Galangal-Cinnamon Spice Mixture Blocks the Coronavirus Infection Pathway through Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 MPro, Three HCoV-229E Targets; Quantum-Chemical Calculations Support In Vitro Evaluation.

Natural products such as domestic herbal drugs which are easily accessible and cost-effective can be used as a complementary treatment in mild and moderate COVID-19 cases. This study aimed to detect and describe the efficiency of phenolics detected in the galangal-cinnamon mixture in the inhibition of SARS-CoV-2's different protein targets. The potential antiviral effect of galangal-cinnamon aqueous extract (GCAE) against Low Pathogenic HCoV-229E was assessed using cytopathic effect inhibition assay and the crystal violet method. Low Pathogenic HCoV-229E was used as it is safer for in vitro laboratory experimentation and due to the conformation and the binding pockets similarity between HCoV-229E and SARS-CoV-2 MPro. The GCAE showed a significant antiviral effect against HCoV-229E (IC50 15.083 µg/mL). Twelve phenolic compounds were detected in the extract with ellagic, cinnamic, and gallic acids being the major identified phenolic acids, while rutin was the major identified flavonoid glycoside. Quantum-chemical calculations were made to find molecular properties using the DFT/B3LYP method with 6-311++G(2d,2p) basis set. Quantum-chemical values such as EHOMO, ELUMO, energy gap, ionization potential, chemical hardness, softness, and electronegativity values were calculated and discussed. Phenolic compounds detected by HPLC-DAD-UV in the GCAE were docked into the active site of 3 HCoV-229E targets (PDB IDs. 2ZU2, 6U7G, 7VN9, and 6WTT) to find the potential inhibitors that block the Coronavirus infection pathways from quantum and docking data for these compounds. There are good adaptations between the theoretical and experimental results showing that rutin has the highest activity against Low Pathogenic HCoV-229E in the GCAE extract.

Pharmacological activity and flavonoids constituents of Artemisia judaica L aerial parts.

ETHNO-PHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Artemisia judaica L is an aromatic medicinal plant growing widely in Saint Katherine, Sinai, Egypt, and used in traditional medicine as a herbal remedy for antibacterial, anthelmintic, antidiabetic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities. Additionally, other Arabic regions commonly used it in their folk medicines for the treatment of fungal infections, atherosclerosis, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, and inflammatory-related diseases. AIM OF THE STUDY: Based on the traditional medicinal uses of A. judaica, the present study was designed to validate some of the traditional uses as the analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, hepatoprotective, antidiabetic, and antioxidant activities of 80% aqueous methanol extract (AME) of A. judaica aerial parts as well as isolation and identification of its flavonoid content. MATERIALS AND METHODS: AME of A. judaica aerial parts was fractionated using column chromatography and the structures of the isolated compounds were established using different spectroscopic data. Analgesic activity was evaluated using acetic acid-induced writhing in mice; antipyretic activity was assessed using yeast suspension-induced hyperthermia in rats; anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated using carrageenan-induced paw edema; the hepatoprotective effect was studied by measuring liver enzymes in carbon tetrachloride(CCl4)-induced hepatotoxicity rats while antidiabetic activity was estimated in alloxan hyperglycemia. RESULTS: Eight flavone compounds namely luteolin 4' methyl ether 7-O-ß-D-4C1-glucopyranoside (1), 8-methoxyapigenin 7-O-ß-D-4C1-galactopyranoside (2), isovitexin (3), 8-methoxyluteolin 7-O-ß-D-4C1-glucopyranoside (4), diosmetin (5), cirsimaritin (6), luteolin (7), and apigenin (8) were identified from AME of A. judaica. The AME was found to be non-toxic to mice up to 5 g/kg b.w. Moreover, it exhibits significant analgesic antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, and antioxidant activities in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: The AME was nontoxic; it exhibits significant analgesic, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, and antioxidant activities. Moreover, the isolated flavone was identified from AME for the first time.

New phenolic compounds from Calothamnus quadrifidus R.Br. aerial parts and their antioxidant activity.

Two new compounds calothphenone (1) and 6-methoxy kaempferol 3-O-(6″-E-p-coumaroyl)-ß-d-glucopyranoside (6-methoxy tiliroside) (2) along with six known compounds viz gallic acid (3), methyl gallate (4), kaempferol 3-O-(6″-E-p-coumaroyl)-ß-d-glucopyranoside (tiliroside) (5), castalagin (6), kaempferol (7) and quercetin (8) were isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) of 80% aqueous methanol extract of Calothamnus quadrifidus aerial parts. Their structure was established based on different chemical and spectroscopic techniques (1H-/13C-NMR and 2D NMR). Antioxidant activity for EAF and compounds 1, 2 and 5 was evaluated using DPPH, superoxide radical and nitric oxide (NO) inhibition methods. EAF exhibited strong activity to inhibit DPPH, superoxide and NO radicals. Moreover, all tested compounds demonstrated a close high ability to inhibit superoxide and NO radicals in comparison to ascorbic acid, but they exerted lower activity towards DPPH radical.[Figure: see text].

Meleagrin from marine fungus Emericella dentata Nq45: crystal structure and diverse biological activity studies.

The crystal structure and unambiguous absolute configuration of meleagrin (1) isolated from fungus Emericella dentata Nq45 is reported herein to first time on the bases of single crystal X-ray diffraction. Together with 1, haenamindole (2), isorugulosuvine (3), secalonic acid D (4), ergosterol (5) and cerebroside A (6) were obtained and their structures were determined by ESI MS and NMR data analysis. Diverse biological activity of meleagrin (1) was investigated. Compound 1 pronounced potent cytotoxicity against the human cervix carcinoma cell line KB-3-1 and its multidrug resistant sub-clone KB-V1 of IC50 3.07 and 6.07 µM, respectively, in comparison with the reference (+) - griseofulvin (IC50 19, 19.5 µM). Based on the antibiofilm activity, compound 1 displayed as well potent activity against Staphylococcus aureus with an MIC of 0.25 mg/mL. Isolation of the producing fungus and taxonomical characterization is stated as well.

Terretonin O: a new meroterpenoid from Aspergillus terreus.

Terretonin O (1), a new meroterpenoid, was isolated individually from both methanolic extracts of thermophilic Aspergillus terreus TM8 and marine Aspergillus terreus LGO13. The recently reported terretonins M (2) and N (3) were further isolated from the fungus LGO13 along with nine known compounds, terrelumamide A (4), terrein (5), methyl-3,4,5-trimethoxyl-2-[2-(nicotinamide)benzamido] benzoate (6), butyrolactones I-III (7-9), aspulvinone O (10), ergosterol, ergost-4-ene-3-one and methyl linoleate. Structure of terretonin O (1) was established on the bases of HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR spectra and comparison with its analogues in literatures. The relative stereochemistry of 1 was assigned on the basis of NOESY spectra and comparison with reported configuration of its congener compounds 2 and 3. The antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of the fungal extracts and obtained compounds were assayed using a set of microorganisms, and cervix carcinoma cell line (KB-3-1), respectively. Isolation and taxonomical characterization of the producing strains are reported.