https://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticlePDF/2016/NP/C6NP00021E

Recent advances in research on lignans and neolignans

Unpredicted human safety events in clinical trials for new drugs are costly in terms of human health and money. The drug discovery industry attempts to minimize those events with diligent preclinical safety testing. Current standard practices are good at preventing toxic compounds from being tested in the clinic; however, false negative preclinical toxicity results are still a reality. Continual improvement must be pursued in the preclinical realm. Higher-quality therapies can be brought forward with more information about potential toxicities and associated mechanisms. The zebrafish model is a bridge between in vitro assays and mammalian in vivo studies. This model is powerful in its breadth of application and tractability for research. In the past two decades, our understanding of disease biology and drug toxicity has grown significantly owing to thousands of studies on this tiny vertebrate. This Review summarizes challenges and strengths of the model, discusses the 3Rs value that it can deliver, highlights translatable and untranslatable biology, and brings together reports from recent studies with zebrafish focusing on new drug discovery toxicology.

Use of Zebrafish in Drug Discovery Toxicology

Pogostemon cablin Benth. (patchouli) is an important herb which possesses many therapeutic properties and is widely used in the fragrance industries. In traditional medicinal practices, it is used to treat colds, headaches, fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, insect and snake bites. In aromatherapy, patchouli oil is used to relieve depression, stress, calm nerves, control appetite and to improve sexual interest. Till now more than 140 compounds, including terpenoids, phytosterols, flavonoids, organic acids, lignins, alkaloids, glycosides, alcohols, aldehydes have been isolated and identified from patchouli. The main phytochemical compounds are patchouli alcohol, α-patchoulene, β-patchoulene, α-bulnesene, seychellene, norpatchoulenol, pogostone, eugenol and pogostol. Modern studies have revealed several biological activities such as antioxidant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antiplatelet, antithrombotic, aphrodisiac, antidepressant, antimutagenic, antiemetic, fibrinolytic and cytotoxic activities. However, some of the traditional uses need to be verified and may require standardizing and authenticating the bioactivity of purified compounds through scientific methods. The aim of the present review is to provide comprehensive knowledge on the phytochemistry and pharmacological activities of essential oil and different plant extracts of patchouli based on the available scientific literature. This information will provide a potential guide in exploring the use of main active compounds of patchouli in various medical fields.

A Comprehensive Review on the Phytochemical Constituents and Pharmacological Activities of Pogostemon cablin Benth.: An Aromatic Medicinal Plant of Industrial Importance

A review on phytochemistry and pharmacological activities of the processed lateral root of Aconitum carmichaelii Debeaux.

Bletilla striata: Medicinal uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological activities.

Steroids from the aerial parts of Leonurus japonicus

Lanostane triterpenoids from Ganoderma luteomarginatum and their cytotoxicity against four human cancer cell lines.

Bisabolane-type sesquiterpenoids: Structural diversity and biological activity.

Triterpenoid saponins from the buds of Lonicera similis.

Penchinones A–D (1–4), two pairs of novel cis-trans lignan isomers with rearranged neolignane carbon skeletons, together with six known flavonoids (5–10), were isolated from the ethyl acetate-soluble portion of a hepatoprotective water decoction of Penthorum chinense. Their structures were determined by extensive spectroscopic data analysis, ECD calculation, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Penchinones C and D (3 and 4) featured an unprecedented 7,3′-neolignane carbon skeleton. Penchinone A (1) exhibited protective activity against acetaminophen-induced damage to the HL7702 hepatocyte and selective cytotoxicity against the human cancer ovarian cell line, Hey, in vitro.

Li Guo

Papers

Steroids from the aerial parts of Leonurus japonicus

Lanostane triterpenoids from Ganoderma luteomarginatum and their cytotoxicity against four human cancer cell lines.

Bisabolane-type sesquiterpenoids: Structural diversity and biological activity.

Triterpenoid saponins from the buds of Lonicera similis.

Penchinones A–D, two pairs of cis-trans isomers with rearranged neolignane carbon skeletons from Penthorum chinense