Furanocoumarin compounds isolated from Dorstenia foetida potentiate irinotecan anticancer activity against colorectal cancer cells.

Although the anticancer activity of Dorstenia foetida was already observed, the chemical entity responsible for this activity remained unidentified. In this study, the cytotoxic activity of two furanocoumarin compounds, i.e., 5-methoxy--3-(3-methyl-2,3-dihydroxybutyl)-psoralen (1) and 5-methoxy-3-(3-methyl-2,3-dihydroxybutyl)-psoralen diacetate (2) isolated from ethyl acetate fraction of D. foetida (whole plant) was investigated in several cancer cell lines including HN22, MDA-MB-231, HCT116, and HT29. The results revealed that compound 2 exhibited cytotoxic activity, particularly against colorectal cancer cell lines HCT116 and HT29. The interplay between compound 2 and irinotecan (Iri) showed synergism against HCT116, which was analyzed by CompuSyn software. The simulation revealed that, at the molar ratio of Iri:2 of 1:40, the concentration predicted to achieve a 90 % inhibitory effect when used in the combination would be ~28- and ~4-fold lower than the concentration of compound 2 and Iri, resp., when used individually. Finally, the percentage of apoptotic cells in the HCT116 line treated with the combination was markedly higher than in the cells treated with the individual agent (60 % apoptotic cells for the combination compared to 17 and 45 % for Iri and compound 2 monotherapy, resp). In conclusion, our results identified compound 2 as a plant-derived compound exhibiting anticancer properties that can act synergistically with Iri and warranted further research to assess the potential of this synergism for colorectal cancer treatment.

A new acylated triterpene glycoside and cytotoxic constituents from Dolichandrone serrulata (Wall. ex DC.) Seem.

In this study, a new acylated triterpene glycoside, 3α-O-stearoyl-28-[2'-stearoyl-α-l-arabinopyranosyl]-olean-12-en-28-oic acid (1), was isolated from the flowers of Dolichandrone serrulata. In addition to this compound, eleven known compounds were also isolated, including a related pentacyclic triterpenoid: ursolic acid (2), two cycloartane triterpenoids: 24-methylenecycloartanol (3) and 24-methylenecycloartane-3,28-diol (4), three cyclohexylethane derivatives: (-)-rengyolone (5), (-)-cleroindicin C (6) and (-)-cleroindicin D (7), an iridoid: 6-O-trans-feruloyl catalpol (8), two phenylethanoid glycosides: salidroside (9) and verbascoside (10), and two steroids: ß-sitosterol (11) and ß-sitosterol-3-O-ß-d-glucopyranoside (12). The chemical structures of these compounds were determined by analysing their HRMS and NMR spectroscopic data. Additionally, their cytotoxic activities against NH22, HCT116, MCF7, MDA-MB-231, and HeLa cell lines were evaluated for all the compounds. Ursolic acid exhibited moderate cytotoxic activity against all cancer cell lines tested, particularly against HN22, MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, and HCT116 cells with IC50 values of approximately 19-34 µM.

Lupenone-Rich Fraction Derived from Cissus quadrangularis L. Suppresses Lipid Accumulation in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes.

Cissus quadrangularis L. (CQ) has potential as a therapeutic for managing obesity and balancing metabolic activity, but the main bioactive compound and regulatory mechanism remain unknown. Herein, the CQ hexane extract was fractionated into 30 fractions (CQ-H) using flash column chromatography and analyzed using thin-layer chromatography. The direct antiadipogenesis effect of CQ-H fractions was tested on 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Lupenone-rich fractions 2H and 3H were identified as containing potent antiadipogenesis agents that reduced differentiated cell numbers and intracellular lipid droplet size. Although the overall mitochondrial density remained unchanged, differentiated cells exhibited a higher mitochondrial density than that in non-differentiated cells. Additionally, 2H increased mitochondrial activity in both cell types as shown by their differentiation and lipid formation stages. Lupenone was isolated from 2H (Lu-CQ) and shown to dose-dependently inhibit adipogenesis, with 2H being more potent than Lu-CQ. Lu-CQ and 2H downregulated the expression of Pparg2 mRNA and upregulated that of glucose transporter genes, Slc2a1 and Slc2a4. Lu-CQ and 2H induced increased glucose uptake by 3T3-L1 cells. These findings suggest that lupenone-rich fractions in CQ contribute to balancing metabolic activity and reducing adipose tissue formation. Further exploration of CQ and its components may prompt innovative strategies for managing obesity and metabolic disorders.

Protective effects of Stephania pierrei tuber-derived oxocrebanine against LPS-induced acute lung injury in mice.

Acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ALI/ARDS) have high mortality rates. Though corticosteroids are commonly used for the treatment of these conditions, their efficacy has not been conclusively demonstrated and their use can induce various adverse reactions. Hence, the application of corticosteroids as therapeutic modalities for ALI/ARDS is limited. Meanwhile, the aporphine alkaloid oxocrebanine isolated from Stephania pierrei tubers has demonstrated anti-inflammatory efficacy in murine/human macrophage cell lines stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Accordingly, the primary objectives of the present study are to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of oxocrebanine on LPS-induced murine alveolar epithelial (MLE-12) cells and its efficacy against LPS-induced murine ALI. Results show that oxocrebanine downregulates the abundance of interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, and inducible nitric oxide synthase, as well as the phosphorylation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB), stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK)/c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), p38, protein kinase B (Akt), and glycogen synthase kinase-3beta signalling proteins in LPS-induced MLE-12 cells. Moreover, in a murine ALI model, oxocrebanine lowers lung injury scores and lung wet/dry weight ratios while reducing inflammatory cell infiltration. It also suppresses LPS-induced tumour necrosis factor-alpha and IL-6 in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and plasma. Moreover, oxocrebanine downregulates NF-κB, SAPK/JNK, p38, and Akt phosphorylation in the lung tissues of LPS-treated mice. Taken together, the foregoing results show that oxocrebanine provides significant protection against LPS-induced ALI in mice primarily by suppressing various inflammatory signalling pathways in alveolar epithelial cells and lung tissues. Hence, oxocrebanine might prove effective as an anti-inflammatory agent for the treatment of lung inflammation.

First Total Syntheses of Natural Phenanthrene Alkaloids, Uvariopsamine, Noruvariopsamine, 8-Hydroxystephenanthrine, 8-Methoxyuvariopsine, Thalihazine, and Secophoebine, and Their Potential as Antimalarial Agents.

The first total syntheses of natural phenanthrene alkaloids, namely, uvariopsamine (1), noruvariopsamine (2), 8-hydroxystephenanthrine (3), 8-methoxyuvariopsine (4), thalihazine (5), and secophoebine (6), have been realized. In addition, their in vitro antimalarial activity against the multidrug-resistant K1 strain of Plasmodium falciparum and in vitro cytotoxic activity against the human nasopharynx carcinoma (KB), small cell lung cancer (NCI-H187), and breast cancer (MCF7) human cancer cell lines were investigated. All the phenanthrene alkaloids showed significant antiplasmodial activity (IC50 1.07-7.41 µM), and most compounds displayed low to no toxicity against the three cancer cell lines tested. Particularly, 3 exhibited the best antimalarial activity with an IC50 value of 1.07 µM, no toxicity to NCI-H187 (IC50 > 50 µM), and low toxicity against KB (IC50 24.53 µM) and MCF7 (IC50 42.67 µM) cell lines.

Miliusins; cytotoxic neolignans from the leaves of Miliusa sessilis.

Eight undescribed neolignans and an undescribed propanoid dimer were isolated from the leaves of Miliusa sessilis, together with two known compounds, dehydrodieugenol A and dehydrodieugenol B. All structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic data analysis and the structure of (7S,8R)-5'-hydroxy-3,4-dimethoxy-4',7-epoxy-8,3'-neolign-8'-en-9-acetate (miliusin A) was further confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis. The absolute configurations were determined using circular dichroism (CD) data analysis and the modified Mosher's method. All isolated compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against four human cancer cell lines (HeLa, HN22, HepG2, and HCT116), including one normal-type cell line (HaCaT) using MTT assay. (7S,8R)-5'-hydroxy-3,4-dimethoxy-4',7-epoxy-8,3'-neolign-8'-en-9-ol (miliusin B) was found to exhibit the most promising cytotoxic effect against Hela cells with the lowest IC50 value of 0.04 µM and the highest selective index of 187.8, highlighting miliusin B as an attractive candidate for cervical cancer drug development.

The first total syntheses of (±)-norphoebine, dehydrophoebine, oxophoebine, dehydrocrebanine, oxocrebanine and uthongine and their cytotoxicity against three human cancer cell lines.

The first total syntheses of (±)-norphoebine, dehydrophoebine, oxophoebine, dehydrocrebanine, oxocrebanine and uthongine have been achieved. The crucial step involved the formation of ring C by a microwave-assisted direct biaryl coupling to produce the aporphine skeleton in high yields. The synthetic alkaloids were evaluated for their cytotoxicity against three human cancer cell lines MCF7, KB and NCI-H187. The results showed that uthongine was the best candidate of the series and it exhibited cytotoxicity against a human breast cancer MCF7 line with an IC50 = 3.05 µM.

A new dihydrobenzofuran lignan and potential α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of isolated compounds from Mitrephora teysmannii.

A new dihydrobenzofuran lignan, (2R,3S)-2-(3',4'-dimethoxyphenyl)-5-(3-hydroxypropyl)-7-methoxy-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran-3-methyl acetate, named as mitredrusin (1), was isolated from the leaves of Mitrephora teysmannii (Annonaceae) together with 12 known compounds including a related dihydrobenzofuran lignan: (-)-3',4-di-O-methylcedrusin (2), four polyacetylenic acids: 13(E)-octadecene-9,11-diynoic acid (3), 13(E),17-octadecadiene-9,11-diynoic acid (4), octadeca-9,11,13-triynoic acid (5) and octadeca-17-en-9,11,13-triynoic acid (6), five lignans: (-)-eudesmin (7), (-)-epieudesmin (8), (-)-phillygenin (9), magnone A (10) and forsythialan B (11) and two megastigmans: (3S,5R,6S,7E,9R)-7-megastigmene-3,6,9-triol (12) and annoionol A (13). The chemical structures of these compounds were established on the basis of their 1-D and 2-D NMR spectroscopic data. All compounds were evaluated for their α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Among these isolates, polyacetylenic acids 3 and 4 showed more than 20-fold much higher activity compared with that of the antidiabetic drug acarbose.

Ent-pimarane and ent-trachylobane diterpenoids from Mitrephora alba and their cytotoxicity against three human cancer cell lines.

Bioassay-guided fractionation of the hexane extract of the branches of Mitrephora alba led to the isolation of five diterpenoids: ent-8ß-hydroxypimar-15-en-18-oic acid, ent-15,16-dihydroxypimar-8(14)-en-18-oic acid, ent-3ß-hydroxytrachyloban-18-oic acid, ent-3ß-hydroxytrachyloban-18-al and methyl ent-3ß-hydroxytrachyloban-18-oate, together with five related known diterpenoids. The structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis and comparison with literature data. All isolated compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against three human cancer cell lines. The results showed that three ent-trachylobane diterpenes had moderate cytotoxicity against NCI-H187 cancer cells.

A new phenolic compound with anticancer activity from the wood of Millettia leucantha.

A new phenolic compound, 1-(3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-3-(2,4-dihydroxy-5-methoxyphenyl) propan-1-ol, named as millettinol (1), along with six known compounds, medicarpin (2), 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-8,9-methylenedioxypterocarpan (3), 5,4'-dihydroxy-7,8-dimethoxyisoflavone (4), physcion (5), (R)-(-)-mellein (6) and isoliquiritigenin (7), were isolated from the wood of Millettia leucantha. The structures of the compounds were determined by an analysis of their spectroscopic data. Some of the isolates were tested for anticancer activity. Compound 1 exhibited strong cytotoxicity against the BCA-1 tumor cell lines with an IC(50) = 3.44 µg/mL.

Benzothiazines in synthesis. Further studies of the intramolecular, stereoselective addition of sulfonimidoyl carbanions to alpha,beta-unsaturated functional groups.

A variety of alkenes substituted by electron-withdrawing groups serve as competent electrophiles for the stereoselective, intramolecular nucleophilic addition of sulfonimidoyl carbanions to form benzothiazines. This reaction generally proceeds with complete stereoselectivity within the limits of our detection. In some cases, benzothiazine formation occurs in a single pot at relatively high temperatures during N-arylation of the simple sulfoximine used in this study. Yet, the process occurs with the same direction and extent of stereoselectivity as that seen when the Michael addition is performed at very low temperatures.

Expedient synthesis of sulfinamides from sulfonyl chlorides.

Sulfinamides were synthesized from sulfonyl chlorides using a procedure involving in situ reduction of sulfonyl chlorides. The reaction is broad in scope and easy to perform.

New synthesis of benzothiazines and benzoisothiazoles containing a sulfoximine functional group.

The reaction of S-2-bromophenyl-S-methylsulfoximine with terminal alkynes in the presence of a palladium catalyst resulted in the formation of both 1,2-benzothiazines and 1,2-benzoisothiazoles. A preference for the former was seen with alkylalkynes, while the latter were preferentially formed with alkynylarenes.