Chanita Ponglimanont

Cassane diterpenoids from the stem of Caesalpinia pulcherrima.

Cassane diterpenoids: pulcherrin A, pulcherrin B, pulcherrin C, neocaesalpin P, neocaesalpin Q and neocaesalpin R, together with eight known compounds: isovouacapenol C, 6beta-cinnamoyl-7beta-hydroxy-vouacapen-5alpha-ol, pulcherrimin E, pulcherrimin C, alpha-cadinol, 7-hydroxycadalene, teucladiol and bonducellin were isolated from the stem of Caesalpinia pulcherrima. The chemical structures were elucidated by analysis of their spectroscopic data.

Cytotoxic and antibacterial sesquiterpenes from Thespesia populnea.

Eight new sesquiterpenoids, named populene A-H (1-8), were isolated from dichloromethane extracts of the wood and dark heartwood of Thespesia populnea, together with 11 known compounds (9-19). Their structures were determined on the basis of spectroscopic analyses. The cytotoxic activity of isolated compounds was evaluated against four cancer cell lines: MCF-7, HeLa, HT-29, and KB. Mansonone E (11) and (+)-gossypol (18) showed significant activities. Their antibacterial properties against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecalis are also presented.

Phanginin A-K, diterpenoids from the seeds of Caesalpinia sappan Linn.

The first chemical study on the seeds of Caesalpinia sappan Linn. led to isolation of 11 cassane-type diterpenes, named phanginin A-K (1-11). The skeleton present in compounds 1-8 is rather unusual, consisting of a cassane-type diterpene with an ether bridge between C-19/C-20 in compounds 1-6 and C-11/C-20 in compounds 7 and 8. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic techniques. In addition, the X-ray structure of phanginin A (1) is reported. Only phanginin I (9) exhibited cytotoxic effect against KB cell line with IC50 value of 4.4 microg/ml.

Potential anti-inflammatory diterpenoids from the roots of Caesalpinia mimosoides Lamk.

Anti-inflammatory assay-guided separation of extracts from the roots of Caesalpinia mimosoides Lamk. led to isolation of seven compounds: four diterpenes (1-4), a dimer (9), and two dibenzo[b,d]furans (10, 11) together with eleven known compounds. Their structures were elucidated by 1D- and 2D-NMR techniques as well as UV, IR, mass spectral data and comparison with literature values. The anti-inflammatory activities of all compounds were evaluated for inhibitory activities against lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW264.7 cell lines. Compounds 4, 6, 8, and 12-14 were also tested for the inhibitory effect on LPS-induced tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) release in RAW264.7 cells. The results indicated that 4 possessed potent inhibitory activity for both tests with IC(50) values of 3.0 and 6.5 microM, respectively.

Anti‐allergic activity of principles from the roots and heartwood of caesalpinia sappan on antigen‐induced β‐hexosaminidase release

The dichloromethane extract of the roots and heartwood of Caesalpinia sappan exhibited potent inhibitory activity against β‐hexosaminidase release as marker of degranulation in rat basophilic leukemic (RBL‐2H3) cells, with inhibition of 98.7% and 87.5% at concentration of 100 µg/ml, respectively. These extracts were further separated by chromatographic techniques to give two chalcones and seven homoisoflavones. Among the compounds tested, sappanchalcone (2) possessed the most potent effect against allergic reaction in RBL‐2H3 cells with an inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 7.6 µM, followed by 3‐deoxysappanchalcone (1, IC50 = 15.3 µM), whereas other compounds showed moderate and mild effects. The results suggested the following structural requirements of chalcones (1 and 2) and homoisoflavones (3‐9) for anti‐allergic activity: (i) chalcone exhibited higher activity than homoisoflavone (ii) vicinal hydroxylation at B‐ring of chalcone conferred higher activity than one hydroxylation; and (iii) for homoisoflavone, the hydroxyl groups at C‐3 and C‐4 positions decreased the activity. This is the first report of C. sappan for anti‐allergic activity. Copyright

Diterpenoids and triterpenoids with potential anti-inflammatory activity from the leaves of Aglaia odorata.

Chemical investigation of the leaves of the oriental medicinal plant Aglaia odorata resulted in the isolation of five compounds: two dolabellane diterpenoids, two dammarane triterpenoids and a protostane triterpenoid, along with twenty known compounds. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis and by comparison of their NMR spectroscopic data with those reported in the literature. The anti-inflammatory activities of all compounds were evaluated as inhibitory activities against lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW264.7 cell lines. Eleven compounds possessed potent nitric oxide inhibitory activity with IC(50) values ranging from 2.1 to 14.2 μM, these being better than that of the positive control, indomethacin (IC(50)=14.5 μM). In addition, three compounds exhibited significant activity against PGE(2) release with IC(50) values of 2.6, 16.1 and 23.0 μM.

Candenatenins A−F, Phenolic Compounds from the Heartwood of Dalbergia candenatensis

Chemical investigation of the CH2Cl2 extract of the heartwood of Dalbergia candenatensis affored six new phenolic compounds, designated candenatenins A-F (1-6), as well as four known compounds, (2R,3R)-3,5-dihydroxy-7-methoxyflavanone (7), 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-8,9-methylenedioxypterocarpan (8), nutiducol (9), and sophoraflavanone A (10). The structures of the new compounds were determined by 1D- and 2D-NMR spectroscopic studies as well as by MS analysis. The cytotoxic activities of the isolated compounds are also reported.

Potential anti-allergic acridone alkaloids from the roots of Atalantia monophylla.

Acridone alkaloids, cycloatalaphylline-A (1), N-methylcyclo-atalaphylline-A (2) and N-methylbuxifoliadine-E (3), were isolated from the dichloromethane and acetone extracts of the root of Atalantia monophylla along with eight known acridone alkaloids: buxifoliadine-A (4), buxifoliadine-E (5), N-methylatalaphylline (6), atalaphylline (7), citrusinine-I (8), N-methylataphyllinine (9), yukocitrine (10) and junosine (11) and two known coumarins: auraptene (12) and 7-O-geranylscopoletin (13). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analyses. Compounds 2, 5 and 8 possessed appreciable anti-allergic activity in RBL-2H3 cells model with IC(50) values of 40.1, 6.1 and 18.7 microM, respectively.

Anti-inflammatory principles from Heritiera littoralis bark

Compounds from the hexane, dichloromethane and acetone extracts of Heritiera littoralis bark were investigated for their nitric oxide (NO) inhibitory effects using RAW264.7 macrophage cells. The result indicated that ergosterol peroxide (13) exhibited the highest activity against NO release with an IC(50) value of 2.5 microM, followed by 6-alpha-hydroxystigmast-4-en-3-one (11, IC(50)=9.5 microM) and stigmast-4-en-3-one (9, IC(50)=15.9 microM), whereas other compounds showed moderate and mild effects (25.4- > 100 microM). Ergosterol peroxide (13) and 6-alpha-hydroxystigmast-4-en-3-one (11) were also tested against prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) releases. It was found that ergosterol peroxide (13) possessed marked activity against PGE(2) release with an IC(50) value of 28.7 microM, while 6-alpha-hydroxystigmast-4-en-3-one (11) was 86.7 microM. However, these two compounds were inactive towards TNF-alpha release (IC(50) > 100 microM). The mechanism in transcriptional level of ergosterol peroxide (13) was found to down regulate mRNA expressions of iNOS and COX-2 in dose-dependent manners.

Lupane-Triterpene Esters from the Leaves of Ceriops decandra (Griff.) Ding Hou

Two novel triterpene esters were isolated from the leaves of Ceriops decandra in addition to 16 known triterpenes: lupenone 3, lupeol 4, betulinaldehyde 5, 3β-Z-coumaroyllupeol 6, 3β-E-coumaroyllupeol 7, 3-epi-betulinic acid 8, betulin 9, betulinic acid 10, 3β-E-feruloylbetulin 11, 30-nor-lup-3β-ol-20-one 12, 3β-E-caffeoyllupeol 13, lup-20(29)-en-3β,30-diol 14, 3β-hydroxylupan-29-oic acid 15, 3β,20-dihydroxylupane 16, and a mixture of oleanolic and ursolic acid 17 and 18. The new compounds were determined by spectroscopic methods to be 3β-E-feruloyllupeol 1 and 3β-Z-feruloyllupeol 2. Compounds 3 and 5–16 were reported for the first time as metabolites of C. decandra.