Insight into isolation and elucidation of cytotoxic ergostanoids from the mushroom Sarcosphaera crassa (Santi) Pouzar: An edible mushroom.

Sarcosphaera crassa is a mushroom consumed in Europe and Anatolia after being cooked well. The cytotoxic activity of the extracts of unbaked S. crassa against MCF7, HT29, HeLa cancer cell lines and toxicity against PDF fibroblast healthy cell lines were studied using MTT assay. Acetone and methanol extracts of the mushroom exhibited significant cytotoxic activity. Further investigation of cytotoxic extracts afforded two new fatty acid sterols (1-2), a new ergosterol glycoside (4), and seven known compounds, including a fatty acid sterol (3), a steroid glycoside (5), two ergostanoids (6-7) and three sugars (8-10). These compounds were identified as brassicasteryl heptadecanoate (1), brassicasteryl palmitoleate (2), brassicasteryl linoleate (3), brassicasterol ß-ᴅ-xylofuranoside (4), brassicasterol ß-ᴅ-glucoside (5), brassicasterol (6), ergosterol-endoperoxide (7), mannitol (8), erythritol (9) and turanose (10). Among them, 7 exhibited a moderate cytotoxic activity against HeLa (IC50: 70.1 ± 2.0 µg/mL) and high activity against HT29 (IC50: 38.8 ± 0.9 µg/mL), and MCF7 (IC50: 62.9 ± 1.3 µg/mL) cancer cell lines. Compounds 4, 5, and 6 also exhibited significant cytotoxic activity against HT29 and MCF7. Moreover, all compounds exhibited weak toxicity against PDF healthy cell lines. This study indicates the potential use of Sarcosphaera crassa as a natural source of cytotoxic ergostanoids, which can be considered a dietary supplement for cancer prevention.

Phenolic Compounds from An Algerian Endemic Species of Hypochaeris laevigata var. hipponensis and Investigation of Antioxidant Activities.

: Hypochaeris laevigata var. hipponensis (Asteraceae) is an endemic plant from Algeria. In the current study, we analyzed for the first time its chemical composition, especially phenolic constituents of dichloromethane (DCM), ethyl acetate (EA), and n-butanol (BuOH) fractionsof the aerial parts of Hypochaeris laevigata var. hipponensis by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The number of phenolic compounds detected in DCM, EA, and BuOH fractions were found to be 9, 20, and 15, respectively. More specifically, 12 phenolic acids were detected. Among them, quinic acid, chlorogenic acid, and caffeic acid were the most abundant ones. Meanwhile, only seven flavonoids were detected. Among them, rutin, apigetrin, and isoquercitrin were the major ones. We also determined the total phenolic and flavonoid contents, and fraction EA showed the highest values, followed by BuOH, and DCM fractions. Furthermore, the antioxidant action was dictated by five methods and the tested plant fractions demonstrated a noteworthy antioxidant action.

New insights into the zinc-α2-glycoprotein (ZAG) scaffold and its metal ions binding abilities using spectroscopic techniques.

AIMS: Zinc-α2-glycoprotein (ZAG) is soluble lipid mobilizing protein and a noval adipokine associated with cancer cachexia. ZAG is an omnipresent protein and represent a fold of MHC class I proteins. Although ZAG's metal binding capacity has already been reported, no other metal has been mapped to date besides the complex formation with zinc. MAIN METHODOLOGY: In this study, fluorescence emission spectroscopy and mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) were employed to define the putative interaction sites and their accessibility for the biologically important metals of Irving William Series. KEY FINDINGS: Several hotspot residues in the ZAG scaffold involved in these interactions were mapped and their binding affinity score for each metal has been determined. Thebinding abilities of these sites and aggregation propensities of ZAG were monitored by fluorescence emission spectroscopy. SIGNIFICANCE: The prediction of such binding affinity with metals on the active sites and its impact on the conformational states to accelerate aggregation was discussed as an important finding that may be involved in several other biochemical processes such as lipid binding, ß-adrenergic receptors, cancer cachexia and association with plasma cholesterol and obesity.

Pharmacognostic and phytochemical studies of Zanthoxylum armatum DC.

The pharmacognostic and phytochemical investigations on the leaf, stem bark, and fruit of Zanthoxylum armatum were carried out. Macroscopic study of leaf, stem bark, and fruit of Z. armatum revealed some of the characteristic features like size, shape, color, odor and taste of the crude drug. Distinguishing fragments were identified from the powder drug. Leaf, bark, and fruit powder of this plant have higher values of total, acid insoluble, and water soluble ash as compared to the powder of this plant exhausted with ethanol and n- hexane. Extraction values in methanol were highest for leaves (20.10%) and fruit (11%), while bark showed highest value in chloroform (8.5%). The extractive values varied among other parts with different solvents. Fluorescence analysis of the Z. Armatum leaf, stem bark, and fruit powder with various reagents showed characteristic coloration at day and under UV light. Quantitative phytochemical screening revealed the presence of many bioactive constituents in leaves, such as alkaloids (15.60±0.10 mg/g), sterols (71.60±0.10mg/g), saponins (21.57±0.12mg/g), tannins (34.43±0.21mg/g), phenols (11.66±0.33mg/g) and flavonoids (13.68±0.66mg/g). Alkaloids (19.60±0.10mg/g), sterols (33.83±0.29mg/g), saponins (14.78±0.10mg/g), tannins (28.62±0.13mg/g), phenols (16.48±1.33mg/g) and flavonoids (18.33±1.22mg/g) were reported form the bark, while fruits were reported to have alkaloids (25.07±0.21mg/g), sterols (164.92±0.14mg/g), saponins (28.60±0.10mg/g), tannins (35.5±0.5mg/g), phenols (21.68±0.44mg/g) and flavonoids (22.8±1.33mg/g). Z. armatum is an important medicinal plant, traditionally used for various ailments. This study will be helpful in the future pharmacognostic standardization of this important plant.

Nutritional assessment and antioxidant activities of different varieties of Vigna radiata.

Three cultivars of Vigna radiata, namely, NM-92, NM-98, and NM-06, were analyzed for their proximate composition. The samples were also tested by HPLC for amino acid content. The data showed that all the varieties had same moisture level. The maximum ash content (4.29%) was present in NM-92, and crude fat (2.26%) was highest in NM-98 while NM-06 contained maximum amount of crude protein. About eighteen types of amino acids were detected in each of the three varieties. Acidic amino acids, that is, aspartic and glutamic acids, were in considerable amount ranged from 13 to 23% followed by leucine, isoleucine, alanine, valine, lysine, phenyl alanine, serine, and arginine which fell in the range of 3-8% of total protein. The maximum amount (13.00 and 22.80%) of aspartic and glutamic acids was present in NM-98. Similarly arginine (6.83%) and serine (5.45%) were also in highest amount in this variety. Leucine (7.46%) was maximum in NM-92 variety. NM-06 contained almost all the amino acids in lesser quantity except for few like threonine, proline, glycine, and alanine. It was concluded from the present study that varieties were of different nutritional value and HPLC was a sensitive method for amino acids determination. Antioxidant activities of all three varieties were also assayed and showed significant results.