Brauhenefloroside E and F; acylated flavonol glycosides from Stocksia brauhica Linn.

Two new acylated flavonol glycosides, 3-O-{[2-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-3-[O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-4-[(6-O-p-coumaroyl)-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]}-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-kaempferol 7-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside and 3-O-{2-[(6-O-p-coumaroyl)-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-3-[O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-4-[(6-O-p-coumaroyl)-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]}-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-kaempferol 7-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside, trivially named as brauhenefloroside E (1) and F (2), respectively, were isolated from the fruits of Stocksia brauhica and their structures were elucidated using spectroscopic methods, including 2D NMR experiments.

Frequency of hepatitis B and C in patients undergoing elective surgery.

BACKGROUND: Viral Hepatitis (HBV and HCV) is a major health problem affecting approximately two billion population worldwide. It is one of the single most important cause of chronic liver disease and hepato-cellular carcinoma in Pakistan and worldwide and is now spreading beyond endemic dimensions. This study was carried out to assess the frequency of Hepatitis B and C infection in patients undergoing elective surgical operations, and to evaluate the associated risk factors. METHODS: This was a descriptive study, conducted at Surgical Department of Ghulam Muhammad Mahar Medical College Hospital, Sukkur, from April 2009 to March 2010. All patients who were admitted in the Surgical Department for elective surgical operations were included in the study. The patients were screened for HBsAg and Anti-HCV using immunochromatography (ICT) method. Those who were weak positive by ICT were further confirmed by ELISA. RESULTS: Total 913 patients were admitted in Surgical Department during study period for elective operations and were screened for HBsAg and Anti-HCV. Out of these, 572 (62.65%) were male and 341 (37.34%) were female. Mean age of these patients was 40 years. After screening, 33 (3.61%) patients were found HBsAg positive and 117 (12.8%) were Anti-HCV positive, while 9 (0.98%) were positive for both. Hepatitis-B was found in 21 (2.3%) males and 12 (1.3%) females, and Hepatitis-C was found in 68 (7.44%) males and 49 (5.36%) female patients. Parenteral injections by quacks, previous surgery, blood transfusion and shaving by barbers were found to be the risk factors. CONCLUSION: Our message is: 'Prevention is better than cure'. It is essential to prevent spread of Hepatitis B and C by screening every patient before surgery and counselling the patients. The doctors and paramedical staff must follow proper ethical practice ensuring use of sterile disposables where indicated and protecting patients and themselves from these viral infections.

Two new flavonol glycosides from Otostegia limbata BENTH.

A BuOH-soluble part of the methanolic extract from the roots of Otostegia limbata yielded two new flavonol glycosides; kaempferol 3-O-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->2)-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)]-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)]-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside]-7-O-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside] (1) and kaempferol 3-O-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-D-6'''''[4-hydroxy (E)-cinnamoyl]glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->2)]-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside]-7-O-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside] (2). The structures of these compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic and chemical means. To the best of our knowledge, these are the largest flavonoids derivatives described so far from the genus Otostegia.

New terpenoids from Stachys parviflora Benth.

Two new triterpenoidal saponins were isolated from the n-butanolic extract of Stachys parviflora (Lamiaceae). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral data as stachyssaponin A; 3beta, 15alpha, 19alpha, 21beta, 22alpha-pentahydroxyolean-12-ene-28-oic acid 3-O-{alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 --> 3)-beta-D-glucopyranoside}-22-O-{alpha-L-arabinofuranosyl-(1 --> 3)-beta-D-glucopyranoside} (1) and stachyssaponin B; 2beta, 3beta, 15alpha, 21beta-tetrahydroxyolean-12-ene-28-oic acid 2-O-[alpha-L-arabinofuranoside]-3, 21-bis-O-[beta-D-glucopyranoside] (2).

Two new rare-class tetracyclic diterpenoids from Otostegia limbata.

Two new tetracyclic diterpenoids trivially named as limbatenolide D (1) and limbatenolide E (2) have been isolated from Otostegia limbata. The structure elucidation of the compounds was based primarily on two-dimensional (2D) NMR techniques and on comparison with the literature data.

Isolation of four new pterocarpans from Zygophyllum eurypterum (Syn. Z. atriplicoides) with enzyme-inhibition properties.

Four new pterocarpans, atricarpan A (=(-)-1,2-dihydroxy-4-(hydroxymethyl)-3,9-dimethoxypterocarpan; 1), atricarpan B (=(-)-2,3-ethylenedioxy)-1,4-dihydroxy-9-methoxypterocarpan; 2), atricarpan C (=(-)-1,9-dimethoxypterocarpan-3-carboxylic acid; 3), and atricarpan D (=(-)-2,9-dimethoxy-4-(5-oxohexyl)pterocarpan; 4) were isolated from the BuOH extract of the whole plant of Zygophyllum eurypterum. The structure elucidations of those compounds were based primarily on 1D- and 2D-NMR analysis, including COSY, HMBC, and HMQC correlations. Compounds 1-4 also inhibited butyrylcholinesterase (BChE; EC 3.1.1.8) enzyme in a concentration-dependent manner with IC(50) values between 12.5-65.0 microM. Similarly, compounds 1 and 4 inhibited lipoxygenase (LOX; EC 1.13.11.12) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE; EC 3.1.1.7) enzymes with IC50 values of 13.5 and 20.5 muM, respectively.

Large brains and lengthened life history periods in Odontocetes.

Previous work on primates and birds suggests that large brains require longer periods of juvenile growth, leading to reproductive constraints due to delayed maturation. However, longevity is often extended in large-brained species, possibly compensating for delayed maturation. We examined the relationship between brain size and life history periods in cetaceans, a large-brained mammalian order that has been largely ignored. We looked at males and females of twenty-five species of Odontocetes, using independent contrasts and multiple regressions to disentangle possible phylogenetic effects and inter-correlations among life history traits. We corrected all variables for body size allometry and separated life span into adult and juvenile periods. For females and both sexes combined, gestation, time to sexual maturity, time as an adult and life span were all positively associated with residual brain size in simple regressions; in multiple regressions, maximum life span and time as an adult were the best predictors of brain size. Males showed few significant trends. Our results suggest that brain size has co-evolved with extended life history periods in Odontocetes, as it has in primates and birds, and that a lengthened adult period could have been an important component of encephalization in cetaceans.

New phenethyl alcohol glycosides from Stachys parviflora.

Phytochemical investigations of the whole plant of Stachys parviflora (Lamiaceae) resulted in the isolation of two new phenethyl alcohol glycosides. The structures of the new compounds named parviflorosides A and B were established as 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-ethyl-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 --> 2)-4-O-E-caffeoyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside (1) and 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-ethyl-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 --> 2)-6-O-E-caffeoyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2), respectively. The structure elucidation of the new compounds was based primarily on 1D and 2D NMR analysis, including COSY, HMBC and HMQC correlations.

Two new saponins from Zygophyllum atriplicoides.

Phytochemicals investigation of the whole plant of Zygophyllum atriplicoides resulted in the isolation of two new triterpenoidal saponins together with a known compound. The structure of the new compounds atriplicosaponin A (1) and atriplicosaponin B (2) were established as 3-O-[alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-xylopyranosyl]-hederagenin and 27 alpha-hydroxyurs-12-ene-3-O-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->4)(2-O-sulpho)-beta-D-quinovopyranoside] and known compound was identified as 3-O-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-beta-sitosterol. The structure elucidations of the compounds were based primarily on 1D and 2D-NMR analysis, including COSY, HMBC and HMQC correlations.