Estudio fitoquímico de Argyrochosma Nivea (poir) Windham (cuti cuti) / Phytochemical study of argyrochosma nivea (poir.) windham (poir.) desv. (cuti cuti)

Nuestro país presenta un gran potencial de plantas medicinales en todo su territorio, por ser megadiverso, con muchas regiones agroecologicas y formaciones vegetales, pese a ello es incipiente la atención al desarrollo de las cadenas de valor del potencial de plantas medicinales, constituyendo un desafío el registro adecuado, con calidad y seguridad porque previenen y solucionan dificultades de salud por sus principios activos. Argyrochosma nivea (Poir.) Windham, "cuti cuti" conocido también como Notholaena nivea. Objetivos: Determinar los grupos metabólicos del extracto alcohólico al 20% de Argyrochosma nivea (Poir.) Windham, administrado a pacientes de diabetes del programa de medicina complementaria, EsSALUD Huancayo. Materiales y métodos: Estudios descriptivo, comparativo. La recolección de información relevante de aspectos botánicos, etnobotánicos, etnofarmacológicos y fitoquímicos sobre Argyrochosma nivea se realizó mediante la búsqueda en las bases de datos Scopus, ScienceDirect, PubMed y la biblioteca virtual del CONCYTEC (servicio de esa institución que reúne revistas de SciELO-Perú y la producción científica y tecnológica del Perú); además, se utilizó el buscador Google-Académico con el fin de agotar la búsqueda. Los términos de búsqueda fueron "Argyrochosma nivea", "Notholaena nivea" o "cuti cuti". Resultados: La Tintura de Argyrochosma nivea al 20% preparado con alcohol etílico al 50% en el analisis fitoquimico realizado se encontro compuestos de Flavanoides totales 0.111 mg de Catequina/ml, Flavonoides totales 0.133 mg de Quercitina /ml, Polifenoles totales 5.189 mg de ácido gálico/ml, Capacidad Antioxidante* 424.701 µ mol trolox/ml, Rutina 0.00579 mg de Rutina/ml, Quercitina 0.105mg/ml y Cumarinas 0.170 mg /ml. Ausencia de antocianinas totales, estos valores aportan la capacidad antioxidante de "cuti cuti", y el contenido de flavonoides (quercetina), permite la prevalencia en el tratamiento de la diabetes. Conclusión: El Estudio fitoquimico de Argyrochosma nivea (Poir.) Windham (Cuti cuti) mediante el análisis por espectrofotometría y análisis por HPLC verifico la existencia de 7 compuestos Flavanoides totales 0.111 mg de Catequina/ml, Flavonoides totales 0.133 mg de Quercitina /ml, Polifenoles totales 5.189 mg de ácido gálico/ml, Capacidad Antioxidante* 424.701 µ mol trolox/ml, Rutina 0.00579 mg de Rutina/ml, Quercitina 0.105mg de Qu ercitina/ml y Cumarinas 0.170 mg de Cumarina/ml(AU)

Our country has a great potential for medicinal plants throughout its territory, as it is megadiverse, with many agroecological regions and plant formations, despite this, attention to the development of value chains for the potential of medicinal plants is incipient, constituting a I challenge the proper registration, with quality and safety because they prevent and solve health difficulties due to their active ingredients. Argyrochosma nivea (Poir.) Windham, "cuti cuti" also known as Notholaena nivea. Objectives: To determine the metabolic groups of the 20% alcoholic extract of Argyrochosma nivea (Poir.) Windham, administered to diabetes patients of the complementary medicine program, EsSALUD Huancayo. Methods: Descriptive, comparative studies. The collection of relevant information on botanical, ethnobotanical, ethnopharmacological and phytochemical aspects of Argyrochosma nivea was carried out by searching the Scopus, ScienceDirect, PubMed databases and the virtual library of CONCYTEC (a service of that institution that brings together SciELO-Peru journals). and the scientific and technological production of Peru); In addition, the Google-Academic search engine was used in order to exhaust the search. The search terms were "Argyrochosma nivea", "Notholaena nivea" or "cuti cuti". Results: The Argyrochosma nivea tincture at 20% prepared with 50% ethyl alcohol in the phytochemical analysis carried out found compounds of total Flavanoids 0.111 mg of Catechin / ml, total Flavonoids 0.133 mg of Quercetin / ml, total Polyphenols 5.189 mg of acid gallic/ml, Antioxidant Capacity* 424.701 µmol trolox/ml, Rutin 0.00579 mg Rutin/ml, Quercetin 0.105mg/ml and Coumarins 0.170 mg/ml. Absence of total anthocyanins, these values provide the antioxidant capacity of "cuti cuti", and the content of flavonoids (quercetin), allows prevalence in the treatment of diabetes. Conclusion: The phytochemical study of Argyrochosma nivea (Poir.) Windham (Cuti cuti) through spectrophotometric analysis and HPLC analysis verified the existence of 7 total Flavanoid compounds 0.111 mg of Catechin/ml, total Flavonoids 0.133 mg of Quercetin /ml, Total polyphenols 5.189 mg of gallic acid/ml, Antioxidant Capacity* 424.701 µ mol trolox/ml, Rutin 0.00579 mg of Rutin/ml, Quercetin 0.105mg of Quercetin/ml and Coumarins 0.170 mg of Coumarin/ml(AU)

N-terminal region is required for functions of the HAM family member.

Shoot meristems contain stem cells, and they sustain growth and development of the above-ground tissues in land plants. The HAIRY MERISTEM (HAM) family genes, encoding GRAS-domain transcriptional regulators, play essential roles in the control of shoot meristem development and stem cell homeostasis in several flowering plants. Similar to other GRAS proteins, the C-terminal regions of HAM family proteins across land plants are conserved, containing signature motifs that define the GRAS domain. In contrast, the N-terminal regions of HAM family proteins display substantial divergence in sequence and length. Whether the variable and divergent N-termini are required for the conserved functions of HAM proteins is unknown. Our recent work showed that CrHAM - the HAM homolog in the fern Ceratopteris richardii was able to replace the role of type-II HAM genes in Arabidopsis, maintaining established shoot apical meristems and promoting the initiation of new stem cell niches. Here, we provide additional information and show that CrHAM contains a much longer N-terminal region compared to Arabidopsis HAM proteins, which is conserved among different fern HAM homologs. The deletion of this region largely compromises the ability of CrHAM to replace the function of Arabidopsis HAM proteins in shoot meristems. These new data together with previous results suggest that, although lacking the sequence conservation among HAM homologs from different plant lineages, the N-termini are important for the conserved functions of HAM family proteins.

Incorporation of amino moiety to alepterolic acid improve activity against cancer cell lines: Synthesis and biological evaluation.

Aleuritopteris argentea (S. G. Gmél.) Fée is a medicinal fern consisting of an ent-labdane diterpene, i.e. alepterolic aicd, as the major metabolite. We recently isolated grams of alepterolic acid from A. argentea enabling subsequent structural modification. By incorporation of amino moiety to alepterolic acid, fifteen amide derivatives were synthesized, characterized, and further biological evaluated regarding their activity against four cancer cells and normal human liver cells. The potency of synthesized amides dramatically improved as compared to alepterolic aicd itself. The best hit (compound 11) inhibits HeLa cells with an IC50 of 7.39 ± 0.80 µM, and is nearly nontoxic to normal cells. Compound 11 exhibits an inhibitory effect on the colony forming ability of the four cancer cells, especially of HeLa cells. Moreover, it induces apoptosis of HeLa cells by decreasing mitochondrial membrane potential and altering expression of apoptosis-associated proteins. Release of cytochrome c, activation of caspases-3, caspases-9 and alteration of Bax/Bcl-2 balance was detected in the biological assays. These results imply that compound 11 can inhibit the proliferation of cervical cancer cell line HeLa and induce apoptosis through the mitochondrial pathway. These findings encourage further rational structural modification of 15- carboxyl group of alepterolic acid.

Metabolites with Insecticidal Activity from Aspergillus fumigatus JRJ111048 Isolated from Mangrove Plant Acrostichum specioum Endemic to Hainan Island.

Fungi residing in mangroves are considered to be a bank of novel bioactive natural products. In the screening for bioactive metabolites from mangrove-derived fungi, the ethyl acetate extract of the fermentation broth of Aspergillus fumigatus JRJ111048, a fungus isolated from the leaves of the mangrove plant Acrostichum specioum endemic to Hainan island, was found to possess insecticidal activity against Spodoptera litura. Bioactivity-guided isolation lead to the discovery of seven metabolites 1-7, including one new anhydride derivative aspergide (1), one new lipid amide 11-methyl-11-hydroxyldodecanoic acid amide (2), and five known compounds; α-ethyl glucoside (3), spiculisporic acid B (4), spiculisporic acid C (5), spiculisporic acid (6), and secospiculisporic acid B (7). Their structures were established by NMR spectroscopic and MS analyses, and by comparison of previously reported data. Insecticidal activity against S. litura and antifungal activity of these compounds were investigated. As a result, the new compound 1 showed potent insecticidal activity against newly hatched larvae of S. litura, and compound 4 displayed weak antifungal activity against Candida albicans.

Arabinogalactan proteins and arabinan pectins abound in the specialized matrices surrounding female gametes of the fern Ceratopteris richardii.

MAIN CONCLUSION: Both male and female gametes of archegoniates are highly specialized cells surrounded by an extraprotoplasmic matrix rich in AGPs, which are speculated to facilitate development and gamete fusion through Ca 2+) oscillations. An additional layer, the egg envelope, forms around the egg periphery, except at the fertilization pore, and contains arabinose-rich polymers that presumably impart flexibility for the rapidly growing zygote and embryo. The abundant AGPs and arabinan pectins associated with the eggs of C. richardii not only are integral to development, fertilization, and early embryogenesis, but also may be involved in desiccation tolerance important to the survival of the reproductive gametophyte. A defining feature of gametogenesis in archegoniates is the deposition of a special matrix outside of the plasmalemma of both egg and sperm cells that displaces the primary cell wall away from the protoplasm. It is within this matrix that gamete differentiation occurs. In leptosporangiate ferns, maturation of the egg cell involves the deposition of a second specialized wall, the so-called egg envelope that surrounds the cell except at the fertilization pore, a narrow site where gamete fusion takes place. We provide the first conclusive evidence of the macromolecular constituents in the unique structures surrounding fern egg cells before and after fertilization. To test the hypotheses that the egg extracellular matrix contains arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs) as does the sperm cell matrix, and that cell wall polysaccharides, especially pectins, are components of the egg envelope, we examined the expression patterns of AGPs and cell wall constituents during oogenesis in Ceratopteris richardii. Utilizing histochemical stains for callose, cellulose and AGPs coupled with immunogold localizations employing a suite of monoclonal antibodies to cell wall components (JIM13, JIM8, LM2, LM5, LM6, LM19, LM20 and anticallose), we demonstrate that AGPs, but not pectins, are abundant in the matrix around egg cells and degrading neck canal and ventral canal cells during archegonial development. A striking finding is that both AGPs and (1,5)-α-L-arabinan pectin epitopes are principle components of the egg envelope before and after fertilization, suggesting that they are important in both egg maturation and gamete fusion.

[Research on quality standards of Aleuritopteris Herba].

This study aims to establish quality standards of Aleuritopteris Herba (AH), which could supply scientific evidence for the quality control of AH. The morphological and microscopic identification characters were reformulated. The tests of water content, total ash, acid-insoluble ash and ethanol-soluble extractives of AH were carried out according to the methods recorded in appendix of Chinese Pharmacopeia (2010 edition, volume 1). The TLC method was established by using aleuritopesis A [2,19-diol（2ß,4α）-16-enekaureniod] and reference herb as references. With preparation of aleuritopesis A[2,19-diol（2ß,4α）-16-enekaureniod] reference substance, the content of aleuritopesis A in AH was determined by HPLC. As a result, the macroscopic identification, microscopic features and TLC methods were specific and simple. The water content, total ash, acid-insoluble ash and ethanol-soluble extractive and the content of aleuritopesis A of all samples varied in the ranges of 8.8%-10.9%, 7.6%-11.4%, 2.5%-4.2%, 9.3%-10.2% and 0.56%-0.71%, respectively. The improved quality standard can be used to evaluate and guarantee the quality of AH comprehensively.

Evaluation of in vitro and in vivo biological activities of Cheilanthes albomarginata Clarke.

BACKGROUND: The Cheilanthes albomarginata Clarke (CA), a fern belonging to Pteridaceae family, is found mainly in India, Nepal, Pakistan and Bhutan at an altitude of 1300-2700 m. It grows mostly in the rock crevices on slopes. Juice from the rhizome of CA has been used to treat peptic ulcer. In this study, the biological activities (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-adipogenic and anti-obesity) of the extracts of CA were investigated. The total phenolic content of each extract was quantified. This is the first report regarding the study of biological activities on CA. METHODS: In the current study, the crude methanol and fractionated extract of the aerial part of CA were investigated for the antioxidant tests which were namely DPPH assay, hydrogen peroxide scavenging assay and nitrite scavenging assay. Their phenolic contents were measured by the Folin-Ciocalteu's method.In vitro anti-inflammatory and anti-adipogenic assays were evaluated against the RAW 264.7 macrophage cells and 3 T3-L1 cells respectively. The crude methanol extract and phenolic fraction (combination of ethyl acetate and butanol fraction) were studied for the in vivo anti-obesity test using male Sprague Dawley rats. RESULTS: The ethyl acetate fraction showed the strongest DPPH radical scavenging (82.54 ± 0.48%), hydrogen peroxide scavenging (3.41 ± 0.21 mg/ml) and nitrite scavenging activity (61.39%). The highest phenolic content was found in the ethyl acetate fraction followed by the butanol fraction. The ethyl acetate fraction showed the highest in vitro anti-inflammatory and anti-adipogenic activities. From the in vivo study on rats, the crude methanol extract and phenolic fraction showed plasma triglyceride lowering activity as well as reduction of weight of adipose tissue in high fat diet induced obese rats. CONCLUSION: The current study suggests that the ethyl acetate and butanol extracts of CA are potential source for antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-adipogenic remedies. In addition to that the results of in vivo studies evidenced the possibility of CA as a source of anti-obesity drug remedies.

[Acute diuretic effect of ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Ceratopteris pteridoides (Hook) in normal rats]. / Efecto diurético agudo de los extractos etanólico y acuoso de Ceratopteris pteridoides (Hook) en ratas normales.

INTRODUCTION: Ceratopteris pteridoides is a semiaquatic fern of the Parkeriacea family, widely used in the Colombian folk medicine as a diuretic and cholelithiasic, of which there are no scientific reports that validate its popular use. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the acute and short-term repeated-dose diuretic effect of the ethanolic and aqueous extracts of C. pteridoides in an in vivo model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The total ethanolic extract was obtained by maceration of the whole plant of C. pteridoides with ethanol and the aqueous extract by decoction at 60°C for 15 minutes. Both extracts were evaluated in preliminary phytochemical analysis and histological studies after the administration of the extracts for 8 consecutive days (1000 mg/Kg). The diuretic effect was evaluated using Wistar rats treated with the extracts (500 mg/Kg), using an acute and a short-term repeated-dose model, and quantifying water elimination, sodium and potassium excretion by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, and chloride excretion by mercurimetric titration. RESULTS: In the acute model both extracts showed significant diuretic, natriuretic, and kaliuretic effect compared to the control group. Whereas, a short-term repeated-dose administration showed a diuretic effect without elimination of electrolytes. The histopathologic study did not suggest a toxic effect in liver or kidney. CONCLUSION: The results represent evidence of the diuretic activity of C. pteridoides and give support the popular use given to this plant in the north coast of Colombia. Further studies are required to isolate and identify the compounds responsible for the activity and the mechanism of action involved.

(2S)-5, 2', 5'-trihydroxy-7-methoxyflavanone, a natural product from Abacopteris penangiana, presents neuroprotective effects in vitro and in vivo.

The aim of this study was to investigate the neuroprotective effects of (2S)-5, 2', 5'-trihydroxy-7-methoxyflavanone (TMF), a natural product from Abacopteris penangiana (Hook.) Ching, in oxidative stress-induced neurodegeneration models in vitro and in vivo. In PC12 cells, preincubation of TMF (3-20 µM) for 24 h decreased the dopamine-induced toxicity and attenuated the redox imbalance in PC12 cells through regulating the ratio of reduced glutathione/oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG), which is a sensitive marker of oxidative stress. Additionally, long-term intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of TMF (4 or 8 mg/kg/day) for 2 weeks significantly improved the behavioral performance of D-galactose (D-gal) treated mice in a Morris water maze test. Biochemical analysis revealed that TMF inhibited the activation of AP-1 (activator protein-1) and upregulated the level of BDNF (brain derived neurophic factor) as well as the ratio of GSH/GSSG in the hippocampus of D-gal treated mice. Furthermore, western blotting analysis indicated that TMF increased phosphorylation of cAMP-response element-binding protein (CREB). Therefore, the natural product TMF possessed a potential for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Efecto diurético agudo de los extractos etanólico y acuoso de Ceratopteris pteridoides (Hook) en ratas normales / Acute diuretic effect of ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Ceratopteris pteridoides (Hook) in normal rats

Introducción. Ceratopteris pteridoides es un helecho semiacuático de la familia Parkeriacea, ampliamente utilizado en la medicina popular colombiana como diurético y colelitiásico, sobre el cual no existen reportes científicos que avalen su uso popular como diurético. Objetivo. Evaluar el efecto diurético agudo en dosis única y dosis repetidas a corto plazo, de los extractos etanólico y acuoso de C. pteridoides en un modelo in vivo . Materiales y métodos. El extracto etanólico total fue obtenido por maceración de la planta entera de C. pteridoides con etanol y el extracto acuoso fue obtenido por decocción a 60 °C por 15 minutos. Ambos extractos se sometieron a análisis fitoquímico preliminar y estudio histológico posterior a la administración de los extractos durante ocho días consecutivos (1.000 mg/kg). El efecto diurético se evaluó en ratas Wistar, tratadas con los extractos (500 mg/kg), en forma aguda y en dosis repetidas a corto plazo, cuantificando la eliminación de agua y la excreción renal de sodio y potasio por espectrofotometría de absorción atómica y, de cloruros, por titulación mercurimétrica. Resultados. En el modelo agudo, ambos extractos mostraron un significativo efecto diurético y de excreción renal de sodio y potasio en comparación con el control, mientras que con la administración en dosis repetidas a corto plazo mostraron efecto diurético sin eliminación de electrolitos. El estudio histopatológico no sugirió efectos tóxicos hepáticos o renales. Conclusión. Los resultados demuestran la actividad diurética de C. pteridoides y sustentan el uso popular dado a esta planta como diurético en la costa norte colombiana. Se requieren estudios posteriores que permitan aislar e identificar los compuestos responsables de la actividad y los mecanismos de acción involucrados.

Introduction. Ceratopteris pteridoides is a semiaquatic fern of the Parkeriacea family, widely used in the Colombian folk medicine as a diuretic and cholelithiasic, of which there are no scientific reports that validate its popular use. Objective. To evaluate the acute and short-term repeated-dose diuretic effect of the ethanolic and aqueous extracts of C. pteridoides in an in vivo model. Materials and methods. The total ethanolic extract was obtained by maceration of the whole plant of C. pteridoides with ethanol and the aqueous extract by decoction at 60°C for 15 minutes. Both extracts were evaluated in preliminary phytochemical analysis and histological studies after the administration of the extracts for 8 consecutive days (1000 mg/Kg). The diuretic effect was evaluated using Wistar rats treated with the extracts (500 mg/Kg), using an acute and a short-term repeated-dose model, and quantifying water elimination, sodium and potassium excretion by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, and chloride excretion by mercurimetric titration. Results. In the acute model both extracts showed significant diuretic, natriuretic, and kaliuretic effect compared to the control group. Whereas, a short-term repeated-dose administration showed a diuretic effect without elimination of electrolytes. The histopathologic study did not suggest a toxic effect in liver or kidney. Conclusion. The results represent evidence of the diuretic activity of C. pteridoides and give support the popular use given to this plant in the north coast of Colombia. Further studies are required to isolate and identify the compounds responsible for the activity and the mechanism of action involved.

Evaluation of cytotoxic activity of patriscabratine, tetracosane and various flavonoids isolated from the Bangladeshi medicinal plant Acrostichum aureum.

CONTEXT: Acrostichum aureumL. (Pteridaceae), a mangrove fern, has been used as a Bangladeshi traditional medicine for a variety of diseases including peptic ulcer. OBJECTIVE: Isolation and structural elucidation of cytotoxic secondary metabolites from the methanol extract of the aerial parts of A. aureum. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Compounds were isolated using HPLC. The compound structures were elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR, MS and other spectroscopic methods using published data. The compounds were tested for their cytotoxic activity against healthy and cancer cells using the MTT assay. Active compounds were further evaluated for apoptosis-and necrosis-inducing potential against gastric cancer cells (AGS) using the FITC Annexin V apoptosis assay. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Seven known compounds, patriscabratine, tetracosane and 5 flavonoids (quercetin-3-O-ß-d-glucoside, quercetin-3-O-ß-d-glucosyl-(6→1)-α-l-rhamnoside, quercetin-3-O-α-l-rhamnoside, quercetin-3-O-α-l-rhamnosyl-7-O-ß-d-glucoside and kaempferol) were isolated. Patriscabratine was found moderately cytotoxic against AGS, MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells with IC(50) values ranging from 69.8 to 197.3 µM. Tetracosane showed some cytotoxic activity against AGS, MDA-MB-231, HT-29 and NIH 3T3 cells with IC(50) values ranging from 128.7 to >250 µM. Patriscabratine and tetracosane displayed an apoptotic effect (10%) on AGS cells within 24 h which was increased (20%) after 48 h, and was comparable to, if not greater, than the positive control, cycloheximide. CONCLUSION: Except for quercetin-3-O-ß-d-glucoside and kaempferol; compounds were isolated for the first time from this plant and evaluated for their cytotoxic activity. The results highlight the potential of this plant as a source of bioactive compounds and provide a rationale for its traditional use in peptic ulcer treatment.

Isolation of novel phenolic compounds with multidrug resistance (MDR) reversal properties from Onychium japonicum.

We isolated seven novel compounds, namely, 3',4',6-trihydroxy-2,4-dimethoxy-3-(3″,4″-dihydroxybenzyl)chalcone (1), 3',6-dihydroxy-2,4,4'-trimethoxy-3-(3″,4″-dihydroxybenzyl)chalcone (2), α,ß-dihydro-3',6-dihydroxy-2,4,6'-trimethoxy-3-(3″,4″-dihydroxybenzyl)chalcone (3), 3',4,4'-trihydroxy-2,6-dimethoxychalcone (4), 4',5,7-trihydroxy-6-(3″,4″-dihydroxybenzyl)flavone (5), 3-(3',4'-dihydroxybenzyl)-6,7-dihydroxycoumarin (6), 3-(3',4'-dihydroxyphenyl)-3,4-dihydroisocoumarin (7), as well as a known compound, 3',4',7-trihydroxy-5-methoxyflavanone (8) from the whole grass of Onychium japonicum, and elucidated their structures by spectroscopic methods. Compounds 1-3 exhibited significant multidrug resistance (MDR) reversal effects on MCF-7/ADR and Bel-7402/5-Fu cell lines.

Antioxidant bibenzyl derivatives from Notholaena nivea Desv.

Four new bibenzyl derivatives were isolated, together with other known bibenzyls, by bioassay-guided fractionation of a CHCl3-MeOH extract of Notholaena nivea Desv. (Pteridaceae) aerial parts. The structures were elucidated by NMR, ESIMS and other spectral analyses. Their antioxidative effects towards superoxide, lipidic peroxidation and the 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethilbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical were assayed. Results showed that the compound 3,12-dihydroxy-5-methoxybibenzyl (6) is the most active compound in the ABTS free-radical scavenging test, while in the coupled oxidation of ß-carotene and linoleic acid assay the compound 5,12-dihydroxy-3-methoxydibenzyl-6-carboxylic acid (1) exerted the highest activity after 1h. A superoxide anion enzymatic test was also carried out and the results were confirmed by an inhibition of xanthine oxidase activity assay. The putative protective role played by compounds 1 and 6 on the injurious effects of reactive oxygen metabolites on the intestinal epithelium, using a Caco-2 human cell line, was investigated. H2O2-induced alterations were prevented by preincubating the cells with compounds 1 and 6.

Cytotoxic and apoptotic activity of Cheilanthes farinosa (Forsk.) Kaulf. against human hepatoma, Hep3B cells.

AIM OF THE STUDY: Cheilanthes farinosa (Forsk.) Kaulf., family: Adianthaceae, is a fern of immense medicinal properties used in ethno-medicine. The Gaddis tribe of Himachal Pradesh, India, has been using this fern to treat liver damage. Aim of the current study was to determine the apoptosis inducing and cytotoxic activity, if any, of this fern towards hepatic cancer cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Water extract of the plant was used in the study. MTT assay was performed in hepatocellular carcinoma cell line, Hep3B as well as murine macrophage cell line, RAW264.7 to analyze the cytotoxic activity of the plant. Further, the apoptosis inducing action of water extract of the plant was evaluated using comet assay, DNA fragmentation analysis, DAPI staining of chromatin and Annexin V-FITC staining. RESULTS: This plant was found to produce considerable cytotoxicity in hepatoma cell line, Hep3B without inducing substantial damage to non-cancerous cell line RAW264.7. In addition, this plant was found to induce apoptosis in Hep3B cells. This was substantiated by comet assay, DNA fragmentation analysis, DAPI staining of chromatin and Annexin V-FITC staining for detecting early stage of apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS: This investigation shows that the water extract of Cheilanthes farinosa has antiproliferative and apoptotic activity in human liver cancer cells and is not deleterious towards non-cancerous macrophage cell line.

[Phylogenetic analysis and detection of selective pressure on the CVNH domains].

Cyanovirin-N (CV-N) is a novel protein with broad-spectrum antiviral activity. Its homologs constitute a protein family known as CVNH (Cyanovirin-N homology), which possess the evolutionarily conserved anti-HIV (Human immunodeficiency virus) domain. In this study, more details about the patchy organism distribution of CVNH domain were explored by reconstructing gene trees. Duplicated CVNH sequences were also identified in a wide range of species including Aspergillus niger, Neosartorya fischeri NRRL 181, Penicillium chrysogenum Wisconsin 54-1255, Neurospora crassa, Cyanothece sp. PCC, and Ceratopteris richardii. Besides these findings, both the mechanistic and mechanistic-empirical combination (MEC) models were used to analyze the adaptive evolution of amino acid sites in the CVNH domain. Our results showed that: (1) neither model reveals significant sites undergoing positive selection; (2) purifying selection has played a dominant role during CVNH evolution; and (3) the MEC model better fits the CVNH data set. Furthermore, the ancestral branch leading to Cyanothece sp. PCC 7822 and 7424 were examined using "branch-specific" and "branch-site" models. Six positively selected sites (34L, 63L, 13H, 76C, 78K, and 80I) were identified on the branch.

[Studies on chemical constituents from Pteris multifida].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the chemical constituents of Pteris multifida. METHODS: All compounds were isolated and purified by normal column chromatography, paper thin layer chromatography and sephadex chromatography. The chemical structures were mainly elucidated by ESI mass and NMR spectra. RESULTS: Seven compounds were isolated from the methanol extracts of Pteris multifida. In addition to a glycoside of sesquiterpene pterosin C-3-O-beta-D-glucoside(1), six flavonoids were isolated from S. barbata as fouows: apigenin(2), luteolin(3), apigenin-7-O-beta-D-glucoside(4), apigenin-7-O-beta-D-glucosyl-4'-O-alpha-L-rhanrnoside(5), apigenin-4'-O-alpha-L-rhanrnoside(6) and luteolin-7-O-beta-D-glucoside(7). CONCLUSION: Compound(2), (3) and (5), (6) are isolated from Pteris multifida for the first time.

In vivo anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive activities of Cheilanthes farinosa.

In Ethiopia inflammatory skin diseases are among the most common health problems treated with traditional remedies which mainly comprise medicinal plants. In the present work, the anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive activities of Cheilanthes farinosa (Forsk.) Kaulf (Adianthaceae), a fern used in many parts of Ethiopia to treat inflammatory skin disorders, were studied using in vivo models of inflammation and pain. The results of the study showed that the fronds Cheilanthes farinosa possess strong anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive properties. It was further demonstrated that the active ingredients of the fern reside mainly in the methanol fraction from which three compounds viz. the flavonol glycoside rutin, and the natural cinnamic acids, caffeic acid and its quinic acid derivative chlorogenic acid have been isolated. The methanol extract was also shown to potentiate the anti-inflammatory activity of acetyl salicylic acid. At the tested concentrations, the methanol extract displayed a better anti-nociceptive activity than that of ASA in both the early and late phases of formalin induced nociception in mice. However, the activity of the extract was more pronounced in the late phase, which is commonly associated with inflammatory pain. Evaluation of the pharmacological properties of the compounds isolated from the active fractions pointed out that chlorogenic acid possesses strong anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive activities while caffeic acid and rutin were inactive. Moreover, on molar basis chlorogenic acid was proved to be superior in its anti-inflammatory action to acetyl salicylic acid. It was therefore concluded that chlorogenic acid contributes, in full or in part, to the anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive activities of Cheilanthes farinosa. Both the methanolic extract and pure chlorogenic acid failed to display anti-nociceptive activity when tested by the tail-flick test indicating that the plant is not a centrally acting analgesic but instead exerts its analgesic activity by way of its antinflammtory action.