Seven guaiane-type sesquiterpenoids, a new compound 6-formyl-5-isopropyl-3-hydroxymethyl-7-methyl-1H-indene (1), a new natural product 5-isopropyl-3, 7-dimethyl-1H-indene-1-one (2), along with five known compounds: guaiazulene (3), 4-formyl-7-isopropyl-10-methylazulene (4), sesquiterpene ketolactone (5), alismoxide (6) and guaia-1 (5), 6-diene (7), were isolated from gorgonian Muriceides collaris collected in South China Sea. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis [MS, IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR (DEPT), HMQC, HMBC, NOESY] and by comparison of the spectral data with those of the literatures.
Animals ; Anthozoa ; chemistry ; Azulenes ; China ; Sesquiterpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Sesquiterpenes, Guaiane

Three compounds were isolated from the extract of Taxus cuspidta Sibe et Zucc with the column chromatography on silica gel and preparative HPLC methods. Their structures were identified according to the physicochemical properties and spectral analysis, and they were identified as (E)-1-methoxy-2-O-(p-coumaroyl)-myo-inositol (1), 2-deacetoxy-7beta, 9a, 10beta-trideacetyltaxinine J (2) and (3aS, 4aR, 6S, 8S, 8aS, 9R, 10R, 10aS)-benz[f]azulene-6, 8, 9, 10 (3H)-terol, 3a, 4, 4a, 5, 6, 7, 8, 8a, 9, 10-decahydro-10a-(1-hydroxyl-1-methylethyl)-1, 8a-dimethyl-5-methylene (3). Among them, compound 1 was a new compound, and compounds 2, 3 were two novel natural products.
Azulenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Coumarins ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Inositol ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Structure ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Taxoids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Taxus ; chemistry

A sesquiterpene synthase (AsSS4) full-length open reading frame (ORF) cDNA was cloned from wounded stems of Aquilaria sinensis by RT-PCR method. The result showed that the ORF of AsSS4 was 1,698 bp encoding 565 amino acids. Prokaryotic expression vector pET28a-AsSS4 was constructed and transformed into E. coli BL21 (DE3) pLysS. Recombinant AsSS4 protein was obtained after induction by IPTG and SDS-PAGE analysis with a MW of 64 kD. Enzymatic reactions using farnesyl pyrophosphate showed that recombinant AsSS4 protein purified by Ni-agarose gel yielded five sesquiterpene compounds, cyclohexane, 1-ethenyl-1-methyl-2, 4-bis(1-methylethenyl)-, β-elemene, α-guaiene, α-caryophyllene and δ-guaiene. This paper reported the first cloning and functional characterization of AsSS4 gene from A. sinensis, which will establish a foundation for future studies on the molecular mechanisms of wound-induce agarwood formation in A. sinensis
Alkyl and Aryl Transferases ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Azulenes ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Complementary ; Escherichia coli ; Open Reading Frames ; Polyisoprenyl Phosphates ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; Sesquiterpenes ; metabolism ; Sesquiterpenes, Guaiane ; Thymelaeaceae ; enzymology ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the efficiency, safety, and possible mechanisms of Qingre Buyi Decoction (QBD) in the treatment of acute radiation proctitis (ARP).

METHODSThis study was a single center, prospective, single blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled clinical trial. A total of 60 patients with ARP was equally and randomly distributed into the control group (conventional treatment) and the combination group (conventional treatment plus QBD). The changes of main Chinese medicine clinical symptoms and signs, including stomachache, diarrhea, mucous or bloody stool before and after treatment, and their adverse reactions were observed after the two-week treatment. Also, D-lactate and diamine oxidase (DAO) levels, hepatic and renal function were measured. Cure rates, effective rates, and recurrence rates were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSThe blood levels of both DAO and D-lactate were significantly decreased in the combination group as compared with those in the control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). All main clinical symptoms and signs were alleviated more significantly in the combination group (P<0.01). The main symptom scores also were significantly decreased after treatment in the control group (P<0.01), except those for mucous or bloody stool (P>0.05). Compared to the control group, the improvements of stomachache, diarrhea, defecation dysfunction, and stool blood in the combination group were significantly better (P<0.05 or P<0.01). For the combination group, the curative rate, effective rate, and recurrence rate was 76.67%, 16.67%, and 6.67%, respectively. On the other hand, for the control group, the rate was 53.33%, 16.67%, and 30.00%, respectively. The total curative effect was significantly better in the combination group than in the control group (P<0.05). However, the recurrence rate was similar between the two groups (P>0.05). The hepatic and renal function remained normal in both groups (P>0.05). In addition, no severe adverse event was found in both groups.

CONCLUSIONSAddition of QBD to the conventional treatment can effectively alleviate the damage of intestinal mucosal barrier function and improve all main clinical symptoms and signs of the ARP. The combination of conventional treatment with Chinese herbal medicine QBD is effective and safe for ARP.

Acute Disease ; Adult ; Aged ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; administration & dosage ; Azulenes ; administration & dosage ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Agents ; administration & dosage ; Glutamine ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Integrative Medicine ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Norfloxacin ; administration & dosage ; Pain ; complications ; Proctitis ; complications ; drug therapy ; Sesquiterpenes ; administration & dosage ; Silicates ; administration & dosage ; Single-Blind Method ; Treatment Outcome