Qun-Fang Liu

Anti-hepatitis B virus activity of chlorogenic acid, quinic acid and caffeic acid in vivo and in vitro.

Chlorogenic acid and its related compounds are abundant plant polyphenols that have a diverse antiviral activity. In this study, HepG2.2.15 cells and duck hepatitis B virus infection model were used as in vitro and in vivo models to evaluate their anti-HBV activity. In the cell model, all the three compounds inhibited HBV-DNA replication as well as HBsAg production. Chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid also reduced serum DHBV level in DHBV-infected duckling model. Moreover, the anti-HBV activity of crude extracts of coffee beans, which have a high content of chlorogenic acid, was studied. Both the extracts of regular coffee and that of decaffeinated coffee showed inhibitory effect on HBV replication.

Immunosuppressive pregnane glycosides from Periploca sepium and Periploca forrestii

Nine pregnane glycosides containing peroxy functions in their sugar moieties (1-5 and 11-14), five oligosaccharides (6-10), six pregnane glycosides (15-20), and five cardiac glycosides (21-25) were isolated from the root barks of Periploca sepium Bge. (Asclepiadaceae) and the roots of Periploca forrestii Schltr. (Asclepiadaceae), two traditional Chinese medicines used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Among them, 1-8 are hitherto unknown. Their structures were characterized on the basis of spectroscopic analyses. In pharmacological testing, compounds 1-5 and 11-14 were found to exhibit inhibitory activity against the proliferation of T lymphocyte in vitro with IC50 values ranging from 0.29microM to 1.97microM, while the other components showed no significant inhibitory activity.

Periplocoside E Inhibits Experimental Allergic Encephalomyelitis by Suppressing Interleukin 12-Dependent CCR5 Expression and Interferon-gamma-Dependent CXCR3 Expression in T Lymphocytes

Periplocoside E (PSE) was found to inhibit primary T-cell activation in our previous study. Now we examined the effect and mechanisms of PSE on the central nervous system (CNS) demyelination in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE). C57BL/6 mice immunized with myelin oligodendrocyte glyco-protein (MOG) were treated with PSE following immunization and continued throughout the study. The effect on the progression of EAE and other relevant parameters were assessed. PSE reduced the incidence and severity of EAE. Spinal cord histopathology analysis showed that the therapeutic effect of PSE was associated with reduced mononuclear cell infiltration and CNS inflammation. As reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis showed, PSE decreased the CD4+, CD8+, and CD11b+ cell infiltration. T cells from lymph nodes of MOG-immunized mice expressed enhanced levels of CCR5 and CXCR3 mRNA compared with T cells from normal mice. However, CCR5 and CXCR3 expressions were suppressed in T cells from PSE-treated mice. In vitro study also showed PSE inhibited interferon (IFN)-γ-dependent CXCR3 expression in T cells through suppressing T-cell receptor (TCR) ligation-induced IFN-γ production, whereas it inhibited interleukin (IL)-12-dependent CCR5 expression through suppressing IL-12 reactivity in TCR-triggered T cells. As a result, the initial influx of T cells into CNS was inhibited in PSE-treated mice. The consequent activation of macrophages/microglia cells was inhibited in spinal cord from PSE-treated mice as determination of chemokine expressions (CCL2, CCL3, CCL4, CCL5, CXCL9, and CXCL10). Consistently, the secondary influx of CD4+, CD8+, and CD11b+ cells was decreased in spinal cords from PSE-treated mice. These findings suggest the potential therapeutic effect of PSE on multiple sclerosis.

Four new triterpenoids isolated from the resin of Garcinia hanburyi.

Four new triterpenoids, 2-O-acetyl-3-O-(4′-O-acetyl)-α-l-arabinopyranosylmaslinic acid (1), 2-O-acetyl-3-O-(3′-O-acetyl)-α-l-arabinopyranosylmaslinic acid (2), 2-O-acetyl-3-O-(3′,4′-O-diacetyl)-α-l-arabinopyranosylmaslinic acid (3), and 3-O-(3′-O-acetyl)-α-l-arabinopyranosyloleanolic acid (4), together with six known triterpenoids, 3-O-(4′-O-acetyl)-α-l-arabinopyranosyloleanolic acid (5), maslinic acid (6), 2-O-acetylmaslinic acid (7), 3-O-acetylmaslinic acid (8), betulinic acid (9), and 2α-hydroxy-3β-O-acetylbetulinic acid (10), were isolated from the EtOAc extract of Garcinia hanburyi resin. Their structures were elucidated by analysis of the spectroscopic data and chemical methods.

Effects of forced flow on morphology of Al-CuAl2 eutectic solidified with electromagnetic stirring

Acad Sinica, Inst Met Res, State Key Lab Rapidly Solidified Nonequilibrium A, Shenyang 110015, Peoples R China.;Zhang, W (reprint author), Liaoning Univ Engn & Technol, Dept Mat Sci & Engn, 47 Zhonghua Rd, Fuxin 123000, Peoples R China