[Effects of the maca extract on the ultrastructures of mitochondria in the spinal nerve cell and exercise endurance].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of maca extract on the ultrastructures of mitochondria in the spinal nerve cell and exercise endurance. METHODS: The Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups, including the control group (no swimming), the swimming group (free swimming), and 3 treatment groups treated with the maca extract at the doses of 4.0, 5.3 and 8.0 g/kg body weight. The animals in swimming and treatment groups were then for free swimming in the circulating water flow daily for 15 days. On the 16th day after swimming endurance, the spinal and muscular tissues were collected from all groups. The mitochondrial ultrastructures of the neurons of the spinal cells were observed with the projection electron microscope, and the levels of the glycogen, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and Ca2+ in muscle tissues were determined by the RIA method. RESULTS: When rats were treated with maca extract (at 4.0, 5.3, 8.0 g/kg body weight), the total swimming time and the swimming duration before sinking were increased by 19.83%, 60.28%, 77.55%, and 55.34%, 73.91%, 94.47%, respectively, compared with the simple swimming group(P<0.01), while the sinking times were decreased by 34.35%, 51.18% and 57.96%, compared with those of the swimming group. Also, the levels of SOD, GSH-Px, and muscle glycogen in three treatment groups were enhanced by 5.12%, 22.74%, 52.53%, 44.22%, 77.79%, 98.45%(P<0.01), and 35.08%, 47.83%,81.88% (P<0.01)respectively over the swimming rats without treatment, but the MDA content and the Ca2+ levels were reduced by 20.10%, 31.49% 38.72%, and 6.42%, 17.58%, 26.35%,compared with the simple swimming group(P<0.01). In addition, compared to the swimming group, the mitochondrial densities of volume (VD), surface (SD) and numbers (ND) of spinal nerve cells in rats treated with maca extract (4.0, 5.3, 8.0 g/kg body weight) were reduced by 7.79%, 18.18%, 31.17%, 16.95%, 27.34%, 43.31% and 13.51%, 23.19%, 43.15%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrated the protective effects of maca extract on the mitochondria of spinal cell and suggested that maca extract could improve the muscle antioxidant activity by increasing the levels of SOD, GSH-Px, and muscle glycogen.

[Studies on chemical constituents in heartwood of Taxus cuspidata].

OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents in the heartwood of Taxus cuspidata. METHOD: Silica gel column chromatography, preparative HPLC and preparative TLC were used to isolate and purify the chemical constituents; 1H- and 13C-NMR spectroscopic methods were used for structural identification. RESULT: Ten compounds, taxinine (1), taxusin (2), beta-sitosterol (3), 1 beta-hydroxybaccatin I (4), 2alpha, 5alpha, 10beta-triacetoxy-14beta-(2'-methyl) butanoyloxy-4 (20), 11-taxadiene (5), 2alpha, 5alpha, 10beta-triacetoxy-14beta-(2'-methyl-3'-hydroxy-butanoyloxyl-4 (20), 11-taxadiene (yunnanxane) (6), 9alpha, 10beta, 13alpha-triacetoxy-5alpha-cinnamoyltaxa-4 (20), 11-diene (7), 2-deacetoxytaxinine J (8), taxezopidine G (9), 2alpha, 7beta, 9alpha, 10beta, 13alpha-pentaacetoxyl-taxa-4 (20), 11-dien-5-ol (5-decinnamoyltaxinine J) (10), were isolated and identified from the heartwood of T. cuspidata. CONCLUSION: Three taxanes, 1 beta-hydroxybaccatin I (4), 2alpha, 5alpha, 10beta-triacetoxy-14beta-(2'-methyl-3'-hydroxy-butanoyloxy)-4 (20), 11-taxadiene (yunnanxane) (6), and 2alpha, 7beta, 9alpha, 10beta, 13alpha-pentaacetoxyltaxa-4 (20) , 11-dien-5-ol (10), were obtained from this plant for the first time.

1-deoxypaclitaxel and abeo-taxoids from the seeds of Taxus mairei.

A new paclitaxel derivative and two new 2(3-->20)-abeo-taxoids were isolated from a methanol extract of the seeds of Taxus mairei, and their structures were established as 1-deoxypaclitaxel (1), 7beta,10beta-diacetoxy-2alpha,5alpha,13alpha-trihydroxy-2(3-->20)-abeo-taxa-4(20),11-dien-9-one (2), and 2alpha,13alpha-diacetoxy-10beta-hydroxy-2(3-->20)-abeo-taxa-4(20),6,11-triene-5,9-dione (3) on the basis of spectroscopic data analysis. Taxane 1 is the first example of a paclitaxel analogue with a C-1beta hydrogen substituent. Taxane 3 is an 2(3-->20)-abeo-taxane with a rare C-5 ketone and C-6 double bond.

Isolation and structure revision of 10-deacetyltaxinine from the seeds of the Chinese yew, Taxus mairei.

A new taxoid was isolated from the methanol extract of the seeds of Taxus mairei. Its structures were established as 2alpha,9alpha-diacetoxy-10beta-hydroxy-5alpha-cinnamoyloxytaxa-4(20), 11-dien-13-one (l0-deacetyltaxinine) on the basis of spectral analysis including (1)H-NMR, (13)C-NMR, HMQC, HMBC, NOESY, and HR-FABMS. The structure of previously reported 10-deacetyltaxinine is 9-deacetyltaxinine.

[Studies on chemical constituents in seeds of Taxus mairei II].

OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents in seeds of Taxus mairei. METHOD: Preparative HPLC, TLC and spectroscopic analyses were used to isolate and elucidate the chemical constituets in the plant. RESULT: Seven taxane diterpenoids were isolated from the seeds of T. mairei and identified as taxinine A(1), 9-deacetyltaxinine(2), 9-deacetyltaxinine E(3), 2-deacetyltaxinine(4), taxezopidine G(5), 2-deacetoxytaxinine J(6), 2-deacetoxytaxuspine C(7). CONCLUSION: Except compounds 5,6, all the compounds were obtained from seeds of this plant for the first time.

New 2(3-->20)abeotaxane and 3,11-cyclotaxane from needles of Taxus cuspidata.

Two new taxoid metabolites, 2alpha,7beta,10beta-triacetoxy-5alpha,13alpha-dihydroxy-2(3-->20)abeotaxa-4(20),11-dien-9-one (1) and 2alpha-acetoxy-5alpha-cinnamoyloxy-9alpha,10beta-dihydroxy-3,11-cyclotax-4(20)-en-13-one (2), were isolated from the methanol extract of needles of the Japanese yew, Taxus cuspidata.