Mohamed S. Hifnawy

Pachycladins A-E, prostate cancer invasion and migration inhibitory Eunicellin-based diterpenoids from the red sea soft coral Cladiella pachyclados.

Alcyonaria species are among the important marine invertebrate classes that produce a wealth of chemically diverse bioactive diterpenes. Examples of these are the potent microtubule disruptor sarcodictyins and eleutherobin. The genus Cladiella has proven to be a rich source of cytotoxic eunicellin-based diterpenoids. Five new eunicellin diterpenes, pachycladins A-E (1-5), were isolated from the Red Sea soft coral Cladiella pachyclados. The known sclerophytin A Cladiellisin, 3-acetylcladiellisin, 3,6-diacetylcladiellisin, (+)-polyanthelin A, klysimplexin G, klysimplexin E, sclerophytin F methyl ether, (6Z)-cladiellin (cladiella-6Z,11(17)-dien-3-ol), sclerophytin B, and patagonicol were also identified. The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated by extensive interpretation of their spectroscopic data. These compounds were evaluated for their ability to inhibit growth, proliferation, invasion, and migration of the prostate cancer cells PC-3. Some of the new metabolites exhibited significant anti-invasive activity.

Large-scale in Vitro. Screening of Egyptian Native and Cultivated Plants for Schistosomicidal Activity

Abstract In vitro. bioassay screening of 346 methanol extracts originated from 281 native and cultivated plant species growing in Egypt, and related to 81 families, was carried out for schistosomicidal activity. The extracts were bioassayed at 100 µg/mL on viable Schistosoma mansoni. mature worms in culture medium. Viability of worms was examined after exposure for 24 h, and mortality determined. Negative (DMSO) and positive (praziquantel) controls were used. Of the tested plant extracts, 72 were found to possess reproducible in vitro. antischistosomal activity. These active extracts were further subjected to determination of their LC50 and LC90 values. Strong antischistosomal activity was found in the extracts of 15 species (possessing LC50 ≤ 15 µg/mL), viz. Agave americana. L. var. marginata. Trel. (Agavaceae), A. lophantha. Schiede (Agavaceae), Furcraea selloa. C.Koch. (Agavaceae), Calotropis procera. (Aiton) W.T.Aiton (Asclepiadaceae), Pergularia tomentosa. L. (Asclepiadaceae), Asclepias sinaica. (Boiss.) Muschl. (Asclepiadaceae), Alkanna orientalis. (L.) Boiss. (Boraginaceae), Khaya grandifoliola. DC. (Meliaceae), Swietenia mahogani. (L.) Jacq. (Meliaceae), Pimenta racemosa. (Mill.) J.W.Moore (Myrtaceae), Pinus canariensis. C.Sm. (Pinaceae), Verbascum sinaiticum. L. (Scrophulariaceae), Solanum elaeagnifolium. Cav. (Solanaceae), S. nigrum. L. (Solanaceae), and Brachychiton rupestris. (Lindl.) K.Schum. (Sterculiaceae). These 15 species could represent promising bioactive sources that deserve further investigation, with the aim of finding novel antischistosomal agents. The current study represents the first report on a systematic screening of schistosomicidal activity utilizing a large number of plant species.

Design of semisynthetic analogues and 3D-QSAR study of eunicellin-based diterpenoids as prostate cancer migration and invasion inhibitors

Prostrate cancer constitutes the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men in United States. Eunicellin-based diterpenoids are important bioactive marine natural products isolated from corals of alcyonaria species. The bioactivities of eunicellin diterpenes were correlated with their chemical structures. Recently eunicellin diterpenes from the Red Sea soft coral Cladiella pachyclados showed significant anti-migratory and anti-invasive activities against prostate cancer in wound-healing and Cultrex(®) invasion models. These results encouraged the semisynthetic and 3D-QSAR studies of this unique marine natural product class as possible hits for the control of metastatic prostate cancer. Ten new semisynthetic analogues of cladiellisin (1) were prepared. These include C-6 carbamoylation and ∆(11-17) epoxidation. Carbamate analogues of 1 showed potent anti-migratory and anti-invasive activities against PC-3 cells. Comparative Molecular Field Analysis (CoMFA) and Comparative Molecular Similarity Indices Analysis (CoMSIA) were performed using SYBYL 8.1 program package to create a valid 3D-QSAR model to guide future design of potent eunicellin diterpenes cancer migration inhibitors. Eunicellin-based diterpenes are potential marine natural hits appropriate for optimization as inhibitors of metastatic prostate cancer.

Semisynthetic analogues of the marine cembranoid sarcophine as prostate and breast cancer migration inhibitors.

Sarcophine (1) is a bioactive cembranoid diterpene isolated from the Red Sea soft coral Sarcophyton glaucum. Previous semisynthesis attempts resulted in decreased or complete loss of 1s anticancer activity. Sarcophine and analogues showed antimigratory activity against breast and prostate cancer cell lines. This encouraged further semisynthestic optimizations to improve its activity and establish a preliminary structure-activity relationship. Eight new and five known semisynthetic analogues were generated. These compounds were evaluated for their ability to inhibit growth, proliferation, and migration of the prostate and breast metastatic cancer cell lines PC-3 and MDA-MB-231, respectively. Most analogues exhibited enhanced antimigratory activity.

Study of Essential Oil of Artemisia monosperma and its Larvicidal Effect

AbstractThe steam distilled oil of the overground parts of Artemisia monosperma was analysed by chromatographic and spectral techniques. The oil was found rich in dibenzofuran (36%), 1-phenyl-bicyclo [3.3.1] non-2-en-9-ol benzoate (25%) and octahydrophenanthrene (12%). It contains also diphenylamine (2%) which is a strong hypoglycemic. The biological study revealed that the oil possesses a larvicidal effect which is mainly due to the presence of dibenzofuran.

Aromatic Plants of Saudi Arabia, Part 13 Essential Oil of Micromeria sinaica

AbstractThe Steam Distilled Oil Of The Aerial Parts Of Micromeria Sinaica Was Analysed By Gc/Ms. A Total Of 65 Peaks Were Resolved and 56 Peaks Could Be Identified, Or Their Chemical Groups Determined-Representing About 98 % Of The Total Oil Composition. Sesquiterpene Hydrocarbons Represent The Major Class Of This Oil (41 %) While Isoeugenol Was The Most Prominent Constituent (31.5 % Of The Oil Composition). Moreover, The Oil Of This Species Was Found Active Against Certain Microorganisms.

Two new dihydroamentoflavone glycosides from Cycas revoluta

Phytochemical investigation of the ethyl acetate extract of Cycas revoluta Thunb. leaflets afforded five compounds including two new dihydroamentoflavone glucosides, (2S)-I-(2,3)-dihydro-I-7-O-β-d-glucopyranosylamentoflavone (1) and (2S)-I-(2,3)-dihydro-I-7,II-7-di-O-β-d-glucopyranosylamentoflavone (2), in addition to the known compounds prunin (3), vitexin-2″-rhamnoside (4) and protocatechuic acid (5). Compounds (3) and (4) being reported for the first time in this plant. The structures of these compounds were established by the detailed analysis of their spectroscopic data, mainly 1D NMR, 2D NMR, CD and HR-MSD-TOF. The ethyl acetate extract showed weak cytotoxicity against HepG2 (IC50 = 207.6 μg/mL) and RAW 264.2 cells (IC50 = 160.8 μg/mL). Compound 4 showed significant activity towards Leishmania donavani (IC50 = 13.8 μM, IC90 = 34.6 μM). The isolated compounds showed weak antimicrobial activity (IC50>10 μg/mL).