A phytoformula containing the root barks of Morus alba, the fructus of Schizandra sinensis and the roots of Asparagus cochinchinensis (MSA) was prepared as a potential new herbal remedy, and its therapeutic potential for alleviating inflammatory lung conditions was examined. For in vivo evaluation, an animal model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) in mice was used. With oral administration of 6 - 60 mg/kg, MSA potently and dose-dependently inhibited bronchitis-like symptoms in acute lung injury induced by intranasal treatment of LPS as judged by the number of cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and histological observation. The inhibitory potency was comparable with that of dexamethasone. For in vitro assay, the effects on the production of proinflammatory molecules in lung epithelial cells and alveolar macrophages were examined. Although MSA inhibited IL-6 production in IL-1β-treated lung epithelial cells (A549) only at a high concentration (300 µg/ml), the formula strongly and concentration-dependently inhibited NO production in LPS-treated alveolar macrophages (MH-S) at 20 - 300 µg/ml. Based on all of these findings, the new phytoformula MSA is suggested to have the potential to control inflammatory lung diseases including bronchitis, at least in part, by inhibiting inducible nitric oxide synthase-catalyzed NO production.
Acute Lung Injury ; Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Bronchitis ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; Dexamethasone ; Epithelial Cells ; Interleukin-6 ; Lung Diseases ; Lung* ; Macrophages, Alveolar ; Mice ; Models, Animal ; Morus* ; Nitric Oxide ; Pneumonia* ; Schisandra*

A method for simultaneously identifying antioxidative compounds was developed using time-based LC-MS coupled with DPPH assay regardless of the time consuming process. The methanolic extract of Polygonum aviculare (Polygonaceae) showed significant DPPH radical scavenging activity. Time-based DPPH assay for simultaneous identification of active compounds from the extracts of P. aviculare was used. Major peaks of ethyl acetate fraction of P. aviculare showed high DPPH radical scavenging activity. A simple phenolic compound (1) and six flavonoids (2-7) were isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction of P. aviculare by silica gel and sephadex LH-20 column chromatography. The structures of seven compounds were determined to be protocatechuic acid (1), catechin (2), myricitrin (3), epicatechin-3-O-gallate (4), avicularin (5), quercitrin (6), and juglanin (7) based on the analysis of the 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and ESI-MS data. All compounds exhibited significant antioxidant activity on DPPH assay and active compounds were well correlated with predicted one.
Catechin ; Chromatography ; Flavonoids ; Methanol ; Phenol ; Polygonum* ; Silica Gel

The study is a pioneering effort to determine the mineral, nutritional, and phytochemical composition and phenolic content and to determine the free radical scavenging activity of Gigantochloa levis (Blanco) Merr, a native bamboo species (locally known as "bolo") in the Philippines. Proximate analysis showed that air-dried G. levis leaves contain 15.8% ash, 22.6% crude protein, 1.2% crude fat, 29.3% crude fiber, and 19.7% total sugar. Phytochemical tests indicated the presence of diterpenes, triterpenes, saponins, phenols, tannins, and flavonoids in both the ethanolic and aqueous leaf extracts, while phytosterols were only detected in the ethanolic extract. Folin-Ciocalteu assay determined the total phenolic content in gallic acid equivalents (GAE) to be 85.86 ± 3.71 and 32.32 ± 1.01 mg GAE/100 g dried sample for the ethanolic and aqueous extracts, respectively. The total phenolic content in quercetin equivalents (QE) was 74.44 ± 3.11 and 29.43 ± 0.85 mg QE/100g dried sample for the ethanolic and aqueous extracts, respectively. The radical scavenging activity of the different solvent fractions containing varying concentrations of the extract was determined using the 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The ethyl acetate and 1-butanol fractions were found to have the highest radical scavenging activity. Mineral analysis via Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectrometry (EDS) of the ash of G. levis leaves showed that Si is the major component, followed by K and Mg. These results point to the potential of G. levis leaves as a source of minerals and bioactive compounds with medicinal value.
1-Butanol ; Diterpenes ; Ethanol ; Flavonoids ; Gallic Acid ; Minerals ; Phenol* ; Phenols ; Philippines ; Phytosterols ; Quercetin ; Saponins ; Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission ; Tannins ; Triterpenes

Anti-inflammatory effects of dihydrobenzofuran neolignans isolated from Euonymus alatus leaves and twigs were evaluated in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophage cells. Six neolignans, (+)- simulanol (1), (+)-dehydrodiconiferyl alcohol (2), (-)-simulanol (3), (-)-dehydrodiconiferyl alcohol (4), (+)-dihydrodehyrodiconiferyl alcohol (5), threo-buddlenol B (6) effectively inhibited the production of nitric oxide (NO) induced by LPS, and the activity of iNOS. (-)-dehydrodiconiferyl alcohol (4), which showed the most potent inhibitory activity, attenuated the activity of iNOS enzyme and also the expression of iNOS and COX-2 proteins. The subsequent production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α and prostaglandin E2 were also inhibited by the pretreatment of RAW264.7 cells with (-)-dehydrodiconiferyl alcohol (4). These neolignans are thought to contribute to anti-inflammatory effects of E. alatus, and expected to be potential candidates to prevent/treat inflammation-related diseases.
Cytokines ; Dinoprostone ; Euonymus* ; Interleukin-6 ; Lignans* ; Macrophages* ; Necrosis ; Nitric Oxide ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a highly prevalent disorder that affects millions of men and considered to be an early symptom of atherosclerosis and a precursor of various systemic vascular disorders. The aim of the present study was to prepare ginsenoside Re enriched fraction (GS-F3K1, ginsenoside Re 10%, w/w) from ginseng berries flesh and to investigate the enhanced activities of GS-F3K1 on alcohol-induced ED. GS-F3K1 was prepared by the continuous liquid and solid separating centrifugation and circulatory ultrafiltration from ginseng berries flesh. GS-F3K1 was administered for 5 weeks in ethanol-induced ED rat by oral administration of 20% ethanol. To investigate the effects of GS-F3K1 on ED model, the levels of nitrite expression, cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) and erectile response of the penile corpus cavernosum of rat were measured. The erectile response of the corpus cavernosum was restored after GS-F3K1 administration, to a level similar to the normal group. The level of nitrite and cGMP expression in the corpus cavernosum of GS-F3K1-administered male rats was increased significantly compared to positive control group. GS-F3K1 from ginseng berries should effectively restore ethanol-induced ED in male rats and could be developed as a new functional food for the elderly men.
Administration, Oral ; Aged ; Animals ; Atherosclerosis ; Centrifugation ; Erectile Dysfunction* ; Ethanol ; Fruit* ; Functional Food ; Guanosine Monophosphate ; Humans ; Male ; Panax* ; Rats ; Ultrafiltration

Extraction and fractionation of Pulsatilla koreana flowers followed by, repeated open column chromatography for EtOAc and n-BuOH fractions yielded four flavonoid glycosides, namely, astragalin (1), tiliroside (2), buddlenoide A (3), and apigenin-7-O-(3"-E-p-coumaroyl)-glucopyranoside (4). The chemical structures of these flavonoid glycosides were elucidated on the basis of various spectroscopic methods including electronic ionization mass spectrometry (EI-MS), 1D NMR (1H, 13C, DEPT), 2D NMR (gCOSY, gHSQC, gHMBC), and infrared (IR) spectrometry. This study represents the first report of the isolation of the flavonoid glycosides from the flowers of P. koreana.
Chromatography ; Flowers* ; Glycosides* ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Mass Spectrometry ; Pulsatilla* ; Spectrum Analysis

The first study on chemical constituents and biological activities of Clausena lansium (Lour.) Skeels (Rutaceae) growing in Vietnam has been done. Phytochemical investigation of n-hexane extract led to the isolation of five compounds: dihydroindicolactone (1), 8-geranyloxy psoralen (2), imperatorin (3), heraclenol (4) and indicolactone (5), in which this is the first report on the presence of dihydroindicolactone (1). Their structures were elucidated based on LC/MS/NMR hyphenated techniques as well as comparison with those of literature data. The n-hexane extract and its subfractions, ethanol 95% extract and several isolated compounds were evaluated for antifungal activity.
Clausena* ; Ethanol ; Ficusin ; Vietnam

A simple and rapid method based on proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was developed for determination of trans-anethole content in fennel essential oil. Spectra of pure trans-anethole, of the pure essential oil of fennel, and of the pure oil of fennel with thymol internal standard were recorded. The signal of H-1/ was used for quantification of trans-anethole. This proton signal is well separated in the proton magnetic resonance spectrum of the compound. No reference compound is needed and cheap internal standard was used. The results obtained from spectroscopic analysis were compared with those obtained by gas chromatography. Additionally, the developed method was used for determination of the type of vegetable oil used as a carrier in commercial products, which cannot be quantified as such by gas chromatography. This study demonstrates the application of proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy as a quality control method for estimation of essential oil components.
Chromatography, Gas ; Foeniculum* ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy* ; Protons ; Quality Control ; Spectrum Analysis* ; Thymol ; Vegetables

Peucedani Radix is the root of Angelica decursiva Franchet et Savatier (=Peucedanum decursivum Maximowicz) or Peucedanum praeruptorum Dunn in several Asian countries. The coumarins contained in Peucedani Radix were quantitatively analyzed using HPLC-DAD to develop a simultaneous determination for the quality control of A. decursiva and P. praeruptorum. For quantitative analysis, four major coumarins contained in these medicinal plants were assessed. Nodakenin (1), nodakenetin (2), praeruptorin A (3), and praeruptorin B (4) were separated with a Phenomenex Luna C18 column (5 µm, 4.6 × 250 mm) under the gradient conditions using distilled water with 0.1% phosphoric acid and acetonitrile with 0.1% phosphoric acid as the mobile phase, at a flow rate of 1.0 ml/min and a detection wavelength of 330 nm. This method was fully validated for linearity, accuracy, precision, recovery, and limit of detection and quantification. As a result, A. decursiva and P. praeruptorum were clearly classified by the quantification of four major coumarins in extracts. Also, the pattern recognition analysis based on HPLC indicates that all of the samples were largely clustered into two groups. Therefore, it is possible to distinguish between A. decursiva and P. praeruptorum and contribute to quality control.
Angelica* ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Coumarins* ; Humans ; Limit of Detection ; Methods ; Plants, Medicinal ; Quality Control ; Water

Phytochemical investigation on the leaves of Pileostegia viburnoides Hook.f.et Thoms led to the isolation of twenty-five compounds, and their structures were identified as n-dotriacontane (1), taraxeryl acetate (2), friedelin (3), epifriedelinol (4), canophyllal (5), stigmast-4-en-3-one (6), stigmasterol (7), (24R)-5A-stigmastane-3,6-dione (8), ursolic acid (9), pomolic acid (10), umbelliferone (11), 4-epifriedelin (12), n-octatriacontanol (13), β-amyrin (14), α-amyrin (15), taraxerol (16), nonadecanol (17), friedelane (18), arachic acid (19), protocatechuic acid (20), n-pentatriacontanol (21), hexadecanoic acid (22), vincosamide (23), daucosterol (24), and skimming (25), respectively. To our best knowledge, compounds 1, 2, 12, 13, 17 - 19 and 21-23 were new within Saxifragaceae family. Compounds 15, 16, and 20 were produced from this genus for the first time. Compounds 4, 14 and 25 were first obtained from species P. viburnoides and compounds 3, 5 - 11, and 24 were achieved from the leaves of P. viburnoides for the first time. Furthermore, the anti-neuroinflammatory activity of these isolates was evaluated.
Coumarins ; Humans ; Palmitic Acid ; Saxifragaceae ; Stigmasterol ; Triterpenes