In vitro antiplasmodial activity and cytotoxicity of extracts and fractions of Vitex madiensis, medicinal plant of Gabon.

Vitex madiensis Oliv. (Lamiaceae) is traditionally used to treat malaria symptoms in Haut-Ogooué, Gabon. Leaves and stem barks extracts were obtained using dichloromethane (CH(2)Cl(2)), ethyl acetate (EtOAc) and methanol (MeOH) as extraction solvents and fractionated on silica gel column. The in vitro antiplasmodial activity of CH(2)Cl(2), EtOAc and MeOH extracts and fractions was evaluated against the chloroquine-resistant FCB strain and field isolates of Plasmodium falciparum using the DELI test. The cytotoxicity of the extracts was tested on MRC-5 and THP1 cells using the tetrazolium salt MTT colorimetric assay, and the selectivity index (SI) of each extract was calculated. CH(2)Cl(2) extract, the EA1 fraction from EtOAc extract of stem barks and cyclohexane (L(cycl)), dichloromethane (L(DM)) and butanol (L(but)) fractions from MeOH/H(2)O extract of leaves exhibited the highest in vitro antiplasmodial activity on FCB strain and field isolates (IC(50) from 0.53 to 4.87 µg/ml) with high selectivity index (of 20.15-1800). These data support the use of V. madiensis in malaria treatment along with continued investigations within traditional medicines in the search of new antimalarial agents. The EA1, C(6)H(12) and CH(2)Cl(2) fractions could be selected for future investigation or/and for the treatment of malaria symptoms after standardization.

Components and antibacterial activity of the roots of Salvia jaminiana.

The acetone extract of the roots of Salvia jaminiana, containing the sterols campestanol, stigmasterol and sitosterol, and five known diterpenoids, ferruginol, cryptanol, 6,7-dehydroroyleanon, 6-hydroxysalvinolone and microstegiol, remarkably inhibited the growth of Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and Streptococcus alpha-hemolitic.

[Structure activity relationships and mechanism of action of antitumor benzo[b]acronycine antitumor agents]. / Relations structure, activité et mécanisme d'action des antitumoraux de série benzo[b]acronycine.

The acridone alkaloid acronycine, isolated from several Sarcomelicope species (Rutaceae) was shown to exhibit a promising activity against a broad spectrum of solid tumors. Nevertheless, subsequent clinical trials only gave poor results, probably due to the moderate potency of this drug. The isolation of the unstable acronycine epoxide from several New-Caledonian Sarcomelicope led to a hypothesis of bioactivation of acronycine by transformation of the 1.2-double bond into the corresponding oxirane in vivo. This hypothesis and the demonstration that acronycine should interact with DNA guided the development of a series of 1.2-dihydroxy-1.2-dihydrobenzo[b]acronycine esters and diesters as novel anticancer drug candidates. In vivo, cis-1.2-diacetoxy-1,2-dihydrobenzo[b]acronycine, selected for further development under the code S 23906-1, demonstated a marked antitumor activity in human orthotopic models of lung, ovarian and colon cancers xenografted in nude mice. The cytotoxic and antitumor activities of these compounds were strongly correlated with their ability to give covalent adducts with purified as well as genomic DNA. Such adducts involve reaction between the exocyclic N-2 amino group of guanines exposed in the minor groove of double helical DNA and the leaving ester group at the benzylic position 1 of the drug.

A new dicoumarinyl ether and two rare furocoumarins from Ruta montana.

A new dicoumarinyl ether, rutamontine and two rare furocoumarins, heraclenol and isopimpinellin, were isolated from Ruta montana. The structure of rutamontine as 6-hydroxy-7-methoxy-3,7'-dicoumarinylether was determined by spectroscopic methods.

Synthesis and cytotoxic activity of benzophenanthrolinone analogues of acronycine.

Condensation of either 2-bromobenzoic acid (4) or 2-chloro-3-nitrobenzoic acid (5) with suitable aminoquinolines 6-8 afforded phenylquinolylamines 9-13. Acid mediated cyclization gave the corresponding 12H-benzo[b][1,7]phenanthrolin-7-ones 14 and 15, and 12H-benzo[b][1,10]phenanthrolin-7-ones 16-18. Compounds 14, 16, and 17 were subsequently N-methylated to 6-demethoxyacronycine and acronycine analogues 19-21, whereas reduction of the aromatic nitro group of 18 gave the amino derivative 22. Unsubstituted 12H-benzo[b][1,10]phenanthrolin-7-ones 16, 17, 20, and 21 were devoid of significant cytotoxic activity, whereas 18 and 22, bearing a nitrogen substituent at position 11, were significantly active. Unsubstituted 12H-benzo[b][1,7]phenanthrolin-7-ones 14 and 19, which include a pyridine nitrogen in the same 4-position as the pyran oxygen of acronycine exhibited cytotoxic activities within the same range of magnitude as acronycine itself.

Synthesis and cytotoxic activity of 11-nitro and 11-amino derivatives of acronycine and 6-demethoxyacronycine.

Condensation of 2-chloro-3-nitrobenzoic acid with either 5-amino-7-methoxy-2,2-dimethyl-2H-chromene or 5-amino-2,2-dimethyl-2H-chromene afforded diphenylamines 14 and 15. Trifluoroacetic anhydride mediated cyclization gave the corresponding acridones 16 and 17, which were subsequently N-methylated and reduced to 11-aminoacronycine and 11-amino-6-demethoxyacronycine. These two amino compounds, which gave stable water soluble salts, were 2- to 3-fold more potent than acronycine or 6-demethoxyacronycine in inhibiting L1210 cell proliferation.

Phenolic Constituents of Selaginella doederleinii.

Eleven phenolic Compounds have been isolated from the ethanolic extract of SELAGINELLA DOEDERLEINII by a combination of Chromatographic techniques. These are five lignans: (-)-lirioresinol A, (-)-lirioresinol B, (+)-wikstromol, (-)-nortracheloside, (+)-matairesinol ( 1), two phenylpropanones: 3-hydroxy-1-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)-propan-1-one ( 2), 3-hydroxy-1-(3,5 -dimethoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)-propan-1-one ( 3), and four biflavonoids: amentoflavone, 7,7''-di- O-methylamentoflavone, 7,4',7'',4'''-tetra- O-methylamentoflavone, and heveaflavone ( 4). Compounds 1, 2, and 3 are novel natural secondary metabolites. Their structures were deduced from their spectral data (mainly (1)H-NMR, mass, and CD). Lignans are described here for the first time in the family Selaginellaceae. Their cytotoxic activity against L 929 murine cells accounts for the use of the plant in traditional Chinese medicine as an anticancer agent.

Measurement of receptor-activated phosphoinositide turnover in rat brain: nonequivalence of inositol phosphate and CDP-diacylglycerol formation.

Two methods for the measurement of receptor-activated phosphoinositide turnover were evaluated for their degree of correspondence in slices of rat brain; they involved the Li(+)-dependent accumulations of either [3H]-inositol-labeled inositol phosphates or [3H]cytidine-labeled CDP-diacylglycerol. In contrast to the expectation that the ratio of these two responses would remain approximately constant, varying degrees of correspondence were obtained. The two extremes are exemplified by carbachol, which elicited large increases in both inositol phosphate and CDP-diacylglycerol labeling, and endothelin, which gave a robust inositol phosphate response with little or no accumulation of 3H-CDP-diacylglycerol. No instance of the presence of the latter response in the absence of 3H-inositol phosphate accumulation was observed. Measurement of 3H-CDP-diacylglycerol accumulation thus may add additional insight into the regulation of phosphoinositide turnover and the complex action of Li+.

Polyphosphoinositides are the major source of inositol phosphates in carbamoylcholine-stimulated SK-N-SH neuroblastoma cells.

The contribution of polyphosphoinositides to muscarinic receptor-stimulated phosphoinositide turnover has been evaluated for intact and digitonin-permeabilized human SK-N-SH neuroblastoma cells. Addition of carbamoylcholine to [3H]inositol-prelabeled intact cells resulted in a rapid (5-10 sec) loss of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate and the concomitant appearance of radiolabeled inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate, inositol-1,3,4-trisphosphate, and inositol tetrakisphosphate. In the presence of the agonist, production of these inositol polyphosphates remained enhanced for up to 45 min. Inositol mono- and bisphosphates steadily accumulated in response to receptor activation and in the presence of Li+ comprised greater than 95% of agonist-stimulated inositol phosphate formation at incubation times greater than 5 min. The major inositol bisphosphate isomer was the 1,4-species. Of the two inositol monophosphates produced, radioactivity recovered in inositol-4-monophosphate increased continuously, whereas that in the inositol-1-monophosphate/inositol-3-monophosphate fraction was delayed in appearance but thereafter progressively accumulated. Omission of Ca2+ reduced carbamoylcholine-stimulated inositol phosphate release by greater than 50% but did not significantly influence the ratio of inositol monophosphates formed. Upon addition of atropine to agonist-pretreated cells, radioactivity was lost from inositol phosphates in the following order: inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate greater than inositol-1,3,4-trisphosphate greater than inositol-1,4-bisphosphate = inositol-4-monophosphate greater than inositol-1-monophosphate/inositol-3-monophosphate. Although carbamoylcholine addition to digitonin-permeabilized cells also resulted in a sustained release of inositol monophosphates, relatively more inositol-4-monophosphate was produced in these preparations. Omission of ATP from permeabilized cell incubations inhibited carbamoylcholine-stimulated 'inositol phosphate formation by greater than 70%. Whole homogenates of SK-N-SH cells metabolized added inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate and inositol-1,4-bisphosphate exclusively to inositol-4-monophosphate, whereas inositol-1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate was degraded to inositol-1- or 3-monophosphate. Measurement of inositol trisphosphate 3'-kinase and 5'-phosphatase activities revealed that, following permeabilization, 3'-kinase activity was diminished, whereas that of 5'-phosphatase was enhanced. The results indicate that occupancy of muscarinic cholinergic receptors in SK-N-SH cells elicits a continuous Ca2(+)-dependent breakdown of the polyphosphoinositides rather than of phosphatidylinositol.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Developmental and regional studies of the metabolism of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate in rat brain.

Coupling of CNS receptors to phosphoinositide turnover has previously been found to vary with both age and brain region. To determine whether the metabolism of the second messenger inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate also displays such variations, activities of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 5'-phosphatase and 3'-kinase were measured in developing rat cerebral cortex and adult rat brain regions. The 5'-phosphatase activity was relatively high at birth (approximately 50% of adult values) and increased to adult levels by 2 weeks postnatal. In contrast, the 3'-kinase activity was low at birth and reached approximately 50% of adult levels by 2 weeks postnatal. In the adult rat, activities of the 3'-kinase were comparable in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum, whereas much lower activities were found in hypothalamus and pons/medulla. The 5'-phosphatase activities were similar in cerebral cortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus, and pons/medulla, whereas 5- to 10-fold higher activity was present in the cerebellum. The cerebellum is estimated to contain 50-60% of the total inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 5'-phosphatase activity present in whole adult rat brain. The localization of the enriched 5'-phosphatase activity within the cerebellum was examined. Application of a histochemical lead-trapping technique for phosphatase indicated a concentration of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 5'-phosphatase activity in the cerebellar molecular layer. Further support for this conclusion was obtained from studies of Purkinje cell-deficient mutant mice, in which a marked decrement of cerebellar 5'-phosphatase was observed. These results suggest that the metabolic fate of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate depends on both brain region and stage of development.

[Total synthesis of oxa-9-anthracyclines]. / Synthèses totales d'oxa-9 anthracyclines.

Racemic 7-hydroxy-9-oxa-anthracyclinone (5a) has been synthetised in seven steps from quinizarin (6) and its resolution achieved after glycosylation with 3,4-di-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-L-fucose. Chiral pool syntheses of (8S)-8-hydroxymethyl-9-oxa-anthracyclinone (5b) and of (8S,10R) and (8S,10S)-8-hydroxymethyl-10-methyl-9-oxa-anthracyclinones (5c and 5d) have been achieved using (R)-2,3-O-isopropylideneglyceraldehyde (12) and leucoquinizarin (13) as starting materials. Glycosylation of aglycones 5b-5d by either 3,4-di-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-L-fucose or various 3-amino-2,3,6-trideoxy-L-hexoses yielded the corresponding anthracyclines. The synthetic glycosides do not show significant cytotoxic activity at a concentration of 1 microgram/ml against L 1210 cells.

Doppler umbilical artery waveform indices--normal values from fourteen to forty-two weeks.

Normal values for Doppler waveform indices of the umbilical artery have been reported for gestational ages of 20 to 40 weeks in small numbers of normal patients. We evaluated 590 patients studies performed at 2-week intervals from 14 to 42 weeks' gestation on patients without medical or pregnancy complications. Readings were obtained during fetal quiet times (no fetal breathing or movements). Values for A (systolic) and B (diastolic) pressures were plotted as Pourcelot (A - B/A) and A/B ratios. Mean, SD, and 95% confidence limits were derived, and the skewness, kurtosis, and regression correlations were calculated. No diastolic flow was found in any pregnancy greater than 15 weeks' gestation (n = 25) or in 50% of the gestations between 15 to 17 weeks (n = 25). When diastolic pressure equals zero, the Pourcelot ratio value equals one and the A/B ratio approaches infinity and loses meaning. Recent work by Thompson et al. suggests that the Pourcelot ratio fits a normal distribution from 20 to 40 weeks' gestation and that the A/B ratio (which does not fit a normal curve) may be transformed to a normal distribution by conversion of the A/B ratio to 1/1 - Pourcelot ratio. Our data supports the normality of both indices from 18 to 42 weeks' gestation, but these assumptions are not applicable as the Pourcelot ratio approaches one or as the A/B ratio approaches infinity. Knowledge of normal umbilical flow ratios at gestational ages from 18 weeks may allow early detection and directed management of high-risk pregnancies.

Carbamoylcholine and gastrin induce inositol lipid turnover in canine gastric parietal cells.

The potential role of inositol phospholipid turnover in mediating acid secretion was examined in a preparation enriched for isolated canine gastric parietal cells. The stimulatory effects of carbamoylcholine (carbachol) and gastrin on parietal cell uptake of [14C]aminopyrine were linked to dose- and time-dependent selective reduction in cellular phosphatidylinositol content, although the specific fatty acid composition of the phosphoinositides was not altered. Analysis of [3H]inositol phosphates accumulated in cells prelabeled with [3H]inositol revealed an increase in labeled inositol trisphosphate by 5 min of incubation with either carbachol or gastrin. Furthermore, after preincubation of parietal cells in medium containing [32P]orthophosphate, the two secretagogues elicited a time-dependent decrease in 32P labeling of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate and concomitant increase in labeling of phosphatidic acid. These data demonstrate that the acid secretagogue actions of carbachol and gastrin are correlated with turnover of cellular inositol phospholipids in a preparation consisting predominantly of parietal cells.

Cholesterol synthesis and nerve regeneration.

In this report, we examine the requirement of cholesterol biosynthesis and its axonal transport for goldfish optic nerve regeneration. Cholesterol, labeled by intraocular injection of [3H]mevalonolactone, exhibited a delayed appearance in the optic tectum. Squalene and other minor components were labeled but not transported. Following optic nerve crush, the amount of labeled cholesterol transport was elevated, while retinal labeling was not altered relative to control fish. A requirement for cholesterol biosynthesis is inferred from the inhibition of neurite outgrowth in retinal explants caused by the cholesterol synthesis inhibitor, 20,25-diazacholesterol. The inhibition of growth could be overcome by addition of mevalonolactone, but not cholesterol, to the medium. Intraperitoneal administration of 200 nmol of diazacholesterol resulted in 92-98% inhibition of retinal cholesterol synthesis and accumulation of labeled desmosterol and other lipids in fish retina and brain which persisted for 2 weeks. Diazacholesterol-treated fish showed no reduction in the amount of lipid-soluble radioactivity transported following intraocular injection of [3H]mevalonolactone, but there were alterations in the chromatographic pattern of the transported labeled lipids. In contrast to its effects on neurite outgrowth in vitro, diazacholesterol did not inhibit optic nerve regeneration in vivo, as measured both by arrival of labeled rapidly transported protein at the tectum and by time required for the return of visual function.