Ketosteroids from the far-east marine prosobranch mollusk <Emphasis Type="Italic">Onchidiopsis variegata</Emphasis>

The composition of the ketosteroid fraction from the Far-East marine prosobranch mollusk Onchidiopsis variegata was determined. The structure of a new steroidal ketone cholesta-4,24-dien-3-one (1e) was established by NMR, IR, UV, and mass spectroscopy. It was proposed that O. variegata feeds on ascidians of the genus Styela. __________ Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 1, pp. 72–74, January–February, 2007.     

Structural analysis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">w</Emphasis>/<Emphasis Type="Italic">o</Emphasis>/<Emphasis Type="Italic">w</Emphasis> multiple emulsions by means of DSC

Summary The properties of the inner and the external aqueous phases, were studied in w/o/w multiple emulsions with light microscopic image analysis and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The importance of multiple emulsions lies in the presence of these aqueous phases, making them available for sustained, controlled drug delivery systems. Differentiation of these two aqueous phases, studying the effect of manufacturing technology on droplet structure, quantitative determination of phase volumes and any changes occurring during storage are essential when planning w/o/w emulsions. The present study uses microscopic observations combined with DSC measurements in order to identify the formed structure, at developmental stage in case of different components, preparation methods, and stirring rates. These tools are beneficial during manufacturing as in process controls, or to ensure product quality.     

Four new steroid glycosides from the Vietnamese starfish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Linckia laevigata</Emphasis>

Eighteen steroid compounds, including four new steroid glycosides, viz., linckosides L3–L6, along with the previously known nine glycosides and five free polyhydroxysteroids, were isolated from the starfish Linckia laevigata collected on the Vietnamese coast. New compounds contain the 2-O-methyl-β-D-xylopyranosyl unit at the C(3) atom of polyhydroxylated steroidal aglycone. Two of these compounds are monosides, and the other two belong to biosides and have an additional β-D-xylopyranosyl residue at C(26) in the side chain of the aglycone. The structures of the new compounds were determined by NMR spectroscopy, mainly by 2D NMR, and mass spectrometry. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 4, pp. 792–799, April, 2007.     

Synthesis from geraniol of (2<Emphasis Type="Italic">E</Emphasis>,6<Emphasis Type="Italic">E</Emphasis>,10<Emphasis Type="Italic">E</Emphasis>,14<Emphasis Type="Italic">E</Emphasis>)-16-hydroxygeranylgeraniol and some of its derivatives

Several α,ω-bifunctional derivatives of E,E,E-geranylgeraniol were prepared via convergent synthesis starting with geraniol (8), which was converted in three steps into the tetrahydropyranyl ether of 8-chlorogeraniol (9) and 8-hydroxygeranylphenylsulfone (10). Combination of synthons 9 and 10 with subsequent reductive removal of the phenylsulfonyl group produced the tetrahydropyranyl ether of ω-hydroxygeranylgeraniol (5), hydrolysis of which gave exclusively trans-ω-hydroxygeranylgeraniol (1). Derivatives 5–7 of geranylgeraniol were synthesized using standard methods. __________ Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 3, pp. 231–234, May–June, 2007.     

Kinetic characterisation of arylamine <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-acetyltransferase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudomonas aeruginosa</Emphasis>

Background  

Arylamine N-acetyltransferases (NATs) are important drug- and carcinogen-metabolising enzymes that catalyse the transfer of an acetyl group from a donor, such as acetyl coenzyme A, to an aromatic or heterocyclic amine, hydrazine, hydrazide or N-hydroxylamine acceptor substrate. NATs are found in eukaryotes and prokaryotes, and they may also have an endogenous function in addition to drug metabolism. For example, NAT from Mycobacterium tuberculosis has been proposed to have a role in cell wall lipid biosynthesis, and is therefore of interest as a potential drug target. To date there have been no studies investigating the kinetic mechanism of a bacterial NAT enzyme.     

Two new compounds from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phyllanthus niruri</Emphasis>

Three compounds were isolated from Phyllanthus niruri Linn. One effective method, improved dry column liquid chromatography for isolating these compounds, was applied on a silica gel column. It is a combination of conventional dry column chromatographic and flash chromatographic techniques. Structures of those obtained compounds were elucidated by means of spectral techniques including IR, MS, and 1D NMR and 2D NMR. Compound 1 was elucidated as 2,3,5,6-tetrahydroxybenzyl acetate. Compound 2 , 2,4,5-trihydroxy-3-(4,6,7-trihydroxy-3-oxo-1,3-dihydroisobenzofuran-5-yl)-benzoic acid methyl ester, was given the name phyllangin, and compound 3 was named corilagin. Compounds 1 and 2 are new compounds.Published in Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 5, pp. 380–382, September–October, 2004.     

Aryltetralin Lignans from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Linum mucronatum</Emphasis> Bertol. ssp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">mucronatum</Emphasis>

The dried and aerial part of Linum mucronatum ssp. mucronatum was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Two aryltetralin lignans, podophylloyoxin, 6-methoxypodophylloyoxin, and β-peltatin, were identified. This is the first report of the analysis of L. mucronatum ssp. mucronatum.__________Published in Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 1, pp. 24–25, January–February, 2005.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ab initio</Emphasis> study of aniline and <Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-propylamine associates with nitrobenzene and <Emphasis Type="Italic">m</Emphasis>-cresol

An ab initio (6-31G**) study of binary associates of aniline and n-propylamine with nitrobenzene and m-cresol has been carried out. The structures corresponding to the total energy minimum of the system have been found for the associates, and their geometrical and energy characteristics have been determined. Basic types of intermolecular interactions have been established, and their effects on the reactivity of the amino group have been investigated.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2004 by I. A. Novakov, V. V. Korolkov, A. I. Pavlyuchko, B. S. Orlinson, and L. A. GribovTranslated from Zhurnal Strukturnoi Khimii, Vol. 45, No. 4, pp. 595–601, July–August, 2004.This revised version was published online in April 2005 with a corrected cover date.     

Glycosides from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Stevia rebaudiana</Emphasis>

A new laboratory method for isolating the glycosides stevioside and rebaudiosides A and C from leaves of Stevia rebaudiana was proposed. According to HPLC, the glycoside contents in plants grown in Russia (Voronezh Oblast’) and Ukraine (Crimea) were 5–6% (stevioside) and 0.3–1.3% (rebaudiosides A and C). __________ Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 1, pp. 68–71, January–February, 2007