Chemical Constituents from Berchemia polyphylla var. Leioclada.

One previously undescribed naphthoquinone-benzisochromanquinone dimer berpolydiquinone A (1), along with two previously undescribed naphthoquinone-anthraquinone dimers berpolydiquinones B and C (2-3), and one previously undescribed dimeric naphthalene berpolydinaphthalene A (4), were isolated from the stems and leaves of Berchemia polyphylla var. leioclada. The chemical structures of these compounds were determined using high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy (HR-ESI-MS), spectroscopic data, the exciton chirality method (ECM), and quantum chemical calculation. Notably, compounds (1-2 and 5) are dimeric quinones that share the same naphthoquinone moiety, specifically identified as 2-methoxystypandron. Compound (4) is a derivative of dimeric naphthalene with a symmetrical structure, which is a new structure type isolated from B. polyphylla var. leioclada for the first time. These findings suggest that B. polyphylla var. leioclada serves as a significant reservoir of structurally diverse phenolic compounds. This study provides a scientific foundation for regarding B. polyphylla var. leioclada as a potential source of "Tiebaojin".

Anthraquinone-benzisochromanquinone dimers from the stems and leaves of Berchemia polyphylla.

Three new anthraquinone-benzisochromanquinone dimers polyphylldiquinones A-C (1-3), along with three known analogs floribundiquinone A-B (4-5) and 7-dehydroxyventiloquinone H (6), were isolated from the stems and leaves of Berchemia polyphylla. The chemical structures and absolute configurations of these compounds were determined using HR-ESI-MS, spectroscopic data, and electronic circular dichroism. Notably, compounds (1-5) are dimeric quinones that share the same benzisochromanquinone moiety, specifically identified as 7-dehydroxyventiloquinone H (6), which was the first time to report as a natural product. Compounds 1-2 and compounds 4-5 are two pairs of atropisomers respectively.

Medicated thread moxibustion for alopecia areata: A case report.

RATIONALE: According to the literature reports and clinical studies on alopecia areata (AA) from 2008 to 2018, most clinical treatments have been oral drugs and external ointments. At present, systemic immunosuppressive therapy has been widely used in AA, but there are various side effects such as elevated liver enzymes, gastrointestinal discomfort, poor drug compliance, and repeated illness. We present a case report describing a traditional medicine treatment for AA that uses an ethnic therapy of Zhuang medicine, a kind of Traditional Chinese Medicine, namely, medicated thread moxibustion. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 36-year-old man endured AA after going through a family misfortune. Half a year ago, his father passed away suddenly. Since then, he suffered continuous anguish, alcoholism and hair loss, especially in the past 2 months. A coin-shaped area of hair loss began to appear at the top of his head and gradually expanded to the surrounding region. DIAGNOSES: A diagnosis of AA was made in the dermatology department of a local hospital. INTERVENTIONS: The patient was treated with the medicated thread moxibustion method of Traditional Zhuang Medicine at the Kuihua (special points of Zhuang medicine), Zusanli (ST 36), Xuehai (SP 10), Baihui (DU 20), and Taichong (LR 3) points every other day for 4 weeks. OUTCOMES: The area of hair loss showed slight improvement after 1 week of treatment. Only just a sprinkling of wooly hairs, whose color and thickness were similar to those of fine facial hairs, began to emerge sporadically from the follicles; they could be seen only in a bright light. When the patient saw the obvious curative effect, we continued the treatment for 2 weeks with the patient's consent. Three weeks later, the patchy AA area was covered with small cotton-like hairs of different lengths and uneven colors. LESSONS: The medicated thread moxibustion method of Zhuang medicine can be an effective alternative treatment in patients with AA.

Differentiation of the Chinese minority medicinal plant genus Berchemia spp. by evaluating three candidate barcodes.

The genus Berchemia comprises important Chinese plants with considerable medicinal value; however, these plants are often misidentified in the herbal medicinal market. To differentiate the various morphotypes of Berchemia species, a proficient method employing the screening of universal DNA barcodes was used in this work. Three candidate barcoding loci, namely, psbA-trnH, rbcL, and the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2), were used to identify an effective DNA barcode that can differentiate the various Berchemia species. Additionally, PCR amplification, efficient sequencing, intra- and inter-specific divergences, and DNA barcoding gaps were employed to assess the ability of each barcode to identify these diverse Berchemia plants authentically; the species were differentiated using the Kimura two-parameter and maximum composite likelihood methods. Sequence data analysis showed that the ITS2 region was the most suitable candidate barcode and exhibited the highest interspecific divergence among the three DNA-barcoding sequences. A clear differentiation was observed at the species level, in which a maximum distance of 0.264 was exhibited between dissimilar species. Clustal analysis also demonstrated that ITS2 clearly differentiated the test species in a more effective manner than that with the two other barcodes at both the hybrid and variety levels. Results indicate that DNA barcoding is ideal for species-level identification of Berchemia and provides a foundation for further identification at the molecular level of other Rhamnaceae medicinal plants.

Three new steroidal glycosides from the roots of Cynanchum auriculatum.

Three new steroidal glycosides, cyanoauriculosides F, G and H (1-3), were isolated from the roots of Cynanchum auriculatum (Asclepiadaceae) along with two known steroidal derivatives. On the basis of spectroscopic analysis and chemical methods, their structures were identified as 20-O-acetyl-8,14-seco-penupogenin-8-one 3-O-α-L-cymaropyranosyl-(1→4)-ß-D-cymaropyranosyl-(1→4)-α-L-diginopyranosyl-(1→4)-ß-D-cymaropyranoside (1), 2',3'-Z-gagaminine 3-O-α-L-cymaropyranosyl-(1→4)-ß-D-cymaro-pyranosyl-(1→4)-α-L-diginopyranosyl-(1→4)-ß-D-cymaropyranoside (2), 17-O-acetyl-kidjoranin 3-O-α-L-cymaropyranosyl-(1→4)-ß-D-cymaropyranosyl-(1→4)-α-L-cymaro-pyranosyl-(1→4)-ß-D-digitoxopyranosyl-(1→4)-ß-D-digitoxopyranoside (3), gagaminine 3-O-α-L-cymaropyranosyl-(1→4)-ß-D-cymaropyranosyl-(1→4)-α-L-digino-pyranosyl-(1→4)-ß-D-cymaropyranoside (4) and wilfoside D1N (5).

[The species basis of Berchemia lineata and its drug commodity].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the original plant, distribution and efficacy of Radix Seu Stem Berchemiae (Tie Bao Jin) in Zhuang Region of Guangxi and southwest China. METHODS: The original plants of Tie Bao Jin were identified by methods of commodity investigation, specimen collection, literature reference and specimens identification. RESULT: The clinical commonly used as Tie Bao Jin original plant in Zhuang Region of Guangxi were identified as the stem and root of Berchemia lineata (L.) DC, Berchemia polyphylla Wall. ex Laws., Berchemia polyphylla Wall. ex Lawson var. leioclada (Hand. -Mazz. ) Hand. -Mazz. and Berchemia floribunda (Wall.) Brongn. CONCLUSION: Actually, the stem and root of the four plants have been used as Tie Bao Jin in southwest China. And their plant resource include their identification, pharmacodynamics action and the clinical difference still need further research.

A new chromone derivative from Berchemia lineata.

To study the chemical constituents from the root of Berchemia lineata (L.) DC., nine compounds were isolated from the EtOAc extract by using silica gel, RP-C18 silica gel column chromatography and preparative HPLC. Based on the spectroscopic analysis, their structures were identified as 5-hydroxy-7-(2'-hydroxypropyl)-2-methyl-chromone (1), (-)-(1'R, 2'S)-erythro-5-hydroxy-7-(1', 2'-dihydroxypropyl)-2-methyl-chromone (2), naringenin (3), eriodictyol (4), (+)-aromadendrin (5), (+)-taxifolin (6), (+)-catechin (7), (+)-epigallocatechin (8) and quercetin (9). Among them, compound 2 is a new chromone derivative. Compound 1 is a known chromone derivative and isolated from this genus for the first time. Compounds 3-9 are known flavonoids and isolated from this plant for the first time.