK (MTF and F30 significantly increased the glucose utilization of insulin-induced HepG2 cells). In addition, the components of MTF were identified by HPLC-MS, which were caffeic acid, quercetin 3-O-galactoside, isoquercetin, astragalin, rosmarinic acid, aromadendrin-3-O-rutinoside, rosmarinic acid-3-O-glucoside and kaempferol-7-O-glucoside. Through statistical correlations by Simca P software, it was found that the main antioxidant and hypolipidemic components of MCB might be caffeic acid, kaempferol-7-O-glucoside, rosmarinic acid-3-O-glucoside and aromadendrin-3-O-rutinoside, which may play important roles in the AMPK pathway. MTF and F30 in MCB could be potential health products for the treatment of hyperlipidemia.     

Separation of patuletin-3-O-glucoside, astragalin, quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin from Flaveria bidentis (L.) Kuntze by elution-pump-out high-performance counter-current chromatography

Flaveria bidentis (L.) Kuntze is an annual alien weed of Flaveria Juss. (Asteraceae) in China. Bioactive compounds, mainly flavonol glycosides and flavones from F. bidentis (L.) Kuntze, have been studied in order to utilize this invasive weed, Analytical high-performance counter-current chromatography (HPCCC) was successfully used to separate patuletin-3-O-glucoside, a mixture of hyperoside (quercetin-3-O-galactoside) and 6-methoxykaempferol-3-O-galactoside, astragalin, quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin using two runs with different solvent system. Ethyl acetate-methanol-water (10:1:10, v/v) was selected by analytical HPCCC as the optimum phase system for the separation of patuletin-3-O-glucoside, a mixture of hyperoside and 6-methoxykaempferol-3-O-galactoside, and astragalin. A Dichloromethane-methanol-water (5:3:2, v/v) was used for the separation of quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin. The separation was then scaled up: the crude extract (ca 1.5 g) was separated by preparative HPCCC, yielding 12 mg of patuletin-3-O-glucoside at a purity of 98.3%, yielding 9 mg of a mixture of hyperoside and 6-methoxykaempferol-3-O-galactoside constituting over 98% of the fraction, and 16 mg of astragalin (kaempferol-3-O-glucoside) at a purity of over 99%. The pump-out peaks are isorhanetin (98% purity), kaemferol (93% purity) and quercitin (99% purity). The chemical structure of patuletin-3-O-glucoside and astragalin were confirmed by MS and 1H, 13C NMR.     

高效液相色谱/电喷雾-离子阱-飞行时间质谱分析鉴定中药虎杖中的主要化学成分

建立了快速、准确鉴别中药虎杖中化学成分的液相色谱-质谱法。采用高效液相色谱/电喷雾-离子阱-飞行时间质谱(HPLC/ESI-IT-TOF MS)对蒽醌类以及羟基二苯乙烯类对照品,包括大黄素、大黄酚、大黄素甲醚、大黄酸、芦荟大黄素和虎杖苷进行了分析,总结其多级裂解规律。建立了虎杖甲醇提取物的液相色谱分离条件及质谱检测条件,根据负离子模式下获得的各组分多级质谱数据,对比对照品碎裂特征并参考文献,对主要色谱峰进行指认,共鉴别了10个化合物,包括白藜芦醇-4′-O-葡萄糖苷、虎杖苷、大黄素-8-O-葡萄糖苷、白藜芦醇、决明松-8-O-葡萄糖苷、大黄素-1-O-葡萄糖苷、决明松-8-O-(6′-乙酰基)葡萄糖苷、大黄素甲醚-8-O-葡萄糖苷、大黄素甲醚-8-O-(6′-乙酰基)葡萄糖苷和大黄素,其中决明松-8-O-(6′-乙酰基)葡萄糖苷和大黄素甲醚-8-O-(6′-乙酰基)葡萄糖苷为虎杖中新发现的成分。研究结果表明,在中药化学成分研究工作中,采用电喷雾-离子阱-飞行时间质谱可提高中药化学成分的分析效率并有利于新化合物的发现和鉴别。     

Isolation and purification of four flavonoid constituents from the flowers of Paeonia suffruticosa by high-speed counter-current chromatography

Four flavonoids, apigenin-7-O-neohesperidoside, luteolin-7-O-glucoside, apigenin-7-O-glucoside and kaempferol-7-O-glucoside have been isolated and purified for the first time from the flowers of Paeonia suffruticosa by high-speed counter-current chromatography with a two-phase solvent system composed of ethyl acetate-ethanol-acetic acid-water (4:1:0.25:5, v/v). Then, 5 mg apigenin-7-O-neohesperidoside, 4 mg luteolin-7-O-glucoside, 9 mg apigenin-7-O-glucoside and 2.5 mg kaempferol-7-O-glucoside could be obtained after injecting 40 mg sample and their purities were 94, 97, 97 and 96%, respectively. All these constituents were identified by mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance.     

FLAVONOIDS OF THE AERIAL PART OF Scutellaria immaculate

Chrysin-7-O-glucuronide, scutellarein-7-O-glucoside, apigenin-7-O-glucoside, baicalein-7-O-glucoside, norwogonin-7-O-glucoside, oroxyloside, wogonoside, and the new glycoside immaculoside-5,8-dimethoxy-7-O--D-glucopyranosylflavone were isolated for the first time from the aerial part of white skullcap (Scutellaria immaculateNevski). The structure of the last was established using chemical transformations and spectral data.     

萝卜红花色苷的高效液相色谱法测定

建立了高效液相色谱法测定萝卜红色素中天竺葵-3-O-葡萄糖苷含量的方法。样品用甲醇溶解,净化后用高效液相色谱分析。结果显示,选择合适的流动相可以获得较好的分离效果。实验采用Ultimate XB-C18色谱柱(4.6 mm×250 mm×5μm),乙腈-5%甲酸溶液(体积比24∶76)为流动相,流速1.0 mL/min,柱温为25℃,紫外检测波长为525 nm,进样量为10μL。实验表明,天竺葵-3-O-葡萄糖苷在0.01~0.10 g/L范围内线性关系良好,r=0.999,平均加标回收率为97%~100%,检出限为0.002 5 g/L。方法灵敏、准确、样品处理简单,适用于萝卜红色素中花色苷含量的测定。     

Isolation and identification of four flavonoid constituents from the seeds of Oroxylum indicum by high-speed counter-current chromatography

Four flavonoids, chrysin, baicalein, baicalein-7-O-glucoside, baicalein-7-O-diglucoside (Oroxylin B) and one unknown flavonoid have been isolated and purified for the first time in the seeds of Oroxylum indicum by high-speed counter-current chromatography with a two-phase solvent system composed of chloroform-methanol-water (8:10:5, v/v). Then, 50 mg baicalein-7-O-glucoside, 10.5 mg baicalein-7-O-diglucoside, 4.5 mg chrysin-7-O-diglucoside, 25 mg baicalein and 45 mg chrysin could be obtained after injecting 20 mg/ml sample extract ten times and their purities were 96, 90, 85, 95 and 98%, respectively. All these constituents were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance.     

Phenolic chemical composition of Petroselinum crispum extract and its effect on haemostasis

From the aqueous extract (Pc) of Petroselinum crispum (Mill) flat leaves specimens were isolated and identified the flavonoids apigenin (1), apigenin-7-O-glucoside or cosmosiin (2), apigenin-7-O-apiosyl-(1 --> 2)-O-glucoside or apiin (3) and the coumarin 2",3"-dihydroxyfuranocoumarin or oxypeucedanin hydrate (4). The inhibitory activity toward clotting formation and platelet aggregation was assessed for Pc flavonoids (1) and (2), and the coumarin (4). Pc showed no inhibition on clotting activity when compared with the control. On the other hand, a strong antiplatelet aggregation activity was observed for Pc (IC50 = 1.81 mg/mL), apigenin (IC50 = 0.036 mg/mL) and cosmosiin (IC50 = 0.18 mg/mL). In all cases ADP was used as inductor of platelet aggregation. Our results showed that Pc, apigenin and cosmosiin interfere on haemostasis inhibiting platelet aggregation. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report for the cosmosiin antiplatelet aggregation in vitro activity.     

Studies on constituents with cytotoxic activity from the stem bark of Syringa velutina.

Cytotoxic compounds, oleuropein (1) and a phenylethanoid glycoside (2) were isolated from the stem bark of Syringa velutina KOM. along with coniferylaldehyde 4-O-glucoside, syringin, ligstroside, (+)-syringaresinol 4-O-glucoside, (+)-medioresinol 4"-O-glucoside and (-)-olivil 4"-O-glucoside. Phenylethanoid glycoside (2) was identified to be 3,4-dihydroxyphenylethyl alcohol 8-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside. This compound showed the most potent cytotoxic effect on several tumor cell lines (P-388, L-1210, SNU-5 and HL-60) among eight compounds isolated in the present study. We suggest that the 3,4-dihydroxyphenylethoxy moiety of this compound contributes to cytotoxicity.     

Simultaneous determination of vitexin-2"-O-glucoside, vitexin-2"-O-rhamnoside, rutin, and hyperoside in the extract of hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida Bge.) leaves by RP-HPLC with ultraviolet photodiode array detection

RP-HPLC with UV photodiode array detection (UV-DAD) was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of vitexin-2"-O-glucoside, vitexin-2"-O-rhamnoside, rutin, and hyperoside in the extract of hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida Bge.) leaves. The analytes of interest were separated on a Diamonsil C18 column (250 x 4.6 mm id, 5 microm) with the mobile phase consisting of THF/ACN/methanol/ 0.05% phosphoric acid solution (pH 5.0) (18:1:1:80 v/vl/v). The flow rate was set at 1.0 mL/min and the eluent was detected at 340 nm for the four flavonoids. The method was linear over the studied range of 1.00-100 microg/mL for the four analytes of interest with the correlation coefficient for each analyte greater than 0.999. The LOD and LOQwere 0.03 and 0.10 microg/mL, 0.03 and 0.10 microg/mL, 0.05 and 0.15 pg/mL, 0.10 and 0.30 microg/mL for vitexin-2"-O-glucoside, vitexin-2"-0-rhamnoside, rutin, and hyperoside, respectively. The optimized method was successfully applied to the analysis of four important flavonoids in the extract of hawthorn leaves. The total amounts of the four flavonoids were 22.2, 62.3, 4.27, and 8.24 mg/g dry weight for vitexin-2"-O-glucoside, vitexin-2"-O-rhamnoside, rutin, and hyperoside in the extract of hawthorn leaves, respectively.     

Optimisation of pulsed electric fields extraction of anthocyanin from Beibinghong Vitis Amurensis Rupr

Beibinghong Vitis amurensis Rupr has wide plantation area, high productivity and rich anthocyanin. Common hot-extraction has poor deficiency and destroys anthocyanin severely. For Beibinghong V. amurensis Rupr as materials, response surface-optimised electric fields were used, the structure of Beibinghong was observed by SEM, antioxidant activity was measured by DPPH, ABTS and reducing force, the component of anthocyanin was analyzed by HPLC-MS. We found the content of total anthocyanin extracted by pulsed electric fields was 166.65 ± 3.88 mg/100 g.FW. Total anthocyanin from Beibinghong had high antioxidant activity, also contained multiple steady anthocyanin of delphinidin 3-O-glucoside, cyanidin 3-O-glucoside, petunidin 3-O-glucoside, peonidin 3-O-glucoside, malvidin 3-O-glucoside, delphinidin-3-O-(6-O-acetyl) glucoside and delphinidin-3-O-(6-O-p-coumaroyl) glucoside et al. In conclusion, the optimised pulsed electric fields method can quickly and efficiently extract several kinds of anthocyanins from V. amurensis Rupr. This study promoted the intensive processing of V. amurensis Rupr and widened the practical application of pulsed electric field technology.     

Enhanced daidzin production from jasmonic and acetyl salicylic acid elicited hairy root cultures of Psoralea corylifolia L. (Fabaceae)

Daidzin (7-O-glucoside of daidzein) has several pharmacological benefits in herbal remedy, as antioxidant and shown antidipsotropic activity. Hairy root culture of Psoralea corylifolia L. was developed for biomass and enhanced daidzin production using signalling compounds such as jasmonic acid (JA) and acetyl salicylic acid (ASA). Best response of 2.8-fold daidzin (5.09% DW) with 1 μM JA treatment after second week and 7.3-fold (3.43% DW) with 10 μM JA elicitation after 10th week was obtained from hairy roots compared to untreated control. ASA at 10 μM promoted 1.7-fold increase in daidzin (1.49% DW) content after seventh week compared to control (0.83% DW). Addition of 25 μM ASA resulted in 1.44% DW daidzin (1.5-fold increase) with 0.91% DW in control after fifth week and 1.44% DW daidzin (2.3-fold increase) after eighth week when compared to untreated control (0.62% DW). Reduced biomass with increased daidzin content was facilitated by elicited hairy root cultures.     

Systemic chemical characterization of Lemna minor by UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS coupled with parallel reaction monitoring

Lemna minor L. (LM) has been used for measles opacity, rubella itching, edema, and oliguria, and the main active ingredients were flavonoids, namely, apigenin, apigenin-7-O-glucoside, and luteolin-7-O-glucoside. However, few systematic analyses of their constituents have been performed; thus, it was necessary to establish a fast and efficient method to identify the chemical composition of LM. In this study, the UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry coupled with parallel reaction monitoring was established. Finally, a total of 112 constituents, including 30 dipeptides, 28 nucleosides, 11 amino acids, 10 organic acids, 10 flavonoids, and 23 other compounds, were identified by MS, diagnostic fragment ions, and retention time. One hundred one of those chemicals were first found in LM, which was very beneficial for the further development and utilization of nutriments and the medicinal use of LM.     

Flavonoids from Algerian endemic Centaurea microcarpa and their chemotaxonomical significance

Six flavonoids, namely 6-methoxykaempferol (1), 6-methoxykaempferol 7-O-glucoside (2), kaempferol 7-O-glucoside (3), 6-methoxyluteolin (4), patuletin 7-O-glucoside (5), and hispidulin 7-O-glucoside (6), were isolated from a n-butanolic fraction of Centaurea microcarpa Coss et Dur. flowers. This work describes for the first time the phytochemical composition of this endemic Algerian plant.     

Interaction of small molecules with the SARS-CoV-2 main protease in silico and in vitro validation of potential lead compounds using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

Caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing, with no proven safe and effective vaccine to date. Further, effective therapeutic agents for COVID-19 are limited, and as a result, the identification of potential small molecule antiviral drugs is of particular importance. A critical antiviral target is the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (M^pro), and our aim was to identify lead compounds with potential inhibitory effects. We performed an initial molecular docking screen of 300 small molecules, which included phenolic compounds and fatty acids from our OliveNet™ library (224), and an additional group of curated pharmacological and dietary compounds. The prototypical α-ketoamide 13b inhibitor was used as a control to guide selection of the top 30 compounds with respect to binding affinity to the M^pro active site. Further studies and analyses including blind docking were performed to identify hypericin, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside and SRT2104 as potential leads. Molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated that hypericin (ΔG = -18.6 and -19.3 kcal/mol), cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (ΔG = -50.8 and -42.1 kcal/mol), and SRT2104 (ΔG = -8.7 and -20.6 kcal/mol), formed stable interactions with the M^pro active site. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay indicated that, albeit, not as potent as the covalent positive control (GC376), our leads inhibited the M^pro with activity in the micromolar range, and an order of effectiveness of hypericin and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside > SRT2104 > SRT1720. Overall, our findings, and those highlighted by others indicate that hypericin and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside are suitable candidates for progress to in vitro and in vivo antiviral studies.     

Bioactivities of Chuquiraga straminea sandwith

Methanolic extracts of Chuquiraga straminea Sandwith, subfamily Barnadesioideae (Asteraceae) showed the presence of quercetin-3-O-glucoside, quercetin-3-O-rutinoside, kaempferol, kaempferol-3-O-glucoside and kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside. Antioxidant and antimicrobial activity was determined. The total extracts showed antioxidant activity by DPPH and ABTS method (SC50 14.5 to 34.9 microg/mL). A significantly positive correlation was observed between the antioxidant activity and the total phenolics (R2 > 0.93). The extracts were active against ten methicillin resistant and sensitive Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from nosocomial infection (MIC values between 200 to 800 microg/mL). These preliminary studies are highly interesting as they open new ways for further applications in the treatment of infections by methicillin resistant S. aureus.     

Analysis of phenolic compounds in rhubarbs using liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Rhubarb is an important herbal medicine for the treatment of constipation, inflammation, and cancer. In this study, a facile method based on liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry has been established for the analysis of bioactive phenolic compounds in rhubarbs. From six rhubarb species, official (Rheum officinale, R. palmatum, and R. tanguticum) and unofficial (R. franzenbachii, R. hotaoense, and R. emodi), a total of 107 phenolic compounds were identified or tentatively characterized based on their mass spectra. These compounds include sennosides, anthraquinones, stilbenes, glucose gallates, naphthalenes, and catechins. Ion chromatograms for the identified compounds of different rhubarbs were then compared. Consistent with previous reports, sennosides and rhein were only detected in official rhubarbs. Unexpectedly, we found that R. officinale contained very different phenolic compounds from the other two official species. Sennoside A, which has been considered as the major purgative component of rhubarb, was only detected in R. officinale, while its close isomers were observed in R. palmatum and R. tanguticum. In addition, the predominant anthraquinone glycosides in R. officinale were found to be rhein 8-O-glucoside and emodin 1-O-glucoside, whereas those in R. palmatum and R. tanguticum were rhein 1-O-glucoside and emodin 8-O-glucoside. Stilbenes, which are the major constituents of unofficial rhubarbs, were also different among the species. Our results clarify the chemical composition of rhubarbs comprehensively for the first time. Due to the significant differences in chemical components of rhubarbs, we suggest that different Rheum species be used separately in clinical practice.     

Hydrolysis of flavonoid glycosides by propolis β-glycosidase

Flavonoids generally occur as O-glycosides with sugars bound in nature, while aglycones and their derivatives are the main flavonoids in propolis. The objective of this work was to study the propolis β-glycosidase activities toward flavonoid β-glycosides and their conjugated forms. β-Glycosidase was extracted from propolis, incubated with ?avonoid glycosides, and analysed for aglycone formation by HPLC. The results demonstrated that glucose conjugates were rapidly hydrolysed, but not conjugates with other sugars, i.e. rutin and naringin. The rate and extent of deglycosylation depends on the structure of the ?avonoid and the position of the sugar substituitions. Quercetin 3-O-glucoside had the highest percent of hydrolysis, while quercetin 7-O-glucoside was the least hydrolysed. The K(m) values for hydrolysis of apigenin 7-glucoside and luteolin-7-O-glucoside were 13 μM and 20 μM, respectively.     

Reactive oxygen species scavenging activity of flavone glycosides from Melilotus neapolitana

One new and six known flavone glycosides were isolated from the MeOH extract of Melilotus neapolitana Ten. The new compound, identified as 7-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyloxy-4',5-dihydroxy-3-[O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->6)-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyloxy]flavone (1) by 1D and 2D NMR techniques and mass spectra, was isolated along with kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside (2), kaempferol-3-O-glucoside (3), rutin (4), quercetin-3-O-glucoside (5), isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside (6), and isorhamnetin-3-O-glucoside (7). The antioxidant and radical scavenging activities of these compounds and the whole crude methanol extract were evaluated. The organic extract can inhibit MDA marker's synthesis by 57%. All the metabolites displayed good reducing power, with the kaempferol (2,3) and isorhamnetin derivatives (6,7) being less active than the corresponding quercetin derivatives 4,5.