The genus Myristica (Myristicaceae) consists of 120 species, which were distributed in South Asia, from west Polynesia, Oceania, eastern India to the Philippines. Phytochemical studies showed that 164 compounds including a majority of lignans, along with phenglpropanoids, flavonoids and phenolics, have been isolated from this genus, which exhibited anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, hyperglycemic and hepatic protective activities. This article summarizes research progress of the chemical compositions and their pharmacological activities from this genus, which could provide reference for the in-depth development and utilization of the Myristica plants.
Animals ; Drug Therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Myristicaceae ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

China ; Occupational Health Services ; Pilot Projects

AIM: To study the effect of sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) on the increase in microvessel permeability induced by platelet activating factor (PAF). METHODS: The microvessel permeability was assessed by measuring hydraulic conductivity (Lp). To observe the effect of S1P and PAF on vascular endothelial-cadherin (VE-Cadherin), the microvessels were stained with immunofluorescence and examined by laser confocal microscopy. RESULTS: After giving PAF at concentration of 10 nmol/L, the Lp value of rat mesentery microvessel was significantly increased. However, after pretreatment with S1P, PAF did not give rise to a further significant change. The effect of PAF on microvascular endothelial cells could be seen: the formation of endothelial gap was induced, the microvascular fluorescence intensity significantly increased, a large number of fluorescent microspheres (FMs) distributed in the space among the endothelial cells. However, after pretreated with S1P, no obvious gap opening and the FMs accumulation were observed. Compared to normal control, no significant difference of the microvascular fluorescence intensity was found. CONCLUSION: PAF changes the structure of VE-Cadherin, leading to detachment of adherent junction, formation of intercellular gaps, which contributes to the increase in the permeability. S1P improves the increase in the microvessel permeability caused by PAF, which might be mediated by strengthening adherent junction and inhibiting the formation of endothelial gaps.

AIM: To evaluate the preservation of anterior capsule during vitrectomy and lensectomy.ment (RD) and grade C proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR)underwent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) and pars plana lensectomy (PPL) with preservation and polishing of the anterior capsule. Of the 15 eyes, 4 eyes had giant tear, 3 had recurrent rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD), 2 had diabetic retinopathy. Totally 6 eyes had gas and 9 had silicone oil tamponade. The surgeries were evaluated according to the visual acuity (VA) and the postoperative complications during the follow-up of at least 3 months.in all eyes, improved by 3± 3 lines overall. Eight eyes were implanted posterior chamber intraocular lens (PCIOL) successfully at 2-3 months after operation, including 6 having gas and 2 having silicone oil tamponade. No eyes had central anterior capsule opacity, corneal decompensation, puplillary block, retina redetachment or other complications.an intact anterior capsule in eyes with RD and PVR. Preserving the anterior capsule can help preventing intraoperative and postoperative complications of gas or silicone oil, simplify future PCIOL placement, and maintaining a normal iris appearance.

OBJECTIVETo analyze and compare the volatile constituents from M. biondii and M. liliflora.

METHODThe volatile constituents were extracted by head-space solid-phase microextraction, and analyzed by GC-MS.

RESULTSeventy two constituents were identified from M. biondii and M. liliflora, the content of the 25 constituents in both samples were similar, while the kinds of the constituents were obviously different.

CONCLUSIONThe volatile constituents were different between M. biondii and M. liliflora.

Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Magnolia ; chemistry ; Solid Phase Microextraction ; Volatilization

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents of Securidaca inappendiculata.

METHODColumn chromatographic techniques were applied to isolate constituents. A combination of MS and NMR spectroscopy was used to identify structures of constituents.

RESULTSeven compounds were isolated from the CHCl3 fraction and their structures were elucidated as 3, 4-dihydroxybezoic acid (1), 3-hydroxy-4-methoxylbenzoic acid (2), coniferaldehyde (3), 7-hydroxy-1, 2, 3, 8-tetrame thoxyxanthone (4), 1, 3, 8-trihydroxy-4-methoxyxanthone (5), 1, 3, 8-trihydroxy-2-methoxyxanth-one (6), 1, 3, 6-trihydroxy-2,7-dimethoxyxanthone (7).

CONCLUSIONCompounds 1-6 were isolated for the first time from the genus. The antioxidant activities of compounds 3-6 were assayed by the method of DPPH and compound 3 showed the IC50 value of 4.14 microg x mL(-1).

Antioxidants ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Rhizome ; chemistry ; Securidaca ; chemistry ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

In order to established a method for simultaneous determination of isoquercitrin, astragaline, quercetin and kaempferol in Lysimachia clethroides, the ionic liquid 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([HMIM]PF6) methanol was used as the ultrasound-assisted extraction solvent combing with RP-HPLC. A Purospher star RP-C1 column was used with the mobile phase of aceto- nitrile, methanol and 0. 4% phosphate acid by gradient elution at the detection wavelength of 360 nm. The flow rate was 0.7 mL x min(-1), and the column temperature was the room temperature. Under the optimized conditions, the linear ranges were 2.54 x 10(-2)-2. 54, 2.50 x 10(-2)- 2.50, 1.54 x 10(-3)-0.154, 1.49 x 10(-3)-0.149 microg for isoquercitrin, astragaline, quercetin and kaempferol, respectively. The average recoveries of the four constituents were 101.1%, 98.90%, 101.0%, 101.6%, respectively. The method was green, simple, rapid and accurate, and provided a valid method for analysis of isoquercitrin, astragaline, quercetin and kaempferol in L. clethroides.
Chemical Fractionation ; instrumentation ; methods ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Flavonoids ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Ionic Liquids ; chemistry ; Primulaceae ; chemistry

Plants in Ainsliaea genus, belongs to Compositae family, are traditional Chinese medicine and widely used in folk. These plants contain various types of chemical components, and main components are sesquiterpene lactone and its glycosides. In addition, there are triterpenoids, flavonoids, steroids, phenolic acid, long chain fatty acid and volatile oils. Recently, much attention has been payed to varlous research of A. fragrans. This paper reviewed and summarized the chemical components to provide the theoretical basis for the use of Ainsliaea.
Asteraceae ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Molecular Structure

OBJECTIVETo study the inhibitory activity of Aeschynanthus maculatus on alpha-glucosidase.

METHODThe inhibilitory model of in vitro alpha-glucosidase was established. Active extracts of A. maculatus were isolated and identified bymultiple chromatographic methods, and their molecular structures were identifiied by spectral techniques.

RESULTSeven coumpounts were isolated from A. maculatus and isolated as lupeol(1), stigmasterol(2), ursolic acid(3), stigmast-5,22(E)-diene-3beta-ol(4), beta-daucosterol(5), 3-hydroxy-12-taraxasten-28-oic-acid(6) and oleanic acid(7). Compounds 1 (IC50 25.41 mg x L(-1)),3(IC0 4.42 mg L(-1)),4(IC50 11.50 mg x L(-1)),6(IC50 14.17 mg x L(-1)) and 7(IC50 2.88 mg x L(-1)) had higher inhibitory activities than that of acarbose (IC50 1103.01 mg x L(-1)) as the positive control drug.

CONCLUSIONCompound 1-7 were isolated from this plant for the first time. Compound 6 was isolated from Gesneriaceae family for the first time. Compound 7 was isolated from Aeschynanthus genus for the first time.

Enzyme Inhibitors ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Ferns ; chemistry ; Glycoside Hydrolase Inhibitors ; Plant Exudates ; chemistry ; pharmacology

Aim To investigate the protective effects of nicorandil, glutamine and metoprolol used in single and combination on the antiapoptosis ability of cardio-cytes and the expression of HSP70 after myocardial is-chemia/reperfusion injury in rats. Methods Male Wistar rats were divided randomly into seven groups:( 1 ) Sham group:in which the coronary artery was not roped;(2) I/R group:in which only 30 min ischemia and 120 min reperfusion of LAD was executed; ( 3 ) Nicorandil group; ( 4 ) Glutamine group; ( 5 ) Meto-prolol group; ( 6 ) Nic + Glu + Met ( NGM ) group;(7) low dose of Nic+Glu+Met ( NGML) group. In the pharmacological precondition groups, correspond-ing drugs were administered 30 min before I/R proto-col, and the initial drug dose in each group was 1 mg ·kg-1 . Myocardial apoptotic rates were measured with TUNEL ( terminal dexynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling) , and the expression of apop-tosis related proteins-Bcl-2/Bax and protective pro-tein-HSP70 was detected by Western blot. ResultsIn I/R group, the apoptotic rate in ischemic region was very high ( 36.9% ± 10.3%) , and Bcl-2/Bax was very low ( 0.14 ±0.08 ) . Compared with I/R group, the apoptotic rate of pharmacological precondition groups was decreased significantly ( P <0.01 ) , and the ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax was raised ( P<0.01 ) . Com-pared with Sham group, the expression of HSP70 in-creased significantly ( P<0.01 ) in I/R group. Com-pared with IR group, the expression of HSP70 of phar-macological precondition groups was elevated ( P <0.01 ) , and the expression in NGM group was higher than in the single drug group ( P<0.01 ) . Conclusion Compared with single therapy after I/R in rat, the combination therapy of nicorandil, glutamine, meto-prolol can decrease the apoptotic rate, and the expres-sion of apoptosis related proteins is developed. In the mean time, the expression of protective protein HSP70 is elevated.