New Quinic Acid Derivatives from Hepatoprotective Inula crithmoides Root Extract

Fractionation directed by hepatoprotective activity of Inula crithmoides L. root resulted in the isolation of two new quinic acid derivatives, 3,5‐di‐O‐caffeoylquinic acid 1‐methyl ether ( I ; caffeoyl=(E)‐3‐(3,4‐dihydroxyphenyl)prop‐2‐enoyl; quinic acid=1,3,4,5‐tetrahydroxycyclohexanecarboxylic acid) and 4,5‐di‐O‐caffeoylquinic acid 1‐methyl ether ( II ), in addition to the well‐known hepatoprotective compound, 1,5‐di‐O‐caffeoylquinic acid ( III ). The hepatoprotective effect was indicated by the significant decrease in the level of four measured serum biochemical parameters (SGOT, SGPT, ALP, and bilirubin) in experimental rats. The structures of the isolated compounds were determined by analyses of 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR spectroscopic data.     

Iridoid Glycosides and Phenolic Compounds from the Flowers of Vitex agnus‐castus

A new and rare type of iridoid glycoside, agnusoside ( 1 ), a new caffeoylquinic acid derivative, castusic acid ( 2 ), and a new sugar ester, 1,2‐di‐(4‐hydroxybenzoyl)‐β‐glucopyranose ( 3 ), along with ten known compounds belonging to iridoid glycosides (agnuside, trans‐eurostoside), caffeoylquinic acid derivatives (chlorogenic acid and isochlorogenic acid A), flavonoids (isoorientin, isovitexin, kaempferol 3‐O‐sophoroside, luteolin 6‐C‐(2′′‐O‐trans‐caffeoyl)glucopyranoside, and simple phenolic acids (4‐hydroxybenzoic acid, 3,4‐dihydroxybenzoic acid), chemical classes were isolated from the flowers of Vitex agnus‐castus. The structures of the isolates were established by extensive 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR spectroscopic analysis as well as HR‐ESI‐MS. Agnusoside ( 1 ) represents an unusual type of iridoid glycoside with its 6‐keto C(4) nonsubstituted aglycone.     

Rapid determination of caffeoylquinic acid derivatives in Cynara scolymus L. by ultra‐fast liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry based on a fused core C18 column

An ultra‐fast high‐performance LC‐ESI‐MS/MS method was developed for the analysis and quantification of caffeoylquinic acid derivatives, including chlorogenic acid, 1,3‐di‐O‐caffeoylquinic acid (cynarin) and 1,5‐di‐O‐caffeoylquinic acid, in artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) heads and leaves. The rapid separation (less than 4 min) was achieved based on a Halo fused core C18‐silica column (50 mm×2.1 mm id, 2.7 μm). The target compounds were detected and quantified by a triple‐quadrupole mass spectrometer in multiple‐reaction monitoring mode. The calibration function is linear from 0.06 to 2800 ng/mL for chlorogenic acid, 0.3–3000 ng/mL for cynarin and 0.24–4800 ng/mL for 1,5‐di‐O‐caffeoylquinic acid, respectively. The average recoveries ranged from 92.1 to 113.2% with RSDs ≤6.5%. Moreover, four batches of artichoke head and leaf extracts were analyzed using the established method. The results indicated that the Halo fused core column provided much faster separations and higher sample throughput without sacrificing column ruggedness and reliability, and triple‐quadrupole MS provided extraordinarily lower LOQs for most of the target analytes. Comparing to conventional quantitative approaches, the established method was fast, sensitive and reliable for the determination of caffeoylquinic acid derivatives in artichoke.     

The in‐capillary DPPH‐capillary electrophoresis‐the diode array detector combined with reversed‐electrode polarity stacking mode for screening and quantifying major antioxidants in Cuscuta chinensis Lam

An in‐capillary 2, 2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)‐CE‐the DAD (in‐capillary DPPH‐CE‐DAD) combined with reversed‐electrode polarity stacking mode has been developed to screen and quantify the active antioxidant components of Cuscuta chinensis Lam. The operation parameters were optimized with regard to the pH and concentration of buffer solution, SDS, β‐CDs, organic modifier, as well as separation voltage and temperature. Six antioxidants including chlorogenic acid, p‐coumaric acid, rutin, hyperin, isoquercitrin, and astragalin were screened and the total antioxidant activity of the complex matrix was successfully evaluated based on the decreased peak area of DPPH by the established DPPH‐CE‐DAD method. Sensitivity was enhanced under reversed‐electrode polarity stacking mode and 10‐ to 31‐fold of magnitude improvement in detection sensitivity for each analyte was attained. The results demonstrated that the newly established in‐capillary DPPH‐CE‐DAD method combined with reversed‐electrode polarity stacking mode could integrate sample concentration, the oxidizing reaction, separation, and detection into one capillary to fully automate the system. It was considered a suitable technique for the separation, screening, and determination of trace antioxidants in natural products.     

Comparison of Two On-Line Analysis Techniques Used for the Screening of Antioxidants in EGb 761

In order to perform on-line screening procedures for antioxidants in the Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb761), a comparison was carried out between LC–DAD–DPPH analysis used for the determination of DPPH^· bleaching and LC–DAD–CL determination applied for the detection of H₂O₂ and O ₂ ^?· scavenging activities. The results demonstrated that 15 antioxidants in EGb 761 could be identified by LC–DAD–CL, while only 10 antioxidants were detected under LC–DAD–DPPH conditions. Furthermore, it was found that both sensitivity and reproducibility of the LC–DAD–CL method were superior. The results indicated that the combination of the two methods might provide useful information for the prediction of antioxidants in herbal medicines.     

Chemical fingerprint of Ganmaoling granule by double‐wavelength ultra high performance liquid chromatography and ultra high performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry

A method incorporating double‐wavelength ultra high performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry was developed for the investigation of the chemical fingerprint of Ganmaoling granule. The chromatographic separations were performed on an ACQUITY UPLC HSS C₁₈ column (2.1 × 50 mm, 1.8 μm) at 30°C using gradient elution with water/formic acid (1%) and acetonitrile at a flow rate of 0.4 mL/min. A total of 11 chemical constituents of Ganmaoling granule were identified from their molecular weight, UV spectra, tandem mass spectrometry data, and retention behavior by comparing the results with those of the reference standards or literature. And 25 peaks were selected as the common peaks for fingerprint analysis to evaluate the similarities among 25 batches of Ganmaoling granule. The results of principal component analysis and orthogonal projection to latent structures discriminant analysis showed that the important chemical markers that could distinguish the different batches were revealed as 4,5‐di‐O‐caffeoylquinic acid, 3,5‐di‐O‐caffeoylquinic acid, and 4‐O‐caffeoylquinic acid. This is the first report of the ultra high performance liquid chromatography chemical fingerprint and component identification of Ganmaoling granule, which could lay a foundation for further studies of Ganmaoling granule.     

Experimental and theoretical investigations of the antioxidant activity of 2,2′‐methylenebis(4,6‐dialkylphenol) compounds

The antioxidant activity of two primary antioxidants, 2,2′‐methylenebis(4‐methyl‐6‐tert ‐butylphenol) (MMBPH2) and 2,2′‐methylenebis(4,6‐di‐tert ‐butylphenol) (MDBPH2), has been studied using the 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method. The synthesized compounds have been successfully characterized systematically using elemental analyses, infrared, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR spectra and GC–MS. Importantly, it has been found that the compound MMBPH2 in particular is more active in DPPH radical scavenging. In addition, density functional theory calculations (B3LYP) have been used to predict the antioxidant activity and predict structural geometries of the compounds in the gas phase.     

Gram (−) microorganisms DNA polymerase inhibition,antibacterial and chemical properties of fruit and leaf extracts of Sorbus acuparia and Sorbus caucasica var. yaltirikii

Investigation of novel plant‐based agents might provide alternative antibiotics and thus fight antibiotic resistance. Here, we measured the ability of fruit and leaf extracts of Sorbus aucuparia (Sauc ) and endemic Sorbus caucasica var. yaltirikii (Scau ) to inhibit nonreplicative (Klenow Fragment‐KF and Bacillus Large Fragment‐BLF) and replicative (DnaE and PolC) bacterial DNA polymerases along with their antimicrobial, DPPH free radical scavenging activity (RSA), and chemical contents by total phenolic content and HPLC‐DAD analysis. We found that leaf extracts had nearly 10‐fold higher RSA and 5‐fold greater TPC than the corresponding fruit extracts. All extracts had large amounts of chlorogenic acid (CGA) and rutin, while fruit extracts had large amounts of quercetin. Hydrolysis of fruit extracts revealed mainly caffeic acid from CGA (caffeoylquinic acid) and quercetin from rutin (quercetin‐3‐O ‐rutinoside), as well as CGA and derivatives of CGA and p ‐coumaric acid. Plant extracts of Sorbus species showed antimicrobial activity against Gram‐negative microorganisms. Scau leaf extracts exhibited strong inhibition of KF activity. Sauc and Scau leaf extracts also strongly inhibited two replicative DNA polymerases. Thus, these species can be considered a potential source of novel antimicrobial agents specific for Gram‐negative bacteria.     

Secoiridoid Sulfonates from the Sulfiting‐Processed Buds of Lonicera japonica

The new secoiridoid sulfonates 1 – 3 were isolated from the 50% EtOH/H₂O extract of the sulfiting‐processed Lonicera japonica Flos (LJF) by semi‐prep. HPLC, and their structures were identified on the basis of mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy. HPLC and LC‐DAD‐MS/MS analyses of the different samples of LJF obtained by various process techniques suggested that the sulfur fumigation led to the decrease of secologanic acid ( 4 ) and the formation of secologanic acid‐derived sulfonate 1 and its derivatives 2, 2a , and 3 in the crude materials, which revealed that sulfur fumigation, the traditional process technique, could alter the phytochemical profiles of some Chinese herbal medicines.     

Characterization of the multiple chemical components of Glechomae Herba using ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole‐time‐of‐flight tandem mass spectrometry with diagnostic ion filtering strategy

Glechomae Herba is a traditional Chinese medicine used for the treatment of urolithiasis, cholelithiasis, and urinary tract infections in China. Identification of chemical constituents is helpful to discover the potential active ingredients. However, this significant work is stymied by complex chemical constituents. Therefore, an ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole‐time‐of‐flight tandem mass spectrometry analysis with diagnostic product ions and neutral loss filtering strategy was established for chemical profiling of Glechomae Herba. The diagnostic product ions and neutral loss filtering strategy simplified spectral elucidation. A total of 120 compounds, including 10 chlorogenic acids, 10 gallic acids, 21 phenylpropionic acids, and 77 flavonoids, were reasonably identified in Glechomae Herba. Sixty‐five constituents were first discovered in Glechomae Herba. Four types of chlorogenic acids (caffeoylquinic acid, feruloylquinic acid, p‐coumaroylquinic acid, and di‐caffeoylquinic acid), three types of galloylglucoses (di‐O‐galloyl‐glucose, tri‐O‐galloyl‐glucose, and tetra‐O‐galloyl‐glucose), three types of phenylpropionic acid skeletons (p‐coumaric acid, caffeic acid, and rosmarinic acid) and five types of flavonoid aglycone skeletons (apigenin, kaempferol, luteolin, quercetin, and chrysin) were identified in Glechomae Herba. The results indicated that the developed strategy was feasible and rational technique for identifying the complex chemical constituents in Glechomae Herba.     

Screening free radical scavengers in Xiexin Tang by HPLC‐ABTS‐DAD‐Q‐TOF/MS

Xiexin Tang (XXT) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that has been used in herbal clinics for more than 1800 years. Many studies have shown that XXT has therapeutic effects on patients with arteriosclerosis owing to its antioxidant activity. However, there is little information about the relationship between the chemical composition of XXT and its antioxidant activity. In this study, the HPLC‐ABTS‐DAD‐Q‐TOF/MS method, which can simultaneously identify individual components and rapidly screen for antioxidant compounds, was used to screen and identify antioxidant components in XXT. The 15 compounds identified were gluco‐syringic acid, adenine, gallic acid, biflorin, cularine, 6‐C ‐arabinose‐8‐C ‐glucose‐chrysin, 6‐C ‐glucose‐8‐C ‐arabinose–chrysin, baicalin, rhein‐8‐O‐β ‐d ‐glucopyranoside, coptisine, epiberberine, jatrorrhizine, norwogonin, 5,7,2′‐trihydroxy‐6‐ methoxyflavone and baicalein. In addition, the data showed that the antioxidant activity of peaks 4, 6, and 11 was lower in XXT than in its constituent herbs, while the activity of peaks 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14 and 15 was higher in XXT. Compound 5 had the strongest antioxidant activity in XXT, while compound 1 showed the strongest antioxidant activity among its constituent herb. The differences between antioxidant activities of major components of XXT and those of its constituent herbs might be due to the interaction of crude drugs that changes the solubility of active components during the decoction process. The results show that the HPLC‐ABTS‐DAD‐Q‐TOF/MS method can successfully combine on‐line mass spectrometry with activity detection system. It is a useful tool for the rapid detection and identification of antioxidants, and for quantitative analysis of individual antioxidants in complex mixtures such as plant extracts. Furthermore, this method does not require extensive extract purification and fraction collection.     

Liquid chromatography coupled with ultraviolet absorbance detection,electrospray ionization,collision‐induced dissociation and tandem mass spectrometry on a triple quadrupole for the on‐line characterization of polyphenols and methylxanthines in green coffee beans

Liquid chromatography coupled with a photodiode array detector, electrospray ionization, collision‐induced dissociation and tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐DAD/ESI‐CID‐MS/MS) on a triple quadrupole (QqQ) has been used to detect and characterize polyphenols and methylxanthines in green coffee beans: three phenolic acids (caffeic acid, ferulic acid and dimethoxycinnamic acid), three isomeric caffeoylquinic acids (M_r 354), three feruloylquinic acids (M_r 368), one p‐coumaroylquinic acid (M_r 338), three dicaffeoylquinic acids (M_r 516), three feruloyl‐caffeoylquinic acids (M_r 530), four p‐coumaroyl‐caffeoylquinic acids (M_r 500), three diferuloylquinic acids (M_r 544), six dimethoxycinnamoyl‐caffeoylquinic acids (M_r 544), three dimethoxycinnamoyl‐feruloylquinic acids (M_r 558), six cinnamoyl‐amino acid conjugates, three cinnamoyl glycosides, and three methylxanthines (caffeine, theobromine and theophylline). Dimethoxycinnamic acid, three isomers of dimethoxycinnamoyl‐caffeoylquinic acids and another three of dimethoxycinnamoyl‐feruloylquinic acids, as well as the three cinnamoyl glycosides, had not previously been reported in coffee beans. Structures have been assigned on the basis of the complementary information obtained from UV‐visible spectra, relative hydrophobicity, scan mode MS spectra, and fragmentation patterns in MS² spectra (both in the positive and negative ion modes) obtained using a QqQ at different collision energies. A structure diagnosis scheme is provided for the identification of different isomers of polyphenols and methylxanthines. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Benzolignanoid and Polyphenols from Origanum Vulgare

A new dihydrobenzodioxane derivative, origalignanol ( 10 ), together with nine polyphenolic compounds, salvianolic acid A ( 1 ), salvianolic acid C ( 2 ), lithospermic acid ( 3 ), apigenin 7‐O‐β‐D‐glucuronide ( 4 ), apigenin 7‐O‐β‐D‐(6″‐methyl)glucuronide ( 5 ), luteolin, ( 6 ), luteolin 7‐O‐β‐D‐glucopyranoside ( 7 ), luteolin 7‐O‐β‐D‐glucuronide ( 8 ), and luteolin 7‐O‐β‐D‐xylopyranoside ( 9 ), were isolated from the aqueous ethanolic extract of the aerial parts of Origanum vulgare for the first time. The structure of new compound 10 was determined on the basis of spectroscopic methods. Compound 5 is probably an artifact formed during the isolation. Compounds 1, 2 and 3 showed strong DPPH radical scavenging activity with an EC₅₀ of 7.2 ± 0.4, 9.6 ± 0.9, and 9.5 ± 0.7 μM, respectively, and protected rat hepatocytes from CCl₄‐damage at 100 μM.     

A New Hydrolyzable Tannin from Balanophora harlandii with Radical‐Scavenging Activity

One new hydrolyzable tannin, 1‐O‐[(E)‐p‐coumaroyl]‐3‐O‐galloyl‐β‐D ‐glucopyranose ( 1 ), was isolated from the rhizome of Balanophora harlandii, together with 18 known phenolic compounds. Their structures were determined by detailed spectroscopic analysis. Of the known compounds, 3‐O‐caffeoyl‐D ‐glucopyranose ( 6 ) was obtained as a natural product for the first time, and compounds 2 – 6 and 8 – 19 were identified for the first time from this plant. The radical‐scavenging activity of the isolated compounds was tested by a DPPH assay.     

Multiple on‐line HPLC coupled with biochemical detection methods to evaluate bioactive compounds in Danshen injection

On‐line high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with three biochemical detection (BCD) methods was applied to evaluate bioactive components in Danshen injection. On‐line HPLC‐photo‐diode array–fluorescence detection based on the fluorogenic substrate 7‐acetoxy‐1‐methyl quinolinium iodide, was built to search acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors in Danshen injection. On‐line HPLC coupled with the scavenging assay of 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′‐azinobis (3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid) (ABTS) free radicals was developed to screen antioxidants. The three active profiles were obviously different. Radical scavenging profiles revealed seven strong peaks in the chromatographic fingerprint possessing obvious free radical inhibition effects, while some minor peaks exhibited stronger AChE inhibition activities. The main radical scavengers and AChE inhibitors were identified by HPLC‐MS. Several unknown ingredients showing strong AChE inhibition activities needed further identification except protocatechuic aldehydrate, salvianolic acid H or I and lithospermic acid. The on‐line multiple on‐line HPLC‐BCD methods will provide powerful tools in the field of pharmacognosy for fast‐track identification of interesting and/or novel bioactive compounds.     

DPPH (= 2,2‐Diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl = 2,2‐Diphenyl‐1‐(2,4,6‐trinitrophenyl)hydrazyl) Radical‐Scavenging Reaction of Protocatechuic Acid Esters (= 3,4‐Dihydroxybenzoates) in Alcohols: Formation of Bis‐alcohol Adduct

Protocatechuic acid esters (= 3,4‐dihydroxybenzoates) scavenge ca. 5 equiv. of radical in alcoholic solvents, whereas they consume only 2 equiv. of radical in nonalcoholic solvents. While the high radical‐scavenging activity of protocatechuic acid esters in alcoholic solvents as compared to that in nonalcoholic solvents is due to a nucleophilic addition of an alcohol molecule at C(2) of an intermediate o‐quinone structure, thus regenerating a catechol (= benzene‐1,2‐diol) structure, it is still unclear why protocatechuic acid esters scavenge more than 4 equiv. of radical (C(2) refers to the protocatechuic acid numbering). Therefore, to elucidate the oxidation mechanism beyond the formation of the C(2) alcohol adduct, 3,4‐dihydroxy‐2‐methoxybenzoic acid methyl ester ( 4 ), the C(2) MeOH adduct, which is an oxidation product of methyl protocatechuate ( 1 ) in MeOH, was oxidized by the DPPH radical (= 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl) or o‐chloranil (= 3,4,5,6‐tetrachlorocyclohexa‐3,5‐diene‐1,2‐dione) in CD₃OD/(D₆)acetone 3 : 1). The oxidation mixtures were directly analyzed by NMR. Oxidation with both the DPPH radical and o‐chloranil produced a C(2),C(6) bis‐methanol adduct ( 7 ), which could scavenge additional 2 equiv. of radical. Calculations of LUMO electron densities of o‐quinones corroborated the regioselective nucleophilic addition of alcohol molecules with o‐quinones. Our results strongly suggest that the regeneration of a catechol structure via a nucleophilic addition of an alcohol molecule with a o‐quinone is a key reaction for the high radical‐scavenging activity of protocatechuic acid esters in alcoholic solvents.     

Spectrum–effect relationship study between HPLC fingerprints and antioxidant of honeysuckle extract

Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica flos) is a well‐known agent of edible and medicinal value in China and its antioxidative activity makes a major contribution to its dual use. However, the compounds responsible for its antioxidative activity are still unknown. In this study, 10 batches of honeysuckle were collected from different origins in China. The fingerprints were established by HPLC technique to investigate the compounds and a 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity assay was carried out to evaluate their antioxidant activity. partial least squares regression analysis was applied to set up the regression equation between DPPH radical scavenging activity and average peak area of common peaks of fingerprints. The results showed that peaks 10 (isochlorogenic acid B), 12 (isochlorogenic acid C), 11 (isochlorogenic acid A) and 9 (cynaroside) in the fingerprints were closely related to the antioxidant activity of 50% methanol extracts of honeysuckle. This study successfully established the spectrum–effect relationship between HPLC fingerprints and DPPH radical scavenging activity and provided a general model for exploring active components with a combination of chromatography and efficacy.     

Water‐Soluble Constituents from the Liverwort Marchantia polymorpha

Four new glycosides, the bibenzyl glycoside α,β‐dihydrostilbene‐2,4′,5‐triol 2,5‐di‐(β‐D ‐glucopyranoside) ( 1 ), the shikimic acid glycoside shikimic acid 4‐(β‐D ‐xylopyranoside) ( 2 ), and two phenylethanoid glycosides 2‐(3,4‐dihydroxyphenyl)ethyl O‐α‐L ‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1→2)‐β‐D ‐allopyranoside ( 3 ) and 2‐(3,4‐dihydroxyphenyl)ethyl O‐β‐D ‐xylopyranosyl‐(1→6)‐β‐D ‐allopyranoside ( 4 ), together with three known aromatic glycosides were isolated from the H₂O‐soluble fraction of the EtOH extract of the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic evidences.     

Synthesis and Antioxidant Activities of Novel 4,4′‐Arylmethylene‐bis(1H‐pyrazole‐5‐ol)s from Lignin

A series of novel bispyrazoles joined by arylmethylene at C‐4 position were synthesized with aromatic aldehydes obtained from lignin and screened for their in vitro antioxidant activities by N,N‐diphenyl‐N′‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′‐azino‐bis(3‐ethylenzothiazoline‐sulphonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS⁺) radical scavenging assays. All of these compounds exhibited good DPPH and ABST⁺ radical scavenging activities as compared to the standard, Trolox, which suggested their potential as promising agents for curing tumors or other free radical‐related diseases.     

Bioassay‐guided Isolation and Antioxidant Activity of Sulfur‐containing Compounds from Clinacanthus nutans

Clinacanthus nutans has been used in traditional herbal medicine for cancer prevention, but the specific bioactive compounds responsible for the observed activities have not been explored. Different polar solvents such as methanol, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and hexane were used for the extraction. The extracts, fractions, and isolated compounds were subjected to DPPH and ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) assays. Methanol extracts show significant free‐radical scavenging activity of 69.09% in DPPH and 56.49% FRAP. Purification of MeOH extracts afforded the fraction FB28 and two new sulfur‐containing compounds, named clinamide D and E ( 1 , 2 ). Compound ( 1 ) proved to be more active with an IC₅₀ value for DPPH radical scavenging of 118.27 ± 0.01 µg/mL and reduction of Fe³⁺–TPTZ complex of 386.24 ± 0.02, higher than that of the standard ascorbic acid. Sulfur‐containing compounds isolated from C. nutans is a potential natural antioxidant.