Isolation and Identification of Bioactive Compounds from the Tuber of Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes

Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes (red kohlrabi) is a biennial herbaceous vegetable whose edible bulbotuber-like stem and leaves are consumed globally. Sliced red kohlrabi tubers were extracted using methanol and the concentrated extract was partitioned successively with dichloromethane (CH 2 Cl 2), ethyl acetate (EtOAc), n-butanol (n-BuOH) and water (H 2 O). Repeated column chromatography of EtOAc fraction through silica, sephadex LH-20 and RP-18 gel led to isolation of eleven compounds of which compound 1 was a new glycosylated indole alkaloid derivative, 1-methoxyindole 3-carboxylic acid 6-O-β-D-glucopyranoside. Others were known compounds namely, β-sitosterol glucoside (4), 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde (5), methyl-1-thio-βD-glucopyranosyl disulfide (6), 5-hydroxy-2-pyridinemethanol (7), (3S,4R)-2-deoxyribonolactone (8), n-butyl-βD-fructopyranoside (9), uridine (10) and three fructose derivatives, D-tagatose (11), β-D-fructofuranose (12) and β-D-fructopyranose (13). Similarly, isolation from CH 2Cl 2 fraction gave two known indole alkaloids, indole 3-acetonitrile (2) and N-methoxyindole 3-acetonitrile (3). The structure elucidation and identification of these compounds were conducted with the help of 13 C and 1 H NMR, HMBC, HMQC, EIMS, HR-ESIMS and IR spectroscopic data, and TLC plate spots visualization. Compounds 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 are noted to occur in kohlrabi for the first time. Different bioactivities of these isolated compounds have been reported in literature.

Luteolin 5-O-glucoside from Korean Milk Thistle, Cirsium maackii, Exhibits Anti-Inflammatory Activity via Activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 Pathway

Luteolin 5-O-glucoside is the major flavonoid from Korean thistle, Cirsium maackii. We previously reported the anti-inflammatory activities of luteolin 5-O-glucoside in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. In this study, we determined the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of luteolin 5-O-glucoside through the inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production in vitro and in vivo. Results revealed that luteolin 5-O-glucoside dose-dependently inhibited NO production and expression of iNOS and COX-2 in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. Luteolin 5-O-glucoside also significantly inhibited the translocation of NF-κB, the activation of MAPKs, and ROS generation in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. In addition, protein expressions of Nrf-2 and HO-1 were also upregulated by luteolin 5-O-glucoside treatment. Moreover, luteolin 5-O-glucoside inhibited λ-carrageenan-induced mouse paw edema by 65.34% and 48.31% at doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight, respectively. These findings indicate potential anti-inflammatory effect of luteolin 5-O-glucoside particularly by downregulating NF-κB and upregulating HO-1/Nrf-2 pathway.