Studies on lens-aldose-reductase inhibitor in medicinal plants. II. Active constituents of Monochasma savatierii Franch. et Maxim

The 70% acetone extract of Monochasma savatierii FRANCH. et MAXIM. showed very strong inhibition of rabbit lens aldose reductase (AR). From the active fraction, five iridoid glucosides along with the two phenolic glycosides, acteoside and dehydroacteoside, have been isolated. Among them, acteoside showed the highest activity, being about 2.5 times more potent than baicalein, a known natural inhibitor of AR (IC50 = 9.8 x 10(-7) M). Demethylmussaenoside and 7-O-acetyl-8-epi-loganic acid, which are iridoid glucosides, had weak inhibitory activity.     

Some cytotoxicological aspects of ethyl and fluoroethyl alkanesulfonates in Escherichia coli: role of fluorine substitution

Several fluoroethyl derivatives of alkanesulfonates and N-nitrosourea were tested for cytotoxicity and mutagenicity in E. coli K12 AB1157. Cytotoxicity was potentiated by fluorine substitution in the alkyl moiety of the ethylating agents. Mutagenicity was strongly suppressed by fluorine substitution in the alkanesulfonates, but not in the N-nitrosourea. The capacity to induce the SOS repair network was suppressed, as was mutagenicity, in alkanesulfonates, but not in N-nitrosourea. The potentiating effect of fluorine on the cytotoxicity of alkanesulfonates seems to be due to an as yet unknown killing mechanism. An appreciable suppressive effect on the mutagenicity and the SOS induction is worth notice for the biological role of fluorine substitution in alkylating agents.     

Synthesis of Furo[2,3-c]isoquinoline Derivatives

2-Methylfuro [2,3-c] isoquinolin-5(4H)one (X) and 1-phenylfuro[2,3-c] isoquinolin-5(4H)one (XI) were prepared from thermal cyelization via the Curtius rearrangement of 5-methyl-3-phenyl-2-furoyl azide (VI) and 3,4-diphenyl-2-furoyl azide (VII), respectively. Stability against acid, alkylation and conversion of the NHCO group to a C=N double bond of X and XI, which were synthesized, are described. Also, 5-substituted furo[2,3-c] isoquinolines (XVIIIa-c) and (XIXa-c) were prepared.     

Isolation of inhibitors of adenylate cyclase from dan-shen, the root of Salvia miltiorrhiza

The effect of dan-shen extract, the root of Salvia miltiorrhiza, on adenylate cyclase was investigated in both rat brain and rat erythrocytes. The EtOAc fraction of the MeOH extract was proved to have significant inhibitory activity. Potent inhibitory principles in the EtOAc fraction were isolated and identified as 4 polyphenolic acids, rosemarinic acid, lithospermic acid, and their methyl ester derivatives.     

Chemiluminescence for the determination of traces of cobalt(II) by continuous flow and flow injection methods

Flow injection analysis, with chemiluminescence detection, is used to determine traces of cobalt(II) by means of the gallic acid—hydrogen peroxide—sodium hydroxide system containing a small amount of methanol to increase the sensitivity. This permits the determination of cobalt(II) more selectively than any other chemiluminescent system with a detection limit of 0.04 μg l^-1 (continuous sample flow) or 0.04 ng (10-μl sample injection). The linear range is 3 orders of magnitude, the sampling rate is 20 h^-1, and the relative standard deviation is 5.9% for 0.06 ng Co(II) (n = 10). Silver(I), the strongest enhancer after cobalt(II), provides a signal 1.3% of that for Co(II). A few precipitants and complexing agents suppress the signal.     

Screening for molluscicidal activity in crude drugs

Thirty-four extracts of crude drugs and medicinal plants have been screened for activity against Oncomelania nosophora, the intermediate host of the Japanese strain of Schistosoma japonicum. Strong molluscicidal activity was found in the MeOH extract of Anemarrhenae Rhizoma. Although timosaponin A-III, one of the main saponins of Anemarrhenae Rhizoma, showed very strong killing activity, markogenin-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl (1-2)-O-beta-D-galactopyranoside having the same glycosidic linkage was found to be inactive.     

Synthesis of 4H-furo[3,2-b]indole derivatives A new heterocyclic ring system

4H-Furo[3,2-b]indole (III) was prepared from deoxygenation of 2-(2-nitrophenyl)furan (II) with triethyl phosphite and thermolysis of 2-(2-azidophenyl)furan (VI). 4H- or 4-alkylfuro [3,2-b]indole-2-carboxaldehydes (VIII, IXa-c) were obtained by Vilsmeier formylation of the corresponding furo[3,2-b]indoles (III, VIIa-c). 4H-Furo[3,2-b]indole-2-carboxaldehyde (VIII) was submitted to the Cannizzaro, Wittig and reduction reactions. The Shiff's bases were obtained by the reaction of 4-ethylfuro[3,2-b]indole-2-carboxaldehyde (IXb) with amines. J. Heterocyclic Chem., 14, 975 (1977)     

Effects of 2-(E-2-decenoylamino)ethyl 2-(cyclohexylethyl) sulfide on various ulcer models in rats.

The effects of 2-(E-2-decenoylamino)ethyl 2-(cyclohexylethyl) sulfide (compd. III-1a) on various experimental ulcers were investigated. The oral administration of compd. III-1a at doses ranging from 30 to 300 mg/kg inhibited the acute gastric ulcerations induced by ethanol, HCl.aspirin and indomethacin in rats. Compound III-1a significantly inhibited the water immersion stress-induced gastric ulcer at doses of 3 mg/kg, p.o. The anti-ulcer activity of plaunotol as a reference drug was equivalent on an ethanol-induced ulcer to that of compd. III-1a, but weaker on HCl.aspirin, indomethacin and stress-induced ulcers than that of compd. III-1a. On indomethacin-produced gastric antral ulcer, compd. III-1a showed the same significant inhibitory activity as spizofurone did at a dose of 100 mg/kg, p.o. Compound III-1a also inhibited hemorrhagic shock-, diethyldithiocarbamic acid (DDC)-and platelet activating factor (PAF)-induced ulcers dose-dependently. Plaunotol only showed significant inhibitory activity on PAF-induced ulcer in these three ucler models. The consecutive administration of compd. III-1a (100 mg/kg, p.o.) twice a day significantly accelerated the healing of an acetic acid-induced ulcer and that of plaunotol (200 mg/kg, p.o.) showed the same activity. Moreover, orally administered compd. III-1a at a dose of 100 mg/kg decreased the gastric acid secretion in pylorus-ligated rats. The results in the present study suggest that compd. III-1a has the dual action on ulcer formation.     

Continuous determination of hydrogen fluoride in air with the fluoride-selective electrode

Hydrogen fluoride in a standard or sample gas stream at 200 ml min^?1 permeates through a teflon membrane (0.8 μm pore size, 0.08 mm thick) into an absorption solution (citrate/acetate buffer at pH 5.4) flowing at 30 ml min^?1. The fluoride produced is measured with the fluoride-selective electrode. The response time is about 12 min. The absorption efficiency of hydrogen fluoride is about 70% between 6.5 and 0.25 ppm by volume (5.2 and 0.2 mg m^?3). In this range, the Nernst equation is valid with a relative standard deviation of less than 1.8%. The lower determination limit for hydrogen fluoride is 0.1 ppm (0.08 mg m^?3).