The genus Chloranthus has 13 species and 5 varieties in China, which can be found in the southwest and northeast regions. Phytochemical studies on Chloranthus plants have reported a large amount of terpenoids, such as diterpenoids, sesquiterpenoids, and sesquiterpenoid dimers. Their anti-inflammation, anti-tumor, antifungal, antivirus, and neuroprotection activities have been confirmed by previous pharmacological research. Herein, research on the chemical constituents from Chloranthus plants and their biological activities over the five years was summarized to provide scientific basis for the further development and utilization of Chloranthus plants.
Diterpenes ; Phytochemicals/pharmacology* ; Plants ; Sesquiterpenes/pharmacology* ; Terpenes

Yiyi Fuzi Baijiang Powder(YFBP), originating from Synopsis of the Golden Chamber, is a classic prescription composed of Coicis Semen, Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata, and Patriniae Herba for the treatment of abscesses and pus discharge. This article presented a systematic analysis of the clinical application of YFBP, including the indicated diseases, the number of cases, efficacy, dosage, administration methods, and compatibility with other drugs. The analysis reveals that YFBP has a wide range of clinical applications. It is commonly used, often with modifications or in combination with western medicine, for diseases in the fields of gastroente-rology, gynecology, urology, dermatology, and others. And most of the Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) evidence involved in these diseases are damp-heat evudence. The prescription shows rich variations in clinical administration methods, and most of which are the treatment of aqueous decoction of it. The therapeutic effect is also significant, and the total effective rate of clinical treatment is re-latively high. Additionally, this article summarized the pharmacological research on YFBP and found that it possessed various pharmacological effects, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, and immune-modulating properties. Finally, correlation analysis was conducted on the main diseases, TCM types, prescription doses, pharmacological effects and action targets of YFBP, which to show the relationship between these five aspects in a visual form, reflecting the relationship between its clinical application and modern pharmacological effects. These findings provide a reference basis for further development and research on YFBP.
Powders ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Diterpenes ; Aconitum

OBJECTIVETo extract and isolate the component from myrsinane-type diterpenes of Euphorbia prolifera.

METHODSPetroleum extraction and chromatography on the silica gel were used to extract and isolate the diterpenes of Euphorbia prolifera.

RESULTSEight components of myrsinol diterpenes were isolated, namely: Proliferin A(1), Proliferin B (2), Proliferin C(3), Proliferin D(4), Euphorprolitherin B(5), Euphorprolitherin D(6), SPr5(7) and 14-desoxo-3-O-prorionyl-5, 15-di-O-acetyl-7-O-nicotinoyl-myrsinol-14β-acetate(8). Their structures were identified with mass-spectroscopic methods and NMR techniques. The cytotoxicity of compounds 1, 2, and 4 against cancer cells was evaluated, with compound 1 being active against A2780 cancer cells (IC(50) 7.7 μmol/L).

CONCLUSIONMyrsinane-type diterpene Proliferin A from Euphorbia prolifera shows cytotoxic effect against human ovarian cancer cell line A2780.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Diterpenes ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Euphorbia ; chemistry ; Humans

This study aimed to prepare andrographolide (AP)-loaded glycyrrhizic acid (GA) micelles (AP-GA)-PMs to enhance the solubility and anti-tumor effect of andrographolide. Firstly, andrographolide (AP) was used as the model drug and glycyrrhizic acid (GA) as carriers to prepare (AP-GA)-PMs. Then the preparation methods and the ratios of drug and carrier were screened and optimized based on particle size, encapsulation efficiency (EE) and loading capacity of micelles. Finally, the pharmaceutical characters and the inhibition rate on HepG2 cells were evaluated on the (AP-GA)-PMs prepared by optimal process. The results showed that the prepared micelles under the optimal process had a nanosize of (127.11±1.38) nm, zeta potential of (-24.01±0.55) mV, the entrapment efficiency rate of (92.01±4.02)% , the drug loading rate of (51.44±1.24)% and high storage stability at 4 °C in 30 d, with slow but highly stable release. Moreover, (AP-GA)-PMs with the IC₅₀ value of 19.25 mg·L⁻¹ had a more synergistic and better anti-tumor effect in comparison with AP (IC₅₀=122.40 mg·L⁻¹) on HepG2 cells (P<0.01). In conclusion, the (AP-GA)-PMs prepared with glycyrrhizic acid as a carrier had a small particle size, large drug loading capacity, and high stability, and could significantly improve the anti-tumor effects of AP.
Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Diterpenes ; pharmacology ; Drug Carriers ; chemistry ; Glycyrrhizic Acid ; chemistry ; Micelles ; Particle Size ; Polymers

Brasilicardin A (BraA) is a natural diterpene glycoside isolated from the pathogenic actinomycete Nocardia brasiliensis IFM 0406 with highly potent immunosuppressive activity (IC₅₀=0.057 μg/mL). BraA potently inhibits the uptake of amino acids that are substrates for amino acid transport system L of T cells, which is different from the existing clinical immunosuppressants. BraA is more potent in a mouse mixed lymphocyte reaction and less toxic against various human cell lines compared with the known clinical immunosuppressants, such as cyclosporin A, ascomycin and tacrolimus. Therefore, BraA attracted more attention as a new promising immunosuppressant. However, the development of this promising immunosuppressant as drug for medical use is so far hindered because BraA has the unusual and synthetically challenging skeleton and shows the low-yield production in the natural pathogenic producer. This review introduces the molecular structure of BraA, its activity, mechanism of action, chemical synthesis of BraA analogs, heterologous expression of gene cluster, and an application of combining microbial and chemical synthesis for production of BraA, with the aim to facilitate the efficient production of BraA and its analogs.
Animals ; Mice ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents/chemistry* ; Aminoglycosides/pharmacology* ; Cyclosporine/pharmacology* ; Diterpenes

OBJECTIVETo investigate the anti-proliferation effect of oridonin on leukemic HL-60 cells and its mechanism.

METHODSHL-60 cells in vitro in culture medium were given different concentrations of oridonin. The inhibitory rate of cells were measured by microculture tetrazolium (MTT) assay, cell apoptotic rate was detected by flow cytometry (FCM), morphology of cell apoptosis was observed by hoechst 33258 fluorescence staining, and the activity of telomerase was detected using telomere repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) PCR-ELISA before and after apoptosis occurred.

RESULTSOridonin could decrease telomerase activity, inhibit growth of HL-60 cells, and cause apoptosis significantly. The suppression was both in time- and dose-dependent manner. Marked morphological changes of cell apoptosis including condensation of chromatin and nuclear fragmentation were observed clearly by hoechst 33258 fluorescence staining especially after cells were treated 48-60 hours by oridonin.

CONCLUSIONSOridonin has apparent anti-proliferation and apoptotic effects on HL-60 cells in vitro, decreasing telomerase activity of HL-60 cells may be one of its most important mechanisms. These results will provide strong laboratory evidence of oridonin for clinical treatment of acute leukemia.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Division ; drug effects ; Diterpenes ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Diterpenes, Kaurane ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; Isodon ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Telomerase ; metabolism

Andrographolide (AG) is a main effective ingredient in leaves of Andrographis paniculata. AG and its derivatives have such effects in anti-infection, anti-tumor and immuno-regulation. Particularly, its antibacterial, antiviral and anti-protozoal activities play an increasingly important role in resisting opportunistic infections. On the basis of our studies on AG over the years, we made a summary for the basis and clinical studies on AG and its derivatives over the past 10 years.
Andrographis ; chemistry ; Animals ; Anti-Infective Agents ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Diterpenes ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Structure-Activity Relationship

Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Diterpenes, Kaurane ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; pathology

The genus Salvia in the family Lamiaceae with nearly 1 000 species, is widespread in temperate and tropical regions around the world. Many species of genus Salvia are important medicinal plants with a long history of which Danshen (the dried roots and rhizomes of S. miltiorrhiza) is one of the most popular herbal traditional medicines in Asian countries. The chemical constituents from Salvia plants mainly contain sesquiterpenoids, diterpenoids, triterpenoids, steroids and polyphenols etc, which exhibit antibacterial, antidermatophytic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antineoplastic, antiplatelet aggregation activities and so on. In this article, the development of new constituents and their biological activities of Salvia genus in the past five years were reviewed and summarized for its further development and utilization.
Diterpenes ; isolation & purification ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Salvia ; chemistry ; Sesquiterpenes ; isolation & purification ; Triterpenes ; isolation & purification

Overtaking lung cancer,breast cancer is now the most commonly diagnosed cancer seriously threatening people's health and life. As the main effective component of Tripterygium wilfordii,triptolide( TP) has attracted increasing attention due to its multitarget and multi-pathway anti-tumor activity. Recent studies have revealed that breast cancer-sensitive TP enables the inactivation of breast cancer cells by inducing tumor cell apoptosis and autophagy,interfering in tumor cell metastasis,resisting drug resistance,arresting tumor cell cycle,and influencing tumor microenvironment. It has been recognized as a promising clinical antitumor agent by virtue of its widely accepted therapeutic efficacy. This paper reviewed the anti-breast cancer action and its molecular mechanisms of TP on the basis of the relevant literature in the past ten years,and proposed application strategies in view of the inadequacy of TP to provide a reference for further research on the application of TP in the treatment of breast cancer.
Breast Neoplasms/genetics* ; Diterpenes/pharmacology* ; Epoxy Compounds ; Female ; Humans ; Phenanthrenes ; Tumor Microenvironment