Several kinds of column chromatography method were used to investigate the chemical constituents of the leaves of Lophatherum gracile. The structures of the isolated compounds were identified based on their physicochemical properties and spectral data. A new flavone C-glycoside was isolated and its structure was identified as 3'-methoxyl-luteolin 6-C-beta-D-galactopyranosiduronic acid (1 --> 2) -alpha-L-arabinopyranoside (1).
Antiviral Agents ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Flavones ; chemistry ; Glycosides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Hydrolysis ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Poaceae ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents from leaves of Phyllostachys pubescens.

METHODColumn chromatography on sephadex LH-20 as well as preparative HPLC and spectral analysis were used to isolate and elucidate the constituents.

RESULTSix compounds were isolated from leaves of Phyllostachys pubescens, and identified as vanillin (I), syringic aldehyde (II), p-hydroxybenzaldehyde (III), vanillic acid (IV), syringic acid (V), 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy cinnamic acid, ethyl ester (VI).

CONCLUSIONAll above the compounds were isolated from the plant for the first time.

Benzaldehydes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Poaceae ; chemistry ; Vanillic Acid ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo investigate the differences of total flavonoid (TF) content and antifree radical activity between the-leaves of bamboo and Gingo biloba, as well as their seasonal changes.

METHODSpectrophotometery and Chemiluminescence methods were adopted to determine TF and half inhibiting concentration (IC50) on active oxygen free radicals of the leaves of bamboo, phyllostachys nigra (Lodd. ex. Lindl.) Munro, and Ginkgo biloba. Two kinds of leaves were picked in the same plot at the same time monthly.

RESULTThe TF of bamboo leaf varied in the range of 0.67%-1.71% (in dry basis of leaf, below as same) throughout a year, the minimum apparing in June and the maximum in July, then going down obviously, and remaining at a much high lever during November to next April. However, the TF of Ginkgo bilabo leaf varied in 1.48%-2.49% during whole growing period, early April to late November. It ascended with the growth of leaf, reaching the top during June and July, the going down slowly, and finally another peak appeared before defoliation. The average IC50 values on O2-. and .OH of bamboo leaf were at 11.0 micrograms.mL-1 and 5.3 mg.mL-1, and Ginkgo biloba at 19.0 micrograms.mL-1 and 3.6 mg.mL-1, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe TF content and anti-free radical activity the bamboo leaf are comparable with the leaf of ginkgo biloba, which is a kind of potential resources for natural antioxidant and free radical scavenger.

Flavonoids ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Free Radical Scavengers ; pharmacology ; Ginkgo biloba ; chemistry ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Poaceae ; chemistry ; Seasons

Fifteen compounds were isolated from the stem (with skin removed) of Sinocalamus affinis by a combination of various chromatographic techniques including silica gel, macroporous adsorbent resin, Sephadex LH-20, and preparative HPLC. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic data as ( + )-(1S, 2R)-1, 2-bis (4-hydroxy- 3-methoxyphenyl)-1, 3-propanediol (1), threo-guaiacylglycerol-beta-O-4'-coniferyl ether(2), erythro-guaiacylglycerol-beta-O-4'-coniferyl ether(3), ( + )-(7S, 8R, 8'R)-5'-methoxylariciresinol(4), ( + )-(7S, 8R, 8'R)-5, 5'-dimethoxylariciresinol (5), ( +/- )-glaberide I (6), ( - )-syringaresinol (7), ( - )-medioresinol(8), ( - )-(8R, 8R')-4, 4'-dihydroxy-3, 3', 5, 5'-tetramethoxyligna-9, 9'-diol(9), ( - )-secoisolariciresinol-9, 9'-acetonide (10), and ( + )-lyoniresinol (11); a new natural product 2, 6-dimethoxypyran4-one (12), and beta-sitosterol, 4-hydroxycinnamic acid, and 2, 6-dimethoxy-p-benzoquinone. These compounds were isolated from the genus Sinocalamus for the first time, compound 10 should be an artifact.
Chromatography ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Lignans ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Plant Stems ; chemistry ; Poaceae ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo develop a RP-HPLC method for simultaneous determination of orientin, isorientin, vitexin and isovitexin in Lophatherum gracile from different habitat and harvesting time.

METHODThe HPLC method was applied and the chromatographic column was a Waters XBridge C18 column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm). The mobile phase consisted of methanol-0.05% acetic acid (35:65). The flow rate was 1.0 mL min(-1) and the detection wavelength was set at 340 nm. The column temperature was set at 25 degrees C.

RESULTFour components were isolated well, the linear relationships were excellent. The mean recoveries and RSD values of orientin, isorientin, vitexin and isovitexin were 103.2%, 2.1%; 101.6%, 2.7%; 98.4%, 2.3%; 99.2%, 1.8%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe HPLC method is simple, sensitive and reliable, and can be used for the quality control of the medicinal material.

Apigenin ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Flavonoids ; chemistry ; Glucosides ; chemistry ; Glycosides ; chemistry ; Poaceae ; chemistry ; Reproducibility of Results

Chemical investigation of Imperata cylindrica led to the isolation of thirteen compounds using various chromatographic techniques. The structure of these compounds were identified as: three phenylpropanoids, 1-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)-1,2,3-propanetriol ( 1 ), 1-O-p-coumaroylglycerol (2), 4-methoxy-5-methyl coumarin-7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (3); four organic acids, 4-hydroxybenzene carboxylic acid(4), 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (5), vanillic acid (6), 3, 4-dihydroxybutyric acid (7); one phenolic compound, salicin (8); and five triterpenes, namely, arundoin (9), cylindrin (10), fernenol (11), simiarenol (12), glutinone (13) by their physicochemical properties and spectral data analysis. Among them, compounds 1-8 were isolated from the genus Imperata for the first time.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Hydroxybenzoates ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Structure ; Poaceae ; chemistry ; Triterpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Vanillic Acid ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

Biomineralization of Si by plants into phytolith formation and precipitation of Si into clays during weathering are two important processes of silicon's biogeochemical cycle. As a silicon-accumulating plant, the widely distributed and woody Phyllostachys heterocycla var. pubescens (moso bamboo) contributes to storing silicon by biomineralization and, thus, prevents eutrophication of nearby waterbodies through silicon's erosion of soil particles.A study on the organic pool and biological cycle of silicon (Si) of the moso bamboo community was conducted in Wuyishan Biosphere Reserve, China. The results showed that: (1) the standing crop of the moso bamboo community was 13355.4 g/m2, of which 53.61%, 45.82% and 0.56% are represented by the aboveground and belowground parts of moso bamboos, and the understory plants, respectively; (2) the annual net primary production of the community was 2887.1 g/(m2 x a), among which the aboveground part, belowground part, litterfalls, and other fractions, accounted for 55.86%, 35.30%, 4.50% and 4.34%, respectively; (3) silicon concentration in stem, branch, leaf, base of stem, root, whip of bamboos, and other plants was 0.15%, 0.79%, 3.10%, 4.40%, 7.32%, 1.52% and 1.01%, respectively; (4) the total Si accumulated in the standing crop of moso bamboo community was 448.91 g/m2, with 99.83% of Si of the total community stored in moso bamboo populations; (5) within moso bamboo community, the annual uptake, retention, and return of Si were 95.75, 68.43, 27.32 g/(m2 x a), respectively; (6) the turnover time of Si, which is the time an average atom of Si remains in the soil before it is recycled into the trees or shrubs, was 16.4 years; (7) the enrichment ratio of Si in the moso bamboo community, which is the ratio of the mean concentration of nutrients in the net primary production to the mean concentration of nutrients in the biomass of a community, was 0.64; and lastly, (8) moso bamboo plants stored about 1.26x10(10) kg of silicon in the organic pool made up by the moso bamboo forests in the subtropical area of China.
Biological Transport ; Biomass ; China ; Ecosystem ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Plant Stems ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Poaceae ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Silicon ; analysis ; metabolism

Isolation and purification of chemical constituents from solid culture of endophyte Chaetomium globosum in Imperata cylindrical was performed through silica gel column chromatography, gel filtration over Sephadex LH-20 and preparative HPLC. Nine compounds were obtained and their structures were determined as chaetoglobosin F(1), chaetoglobosin Fex(2), chaetoglobosin E(3) cytoglobosin A(4), penochalasin C(S), isochaetoglobosin D (6), N-benzoylphenylalaninyl-N-benzoyphenylalaninate(7), uracil(8) and 5-methyluracil(9), respectively, based on HR-MS and NMR data and comparison with literatures. Compound 7 was isolated from Chaeeomium sp. for the first time. In vitro cytotoxicity of compounds was evaluated using MTT mothed and 1,3,4 and 5 showed inhibition activity to the human cervical carcinoma cell HeLa with IC50 values of 99.43, 23.77, 97.92, 86.25 micromol x L(-1), while positive cotolocisnin Ad apno1ch alse IC50 24.33 micromol x L(-1).
Biological Factors ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Cell Line ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Chaetomium ; chemistry ; Endophytes ; chemistry ; Humans ; Molecular Structure ; Poaceae ; microbiology ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

The tuberous roots of Aconitum carmichaeli are largely used in traditional Chinese medicine and widely grown in Jiangyou, Sichuan, China. During the growth process, this medicinal plant releases a large amount of allelochemicals into soil, which retard the growth and development of near and late crops. Therefore, a pure culture experiment was thus carried out by seed soaking to study the allelopathic effects of extracts from tuberous roots of A. carmichaeli (ETR) on the seed germination and young seedling growth of Lolium perenne, Trifolium repens, and Medicago sativa, the late pasture grasses after cultivation of A. carmichaeli. The results showed that three pasture grasses varied significantly in seed germination and young seedling growth in response to ETR concentrations. Seed germination of M. sativa was stimulated by low ERT concentration (0.01 x g(-1)), while all of pasture grass seeds germinated poorly in solution with 1.00 g x L(-1). Seed soaking with 1.00 g x L(-1) also inhibited significantly the growth of pasture young seedlings, with M. sativa showing the highest seedling height reduction of 42.05% in seeding height, followed by T. repens (40.21%) and L. perenne with about 11%. Cultivation of L. perenne could thus be beneficial to increase whole land productivity in A. carmichaeli-pasture grass cropping systems. In addition, hydrolysis of protein, starch, and inositol phosphates was blocked and free amino acids, soluble sugars and phosphorus were decreased in seeds by seed soaking with ETR, which could be one of the reason for the inhibition of seed germination. There was a significant reduction in root vigor, nitrate reductase, and chlorophyll after the seed treatment with ETR, indicating the suppression of nutrient uptake, nitrate assimilation, and photosynthesis by allelopathic chemicals in ETR, which could lead to the slow growth rate of pasture grass seedlings.
Aconitum ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Allelopathy ; China ; Pheromones ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Plant Extracts ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Poaceae ; drug effects ; growth & development

OBJECTIVETo confirm the medicinal plants of Gramineae and their distribution in Guiyang city.

METHODThrough field investigations and comparing the collected speciments and literatures, the geographical distribution and functions of the medicinal species were investigated.

RESULT24 new medicinal species of Gramineae were found in Guizhou, while 5 species were absent in Guizhou. And 1 was first recorded for medicinal uses, 3 species newly added, and the latin name of 1 species was corrected.

CONCLUSIONThere are 72 medicinal species and 4 varieties in Guiyang.

China ; Conservation of Natural Resources ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; therapeutic use ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Pharmacognosy ; Phytotherapy ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; classification ; Poaceae ; chemistry ; classification