A new isobenzoisofuran(1) has been isolated from the whole plant of Cassia pumila using various chromatographic techniques, including silica gel, Sephadex, MCI-gel resin, and RP-HPLC, and its structure was determined as 9-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2,2-dimethyl-2H-furo[3,4-g]chromen-6(8H)-one. This compound was also evaluated for its antibacterial activity. The results showed that it had prominent antibacterial activity with MIC_(90) value of(45.2±4.2) μg·mL~(-1) for methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) strain. This value was closed to that of levofloxacin [with MIC_(90) value(48.5±4.3) μg·mL~(-1)].
Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology* ; Benzofurans/pharmacology* ; Cassia/chemistry* ; Levofloxacin ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus/drug effects* ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Phytochemicals/pharmacology* ; Plants, Medicinal/chemistry*

The main chemical constituents of naphthopyrone reference extract( NRE) with definite content and relatively fixed chemical composition were analyzed and determined. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-LTQ-Orbitrap XL mass spectrometry and high performance liquid chromatography were used to systematically study NRE from the aspects of main chemical components and determination. The results showed that the chemical composition of naphthopyrone reference extract of Cassiae Semen was relatively fixed,and seven naphthalopyranones were identified. Cassiaside B_2,cassiaside C_2,rubrofusarin-6-O-β-D-gentiobioside and cassiaside C were the main chemical constituents of NRE,of which the determination and uncertainty results were( 11. 40+ 0. 26) %,( 11. 68+0. 24) %,( 16. 60+0. 22) %,( 28. 8+0. 48) %,respectively. This study contributed to the accurate evaluation of NRE and the foundation for the application of NRE in the quality control of Cassiae Semen,and provided a new idea for the replacement of single chemical reference substance by the reference extract of traditional Chinese medicine.
Cassia ; chemistry ; Certification ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; standards ; Mass Spectrometry ; Plant Extracts ; standards ; Quality Control ; Seeds ; chemistry

Cassiae Semen is a common traditional Chinese medicine, and contents of anthraquinones of Cassiae Semen different significantly from area to area. According to Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2010 edition), only contents of aurantio obtusin and chrysophanol were used to evaluate the quality of Cassiae Semen, another data could be added later. Ten batches of Cassiae Semen from different areas were determined, and total anthraquinones, total free anthraquinones and total combined anthraquinones contents were assessed by ultraviolet visible spectrophotometer, contents of aurantio obtusin, rhein, aloe emodin, emodin, chrysophanol and physcion were determined by HPLC. After that, principal components analysis was used to evaluate these data determined previous by dimension reduction analysis. At last, the result suggests that three main components were found out, it shows that content of aloe emodin could be used to evaluate the quality of Cassiae Semen as well as contents of aurantio obtusin and chrysophanol. And Cassiae Semen from Hebei province posseses higher quality than Cassiae Semen from other different areas. All these results can provide a good reference for quality evaluating of Cassiae Semen medicinal materials at a certain extent.
Anthraquinones ; analysis ; Cassia ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Principal Component Analysis

The dry seeds of Cassia obtusifolia were carried by the "ShenZhou 8" satellite and sowed after landing. Based on our pri- or study on SP1, the characteristics of plants growth, physiological index and content of effective components were examined. The results showed that the QC10, QC29 strains matured 5 d earlier compared with control. The plant height, across diameter and ground diameter of QC10, QC29, QC46 strains was superior to the control at whole growth period. The branch number increased ranging from 4 to 11 and the number of pods reached 321, 313,281, respectively, which was dramatically higher than the control (246). The yield of QC10, QC29, QC46 strains increased noticeably from 31.4 to 63.2 g. The 1000-seed-weight of QC10, QC29, QC46 strains was 25.86, 25.88, 24.06 g, while the control was 23.69 g. Compared to the control, the mass fraction of chlorophyll was enhanced 1.098, 1.016, 0.297 mg. There was no significant difference in aurantio-obtusin and chrysophanol content of seeds. Through two years research, three high-yield mutant strains were obtained. This study indicates that spaceflight-induced mutants could provide new germplasm for C. obtusifolia breeding and offers the theoretical basis for further utilization of spaceflight-induced mutation to breed high-quality C. obtusifolia strains.
Cassia ; chemistry ; genetics ; growth & development ; Mutation ; Space Flight

OBJECTIVETo evaluate aqueous and ethanol extract of Cassia didymobotrya leaves against immature stages of Culex quinquefasciatus.

METHODSThe mortality rate of immature mosquitoes was tested in wide and narrow range concentration of the plant extract based on WHO standard protocol. The wide range concentration tested in the present study was 10 000, 1 000, 100, 10 and 1 mg/L and narrow range concentration was 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 mg/L.

RESULTS2nd instar larvae exposed to 100 mg/L and above concentration of ethanol extract showed 100% mortality. Remaining stages such as 3rd, 4th and pupa, 100% mortality was observed at 1 000 mg/L and above concentration after 24 h exposure period. In aqueous extract all the stages 100% mortality was recorded at 1 000 mg/L and above concentration. In narrow range concentration 2nd instar larvae 100% mortality was observed at 150 mg/L and above concentration of ethanol extract. The remaining stages 100% mortality was recorded at 250 mg/L. In aqueous extract all the tested immature stages 100% mortality was observed at 250 mg/L concentration after 24 h exposure period. The results clearly indicate that the rate of mortality was based dose of the plant extract and stage of the mosquitoes.

CONCLUSIONSFrom this study it is confirmed and concluded that Cassia didymobotrya is having active principle which is responsible for controlling Culex quinquefasciatus. The isolation of bioactive molecules and development of simple formulation technique is important for large scale implementation.

Animals ; Cassia ; chemistry ; Culex ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Insecticides ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Lethal Dose 50 ; Life Cycle Stages ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo establish a HPLC method for the simultaneous determination of 4 major components in semen cassiae obtusifoline and provide valuable data for quality control of semen cassiae obtusifoline.

METHODKromasil 100-5 C18 column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm). Eluted with water: acetonitrile: tetramethylene oxide: glacial acetic acid (100: 23: 5:1). Detecte at 278 nm. The flow rate was 1.0 mL x min(-1).

RESULTFour compositions were separated well. Good linearies were obtained within the range of 0.274-1.37 microg, 0.153-0.765 microg, 0.302-1.51 microg and 0.052-0.26 microg for rubrofusarin gentiobioside, casside, aurantio-obtusin-6-O-beta-D- glucopyranoside, casside B respectively. The average recoveries were 100.9% (RSD 1.8%),101.2% (RSD 1.2%), 99.40% (RSD 2.2%), 100.5% (RSD 1.6%).

CONCLUSIONThe method is accurate, reliable and convenient. It can be used to control the quality of semen cassiae obtusifoline and its products.

Cassia ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Seeds ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of total anthraquinone in Cassiae Semen on lipid peroxidation and peroxisome proliferator activated receptors gamma (PPAR-gamma) expression in liver tissues of rats with alcoholic fatty liver.

METHODReferring to literature, it was established animal models of fatty liver feeding with alcohol. Rats were randomized into 6 groups, except the normal group, the other 5 groups of rats had been administered alcohol two times a day for 3 months. Rats were killed at the end of this experiment. It were respectively measured that the contents of ALT, AST, AKP, TG, TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, MDA, SOD, FFA in the serum and TG, TC, MDA, SOD, HL, LPL, FFA in the liver. The left leaf of liver was observed by histopathological staining, the immunohistochemical staining and RT-PCR were used to observe the effects on the expressions of PPAR-gamma mRNA.

RESULTCompared with the model group, total anthraquinone in Cassiae Semen could remarkably decrease the content of ALT, AST, TC, TG, MDA and increase the content of SOD in the serum of the experimental fatty liver induced by alcohol; remarkably decrease the content of TC, TG, FFA and increase the content of HL, LPL, SOD in the liver of the experimental fatty liver with induced by alcohol. Total anthraquinone in Cassiae Semen group was the similar the model group, but remarkably lighten inflammatory cell intiltration and fibrosis increasing. The RT-PCR and immunohistochemical staining results showed that: compared with the normal group,the model group could remarkably decrease the expression of PPAR-gamma mRNA in the liver (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, total anthraquinone in Cassiae Semen could remarkably increase the expression of PPAR-gamma mRNA in the liver of the experimental fatty liver (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe results showed that total anthraquinone in Cassiae Semen has good effects on the treatment of hepatic fat induced by alcohol diet in rats. the possible action mechanism of total anthraquinone in Cassiae Semen possess obvious effect of regulating the disorder of lipid metabolism, ameliorating hepatic function, as well as anti-lipidperoxidation, increasing the expression of PPAR-gamma in hepatic cells of rats.

Animals ; Anthraquinones ; chemistry ; therapeutic use ; Cassia ; chemistry ; Fatty Liver, Alcoholic ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lipid Peroxidation ; drug effects ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; PPAR gamma ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents of the roasted seeds of Cassia obtusifolia, and to illuminate the change of its effective components before and after being roasted.

METHODThe compounds were isolated and repeatedly purified by macroporous resin, silica gel column chromatography. Their structures were elucidated by physical and chemical properties and NMR data.

RESULTThree components were obtained from ethanol extract, and the structures were identified as nor-rubrofusarin-6-O-beta-D-(6'-O-acetyl) -glucopyranoside (1), 1-desmethyl- aurantio-obtusin-2-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2), obtusin (3).

CONCLUSIONCompounds 1 and 2 were isolated from the roasted seeds of C. obtusifolia for the first time, and compound 1 was a new compound.

Cassia ; chemistry ; Glycosides ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Hot Temperature ; Plant Extracts ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Seeds ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo investigate the chemical constituents of the roasted seeds of Cassia obtusifolia to illuminate the change of its effective components before and after roasted.

METHODCompounds were separated by silica gel chromatography, and their structures were evaluated by spectral analysis and chemical evidence.

RESULTSeven compounds were isolated from the ethanol extract. Their structures were identified as chrysophanol (1), physcion (2), 8-methoxylchrysophanol (3), beta-sitosterol (4), emodin (5), obtusin (6) and obtusifolin-2-O-beta-D-(6'-O-acetyl) glucopyranside (7).

CONCLUSIONCompounds 1-7 were isolated from the roasted seeds of C. obtusifolia for the first time, and compound 7 was a new compound.

Cassia ; chemistry ; Cooking ; Hot Temperature ; Organic Chemicals ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Seeds ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo observe the different effects of water soluble extracts from Cassia obtusifolia and processed C. obtusifolia on anti-oxidation and vasodilatation, and to explore the mechanism of eye-clearing effect.

METHODMice were randomly divided into three groups: normal control group, C. obtusifolia group and processed C. obtusifolia group. Ten male and 10 female mice were in each group. mice were given extracts orally 10 g (20 mL) crude drug/kg for one month, control group were given same volume water. Then the eyeball tissue was harvested to prepare homogenate to test SOD, MDA, LDH and NO. Blood was collected from posterior orbital venous plexus to test ET.

RESULTBoth two kinds of extracts could raise the activity of SOD and LDH, decrease the MDA level. Extracts from C. obtusifolia showed higher effects on above mentioned action. Both two kinds of extracts increased the ratio value of NO/ET significantly, and extracts from processed C. obtusifolia showed higher activity.

CONCLUSIONBoth C. obtusifolia and processed C. obtusifolia extracts show obvious anti-oxidation and vasodilatation effects. These results may support the eye-clearing activity of C. obtusifolia.

Animals ; Antioxidants ; pharmacology ; Cassia ; chemistry ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Eye ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Female ; In Vitro Techniques ; Male ; Mice ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Oxidation-Reduction ; drug effects ; Random Allocation