Disulfides with Anti-inflammatory Activity from the Brown Alga Dictyopteris membranacea.

Six new (1, 2, and 4-7) and two previously reported (3 and 8) disulfides, along with 4-butyl-2,6-cycloheptadienone, γ-tocopherol, and δ-tocopherol, were isolated from an organic extract of the brown alga Dictyopteris membranacea, collected at Gerolimenas Bay, Greece. The structure elucidation of the isolated natural products was based on analysis of their spectroscopic data. Compounds 1, 3-6, and 8 were evaluated for their antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities. None of the compounds displayed antibacterial activity against two resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus and one strain of Escherichia coli. In contrast, metabolite 5 was able to cause strong inhibition of NO production with an IC50 value of 3.8 µM using an LPS stimulation assay.

A prospective randomized study to compare pelvic floor rehabilitation and dapoxetine for treatment of lifelong premature ejaculation.

Premature ejaculation (PE) is the most common male sexual disorder. We compared pelvic floor muscle rehabilitation to on-demand treatment with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor dapoxetine in 40 men with lifelong PE (baseline intra-vaginal ejaculatory latency time (IELT) ≤1 min). Subjects were randomized into the following two treatment groups: (1) PFM rehabilitation or (2) 30 or 60 mg of on-demand dapoxetine. Total treatment time for both groups was 12 weeks, at the end of which, IELT mean values were calculated to compare the effectiveness of the two different therapeutic approaches. At the end of treatment, 11 of the 19 patients (57%) treated with rehabilitation were able to control the ejaculation reflex, with a mean IELT of 126.6 sec (range: 123.6-152.4 sec). In the dapoxetine group, after 12 weeks of therapy, 5 of 8 (62.5%) patients in the 30 mg subgroup and five of seven (72%) in the 60 mg subgroup had an IELT >180 sec (mean: 178.2 and 202.8 sec, respectively). The results obtained in the group treated with pelvic floor rehabilitation are promising, and this treatment represents an important cost reduction if compared to dapoxetine on-demand treatment. The present study confirms the data that are previously available in the literature on the efficacy and safety of the new inhibitor of serotonin reuptake, dapoxetine, as well as proposes and evaluates a new type of physical treatment that may be a viable therapeutic option for treatment of PE.

Piperidinyl amides with insecticidal activity from the maritime plant Otanthus maritimus.

Two new piperidine amides, N-[(2E,4E,8Z)-tetradecatrienoyl]piperidine (1) and N-[(2E,4E,8Z,11Z)-tetradecatetrenoyl]piperidine (2), along with the known metabolites N-[(2E,4E)-tetradecadienoyl]piperidine (3), N-isobutyl-(2E,4E,)-tetradecadienamide (4), N-isobutyl-(2E,4E,8Z)-tetradecatrienamide (5), N-isobutyl-(2E,4E,8Z,11Z)-tetradecatetraenamide (6), sesamine (7), pinoresinol (8), and espeletone (9), were isolated from the dichloromethane/methanol extracts of the plant Otanthus maritimus Hoffman & Link collected from coastal areas in Greece. Pinoresinol (8) and espeletone (9) are reported for the first time as metabolites of O. maritimus. The structures of the new natural products were elucidated by interpretation of their NMR and high-resolution mass spectral measurements. The insecticidal properties of the crude extracts, essential oil, and isolated metabolites 1-9 were evaluated on Crematogaster scutellaris (Olivier) ants and Reticulitermes balkanensis (Clement) termites, showing significant levels of activity.

Marine polyprenylated hydroquinones, quinones, and chromenols with inhibitory effects on leukotriene formation.

A series of polyprenylated hydroquinones, quinones, and chromenols were isolated from the extracts of the marine sponge Ircinia spinosula and the brown alga Taonia atomaria, which gave rise to the constituents 1-4 and 5-8, respectively. Compounds 1, 2, 6, and 7 are new natural products, which were fully characterized. Their anti-inflammatory activities in terms of leukotriene formation were evaluated in an in vitro assay with pork leukocytes. The new hydroxylated compound, 2'-[28-hydroxy]heptaprenyl-1',4'-hydroquinone (= 2-[(2E,6E,10E,14E,18Z,22E)-19-(hydroxymethyl)-3,7,11,15,23,27-hexamethyloctacosa-2,6,10,14,18,22,26-heptaen-1-yl]benzene-1,4-diol; 1), the known tetraprenyl benzoquinone sargaquinone (5), and the known polyprenyl chromenols 3 and 4 exhibited the highest anti-inflammatory activities, with IC50 values of 1.9-9.4 microM (Table 3). Potential structure-activity relationships (SAR) are discussed.

Natural products with anti-HIV activity from marine organisms.

In order to combat the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), diverse strategies have been developed to research on compounds which can be developed as therapeutic agents. Screening of natural products derived from numerous species has afforded metabolites with significant antiviral activity against the HIV. The marine environment representing approximately half of the global biodiversity offers an enormous resource for novel compounds. Currently more than 150 natural products with promising levels of anti-HIV activity have been isolated following bioassay guided protocols from aqueous or organic extracts of marine organisms. Some of the most characteristic marinemetabolites that have exhibited significant anti-HIV activity on different biochemical assays designed for chemotherapeutic strategies are: Cyanovirin-N, a protein from a blue green alga; various sulfated polysaccharides extracted from seaweeds (i.e. Nothogenia fastigiata, Aghardhiella tenera); the peptides tachyplesin and polyphemusin, which are highly abundant in hemocyte debris of the horseshoe crabs Tachypleus tridentatus and Limulus polyphemus; sponge metabolites such as avarol, avarone, ilimaquinone and several phloroglucinols; and a number of metabolites from marine fungi such as equisetin, phomasetin and integric acid. Considering that number of unique metabolites that have been isolated from a small extent of the ocean's biological and chemical diversity, the oceans represent a virtually untapped resource for the discovery of novel bioactive compounds.

Acetylene sesquiterpenoid esters from the green alga Caulerpa prolifera.

Sixteen secondary metabolites of the green alga Caulerpa prolifera have been isolated, and their chemical structures elucidated by analysis of their spectroscopic data. Two groups of metabolites have been established, with either a 1,2-dihydro- (2a-2i) or a 1,2,3,3'-tetrahydro-2,3-didehydro (3a-3f) caulerpenyne carbon backbone. The terminal vinyl acetoxy group of caulerpenyne was substituted by various fatty acid residues. The antifouling activity of the algal extract was tested in laboratory assays against two of the major groups of fouling organisms (bacteria, microalgae).

Antioxidant potential of natural and synthesised polyprenylated hydroquinones.

The metabolites 2-octaprenyl-1,4-hydroquinone (1) and 2-(24-hydroxy)-octaprenyl-1,4-hydroquinone (2), isolated from the sponge Ircinia spinosula, along with a series of synthetic derivatives, were evaluated for their antioxidant capacity, in order to establish a potential relationship between structural characteristics and antioxidant activity. The antioxidant potential of both natural and synthesised compounds was evaluated in vitro by their ability: (1) to interact with the stable free 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) and (2) to inhibit the peroxidation, induced by the Fe(++)/ascorbate system, of heat inactivated hepatic microsomal membrane lipids. Metabolite 1 presented a strong interaction with DPPH and had a moderate effect on lipid peroxidation, while metabolite 2 interacted extensively with DPPH and exhibited a significant effect against lipid peroxidation. All derivatives retaining the free 1,4-hydroquinone system maintained fully or partly the free radical scavenging capacity.

[1st report of Pterygodermatites (Multipectines) affinis (Jagerskiöld, 1904) Quentin, 1969, in the fox in Italy]. / Prima segnalazione di Pterygodermatites (Multipectines) affinis (Jagerskiöld, 1904) Quentin, 1969, nella volpe in Italia.

The presence of Pterygodermatites (Multipectines) affinis (Jägerskiöld, 1904) Quentin, 1969 is reported for the first time in Italy. The species was found in foxes from Veneto, Trentino and Lombardy regions.