Stability of carthamin fromCarthamus tinctorius in aqueous solution: pH and temperature effects

Thermal stability of a red pigment, carthamin, fromCarthamus tinctorius was investigated to explore possible applications as natural color additives for foods, cosmetics, and nutraceuticals. Degree of degradation reactions of carthamin at acidic, neutral and alkaline conditions were determined with UV/Vis spectral measurements. Decomposition half lives of carthamin at 25°C were 4.0 h, 5.1 h, and 12.5 h at pH 5.0, pH 7.0, and pH 12.0, respectively, indicating that carthamin is much more stable at alkaline pH than acidic or neutral conditions. The activation energies of carthamin at pH 5.0, pH 7.0, and pH 12.0 were 15.6, 15.7 and 16.8 kcal/mol, respectively.     

网脉橐吾的倍半萜类成分网脉橐吾的倍半萜类成分

目的研究网脉橐吾(Ligularia dictyoneura)的化学成分。方法应用色谱技术进行分离和纯化,MS,IR,NMR等波谱解析结构。结果从网脉橐吾中分离鉴定了4个倍半萜,分别签定为:ligudicin A (1), ligudicin C (2), ligudicin D (3)和isopetasin (4)。结论1为新化合物,2为新的天然产物,3和4为首次从网脉橐吾中分离得到。     

红心大白菊挥发油成分的GC-MS分析

目的 :分析我国中药材GAP基地红心大白菊挥发油的化学成分 ,为其质量评价提供科学依据。方法 :采用水蒸气蒸馏法提取红心大白菊挥发油 ,用GC毛细管柱进行分析 ,归一化法测定其相对含量 ,并用GC-MS法鉴定化学成分。结果 :检出 136个色谱峰 ,鉴定出 47个化合物 ,占挥发油总量的 62.24%。结论 :红心大白菊挥发油中 ,雪松醇、喇叭醇和 1-(1,5-二甲基-4-己烯基 )-4-甲基苯是其主要成分 ,以倍半萜类化合物喇叭醇含量最高 ,占总挥发油量的 13.9%。     

Inhibitory Effects of Saussurea involucrata. Against Melanogenesis of Mouse-Derived Melanocyte Cells

Abstract

Extracts and fractions from the aerial parts of herbal materials of Saussurea involucrata. Kar et Kir ex Maxim (Compositae) were investigated for their whitening activity against mouse-derived immortalized melanocyte cell line. The extract of wild herbs (FS2) possessed a better inhibition (28.2% growth) against melanin cells than that (46.7%) of cultivated herbs (FS1). The whole extracts and middle-polar partitioning fraction show the inhibitory effects, whereas the water-soluble parts show a poor activity in the same assay.     

Evaluation of Compositae sp. plants for antioxidant activity,antiinflammatory, anticancer and antiadipogenic activity in vitro

Aster spathulifolius, Coreopsis drummondii, Chrysanthemum morifolium, Chrysanthemum boreale, Chrysanthemum indicum and Rudbeckia laciniata var. hortensis had 30–70 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g dw of the total phenolic contents. Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and reducing powers of tested Compositae plant extract appeared to be linear and consistent with total phenolic/flavonoids compound contents in the same manner with DPPH radical scavenging activity. R. laciniata (200 µg/mL) inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production to approximately 92.8% from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophage cells. Although the total phenolic/flavonoids contents and antioxidant activity of R. laciniata is low compared with other Compositae plants, R. laciniata shows the superior inhibitory activity against NO biosynthesis from LPS-induced macrophage cells. For antiobesity activity, C. boreale, C. morifolium and C. drummondii might act to accelerate lipid degradation and to decrease lipid synthesis in 3T3-L1 adipocyte cells, and C. indicum, A. spathulifolius and R. laciniata extract had antiobesity activity to inhibit lipid synthesis in 3T3-L1 adipocyte cells.     

Presence of phthalate derivatives in the essential oils of a medicinal plant Achillea tenuifolia

Background

Phthalate, esters of phthalic acid, are mainly applied as plasticizers and cause several human health and environment hazards. The essential oils of Achillea species have attracted a great concern, since several biological activities have been reported from varieties of these medicinal species. On the other side, due to the problems regarding the waste disposal in developing countries, phthalate derivatives can easily release from waste disposal to the water and soil resulting in probable absorption and accumulation by medicinal and dietary plants. As a matter of fact, although the toxicity of phthalate derivatives in human is well-known, food crops and medicinal plants have been exposing to phthalates that can be detected in their extracts and essential oils. Achillea tenuifolia (Compositea) is one of these herbaceous plants with traditional applications which widely growing in Iran.

Finding

The plant root was subjected to hydro-distillation for 4 h using Clevenger type apparatus to obtain its essential oil before and after acid treatment. Both of the hydro-distilled essential oils were analysed by GC-MS method resulted in recognition of their constituent. Phthalate contamination as (1, 2-benzenedicarboxylic acid, bis (2-methylpropyl) ester (5.4%) and phthalic acid (4.5%), were identified in the first and second extracted oils, respectively.

Conclusion

As a warning, due to the potential role of phthalates to cause reproductive toxicity, disturb of endocrine system and causing cancers, medicinal plants have to be considered through quality control for detection of these compounds.     

Lettuce contact allergy

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) and its varieties are important vegetable crops worldwide. They are also well‐known, rarely reported, causes of contact allergy. As lettuce allergens and extracts are not commercially available, the allergy may be underdiagnosed. The aims of this article are to present new data on lettuce contact allergy and review the literature. Lettuce is weakly allergenic, and occupational cases are mainly reported. Using aimed patch testing in Compositae‐allergic patients, two recent Danish studies showed prevalence rates of positive lettuce reactions of 11% and 22%. The majority of cases are non‐occupational, and may partly be caused by cross‐reactivity. The sesquiterpene lactone mix seems to be a poor screening agent for lettuce contact allergy, as the prevalence of positive reactions is significantly higher in non‐occupationally sensitized patients. Because of the easy degradability of lettuce allergens, it is recommended to patch test with freshly cut lettuce stem and supplement this with Compositae mix. As contact urticaria and protein contact dermatitis may present as dermatitis, it is important to perform prick–to–prick tests, and possibly scratch patch tests as well. Any person who is occupationally exposed to lettuce for longer periods, especially atopics, amateur gardeners, and persons keeping lettuce‐eating pets, is potentially at risk of developing lettuce contact allergy.     

羽裂蟹甲草中的甾醇类化合物

目的:对从羽裂蟹甲草Cacalia tangutica中提取并分离的7个甾醇类化合物及2个香豆素类化合物的结构进行鉴定。方法:从地上部分的石油醚浸膏中分离得到了9个化合物,利用现代波谱技术MS,¹H-NMR,¹³C-NMR,DEPT和化学方法对其进行结构鉴定。结果:这几个化合物分别为豆甾-4-烯-3β,6β-二醇(1),24-乙基-5α-胆甾-3β,5,6β-三醇(2),7β-甲氧基-豆甾-5-烯-3β-醇(3),7β-甲氧基-豆甾-5-烯-3β,22β-二醇(4),豆甾-5-烯-3β,7α-二醇(5),伞形花内酯(6),7-羟基-8-甲氧基香豆素(7)。结论:化合物1~5为首次从该植物中分离得到。     

绵头雪莲的化学成分

目的：研究绵头雪莲的化学成分。方法：通过各种层析技术分离和纯化化合物，并利用光谱方法及理化性质鉴定化合物结构。结果：从绵头雪莲中分离得到14个化合物，分别鉴定为洋蓟苦素（1），3a，8a-二羟基-11βH-11，13-二氢去羟木香内酯（2），川木香内酯（3），3a-羟基-11βH-11，13-二氢去羟木香内酯8-O-β-D-葡萄糖甙（4），3β-羟基-5a，6d-环氧-7-megastigmen-9酮（5），金合欢素（6），香豆素（7），紫丁香苷（8），苯甲基葡萄糖苷（9），对羟基苯乙酮（10），对羟基甲苯（11），β-香树脂醇（12），胡萝卜苷（13），尿苷（14）。结论：所有化合物均为首次从该植物中分得。     

紫菀的化学成分研究

目的：对紫菀Astertataricus L.f.的化学成分进行研究。方法：采用硅胶柱色谱、LH-20柱色谱进行分离，通过理化和波谱分析方法鉴定化合物结构。结果：从紫菀石油醚萃取部位分离得到9个化合物，分别鉴定为紫菀酮（1）、木栓酮（2）、表木栓醇（3）、蒲公英萜醇（4）、β-谷甾醇（5）、豆甾醇（6）、对羟基肉桂酸十六烷酯（7）、11-hydroxy-10，11-dihydro-euparin（8）和lachnophyllic acid（9）。结论：其中化合物9为新的天然产物，化合物7、8为首次从紫菀属中分得。