The stem and branch extract of Tripterygium wilfordii (Celastraceae) afforded seven new dihydroagarofuran sesquiterpene polyesters [tripterysines A-G (1-7)] and eight known ones (8-15). The chemical structures of these new compounds were established based on combinational analysis of HR-ESI-MS and NMR techniques. The absolute configurations of tripterysines A-C (1-3) and E-G (5-7) were determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis and circular dichroism spectra. All the compounds were screened for their inhibitory effect on inflammation through determining their inhibitory effect on nitric oxide production in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells and the secretion of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 in LPS-induced BV2 macrophages. Compound 9 exhibited significant inhibitory activity on NO production with an IC₅₀ value of 8.77 μmol·L^-1. Moreover, compound 7 showed the strongest inhibitory effect with the secretion of IL-6 at 27.36%.
Tripterygium/chemistry* ; Esters/pharmacology* ; Interleukin-6 ; Lipopolysaccharides/pharmacology* ; Plant Leaves/chemistry* ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/chemistry* ; Nitric Oxide/analysis* ; Sesquiterpenes/chemistry* ; Molecular Structure

Dolomiaea plants are perennial herbs in the Asteraceae family with a long medicinal history. They are rich in chemical constituents, mainly including sesquiterpenes, phenylpropanoids, triterpenes, and steroids. The extracts and chemical constituents of Dolomiaea plants have various pharmacological effects, such as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antitumor, anti-gastric ulcer, hepatoprotective and choleretic effects. However, there are few reports on Dolomiaea plants. This study systematically reviewed the research progress on the chemical constituents and pharmacological effects of Dolomiaea plants to provide references for the further development and research of Dolomiaea plants.
Plant Extracts/pharmacology* ; Asteraceae ; Triterpenes ; Sesquiterpenes/pharmacology* ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; Phytochemicals/pharmacology*

Halogenated sesquiterpenes are important derivatives of sesquiterpenes, referring to chemical components of sesquiterpenes that contain halogens such as chlorine, bromine, and iodine. Halogenated sesquiterpenes have attracted attention from researchers in China and abroad because of their diverse structures, unique halogen elements, and extensive pharmacological activities. Studies have shown that halogenated sesquiterpenes exhibit significant antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, insecticidal, hypoglycemic, and enzyme inhibitory activities. In order to better explore the potential pharmaceutical value of halogenated sesquiterpenes, this paper reviewed the structural characteristics and pharmacological activities of halogenated sesquiterpenes in the past two decades, aiming to provide references for further research and development of this class of compounds.
Sesquiterpenes/chemistry* ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/pharmacology* ; China

This study aimed to investigate the chemical constituents of supercritical extract from Qi-nan Aquilariae Lignum Resinatum by silica gel column chromatography, thin-layer chromatography, and semi-preparative high-performance liquid chromatography. One new elemane-type and one new eudesmane-type sesquiterpene compounds were isolated from the extract, and their structures were identified by MS, UV, IR, NMR, and ECD spectroscopic techniques, and named aquqinanol C(1) and aquqinanol D(2). Both compounds are novel compounds. The neuroprotective effect of the compounds on CORT-induced PC12 cell damage was determined in vitro. The results showed that compounds 1 and 2 exhibited a certain protective effect against CORT-induced damage in PC12 cells.
Rats ; Animals ; Qi ; Sesquiterpenes/pharmacology* ; Molecular Structure

Natural products are essential sources of antitumor drugs. One such molecule, β-elemene, is a potent antitumor compound extracted from Curcuma wenyujin. In the present investigation, a series of novel 13,14-disubstituted nitric oxide (NO)-donor β-elemene derivatives were designed, with β-elemene as the foundational compound, and subsequently synthesized to evaluate their therapeutic potential against leukemia. Notably, the derivative labeled as compound 13d demonstrated a potent anti-proliferative activity against the K562 cell line, with a high NO release. In vivo studies indicated that compound 13d could effectively inhibit tumor growth, exhibiting no discernible toxic manifestations. Specifically, a significant tumor growth inhibition rate of 62.9% was observed in the K562 xenograft tumor mouse model. The accumulated data propound the potential therapeutic application of compound 13d in the management of leukemia.
Humans ; Mice ; Animals ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Nitric Oxide Donors/pharmacology* ; Sesquiterpenes/pharmacology* ; Leukemia/drug therapy* ; Biological Assay ; Cell Proliferation

Sesquiterpene pyridine alkaloids are important components in Tripterygium plants, possessing a wide range of pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammation immunosuppression, anti-tumor, anti-virus, and deinsectization, and are of great research value. They are composed of highly oxidized dihydro-β-furansquiterpene and pyridine dicarboxylic acid through ester bonds. According to the structural characteristics of pyridine dicarboxylic acid fragments, they can be divided into various structural subtypes. Up to now, more than 110 sesquiterpene pyridine alkaloids have been isolated and identified from Tripterygium plants. This study reviewed the structural features and spectral(i.e., UV, IR, MS, and NMR) characteristics of sesquiterpene pyridine alkaloids and summarized the structural elucidation process in detail to provide references for their further research and development.
Alkaloids/pharmacology* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Molecular Structure ; Pyridines/pharmacology* ; Sesquiterpenes ; Tripterygium/chemistry*

This study aims to investigate the effect of atractylenolide Ⅲ(ATL-Ⅲ) on hydrogen peroxide(H_2O_2)-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis of H9 c2 cells via the ROS/GRP78/caspase-12 signaling pathway.The binding activity of ATL-Ⅲ to GRP78 was determined by molecular docking.The result showed that ATL-Ⅲ had a good binding activity to GRP78, and the binding activity of ATL-Ⅲ was stronger than that of its specific inhibitor.The endoplasmic reticulum stress model of H9 c2 was established by H_2O_2(100 μmol·L~(-1)) treatment.Five groups were designed: blank control group, model group, and ATL-Ⅲ(15, 30, and 60 μmol·L~(-1)) groups.Apoptosis was detected by Hoechst/PI double staining and flow cytometry.The levels of superoxide dismutase(SOD), malondialdehyde(MDA), and lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) were measured by colorimetry.The levels of reactive oxygen species(ROS) and calcium(Ca~(2+)) in cytoplasm were determined by the fluorescence probe DCFH-DA and the calcium fluorescence probe Flou-4, respectively.The protein levels of GRP78, caspase-12, and caspase-3 were determined by Western blot, and the mRNA levels of GRP78 and caspase-12 by RT-qPCR.N-acetyl-L-cysteine(NAC) and 4-phenylbutyric acid(4-PBA) were respectively used to inhibit ROS and GRP78, and then the mechanism of ATL-Ⅲ in protecting the cells from endoplasmic reticulum stress induced by H_2O_2 were deduced.ATL-Ⅲ(15, 30, and 60 μmol·L~(-1)) decreased the apoptosis rate and ROS, MDA, and LDH levels(P<0.01), increased the SOD activity(P<0.01), and down-regulated the protein levels of GRP78, caspase-12, and caspase-3 and the mRNA levels of GRP78 and caspase-12(P<0.05).The addition of NAC decreased the apoptosis rate and ROS, MDA, GRP78, caspase-12, and caspase-3 levels(P<0.01), while it elevated the SOD level(P<0.01).The addition of 4-PBA also decreased the apoptosis rate and the levels of GRP78, caspase-12, caspase-3, and Ca~(2+)(P<0.01).The effect of inhibitors were consistent with that of ATL-Ⅲ.In conclusion, ATL-Ⅲ can protect H9 c2 cardiomyocytes by regulating ROS/GRP78/caspase-12 signaling pathway to inhibit H_2O_2-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis.
Apoptosis ; Calcium/pharmacology* ; Caspase 12/metabolism* ; Caspase 3/metabolism* ; Endoplasmic Reticulum Chaperone BiP ; Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress ; Lactones ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; RNA, Messenger ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism* ; Sesquiterpenes ; Signal Transduction ; Superoxide Dismutase/metabolism*

The endophytic fungus Nigrospora sphaerica S5 derived from the semi-mangrove plant Myoporum bontioides was fermented. Its metabolites were purified by column chromatography. Nine compounds were obtained and identified as terezine P(1), 3-(1-hydroxyethyl)-4-methyl dihydrofuran-2(3H)-one(2), methylhydroheptelidate(3), hydroheptelidic acid(4), 5, 7-dimethoxy-4, 6-dimethylphthalide(5),(3R,4S)-(-)-4-hydroxymellein(6), pestalopyrone(7), indole-3-formaldehyde(8) and p-hydroxybenzaldehyde(9) by spectroscopic techniques. Terezine P(1) was a new alkaloid belonging to the terezine class with a pyrazine ring. Compounds 2-7 were lactones, of which 3 and 4 belonged to sesquiterpenes. Compounds 8 and 9 were indole alkaloids and phenols, respectively. Compounds 3-6 were purified from Nigrospora sp. for the first time. These compounds showed different degrees of antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli of O6 serotype and E. coli of O78 serotype.
Alkaloids ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology* ; Ascomycota/chemistry* ; Escherichia coli ; Formaldehyde ; Indoles/pharmacology* ; Lactones ; Molecular Structure ; Myoporum/microbiology* ; Phenols ; Pyrazines ; Sesquiterpenes

The present study investigated the chemical constituents from the stems of Buddleja lindleyana. Ten compounds were isolated from the 95% EtOH extract of B. lindleyana stems by means of some techniques including polyamide, silica gel, MCI, Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography, and semi-preparative high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC). Their structures were identified by spectral analysis and single-crystal X-ray diffraction as buddledin F(1), 6-O-4″-hydroxy-3″-methoxy-benzoyl ajugol(2), negundoin G(3),(+)-dihydrocubebin(4), 7-O-ethylguaiacylglycerol(5),(-)-jatrointelignan B(6), threo-1,2-bis-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-propane-1,3-diol(7), vomifoliol(8), hinokinin(9), and isovanillic acid(10). Compound 1 was a new sesquiterpene named buddledin F. Compounds 3-8 were isolated from the Buddleja plant for the first time. The anti-inflammatory activities of compounds 1-10 in vitro were investigated, and the results failed to show the inhibitory activities of these compounds on the production of inflammatory factor NO.
Buddleja/chemistry* ; Sesquiterpenes/pharmacology* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid

Five undescribed sesquiterpenoids (1-5), and nine known sesquiterpenoids (6-14) were obtained from the fruits of Litsea lancilimba Merr. by LC-MS/MS molecular networking strategies. Litsemene A (1) possessed a unique 8-member ring through unexpected cyclization of the methyl group on C-10 of guaiane. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic techniques including IR, UV, NMR, HR-ESI-MS, and their absolute configurations were assigned by ECD calculations. All isolated sesquiterpenoids were analyzed by bioinformatics and evaluated for their neuroprotective effects against H₂O₂-induced injury in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells.
Chromatography, Liquid ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide/toxicity* ; Litsea ; Molecular Structure ; Neuroblastoma/drug therapy* ; Neuroprotective Agents/pharmacology* ; Sesquiterpenes/chemistry* ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry