Dicaffeolyquinic acids from Helichrysum italicum and Achillea cartilaginea

The quinic acid caffeates of the flowers ofHelichrysum italicum and the herbage ofAchillea cartilaginea have been studied with the use of HPLC,¹³H NMR spectroscopy, and chemical transformations.All-Union Research Institute of Medicinal Plants Scientific-Production Association, Moscow. Translated from Bioorganicheskaya Khimiya, No. 1, pp. 50–55, January–February, 1992.     

Quantitative determination of triterpenoids of the dammarane series by the densitometry of thin-layer chromatograms

Summary Using the optical densitometry of thin-layer chromatograms, the amounts of triterpenoids of the dammarane series have been determined in the unsaponifiable fractions of ethereal extracts from the leaves of Far Eastern species of birch:Betula costata, B. mandshurica, B. dahurica, B. platyfolia, andB. kamtschatica. Pacific Ocean Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Far Eastern Scientific Center, USSR, Vladivostok Academy of Sciences. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 3, pp. 349–353, May–June, 1977.     

Co-hydrolysis products of tetraethoxysilane and methyltriethoxysilane in the presence of tetramethylammonium ions: Part 2 [1]

²⁹Si NMR peaks due to species with the double four-membered ring siloxane backbone composed of both Si(O^–)_4/2 and CH₃Si(O^–)_3/2 units, (CH₃) _n Si₈O _{20 – n} ^{/(8 – n) –} (n=1–3), formed by co-hydrolysis of tetraethoxysilane and methyltriethoxysilane in the presence of tetramethylammonium ions in methanol have been assigned. It has been found that ²⁹Si NMR peaks due to Si(OSi)₃(O^–) units shift to lower frequencies by replacement of the adjacent Si(O^–)_4/2 units by CH₃Si(O^–)_3/2 units, in other words, with increasing m value in Si[OSi(O^–)₃]_{3 – m} [OSi(CH₃) (O^–)₂] _m (O^–) (m=0–2). Peaks from CH₃ Si(OSi)₃ units in the species have also appeared as separated due to the kind of neighbor structural units. On the basis of the assignments, positions of CH₃Si(O^–)_3/2 units in the cubic octameric siloxane framework of (CH₃) _n Si₈O _{20 – n} ^{/(8 – n) –} (n=2, 3), for both of which three isomers are present, have been estimated.     

Accumulation and discharge behavior of Cs-137 by zebra fish (Brachydanio rerio) in different aquatic environments

The uptake and release kinetics of¹³⁷Cs from water by the tropical fishBrachydanio rerio has been studied under controlled laboratory condition. The accumulation of this radionuclide from food was avoided by feeding the fishes separately in an inactive environment. A steep inverse dependence of bioconcentration factor (BCF) with potassium concentration has been observed. This can formally be described by the equation BCF=5.2 · [K⁺]^–0.44. The elimination rate constant K in fresh water conditions has been found to have a magnitude of 0.014±0.03 d^–1 which corresponds to a biological half-life of 51±10 days. The uptake and release kinetics ofBrachydanio rerio has been compared with earlier studies of fresh water fishes.     

Chromatopolarographic determination of the alkaloids from the seeds ofHaplophyllum perforatum

Summary 1. The polarographic behavior of haploperine, haplopine, haplophyllidine, and perforine in Britton-Robinson buffer solutions and in (C₂H₅)₄NOH solutions has been studied. Optimum conditions for their quantitative determination in solutions within the range of concentrations from 5×10^–4 to 1×10^–2 M have been found.2. A method for the separate quantitative determination of the alkaloids in the seeds ofH. perforatum has been developed.Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, Vol. 2, No. 5, pp. 333–337, 1966     

Metabolites of the pathogenic fungus Verticillium dahliae II. Components of the fraction of neutral lipids from the culture liquid

Summary Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate has been isolated from the neutral lipids fraction of the culture liquid of the fungusVerticillium dahliae Kleb. Its¹H and¹³C magnetic resonance spectra have been obtained, and an assignment of the signals has been made.On the basis of their UV, IR, and ESR spectra, the chromogenic components of the neutral lipid fractions have been assigned to the melanins.V. I. Lenin Tashkent State University. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 689–693, November–December, 1975.     

Cembrenolides of a soft coral Lobophytum sp. (coelenterata, octocorallia, alcyonacea)

The known cembrenolide sarcophin and its new acetoxy derivative — 13-acetoxy-7,8-epoxycembra-1(15),3,11-trien-2,16-olide — have been isolated from the soft coralLobophytum sp.. The compounds isolated are inhibitors of the activity of Na⁺K⁺-ATPase and are membranotropic agents. The structures of the compounds have been shown on the basis of the results of NMR spectroscopy.Pacific Ocean Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Far Eastern Branch, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Vladivostok. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 762–765, November–December, 1990.     

Hopanoids of methylotropic acetobacteria

Squalene, 35-methoxyho-6-ene-32R,33R,34S-triol, hop-22(29)-ene, and hopan-22-ol have been isolated fromAcetobacter sp. VSB 917. The structures of the substances isolated and of the 35-methoxyhop-6-ene-32R,33R,34S-triol triacetate obtained have been established by IR, mass, and¹H and¹³C NMR spectroscopies.Vitaminy Scientific-Production Association, Moscow. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, Nos. 3,4, pp. 367–372, May–August, 1992.     

Neptunium-237 in the marine environment determination in animal and plant species in the English Channel: Biological indicators and trophic relationships

We have studied the uptake of²³⁷Np in marine plants and animals belonging to several phyla, and collected samples from the end of January 1986 to March 1986, in a sampling station situated near the outlet of the irradiated fuel reprocessing plant at La Hague.We determined the²³⁷Np by neutron activation analysis. This method is very sensitive, with a limit of detection of 5×10^–10 mg, 1.3×10^–2 mBq. The method consists of the following steps:Reduction of the neptunium to the tetravalent state by treatment with a mixture of hydrazine sulfate and ferrous iron-chromatographic separations on Dowex 1×10 resin in a nitric medium, then in a hydrochloric medium-neutron irradiation in a nuclear reactor-purification of the neptunium by chromatography on Dowex 1×10 resin in a nitric then hydrochloric medium-measurement of the isotope²³⁸Np by gamma ray spectrometry using a Ge(Li) detector. The species were collected at Goury, at the northwest extremity of the Cotentin Peninsula, 5 km from the outlet of the reprocessing plant at La Hague. The levels of²³⁷Np were as follows: red algaeCorallina officinalis 64 mBq kg^–1 wet weight; andChondrus crispus 18 mBq kg^–1 wet weight; the spongeHalichondria panicea 14 mBq kg^–1 wet weight; the ascidianDendrodoa grossularia 12 mBq kg^–1 wet weight. The bivaive molluscsPatella vulgata andGibbula umbilicalis (the flesh ofP. vulgata andG. umbilicalis: 4 and 7 mBq kg^–1 wet weight respectively) also prove to be interesting biological indicatorsThe transfer modes of²³⁷Np to the various species as a function of their trophic levels are discussed as well as the distribution among the organs in the species consumed and the radiological impact of human consumption.     

Influence of metal ions on the activity and stability of the glucose isomerase from Streptomyces atratus

The influence of a number of bivalent metals on the activity ofStreptomyces atratus glucose isomerase has been studied. Mg²⁺ ions are activators and Co²⁺ ions are stabilizers of the glucose isomerase activity. The effective kinetic parameters for the action of the enzyme have been determined.Institute of Microbiology, Uzbek Academy of Sciences, Tashkent. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 838–842, November–December, 1991.     

Isolation and identification of a trail attractant for the termite Reticulitermes lucifugus from the plant Zizyphus jujuba

Two trail attractants for the termiteR. lucifugus have been isolated from the plantZizyphus jujuba: - and -bisabolenes. The threshold concentrations of the actions of these substances amounts to 10^–9 g/liter. -Bisabolene in the range of concentrations of 1–10^–6 g/liter is a powerful repellant for termites.Institute of Physiologically Active Substances, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Chernogolovka. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 3, pp. 416–419, May–June, 1989.     

13C NMR spectra of some coumarins of Haplophyllum obtusifolium

Coumaris ofHaplophyllum obtusifolium Ledeb. — obtusinin, capensin, and fraxetin 7-O--D-glucopyranoside — have been investigated by¹³C NMR spectroscopy. Several distinctive features of their NMR spectra have been observed. A complete assignment of the¹³C NMR spectra of these coumarins has been made and their structures have been confirmed.Institute of the Chemistry of Plant Substances, Uzbek SSR Academy of Sciences, Tashkent. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 796–799, November–December, 1987.     

The seed oil of Rindera oblongifolia

Summary The oil of the seeds ofRindera oblongifolia, family Boraginaceae, growing in Central Asia, has been studied for the first time. Among the acids of the triglycerides of the oil five types of monoenoic acid differing by the length of the carbon chain but having the same length of the terminal carbon chain — 18:1⁹, 20:1¹¹, 22:1¹³, 24:1¹⁵, and 26:1¹⁷ — have been detected for the first time. This is the first time that the last of these acids has been found in a seed oil of this family.Institute of the Chemistry of Plant Substances, Academy of Sciences of the Uzbek SSSR, Tashkent. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 1, pp. 26–29, January–February, 1976.     

Structures of four new triterpene glycosides from the holothurian Cucumaria japonica

Four new triterpene glycosides of the holostane series have been isolated from an alcoholic extract of the economically important Pacific Ocean holothurianCucumaria japonica: cucumariosides A₁-2 (I), A₂-3 (II), A₂-4 (III), and A₄-2 (IV). The structures of these substances have been established by the methods of carbohydrate chemistry and¹³C NMR spectroscopy.Pacific Ocean Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Far Eastern Branch, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Vladivostok. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 787–793, November–December, 1990.     

Biosyntheis of the alkaloids of Ammodendron karelinii

Summary The biosynthesis of the alkaloids ofAmmodendron karelinii Fisch. et Mey has been studied by feeding the plant with labelled [1,5-¹⁴C]cadaverine. It has been shown that cadaverine is a precursor of anagyrine, pachycarpine, ammodendrine, N-methylcytisine, and cytisine. Possible routes of interconversions have been considered by feeding the plant with the tritium-labelled [³H]pachycarpine, [³H]lupanine, [³H]anagyrine, and [³H]ammodendrine.V. I. Lenin Tashkent State University. Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the GDR, Halle. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 2, pp. 247–250, March–April, 1977.     

Alkaloids of Rauwolfia species growing in Vietnam

Reserpine, ajmaline, serpentine, ajmalicine, isoreserpiline, and other alkaloids have been isolated from the roots ofRauwolfia cambodiana Pierre ex Pitard,R. verticillata Baill. andR. serpentina Benth.R. vomitoria Afz. was the richest in alkaloids.Leningrad Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 813–816, November–December, 1991.