OBJECTIVETo investigate the chemical constituents of Saussurea laniceps.

METHODThe ethanol extract of S. laniceps was separated by means of silica gel chromatography. The compounds isolated from the plant were identified by their spectral evidence.

RESULTFifteen compounds were isolated and identified as beta-stiosterol (1), umbelliferone (2), 4-hydroxyacetophenone (3), scopoletin (4), isoscopoletin (5), xuelianlactone (6), methyl 3-(2', 4'-dihydroxyphenyl) propanoate (7), apigenin (8), neoechinulin A (9), daucosterol (10), scopolin (11), xuelianlactone 8-O-beta-D-glcuoside (12), apigenin 7-glcuoside (13), apigenin 7-lutinoside (14) and syringin (15).

CONCLUSIONCompounds 5-15 were isolated from S. laniceps, and among them, 7 and 9 were isolated from genus Saussurea for the first time.

Apigenin ; chemistry ; Coumarins ; chemistry ; Glucosides ; chemistry ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Phenylpropionates ; chemistry ; Phorbols ; chemistry ; Saussurea ; chemistry ; Scopoletin ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; Sesquiterpenes ; chemistry ; Umbelliferones ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo investigate the chemical constituents from the leaves of Vaccinium bracteatum.

METHODMany column chromatographic techniques were used for the isolation and separation of chemical constituents. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral analysis and chemical evidences.

RESULTTwelve compounds were isolated from the plant, and they were identified as chrysoeriol (1), scopoletin (2), trans-p-hydroxycinnamic acid (3), trans-p-hydroxycinnamic acid ethyl ester (4), cafeic acid ethyl ester (5), beta-sitosterol (6), iuteolin (7), quercetin (8), esculetin (9), cafeic acid (10), isolariciresinol-9-O-beta-D-xyloside (11), 10-O-trans-p-coumaroylsandoside (12).

CONCLUSIONCompounds 4, 5, 11, 12 were isolated from the genus Vaccinium for the first time, and compounds 1, 2, 9, 10 were isolated from this plant for the first time.

Coumaric Acids ; chemistry ; Flavones ; Flavonoids ; chemistry ; Furans ; chemistry ; Glycosides ; chemistry ; Lignin ; chemistry ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Scopoletin ; chemistry ; Sitosterols ; chemistry ; Umbelliferones ; chemistry ; Vaccinium ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo investigate the chemical constituents from the branch of Fraxinus sieboldiana, and evaluate their antioxidative activity.

METHODThe chemical constituents were isolated and purified by chromatographic techniques over silica gel, macroporous adsorbent resin, Sephadex LH-20, and preparative HPLC. Structures of the compounds were identified by spectroscopic methods. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by Fe(+2)-cystine induced rat liver microsomal lipid peroxidation.

RESULTEight coumarins were obtained and their structures were elucidated as esculin (1) , esculetin (2), fraxin (3), fraxetin (4), 6, 7-di-O-beta-D-glucopyranosylesculetin (5), scopoletin (6), cleomiscosin D (7) and cleomiscosin B (8). At a concentration of 10(-6) mol x L(-1), compound 4 showed antioxidative activity inhibiting Fe(+2)-cystine induced rat liver microsomal lipid peroxidation with inhibitory rate of 60%.

CONCLUSIONCompounds 5, 7 and 8 were obtained from the genus Fraxinus for the first time. Compound 4 showed remarkable antioxidative activity, which was higher than that of VE (35%).

Animals ; Antioxidants ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Coumarins ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Fraxinus ; chemistry ; Lipid Peroxidation ; drug effects ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Microsomes, Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Rats ; Scopoletin ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization ; Umbelliferones ; chemistry ; pharmacology

To study chemical constituents of Eupatorium lindleyanum. Ethyl acetate extractive fractions were separated with silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 by column chromatography, and their structures were identified on the basis of spectroscopic analysis and chemical evidence. Sixteen compounds were separated and identified as scopoletin (1), 6, 7-dimethylesculetin (2), nepetin (3), eupatrin (4), luteolin (5), isoquerecitrin (6), jaceosidin (7), quceritin (8), kaempferol (9), rutin (10), cirsiliol (11), taraxasterylacetate (12), pseudotaraxasteryl acetate (13), pseudotaraxasterol (14), butanoic acid (15) and n-hexadecanoic acid (16). Of them, compounds 1-6 and 11, 13 and 15 were separated from this plant for the first time.
Acetates ; chemistry ; Butyric Acid ; chemistry ; Eupatorium ; chemistry ; Flavones ; chemistry ; Flavonoids ; chemistry ; Kaempferols ; chemistry ; Luteolin ; chemistry ; Palmitic Acid ; chemistry ; Quercetin ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; Rutin ; chemistry ; Scopoletin ; chemistry ; Sterols ; chemistry ; Triterpenes ; chemistry ; Umbelliferones ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents of Artemisia rupestris.

METHODThe chemical constituents were isolated by column chromatography on silical gel and sephadex LH - 20. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral analysis.

RESULT8 compounds have isolated from this plant, and the structures of them have identified as rupestonic acid (1), chrysosplenetin B (2), artemetin (3), herniarin (4), isokaempferide (5), vanillic acid (6), kaempferol 3, 3', 4'-trimethyl ether (7) and ermanine (8).

CONCLUSIONCompounds 2-8 have been isolated from this plant for the first time.

Artemisia ; chemistry ; Flavonoids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Umbelliferones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

The root of Peucedanum harry-smithii var. subglabrum was extracted with methanol, then separated with solvents at different polarity into four fractions: aqueous (H2O), ethyl acetate (AcOEt), chloroform (CHCl3) and petroleum ether (DAB-6). From AcOEt psoralen, bargapten, xanthotoxin, marmesin, umbelliferone, scopoletin, (+/-) peuformosin, Pd-I b, (+/-) selinidin, praeruptorin D were isolated by column chromatography on silica gel, using petroleum ether/ethyl acetate as eluent. The structures of the coumarins were identified by 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR.
Apiaceae ; chemistry ; Coumarins ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; methods ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Umbelliferones ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo screen the antimalarial compounds of daphnetin derivatives against Plasmodium falciparum in vitro.

METHODPlasmodium faciparum (FCC1) was cultured in vitro by a modified method of Trager and Jensen. Antimalarial compounds were screened by microscopy-based assay and microfluorimetric method.

RESULTSDA79 and DA78 showed potent antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum cultured in vitro.

CONCLUSIONThough the relationship between the structures of daphnetin derivatives and their antimalarial activities has not been clarified yet, this study may provide a new direction for discovery of more potential antimalarial compounds.

Animals ; Antimalarials ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; Plasmodium falciparum ; drug effects ; Umbelliferones ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents of the roots of Ferula sinkiangensis.

METHODCompounds were isolated by repeated chromatography on silica gel. Their structures were elucidated by chemical and spectroscopic methods.

RESULTSeven compounds were identified as fekrynol (1), fekolone (2), farnesiferol B (3), isosamarcandin (4), episamarcandin (5), farnesiferol C (6), umbelliferone (7).

CONCLUSIONAll the compounds were obtained from this plant for the first time.

Ferula ; chemistry ; Molecular Structure ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Sesquiterpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Umbelliferones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

Recently, loss of endogenous glutathione during N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-mediated excitotoxic injury, and the resultant overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) through an arachidonic acid cascade process in brain, have been implicated in neuronal damage in various neurodegenerative diseases. Glutathione depletion induced by L-buthionine-(S,R)-sulfoximine (BSO), an inhibitor of glutathione synthesis, is known to cause arachidonic acid-mediated excitotoxicity in primary mixed cortical cultures. The aim of this study was to investigate whether esculetin (6,7-dihydroxycoumarin), an inhibitor of lipoxygenase, protects against neurotoxicity induced by NMDA or BSO. We observed that neurotoxicity induced by NMDA but not kainic acid was attenuated by esculetin. At the same concentration (100 microM), esculetin attenuated the 45Ca2+ uptake elevation induced by NMDA. Free radical-mediated neuronal injury induced by H2O2 and xanthine/xanthine oxidase was concentration-dependently blocked by esculetin. Esculetin (1-30 microM) dose-dependently inhibited BSO-induced neuronal injury. In addition, arachidonate-induced neurotoxicity was completely blocked by esculetin. BSO also reduced glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity, but did not change glutathione reductase (GR) activity 24 h after treatment. Esculetin dose-dependently increased GR activity, but did not alter GPx activity. These findings suggest that esculetin can contribute to the rescue of neuronal cells from NMDA neurotoxicity and that this protective effect occurs partly through NMDA receptor modulation and the sparing of glutathione depletion.
Arachidonic Acid ; Brain ; Glutathione ; Glutathione Reductase ; Kainic Acid ; Lipoxygenase ; N-Methylaspartate ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; Neurons ; Oxidoreductases ; Peroxidase ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Umbelliferones

BACKGROUNDAlthough there are several drugs and drug combinations for the treatment of Pneumocystis carinii (P. carinii) pneumonia, all drugs have the toxicity as well as low efficacy. Iron chelators have been proposed as a source of new drugs for combating these infections. We hypothesized that iron chelators would suppress the growth of P. carinii by deprivation of the nutritional iron required for growth. In this study, a short-term axenic culture system of P. carinii was established. Daphnetin (7,8-dihydroxycoumarin), a known iron chelator, was demonstrated to exhibit in vitro activity against P. carinii in this system.

METHODSP. carinii organisms were obtained from the lungs of immunosuppressed rats. The culture system consisted of Iscove Dulbecco Eagle's Minimum Essential Medium (IMDM), supplemented with S-adenosyl-L-methionine, N-acetylglucosamine, putrescine, L-cysteine, L-glutamine, 2-mercaptoethanol, and fetal bovine serum, and was maintained at 37 degrees C, in 5% CO(2), 95% O(2), at the optimal pH of 8.0. The culture system was used to assess the effect of daphnetin on the proliferation of P. carinii organisms. The ultrastructures of the treated organisms were observed by transmission electron microscopy.

RESULTSThe number of cysts and trophozoites increased 8- to 9-fold and 11- to 12-fold, respectively, after 10 days of culture. Daphnetin was found to suppress the growth of P. carinii in a dose-dependent manner at concentrations between 1 micromol/L and 20 micromol/L. The inhibitory activity was suppressed by the chelation of daphnetin with ferrous sulfate in a 2:1 molar ratio, but it was not suppressed by mixing the culture medium with magnesium sulfate. Reduction of P. carinii numbers after treatment with daphnetin correlated with morphological changes in the organisms, as determined by transmission electron microscopy.

CONCLUSIONSDaphnetin can suppress the growth of P. carinii in vitro. The efficacy of daphnetin in suppressing the the growth of P. carinii in vitro is related to its ability to chelate iron.

Iron ; physiology ; Iron Chelating Agents ; pharmacology ; Microscopy, Electron ; Pneumocystis carinii ; drug effects ; growth & development ; ultrastructure ; Umbelliferones ; pharmacology