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Showing papers in "Natural product sciences in 2012"


Journal Article
TL;DR: In this article, the chromatographic separation of a methanol extract of Prunus mume (Rosaceae) led to the isolation of 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde (1), 4-O-caffeoylquinic acid methyl ester (2), prunasin (3), 5-oxymethyl-1-β-d-glucopyranoside (4), benzyl-Oβ-D-glocopyranoide (5), and liquiritigenin-7-O
Abstract: The chromatographic separation of a methanol extract of Prunus mume (Rosaceae) led to the isolation of 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde (1), 4-O-caffeoylquinic acid methyl ester (2), prunasin (3), 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid methyl ester (4), benzyl-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (5), and liquiritigenin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (6). Their structures were determined by 1D, 2D-NMR and MS data analysis as well as by comparison of their data with the published values.

13 citations


Journal Article
TL;DR: Among 38 Vietnamese medicinal plant extracts investigated for their α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, 35 extracts showed IC50 values below 250 ug/mL, The MeOH extracts of the heartwood of Oroxylum indicum, the seeds of Caesalpinia sappan, and the fruits of Xanthium strumarium as mentioned in this paper exhibited strong αglucose inhibitory activities.
Abstract: Among 38 Vietnamese medicinal plant extracts investigated for their α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, 35 extracts showed IC50 values below 250 ug/mL, The MeOH extracts of the heartwood of Oroxylum indicum, the seeds of Caesalpinia sappan, and the fruits of Xanthium strumarium exhibited strong α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with IC50 values less than 50 ug/mL. Fractionation of the MeOH extract of the heartwood of O. indicum led to the isolation of oroxylin A (1), oroxyloside (2), hispidulin (3), apigenin (4), ficusal (5), balanophonin (6), 2-(1-hydroxymethylethyl)-4H,9H-naphtho[2,3-b]furan-4,9-dione (7), salicylic acid (8), p-hydroxybenzoic acid (9), protocatechuic acid (10), isovanillin (11), and β-hydroxypropiovanillon (12), Compounds 1 - 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, and 12 showed more potent activities, with IC50 values ranging from 2.13 to 133.51 uM, than a positive control acabose (IC50, 241.85 uM). The kinetic study indicated that oroxyloside (2) displayed mixed-type inhibition with inhibition constant (Ki) was 3.56 uM.

11 citations


Journal Article
TL;DR: Among the constituents isolated, sesquilignans showed the significant inhibition on pancreatic lipase, whereas lignans and coumarinolignans exerted weak effects.
Abstract: Pancreatic lipase digests dietary fats by hydrolysis, which is a key enzyme for lipid absorption. Therefore, reduction of fat absorption by the inhibition of pancreatic lipase is suggested to be a therapeutic strategy for obesity. We previously reported coumarins and secoiridoids of Fraxinus rhynchophylla as inhibitory constituents on adipocyte differentiation. Further investigation on F. rhynchophylla led to the isolation of lignan derivatives such as lignans (1 - 10), sesquilignans (11 - 14) and coumarinolignans (15 - 17). Among them, coumarinolignans and sesquilignans were first reported from Fraxinus species. Among the constituents isolated, sesquilignans showed the significant inhibition on pancreatic lipase, whereas lignans and coumarinolignans exerted weak effects.

10 citations


Journal Article
TL;DR: This article describes NO inhibitory activities of the methanol extract of Pyrus pyrifolia fruit and the isolated compounds from this, which are lupeol, betulin, Betulinic acid, β-sitosterol and daucosterol, in LPSactivated RAW 2647 and BV2 cell lines.
Abstract: It is well known that inflammation is associated with neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer`s disease, Parkinson`s disease and ischemia. Nitric oxide (NO), a pro-inflammatory mediator, is produced by inducible NO synthase (iNOS) in microglia as well as macrophages and appears to account for neurodegeneration. In this study, we aimed to isolate NO inhibitors from Pyrus pyrifolia by activity guided purification. As a result, we identified daucosterol and β-sitosterol, which have not been isolated from this plant before. This article also describes NO inhibitory activities of the methanol extract of Pyrus pyrifolia fruit and the isolated compounds from this, which are lupeol, betulin, betulinic acid, β-sitosterol and daucosterol, in LPSactivated RAW 264.7 and BV2 cell lines. Western blot analysis was performed to clarify the underlying mechanism of NO inhibition in the two cell lines.

6 citations


Journal Article
TL;DR: In this article, nine iridoid glycoside derivatives were elucidated from the methanolic extract of the aerial parts of Galium spurium (Rubiaceae) through repeated column chromatography.
Abstract: Nine iridoid glycoside derivatives were elucidated from the methanolic extract of the aerial parts of Galium spurium (Rubiaceae) through repeated column chromatography. Their chemical structures were characterized as 10-O-trans-p-coumaroylscandoside (1a), 10-O-cis-p-coumaroylscandoside (1b), 10-O-trans-p-coumaroyl-10-O-deacetyldaphylloside (2), 10-O-cis-p-coumaroyl-10-O-deacetyldaphylloside (3), asperulic acid methylester (4), asperuloside (5), asperulosidic acid (6), scandoside (7), and deacetyl asperulosidic acid (8) by spectroscopic analysis. This is the first report of the characterization of compounds 1a, 1b, 2, 3 and 7 from this plant.

6 citations


Journal Article
TL;DR: Among 90 Vietnamese medicinal plant extracts investigated for their antioxidant activity by DPPH assay at various concentrations from 10 - 100 ug/mL, 67 extracts showed an inhibition rate over 50% at 100 UG/mL; 47 had greater than 50% inhibition at 50 ug /mL; and 17 showed over 50 percent inhibition at 25 ug 2 /mL.
Abstract: Among 90 Vietnamese medicinal plant extracts investigated for their antioxidant activity by DPPH assay at various concentrations from 10 - 100 ug/mL, 67 showed an inhibition rate over 50% at 100 ug/mL; 47 had greater than 50% inhibition at 50 ug/mL; 17 showed over 50% inhibition at 25 ug/mL. 8 extracts which exhibited strong inhibitory activity more than 50% inhibition at 10 ug /mL were further tested for lipid peroxidation inhibition by TBA assay. They displayed activity with IC50 values from 30.6 to 158.9 ug/mL, Until now, this is the first report on antioxidant activity of the female flower of Borassus flabellifer, and the stem of Combretum latifolium, Embelia ribes, Spatholobus parviflorus, and Tetrastigma erubescens. Fractionations of the EtOAc extract prepared from S. parviflorus led to the isolation of protocatechuic acid (1), ferulic acid (2), epicatechin (3), and gallic acid (4). These compounds showed significant DPPH inhibitory activity with IC50 values from 6.5 to 23.6 uM.

5 citations


Journal Article
TL;DR: These compounds were screened for their ability to inhibit nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS-activated RAW 264.7 cells and suppressed the expression of protein and m-RNA of iNOS and COX-2 in a dose dependent manner by western blot analysis and RT-PCR experiment in L PS-activated microglial cells.
Abstract: Ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one (1), ergosta-7,24(28)-dien-3-ol (2), and 5,8-epidioxyergosta-6,22-dien-3-ol(3) were isolated from the fruit body of Phellinus pini Their structures were based on spectroscopic methods including IR, MS, and NMR (1D and 2D) These compounds were screened for their ability to inhibit nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS-activated RAW 2647 cells Compounds 1, 2, and 3 reduced NO production in the assay with IC50 values of 297 μM (1), 151 μM (2), and 184 μM (3) respectively They also suppressed the expression of protein and m-RNA of iNOS and COX-2 in a dose dependent manner by western blot analysis and RT-PCR experiment in LPS-activated microglial cells

5 citations


Journal Article
TL;DR: The results suggest that some edible macroalgae merit further evaluation for clinical usefulness as anti-diabetic functional foods.
Abstract: In the present work, we have collected 19 species of macroalgae (9 Phaeophta and 10 Rhodophyta) from all around of Korea: Dictyopteris divaricata, D. prolifera, Myelophycus cavus, Papenfussiella kuromo, Petalonia zosterifolia, Petrospongium rugosum, Rugulopteryx okamurae, Sargassum fulvellum, S. muticum, Callophyllis japonica, Gloiopeltis tenax, Gracilaria longissima, Gracilaria vermiculophylla, Grateloupia asiatica, Grateloupia lanceolata, Grateloupia sparsa, Grateloupia turuturu, Grateloupia sp, and Polyopes affinis. The macroalgal species were extracted by 70% ethanol (EtOH) for 24 h and evaluated its inhibitory effects on α- glucosidase. Among ethanol extracts, Myelophycus cavus showed the most effectively inhibitory activity (IC50, 2.17 μg/ml) against α-glucosidase, followed by Sargassum fulvellum (IC50, 8.13 μg/ml), Dictyopteris prolifera (IC50, 16.66 μg/ml), Rugulopteryx okamurae (IC50, 50.63 μg/ml), and Petrospongium rugosum (IC50, 101.62 μg/ ml). Furthermore, MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay showed no cytotoxicity on mouse pre-adipocytes cell line (3T3-L1). These results suggest that some edible macroalgae merit further evaluation for clinical usefulness as anti-diabetic functional foods.

5 citations


Journal Article
TL;DR: Algae extracts employing preadipocytes cell line, 3T3-L1 as an in vitro assay system and total methanolic extracts of Cladophora wrightiana and Costaria costata showed significant inhibitory activity on adipocyte differentiation showed significant inhibition of pancreatic lipase activity and algae might be new candidates in the development of obesity treatment.
Abstract: 【Obesity, which is characterized by excessive fat accumulation in adipose tissues, occurs by fat absorption by lipase and sequential fat accumulation in adipocyte through adipocyte differentiation. Thus, inhibition of pancreatic lipase activity and adipocyte differentiation would be crucial for the prevention and progression of obesity. In the present study, we attempted to evaluate anti-adipogenic activity of several algae extracts employing preadipocytes cell line, 3T3-L1 as an in vitro assay system. The effects on pancreatic lipase activity in vitro were also evaluated. Total methanolic extracts of Cladophora wrightiana and Costaria costata showed significant inhibitory activity on adipocyte differentiation as assessed by measuring fat accumulation using Oil Red O staining. Related to pancreatic lipase, C. wrightiana and Padina arborescens showed significant inhibition. Further fractionation of C. wrightiana, which showed the most potent activity, suggested that $CHCl_3$ and n-BuOH fraction are responsible for adipocyte differentiation inhibition, whereas n-BuOH and $H_2O$ fraction for pancreatic lipase inhibition. Our study also demonstrated that n-BuOH fraction was effective both in early and middle stage of differentiation whereas $CHCl_3$ fraction was effective only in early stage of differentiation. Taken together, algae might be new candidates in the development of obesity treatment.】

5 citations


Journal Article
TL;DR: In this paper, the structures of these compounds were identified based on the spectral and physicochemical data, and they were isolated from the bark of Alnus pendula Matsumura.
Abstract: Diarylheptanoids, (5S)-1,7-bis-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5-hydroxyheptane-3-one-5-O-β-D-xylopyranoside (1, Oregonin), 1,7-bis-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-4-heptene-3-one (2, Hirsutenone), (5S)-7-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5-hydroxy- 1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-3-heptanone-5-O-β-D-xylopyranoside (3, Alnuside A), (5S)-1-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5-hydroxy-7- (4-hydroxyphenyl)-3-heptanone-5-O-β-D-xylopyranoside (4, Alnuside B), (5S)-1,7-bis-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5- hydroxyheptane-3-on-5-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (5) and 1,7-bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-5-hydroxyheptane-3-on-5-O- β-D-glucopyranoside (6, Platyphylloside) were isolated from the bark of Alnus pendula Matsumura. The structures of these compounds were identified based on the spectral and physicochemical data.

5 citations


Journal Article
TL;DR: Results suggest that A. arguta may prevent glutamate-induced apoptotic neuronal death by inhibiting [Ca2+]i elevation and ROS generation and, therefore, may have a therapeutic role for the prevention of neurodegeneration in cerebral ischemic diseases.
Abstract: Actinidia arguta (Actinidiaceae) has been reported to have several pharmacological effects such as anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, and anti-oxidant activities. The present study investigated the protective activity of an ethanol extract from the leaf and stem of A. arguta against glutamate-induced neurotoxicity using cultured rat cortical neurons. Exposure of cultured cortical neurons to 500 uM glutamate for 12 h triggered neuronal cell death. A. arguta inhibited glutamate-induced neuronal death and apoptosis, which were measured by a 3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and Hoechst 33342 staining, respectively. The increase of pro-apoptotic proteins, Bax and c-caspase-3, in glutamate-treated neurons was significantly inhibited by treatment with A. arguta. A. arguta also inhibited 500 uM glutamate-induced elevation of intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, which were measured by fluorescent dyes, Fluo-4 AM and H2DCF-DA, respectively. These results suggest that A. arguta may prevent glutamate-induced apoptotic neuronal death by inhibiting [Ca2+]i elevation and ROS generation and, therefore, may have a therapeutic role for the prevention of neurodegeneration in cerebral ischemic diseases.

Journal Article
TL;DR: It is suggested that V. peregrina may be beneficial in diseases which related to macrophage-mediated inflammatory disorders and reduce trypsin-induced paw edema in mice.
Abstract: Veronica peregrina (Scrophylariaceae) has been widely used as a Korean traditional medicine for the treatment of various pathological conditions including infection, hemorrhage and gastric ulcer. In the current study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of methanolic extracts of V. Peregrina (VPM) on the LPS-mediated nitric oxide (NO) production in mouse (C57BL/6) peritoneal macrophages. NO production was significantly down-regulated by the treatment of VPM dose dependently. To evaluate the mechanism of the inhibitory action of VPM on NO production, we performed iNOS enzyme activity assay and checked the change of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) levels by Western blotting. Although VPM did not affect iNOS enzyme activity, iNOS protein expression was attenuated by VPM indicating VPM inhibits NO production via suppression of iNOS enzyme expression. In addition, VPM attenuated the expression of another pro-inflammatory mediator such as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in a dose dependent manner. We also found that VPM can reduce trypsin-induced paw edema in mice. Based on this study, we suggest that V. peregrina may be beneficial in diseases which related to macrophage-mediated inflammatory disorders.


Journal Article
TL;DR: The purification of the MeOH extract from the aerial parts of Erythronium japonicum using column chromatography furnished a new megastigmane glucoside, erthrojaponiside, which was tested for cytotoxicity against four human tumor cells in vitro using a Sulforhodamin B (SRB) bioassay.
Abstract: The purification of the MeOH extract from the aerial parts of Erythronium japonicum using column chromatography furnished a new megastigmane glucoside, erthrojaponiside (1), together with six known megastigmane derivatives (2 - 7). The structure of the new compound (1) was determined through 1D and 2D NMR spectral data analysis and chemical means. The isolated compounds (1 - 7) were tested for cytotoxicity against four human tumor cells in vitro using a Sulforhodamin B (SRB) bioassay.

Journal Article
TL;DR: In this article, the chemical structures of six lignan compounds were determined on the basis of spectroscopic analyses including 2D NMR, and they were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity against the HL-60, MCF-7, and A549 cancer cell lines in vitro.
Abstract: 【Six lignan compounds, 1-(17,21-dihydroxyphenyl)-9-(12,13-dihydroxyphenyl)-1-nonanone (malabaricone C) (1), 7'-(3',4'-methylenedioxyphenyl)-8,8'-dimethyl-7-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-butane (2), 7'-(3',4'-dimethoxyphenyl)-8,8'-dimethyl-7-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)-butane (3), 7-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-7'-(3',4'-methylenedioxyphenyl)-8,8'-lignan-7-methyl ether (4), (+)-erythro-(7S,8R)- ${\Delta}^{8^'}$ -7-hydroxy-3,4,3',5'-tetramethoxy-8-O-4'-neolignan (5), and (+)-erythro-(7S,8R)- ${\Delta}^{8^'}$ -7-acetoxy-3,4,3',5'-tetramethoxy-8-O-4'-neolignan (6), were isolated from the seeds of Myristica fragrans. The chemical structures of these compounds were determined on the basis of spectroscopic analyses including 2D NMR. Compounds 1 - 6 were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity against the HL-60, MCF-7, and A549 cancer cell lines in in vitro.】

Journal Article
TL;DR: The industrial application of Zanthoxylum schinifolium revealed the antibacterial effects against E. coli, S. aureus and H. pylori, suggesting their potential use as antibacterial agents.
Abstract: The aim of this research was to investigate the industrial application of Zanthoxylum schinifolium. Antibacterial activities of the n-hexane, methylene chloride (MC), ethyl acetate, and butanol fractions of Z. schinifolium were tested against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Helicobacter pylori. Among the fractions, the n-hexane and MC fractions showed the stronger antibacterial activity against H. pylori, with an inhibition zone greater than 10 mm in disc assays. Further testing of bergapten and lupeol from the MC fraction of Z. schinifolium revealed the antibacterial effects against E. coli, S. aureus and H. pylori, suggesting their potential use as antibacterial agents.

Journal Article
TL;DR: Cytoprotective effects of sixty-nine Cambodian plants against glutamate-induced cell death and degeneration in HT22 cells are identified.
Abstract: Oxidative stress potentially induces neurotoxicity which is believed to underlie several major age-related diseases of the central nervous system. This study sought to identify the cytoprotective effects of sixty-nine Cambodian plants against glutamate-induced cell death. Cultured HT22 cells were applied as an in vitro model, and neurotoxicity was induced in these neuronal cells by exposure to a determined concentration of glutamate. Sixty-nine plant sources, as Cambodia's indigenous species, were purchased from O'reusey Market, Phnom Penh, and extracted with ethanol. These extracts were screened for cytoprotective effects against glutamate-triggered neurotoxicity in HT22 cells at concentrations of 100 and 300 . Of these, eight ethanol extracts, bark of Anacardium occidentale, bark and sapwood of Bauhinia pulla, flowers of Borassus flabellifer, stems and leaves of Coix lacryma-jobi, bark and sapwood of Diospyros nitida, sapwood of Dipterocarpus obtusifolius, stems of Oryza rufipogon, and fruits of Phyllanthus emblica, showed significant cytoprotective effects against glutamate-induced cell damage and degeneration in HT22 cells.

Journal Article
TL;DR: In this article, essential oil fractions were extracted from the roots and leaves of Angelica acutiloba by steam distillation and compared by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).
Abstract: Angelica acutiloba is one of the most intensively cultivated medicinal plants in Korea. The roots of this plant have been used as an important herbal drug, especially for the treatment of various female disorders, as the traditional therapy in Korea and other Asian countries. Consumption of its fresh leaves as a healthy vegetable has recently increased. In this study, essential oil fractions were extracted from the roots and leaves of this plant by steam distillation. Compositions of the two oils were compared by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The antibacterial activities of the essential oil were determined against three strains of Escherichia coli. DPPH radical scavenging and reducing power tests were performed to evaluateits antioxidant activities. The cytotoxic activities of the essential oil against a human breast and a uterine cancer cell line were estimated by MTT tests. Additionally, the morphological changes after treatment of the oil fraction were observed under a microscope. The essential oil fraction and its main components, Z-ligustilide and butylidene phthalide, inhibited the growth of three E. coli strains examined, with minimum inhibiting concentrations (MICs) ranging from 1.0 mg/ml to 8.0 mg/ml. Additionally, the essential oil fraction of A. acutiloba exhibited significant DPPH free radical scavenging activity and reducing power. Significant cytotoxic activities of the A. acutiloba essential oil were observed for human uterine (Hela) and breast (MCF-7) cancer cell lines.

Journal Article
TL;DR: An anacardic acid analog was isolated from the fungus Paecilomyces variotii which was derived from the giant jellyfish Nemopilema nomurai and exhibited mild antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli DC 2, Streptococcus iniae, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus 3089 (MRSA).
Abstract: 【An anacardic acid analog (1) was isolated from the fungus Paecilomyces variotii which was derived from the giant jellyfish Nemopilema nomurai. Compound 1 was isolated from a natural source for the first time and was evaluated for antibacterial activity against human and marine pathogens, including MDR (multidrugresistant) strains. Compound 1 exhibited mild antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli DC 2, Streptococcus iniae, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus 3089 (MRSA).】

Journal Article
TL;DR: In this paper, Mesua ferrea L. extracts were extracted with hexane, ethanol (EtOH) and water using ASE 100 accelerated solvent extractor and the trade of phenol content was: aq.
Abstract: Stamens of Mesua ferrea L. are a well-known herbal drug used in Indian System of Traditional Medicine to treat various diseases. The claimed activity of this plant part is necessitated to investigate antioxidant and hepatoprotective activity. Authenticated plant sample was extracted with hexane, ethanol (EtOH) and water (aq.) using ASE 100 accelerated solvent extractor. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by means of different in vitro assays. Hepatoprotective effect was investigated on carbon tetrachloride induced oxidative stress in liver slice culture model. Cytotoxic marker lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) released in culture medium and the activity of lipid peroxidation along with antioxidant enzymes (AOEs) namely superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione reductase (GR) were estimated. Hexane and EtOH extracts were significantly inhibited DPPH, NO, SOD and radical in dose dependent manner. The trade of phenol content was: aq. extract

Journal Article
TL;DR: In this article, three lupane type triterpenoids were isolated from the methanol extract of Pyrus pyrifolia fruit peel through repeated silica gel column chromatography.
Abstract: Ji Hye Yoo and Ki Sook Yang*College of Pharmacy, Sookmyung Women’s UniversityAbstract −Three lupane type triterpenoids were isolated from the methanol extract of Pyrus pyrifolia fruit peelthrough repeated silica gel column chromatography. Based on the spectroscopic methods, their structures weredetermined to be lupeol (1), betulin (2), and betulinic acid (3).Keywords −Pyrus pyrifolia, triterpene, lupeol, betulin, betulinic acid

Journal Article
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated whether Hesperidin attenuates inflammation-mediated insulin resistance in adipose tissue and found that HES remarkably inhibited LPS-induced production of IL-6, TNF-α, and NO by RAW 264.7 cells in a dose-dependent manner.
Abstract: Adipose inflammation is linked to the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Hesperidin (HES) is a flavonoid with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic properties. However, whether HES improves inflammation-mediated insulin resistance in adipose tissues remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether HES attenuates inflammation-mediated insulin resistance in adipose tissue. Herein, RAW 264.7 cells and differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes were pretreated with various concentrations of HES in complete media for 1 h and then cultured in the presence or absence of LPS or TNF-α. Our results demonstrated that HES remarkably inhibited LPS-induced production of IL-6, TNF-α, and NO by RAW 264.7 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Also, HES inhibited TNF-α-induced production of IL-6 and PGE2 in differentiated 3T3-L1 cells, while upregulated TNF-α-suppressed expression of adiponectin and PPAR-γ mRNA. These findings suggest that HES may ameliorate inflammation-mediated insulin resistance in adipose tissue.

Journal Article
TL;DR: In this paper, five triterpenoids, epifriedelanol (1), friedelin (2), lupeol (3), -sitosterol (4), daucosterol(5), and one phenyl propanoids ester, trans-docosanoyl ferulate (6) were isolated from the whole parts of Portulaca oleracea.
Abstract: Five triterpenoids, epifriedelanol (1), friedelin (2), lupeol (3), -sitosterol (4), daucosterol (5), and one phenyl propanoids ester, trans-docosanoyl ferulate (6) were isolated from the whole parts of Portulaca oleracea. They were determined using a combination of spectroscopic analyses (, -NMR, and MS data) and evaluated for their cyclooxygenase inhibitory activity. Compound 6 exhibited inhibitory effect with values of and 1.6 mM on COX-1 and COX-2 activities, respectively.

Journal Article
TL;DR: It is shown that natural Cordyceps and host insect possess higher content than cultured ones and fruiting bodies, respectively and quantitation of these compounds using developed analytical method might provide basic requirement for the anti-adipogenic activity of C. militaris.
Abstract: We previously isolated cordycepin, guanosine and tryptophan from Cordyceps militaris as antiadipogenic constituents. For the quality control of C. militaris for anti-adipogenic activity, simultaneous analytical method using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-diode array detection (DAD) was developed and validated. Quantitation of these compounds in various Cordyceps samples from different sources and various extraction methods were conducted using developed method. Our study shows that natural Cordyceps and host insect possess higher content than cultured ones and fruiting bodies, respectively. The content of cordycepin showed great difference in different C. militaris samples whereas trytophan content was similar in tested samples. Addition of water to extraction solvent greatly increased the yield of guanosine and tryptophan. High temperature and longer extraction time increased yield of guanosine, whereas the content of trytophan was decreased in high temperature during extraction with water. Extraction using ultrasonic apparatus slightly increased extraction efficiency. Cordycepin, however, has little variation in different extraction method tested. Strong anti-adipogenic activity was observed in the samples that contain all the three constituents. Taken together, quantitation of these compounds using developed analytical method might provide basic requirement for the anti-adipogenic activity of C. militaris.

Journal Article
TL;DR: In this article, a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was used to analyze eight Orostachys and a Meterostachys species including O. japonicus, O. margaritifolius and O. minuta.
Abstract: The herbs of Orostachys japonicus (Crassulaceae) have been used to treat gastric cancer, gastric ulcer or hemorrhage. Flavonoid glycosides, mainly kaempferol (Kp) -and quercetin (Qc) glycosides, have been isolated from O. japonicus; however, no quantitative information on those flavonol glycosides and no peroxynitrite-scavenging activity of the Orostachys extracts have been reported. In this study, Kp-and Qc glycosides were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in eight Orostachys and a Meterostachys species including O. japonicas, O. margaritifolius, O. chongsunensis, O. minuta, O. ramosus, O. malacophylla, O. latiellipticus, O. iwarenge, O. iwarenge for. magnus, and Meterostachys sikokiana distributed or cultivated in Korea. Distinctively, O. margaritifolius contained two flavonol 3 7-di-O-glycosides of Kp 3 7-di-O-glucoside and Kp 3-rhamnosyl-7-glucoside, but O. japonicus had two flavonol 3-O-rutinosides, Kp 3-rutinoside and Qc 3-rutinoside. The three species of O. margaritifolius (24.36 mg/g MeOH extract), O. japonicus (21.28 mg/g), and O. minuta (19.50 mg/g) showed relatively higher flavonoid contents. The flavonol glycosides were analyzed using eight standard compounds (Kp, Qc, Qc 3-O-rhamnoside, Qc 3-O-glucoside, Kp 3-O-rutinoside, Qc 3-O-rutinoside, Kp 3-O-rhamnosyl-7-O-glucoside, Kp 3 7-di-O-glucoside). The present HPLC method was validated to verify the linearity, precision, and accuracy. In addition, the peroxynitrite-scavenging activity was also discussed.

Journal Article
TL;DR: It is suggested that methanol extract of ZSS (MEZSS) might augment pentobarbital-induced sleep behaviors through the modification of GABAergic systems.
Abstract: Zizyphi Spinosi Semen (ZSS) have been widely used for the treatment of insomnia in Asia. This experiment was performed to investigate whether methanol extract of ZSS (MEZSS) has hypnotic effects through the -amino butyric acid (GABA)ergic systems. MEZSS inhibited the locomotor activity. MEZSS enhanced pentobarbital-induced sleep behaviors. However, MEZSS itself did not induce sleep at higher dose, similar to muscimol. On the other hand, both pentobarbital and MEZSS increased the non rapid eye move (NREM) sleep, especially reducing the -wave electroencephalogram (EEG) activity in REM sleep. MEZSS showed similar effects with muscimol on potentiating chloride influx induced by pentobarbital. MEZSS significantly increased GABAA receptors -subunit expression and slightly decreased -subunit expression in hypothalamus and thalamus, showing that subunit-expression was similar to diazepam. In addition, MEZSS enhanced the expression of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD). In conclusion, it is suggested that MEZSS might augment pentobarbital-induced sleep behaviors through the modification of GABAergic systems.

Journal Article
TL;DR: In the search for novel medicinal use of mushrooms, the multidrug resistance (MDR) reversal activities of diverse mushrooms collected from Korea were tested and it was suspected that some ingredients of M02 and M12 have Pgp-associated MDR reversal activities.
Abstract: Mushrooms have a long history of use in traditional medicine, and hundreds of novel constituents in mushrooms with miraculous biological properties have been identified recently. Although diverse effects for medicinal use of mushrooms such as anticancer activity are proven, their reversal activities of drug resistance in cancer cells was rarely reported so far. In the search for novel medicinal use of mushrooms, we tested the multidrug resistance (MDR) reversal activities of diverse mushrooms collected from Korea. Among, the mushroom extracts tested, Cantharellus cibarius (M02) and Russula emetica (M12) revealed MDR reversal activities of paclitaxel in the P-glycoprotein (Pgp)-positive HCT15 and MES-SA/dX5 cancer cells, but not in the Pgp-negative A549 and MES-SA cancer cells. In addition, these mushrooms also enhanced the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin, another well-kwown Pgp-associated anticancer drug against MES-SA/DX5 cells, but not against MES-SA cells. Meanwhile, the cytotoxicity of cisplatin, a well-known Pgp-non-associated anticancer drug, was not affected by the mushrooms all the cells tested. From these results, we suspected that some ingredients of M02 and M12 have Pgp-associated MDR reversal activities.


Journal Article
TL;DR: Results suggest that I. dentate can potentially protect against UVB-induced skin inflammation and inhibits the secretion of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-8, and COX-2 expression, by blocking MAPK phosphorylation.
Abstract: Human skin is the first line of defense for the protection of the internal organs of the body from different stimuli. Ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation induces skin damage and inflammation through the secretion of various cytokines, which are immune regulators produced by cells. To prevent the initiation of skin inflammation, keratinocytes that have been irreversibly damaged by radiation must be removed through the apoptotic mechanism. Ixeris dentata (family: Asteraceae) is a perennial medicinal herb indigenous to Korea. It has been used in Korea, China, and Japan to treat in digestion, pneumonia, diabetes, hepatitis, and tumors. To gain insight into the anti-inflammatory effects of I. dentata, we examined its influence on UVB-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine production in human keratinocytes (HaCaT cells), by observing cells that were stimulated with UVB in the presence or absence of I. dentata. In the present study, pro-inflammatory cytokine production was determined by performing enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and western blot analysis to measure the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPKs). I. dentata inhibited UVB-induced production of the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-6 in a dose-dependent manner. Further, I. dentata inhibited the UVB-induced expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2. Furthermore, I. dentata inhibited the phosphorylation of c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase and p38 MAPKs, suggesting that it inhibits the secretion of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-8, and COX-2 expression, by blocking MAPK phosphorylation. These results suggest that I. dentate can potentially protect against UVB-induced skin inflammation.

Journal Article
TL;DR: Gelatin zymographic analysis revealed that MLS suppresses matrix metalloproteinase-2 and MMP-9 activities in B16F10 cells, and this shows that MLS has anti-metastatic properties, and, therefore, it might be applicable as a valuable anti- Metastatic agent.
Abstract: Ligularia stenocephala has been used as a traditional medicine for the treatment of asthma, arthritis, jaundice, and hyperpiesia. In this study, we investigated the anti-metastatic and hypnotic effects of the methanolic extract of L. stenocephala (MLS). Gelatin zymographic analysis revealed that MLS suppresses matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 activities in B16F10 cells. The gene expressions of MMPs were also down-regulated by MLS treatment in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, cancer cell invasion and migration were attenuated by MLS via suppression of NF- activation. The in vivo lung metastasis of B16F10 melanoma cells was also inhibited by the treatment of MLS. These findings show that MLS has anti-metastatic properties, and, therefore, it might be applicable as a valuable anti-metastatic agent.