Gastroprotective Effects of Inulae Flos on HCl/Ethanol-Induced Gastric Ulcers in Rats

Inulae Flos, the flower of Inula britannica L., is used as a dietary supplement, beverage, and medicine in East Asia. In this study, we evaluated the gastroprotective effects of Inulae Flos extract (IFE) against gastric mucosal lesions induced by hydrochloric acid (HCl)/ethanol in rats and explored its potential mechanisms by measuring antioxidant enzyme activity, mucus secretion, and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) levels. Pretreatment with IFE at doses of 100 and 300 mg/kg significantly inhibited gastric lesions in HCl/ethanol-treated rats. IFE increased the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase and the levels of glutathione and PGE₂ in gastric tissues. The administration of IFE also significantly increased the gastric wall mucus contents in HCl/ethanol-induced gastric lesions. These findings suggest that IFE has gastroprotective effects against HCl/ethanol-induced gastric lesions and exerts these effects through increased antioxidant levels and gastric mucus secretion. Inulae Flos may be a promising agent for the prevention and treatment of gastritis and gastric ulcers.     

Active ingredients of Inula helenium L. exhibits similar anti-cancer effects as isoalantolactone in pancreatic cancer cells

Abstract

Isoalantolactone is one of the major active ingredients from Inula helenium L. However, it is low cost-effective to isolate isoalantolactone from Inula helenium L. In this study, we optimized the extraction strategy and obtained a mixture of active ingredients with exact proportion (termed as F35), which were alloalantolactone, alantolactone and isoalantolactone at the ratio of 1/5/4 respectively. The anti-tumor activity of F35 was compared with isoalantolactone on pancreatic cancer cells. As a result, F35 showed nearly the same anti-proliferation activity as isoalantolactone in two cell lines. Both F35 and isoalantolactone could induce mitochondrion-related apoptosis at the concentration of 6?μg/ml. In addition, F35 inhibited colony-formation and migration of PANC-1 and SW1990 cells. To conclude, F35 exhibited similar anti-proliferation and anti-migration effect as isoalantolactone on two pancreatic cancer cell lines, suggesting that alantolactone or alloalantolactone might have comparable anti-tumor effect as isoalantolactone.     

Antioxidant and antifungal activity of different extracts obtained from aerial parts of Inula crithmoides L.

The total phenolic content, antioxidant and antifungal activities of three Inula crithmoides extracts (n-hexane, methylene chloride and MeOH) were investigated. The methanolic extract showed the highest total phenolic content. In the DPPH assay, the methanolic and hexane extracts exhibited the highest DPPH-radical scavenging activity; in the 5-lipoxygenase assay, the hexane extract showed greater inhibitory effect with an IC₅₀ similar to that of Trolox and ascorbic acid. The antifungal activity of the methanolic extract revealed a higher activity against Phytophtora cryptogea and Alternaria solani.     

Sesquiterpenoids from the Aerial Parts of Inula japonica

Fourteen sesquiterpenoids with an eudesmane C‐atom skeleton, including four new ones, (1β,5α,7β,8β,11β)‐5‐hydroperoxy‐1‐hydroxyeudesm‐4(15)‐eno‐12,8‐lactone ( 1 ), (1β,5α,7β,8β)‐8‐(acetyloxy)‐5‐hydroperoxy‐1‐hydroxycostic acid methyl ester ( 12 ), and a mixture of (1β,3β,4β,7β,8β)‐1,3‐dihydroxyeudesma‐5,11(13)‐dieno‐12,8‐lactone ( 7 ) and (1β,3β,4β,7β,8β,11β)‐1,3‐dihydroxyeudesm‐5‐eno‐12,8‐lactone ( 8 ), were isolated from the aerial parts of Inula japonica (Asteraceae). Their structures were determined by extensive spectroscopic methods, and those of 7 and 12 confirmed by means of single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis.     

Acidic isomerization of alantolactone derivatives

A series of derivatives of the natural sesquiterpene lactones alantolactone (1) and isoalantolactone (2) was prepared. The α-methylene-γ-lactone moiety was retained in the structures of these for further modifications using reactions that affected exclusively the nonconjugated double bonds of the decalin ring. __________ Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 4, pp. 325–330, July–August, 2006.     

In vitro anticomplementary activity and quality evaluation of dried blossoms of Inula nervosa Wall. from different geographical origins

Blossoms of Inula nervosa Wall. (BINW) are traditionally used as an analgesic and antitussive in China. In this study, in vitro anticomplementary activities of crude extract from BINW in 21 batches and of extracts of four monomeric compounds were evaluated by the classical pathway. The effect of the region of origin on the quality of BINW was evaluated by fingerprint analysis for the first time. Furthermore, chemometric methods including similarity analysis and principal component analysis were employed to evaluate the quality of BINW. The nine major monomeric compounds were quantitated by ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography. All nine analytes demonstrated excellent linearity with recoveries ranging from 97.25% to 102.76%. The limits of detection and quantification were 0.07–12.20 μg/mL and 0.22–40.27 μg/mL, respectively. Results indicate that different regions of origin have a significant effect on the quality of BINW. Fingerprint analysis in combination with chemometrics and multi‐ingredient determination is an efficient and reliable approach for quality evaluation. The BINW samples from Yunnan had the highest ratio of 1,5‐dicaffeoylquinic acid and thymol; they also exhibited significantly higher anticomplementary activity than those from three other areas. This study successfully established a rapid and efficient method to evaluate the quality and biological activity of BINW.     

Britanlins A-D, four novel sesquiterpenoids from Inula britannica

A phytochemical investigation on the flowers of Inula britannica has led to the isolation of four novel sesquiterpenoids, britanlins A-D. Britanlins A-C feature the rare presilphiperfolane-type frameworks, which play an important role in biogenesis of triquinane sesquiterpenoids. Britanlin D possessed a rearranged pseudoguaiane skeleton, which was first isolated from nature. The structures of britanlins A to D were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic methods. The structures of britanlins A and D were further confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction.     

Synthesis of S-Containing Derivatives of the Sesquiterpene Lactone Britanin

The optimal method for isolating the sesquiterpene lactone britanin from the aerial part of Inula britannica L. (Asteraceae) was developed. Britanin was functionalized by reacting it with methyl mercaptoacetate.__________Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 1, pp. 37–38, January–February, 2005.     

不同月份栽培藏木香微量元素的含量测定及动态分析

采用火焰原子吸收光谱法对不同月份栽培藏木香中Cu、Zn、Fe、Mn、Ca、K、Mg和Na8种微量元素进行了分析测定。结果表明,在选定的测定条件下,栽培藏木香中各元素间相互干扰小,对测定无明显影响。方法的标准曲线线性关系良好(r=0.997 3~0.999 9),方法回收率(n=7)在97.5%~100.3%之间,RSD值(n=7)在1.16%~2.76%之间。栽培藏木香中K、Ca、Mg含量较高且不同月份微量元素含量有所不同,其中Zn、Cu、Mn含量基本稳定;K、Na、Ca、Mg、Fe等元素含量呈现较大幅度的变化趋势。研究结果为合理利用藏木香资源提供了可靠依据。     

Two New Sesquiterpenes from Inula Japonica

Two new sesquiterpenes were isolaed from the aerial patrs of Inula Japonica.Their structures were eluicated as 1β-hydroxy-8β-acetoxyeostic acid methyl ester and 1β-hydroxy-8β-acetoxyisocostic acid mster by spectral methods.