Is 18 α-Glycyrrhizin a real natural product? Improved preparation of 18α-Glycyrrhizin from 18β-Glycyrrhizin as a positive standard for HPLC analysis of licorice extracts
Abstract18 α-Glycyrrhizin is an epimer of 18β-glycyrrhizin, a major component of licorice (Glycyrrhiza sp.), which is widely used as a traditional medicine. Whether 18 α-glycyrrhizin is a real natural product has been debated in the long history of glycyrrhizin chemistry because 18β-glycyrrhizin is epimerizable to a more thermodynamically stable 18α-glycyrrhizin under aqueous alkali conditions. We improved the preparation of 18α-glycyrrhizin from 18β-glycyrrh izin by successive epimerization reactions of 18β-glycyrrhizin, trimethyl esterification of the resulting epimerized mixture, and alkaline hydrolysis of a pur...
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - January 27, 2022 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research
Essential oil components in the seed masses of Amomum xanthioides and its related species from Southeast Asia and China
In this study, 51 crude drug samples of AS in Japanese markets were classified into four groups or species based on their ITS sequences. Approximately 67% of samples were derived fromA. villosum var.xanthioides orA. xanthioides,A. villosum var.villosum andA. longiligulare prescribed in Japanese Pharmacopoeia, and the rest were mixed withA. uliginosum andA. microcarpum. Subsequently, the essential oil compositions ofAmomum taxa specimens and AS samples were determined by GC –MS to characterize each group or species. Group 1(A. xanthioides) samples were characterized by containing higher amount of camphor(6) than bornyl ac...
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - January 25, 2022 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research
Antiatherosclerotic effects of corilagin via suppression of the LOX-1/MyD88/NF- κB signaling pathway in vivo and in vitro
AbstractCorilagin, a natural polyphenol compound isolated fromPhyllanthus urinaria L., exerts various pharmacological effects, such as antihyperglycemic, antitumor, and antioxidative stress properties, but the mechanisms underlying the antiatherosclerotic effects of corilagin have not been entirely elucidated. In the present study, we investigated the antiatherosclerotic effects of corilagin using a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced atherosclerotic rabbit model and ox-LDL-induced vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and explored the underlying molecular mechanisms. The serum lipid levels were measured through an enzymatic colori...
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - January 22, 2022 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research
Nacre extract from pearl oyster attenuates amyloid beta-induced memory impairment
In this study, we investigated whether nacre extract improves memory impairment induced by intracerebroventricular injection of Aβ1–40. Administration of nacre extract led to recovery from Aβ1–40-induced impairments in object recognition, short-term memory, and spatial memory. Nacre extract reversed the increase in lipid peroxidation caused by Aβ1–40 in the cerebral cortex by increasing the expression of catalase and superoxide dismutase. In addition, nacre extract recovered the expression and phosphorylation o f cyclic AMP response element-binding protein (CREB), which decreased with Aβ1–40 treatment, and incr...
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - January 19, 2022 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research
Thannilignan glucoside and 2-( β-glucopyranosyl)-3-isoxazolin-5-one derivative, two new compounds isolated from Terminalia bellirica
AbstractTwo new compounds, thannilignan 9-O- β-glucoside (1) and 2-( β-glucopyranosyl)-3-isoxazolin-5-one derivative (2), and seven known compounds were isolated from the methanol extract ofTerminalia bellirica leaves, collected in Bangladesh. The structures of the compounds were elucidated using spectroscopic analysis. Among these isolated compounds, corilagin (3) was cytotoxic against human gastric adenocarcinoma cell line AGS at an IC50 of 20.8 μM, and β-d-glucopyranose 1,3,6-trigallate (4) exhibited the ability to overcome tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) resistance. (Source: Journa...
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - January 18, 2022 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research
Daldinans D ‒G, new isoindolinone antioxidants isolated from the ascomycete Daldinia concentrica
AbstractFour new isoindolinone derivatives, daldinans D ‒G (3‒6), together with two known compounds, daldinans A and B (1 and2), were isolated from the stroma of the ascomyceteDaldinia concentrica. Chemical structures of the isolated compounds were determined by spectroscopic methods. All of these compounds exhibited antioxidant activities with IC50 values of 3.21 to 39.67 µM in the 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assay. (Source: Journal of Natural Medicines)
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - January 16, 2022 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research
Investigations of AGEs ’ inhibitory and nephroprotective potential of ursolic acid towards reduction of diabetic complications
AbstractIn diabetes, interactions between AGEs (advanced glycation end products) and RAGEs (receptors of AGEs) are responsible for chronic complications and the current work reports the potential of ursolic acid as a RAGE inhibitor. The three-dimensional crystal structure of RAGE was first docked with target molecules by ‘AutodockVina’ using GROMOS 96 4381 parameters. Druggability and pharmacokinetic properties were calculated from the SwissADME server. In vitro bovine serum albumin (BSA)–glucose fluorescence and BSA–methylglyoxal fluorescence assays were also performed. Finally, alloxan-induced diabetic mic e were...
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - January 15, 2022 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research
Inhibitory functions of cornuside on TGFBIp-mediated septic responses
AbstractTransforming growth factor β-induced protein (TGFBIp), as an extracellular matrix protein, is expressed TGF-β in some types of cells. Experimental sepsis is mediated by expressed and released TGFBIp in primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Cornuside (CNS) is a bisiridoid glucoside compound found in the fr uit ofCornus officinalis SIEB.et ZUCC. Based on the known functions of CNS, such as the immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory activities, we tested whether TGFBIp-mediated septic responses were suppressed by CNS in human endothelial cells and mice and investigated the underlying anti-septic m...
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - January 13, 2022 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research
The discovery of herbal drugs and natural compounds as inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro
AbstractThe emergence of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic in 2019 has led to a global health crisis. Mutations of the SARS-CoV-2 genome have impeded the development of effective therapeutics and vaccines against SARS-CoV-2. Natural products are important for discovering therapeutics to treat the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19). In the present study, we investigated the antiviral activity of herbal drug extracts from Polygala Root, Areca, and Quercus Bark and natural compounds derived from herbal drug such as baicalin and glabridin, with IC50 values of 9.5 µg/ml, 1.2 µg/ml, ...
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - January 10, 2022 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research
Shorter and more efficient pretreatment for germination of perilla mericarps
AbstractPerilla (Perilla frutescens (L.) Britton) mericarps are known to undergo dormancy; however, this can be broken by sulfuric acid treatment and cold stratification. Cold stratification is thought to be the most effective treatment and is customarily performed for 2 weeks to induce germination of perilla mericarps. However, this procedure requires an additional 2 weeks before sowing and cultivation, thereby decreasing cultivation efficiency. To address this problem, germination experiments were conducted in this study in order to identify a shorter and more e fficient pretreatment strategy for germination of perilla...
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - January 8, 2022 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research
Saikokeishikankyoto extract alleviates muscle atrophy in KKAy mice
In this study, we first evaluated the effects of herbal medicines on the transcriptional activity of the Sirtuin 1 (sirt1) promoter in vitro as an indicator of their therapeutic effect. Our data suggested that hot water Saikokeishikankyoto (SKK) extracts increasedsirt1 transcriptional activity in vitro, identifying it as a candidate therapeutic for evaluation in the KKAy type 2 diabetic obesity mouse model. These in vivo evaluations revealed that SKK treatment increased the wet weight and muscle fiber content in cross sections of the gastrocnemius muscle (GA) and restored motor function in these animals. In addition, SKK t...
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - January 8, 2022 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research
Phytochemical investigation of the fruits of Xanthium strumarium and their cytotoxic activity
AbstractEight pentacyclic triterpenoids including two new ones (1,2) were isolated from the fruits ofXanthium strumarium. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis. All isolates were evaluated for in vitro cytotoxic activity on HepG2, A549, HCT116 and SW480 cancer cells. Among them, the new compound2 was found to exhibit significant cytotoxic activity on A549, HCT116 and SW480 cancer cells with IC50 values of 9.68, 4.27 and 7.58 μM, respectively. Further,2 was selected for cell cycle analysis and results revealed that2 could cause HCT116 cell cycle arrest in G1 phase. In addition, Annexin V-FI...
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - January 7, 2022 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research
Saponin constituents of Achyranthes root
AbstractAchyranthes root is a crude drug used as diuretic, tonic and remedy for blood stasis. Characteristic oleanolic acid saponins with a dicarboxylic acid moiety have been isolated as one of the representative constituents of this crude drug. This review focuses on the triterpene saponin constituents, especially those with a characteristic dicarboxylic acid moiety, ofA. bidentata andA. fauriei. Several groups isolated the saponins and different names were given to one compound in some cases. The names of the compounds are sorted out and the stereochemistry of the dicarboxylic acid moieties are summarized. HPLC analysis ...
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - January 4, 2022 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research
Two new ɑ-pyrone derivatives from the endophytic Diaporthe sp. ECN371
AbstractDiaportholides A (1) and B (2), two polyketides with ɑ-pyrone moieties, were isolated from the cultures of an endophyticDiaporthe sp. ECN371 isolated fromOrixa japonica, together with four known polyketides, phomopsolide B (3), phomopsolidones A (4) and B (5), and 5-[(1R)-1-hydroxyethyl]- γ-oxo-2-furanbutanoic acid (6). The structures of1 and2 were determined by extensive analysis of NMR and MS spectroscopic data. Furthermore, the structure of2 was confirmed by analyzing the single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. The luciferase reporter gene assay revealed that among all isolated compounds (1 –6),3, a known ɑ-...
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - January 4, 2022 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research
Correction to: Physical and chemical characteristics of soils in Ephedra gerardiana and E. pachyclada habitats of Kali Gandaki Valley in Central Nepal
(Source: Journal of Natural Medicines)
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - December 23, 2021 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research
