Biological activities and distribution of plant saponins.

Actinobacteria are Gram-positive bacteria with high G+C DNA content that constitute one of the largest bacterial phyla, and they are ubiquitously distributed in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Many Actinobacteria have a mycelial lifestyle and undergo complex morphological differentiation. They also have an extensive secondary metabolism and produce about two-thirds of all naturally derived antibiotics in current clinical use, as well as many anticancer, anthelmintic, and antifungal compounds. Consequently, these bacteria are of major importance for biotechnology, medicine, and agriculture. Actinobacteria play diverse roles in their associations with various higher organisms, since their members have adopted different lifestyles, and the phylum includes pathogens (notably, species of Corynebacterium, Mycobacterium, Nocardia, Propionibacterium, and Tropheryma), soil inhabitants (e.g., Micromonospora and Streptomyces species), plant commensals (e.g., Frankia spp.), and gastrointestinal commensals (Bifidobacterium spp.). Actinobacteria also play an important role as symbionts and as pathogens in plant-associated microbial communities. This review presents an update on the biology of this important bacterial phylum.

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Taxonomy, Physiology, and Natural Products of Actinobacteria

Use of plant extracts in fish aquaculture as an alternative to chemotherapy: Current status and future perspectives

http://cbm.msoe.edu/includes/pdf/smart2013/Review_Hyaluronidase_Eraser.pdf

The magic glue hyaluronan and its eraser hyaluronidase: a biological overview.

Potatoes, members of the Solanaceae plant family, serve as major, inexpensive low-fat food sources providing energy (starch), high-quality protein, fiber, and vitamins. Potatoes also produce biologically active secondary metabolites, which may have both adverse and beneficial effects in the diet. These include glycoalkaloids, calystegine alkaloids, protease inhibitors, lectins, phenolic compounds, and chlorophyll. Because glycoalkaloids are reported to be involved in host-plant resistance and to have a variety of adverse as well as beneficial effects in cells, animals, and humans, a need exists to develop a clearer understanding of their roles both in the plant and in the diet. To contribute to this effort, this integrated review presents data on the (a) history of glycoalkaloids; (b) glycoalkaloid content in different parts of the potato plant, in processed potato products, and in wild, transgenic, and organic potatoes; (c) biosynthesis, inheritance, plant molecular biology, and glycoalkaloid−plant phyto...

Potato Glycoalkaloids and Metabolites: Roles in the Plant and in the Diet

Since some Solanum-genus plants have traditionally been used for anti-cancer and anti-herpes agents from olden times, we examined anti-herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) activity of typical steroidal glycosides with the frameworks of spirostane (including nuatigenin glycoside), furostane, solasodane, tomatidane and ergostane (including dimer) obtained from Solanum plants. Among these steroidal glycosides, the spirostanol glycosides were most effective. An inclination was observed for the potency of activity to decrease in the order of spirostane, tomatidane, ergostane, solasodane, nuatigenin type, dimer of ergostane and furostane. It was also suggested that the activity depends on the kind of oligosacchride moiety.

Anti-herpes virus activity of Solanum steroidal glycosides

The anti-herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) activity of 15 oleanan-type triterpenoides including glycyrrhizin and its sapogenol was examined and their structure-activity relationships were discussed. Although glycyrrhizin which exhibited in vivo efficacy against HSV-1 replication showed moderate in vitro anti-HSV-1 activity, its sapogenol, glycyrrhetic acid, showed 10 times greater action than glycyrrhizin. Therefore, the in vivo anti-HSV-1 activity of glycyrrhizin administered orally could be reasonably attributed to glycyrrhetic acid generated by hydrolysis by intestinal bacteria. Since the activity of soyasapogenol A was less than 1/20 of that of soyasapogenol B, the hydroxylation at C-21 seemed to reduce anti-HSV-1 activity. Since kudzusapogenol A, abrisapogenols B and C lacked the activity, the C-29 hydroxy group would eliminate anti-HSV-1 activity. On the other hand, since the methylesters of kudzusapogenol B and glycyrrhetic acid exhibited greater action, a methoxy carboxy group at C-20 might enhance activity.

Anti-herpes virus type 1 activity of oleanane-type triterpenoids.

The root of Strobilanthes cusia BREMEK. (Acanthaceae), popularly known as Da-Ching-Yeh, has been commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine. It is used to treat influenza, epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis, encephalitis B, viral pneumonia, mumps, and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). In this study, we found a new lignan glycoside (6) and two new phenylethanoid glycosides (7, 8) together with five known compounds as chemical constituents of Strobilanthes cusia root. Some samples were examined for anti-herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) activity. Among the tested samples, lupeol showed anti-HSV-1 activity (EC50: 11.7 μM) and showed 100% inhibition of virus plaque formation at 58.7 μM.

A new lignan glycoside and phenylethanoid glycosides from Strobilanthes cusia BREMEK.

The substitution of gallic acid at the 3 position of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG) increased the inhibition against topoisomerase I from calf thymus gland and topoisomerase II from human placenta, and the substitution of a hydroxyl group at the 3' position increased the inhibition against the topoisomerase I. These results suggested that the 3 and 3' positions of the EGCG molecule play important roles in the process of inhibition of topoisomerases I and II. EGCG showed strong inhibition against topoisomerases I from wheat germ, calf thymus gland and Vero cells, and showed weak or no inhibition against topoisomerases I from carcinoma cells such as A549, HeLa and COLO 201 cells. EGCG differentially inhibited the topoisomerases I from different sources.

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Inhibitory activities of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate against topoisomerases I and II

Prostaglandins (PGs) having antitumor activity such as Δ12,14-PGJ2, Δ12-PGJ2, PGA2 and PGA1 strongly inhibited topoisomerase II (topo II) from human placenta, the potential order of inhibitory activity of the PGs resembling that of the antitumor activity. PGs having no antitumor activity did not inhibit topo II. Δ12,14-PGJ2 to be a potent inhibitor showed inhibitions to some extent against topo I from wheat germ, NIH3T3 and calf thymus gland, and showed no inhibition against the enzymes from Vero, A549, HeLa and COLO 201 cells. Δ12,14-PGJ2 differentially inhibited topo I from different sources. Δ12,14-PGJ2 was a topo inhibitor of the cleavable complex-nonforming type without DNA intercalation.

Masaru Uyeda

Papers

Anti-herpes virus activity of Solanum steroidal glycosides

Anti-herpes virus type 1 activity of oleanane-type triterpenoids.

A new lignan glycoside and phenylethanoid glycosides from Strobilanthes cusia BREMEK.

Inhibitory activities of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate against topoisomerases I and II

Inhibitory properties of antitumor prostaglandins against topoisomerases.