Zoltán Péter Zomborszki

Development of an optimized processing method for Withania frutescens

Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal originates mainly from Northern and Southern India. Primarily the roots are used in the Ayurvedic medicine as tonic, sedative hypnotic, adstringent, diuretic, emetic, and aphrodisiac. In Europe, it is widely used in food supplements. Due to the many effects and uses of this plant, the analysis of the Withania somnifera and optimization of industrial processing is nowadays an important issue. In Europe W. frutescens is native, and may be interesting for industrial preparation due to its similar phytochemical profile to W. somnifera. The point of our research was to develop an effective extraction and hydrolysis method of the Withania frutescens leaves to optimize the industrial processing.

Bioactivity-Guided isolation of antimicrobial and antioxidant metabolites from the mushroom tapinella atrotomentosa

Bioassay-guided fractionation of the chloroform extract of Tapinella atrotomentosa led to the isolation of four secondary metabolites 1–4. Two of the compounds are lactones—osmundalactone (1) and 5-hydroxy-hex-2-en-4-olide (2)—while 3 and 4 were identified as terphenyl quinones, spiromentins C and B, respectively. The structures of the compounds were established on the basis of NMR and MS spectroscopic analysis. The isolated fungal metabolites were evaluated for their antibacterial activities against several Gram-positive and negative bacteria. In addition, their synergistic effect with cefuroxime against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was also evaluated. Compounds 1–3 proved to possess significant antibacterial activity against multiresistant Acinetobacter baumannii and extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli. The investigation of the antioxidant effect of the isolated compounds in DPPH and ORAC assays revealed that spiromentins C (3) and B (4) have remarkable antioxidant activity.

Biological Activities of Four Adaptogenic Plant Extracts and Their Active Substances on a Rotifer Model

Rotifers have been widely used as well-characterized models of aging, since their multiorgan character makes them suitable as in vivo toxicological and lifespan models. Here we report the assessment of four adaptogenic plants and their extracts for the first time in this model. The effects on rotifer viability of extracts and characteristic active markers of Panax ginseng, Withania somnifera, Leuzea carthamoides, and Rhodiola rosea were tested in vivo. The crude extracts were nontoxic to Philodina acuticornis bdelloid rotifers; however, the pure substances of the plants influenced negatively the viability. Ginsenoside Rb1 and secondary metabolites of Withania somnifera exerted deleterious effect on the animals. The aglycone tyrosol and cinnamyl alcohol (from Rhodiola rosea) were more toxic than their glycosides salidroside and rosavin. Although the 20-OH-ecdysone and ajugasterone C (from Leuzea carthamoides) are chemically very similar, the latter was less toxic.

Az óriás likacsosgomba (Meripilus giganteus Karst.) tartalomanyagainak vizsgálata

Az óriás likacsosgomba (Meripilus giganteus) a Meripilaceae család hazánkban legelterjedtebb tagja. A faj leginkább bükkösökben fordul elő, parazita vagy szaprofita életmódot folytat. Bár fiatalon ehető, nem ízletes, emiatt nem széleskörűen gyűjtött gomba. Korábbi farmakológiai vizsgálatok eredményei alapján az óriás likacsosgomba kivonata antibakteriális és antioxidáns hatással rendelkezik, azonban a tapasztalt hatásért felelős tartalomanyagokról igen kevés információval rendelkezünk. Munkánk célja volt az óriás likacsosgomba biológiailag aktív vegyületeinek izolálása, szerkezetmeghatározása és farmakológiai hatásának vizsgálata. A vizsgálandó mintát több észak-magyarországi lelőhelyen gyűjtöttük 2016 őszén. A 12 kg gombát szobahőmérsékleten metanollal kivontuk, majd n-hexánnal, ill. kloroformmal folyadék-folyadék extrakciót végeztünk. Ezt követően a kloroformos frakcióból különböző elválasztástechnikai módszerek alkalmazásával (flash kromatográfia, normál és fordított fázisú HPLC, preparatív rétegkromatográfia) 6 komponenst izoláltuk, amelyek szerkezet-meghatározása spektroszkópiai módszerek (NMR és MS) segítségével történt. Az azonosított összetevők között ergosztán vázas és ceramid típusú vegyületeket, illetve hidroxi-zsírsavakat is találtunk. A komponensek antioxidáns hatását ORAC és DPPH módszerekkel vizsgáltuk. Munkánk folytatásaként a vegyületek antibakteriális hatásának vizsgálatát és a hexános frakció jellegzetes komponenseinek azonosítását tervezzük.

Three New Iridoid Glycosides from the Aerial Parts of Asperula involucrata

Three new iridoid glycosides, named involucratosides A – C (1 – 3), were isolated from the H2O subextract of crude MeOH extract prepared from the aerial parts of Asperula involucrata along with a known iridoid glycoside (adoxoside), three flavone glycosides (apigenin 7‐O‐β‐glucopyranoside, luteolin 7‐O‐β‐glucopyranoside, apigenin 7‐O‐rutinoside) as well as two phenolic acid derivatives (chlorogenic acid and ferulic acid 4‐O‐β‐glucopyranoside). Their chemical structures were established by UV, IR, 1D‐ (1H, 13C and JMOD) and 2D‐ (COSY, HSQC, HMBC and NOESY) NMR experiments and HR‐ESI‐MS. In addition, the crude extract, subextracts and isolates were evaluated for their xanthine oxidase inhibitory and antioxidant activities in in vitro tests. This is the first report on the chemical composition and bioactivities of A. involucrata.

Phytochemical and pharmacological investigation of Spiraea chamaedryfolia : a contribution to the chemotaxonomy of Spiraea genus

ObjectiveDiterpene alkaloids are secondary plant metabolites and chemotaxonomical markers with a strong biological activity. These compounds are characteristic for the Ranunculaceae family, while their occurrence in other taxa is rare. Several species of the Spiraea genus (Rosaceae) are examples of this rarity. Screening Spiraea species for alkaloid content is a chemotaxonomical approach to clarify the classification and phylogeny of the genus. Novel pharmacological findings make further investigations of Spiraea diterpene alkaloids promising.ResultsSeven Spiraea species were screened for diterpene alkaloids. Phytochemical and pharmacological investigations were performed on Spiraea chamaedryfolia, the species found to contain diterpene alkaloids. Its alkaloid-rich fractions were found to exert a remarkable xanthine-oxidase inhibitory activity and a moderate antibacterial activity. The alkaloid distribution within the root was clarified by microscopic techniques.