Comparison of the efficacy of gossypol acetate enantiomers in rats with uterine leiomyoma
In this study, we aimed to clarify whether there were differences in the efficacy of gossypol enantiomers and whether a single gossypol optical isomer could alleviate adverse reactions in the treatment of UL. The results indicated that ( −)-GA and (+)-GA had significant therapeutic effect on rats with UL. Interestingly, (−)-GA could better significantly ameliorate the pathological structure, inhibit the secretion of estrogen, and downregulate the expression of estrogen receptor-alpha (ER-α) and progesterone receptor (PR) than ( +)-GA. Additionally, (−)-GA could better evidently decrease the symptoms of abnormally el...
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - August 19, 2022 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research
Ginsenoside Rg3 modulates spatial memory and fear memory extinction by the HPA axis and BDNF-TrkB pathway in a rat post-traumatic stress disorder
This study investigated whether the administration of Rg3 ameliorated the memory deficit induced by a single prolonged stress (SPS) in rats. Male rats were dosed with Rg3 (25 or 50 mg/kg) once daily for 14 days after exposure to SPS. Rg3 administration improved fear memory and spatial memory might be involved in modulating the dysregulation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and monoamine imbalance in the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. It also i ncreased the reduction in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tropomyosin-related kinase B (TrkB) mRNAs expression, and the ratio of p-...
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - August 18, 2022 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research
Seasonal variation in the total saponin content of platycodon roots cultivated in Japan
AbstractRoots ofPlatycodon grandiflorus A. De Candolle (Campanulaceae), with the bark removed, have been used as food and frequently employed as herbal medicines for inflammatory diseases such as tonsillitis, dermatitis, and cough. Platycodins are the bioactive saponin components of these crude medicines. Recently,P. grandiflorus have been cultivated in Japan and are harvested from October to December according to conventional practices. Seasonal fluctuations in the total saponin content of these roots were determined using LC/MS methods to recommend harvesting times when the saponin content is high. Platycodins A and C ar...
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - August 16, 2022 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research
Searching for constituents from plants in geographically characterized areas, Egypt, Madagascar, and Okinawa
AbstractSecondary metabolites may not be produced under some conditions, and in most cases, their function and significance in the producing organisms is unknown. Conversely, there are some that are produced for readily understood reasons, for example, toxic substances as defensive substances against invaders, or volatile substances that attract other species of organisms. These secondary metabolites also contribute to our health. However, there has not been sufficient research to evaluate them from a pharmacological perspective, and much progress is expected in this area in the future. About 90% of the existing plants hav...
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - August 12, 2022 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research
Four new glucosides from the aerial parts of Equisetum sylvaticum
AbstractTwo previously undescribed megastigmane glucosides, (3S)-3-hydroxy-4-oxo-7,8-dihydro- β-ionone-3-O- β-d-glucopyranoside (1), (3S)-3-hydroxy-4-oxo- β-ionone-3-O- β-d-glucopyranoside (2), an apocarotenoid glucoside named equiseoside A (3) and an unusual aromatic compound with a glucose-fused skeleton named equiseoside B (4), together with 35 known compounds (5–39) were isolated from the aerial parts ofEquisetum sylvaticum. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, including 1D and 2D NMR, IR, CD, and HR –MS.Graphical abstract (Source: Journal of Natural Medicines)
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - August 6, 2022 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research
Recent studies on chemical constituents of Ophiorrhiza plants
AbstractOphiorrhiza plants (Family Rubiaceae) are known to produce diverse monoterpenoid indole alkaloids including camptothecin with potent antitumor activity. This review contains a summary of recent chemical studies reported over the past 10 years regarding alkaloids (monoterpenoid indole and tetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloids, and cyclopeptide) inOphiorrhiza plants. In addition, the alkaloid biosynthetic pathways based on their reported structures were proposed. (Source: Journal of Natural Medicines)
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - July 28, 2022 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research
Regulatory science of natural products
AbstractFoods and pharmaceuticals play key roles in public health and welfare and ensuring that these products meet their quality assurance standards is a top priority in health and medical care. Quality assurance of natural products is essential in pharmaceutical sciences because the outset of a medicine is a natural, crude drug. Regulatory science underpins scientific regulations and is closely related to the quality assurance of foods and pharmaceuticals to ensure their safety and efficacy. During my time at the National Institute of Health Sciences, Japan, from 1986 to present, the regulatory science of natural product...
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - July 23, 2022 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research
Structural analysis of previously unknown natural products using computational methods
AbstractNatural products exhibit structural diversity, and biologically active natural products with unprecedented molecular skeletons can potentially be isolated from natural resources in the future. Although it has often been difficult to determine the structures and configurations of new compounds that do not resemble known compounds, the determination of the chemical structures, including the absolute stereo configuration, is very important in drug discovery research. In our efforts to find new bioactive natural products, we have identified novel compounds such as the ubiquitin –proteasome system inhibitors and osteo...
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - July 18, 2022 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research
Optimal harvest-time to maximize the annual camptothecin production by Ophiorrhiza pumila in a plant factory with artificial light
AbstractOphiorrhiza pumila is a medicinal plant that grows in subtropical forests and produces camptothecin (CPT). To determine an optimal harvest time ofO. pumila in a plant factory with artificial light (PFAL), we investigated the CPT distribution in each organ and at the developmental stage and estimated the annual CPT production. For this study, theO. pumila plants were grown in controlled environments (16 h light period, photosynthetic photon flux density of 100 μmol m−2 s−1 under white light-emitting diode lamps, air temperature of 28 °C, relative humidity of 80%, and CO2 concentration of 1000 μmol m...
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - July 5, 2022 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research
Enzymatic formation of a prenyl β-carboline by a fungal indole prenyltransferase
AbstractCdpNPT fromAspergillus fumigatus is a fungal indole prenyltransferase (IPT) with remarkable substrate promiscuity to generate prenylated compounds. Our first investigation of the catalytic potential of CdpNPT against aβ-carboline, harmol (1), revealed that the enzyme also accepts1 as the prenyl acceptor with dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP) as the prenyl donor and selectively prenylates the C-6 position of1 by the “regular-type” dimethylallylation to produce 6-(3-dimethylallyl)harmol (2). Furthermore, our X-ray crystal structure analysis of the C-His6-tagged CdpNPT (38-440) truncated mutant complexed with1 an...
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - June 29, 2022 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research
Anti-skin-aging effects of tissue-cultured mountain-grown ginseng and quantitative HPLC/ELSD analysis of major ginsenosides
In conclusion, TG and its active ginsenosides may have anti-skin-aging effects. Ginsenoside Rg1 (1) may also be beneficial in ameliorating skin damage. HPLC/ELSD can identify major ginsenosides and supercritical fluid CO2 extraction can be applied during health supplement or drug development.Graphical abstract (Source: Journal of Natural Medicines)
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - June 24, 2022 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research
The ability of callus tissues induced from three Allium plants to accumulate health-beneficial natural products, S-alk(en)ylcysteine sulfoxides
AbstractS-Alk(en)ylcysteine sulfoxides (CSOs), such as methiin, alliin, and isoalliin, are health-beneficial natural products biosynthesized in the genus Allium. Here, we report the induction of multiple callus tissue lines from three Allium vegetables, onion (A. cepa), Welsh onion (A. fistulosum), and Chinese chive (A. tuberosum), and their ability to accumulate CSOs. Callus tissues were initiated and maintained in the presence of picloram and 2-isopentenyladenine as auxin and cytokinin, respectively. For all plant species tested, the callus tissues almost exclusively accumulated methiin as CSO, while the intact plan...
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - June 13, 2022 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research
Agarotetrol as an index for evaluating agarwood in crude drug products
In this study, crude drug products containing many kinds of crude drugs in addition to agarwood were analyzed. Agarotetrol was detected and quantified, demonstrating that agarotetrol is useful for the quality evaluation of agarwood in complex prescriptions. High-performance liquid chromatography conditions to clearly separate agarotetrol from crude drug products were established and agarotetrol from Kampo decoctions was detected and quantified. Agarotetrol was also detected even from small crude drug product samples. These results suggest that agarotetrol is a useful component for the quality evaluation of agarwood in crud...
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - June 11, 2022 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research
Refined-JinQi-JiangTang tablet ameliorates hypertension through activation of FGF21/FGFR1 axis in fructose-fed rats
In this study, fructose-induced metabolic hypertension rats were used as hypertension models to detect the regulation effect of JQ-R on hypertension. The effects of JQ-R on blood glucose, blood lipids, serum insulin levels and other metabolic indicators of rats were also measured. The effects of JQ-R on FGF21/FGFR1 signaling pathway in model animals were detected by Real-time quantitative PCR and Western blotting. The results showed that JQ-R significantly reduce the blood pressure of model rats in a dose-dependent manner. Meanwhile, fasting insulin, fasting blood glucose, insulin resistance index, total cholesterol and tr...
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - May 9, 2022 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research
Chukranoids A –I, isopimarane diterpenoids from Chukrasia velutina
AbstractBioactivity guided separation ofChukrasia velutina root methanolic extract led to the isolation of nine new isopimarane diterpenoids, chukranoids A –I (1–9). The absolute configuration was then assigned by comparing the experimental CD spectra and the calculated CD spectra. Chukranoids A –I (1–9) showed moderate antimalarial activity againstPlasmodium falciparum 3D7 strain. It seems that conjugate system in the isopimarane skeleton may influence their antimalarial activity.Graphical abstract (Source: Journal of Natural Medicines)
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - May 5, 2022 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research
