Ten dimeric phthalide racemates (1-10) were isolated from an aqueous extract of the Angelica sinensis root head (Guitou) by separation techniques of column chromatography over macroporous adsorbent resin, MCI resin, silica gel, and Sephadex LH-20, together with preparative thin-layer chromatography and reversed phase HPLC. The racemates were further separated into (+)-/(-)-1-(+)-/(-)-10 with chiral HPLC. Their structures including absolute configurations were elucidated by comprehensive analysis of spectroscopic data, combined with electronic circular dichroism (ECD) and NMR calculations as well as single crystal X-ray diffractions. Compounds (+)-/(-)-1-(+)-/(-)-10 are either new structure or new natural product, named (+)-/(-)-angelidipthalidic acids A-H [(+)-/(-)-1-(+)-/(-)-8] and (+)-/(-)-angelidipthalidols A and B [(+)-/(-)-9 and (+)-/(-)-10], respectively. Meanwhile, dimeric phthalide mono- and bis-lactone derivatives with 3.3′a,8.6′- and 3.6′,8.3′a-coupling patterns as well as determination of their relative configurations are discussed.

Seventeen minor triterpenoid acids (1-17) were isolated from an aqueous decoction of Uncaria rhynchophylla by a combinatory application of column chromatography using multiple stationary phases, including macroporous adsorbent resin, MCI resin, Sephadex LH-20, Toyopearl HW-40C, silica gel, and C18 reversed phase silica gel, combined with separation techniques of flash chromatography (FC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Their structures were determined by analysis of HR-ESI-MS, UV, CD, and IR as well as 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic data, of which eight new compounds (1-8) are named successively uncarinic acids Q-X, while the structures of 2 and 7 were confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction. In the in vitro assays, 27-hydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid (17) inhibited TGF-β-induced HSC-T6 cell activation at the concentration of 5 μmol·L^-1.

Four new triterpenoids, together with six known analogues, were isolated from an aqueous extract of the Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa seeds, by multiple column chromatographic separation methods using stationary phases of macroporous adsorption resin, MCI resin, normal phase silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, and Toyopearl HW-40C as well as preparative thin-layer chromatography and reversed-phase HPLC. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic data analysis, the new structures were trivially named jujubaceanothoside A (1), 23-epijujuboside A (2), and jujubosides J and K (3 and 4), while the known analogues were identified as jujubosides A-C (5-7) and II (8), alphitolic acid (9), and betulinic acid (10). The structure of 1 was confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction.

Twelve compounds, including 5 new monoterpenes and 7 known derivatives, were isolated from a water decoction of Monochasma savatieri by column chromatography over macroporous adsorbent resin, MCI resin, Sephadex LH-20, and HW-40C, combined with preparative TLC, reversed phase HPLC, and flash column chromatographic techniques. Their structures were elucidated by comprehensive analysis of spectroscopic data, along with enzymatic hydrolysis as well as electronic circular dichroism (ECD) and NMR calculations, the new structures named monochaside I (1) and monochairidols A-D (2-5), respectively. The known compounds 6-12 were obtained from the Monochasma plants for the first time.

Eleven monoterpene glucosides were isolated from a water decoction of Monochasma savatieri by column chromatography over macroporous adsorbent resin, MCI resin, Sephadex LH-20, and HW-40C, combined with preparative TLC, reversed phase HPLC, and flash column chromatographic techniques. Their structures were elucidated by comprehensive analysis of spectroscopic data, along with acidic and enzymatic hydrolysis as well as electronic circular dichroism (ECD) and NMR calculations, including six new compounds (1-4, 7 and 8), named monochasides A-D, G and H, respectively. Comparing the reported data of 9-hydroxylinaloyl 3-O-β-D-glucoside (5), (6Z)-9-hydroxylinaloyl 3-O-β-D-glucoside (6), and kankanoside D₁ (9) with those obtained in this study, the absolute configurations of 6 and 9 were proved for the first time. Other two compounds were identified as 8-hydroxygeraniol 1-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (10) and 8-hydroxygeraniol 8-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (11), respectively.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of microglial pyroptosis in hypoxic-ischemic brain damage. METHODS: An oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) model of rat microglial cells were cultured in vitro. Western blot was used to measure the expression of the pyroptosis-related proteins caspase-1, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and N-terminal gasdermin D (GSDMD-N) at 0, 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 hours after OGD/R. After the microglial cells were transfected with lentivirus-mediated silenced gasdermin D (GSDMD), immunofluorescence assay and Western blot were used to measure the transfection rate of GSDMD. Microglial cell lines were divided into three groups: normal control, negative control, and LV-sh_GSDMD (lentivirus-mediated GSDMD silencing). CCK-8 assay and LDH kit were used to observe the effect of GSDMD silencing on the viability and toxicity of microglial cells at 24 hours after OGD/R. Western blot was used to observe the effect of GSDMD silencing on the levels of caspase-1, GSDMD-N, and IL-1β in the microglial cells at 24 hours after OGD/R. RESULTS: The expression levels of the pyroptosis-related proteins caspase-1, GSDMD-N, and IL-1β in microglial cells were upregulated since 0 hour after OGD/R and reached the peak levels at 24 hours. A microglial cell model of lentivirus-mediated GSDMD silencing was successfully constructed. At 24 hours after OGD/R, compared with the normal control group, the GSDMD silencing group had a significant increase in the cell viability and a significant reduction in the cytotoxicity (P<0.05), as well as significant reductions in the protein expression levels of caspase-1, GSDMD-N, and IL-1β in microglial cells (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Lentivirus silencing of the key substrate protein for pyroptosis GSDMD can alleviate hypoxic-ischemic brain damage, suggesting that microglial pyroptosis aggravates hypoxic-ischemic brain damage.
Animals ; Brain/metabolism* ; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Microglia/metabolism* ; Pyroptosis ; Rats

Five alkaloids were isolated from a decoction of Uncaria rhynchophylla by a combination of various chromatographic techniques, including macroporous adsorbent resin, MCI resin, silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, and reversed phase HPLC. Their structures were characterized by comprehensive analyses of spectroscopic data as monoterpene indole alkaloids (+)-(7R)-3-oxo-7-hydroxy-3,7-seco-dihydrorhynchohylline (1), (+)-(7S)-3-oxo-7-hydroxy-3,7-seco-dihydrorhyncho-hylline (2), (+)-(7R)-3-oxo-7-hydroxy-3,7-seco-rhynchohylline (3) and (+)-(7S)-3-oxo-7-hydroxy-3,7-seco-rhynchohylline (4), and a β-carboline alkaloid 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1-oxo-β-carboline (5). Among them, 1 and 2 are new compounds, 3 and 4 are new natural products that were semi-synthesized from isorhynchohylline with incorrect specific rotations, and 5 is isolated for the first time from the genus Uncaria.

Two new folate-derived analogues, named uncarophyllofolic acids A (1) and B (2), respectively, were isolated from the Uncaria rhynchophylla hook bearing stem (Gouteng in Chinese). The distinct stereochemical structures of 1 and 2 were determined by spectroscopic data analysis in combination with acidic hydrolysis and Marfey's derivatization, along with comparison of their specific rotation and Cotton effect (CE) data with those of the biogenetically related known derivatives as well as theoretical calculations of electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. A plausible biosynthetic pathway of 1 and 2, associating to folate metabolism and the previously reported orychophragines A-C from Orychophragmus violaceus, is discussed.

Sixteen lignanoids were isolated from an aqueous extract of the commonly used Chinese traditional medicine Dangshen, the dried roots of Codonopsis pilosula, by using a combination of various chromatographic techniques, including silica gel, macroporous adsorbent resin, MCI resin, sephadex LH-20, and reversed phase semi-preparative HPLC. On the basis of spectral data analysis, their structures were elucidated and identified as (-)-(7R, 7'R, 8R, 8'S)-4, 4'-dihydroxy-3, 3', 5, 5', 7-pentamethoxy-2, 7'-cyclolignane (1), (-)-(7R, 8S)-dihydrodehydrodiconiferyl alcohol 4-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1"'→2")-β-D-glucopyranoside (2), (-)-(7R, 8S)-dihydrodehydrodiconiferyl alcohol (3), (+)-(7S, 8R)-dehydrodiconiferyl alcohol (4), (+)-balanophonin (5), (+)-demethoxypinoresinol (6), (+)-pinoresinol (7), (+)-epipinoresinol (8), (-)-syringaresinol (9), (-)-medioresinol (10), (-)-lariciresinol (11), (-)-secoisolariciresinol (12), (-)-ent-isolariciresinol (13), (+)-(7S, 8S)-3-methoxy-3', 7-expoxy-8, 4'-neolignan-4, 9, 9'-triol (14), (+)-(7S, 8R)-3', 4-dihydroxy-3-methoxy-8, 4'-neolignan (15), and (-)-(7R, 8R)-3', 4-dihydroxy-3-methoxy-8, 4'-neolignan (16). All these compounds were isolated from C. pilosula for the first time, while compound 1 is a new natural product of 2, 7'-cyclolignan and 2 is a new 4', 7-epoxy-8, 3'-neolignan diglucoside. Compound 12 showed activity against Fe²⁺-cysteine induced rat liver microsomal lipid peroxidation with an inhibition ratio of (63.4±8.3)% at 1×10^-5 mol·L^-1.

BACKGROUNDRetrocaval ureter is a rare congenital abnormality. Operative repair is always suggested in cases of significant functional obstruction. Laparoscopic procedures have been employed as the minimally invasive therapeutic option for retrocaval ureter. However, the laparoscopic techniques for retrocaval ureter might be technically challenging to some surgeons. The aim of this article was to present our experience and surgical techniques of pure transperitoneal laparoscopic pyelopyelostomy and ureteroureterostomy in nine patients with retrocaval ureter.

METHODSA total of nine patients of retrocaval ureter underwent pure laparoscopic pyelopyelostomy or ureteroureterostomy. The operation was performed with the patients placed in the 70-degree lateral decubitus position via a three port transperitoneal approach with two 10-mm and one 5-mm ports. The distal part of the dilated renal pelvis was transected at the ureteropelvic junction and the ureter was relocated anterior to the inferior vena cava. The tension-free pyeloureteral or ureteroureteral anastomosis was completed with the intracorporal freehand suturing and in situ knot-tying techniques combined with interrupted and continuous fashion. A double J ureteral stent was inserted in an antegrade manner during laparoscopy. Intravenous urography or computerized tomography and renal ultrasonography were performed after 3 months postoperatively.

RESULTSAll operations were completed laparoscopically, and no open conversion was required. The mean operative time was 135 minutes (range, 70 - 250 minutes), with minimal blood loss (less than 60 ml). No intra-operative complications or significant bleeding occurred. All patients presented mild postoperative pain and quick convalescence. The symptoms disappeared and hydronephrosis decreased substantially after surgery.

CONCLUSIONSPure transperitoneal laparoscopic correction for retrocaval ureter was associated with an excellent outcome, minimal invasiveness and short hospital stay. It is technically feasible and reliable for retrocaval ureter treatment. Laparoscopic surgery could be the standard treatment for retrocaval ureter.

Adult ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Ureter ; surgery ; Ureteral Obstruction ; surgery ; Young Adult