Xu-Yang Li

Unusual prenylated phenols with antioxidant activities from Ganoderma cochlear.

Seven new prenylated phenols, five novel phenols (1-5) with polycyclic skeleton and two new phenols (6 and 7) with a carbon chain, along with one known compound (8) were isolated from the fruiting bodies of Ganoderma cochlear. The structures of new compounds were elucidated by the spectroscopic technologies, X-ray crystallography analysis and chiral HPLC chromatography. All compounds showed antioxidant effect in radical scavenging assays and a plausible biosynthetic pathway for 1-8 was proposed.

Hepatoprotective Effects of Triterpenoids from Ganoderma cochlear

Two novel trinorlanostanes, cochlates A and B (1 and 2), with a 3,4-seco-9,10-seco-9,19-cyclo skeleton, as well as six new triterpenoids, fornicatins D-F (3-5) and ganodercochlearins A-C (6-8), together with five known triterpenoids (9-13), were obtained from the fruiting bodies of Ganoderma cochlear. The structural elucidation was achieved by interpretation of spectroscopic data, and compounds 2 and 7a were further characterized by X-ray crystallographic analysis. Fornicatins A, D, and F (10, 3, and 5) and fredelin (13) lowered the ALT and AST levels in HepG2 cells treated with H2O2, suggesting that they could display in vivo hepatoprotective activities.

Cytotoxicity of naturally occurring rhamnofolane diterpenes from Jatropha curcas

Twelve rhamnofolane diterpenoids, including curcusecons A-E with unusual seco-rhamnofolane skeletons, curcusones F-J, 4-epi-curcusone E, and 3-dehydroxy-2-epi-caniojane, together with seven known analogues, curcusones A-E, jatrogrossidione, and 2-epi-jatrogrossidione, were isolated from the roots of Jatropha curcas. Their structures were determined by extensive spectroscopic methods, and the relative stereochemistry of curcusecon B was further confirmed by X-ray crystallographic data. Their cytotoxity against five human cancer cells was studied and the results indicated that the dienone system in ring B was essential for cytotoxicity of these compounds.

A novel thermal reflow method for the fabrication of microlenses with an ultrahigh focal number

In this paper, we demonstrate a novel thermal reflow method with an additional near ultraviolet (UV) flood exposure and upside-down reflow configuration for the fabrication of microlenses with an ultrahigh focal number. By using this method, microlenses with a focal number (F#) as high as 9.7 have been successfully obtained, which is about four fold higher than that can be fabricated with a conventional reflow method. The final profile of the microlenses can be flexibly and accurately tuned by controlling the flood exposure dosage and adopting the appropriate reflow configuration, which enables fabrication not only of spherical microlenses but also of more complex aspheric lenses. The fabricated microlens is characterized by measuring the point spread function (PSF) and the measurement result indicates that the diffraction limited optical performance of the microlens can be achieved. The method developed in this work can be used for the mass and cost-effective fabrication of high performance microlenses with ultrahigh focal numbers, which can find applications such as in accurate optical testing, integration imaging, and laser beam collimating.

Lanostane triterpenoids from Ganoderma hainanense J. D. Zhao

Chemical investigation of the fruiting bodies of Ganoderma hainanense resulted in isolation of fourteen lanostane triterpenoids, including nine ganoderma acids and five ganoderma alcohols, together with five known compounds. Structural elucidation was determined using extensive spectroscopic technologies, Moshers method and X-ray single crystal diffraction. Three of the compounds showed inhibitory activities against HL-60, SMMC-7721, A-549 and MCF-7 cells with IC50 values of 15.0-40.0 μM.

One-Step Semisynthesis Method of Spirocurcasone and Pyracurcasone from Curcusones A and B

High contents of curcusones A and B and trace amounts of spirocurcasone exist in the roots of Jatropha curcas. Here, a one-step semisynthesis method of spirocurcasone and pyracurcasone was built, not only resulted an increased yield of spirocurcasone but also produced pyracurcasone, which exhibited greater cytotoxicity compared to curcusones A and B. The plausible mechanism of the formation of pyracurcasone was proposed, and the proposed biogenetic origin for spirocurcasone by Taglialatela-Scafati was confirmed.

Norfriedelins A–C with Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitory Activity from Acerola Tree (Malpighia emarginata)

Three novel norfriedelanes, A-C (1-3), were isolated from the branches and roots of Malpighia emarginata . Their structures and absolute configurations were determined by 1D and 2D NMR techniques and X-ray crystallographic analysis. Norfriedelin A (possessing an α-oxo-β-lactone group) and norfriedelin B (with a keto-lactone group) showed acetylcholinesterase inhibitory effects with the IC50 values of 10.3 and 28.7 μM, respectively.

Swietemahalactone, a rearranged phragmalin-type limonoid with anti-bacterial effect, from Swietenia mahagoni

Swietemahalactone (1), a novel rearranged phragmalin-type limonoid, was isolated from Swietenia mahagoni. The structure of 1 was established on the basis of extensive spectroscopic and X-ray crystallographic methods. Swietemahalactone exhibited antibacterial activity using the agar diffusion method. The key biogenetic pathway of 1 is the semipinacol rearrangement.

Cytotoxic diterpenoids from Jatropha curcas cv. nigroviensrugosus CY Yang Roots

An investigation of phytochemicals from the roots of Jatropha curcas cv. nigroviensrugosus resulted in the isolation of twenty diterpenoids, including lathyranlactone, an unusual diterpenoid lactone possessing a 5/13/3 tricyclic skeleton, jatrocurcasenones A-E and jatrophodiones B-E, as well as 10 known analogues. All isolates were evaluated for cytotoxicity against the HL-60, SMMC-772, A-549, MCF-7 and SW480 human tumor cell lines using the MTS viability assay. Four of the known analogues showed cytotoxic activity in these cell lines, with IC50 values ranging from 2.0 to 23.0 μM. Moreover, the assessment of their cytotoxic structure-activity relationships showed the epoxy ring between C-5 and C-6 and the hydroxyl group at C-2 were the key functionalities for cytotoxicity.

CCDC 850175: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination

Related Article: Jie-Qing Liu, Yuan-Feng Yang, Xu-Yang Li, En-Qian Liu, Zhong-Rong Li, Lin Zhou, Yan Li, Ming-Hua Qiu|2013|Phytochemistry|96|265|doi:10.1016/j.phytochem.2013.09.008