Xanthomonas albilineans (Ashby) Downson is a quarantine pest for importing plants to China that causes leaf scald bacterial disease on sugarcane. X. albilineans produces a potent phytotoxin/antibiotic called albicidin. As a pathogenic factor, albicidin causes typical white leaf stripes by inhibiting plastid DNA gyrase and disturbing chloroplast differentiation. Meanwhile, the antibacterial activity of albicidin gives X. albilineans a competitive advantage against rival bacteria during their colonization. Furthermore, albicidin has a rapid bactericidal activity against a variety of Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria of human species at nanomolar concentrations, making it a potential antimicrobial drug for clinical application. This article reviews the advances of albicidin from the aspects of its molecular structure, traditional extraction methods, mechanism of action, biosynthetic genes and processes, chemical synthesis method and improvement, in order to provide insights into the prevention and treatment of the sugarcane leaf scald disease, and the development of new antibiotics.
Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology* ; China ; Humans ; Organic Chemicals ; Xanthomonas/genetics*

In order to search for bioactive natural products from marine algae, the chemical constituents of red alga Laurencia saitoi was separated by the combination of normal phase silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography and recrystallization. Seven compounds: aplysistatin (1), 5-acetoxypalisadin B (2), palisadin B (3), palisadin A (4), pacifigorgiol (5), stigmast4-en-3alpha, 6beta-diol (6), 2, 3, 5, 6-Tetrabromoindole (7), were isolated and their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods including 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and MS techniques. All compounds were isolated from L. saitoi for the first time. Cytotoxicities of purified compounds were evaluated by MTT method, however, all of them were found inactive (IC50 >10 mg x L(-1).
Cell Line, Tumor ; Humans ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Laurencia ; chemistry ; Organic Chemicals ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo study the hemostatic effect of chemical constituents from Callicarpa nudiflora.

METHODThe chemical constituents were isolated and purified via silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography. Their structures were determined on the basis of spectral analysis. prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), thrombin time (TT) and fibrinogen (FIB) of the constituents rabbit blood samples were tested with rabbit blood in vitro.

RESULTEleven compounds were isolated and identified as two diterpenens: 7alpha-hydroxy sandaracopimaric acid (1), 16, 17-dihydroxy-3-oxophyllocladane (2). Two phenoic glycosides: acteoside (3), samioside(4). Three triterpenes: 2alpha, 3alpha, 24-trihydroxy-ursa-12-en-28-oic acid (5), 2alpha, 3alpha, 19alpha-trihydroxyursa-12-en-28-oic acid-28-0-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester (6), and 2alpha, 3alpha, 19alpha, 23-tetrahydroxy-ursa-12-en-28-oic acid-28-0-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester (7). Four flavones: rhamnazin (8), 5-Hydroxy-3, 7, 4'-trimethoxy-flavone (9) , 5-Hydroxy-3, 7, 3', 4'-tetramethoxyflavone (10), and luteoloside (11). All Compounds cannot significantly shorten the PT (P < 0.01), compounds 3, 4, 7, 10 can remarkedly increase APTT (P < 0.01), compound 5 can prolong the T( P < 0.01) obviously, and compound 8 can significantly increase the contents of FIB (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONCompounds 2, 4 and 10 were isolated from this genus for the first time, and compounds 1, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 9 had been isolated from this plant for the first time. The hemostatic effect of C. nudiflora may be related to the activation of the intrinsic blood coagulation system.

Animals ; Blood Coagulation Factors ; metabolism ; Callicarpa ; chemistry ; Hemostasis ; drug effects ; Male ; Organic Chemicals ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Rabbits

OBJECTIVETo summarize the studies on chemical constituents and pharmacological activities of lichens of Usnea genus.

METHODA systematic literature survey was conducted to classifiy and summarize chemical constituents of lichens of Usnea genus, and sum up current studies on main pharmacological activities of lichens of the genus.

RESULTLichens of Usnea genus contained multiple chemical constituents, primarily including mono-substituted phenyl rings, depsides, anthraquinones, dibenzofurans, steroids, terpenes, fatty acids and polysaccharides, with such biological activities as antitumor, antibacterial, anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation and antithrombosis.

CONCLUSIONThis essay provides reference for further studies and development of lichens of Usnea genus.

Animals ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Organic Chemicals ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Usnea ; chemistry

Organic solvents are usually toxic to microorganisms for destroying the physiological functions. Recently, some studies have revealed that some bacteria are capable of living in conditions with high concentration of solvents through tolerant and adaptive mechanisms. This discovery inspires the research on adaptation and alteration of industrial bacteria, especially for those producing solvents or degrading toxic organic compounds. For a deep understanding and a wide application of the tolerant mechanisms, we address here the recent discoveries on solvents toxicity to bacteria by the parameter logP, and tolerant mechanisms of solvent-tolerant-bacteria to solvents, such as changes in cell membrane including cis-trans isomerisation, the saturated-to-unsaturated fatty acids ratio and the phospholipids head-groups, changes in outer membrane and cell morphology, and other stress responses. Moreover, our experiences in screening novel solvent-tolerant-bacteria and methods in increasing solvent tolerance of industrial microbes are introduced to give a promising strategy for improving solvent production.
Adaptation, Physiological ; drug effects ; Bacteria ; drug effects ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; drug effects ; Industrial Microbiology ; methods ; Organic Chemicals ; pharmacology ; Solvents ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the chemical constituents of an endophytic fungus, Nodulisporium sp. A4, from the medicinal plant Aquilaria sinensis and search for antitumor natural products.

METHODThe fungus was cultured in liquid medium and extracted with EtOAc. The compounds were isolated by various chromatographic methods (silica gel, reverse silica gel, Sephadex-LH20, preparative TLC and so on) and recrystallization. Structural elucidation was conducted by extensive analysis of spectroscopic data as well as by comparison with literature reports. The antitumor activity of isolated compounds was tested by MTT method in vitro.

RESULTSeven compounds were isolated and identified from the broth culture, their structures were determined to be 5-methyl-2-vinyltetrahydrofuran-3-ol (1), 6-methyl-2-(5-methyl-5-vinyltetrahydrofuran-2-yl) hept-5-en-2-ol (2), 6alpha-hydroxycyclonerolidol (3), rel-(1S,4S, 5R,7R,10R)-10-desmethyl-1-methyl-11-eudesmene (4), tyrosol (5), 8-methoxynaphthalen-1-ol (6), and 1,8-dimethoxynaphthalene (7). Three compounds were isolated and identified from the mycelia as ergosterol (8), ergosterol peroxide (9), and cerevisterol (10). The in vitro pharmalogical evaluation results displayed that compounds 3 and 4 showed 89.1%, 44.2% and 82.3%, 79.8% inhibition against tumor cell lines SF268 and NCI-H460 at 100 mg x L(-1), respectively.

CONCLUSIONCompound 1 was a new natural product, compounds 2, 3, 7 and 10 were reported from the genus Nodulisporium sp. for the first time. Compounds 3 and 4 exhibited weak inhibitory effects on the proliferation of tumor cell lines SF268 and NCI-H460.

Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Endophytes ; chemistry ; Humans ; Organic Chemicals ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Thymelaeaceae ; microbiology ; Xylariales ; chemistry

OBJECTIVEThe four major active compositions, namely esculetin, lactucin, lactucopicrin and chlorogenic acid in seed, stem and root of the Cichorium glandulosum Boiss. et Huet that planted in Xinjiang have been quantified by HPLC.

METHODHPLC method was used, with Inertsil ODS-SP column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 pm). The flow rate was 1.0 mL x min(-1). The column temperature was set at 32 degrees C. The mobile phase was methanol--0.2% formic acid, 0-40 min, methanol 30%--70% gradients. Injection volume was 5 microL. The detecting wavelength were 256, 350, 299 and 229 nm, respectively.

RESULTThe percentage recoveries were 98.2%, 99.57%, 100.50%, and 99.46% for chlorogenic acid, esculetin, lactucin, and lactucopicrin, respectively. The correlation coefficients (r) were 1.000, 0.9989, 0.9998, 1.000 and RSD were 1.6%, 1.5%, 0.77%, 2.0% for chlorogenic acid, esculetin, lactucin, and lactucopicrin, respectively. The contents of the chlorogenic acid, esculetin, lactucin and lactucopicrin were 0.0048, 0.0043, 0.6789, 0.7520 mg x g(-1), respectively in the root, and 0.0710, 0.1890, 0.2396 and 0.0520 mg x g(-1) in the seeds of C. glandulosum, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThis method was sensitive, rapid and simple, with good linearity, recovery and reproducibility.

Asteraceae ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Linear Models ; Organic Chemicals ; analysis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Plant Structures ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Reproducibility of Results

A novel reaction-enzymatic ammonolysis discovered in the mid of 1990s has been demonstrated to be a very promising alternative in the preparation of optically pure compounds. The effects of organic solvent, initial water activity, temperature and additives on lipase Novozym435-catalyzed enantioselective ammonolysis of racemic phenylglycine methyl ester were investigated systematically in this paper. Enzymatic reaction of ammonolysis showed higher activity and enantioselectivity than the corresponding reaction of hydrolysis and alcoholysis.
Alcohols ; Ammonia ; Catalysis ; Dimethylformamide ; pharmacology ; Esters ; Glycine ; analogs & derivatives ; metabolism ; Hexoses ; pharmacology ; Hydrolysis ; Lipase ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Organic Chemicals ; Solvents ; Surface-Active Agents ; pharmacology ; Temperature ; Water

Polypore fungi is a cluster of important pharmacological fungi with significant antitumor activity. In recent years, the antineoplastic constituents from polypore fungi have been comprehensively studied. Through investigating the domestic and overseas studied paper, the antitumor active constituents derived from polypore fungi including high molecular weight compounds such as polysaccharides, glycopeptides, glycoproteins, lectins, and lipid soluble low molecular weight compounds such as terpenoids, steroids, phenolics, benzopyranones, were reviewed. In addition, the significance in the exploitation of new drug for antitumor by the application of polypore fungi was discussed at the end of this paper.
Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Fungi ; chemistry ; Humans ; Macromolecular Substances ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Molecular Weight ; Organic Chemicals ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Polyporus ; chemistry ; Solubility

OBJECTIVETo investigate the chemical constituents of the culture of Phellinus igniarius and their phamacological activities.

METHODThe constituents were isolated by using a combination of various chromatographic techniques including column chromatography over silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, and reversed-phase HPLC. Structures of the isolates were identified by spectroscopic data analysis. Cytotoxic, neuroprotective, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, and anti-HIV activities were screened by using cell-based models.

RESULTTwenty-nine constituents were isolated. Their structures were identified as three sesquiterpenes: 3S,9R,10S-3-hydroxy-11, 12-O-isopropyldrimene(1), 3S, 9R, 10S-3, 11, 12-trihydroxydrimene (2), and 3S, 4S, 9R, 10S-11, 12, 14-trihydroxydrimene(3); three steriods: 24R-ergosta-4, 6, 8(14), 22-tetraen-3-one (4), stigmasta-7, 22-diene-3b, 5a, 6a-triol (5), and 5a, 8a-epi dioxyergosta-6, 22-diene-3b-ol (6); fourteen cyclo-dipeptide: cyclo (L-Pro-L-Val) (7), cycle (L-Leu-D-Pro) (8), cyclo (L-Leu-L-Pro) (9), cyclo (ILe-Pro) (10), cyclo (Gly-Leu) (11), cyclo (Phe-Ser) (12), cyclo (Ala-Pro) (13), cyclo (Ala-Phe) (14), cyclo (4-HyP-Phe) (15) , cyclo (L-Phe-D-Pro) (16), cyclo (D-Phe-D-Pro) (17), cyclo (6-HyP-Phe) (18), cycle (Gln-Pro) (19), and cycle (Asn-Leu) (20); and nine other compounds: N-acetyl-phenylalanine (21), adenosine (22), phenyldiethanol (23), o-hydroxy-phenylethanol (24), benzoic acid (25), p-methoxybenzoic acid (26), m-methoxybenzoic acid (27), hexadecanoic acid (28), and 3-pyridinecarboxylic acid (29). In the in vitro assays, at a concentration of 1 x 10(-5) mol x L(-1), compounds 5 and 8 showed neuroprotective activity against MPP+ induced PC12-syn cell damage, with a relative cell proliferation rate of 90.3% and 87.5% (P < 0.05). At 1 x 10(-5) mol x L(-1), compounds 12 and 18 showed hepatoprotective activities against DL-galactosamine-induced toxicity examined in WB-F344 cell, with cell survival rates of 25% and 24%, respectivily.

CONCLUSIONCompounds 1-29 were obtained from P. igniarius for the first time. Compounds 5 and 8 showed potent PC12-syn protective activities, while 12 and 18 showed hepato cytes (WB-F344 cells) protective activities.

Animals ; Basidiomycota ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Culture Techniques ; Hepatocytes ; cytology ; drug effects ; Neuroprotective Agents ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Organic Chemicals ; analysis ; pharmacology ; PC12 Cells ; drug effects ; Rats