The present study established the ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS) method for simultaneous determination of the content of eight major active components in Caesalpinia decapetala and performed the quality evaluation of C. decapetala from different habitats with the chemical pattern recognition. The analysis was carried out on a Waters BEH C_(18) column(2.1 mm×100 mm, 1.7 μm) at 40 ℃, with the mobile phase of water containing 0.1% formic acid(A) and acetonitrile containing 0.1% formic acid under gradient elution, the flow rate of 0.3 mL·min~(-1), and the injection volume of 1 μL. The electrospray ionization(ESI) source in the negative mode and multiple reaction monitoring(MRM) were used for MS quantitative analysis. The content results were analyzed by the hierarchical cluster analysis(HCA) and principal component analysis(PCA) for the evaluation of the quality difference. Eight components showed good linear relationships within their respective concentration ranges(r>0.999), with the average recoveries of 96.85%-103.4% and RSD of 0.52%-2.8%. The analysis results showed that the quality of samples from different batches was different. The samples were classified into three clusters by HCA and PCA. The method is simple, sensitive, accurate, and efficient, and can be used for the quality evaluation of C. decapetala.
Caesalpinia ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Principal Component Analysis ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry

The present study investigated the chemical constituents of Caesalpinia decapetala in the Fabaceae family. The chemical constituents were isolated and purified by chromatographies with silica gel, RP-C_(18), Sephadex LH-20, and preparative HPLC, and their structures were determined based on the spectroscopic data and physicochemical properties, as well as relevant references. Three pairs of new dibenzoxocin derivatives were isolated from 70% ethanol extract of C. decapetala and identified as protosappanoside A(1 a), isoprotosappanoside A(1 b), protosappanoside B(2 a), isoprotosappanoside B(2 b), protosappanoside C(3 a), and isoprotosappanoside C(3 b), respectively.
Caesalpinia ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Ethanol ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Extracts

Caesalpinia sappan L., belonging to the family Leguminosae, is a medicinal plant that is distributed in Southeast Asia. The dried heartwood of this plant is used as a traditional ingredient of food, red dyes, and folk medicines in the treatment of diarrhea, dysentery, tuberculosis, skin infections, and inflammation. Brazilin is the major active compound, which has exhibited various pharmacological effects, including anti-platelet activity, anti-hepatotoxicity, induction of immunological tolerance, and anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. The present study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant activity and expression of antioxidant enzymes of C. sappan L. extract and its major compound, brazilin, in human epidermal keratinocytes exposed to UVA irradiation. Our results indicated that C. sappan L. extract reduced UVA-induced HO production via GPX7 activation. Moreover, brazilin exhibited antioxidant effects that were similar to those of C. sappan L. via glutathione peroxidase 7 (GPX7), suggesting that C. sappan L. extract and its natural compound represent potential treatments for oxidative stress-induced photoaging of skin.
Antioxidants ; pharmacology ; Benzopyrans ; pharmacology ; Caesalpinia ; chemistry ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; toxicity ; Keratinocytes ; cytology ; drug effects ; enzymology ; radiation effects ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Peroxidases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Protective Agents ; pharmacology ; Ultraviolet Rays

Brazilein is an active small molecular compound extracted from Caesalpinia sappan L. with favorable pharmacological properties on immune system, cardiovascular system, and nervous system. C. sappan has been used as a traditional medicine in China for hundreds of years for various diseases. However, the general reproductive toxicity of brazilein is still unknown. The purpose of the present study was to thoroughly evaluate the general reproductive toxicity of brazilein in ICR mice to support the future drug development and modernization of this potent traditional Chinese medicine. The results showed that, although no apparent toxicity on the reproducibility of the male was observed, brazilein might cause considerable risks to the fetuses and females as indicated by the ratios of dead fetuses and reabsorptions. In conclusion, our results from the present study provided some useful insights about the safety profile of brazilein, suggesting that brazilein should be used with caution in pregnant women.
Animals ; Benzopyrans ; toxicity ; Caesalpinia ; toxicity ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; toxicity ; Female ; Indenes ; toxicity ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Pregnancy ; Reproduction ; drug effects

Fifteen cassaen-type diterpenes were isolated from the 95% ethanolic extract of the seeds of C. minax through various chromatographic techniques. Their structures were identified on the basis of spectroscopic data as pulcherralpin (1), caesalpinin ML (2), chamaetexane C (3), chamaetexane D (4), 6β, 18-diacetoxycassan-13, 15-diene (5), neocaesalpin K (6), neocaesalpin MP (7), neocaesalpin M (8), neocaesalpin Q (9), neocaesalpin P (10), neocaesalpin R (11), caesaldekarin D (12), caesaldekarin A (13), caesaldekarin b (14), 3β,6α-diacetoxyvouacapane (15). Among them, compounds 14, 9-11 were isolated from this plant for the first time.
Caesalpinia ; chemistry ; Diterpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Molecular Structure ; Seeds ; chemistry ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

AIM: To investigate the active constituents of Lignum Sappan (Caesalpinia sappan L.) on growth-related signaling and cell mitosis. METHOD: The influence of the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) extract of Lignum Sappan and its constituents on growth-related signaling were evaluated by a luciferase assay in cells stably-transfected with NF-κB, STAT1, or STAT3 responsive luciferase reporter plasmid. The inhibitory effect on the cell cycle was determined by flow cytometric analysis. The anti-tumor activities were assessed in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: The EtOAc extract of Lignum Sappan had inhibitory activities on growth-related signaling and cell mitosis. Three major active compounds were sappanchalcone, brazilin, and butein. Sappanchalcone blocked cell cycle progression in the G2/M phase, brazilin inhibited TNFα/NF-κB signaling, while butein inhibited IL-6/STAT3 signaling, as well as TNFα/NF-κB signaling. The three compounds all demonstrated cytotoxic activities against human tumor cells in vitro. In a S180 tumor cell-bearing mice model, the anti-tumor efficacy of the EtOAc extract was better than the individual compounds acting alone. CONCLUSION These results indicate that Lignum Sappan contains multiple active compounds with different antitumor activities, which act synergistically to enhance their anti-tumor effects. The EtOAc extract of Lignum Sappan may be better than individual active constituent as a novel medicine for the treatment of cancer.
Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Benzopyrans ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Caesalpinia ; Cell Cycle Checkpoints ; drug effects ; Chalcones ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mitosis ; drug effects ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Phytotherapy ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; STAT3 Transcription Factor ; metabolism ; Sarcoma ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the pharmacokinetic effect of Sappan Lignum on hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) in Carthami Flos.

METHODConcentration of HSYA in rat plasma was detected by RP-HPLC after rats were orally administered with extracts of Carthami Flos or Carthami Flos combined with Sappan Lignum. Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by DAS 2.0 pharmacokinetic software.

RESULTIn vivo pharmacokinetic models of HSYA were two-compartment open models in both of the Carthami Flos group and the Carthami Flos combined with Sappan Lignum group. After compatibility, HSYA showed a significant lower in apparent volumes of distribution of t(1/2Ka), t(1/2alpha) and V1/F, with slight advance in T(max).

CONCLUSIONSappan Lignum can accelerate absorption, distribution and metabolic process of HSYA in vivo and reduce its accumulation in vivo.

Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Caesalpinia ; chemistry ; Carthamus tinctorius ; chemistry ; Chalcone ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drug Synergism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Female ; Flowers ; chemistry ; Male ; Quinones ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms ; Wood ; chemistry

Fifteen compounds were obtained from the twigs and leaves of Caesalpinia minax. Their structures were identified as apigenin (1), 5,7,3',4'- tetrahydroxy-3-methoxyflavone (2), luteolin-5, 3 '-dimethyl-ether (3), thevetiaflavon (4), apigenin-7-O-beta-D-glucuronide (5), bonducellin (6), 7-hydroxy-3-( 4-hydroxybenzylidene )-chroman-4-one (7), 3-deoxysappanchalcone (8), 5-acetonyl-7-hydroxy-2-methyl chromone (9), 4-(trans)-acetyl-3,6,8-trihydroxy-3-methyl-dihydronaphthalenone (10), 4-(cis)-acetyl-3,6,8-trihydroxy-3-methyl-dihydronaphthalenone (11), vanillic acid (12), omega-hydroxypropioquaiacone (13), syringaresinol (14) and uracil (15). All compounds were isolated from C. minax for the first time. Compounds 1-14 were phenolic compounds and compounds 1-5, 9-13 and 15 were isolated from the genus Caesalpinia for the first time.
Caesalpinia ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Molecular Structure ; Phenols ; chemistry ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry

To study chemical constituents contained in roots of Caesalpinia millettii by HPLC. Six homoisoflavonoids were identified by spectroscopic data and physicochemical property as eucomin (1), intricatinol (2), 8-methoxybonducellin (3), bonducellin (4), 8-methoxyisobonducellin (5) and 3-(4-methoxybenzyl) -5, 7-dimethoxychroman-4-one (6). All compounds were separated from the root of this genus for the first time. An antibacterial screening was made on eight monomeric compounds. Among them, 8-methoxyisobonducellin, intricatinol, bergenin, hyperoside and 11-O-galloylbergenin showed a inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella Peneumoniae, Beta streptococcus and Aeruginosus bacillus.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; analysis ; Caesalpinia ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Isoflavones ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Plant Roots ; chemistry

Caesalpinia sappan (C. sappan) is a medicinal plant used for promoting blood circulation and removing stasis. During a screening procedure on medicinal plants, the ethylacetate extract of the lignum of C. sappan (CLE) showed inhibitory activity on arginase which has recently been reported as a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis. CLE inhibited arginase II activity prepared from kidney lysate in a dose-dependent manner. In HUVECs, inhibition of arginase activity by CLE reciprocally increased NOx production through enhancement of eNOS dimer stability without any significant changes in the protein levels of eNOS and arginase II expression. Furthermore, CLE-dependent arginase inhibition resulted in increase of NO generation and decrease of superoxide production on endothelium of isolated mice aorta. These results indicate that CLE augments NO production on endothelium through inhibition of arginase activity, and may imply their usefulness for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases associated with endothelial dysfunction.
Animals ; Aorta ; Arginase ; Atherosclerosis ; Blood Circulation ; Caesalpinia ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Endothelium ; Kidney ; Mass Screening ; Mice ; Nitric Oxide ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; Plants, Medicinal ; Superoxides