Chalepin and Chalepensin: Occurrence,Biosynthesis and Therapeutic Potential

Dihydrofuranocoumarin, chalepin (1) and furanocoumarin, chalepensin (2) are 3-prenylated bioactive coumarins, first isolated from the well-known medicinal plant Ruta chalepensis L. (Fam: Rutaceae) but also distributed in various species of the genera Boenminghausenia, Clausena and Ruta. The distribution of these compounds appears to be restricted to the plants of the family Rutaceae. To date, there have been a considerable number of bioactivity studies performed on coumarins 1 and 2, which include their anticancer, antidiabetic, antifertility, antimicrobial, antiplatelet aggregation, antiprotozoal, antiviral and calcium antagonistic properties. This review article presents a critical appraisal of publications on bioactivity of these 3-prenylated coumarins in the light of their feasibility as novel therapeutic agents and investigate their natural distribution in the plant kingdom, as well as a plausible biosynthetic route.     

TRIACYLGLYCERINES OF Ruta graveolens GROWN in vivo AND in vitro

The composition of triacylglycerines (TAG) from photosynthetic tissues ofRuta graveolensL. (Rutaceae) grownin vivoandin vitrowas studied with respect to chain length and unsaturation. Esterification of sn-2-glycerol by unsaturated acids is less selective underin vitrothanin vivoconditions. TAG of thein vitroculture have an elevated content of forms with oleinic acid in the sn-2-position.     

Neutral Lipids of Ruta graveolens L. Grown in vivo and in vitro

The composition of neutral lipids (NL) and fatty acids of acyl-containing components in differentiated tissues ofRuta graveolensL. (Rutaceae) grown in vivo and in vitro is studied. The NL of in vitro cultures differ from NL of the intact plant by a larger content of esters of fatty acids with alcohols, fewer high-molecular-weight alkanes, alkylbenzenes, free alkanols, and linolenic acid     

Cytotoxic Plant Extracts towards Insect Cells: Bioactivity and Nanoencapsulation Studies for Application as Biopesticides

The potential of plant extracts as bioinsecticides has been described as a promising field of agricultural development. In this work, the extracts of Punica granatum (pomegranate), Phytolacca americana (American pokeweed), Glandora prostrata (shrubby gromwell), Ulex europaeus (gorce), Tagetes patula (French marigold), Camellia japonica red (camellia), Ruta graveolens (rue or herb-of-grace) were obtained, purified, and their activity against Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) insect cells was investigated. From the pool of over twenty extracts obtained, comprising different polarities and vegetable materials, less polar samples were shown to be more toxic towards the insect cell line Sf9. Among these, a dichloromethane extract of R. graveolens was capable of causing a loss of viability of over 50%, exceeding the effect of the commercial insecticide chlorpyrifos. This extract elicited chromatin condensation and the fragmentation in treated cells. Nanoencapsulation assays of the cytotoxic plant extracts in soybean liposomes and chitosan nanostructures were carried out. The nanosystems exhibited sizes lower or around 200 nm, low polydispersity, and generally high encapsulation efficiencies. Release assays showed that chitosan nanoemulsions provide a fast and total extract release, while liposome-based systems are suitable for a more delayed release. These results represent a proof-of-concept for the future development of bioinsecticide nanoformulations based on the cytotoxic plant extracts.     

Ruta chalepensis L. (Rutaceae) leaf extract: chemical composition,antioxidant and hypoglicaemic activities

Ruta chalepensis L. (Rutaceae) leaf extract was investigated for its chemical profile and antioxidant and hypoglycaemic properties. The antioxidant effects were investigated by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), β-carotene bleaching, and metal chelating activity assays. The carbohydrate-hydrolysing enzymes inhibition assay was used to test the hypoglycaemic potential. R. chalepensis showed a high content of hesperidin and rutin with values of 591.9 and 266.7 mg/g dry extract, respectively. The extract exhibited a promising protection of lipid peroxidation (IC₅₀ value of 16.9 μg/mL) and inhibited both α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes in a concentration-dependent manner. The highest activity was found against α-amylase (IC₅₀ value of 69.0 μg/mL). The obtained results support the use of R. chalepensis leaves as healthy food ingredients.     

Ruta Essential Oils: Composition and Bioactivities

Ruta L. is a typical genus of the citrus family, Rutaceae Juss. and comprises ca. 40 different species, mainly distributed in the Mediterranean region. Ruta species have long been used in traditional medicines as an abortifacient and emmenagogue and for the treatment of lung diseases and microbial infections. The genus Ruta is rich in essential oils, which predominantly contain aliphatic ketones, e.g., 2-undecanone and 2-nonanone, but lack any significant amounts of terpenes. Three Ruta species, Ruta chalepensis L., Ruta graveolens L., and Ruta montana L., have been extensively studied for the composition of their essential oils and several bioactivities, revealing their potential medicinal and agrochemical applications. This review provides a systematic evaluation and critical appraisal of publications available in the literature on the composition and bioactivities of the essential oils obtained from Ruta species and includes a brief outlook of the potential applications of nanotechnology and chitosan-based products of Ruta essential oils.     

HPLC‐DAD in identification and quantification of selected coumarins in crude extracts from plant cultures of Ammi majus and Ruta graveolens

This paper describes a method for the separation and determination of selected coumarins and furanocoumarins in the crude extracts from plant tissue cultures of Ammi majus hairy roots and Ruta graveolens cell suspensions, cultured in vitro, separately or together as co‐cultures. The usefulness of the three main components of the eluent used in reversed‐phase high performance liquid chromatographic analysis, namely: methanol (MeOH), acetonitrile (ACN), and tetrahydrofuran (THF), and different elution programs, was assessed. In the optimal analytical method a Lichrospher® RP‐18e 5‐μm column, a THF‐MeOH elution gradient, and a UV/VIS DAD detector were used. Due to the presence of many different compounds in the investigated plant extracts, the use of a UV/VIS DAD detector was essential. Coumarins were identified by comparison of their UV spectra with those of the analytical standards, and characterization of peak purity.     

Natural product chemistry. Part 121. Synthesis of dicoumarinyl ethers with the structures proposed for fatagarine and oreojasmine

Synthesis of the 7,8-dicoumarinyl ethers: 7-methoxy-7,8-oxydicoumarin and 6,7-dimethoxy-7,8-oxydicoumarin, established that the structures of fatagarine and oreojasmine for which these two structures have been proposed, have to be revised. Synthesis of 7-methoxy-5,7-oxydicoumarin and 8-methoxy-7,7-oxydicoumarin exclude the possibility of these dicoumarinyl ether structures for fatagarine.

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Naturstoffchemie. 121. Mitt.: Synthese von Dicumarinylethern mit den für das Fatagarin und das Oreojasmin vorgeschlagenen Strukturen

Zusammenfassung Durch die Synthese der 7,8-Dicumarinylether: 7-Methoxy-7,8-oxydicumarin und 6,7-Dimethoxy-7,8-oxydicumarin, ließ sich nachweisen, daß die für das Fatagarin und Oreojasmin vorgeschlagenen Strukturen revidiert werden müssen. Die Darstellung des 8-Methoxy-7,7-oxydicoumarin und 7-Methoxy-5,7-oxydicumarin schließen die Möglichkeit dieser Strukturen für das Fatagarin aus.