Pterocarpans and their biological activities: a review / 中国中药杂志

Pterocarpans, ubiquitous in Fabaceae, are protective active substances produced by the chemical defense system of plants. A total of 144 pterocarpans had been discovered before 2006. For the first time, we reported the 89 pterocarpans identified in 2006-2020. These pterocarpans not only demonstrate novel complex diversified genus-specific stereostructures but also display strong anti-microbial, anti-tumor, antioxidant, insecticidal, and anti-inflammatory activities. Through the projection of their biogenetic pathways and study of the pharmacological activities, the structure-activity correlation was further confirmed. The distribution of Leguminosae plants rich in pterocarpans has obvious regional characteristics. Therefore, the research and utilization of Leguminosae plant resources in China should be strengthened, and the popularity and application value of the geographical indicator plant resources should be improved. This paper serves as a reference for further research, development, and utilization of pterocarpans and their plant sources.

Zornioside, a dihydrochalcone C-glycoside, and other compounds from Zornia brasiliensis

ABSTRACT The secondary metabolites of the aerial parts of Zornia brasiliensis Vogel, Fabaceae, and the biological activity of one of these secondary metabolites were characterized in this study. A phytochemical investigation was performed using chromatographic techniques including analytical and preparative reverse-phase HPLC column sequences, which resulted in the isolation of fourteen compounds: one previously undescribed C-glycosylated dihydrochalcone (zornioside), one cyclitol (D-pinitol), one glycosylated megastigmane (roseoside) and eleven phenolic compounds: 7-methoxyflavanone, 7,4'-dimethoxyisoflavone, medicarpin, 2'-4'-dihydroxychalcone, onionin, isoorientin-3'-O-methyl ether, isovitexin, glycosylated (Z)-O-coumaric acid, glycosylated (E)-O-coumaric acid, dihydromelilotoside, and isoorientin. The structures of the isolated compounds were determined based on 1D and 2D-NMR, HRESIMS, IR and CD spectroscopic analyses. The cytotoxic activity of zornoside was assessed against tumor cell lines (MCF-7, HCC1954, T-47D, 4T1, HL60), and a non-tumor cell line (RAW264.7) using MTT assay. The compound zornioside was selectively cytotoxic for HL60 leukemia cells (IC50: 37.26 µM).

Combination of low-concentration of novel phytoestrogen (8,9)-furanyl-pterocarpan-3-ol from Pachyrhizus erosus attenuated tamoxifen-associated growth inhibition on breast cancer T47D cells

Objective: To investigate the estrogenic effect of (8,9)-furanyl-pterocarpan-3-ol (FPC) on growth of human breast cancer T47D cells and the interactions between the FPC and tamoxifen (TAM), on the growth of estrogen receptor-dependent breast cancer T47D cells.Methods:T47D cells were treated with FPC alone (0.01-200 μmol/L) or in combination with TAM 20 nmol/L. The proliferation effect of FPC were conducted on T47D cells in vitro by MTT test. Furthermore, the expression of ERα or c-Myc were also determined by immunohistochemistry.Results:inhibitory effect on T47D cells, wheraes co-administered with low concentration (less than 1μmol/L) of FPC attenuated to promote cell proliferation. In contrast, the combination of TAM with higher doses (more than 20 μmol/L) of FPC showed growth inhibitory. This result was supported by immunocytochemistry studies that the administration of 20 nmol/L TAM down-regulated ER-αand c-Myc, but the combination of 20 nmol/L TAM and 1 μmol/L FPC robustly up-regulated expression of ER-α. Thus, the reduced growth inhibition of TAM 20 nmol/L by FPC 1 μmol/L on T47D cells may act via the modulation of ER-α.Conclusions:The findings indicate and suggest that FPC had estrogenic activity at low The results indicated that administration of an anti-estrogen TAM showed growth concentrations and anti-estrogenic effect that are likely to be regulated by c-Myc and estrogen receptors. We also confirm that low concentration of FPC attenuated the growth-inhibitory effects of TAM on mammary tumor prevention. Therefore, the present study suggests that caution is warranted regarding the consumption of dietary FPC by breast cancer patients while on TMA therapy.

Isolation and identification of four isoflavones and one pterocarpan from BUYANGHUANWUTANG / 中草药

Object To study the antithombotic portion and bioactive fraction of BUYANGHUANWUTANG (BHT), a decoction of astragalus in combination with peony and several other ingredients. Methods The EtOAc portion of BHT extract was repeatedly separated by chromatography and identified by means of spectral analysis. Results One pterocarpan, (6aR, 11aR) 9, 10-dimethoxypterocarpan-3-O-?-D-glucopyanoside (Ⅴ) and four isoflavones, formononetin (Ⅰ), calycosin (Ⅱ), formononetin-7-O-?-D-glucopyanoside (Ⅲ), and calycosin-7-O-?-D-glucopyranoside (Ⅳ) were identified. Conclusion All five compounds were isolated for the first time from BHT.