β-d-Glucosyl-(1–4)-α-l-thevetosides of 17β-digitoxigenin from seeds of Cerbera manghas L. induces apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells

β-d-Glucosyl-(1–4)-α-l-thevetosides of 17β-digitoxigenin (GHSC-73) is a cardiac glycoside isolated from the seeds of Cerbera manghas L. GHSC-73 reduced viability of HepG2 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner without decreasing the viability of Chang human liver cells and Swiss albino 3T3 fibroblasts, induced efficiently stimulated apoptosis in HepG2 cells as evidenced by DNA fragmentation, annexin V/PI binding assay and DAPI staining. This apoptotic process was accompanied by the activation of the effector caspase-3, the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨ_m) and translocation of AIF from the mitochondrion to the nucleus in HepG2 cells. In addition, a broad-spectrum caspase inhibitor (z-VAD-fmk) tested in this experiment partially prevent HepG2 cells from GHSC-73-induced cell death, but did not affect translocation of AIF from the mitochondrion to the nucleus after GHSC-73 treatment. Our results firstly show that GHSC-73 inhibits the growth of HepG2 cells through caspase-dependent and -independent apoptosis pathways.     

The anti-inflammatory secoiridoid glycosides from Gentianae Scabrae Radix: the root and rhizome of Gentiana scabra

Journal of Natural Medicines - Gentianae Scabrae Radix is a well-known traditional medicine that is used for the treatment of hepatitis, cholecystitis and inflammatory diseases. It consists mainly...     

Extract of the Chinese herbal formula Huo Luo Xiao LingDan inhibited adjuvant arthritis in rats

Ethnopharmacological relevance

The herbal formula Huo Luo Xiao Ling Dan (HLXL) and its modifications have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for about one hundred years to alleviate pain and inflammation.

Aim

To investigate the effects of HLXL on complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced multiple-joint arthritis in rats.

Materials and methods

Male Lewis rats, 190–210 g, were immunized subcutaneously at the base of the tail with 200 μl of heat-killed Mycobacterium tuberculosis in mineral oil (5 mg/ml). HLXL (2.30 and 4.60 g/kg) or vehicle control (n = 8 per group) was administered orally (i.g.) once a day between days 16 and 25 post-CFA injection. The rats were observed for signs of arthritis with arthritic changes (erythema, edema, induration) being scored on a scale of 0–4 of increasing severity using a standard scoring system. The maximum arthritis score per rat was 16. A plethysmometer was used to measure edema volume in each paw. Adverse effects of HLXL were monitored by closely observing the animals for unusual behavioral changes. Levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) in local tissue were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay on day 25 post-CFA.

Results

HLXL significantly decreased arthritis scores between days 23–25 in the 2.30 g/kg group and 21–25 in the 4.60 g/kg group (p < 0.05). It reduced paw edema on days 22 and 24 in the 2.30 g/kg group and on days 20, 22 and 24 in the 4.60 g/kg group compared to control (p < 0.05). Local tissue TNF-α and IL-1β levels on day 25 post-CFA injection were significantly (p < 0.05) lower in rats treated with HLXL than in control rats. No observable adverse effects were found.

Conclusion

The data suggest that HLXL produces significant anti-arthritic effects that may be mediated by suppressing pro-inflammatory cytokines, and it appears to be safe.     

The cytotoxicity of lingshuiol: a comparative study with amphidinol 2 on membrane permeabilizing activities.

The cytotoxicity of lingshuiol, a novel polyhydroxy compound with a linear carbon-chain isolated from the cultured marine dinoflagellate Amphidinium sp., and that of amphidinol 2 (AM2) was compared with hepatocytes. Both lingshuiol and AM2 were toxic to primary rat hepatocytes with IC(50) values of 0.21 and 6.4muM, respectively. Meanwhile, lingshuiol or AM2 caused a rapid mitochondrial swelling and leakage of Ca(2+), underlying the change in permeability of mitochondria. Cyclosporin A, a specific inhibitor of mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT), could not affect these effects, indicating that CsA-sensitive MPT was not involved in the permeabilizing effects of lingshuiol or AM2. Sytox green tests further demonstrated that lingshuiol had a much stronger permeabilizing activity than AM2. Taken together, these results disclosed that lingshuiol had potent membrane permeabilizing activities, which might account for its cytotoxic effect.     

Nanjiols A-C,new steroids from the Chinese soft coral Nephthea bayeri

Three new polyoxygenated steroids, nanjiol A (1), B (2), and C (3), were isolated from an East China Sea soft coral Nephthea bayeri, and their structures were characterized by spectroscopic methods and comparison with known compounds. The new molecules were structurally related to (20S)-cholesta-1,4-diene-18,20-diol-3-one (4), a typical metabolite from the black coral Antipathes subpinnata.     

Three new jatrophone-type diterpenoids from Euphorbia helioscopia

Three new jatrophone-type diterpenoids, euphoheliosnoids A-C, together with two known related compounds, were isolated from the Chinese medicinal plant Euphorbia helioscopia L. The structures including relative stereochemistry of the new compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic methods and by comparison with known related compounds.     

Isocyanide terpene metabolites of Phyllidiella pustulosa, a nudibranch from the South China Sea

A series of isocyanides, compounds 4-11, including diterpenes never before found in Phyllidiid nudibranchs, have been isolated from a Chinese population of the nudibranch Phyllidiella pustulosa. Three new sesquiterpenes (8, 10, and 11), with eudesmane, guaiane, and bisabolane skeletons, respectively, have been characterized by spectral methods and chemical comparison with known related molecules. The absolute stereochemistry of the major metabolite, the isocyanide 8, an enantiomer of the known sponge metabolite stylotelline (12), has also been determined.     

Scalarane metabolites of the nudibranch Glossodoris rufomarginata and Its dietary sponge from the South China Sea

Chemical investigation of the nudibranch Glossodoris rufomarginata and its sponge prey provided additional evidence of the trophic relationship between Glossodoris nudibranchs and scalarane-containing sponges. Scalaradial (1) and its deacetyl derivative 2 were found to be the main components of the extract of the sponge, whereas a series of related scalaranes (3-7), probably derived from dietary scalaradial, were isolated from the mollusk. Two new scalarane sesterterpenes (5 and 6), exhibiting a keto functionalization at C-12, were characterized by spectroscopic methods and chemical correlations.     

Acanthovagasteroids A-D, four new 19-hydroxylated steroids from the South China Sea gorgonian Acanthogorgia vagae Aurivillius

Four new steroids, acanthovagasteroids A-D (1-4), along with two known analogues (5, 6), were isolated from the gorgonian Acanthogorgia vagae Aurivillius from the South China Sea. The structures of the new compounds, characterized with 19-hydroxy groups, were identified on the basis of extensive spectral analysis as well as by comparison with literature data. This is the first report of 19-hydroxy steroids from a gorgonian and suggests a possible biosynthetic relationship between 19-nor and 19-hydroxy steroids.     

南海海绵Axinyssa sp．的化学成分

目的：对采自中国南海的海绵Axinyssa sp．进行化学成分研究，从中寻找具有生物活性的次生代谢产物。方法：用硅胶和凝胶LH-20柱层析对海绵Axinyssa sp．的乙醚提取物进行分离纯化，并结合现代波谱技术对得到的化合物进行结构鉴定。结果：分离得到了4个化合物，其结构分别鉴定为theonellin isothiocyanate（1），theonellin formamide（2），7-isothiocyanato-7，8-dihydro-α-bisabolene（3）和axinysterol（4）。结论：化合物1-3均为首次从海绵Axinyssa sp．中分离得到，同时也是首次从中国海域的海洋生物中分离得到。