Research progress on chemical constituents and biological activities of Sarcandra glabra / 中国中药杂志

Sarcandra glabra, a medicinal plant in family Chloranthaceae, has been taken as an important raw material for multiple Chinese patent drugs due to its diverse indications. Considering the diversified chemical constituents and rich biological activities of S. glabra, numerous phytochemical and pharmacodynamic investigations were conducted to explore the material basis for its medicinal use. It has been found that its main chemical constituents were sesquiterpenoids, sesquiterpenoid polymers, phenolic acids, coumarins, and flavonoids. As revealed by pharmacological research, it possesses multiple biological activities like anti-inflammation, anti-bacteria, anti-tumor, anti-oxidation, and neuroprotection. Some unreported novel structures, including polymers of lindenane sesquiterpenes and monoterpenes, sesquiterpene trimers, and adducts of flavonoids and monoterpenes, have been identified from S. glabra in recent years. Moreover, biological studies relating to its anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant activities have been deepened. This paper reviewed the chemical constituents and bioactivities of S. glabra explored over the past ten years, so as to provide a scientific basis for further development and utilization of this plant.

Research progress on chemical constituents from Chloranthus plants and their biological activities / 中国中药杂志

The genus Chloranthus has 13 species and 5 varieties in China, which can be found in the southwest and northeast regions. Phytochemical studies on Chloranthus plants have reported a large amount of terpenoids, such as diterpenoids, sesquiterpenoids, and sesquiterpenoid dimers. Their anti-inflammation, anti-tumor, antifungal, antivirus, and neuroprotection activities have been confirmed by previous pharmacological research. Herein, research on the chemical constituents from Chloranthus plants and their biological activities over the five years was summarized to provide scientific basis for the further development and utilization of Chloranthus plants.

Chemical constituents of sesquiterpenes from Chloranthus multistachys / 中国中药杂志

With repeated silica gel, octadecyl silica(ODS), and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography, normal-phase and reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC), etc., a pair of new enantiomers and 5 known compounds were separated from the 95% ethanol extract of Chloranthus multistachys. These compounds were identified by the nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy(including 1 D-NMR and 2 D-NMR), single-crystal X-ray diffraction, circular dichroism(CD) spectroscopy, mass spectrometry(MS), and some other methods as(1R,4R,5R,8S,10R)-chloraeudolide H(1 a),(1S,4S,5S,8R,10S)-chloraeudolide H(1 b), hydroxyisogermafurenolide(2), 4α-hydroxy-5α,8β(H)-eudesm-7(11)-en-8,12-olide(3), chloraniolide A(4), chlorantene D(5), 4α,8β-dihydroxy-5α(H)-eudesm-7(11)-en-8,12-olide(6). Compounds 1 a and 1 b are a pair of new eudesmane-type sesquiterpene enantiomers, and compounds 2-4 were isolated from C. multistachys for the first time.

A new cembranoid diterpene from Olibanum / 中国中药杂志

Five compounds were isolated from the alcohol extract of Olibanum by MCI, silica gel, ODS, and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatographies and preparative high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC). On the basis of spectral data and literature data, the compounds were identified as:(1S,3R,4S,7R,11S,12R)-1:12,4:7-diepoxisonane-8(19)-ene-3,11-diol(1), boscartin A(2),(+)-resinolin(3),(+)-5-hydroxy-3,4-dimethyl-5-pentylfuran-2(5H)-one(4), and acerogenin A(5). Compound 1 is a new compound, and compounds 3-5 were isolated from Olibanum for the first time. The structure of compound 1 was determined by spectroscopic analysis and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Compounds 1 and 2 were tested for PC12 neurotoxicity, and the results showed that they were both safe compounds.

A new sesquiterpene from Chloranthus henryi / 中国中药杂志

Eight sesquiterpenes were isolated and purified from the ethanol extract of Chloranthus henryi by column chromatographies over silica gel, ODS and Sephadex LH-20,and preparative HPLC. Their chemical structures were established by spectral data and physiochemical properties as(1S,6S,8S,10R)-8-ethoxy-10-methoxychlomultin C(1),tianmushanol(2),multistalide A(3),myrrhterpenoid N(4),1α,9α-dihydroxy-8,12-expoxy-eudesma-4,7,11-trien-6-one(5),4β,10α-aromadendranediol(6),oplopanone(7),10α-hydroxycadinan-4-en-3-one(8). Among them, compound(1) was a new compound, and compounds 2-8 were isolated from Chloranthus henryi for the first time.

Studies on chemical constituents of Chloranthus fortunei / 中草药

Objective: To study the antitumor constituents from Chloranthus fortunei. Methods: Various chromatographic techniques and spectroscopic methods were applied to investigate the chemical constituents from C. fortunei, and some of the compounds were screened for their antitumor activities by MTT method. Results: Sixteen compounds were obtained from the whole plants of C. fortunei and identified as rosmarinic acid (1), 2’-hydroxy-4,3’,4’,6’-tetramethoxychalcone (2), flavokawain A (3), cycloshizukaol A (4), atractylenolide III (5), 4β-hydroxy-8,12-epoxyeudesma-7,11-diene-1,6-dione (6), (8α)-6,8-dihydroxycadina-7 (11),10 (15)-dien-12-oic acid γ-lactone (7), curcolonol (8), 11-hydroxyldrim-8,12-en-14-oic acid (9), friedelin (10), isovanillic acid (11), 6β-hydroxystigmast-4-en-3-one (12), 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (13), shikimic acid (14), scopolin (15) and N-acetyltyramine 1-O-β-D-glucoside (16). Compounds 4 and 5 showed weak cytotoxicity with IC50 ranged from 46 to 85 μmol/L. Conclusion: Compounds 2, 10, 11, and 13-15 are obtained from the genus Chloranthus for the first time and compounds 1-3 and 6-16 are isolated from C. fortunei for the first time. Some sesquiterpenoids from C. fortunei exhibited weak antitumor activities.

A pair of enantiomeric sesquiterpenoids with neuroprotective effects from Chloranthus henryi / 药学学报

An ethanol extract of Chloranthus henryi (Chloranthaceae) was subjected to various chromatographic procedures including silica gel column chromatography, MCI column chromatography, Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography, and preparative HPLC. Five purified sesquiterpenes analyzed by spectroscopic analyses (MS, IR, NMR) and single crystal X-ray diffraction were elucidated as (1S,6S,8R)-8-ethoxychlomultin C (1a), (1R,6R,8S)-8-ethoxychlomultin C (1b), (+)-phaeocaulin D (2), atractylenolide Ⅰ (3), and 8-β-ethoxyasterolid (4). Compounds 1a and 1b were a new pair of sesquiterpene enantiomers and compounds 2-4 were isolated from this plant for the first time. Compounds 1a, 1b, 2 and 3 increased cell viability in H2O2-treated PC12 cells from (43.41 ± 1.59) % to (61.71 ± 7.56) %, (66.05 ± 5.61) %, (74.34 ± 3.32) % and (69.58 ± 5.02) % at 10 μmol·L-1, respectively.

Flavonoids from the aerial parts of Lespedeza cuneata / 药学学报

The chemical constituents of the aerial parts of Lespedeza cuneata (Dum. Cour.) G. Don were investigated using chromatographic techniques, such as silica gel, reversed phase MPLC and preparative HPLC. Five compounds were isolated and their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic data and physicochemical properties, which were identified as 7-O-glucosyllaburnetin (1), kaempferol-3-O-β-D-galactopyranoside (2), kaempferol-3-O-α-L-rhamnoside (3), vitexin (4), and isovitexin (5). Among those, compound 1 is a new compound, compounds 2-3 were isolated from this plant for the first time. Compounds 1-5 were tested for their anti-ulcerative colitis activity by dual luciferase report gene assay targeting xbp1. Compared with control group, compound 1 showed a certain activity on activating the transcription of xbp1, with its relative activating ratio being 1.80 times.

New triterpenoid saponins from the leaves of Panax notoginseng / 药学学报

Five triterpene saponins were isolated from the aqueous extract of the leaves of Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F.H.Chen via various chromatographic approaches, including HPD-100 macroporous resin, silica gel, reverse phase C18 and so on. Spectroscopic and chemical methods were used to elucidated their structures, which were determined to be 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-glucopyranosyl-12β,23(R)-epoxydammara-24-ene-3β,6α,20(S)-triol 20-O-α-L-arabinofuranosyl-(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranoside (1), 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-glucopyranosyl-12β,23(R)-epoxydammara-24-ene-3β,6α,20(S)-triol 20-O-α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranoside (2), notoginsenoside FP2 (3), gypenoside Ⅸ (4), ginsenoside Rg1 (5). Compounds 1 and 2 are new compounds and named as notoginsenoside Fh8 and notoginsenoside Fh9.

Chemical constituents from roots of Chloranthus serratus / 中草药

Objective: To study chemical constituents contained in the ethanol extracts from the roots of Chloranthus serratus. Methods: Fifteen compounds were separated from the roots of M. serratus by using various chromatographic techniques. Results: Their structures were identified on the basis of physicochemical properties and spectral data as 1α, 9α-dihydroxy-8,12-expoxy-eudesma-4,7,11-trien-6-one (1), 1β, 5α-guaiane-4β, 10α-diol-6-one (2), zedoalactone E (3), multistalactone C (4), 1β, 8β-dihydroxy-eudesman-3,7(11)-dien-8α, 12-olide (5), 1β, 8β-dihydroxy-eudesman-4(15), 7(11)-dien-8α, 12 olide (6), sobrerol (7), umbelliferone (8), isofraxidin (9), 5-methoxy-6,7-methylene-dioxy coumarin (10), trans-N-p-coumaroyl tyramine (11), N-trans-feruloyl tyramin (12), N-cis-feruloyl tyramin (13), catechin (14), and 7-hydroxy-5,8-dimethoxyflavanone (15). Conclusion: Compounds 2,5-7,10,14 an 15 are obtained from the plants of Chloranthus Sw. for the first time, and compounds 1,3, and 4 are isolated from C. serratus for the first time.