A Study of the Constituents of the Heartwood of Tsuga Chinensis Pritz. Var. Formosana (Hay.)

By means of spectroscopic analysis, X-ray crystallography and chemical correlation the heartwood of Taiwan hemlock was found to contain compounds of sterols, carboxylic acids, 13-epimanool, o methoxyphenolics, coniferaldehyde, benzofuranoid neolignan, α-conidendrin, tsugacetal, isolariciresinol, secoisolariciresinol, matairesinol, hydroxymatairesinol and oxomatairesinol. Among them (+)-tsugacetal is a novel lignan acetal having an α-conidendrin related structure with the acetal methoxy group at the β-position.     

Wood Extractives of Silver Fir and Their Antioxidant and Antifungal Properties

The chemical composition of extractives in the sapwood (SW), heartwood (HW), knotwood (KW), and branchwood (BW of silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) was analyzed, and their antifungal and antioxidant properties were studied. In addition, the variability of extractives content in a centripetal direction, i.e., from the periphery of the stem towards the pith, was investigated. The extracts were analyzed chemically with gravimetry, spectrophotometry, and chromatography. The antifungal and antioxidative properties of the extracts were evaluated by the agar well diffusion method and the diphenyl picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging method. Average amounts of hydrophilic extractives were higher in KW (up to 210.4 mg/g) and BW (148.6 mg/g) than in HW (34.1 mg/g) and SW (14.8 mg/g). Extractives identified included lignans (isolariciresinol, lariciresinol, secoisolariciresinol, pinoresinol, matairesinol) phenolic acids (homovanillic acid, coumaric acid, ferulic acid), and flavonoids epicatechin, taxifolin, quercetin). Secoisolariciresinol was confirmed to be the predominant compound in the KW (29.8 mg/g) and BW (37.6 mg/g) extracts. The largest amount of phenolic compounds was extracted from parts of knots (281.7 mg/g) embedded in the sapwood and from parts of branches (258.9 mg/g) adjacent to the stem. HW contained more lignans in its older sections. Hydrophilic extracts from knots and branches inhibited the growth of wood-decaying fungi and molds. KW and BW extracts were better free radical scavengers than HW extracts. The results of the biological activity tests suggest that the protective function of phenolic extracts in silver fir wood can also be explained by their antioxidative properties. The results of this study describe BW as a potential source of phenolic extractives in silver fir.     

Comparison of growth characteristics of Panax ginseng hairy roots in various bioreactors

This study investigated the effects of flask-to-liquid volume ratio on the growth of Panax ginseng hairy root, transformed by Agrobacterium rhizogenes, in flask cultures and compared the characteristics of various bioreactors for scale-up. The flask-to-liquid volume ratio was optimum at 1.5 mL of air/mL of medium in flask cultures, and hairy root growth was not affected above the optimum ratio. In 500-mL flask culture, hairy root showed two growth phases. After the first exponential growth, specific growth rate decreased. The growth characteristics of P. ginseng hairy root in various bioreactors were investigated. Hairy root growth was about 55-fold of inoculum after 39 d in a 5-L bioreactor and about 38-fold of inoculum after 40 d in a 19-L bioreactor. Carbon yield was higher in a 19-L bioreactor than in others, but it did not show any linear relationship to the growth rate of hairy roots in bioreactors.     

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.     

Enhanced Resveratrol Production in Vitis vinifera Cell Suspension Cultures by Heavy Metals Without Loss of Cell Viability

The effects of heavy metal ions (Co²⁺, Ag⁺, Cd²⁺) on cell viability and secondary metabolite production, particularly anthocyanins and phenolic acids in Vitis vinifera cell suspension cultures, were investigated. Of these, Co at all three used concentrations (5.0, 25, and 50 μM), Ag, and Cd at low concentration (5.0 μM) were most effective to stimulate the phenolic acid production, increasing the 3-O-glucosyl-resveratrol up to 1.6-fold of the control level (250.5 versus 152.4 μmol/g), 4 h after the treatments. Meanwhile, the elicitors at effective concentrations did not suppress cell growth, while the cell viability maintained. In contrast, Ag and Cd at high concentrations (25 and 50 μM) remarkably reduced the cell viability, decreasing the cell viability up to about 15 % of the control level, 24 h after the treatments. The heavy metal ions did not affect the anthocyanin production. These observations show how, in a single system, different groups of secondary products can show distinct differences in their responses to potential elicitors. The 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity, peroxidase activity, medium pH value, and conductivity were only slightly elevated by the heavy metal ions. The results suggest that some of the secondary metabolites production was stimulated by the used elicitors, but there was not a stress response of the cells.     

Acanthus mollis L. leaves as source of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant phytoconstituents

This work expands the phytochemical composition knowledge of Acanthus mollis and evaluates antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities which could be related with its traditional uses. Extracts from leaves, obtained by sequential extraction, were screened using TLC and HPLC-PDA. The ethanol extract was the most active on DPPH assay (IC₅₀ = 20.50 μg/mL) and inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW 264.7 macrophages (IC₅₀ = 48.31 μg/mL). Significant amounts of cyclic hydroxamic and phenolic acids derivatives were detected. A lower antioxidant effect was verified for a fraction enriched with DIBOA derivatives (IC₅₀ = 163.02 μg/mL), suggesting a higher contribution of phenolic compounds for this activity in ethanol extract. However, this fraction exhibited a higher inhibition of NO production (IC₅₀ = 32.32 μg/mL), with absence of cytotoxicity. These results support the ethnomedical uses of this plant for diseases based on inflammatory processes. To our knowledge, it is the first report to the anti-inflammatory activity for DIBOA derivatives.     

Flavonoid and phenolic acid profile by LC-MS/MS and biological activity of crude extracts from Chenopodium hybridum aerial parts

Extracts from leaves and stems of Chenopodium hybridum were characterised for the presence and quantity of flavonoids and phenolic acids by LC-ESI-MS/MS. Five flavonoids and eight phenolic acids were detected for the first time in aerial parts of this plant species, the most abundant compounds being rutin (2.80 μg/g DW), 3-kaempferol rutinoside (2.91 μg/g DW), 4-OH-benzoic (1.86 μg/g DW) and syringic acids (2.31 μg/g DW). Extracts were tested for anti-inflammatory/antiarthritic, antihyaluronidase and cytotoxic activities against human prostate cancer (Du145, PC3) and melanoma cell lines (A375, HTB140 and WM793) of different malignancy. None of the extracts protected bovine serum albumin from heat-induced denaturation. Antihyaluronidase effect at the tested concentration was higher than standard naringenin. Cytotoxic activity was generally low with an exception of the extract from the leaves, which was found most effective against prostate Du145 cell line with 98.28 ± 1.13% of dead cells at 100 μg/mL.     

Anti-Escherichia coli activity of extracts from Schinus terebinthifolius fruits and leaves

Ethanol extracts obtained from Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi fruits and leaves were active against Escherichia coli with MIC of 78 μg mL^?1 for both extracts. Phytochemical analyses revealed a major presence of phenolic acids, tannins, fatty acids and acid triterpenes in the leaves and phenolic acids, fatty acids, acid triterpenes and biflavonoids in the fruits. Major compounds isolated from the plant, such as the acid triterpene schinol, the phenolic acid derivative ethyl gallate and the biflavonoids agathisflavone and tetrahydroamentoflavone, showed very little activity against E. coli. Bioautography of the ethanol extracts on silica gel plate showed inhibition zones for E. coli. They were removed from the plate and the compounds identified as a mixture of myristic, pentadecanoic, palmitic, heptadecanoic, stearic, nonadecanoic, eicosanoic, heneicosanoic and behenic fatty acids.     

Development and Validation of a LC Method for the Analysis of Phenolic Acids in Turkish Salvia Species

An accurate, simple, reproducible, and sensitive method for determination of rosmarinic, caffeic, chlorogenic, and gallic acids in 12 Salvia species growing naturally in Anatolia, has been developed and validated. The phenolic acids were separated using a μBondapack C₁₈ column by gradient elution with a flow rate of 1.0 mL min⁻¹, which was adjusted to deliver firstly o-phosphoric acid 0.085% in water, 0.085% in methanol, and 0.085% in 2-propanol (80:10:10, v/v/v), then decreased gradually (60:20:20, v/v/v) during 20 min with a flow rate of 1.0 mL min⁻¹. The samples were monitored at 220 nm for gallic acid and 330 nm for rosmarinic, caffeic, and chlorogenic acids using photo-diode array detection. The linear range of detection for gallic, chlorogenic, caffeic, and rosmarinic acids were between 0.051–101.4, 0.207–103.6, 0.100–100, and 0.201–100.5 μg mL⁻¹, respectively. The linearity, range, peak purity, selectivity, system performance parameters, precision, accuracy, and robustness had also acceptable values. The developed method was applied to the flower, leaf, stem, and root parts of the Salvia species.

     

Genetic transformation of Echinacea purpurea with Agrobacterium rhizogenes and bioactive ingredient analysis in transformed cultures

A method of the transformed hairy roots cultures of Echinacea purpurea was established by infecting different types of explants with three type strains of Agrobacterium rhizogenes (A4, R1601 and R1000) in this paper. We obtained that the transformed percentage of E. purpurea leaves with A4, R1601 and R1000 were 80%, 60%, 40%, respectively and that of E. purpurea leafstalks were 10%, 30%, 45%, respectively. The contents of polysaccharides and phenolic compounds were measured in transformed hairy roots and non-transformed roots after 2 months in culture. For transformed hairy roots, the contents of polysaccharides and phenolic compounds were 236.0 and 18.9mgg(-1)DW, respectively. While the contents of polysaccharides and phenolic compounds in non-transformed roots were 161.5 and 33.3mgg(-1)DW, respectively.     

Effects of Pulsed Electric Field on Secondary Metabolism of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vitis vinifera</Emphasis> L. cv. Gamay Fréaux Suspension Culture and Exudates

Plant cell cultures provide a large potential for the production of secondary metabolites. Through the application of different physical and chemical cell stress factors, we investigated the production of the secondary metabolites in plant cell cultures. The effects of pulsed electric field (PEF) and ethephon on growth and secondary metabolism, particularly anthocyanins and phenolic acids synthesis, were investigated by using suspension culture of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Gamay Fréaux as a model system. Anthocyanins were measured by spectrophotometer and extracellular phenolic acids were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. The compounds were identified by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance. After the treatments with PEF and ethephon, the concentrations of anthocyanins and phenolic acids in cell culture were higher than in the control, without loss of biomass. The combination of PEF treatment and ethephon improved secondary metabolites formation. Production levels of extracellular phenolic acids, 3-O-glucosyl-resveratrol were increased by PEF and ethephon treatments. The results show that PEF induced a defense response of plant cells and may have altered the cell/membrane’s dielectric properties. PEF, an external stimulus or stress, is proposed as a promising new abiotic elicitor for stimulating secondary metabolites biosynthesis in plant cell cultures.     

LC-DAD and LC–MS–MS Analysis of Piperidine Alkaloids of Lobelia inflata L. (In Vitro and In Vivo)

An LC-DAD method was developed for determination of lobeline from in vitro and in vivo cultures of Lobelia inflata. Samples were extracted with 0.1 N HCl–acetonitrile (1:1, v/v), and purified by solid-phase extraction. Optimized conditions resulted in high recovery. LC separations were performed on an Eurosphere C8 reversed-phase column using 30:70 (v/v) acetonitrile–0.1% trifluoroacetic acid as a mobile phase. Quantitative determination of lobeline was performed by external standard method at 250 nm, in the range of 2.4–80 μg mL⁻¹. Validation studies proved that the repeatability of the method was good and the recovery was satisfactory. In vitro organized cultures contained considerable amount of lobeline (herb: 175 μg g⁻¹, root: 100 μg g⁻¹). When these cultures were transplanted into the open field, the lobeline content increased significantly (herb: 323 μg g⁻¹, root: 833 μg g⁻¹). Plants obtained from seed propagation contained 382 μg g⁻¹ lobeline in the herb. For direct characterization of di-substituted piperidine alkaloids in extracts of L. inflata, tandem mass spectrometric method was developed using electrospray ionization. Analysis was performed in the positive ion mode on a triple quadropole LC–MS system. LC separations were achieved on Eurosphere C8 column with a modified mobile phase (acetonitrile–30 mM ammonium formate, pH 2.80) to ensure proper molecular ionization. The identification and structural elucidation of the alkaloids were performed by comparing their changes in molecular mass (ΔM), full-scan MS–MS spectra with those of lobeline, norlobelanine and lobelanidine. These alkaloids and ten other derivatives were identified in the plant extracts. Three piperidine alkaloids were reported in L. inflata for the first time.

     

Isolation of secoisolariciresinol diglucoside from lignan-containing extract of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Linum usitatissimum</Emphasis> seeds

An effective method for obtaining secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) purified of lignan from extract of Linum usitatissimum seeds was proposed. The lignan-containing concentrate obtained by aqueous ethanol extraction with microwave irradiation was purified using column chromatography. The structure of the compound was confirmed using IR, mass, and NMR spectra. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 1, pp. 21-23, January–February, 2009.     

Evaluation of chemical profile and antioxidant activity of Tripleurospermum insularum,a new species from Turkey

This article presents the very first phytochemical investigation on new species Tripleurospermum insularum Inceer &; Hay?rl?oglu-Ayaz. The volatile profile of odorous parts of the plant was analysed by GC/MS, and compounds were identified in headspace and essential oil obtained from aerial parts, representing 70.81% and 92.44% in total, respectively. The major volatiles were n-alkanes (38.43–59.22%), while essential oil was also rich in globulol (13.45%) and β-sesquiphellandrene (9.29%). The content of phenolic compounds in methanolic extract and oil was 3621.62 and 14.4 mg GAE/100 g of dry plant, respectively. Moreover, potential medicinal effects were found in mean of antioxidant activity of this plant measured by using two different assays: radical-scavenging activity and ferric-reducing activity. Samples revealed values ranging from 0.33 to 146.80 μmol TE/100 g for DPPH assay, and from 2.29 to 5414.17 μmol AAE/100 g for FRAP assay.     

Evaluation of antioxidant activities of the edible and medicinal Acacia albida organs related to phenolic compounds

This study compared phenolic contents and antioxidant activity in different organs of Acacia albida (leaves and bark) and focuses on identification of phenolic compounds of leaves by HPLC-DAD. The analysed organs exhibited differences in total polyphenol contents (100 and 59.5 mg GAE g^? 1 DW). Phenolic contents of leaves were two times higher than those in bark. Ethanolic extracts exhibited good antioxidant activities with IC₅₀ = 26 μg mL^? 1 for DPPH and EC₅₀ = 50 μg mL^? 1 for FRAP. Identification by HPLC-DAD revealed the presence of nine phenolic compounds known for their high antioxidant activity. The results suggested that this species can be used as source of natural antioxidants.     

Effect of the medium pH on the release of secondary metabolites from roots ofDatura stramonium,Catharanthus roseus,andTagetes patula cultured in vitro

The release of alkaloids from root culturesDatura stramonium andCatharanthus roseus and thiophenes from root cultures ofTagetes patula was found to increase when the pH of the culture media (ranging from 4.8 to 7.0) was reduced to 3.5. The extent of the effect was different in each type of culture. Increases ranged from 4- to 20-fold, which in some cases accounted for 75% of the total secondary metabolite pool produced per flask. When the release of individual metabolites was measured, even larger increases, were observed (nearly 400-fold for ajmalicine). Increased release of alkaloids fromC. roseus roots were also observed in cultures growing in a 14-L fermentor, when the medium pH was reduced. Reduction of the pH of the media did not affect growth of the root cultures in subsequent subcultures. The importance of this treatment as a stategy to improve the recovery of secondary metabolites from producing cultures is discussed.     

DNA-protector and cytotoxic activity of secoisolariciresinol diglucoside derivatives

The relationship between the chemical structure and DNA-protector and cytotoxic activities of phenylpropane lignans was studied. Analogs were synthesized from the lignan secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) isolated from Linum usitatissimum seeds. It was shown that SDG derivatives secoisolariciresinol and secoisolariciresinol-4′,4″-diacetate, which were not glucosides, exhibited greater cytotoxic activity in vitro than the starting lignan. The cytotoxicity was slightly elevated upon acetylation of the aglycon phenol hydroxyls whereas the DNA-protector activity decreased substantially. The DNA-protector activity of the derivative without the carbohydrate was slightly greater than that of the starting SDG. This was explained by binding of free radicals by the butanediol hydroxyls. It was proposed that the activity of the cytotoxic derivatives was mediated by induction of apoptosis of the tumor cells.     

Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids-Free Extract from the Cell Culture of Lithospermum officinale with High Antioxidant Capacity

The benefits of Lithospermum officinale has encouraged people to continue using its extract (CAS 90063-58-4) in both medicinal and cosmetic industries despite the fact that chemical analysis confirms the presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) in the extract. While the cultivation of L. officinale takes, at least, 2 years to produce usable crops, its callus culture proliferated 8.3 times with 4.9-fold biomass in less than 30 days under the applied conditions in this study. Under the applied conditions, the cell extract contained no toxic PAs while phenylpropanoid pathway was active toward phenolic acids formation not toward naphthoquinone derivatives. Rosmarinic acid was produced as the main constituent. Total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of the proliferated cell extracts were similar to those of the extracts of the natural plant tissues, in particular from the root. These results support the idea that the extract of L. officinale cells can be a reliable substitute for the extract of the natural plant tissues.

     

Polyphenolic profiling of Ipomoea carnea Jacq. by HPLC-DAD and its implications in oxidative stress and cancer

Ipomoea carnea Jacq. is an important folklore medicinal plant, assessed for its underexplored biological potential. Antioxidant, cytotoxic, antiproliferative and polyphenolic profile of whole plant was evaluated using various techniques. Maximum extract recovery (29% w/w), phenolic [13.54 ± 0.27 μg GAE/mg dry weight (DW)] and flavonoid (2.11 ± 0.10 μg QE /mg DW) content were recorded in methanol-distilled water (1:1) flower extract. HPLC-DAD analysis quantified substantial amount of six different polyphenols ranging from 0.081 to 37.95 μg/mg extract. Maximum total antioxidant and reducing potential were documented in methanol-distilled water and acetone-distilled water flower extracts (42.62 ± 0.47 and 24.38 ± 0.39 μg AAE/mg DW) respectively. Ethanol-chloroform root extract manifested highest free radical scavenging (IC₅₀ of 61.22 μg/mL) while 94.64% of the extracts showed cytotoxicity against brine shrimps. Ethanol leaf extract exhibited remarkable activity against THP-1 cell line (IC₅₀ = 8 ± 0.05 μg/mL) and protein kinases (31 mm phenotype bald zone).     

Secoisolariciresinol dehydrogenase: mode of catalysis and stereospecificity of hydride transfer in Podophyllum peltatum

Secoisolariciresinol dehydrogenase (SDH) catalyzes the NAD+ dependent enantiospecific conversion of secoisolariciresinol into matairesinol. In Podophyllum species, (-)-matairesinol is metabolized into the antiviral compound, podophyllotoxin, which can be semi-synthetically converted into the anticancer agents, etoposide, teniposide and Etopophos. Matairesinol is also a precursor of the cancer-preventative "mammalian" lignan, enterolactone, formed in the gut following ingestion of, for example, various high fiber dietary foods, as well as being an intermediate to numerous defense compounds in vascular plants. This study investigated the mode of enantiospecific Podophyllum SDH catalysis, the order of binding, and the stereospecificity of hydride abstraction/transfer from secoisolariciresinol to NAD+. SDH contains a highly conserved catalytic triad (Ser153, Tyr167 and Lys171), whose activity was abolished with site-directed mutagenesis of Tyr167Ala and Lys171Ala, whereas mutagenesis of Ser153Ala only resulted in a much reduced catalytic activity. Isothermal titration calorimetry measurements indicated that NAD+ binds first followed by the substrate, (-)-secoisolariciresinol. Additionally, for hydride transfer, the incoming hydride abstracted from the substrate takes up the pro-S position in the NADH formed. Taken together, a catalytic mechanism for the overall enantiospecific conversion of (-)-secoisolariciresinol into (-)-matairesinol is proposed.