A new biflavonoid from Selaginella uncinata / 中草药

Objective: To investigate the chemical constituents from the whole plants of Selaginella uncinata. Methods: The compound was isolated and purified by macroporous resin, silica gel, and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography, as well as preparative HPLC. Its structure was identified on the basis of spectroscopic techniques including UV, IR, 1D-, 2D-NMR, and HR-ESI-MS. Results: One biflavonoid was isolated from the 75% ethanol aqueous extract and identified as 4',7″-di-O-methyl-2″,3″- dihydrorobustaflavone (1). Conclusion: Compound 1 is a new biflavonoid named uncibiflavone.

Biflavonoid constituents from selaginella remotifolia spring / 中国药学杂志

OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents of Selaginella remotifolia Spring. METHODS: Fourteen biflavonoids were isolated from S. remotifolia by polyamide, Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography and/or Pre-HPLC. RESULTS: Their structures were identified by physiochemical properties, MS, and NMR as robustaflavone(1), robustaflavone-4'-methyl ether(2), (2''S)-2'', 3''-dihydrorobustaflavone-4'-methyl ether(3), (2S, 2''S)-tetrahydrorobustaflavone(4), amentoflavone(5), ametoflavone-7, 4'-dimethyl ether(6), amentoflavone-4', 7''-dimethyl ether(7), (2''S)-2'', 3''-dihydroamentoflavone(8), (2''S)-2'', 3''-dihydroamentoflavone-4'-methyl ether(9), (2S)-2, 3-dihydroamentoflavone (10), (2S) -2, 3-dihydroamentoflavone-4'-methyl ether (11), (2S)-2, 3-dihydroamentofla-vone-4'''-methyl ether(12), chamaeflavone A(13), and 8-8''-bi-kaempferol(14). CONCLUSION: All compounds were isolated from this plant for the first time and compounds 13 and 14 are isolated from this genus for the first time.

Antimalarial potential of kolaviron, a biflavonoid from Garcinia kola seeds, against Plasmodium berghei infection in Swiss albino mice

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the antimalarial potential of kolaviron (KV), a biflavonoid fraction from Garcinia kola seeds, against Plasmodium berghei (P. berghei) infection in Swiss albino mice.@*METHODS@#The study consists of seven groups of ten mice each. Groups I, II and III were normal mice that received corn oil, KV1 and chloroquine (CQ), respectively. Groups IV, V, VI and VII were infected mice that received corn oil, CQ, KV1 and KV2, respectively. CQ, KV1 and KV2 were given at 10-, 100- and 200-mg/kg daily, respectively for three consecutive days.@*RESULTS@#Administration of KV1 and KV2 significantly (P<0.05) suppressed P. berghei-infection in the mice by 85% and 90%, respectively, while CQ produced 87% suppression relative to untreated infected group after the fifth day of treatment. Also, KV2 significantly (P<0.05) increased the mean survival time of the infected mice by 175%. The biflavonoid prevented a drastic reduction in PCV from day 4 of treatment, indicating its efficacy in ameliorating anaemia. Significant (P<0.05) oxidative stress assessed by the elevation of serum and hepatic malondialdehydewere observed in untreated P. berghei-infected mice. Specifically, serum and hepatic malondialdehyde levels increased by 93% and 78%, respectively in the untreated infected mice. Furthermore, antioxidant indices, viz; superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione-s-transferase, gluathione peroxidase and reduced gluathione decreased significantly (P<0.05) in the tissues of untreated P. berghei-infected mice. KV significantly (P<0.05) ameliorated the P. berghei-induced decrease in antioxidant status of the infected mice.@*CONCLUSIONS@#This study shows that kolaviron, especially at 200 mg/kg, has high antimalarial activities in P. berghei-infected mice, in addition to its known antioxidant properties.

Hypolipidemic effect of a novel biflavonoid from shells of Camellia oleifera (Abel.).

Camellia oleifera Abel. [C. oleosa (Lour.) Rehd.], an evergreen plant, is used for healthful oil production, but the shells are always discarded and need to be utilized. The present study was undertaken to explore the effect of extracts from the shells of C. oleifera on adjusting cardiovascular system. A flavonoid was obtained by reflux extraction of the shells in 70% methanol, hydrolysis in 2 M hydrochloric acid, and crystallization in acetone. Its structure was identified as a novel biflavonoid. Mice model of hyperlipidemia was setup by high fat diet for 30 d to evaluate the hypolipidemic effect of the biflavonoid at dose of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg/d (ig). Antioxidative activity was determined by levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxidase dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in mice serum. The biflavonoid significantly controlled mice weight and liver coefficient, decreased the content of total cholesterol and triglyceride, promoted the level of high density lipoprotein in a dose dependent manner. The significant decrease of MDA content and increase of SOD and GSH-Px activity indicated it enhanced antioxidative capacity in vivo and was ascribed to hypolipidemic effect. The biflavonoid is useful in the prevention of high fat diet induced hyperlipidemia.

Chemical constituents of Selaginella sinensis / 中草药

Objective To study the chemical constituents from Selaginella sinensis.Methods The compounds were isolated with Diaion HP-20,Toyopearl HW-40,silica gel column chromatography.The structures of these compounds were identified by physicochemical properties and spectral analyses.Results Eleven compounds were isolated from the 70% acetone-extracts and their structures were identified as ?-sitosterol(Ⅰ),vanillic acid(Ⅱ),(7S,8R)-4,9,9′-trihydroxy-3,3′-dimethoxy-7,8-dihydrobenzofuran-1′-propylneolignan(Ⅲ),syringaresinol(Ⅳ),(-)-pinoresinol(Ⅴ),pinoresinol-4-O?-D-glucopyranoside(Ⅵ),syringaresinol-4,4′-O-di-?-D-glucopyranoside(Ⅶ),?-methylD-xylopyranoside(Ⅷ),?-methyl-D-arabinopyranoside(Ⅸ),hinokiflavone(Ⅹ),and amentoflavone(Ⅺ).Conclusion Compounds Ⅱ-Ⅸ are isolated from this plant for the first time.