Lignans and neolignans from Stelleropsis antoninae.

BACKGROUND AND THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: Stelleropsis antoninae Pobed. (Family: Thymelaeaceae) grows wildly as an herbaceous plant in Iran. Most of the Thymelaeaceous plants contain lignans and neolignans, which have important pharmacologically properties. In the present study, the isolation and identification of the main lignans and neolignans of S. antoninae, which has not been previously reported is described and compared to other species. METHODS: Column (CC) and High Performance Liquid Chromatographic (HPLC) methods were used for the isolation and purification, and (1)H-NMR, (13)C-NMR, HMBC, HMQC, H-H COSY and MS were employed for the identification of the compounds isolated from the methanol extract. RESULTS: From the methanol extract of the aerial parts of S. antoninae four lignans, syringaresinol (1), syringaresinol 4-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside (4), syringaresinol 4-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)-ß-D-glucopyranoside (5), liriodendrin (6), and two neolignans, 5-methoxylariciresinol 4'-O- ß-D-glucopyranoside (3) and dehydrodiconiferyl alcohol 4-O-ß -D-glucopyranoside (2) were isolated and identified. MAJOR CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that siringaresinol, a well-known bioavtive compound, and its glucosides are the main lignans, and lariciresinol and coniferyl alcohol derivatives are the main neolignans of S. antoninae.

The first phytochemical report of Galanthus transcaucasicus Fomin.

UNLABELLED: BACKGROUND AND THE PURPOSE OF STUDY: Galanthus transcaucasicus Fomin (Amaryllidaceae) is an endemic species to the Caucasia and Alborz mountains in Iran which locally named "Gole-Barfi". While there are many reports on pharmacological activities of Galanthus species' alkaloids, there is no report on G. transcaucasicus and this article is the first phytochemical study on this species. METHODS: Extracted alkaloids from G. transcaucasicus bulbs were isolated using different chromatographic methods and the structures of the components were determined by physical and spectroscopic data. RESULTS: Five isoquinoline type alkaloids namely galanthamine (8.04%), narwedine (6.90%), lycorine (19.48%), caranine (3.45%) and tazettine (5.75%) of total alkaloid extract were isolated from the bulbs of Galanthus transcaucasicus Fomin. MAJOR CONCLUSION: Because of the presence of biologically active alkaloids especially galanthamine and the major alkaloid lycorine in Gol-e-Barfi, the plant may be used as a natural source for pharmaceutical purposes.

1-methyl malate from Berberis integerrima fruits enhances the antibacterial activity of ampicillin against Staphylococcus aureus.

The enhancement of the antibacterial activity of ampicillin by different extracts of Berberis integerrima fruits was evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus. Disk diffusion and agar dilution methods were used to determine the antibacterial activity of ampicillin in the absence and presence of different plant extracts or various fractions eluted by column chromatography. A clinical isolate of S. aureus was used as a test strain. The active component of B. integerrima fruits involved in the enhancement of ampicillin activity was purified and identified as 1-methyl malate using different spectroscopic methods. Both the ethanol extract of B. integerrima fruits and 1-methyl malate enhanced the antibacterial activity of ampicillin. The total extract as well as 1-methyl malate increased the antibacterial activity of ampicillin against the test strain. The potency of ampicillin against the test strain was increased 64-fold when tested with a sub-toxic concentration of total extract of B. integerrima fruits. Also, 1-methyl malate increased the bactericidal activity of ampicillin. In the presence of 2 mg/mL of 1-methyl malate the MIC of ampicillin for S. aureus decreased from 128 to 1 microg/mL (128-fold).

Influence of phenological stages and method of distillation on Iranian cultivated Bay leaves volatile oil.

Leaves of Bay (Laurus nobilis L.) were collected in different phonological stages and air-dried. Volatile oil of the leaves were obtained using hydro- and steam distillation and the chemical composition were analyzed by GC and GC/Mass and identified in comparison with authentic compounds. The yield of essential oil were 0.8 to 1.5 v/w% and the major compounds were; 1,8 Cineol, alpha-terpinyl acetate and Sabinene. Because of the interesting yield of the oil and presence of 1,8-Cineol as the major compounds, the bearing ripe fruit stage in the mid of September is the best time for harvesting the Bay leaves in Iran.

The antioxidant activity of some commonly used vegetables in Iranian diet.

Methanol extracts of 26 commonly used vegetables in Iranian diet were monitored for antioxidant activity against linoleic acid peroxidation. Some vegetable extracts including savory, radish leaf, garden-cress, spirmint, leek, chive (aerial part), lettuce and dill showed an antioxidant activity comparable with those of dl-alpha-tocopherol and quercetin.

Antifungal activity of the methanolic extract and alkaloids of Glaucium oxylobum.

The methanolic extract and total alkaloids of the aerial parts of Glaucium oxylobum exhibited good activity against Microsporum gypseum, Microsporum canis, Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Epidermophyton floccosum. Four alkaloids, dicentrine, glaucine, protopine, and alpha-allocryptopine, were identified as the compounds responsible for the antifungal activity of this plant.

Anatomical study on Vaccinium arctostaphylos L.

Vaccinium arctostaphylos L. (Ericaceae), locally named Qaraqat, is widely used in Iranian folk medicine as antidiabetic and antihypertensive agents. The anatomical study on the different organs of the plant was performed to give a clear standard for identification of the drug. Various diagnostic elements such as particular cells, rubiaceous stomata, covering and glandular trichomes, Ca-oxalate crystals were found in different parts.