Lipid-soluble and water-soluble arsenic compounds in blubber of ringed seal (Pusa hispida)

High concentrations of arsenic were observed in the blubber of ringed seals (Pusa hispida) in our previous study. To better understand the arsenic accumulation in blubber of marine mammals, arsenicals in the blubber of ringed seal were characterized using high performance liquid chromatography–inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC–ICPMS). The most predominant water-soluble arsenical in the blubber was dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), in spite of the predominance of arsenobetaine in other tissues. Lipid-soluble fraction was hydrolyzed under mild (tetraethylammonium hydroxide (TEAH) hydrolysis) and strong (NaOH hydrolysis) conditions, and then an aliquot of hydrolysate was injected onto HPLC–ICPMS. Both TEAH-labile and TEAH-stable/NaOH-labile lipid-soluble fractions contained precursors of DMA. These results suggest that the blubber might be the pool of DMA and DMA-containing precursors in ringed seals.     

Alkaloid extracts of Ficus species and palm oil-derived tocotrienols synergistically inhibit proliferation of human cancer cells

Tocotrienols have been reported to possess anticancer effects other than anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. This study explored the potential synergism of antiproliferative effects induced by individual alkaloid extracts of Ficus fistulosa, Ficus hispida and Ficus schwarzii combined with δ- and γ-tocotrienols against human brain glioblastoma (U87MG), lung adenocarcinoma (A549) and colorectal adenocarcinoma (HT-29) cells. Cell viability and morphological results demonstrated that extracts containing a mixture of alkaloids from the leaves and bark of F. schwarzii inhibited the proliferation of HT-29 cells, whereas the alkaloid extracts of F. fistulosa inhibited the proliferation of both U87MG and HT-29 cells and showed synergism in combined treatments with either δ- or γ-tocotrienol resulting in 2.2–34.7 fold of reduction in IC₅₀ values of tocotrienols. The observed apoptotic cell characteristics in conjunction with the synergistic antiproliferative effects of Ficus species-derived alkaloids and tocotrienols assuredly warrant future investigations towards the development of a value-added chemotherapeutic regimen against cancers.     

New Phenolic Tricyclic Diterpenoids from Rhizomes of Isodon hispida (Benth.) Hara

Three new phenolic tricyclic diterpenoids, including two sempervirane diterpenoids, hispidanols A and B ( 1 and 2 , resp.), and one totarane diterpenoid, totara‐8,11,13‐triene‐13→16‐hemiacetal ( 3 ), along with 14 known compounds, 4 – 17 , were isolated from the AcOEt‐soluble fraction of the 70%‐acetone extract of rhizomes of Isodon hispida. Their structures were elucidated based on the analyses of extensive spectroscopic data and physicochemical properties.     

Oxidative Stress and DNA Damage Effect of Dioscorea hispida Dennst. on Placental Tissues of Rats

Dioscorea hispida Dennst. locally known as “ubi gadung” has been used as a traditional remedy and source of carbohydrate among Malaysians. To assess the effect of Dioscorea hispida aqueous extract (DHAE) on the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and their effects on DNA damage in Sprague Dawley rat’s placental tissues, pregnant rats were randomly divided into four groups. The animals were orally treated with distilled water (negative control) and three different concentrations of DHAE (250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg body weight (BW)) from gestation day 6 until 20. The oxidative stress in placental tissues was evaluated at day 21 by measuring the level of ROS, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and lipid peroxidation biomarker, malondialdehyde (MDA) while comet assay was used for DNA damage. There was no significant production of ROS and SOD activities in all groups. Significant changes were observed in the MDA level at 1000 mg/kg BW DHAE. Comet assay revealed a significant increase (p < 0.05) of DNA damage on animals treated with 250 and 500 mg/kg BW DHAE but not at the highest concentration. It was postulated that the placental cells could have undergone necrosis which destroys all components including DNA. This occurrence simultaneously reduces the levels of DNA damage which can be represented by lower level of tail moments. This finding correlates with our histopathological examination where necrotic cells of spongiotrophoblast were observed in the basal zone of placental tissue. The high amount of hydrogen cyanide and other compounds in 1000 mg/kg BW DHAE could elevate the lipid peroxidation and directly induce cell necrosis which requires further investigation.     

Identification of Five New Minor Constituents from the Whole Plant of Amischotolype hispida

Bioassay‐guided fractionation of the active AcOEt‐soluble layer from the whole plant of Amischotolype hispida resulted in the isolation of four new compounds, i.e., amisbenzoic acid ( 1 ), one butenolide derivative, amisnolide ( 2 ), one chlorin analog, amisphytin ( 3 ), one lignan, amislignol ( 4 ), and one metabolite isolated for the first time from nature, (?)‐glaberide I ( 5 ), along with 20 known compounds, 6 – 25 . Their structures were elucidated on the basis of UV, IR, 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR (¹H,¹H‐COSY, DEPT, HSQC, HMBC), as well as HR‐ESI‐MS, analyses. Among these isolates, palmitic acid ( 13 ) showed an antimycobacterial activity with an MIC value of 20.0 μg/ml against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv.