Oxidative processes in the Australian marine sponge Plakinastrella clathrata: isolation of plakortolides with oxidatively modified side chains

Sixteen new cyclic peroxides (1-16) with a plakortolide skeleton and the methyl ester derivative of a didehydroplakinic acid (17) were isolated from the Australian sponge Plakinastrella clathrata Kirkpatrick, 1900. Structural elucidation and configurational assignments were based on spectroscopic analysis and comparison with data for previously isolated plakortolides and revealed both phenyl- and methyl-terminating side chains attached to the plakortolide core. Plakortoperoxides A-D (5-8) each contained a second 1,2-dioxine ring; a cis configuration for the side chain endoperoxide ring was determined by a low-temperature NMR study and by comparison of chemical shift values with those of reported compounds. An enantioselective HPLC study compared natural plakortoperoxide A with a synthetic sample prepared by cyclization of plakortolide P with singlet oxygen and revealed that the natural sample was a mixture of cis diastereomers at C-15/C18. Four other cyclic peroxides (9-12) possessed a C(9)-truncated side chain terminating in a formyl or carboxylic acid functionality, suggesting that these metabolites may have been formed by oxidative cleavage of the Δ(9,10) bond of diene-functionalized plakortolides. A final group of four metabolites (13-16) with hydroxy or the rare hydroperoxy functionality unexpectedly revealed a C(8) side chain, while the ester (17) represents further structural variation within the growing family of cyclic peroxy sponge metabolites.     

Inhibitors of bacterial multidrug efflux pumps from the resin glycosides of Ipomoea murucoides

A reinvestigation of the CHCl 3-soluble extract from flowers of the Mexican medicinal arborescent morning glory, Ipomoea murucoides, through preparative-scale recycling HPLC, yielded six new pentasaccharides, murucoidins VI-XI (1- 6), as well as the known pescaprein III (7), stoloniferin I (8), and murucoidins I-V (9- 13). Their structures were characterized through the interpretation of their NMR spectroscopic and FABMS data. Compounds 1-6 were found to be macrolactones of three known glycosidic acids identified as simonic acids A and B, and operculinic acid A, with different fatty acids esterifying the same positions, C-2 on the second rhamnose unit and C-4 on the third rhamnose moiety. The lactonization site of the aglycone was placed at C-2 or C-3 of the second saccharide unit. The esterifying residues were composed of two short-chain fatty acids, 2-methylpropanoic and (2S)-methylbutyric acids, and two long-chain fatty acids, n-dodecanoic (lauric) acid and the new (8R)-(-)-8-hydroxydodecanoic acid. For the latter residue, its absolute configuration was determined by analysis of its Mosher ester derivatives. All members of the murucoidin series exerted a potentiation effect of norfloxacin against the NorA overexpressing Staphylococcus aureus strain SA-1199B by increasing the activity 4-fold (8 microg/mL from 32 microg/mL) at concentrations of 5-25 microg/mL. Stoloniferin I (8) enhanced norfloxacin activity 8-fold when incorporated at a concentration of 5 microg/mL. Therefore, this type of amphipathic oligosaccharide could be developed further to provide more potent inhibitors of this multidrug efflux pump.     

Oxidation,reduction, and methylation of carnosic acid by Nocardia

Preparative-scale incubations with Nocardia sp. NRRL 5646 were conducted to produce new derivatives of the abietane diterpene chemoprotectant and antioxidant carnosic acid (1). Reductive biotransformation of the C-20 carboxylic acid functional group followed by biological methylation at the C-11 phenol afforded 4. Oxidative cyclization of 1 to carnosol 5 followed by dihydroxylation at the isopropyl moiety afforded 6. Metabolites 4 and 6 are new carnosic acid derivatives whose structures were confirmed by mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopic analysis. The radical quenching properties of 4-6 using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free-radical-scavenging assay showed activities similar to that of mixed tocopherols and carnosic acid.     

Investigation of Pictet-Spengler type reactions of secologanin with histamine and its benzyl derivative

The reaction of secologanin (1) (mainly in its tetraacetylated form 1a) with histamine (2) and its benzyl derivative (2b) was investigated. With the benzylated amine (2b), the main product was the normal, tetraacetylated benzyl derivative of histeloside having the R configuration at the new center of chirality, C-1 (5b), with a small amount of an unidentified minor component (probably the 1S epimer 5a). In a slightly acidic medium, the reaction with histamine (2) gave two products in an approximately 6:4 ratio. The main compound proved to be the normal, tetraacetylated derivative of the lactam histelosamide with R configuration at C-1 (7b), and the minor product was the tetraacetylisohisteloside with S configuration at the same C-1 center (3a). When the reaction was carried out under acid-free conditions, in addition to the epimeric pair of the normal tetraacetylated lactam (7a, 7b) and the tetraacetylisohisteloside with 1S configuration (3a), tetraacetylneohistelosamide (8b) was also isolated, in which the cyclization took place at one of the cyclic nitrogens of the imidazole ring. Probably, this latter compound is an intermediate also in the formation of the normal isomers, but under slightly acidic conditions it rapidly isomerized into the normal alkaloid. The tendencies experienced previously in the tryptamine and dopamine series were observed also in the histamine series; that is, at C-1, the R configuration is favored over the S one, and lactamization is faster in the former than in the latter case. The structure of the products and their stereoschemistry were established by NMR spectroscopy.     

Intrapilosins I-VII, pentasaccharides from the seeds of Ipomoea intrapilosa

Purification of a CHCl3-soluble extract from seeds of the Mexican medicinal arborescent morning glory, Ipomoea intrapilosa, by means of preparative-scale recycling HPLC, yielded seven new resin glycosides, intrapilosins I-VII (1-7). Their structures were established through the interpretation of their NMR spectroscopic and FABMS data. All pentasaccharides were found to be macrolactones of the known operculinic acid A with different fatty acids esterifying the same positions: C-2 on the second rhamnose unit and C-3 and C-4 on the third rhamnose moiety. The lactonization site of the aglycon could be placed at C-2 of the second saccharide. The fatty acid components of 1-7 were identified as (+)-(2S)-methylbutanoic, octanoic (caprylic), dodecanoic (lauric), and trans-cinnamic. The less common (-)-(2R)-methylbutanoic acid was also isolated as one of the saponification-liberated residues from intrapilosin IV (4). The presence of the (2R)- and (2S)-methylbutanoyl enantiomers bonded to the same oligosaccharide core in intrapilosins IV (4) and V (5) represents an example of diastereoisomerism due to a chiral esterifying moiety in the resin glycoside mixtures of a morning glory species.     

cis,cis-Germacranolides and melampolides from Mikania thapsoides

The aerial parts of Mikania thapsoides afforded six new cis,cis-germacranolide-type sesquiterpene lactones (1-6), of which three (1-3) have an unusual 3,4-epoxy function, and also afforded two new melampolides (7 and 8). All compounds have a trans C-8 lactone ring closure. Their structures were elucidated using 1D and 2D NMR measurements, and the absolute configuration of 1 was determined using the Mosher ester method.     

Perhentidines A-C: macroline-macroline bisindoles from Alstonia and the absolute configuration of perhentinine and macralstonine

Three new bisindole alkaloids of the macroline-macroline type, perhentidines A-C (1-3), were isolated from the stem-bark extract of Alstonia macrophylla and Alstonia angustifolia. The structures of these alkaloids were established on the basis of NMR and MS analyses. The absolute configurations of perhentinine (4) and macralstonine (5) were established by X-ray diffraction analyses, which facilitated assignment of the configuration at C-20 in the regioisomeric bisindole alkaloids perhentidines A-C (1-3). A potentially useful method for the determination of the configuration at C-20 based on comparison of the NMR chemical shifts of the bisindoles and their acetate derivatives, in these and related bisindoles with similar constitution and branching of the monomeric units, is also presented.     

Alkaloids from the leaves of Uncaria rhynchophylla and their inhibitory activity on NO production in lipopolysaccharide-activated microglia

Two new isomeric alkaloids, 18,19-dehydrocorynoxinic acid B (1) and 18,19-dehydrocorynoxinic acid (2), were isolated from the CHCl3 extract of the leaves of Uncaria rhynchophylla, together with four known rhynchophylline-type alkaloids, corynoxeine (3), isocorynoxeine (4), rhynchophylline (5), and isorhynchophylline (6), and an indole alkaloid glucoside, vincoside lactam (7). The structures of compounds 1 and 2 were elucidated by spectroscopic methods including UV, IR, HREIMS, 1D and 2D NMR, and CD experiments. The activity assay showed that compounds 3-6, with a C-16 carboxylic ester group, and 7 exhibited inhibitory activity on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced NO release in primary cultured rat cortical microglia (IC 50: 13.7-19.0 microM). However, only weak inhibitory activity was observed for compounds 1 and 2, with a C-16 carboxylic acid group (IC 50: >100 microM).     

Batatins I and II, ester-type dimers of acylated pentasaccharides from the resin glycosides of sweet potato

Batatins I (1) and II (2), two ester-type dimers of acylated pentasaccharides, have been isolated by recycling HPLC from the hexane-soluble extract of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas var. batatas). The structures were elucidated by a combination of high-resolution NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Complete analysis and unambiguous assignments of the 1H and 13C NMR spectra of 1 and 2 were achieved by 2D shift correlation measurements. The glycosidic acid forming each branched pentasaccharide monomeric unit was confirmed as simonic acid B. Three different fatty acids esterify this core at the same positions in both batatins: C-2 on the second rhamnose unit and C-4 and C-2 (or C-3) on the third rhamnose moiety. The acylating residues were identified as (+)-(2S)-methylbutanoic, dodecanoic (lauric), and cinnamic acids. The site of lactonization by the aglycon in unit A was placed at C-3 of the second saccharide. The position for the ester linkage for monomeric unit B on the macrocylic unit A was identified as C-3 of the terminal rhamnose' '. Through spectroscopic simulation of these complex oligosaccharides, the chemical shifts and coupling constants were deduced for the overlapped proton resonances with a non-first-order resolution. The experimental NMR spectroscopic values registered for batatinoside I (3), a new polyacylated macroyclic pentasaccharide also isolated from this plant, were used as the starting point for spectral simulation of 1 and 2. Both polymers 1 and 2 represent dimers of compound 3.     

Tanikolide, a toxic and antifungal lactone from the marine cyanobacterium Lyngbya majuscula.

A new brine-shrimp toxic and antifungal compound, tanikolide 1, has been isolated from the lipid extract of a Madagascan collection of the marine cyanobacterium Lyngbya majuscula. The structure of tanikolide was determined by spectroscopic methods, relying heavily on 2D NMR spectroscopy. The absolute configuration at C-5 of tanikolide was established as R by oxidizing the primary alcohol to an acid and analyzing the corresponding (R)- and (S)-PGME amide derivatives by (1)H NMR.     

Absolute configuration of (-)-gambogic acid, an antitumor agent

(-)-Gambogic acid (1), a biologically active "caged xanthone" from gamboge, the dried resin of Garcinia hanburyi, is of interest as a potential anticancer agent. The planar structure of (-)-gambogic acid has been determined previously by analysis of its detailed NMR data and confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, with the absolute configuration at C-13 deduced as R through a series of chemical degradations. Using (-)-morellic acid (2), an analogue of (-)-gambogic acid, as a model compound, the 5R, 7S, 10aS, 13R, 27S absolute configuration of (-)-gambogic acid was determined for the first time by comparison of physical and spectroscopic data, especially experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism.     

Lepadins F-H, new cis-decahydroquinoline alkaloids from the Australian ascidian Aplidium tabascum

Chemical investigation of a Great Barrier Reef ascidian, Aplidium tabascum, has resulted in the isolation of three new cis-decahydroquinoline alkaloids, lepadins F-H (4-6). The three new compounds differ from the previously isolated lepadins A-C (1-3) in that they contain a fully saturated 5-hydroxyoctyl side chain attached at C-5, an unsaturated eight-carbon ester moiety attached to C-3, and opposite stereochemistry at C-5 and C-3. Lepadins G (5) and H (6) are epimers at C-2. NMR and molecular modeling studies indicated that the three new compounds adopt a chair-chair conformation in which the nitrogen equatorially substitutes the cyclohexyl ring. This contrasts with lepadins A-C (1-3), which adopt a chair-chair conformation in which the nitrogen axially substitutes the cyclohexyl ring.     

Lumutinines A-D, linearly fused macroline-macroline and macroline-sarpagine bisindoles from Alstonia macrophylla

Four new linearly fused bisindole alkaloids, lumutinines A-D (1-4), were isolated from the stem-bark extract of Alstonia macrophylla. Lumutinines A (1) and B (2) represent the first examples of linear, ring A/F-fused macroline-macroline-type bisindoles, while lumutinines C (3) and D (4) were constituted from the union of macroline and sarpagine moieties. A reinvestigation of the stereochemical assignment of alstoumerine (8) by NMR and X-ray diffraction analyses indicated that the configuration at C-16 and C-19 required revision.     

Kadsuphilols A-H, oxygenated lignans from Kadsura philippinensis

Eight new oxygenated lignans, kadsuphilols A-H (1-8), were isolated from the leaves and stems of Kadsura philippinensis. Four of the isolated lignans (1-4) possess the normal C18-dibenzocyclooctadiene skeleton, while the other four lignans (5-8) are C19-homolignans possessing a substituted cyclohexadienone ring with a spiro-benzofuranoid moiety. The structures of the isolated metabolites were elucidated through spectroscopic analyses, including 2D NMR experiments. Compounds 1 and 4 are the first report of an R-biphenyl configuration with a beta-oxygenated substituent at the C-9 position. The in vitro radical-scavenging activities of these compounds using DPPH were tested and evaluated. Compound 3 exhibited more potent activity than vitamins C and E.     

Phytotoxic withanolides from Jaborosa rotacea

Twelve new withanolides were isolated from the aerial part of Jaborosa rotacea: five had a spiranoid delta-lactone (1-5); one contained a 26,12-delta-lactone and a C-12-C-23 bond (6); five corresponded to trechonolide-type withanolides with configuration at C-23 opposite of those previously isolated (7, 8, 10-12); two of these have an additional oxido-bridge between C-21 and C-24; finally a withanolide with a hemiketal ring formed between a 21-hydroxyl and a 12-ketone (13) and the closely related jaborosalactone R were also isolated. New compounds were fully characterized by a combination of spectroscopic methods (1D and 2D NMR and MS). The structures of the spiranoid withanolide and of the epimer of trechonolide A were confirmed by X-ray diffraction studies. Compounds 4, 5, 6, and 8 showed selective phytotoxicity toward monocotyledoneous and dicotyledoneous species.     

New cytotoxic 6,7-cis and 6,7-trans configured guaianolides from Warionia saharae

Using cytotoxicity against the KB cancer cell line (ATCC CCL17) as a lead, bioactivity-guided fractionation of the MeOH-soluble part of the DCM extract of Warionia saharae leaves led to the isolation of six new cytotoxic guaianolide type sesquiterpene lactones (1-6). Besides two guaianolides showing the common 6,7-trans fused lactone ring (3 and 4), four compounds exhibiting the more rare 6,7-cis configuration (1,2 and 5,6) were also isolated. Compounds 1, 2, 5, and 6 showed an unprecedented ether bridge between C-2 and C-4. The structures were deduced from extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy ((1)H, (13)C, DQF-COSY, HSQC, HMBC, ROESY), as well as mass spectrometry (EI and HR-MALDI). Cytotoxicity testing against the KB cancer cell line revealed IC(50) values of 1.0 (1), 4.5 (2), 1.7 (3), 2.0 (4), 3.3 (5), and 5.5 (6) microg/mL.     

New ent-kaurane diterpenoids with anti-platelet aggregation activity from Annona squamosa

A phytochemical investigation on the stems of Annona squamosa led to the isolation of six new ent-kaurane diterpenoids, annomosin A (16beta-hydroxy-19-al-ent-kauran-17-yl 16beta-hydro-19-al-ent-kauran-17-oate) (1), annosquamosin C (16alpha-hydro-17-hydroxy-19-nor-ent-kauran-4alpha-ol) (2), annosquamosin D (16beta-acetoxy-17-hydroxy-19-nor-ent-kauran-4alpha-ol) (3), annosquamosin E (16beta-hydroxy-17-acetoxy-19-nor-ent-kauran-4alpha-formate) (4), annosquamosin F (16beta-hydroxy-17-acetoxy-18-nor-ent-kauran-4beta-hydroperoxide) (5), and annosquamosin G (16beta,17-dihydroxy-18-nor-ent-kauran-4beta-hydroperoxide) (6), along with 14 known ent-kaurane diterpenoids. The structures of 1-6 were elucidated by spectroscopic data interpretation. Compound 1 is the first dimeric ent-kaurane derivative to have been reported from a plant in the family Annonaceae. Certain useful NMR data were generalized to determine the stereochemistry of C-16 among the ent-kaurane diterpenoids investigated. ent-Kaur-16-en-19-oic acid (9) and 16alpha-hydro-19-al-ent-kauran-17-oic acid (17) showed complete inhibitory effects on rabbit platelet aggregation at 200 microM.     

Diacarperoxides, norterpene cyclic peroxides from the sponge Diacarnus megaspinorhabdosa

Chemical investigation of the hexane extract of the sponge Diacarnus megaspinorhabdosa provided a series of new norterpene derivatives including three norditerpene cyclic peroxides, diacarperoxides A, B, and C (1 to 3), four norsesterterpene cyclic peroxides, diacarperoxides D to G (4 to 7), and the acyclic norsesterterpene diacardiol A (8). In addition, known norterpene peroxide congeners were also isolated, which included a known norsesterterpene cyclic peroxide (9), nuapapuin A methyl ester (10), epimuqubilin B (11), methyl-2-epinuapapuinoate (12), and methyl diacarnoate A (13). The structures of the new compounds were established on the basis of one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopic studies ((1)H, (13)C, COSY, HMQC, HMBC, and ROESY) as well as by mass spectrometric analyses. The relative configuration of chiral centers at C-2, C-3, and C-6 was assigned by established empirical rules. All compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic properties in vitro using several human as well as murine cancer cell lines.     

Triterpenoid saponins from the fruits of Caryocar glabrum

Twenty-one new triterpenoid saponins, named caryocarosides (1-21), glycosides of 2beta-hydroxyoleanolic acid, hederagenin, bayogenin, and gypsogenic acid, have been isolated from the fruits of Caryocar glabrum along with nine known triterpenoid saponins (22-30) that are described for the first time from a plant in the Caryocaraceae. Their structures were established by 1D and 2D NMR techniques ((13)C, COSY, TOCSY, HSQC, HMBC, and ROESY experiments), ESIMS, and acid hydrolysis. The isolated compounds could be classified into two series: glucosides (1-8, 22, 27, and 30) derived from the 3-O-monoglucoside and glucuronides (9-21, 23-26, 28, and 29) derived from the 3-O-monoglucuronide. In 22 of the saponins (1-8, 12-22, and 24-26), a galactose moiety was linked to C-3 of a glucuronic acid or a glucose moiety. The galactose was substituted in position 3 by a second galactose unit (6, 7, 20, and 21) or by a xylose unit (8). Seven saponins (4, 5, 16-19, and 26) were found to be bidesmosides with one glucose unit linked to C-28 of the aglycon. The hemolytic activity of the major saponins (2, 3, 5, 12-15, 17, 24, and 28) was measured on sheep erythrocytes in order to establish structure-activity relationships based on the type of sugar attached to the aglycon and on the structure of this aglycon.     

Immunosuppressive decalin derivatives from red yeast rice

Five new decalin derivatives (1-5), together with two known compounds (6 and 7), were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of red yeast rice. Their structures were elucidated by means of NMR and mass spectroscopic analyses. Monascusic lactone A (1) is the first reported naturally occurring decalin derivative possessing a spiro lactone at the C-1 position. The immunosuppressive effects of all these isolates (1-7) on human T cell proliferation were investigated, and all, especially monascusic acids B (2), C (3), D (4), and A (6) and heptaketide (7), suppressed human T cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner from 10 to 100 μM. This is the first report on the immunosuppressive activity of decalin derivatives.