Antibacterial and antiproliferative activities of the fresh leaf essential oil of Psidium guajava L. (Myrtaceae) / Atividades antibacteriana e antiproliferativa do óleo essencial das folhas frescas de Psidium guajava L. (Myrtaceae)

Abstract This study evaluated the antibacterial and antiproliferative activities of the essential oil of Psidium guajava leaves (PG-EO), traditionally used in folk medicine. The essential oil was obtained from fresh leaves by hydrodistillation, using a modified Clevenger apparatus. The major PG-EO chemical constituents were identified by GC-MS and GC-FID as being β-caryophyllene (16.1%), α-humulene (11.9%), aromadendrene oxide (14.7%), δ-selinene (13.6%), and selin-11-en-4α-ol (12.5%). The antibacterial activity of the essential oil of P. guajava leaves was determined in terms of its minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) using the broth microdilution method in 96-well microplates. PG-EO had moderate activity against Streptococcus mutans (MIC = 200 µg/mL), S. mitis (MIC = 200 µg/mL), S. sanguinis (MIC = 400 µg/mL), S. sobrinus (MIC = 100 µg/mL), and S. salivarius (MIC = 200 µg/mL). The antiproliferative activity was evaluated against different tumor cell lines: breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7), human cervical adenocarcinoma (HeLa), and human gliobastoma (M059J). A normal human cell line (GM07492A, lung fibroblasts) was included. The antiproliferative activity was evaluated using the XTT assay and the results were expressed as IC50. The essential oil showed significantly lower IC50 values against MCF-7 and M059J lines than that obtained for the normal line, showing selectivity. Our results suggest that the essential oil of Psidium guajava L. has promising biological activities and can be considered a new source of bioactive compounds.

Resumo Este estudo avaliou as atividades antibacteriana e antiproliferativa do óleo essencial das folhas frescas de Psidium guajava (PG-OE), tradicionalmente utilizadas na medicina popular. O óleo essencial foi obtido por hidrodestilação das folhas frescas, utilizando aparelho do tipo Clevenger. Os principais constituintes químicos de PG-OE identificados por CG-EM e CG-DIC foram: β-cariofileno (16,1%), α-humuleno (11,9%), óxido de aromadendreno (14,7%), δ-selineno (13,6%) e selin-11-en-4α-ol (12,5%). A atividade antibacteriana do óleo essencial das folhas de P. guajava foi determinada em termo de sua concentração inibitória mínima (CIM) utilizando o método de microdiluição de caldo em microplacas de 96 poços. PG-OE apresentou moderada atividade contra Streptococcus mutans (CIM = 200 μg/mL), S. mitis (CIM = 200 μg/mL), S. sanguinis (CIM = 400 μg/mL), S. sobrinus (CIM = 100 μg/mL) e S. salivarius (CIM = 200 μg/mL). A atividade antiproliferativa foi avaliada frente a diferentes linhagens de células tumorais como: adenocarcinoma de mama (MCF-7), adenocarcinoma cervical humano (HeLa) e gliobastoma humano (M059J). Foi incluída uma linhagem celular humana normal (GM07492A, fibroblastos pulmonares). A atividade antiproliferativa foi avaliada utilizando o ensaio XTT e os resultados foram expressos como CI50. As linhagens MCF-7 e M059J mostraram valores significativamente mais baixos de CI50 do que os obtidos para a linhagem normal, mostrando seletividade. Nossos resultados sugerem que o óleo essencial das folhas frescas de Psidium guajava L. possui atividades biológicas promissoras e pode ser considerado como uma nova fonte de compostos bioativos.

Sesquiterpenoids from gorgonian Muriceides collaris / 药学学报

Seven guaiane-type sesquiterpenoids, a new compound 6-formyl-5-isopropyl-3-hydroxymethyl-7-methyl-1H-indene (1), a new natural product 5-isopropyl-3, 7-dimethyl-1H-indene-1-one (2), along with five known compounds: guaiazulene (3), 4-formyl-7-isopropyl-10-methylazulene (4), sesquiterpene ketolactone (5), alismoxide (6) and guaia-1 (5), 6-diene (7), were isolated from gorgonian Muriceides collaris collected in South China Sea. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis [MS, IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR (DEPT), HMQC, HMBC, NOESY] and by comparison of the spectral data with those of the literatures.

Cloning, prokaryotic expression, and functional identification of a sesquiterpene synthase gene (AsSS4) from Aquilaria sinensis / 药学学报

A sesquiterpene synthase (AsSS4) full-length open reading frame (ORF) cDNA was cloned from wounded stems of Aquilaria sinensis by RT-PCR method. The result showed that the ORF of AsSS4 was 1,698 bp encoding 565 amino acids. Prokaryotic expression vector pET28a-AsSS4 was constructed and transformed into E. coli BL21 (DE3) pLysS. Recombinant AsSS4 protein was obtained after induction by IPTG and SDS-PAGE analysis with a MW of 64 kD. Enzymatic reactions using farnesyl pyrophosphate showed that recombinant AsSS4 protein purified by Ni-agarose gel yielded five sesquiterpene compounds, cyclohexane, 1-ethenyl-1-methyl-2, 4-bis(1-methylethenyl)-, β-elemene, α-guaiene, α-caryophyllene and δ-guaiene. This paper reported the first cloning and functional characterization of AsSS4 gene from A. sinensis, which will establish a foundation for future studies on the molecular mechanisms of wound-induce agarwood formation in A. sinensis

Isolation and identification of chemical constituents from Taxus cuspidta Sibe et Zucc / 药学学报

Three compounds were isolated from the extract of Taxus cuspidta Sibe et Zucc with the column chromatography on silica gel and preparative HPLC methods. Their structures were identified according to the physicochemical properties and spectral analysis, and they were identified as (E)-1-methoxy-2-O-(p-coumaroyl)-myo-inositol (1), 2-deacetoxy-7beta, 9a, 10beta-trideacetyltaxinine J (2) and (3aS, 4aR, 6S, 8S, 8aS, 9R, 10R, 10aS)-benz[f]azulene-6, 8, 9, 10 (3H)-terol, 3a, 4, 4a, 5, 6, 7, 8, 8a, 9, 10-decahydro-10a-(1-hydroxyl-1-methylethyl)-1, 8a-dimethyl-5-methylene (3). Among them, compound 1 was a new compound, and compounds 2, 3 were two novel natural products.

Safety and efficacy of Qingre Buyi Decoction in the treatment of acute radiation proctitis: a prospective, randomized and controlled trial / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the efficiency, safety, and possible mechanisms of Qingre Buyi Decoction (QBD) in the treatment of acute radiation proctitis (ARP).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>This study was a single center, prospective, single blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled clinical trial. A total of 60 patients with ARP was equally and randomly distributed into the control group (conventional treatment) and the combination group (conventional treatment plus QBD). The changes of main Chinese medicine clinical symptoms and signs, including stomachache, diarrhea, mucous or bloody stool before and after treatment, and their adverse reactions were observed after the two-week treatment. Also, D-lactate and diamine oxidase (DAO) levels, hepatic and renal function were measured. Cure rates, effective rates, and recurrence rates were compared between the two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The blood levels of both DAO and D-lactate were significantly decreased in the combination group as compared with those in the control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). All main clinical symptoms and signs were alleviated more significantly in the combination group (P<0.01). The main symptom scores also were significantly decreased after treatment in the control group (P<0.01), except those for mucous or bloody stool (P>0.05). Compared to the control group, the improvements of stomachache, diarrhea, defecation dysfunction, and stool blood in the combination group were significantly better (P<0.05 or P<0.01). For the combination group, the curative rate, effective rate, and recurrence rate was 76.67%, 16.67%, and 6.67%, respectively. On the other hand, for the control group, the rate was 53.33%, 16.67%, and 30.00%, respectively. The total curative effect was significantly better in the combination group than in the control group (P<0.05). However, the recurrence rate was similar between the two groups (P>0.05). The hepatic and renal function remained normal in both groups (P>0.05). In addition, no severe adverse event was found in both groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Addition of QBD to the conventional treatment can effectively alleviate the damage of intestinal mucosal barrier function and improve all main clinical symptoms and signs of the ARP. The combination of conventional treatment with Chinese herbal medicine QBD is effective and safe for ARP.</p>