Jong Han Kim

New sesquiterpene-monoterpene lactone, artemisolide, isolated from Artemisia argyi

Abstract A new sesquiterpene–monoterpene lactone, artemisolide, was isolated from the aerial parts of Artemisia argyi. The structure of artemisolide was elucidated by spectroscopic data including HMBC and NOESY. The structure was confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis. Artemisolide exhibited in vitro cytotoxic activity with GI50 values of 2–8 μM against cancer cell lines.

Relationship between flavonoid structure and inhibition of farnesyl protein transferase.

Flavonoids are well-known phytochemicals that are produced by various plants in high quantities. The chemopreventive activity of flavonoids is dependent on their structural features. The studies of structure-FPTase inhibitory activity indicated that the number, position and substitution of hydroxyl groups of the A and B rings of flavonoid, and unsaturation of the C2–C3 bond are important factors affecting inhibition on FPTase by flavonoids. A couple of flavonoids inhibited FPTase and also the growth of human tumor cell lines, especially butein, which strongly inhibited the growth of colon cancer cell line (HCT116). However, flavanones and flavanols did not inhibit FPTase nor the growth of tumor cells.

Inhibitory Activity of Diarylheptanoids on Farnesyl Protein Transferase

Diarylheptanoids [curcumin (1), demethoxycurcumin (2), bisdemethoxycurcumin (3), bisdimethoxymethylcurcumin (4), and 1,2-dihydrobis(de-O-methyl)curcumin (5)] were isolated from the methanolic extract of Curcuma longa L. and a new cyclic diarylheptanoid (6) and a known Compound 7 were isolated from fruits of Alnus japonica Steud. Diarylheptanoids (1–3) inhibited farnesyl protein transferase (FPTase) with an IC50 of 29–50 µM. The other compounds very mildly inhibited FPTase, therefore, the inhibitory activity on FPTase very much depends on the structure of diarylheptanoids.

One‐Step Synthesis of ortho‐Hydroxycinnamaldehyde

Abstract An improved and convenient one‐step procedure for the large scale synthesis of ortho‐hydroxycinnamaldehyde (3a) using ortho‐hydroxybenzaldehyde and vinyl acetate is described.