Chemical constituents of Picrasma quassioides / 中草药

Objective: To study the chemical constituents of Picrasma quassioidies. Methods: The isolation and purification were carried out by column chromatography on silica gel, ODS, Sephadex LH-20 and semi-preparative RP-HPLC. The structures were elucidated on the basis of physicochemical properties and spectroscopic analysis. Results: A total of 12 alkaloids and four quassinoids were isolated and identified from 80% ethanol aqueous extract of the stems of P. quassioides. They were named as 1-hydroxymethyl-4-methoxy-β-carboline (1), 1-methoxicabony-β-carboline (2), 1-methoxicabony-4-methoxy-β-carboline (3), 1-methoxicabony-4,8-dimethoxy-β-carboline (4), 1-ethyl-4-methoxy-β-carboline (5), 1-ethyl-4,8-dimethoxy-β-carboline (6), picrasidine I (7), canthin-6-one (8), 5-methoxyl-canthin-6-one (9), 4-methoxyl-5-hydroxyl-canthin-6-one (10), 4,5-dimethoxyl- canthin-6-one (11), quassidine B (12), quassin (13), nigakilactone B (14), nigakilactone E (15) and norquassin (16). Conclusion: Compound 1 is a new β-carboline alkaloid, named as kumujantine D, and compound 4 is isolated from P. quassioidies for the first time.

Exploring dynamic biomedical algorithm of Eurycoma longifolia Jack and its bioactive phytochemicals: A review of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic implications and future prospects

Eurycoma longifolia Jack (E. longifolia) is a well-recognized traditional herbal medicine that offers a wide dynamic range of biomedical applications including anti-osteoporotic, anticancer, anti-proliferative, anti-malarial, antimicrobial, antioxidant, aphrodisiac, anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic, anti-diabetic, anti-rheumatism and anti-ulcer properties. This review aims to overview the pharmacokinetic and a pharmacodynamic algorithm of E. longifolia and its bioactive components. Analysis of pharmacokinetic profile revealed that E. longifolia exhibit higher bioavailability, high volume of distribution, slow elimination rate, and does not show inhibitory effects on cytochrome P450 isoenzymes. E. longifolia has been used, alone or in combination with other pharmacological agents, in the form of crude extracts, standard extracts, or decoctions of different plant parts (i.e., herbs, shrubs, stem, leaves, and roots) for the treatment of various ailments in animals and humans. Among various bioactive constituents, eurycomanone has been found to be the most remarkable, super-stable, versatile, and most potent phytochemical (isolated or extracted from root extracts) against various types of animals and human diseases. Based on its well-established pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles, we suggested that E. longifolia can be a well-accepted complementary and alternative medicine for the treatment of different types of human ailments.

The research progress of quassinoids components in Brucea javanica and their pharmacological activities / 中国药理学通报

Fructus Bruceae, the dry and ripe fruits of Brucea ja-vanica( L. ) Merr. ( Simaroubaceae) , has been used for dysenter-y, tumor, malaria and furunculosis treatment, and topical appli-cation for warts and corns. Quassinoids are the main chemical constituents of Fructus Bruceae, which have been proved to have anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, insecticidal, anti-viral, anti-bac-terial and hypoglycemic activities, and so on. In view of the ex-tensive pharmacological activities of Fructus Bruceae, and better development and utilization of its medicinal value, the advances of quassinoids in Fructus Bruceae and their pharmacological ac-tivities are reviewed in this paper.

Study on chemical constituents from seeds of Bruceae Fructus / 中草药

Objective: To investigate the chemical constituents from Bruceae Fructus (the seeds of Brucea javanica). Methods: These compounds were isolated by means of silica gel, ODS, Sephadex LH-20 column chromatographies. Their structures were identified by the methods of high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) and NMR spectroscopic analyses. Results: Five quassinoids were isolated from 90% ethanol extract in Bruceae Fructus and identified as yadanziolide W (1), yadanziolide A (2), bruceine D (3), bruceine E (4), javanicolide A (5), respectively. Conclusion: Compound 1 is a new quassinoid which has not been reported in literature.