Coixlachryside B: a new benzoxazinoid glycoside from the roots of Coix lachryma-jobi var. ma-yuen (Gramineae).

Coix lachryma-jobi L. var. ma-yuen has been a source of food and traditional folk medicine in some parts of Asia for thousands of years; however, the roots of this plant have not been phytochemically investigated. Herein, we report the isolation of a new benzoxazinoid glycoside, coixlachryside B (1), along with ten known compounds (2-11), from the roots of C. lachryma-jobi var. ma-yuen using a variety of chromatographic methods. Among the known compounds, the absolute configuration of compound 4 was determined. The structures of all compounds were elucidated by interpreting NMR spectroscopic data, and experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism spectra.

The use of experimental design for the development and validation of an HPLC-ECD method for the quantitation of efavirenz.

A high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-ECD) method for the quantitation of efavirenz (EFV) was developed, since traditional HPLC-UV methods may be inappropriate, given that EFV undergoes photolytic degradation following exposure to UV light. This work describes the use of response surface methodology (RSM) based on a central composite design (CCD) to develop a stability-indicating HPLC method with pulsed ECD in direct current (DC) mode at an applied potential difference and current of +1400 mV and 1.0 µA for the analysis of EFV. Separation of EFV and imipramine was achieved using a Nova-Pak®C18 cartridge column and a mobile phase of phosphate buffer (pH 4.5): acetonitrile (ACN) (55:45 v/v). Mobile phase pH, buffer molarity, ACN concentration and applied potential difference were investigated. The optimized method produced sharp well resolved peaks for imipramine and EFV with retention times of 3.70 and 8.89 minutes. The calibration curve was linear (R2 = 0.9979) over the range 5-70 µg/mL. Repeatability and intermediate precision ranged between 3.37 and 4.34 % RSD and 1.31 and 4.29 % RSD and accuracy between -0.80 and 4.71 % bias. The LOQ and LOD were 5.0 and 1.5 µg/mL. The method was specific for EFV and was used to analyse EFV in commercially available tablets. The HPLC-ECD method is more suitable for quantitative analysis of EFV than HPLC-UV.

Two New Alkaloids from the Roots of Baphicacanthus cusia.

Phytochemical investigation of the root of Baphicacanthus cusia (NEES) BREMEK afforded two new alkaloids, baphicacanthin A (1) and baphicacanthin B (2), along with 28 known compounds. The chemical structures of these compounds were elucidated on the basis of one and two dimensional (1D/2D)-NMR and high resolution (HR)-MS spectral evidence.

Peniciadametizine A, a Dithiodiketopiperazine with a Unique Spiro[furan-2,7'-pyrazino[1,2-b][1,2]oxazine] Skeleton, and a Related Analogue, Peniciadametizine B, from the Marine Sponge-Derived Fungus Penicillium adametzioides.

Peniciadametizine A (1); a new dithiodiketopiperazine derivative possessing a unique spiro[furan-2,7'-pyrazino[1,2-b][1,2]oxazine] skeleton, together with a highly oxygenated new analogue, peniciadametizine B (2); as well as two known compounds, brasiliamide A (3); and viridicatumtoxin (4), were isolated and identified from Penicillium adametzioides AS-53, a fungus obtained from an unidentified marine sponge. The unambiguous assignment of the relative and absolute configuration for the spiro center C-2 of compound 1 was solved by the combination of NMR and ECD measurements with Density-Functional Theory (DFT) conformational analysis and Time-Dependent Density-Functional Theory-Electronic Circular Dichroism (TDDFT-ECD) calculations. The spiro[furan-2,7'-pyrazino[1,2-b][1,2]oxazine] skeleton of 1 has not been reported yet among natural products and the biosynthetic pathway for 1 and 2 was discussed. Compounds 1 and 2 showed inhibitory activity against the pathogenic fungus Alternaria brassicae.

Dandamycin and chandrananimycin E, benzoxazines from Streptomyces griseus.

Two new benzoxazines were isolated from Streptomyces griseus (HKI 0545) and assigned as chandrananimycin E (1) and dandamycin (2). Although a number of phenoxazinone-type compounds have been reported from nature, phenoxazines are rarer, and carbon substitution at N-10 such as in 1 is unprecedented. The cyclopentene-containing ring structure of dandamycin (2) is also unique. Chandrananimycin E (1) was found to possess moderate antiproliferative activity against HUVEC cells (GI50 35.3 µM) and weak cytotoxic activity towards HeLa cells (CC50 56.9 µM). Dandamycin showed neither antiproliferative activity nor cytotoxicity towards these cell lines. Structure activity comparisons with phenoxazinones isolated from S. griseus HKI 0545 suggested that the alteration of the core ring systems in 1 and 2 diminishes their activity. Natural products 1 and 2 are interesting additions to the rich secondary metabolome of S. griseus and constitute an important addition to the body of knowledge on phenoxazinone-derived metabolites.

Molecularly imprinted nanoparticles prepared by miniemulsion polymerization as a sorbent for selective extraction and purification of efavirenz from human serum and urine.

A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) has been synthesized in order to specifically extract efavirenz from serum and urine by dispersive solid-phase extraction following by HPLC-UV analysis. The imprinted nanoparticles were prepared by miniemulsion polymerization method using efavirenz as template molecule and methacrylic acid as functional monomer. Molecular recognition properties, binding capacity and selectivity of the MIPs were evaluated and the results revealed that the obtained MIPs had high specific retention for efavirenz in aqueous medium. The MIP was used as a molecular sorbent for the separation of efavirenz from human serum and urine. The extraction of efavirenz by MIP coupled with HPLC analysis showed a linear calibration curve in the range of 50-300 µg/L with exellent precisions (3.66% and 4.6% for 100 and 300 µg/L respectively). The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were determind in serum (17.3 and 57.5 µg/L) and urine (10.6 and 36.2 µg/L). The maximum recoveries for serum and urine samples were found to be 95.2% and 92.7% respectively. Due to the high precision and accuracy, this method may be the UV-HPLC choice with MIP extraction for bioequivalence analysis of efavirenz in serum and urine.

Ionic-liquid-based ultrasound/microwave-assisted extraction of 2,4-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one and 6-methoxy-benzoxazolin-2-one from maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings.

We evaluated an ionic-liquid-based ultrasound/microwave-assisted extraction method for the extraction of 2,4-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one and 6-methoxy-benzoxazolin-2-one from etiolated maize seedlings. We performed single-factor and central composite rotatable design experiments to optimize the most important parameters influencing this technique. The best results were obtained using 1.00 M 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide as the extraction solvent, a 50°C extraction temperature, a 20:1 liquid/solid ratio (mL/g), a 21 min treatment time, 590 W microwave power, and 50 W fixed ultrasonic power. We performed a comparison between ionic-liquid-based ultrasound/microwave-assisted extraction and conventional homogenized extraction. Extraction yields of 2,4-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one and 6-methoxy-benzoxazolin-2-one by the ionic-liquid-based ultrasound/microwave-assisted extraction method were 1.392 ± 0.051 and 0.205 ± 0.008 mg/g, respectively, which were correspondingly 1.46- and 1.32-fold higher than those obtained by conventional homogenized extraction. All the results show that the ionic-liquid-based ultrasound/microwave-assisted extraction method is therefore an efficient and credible method for the extraction of 2,4-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one and 6-methoxy-benzoxazolin-2-one from maize seedlings.

Analytical and preparative chromatographic procedures for obtaining pure cresyl violet and cresyl red from commercial cresyl violet.

Cresyl violet and cresyl red, components of commercial cresyl violet acetate, were separated and purified using preparative column liquid chromatography. The stationary phase was silica gel and gradient elution was carried out using chloroform:methanol. The purified dyes were obtained in high yield; 51% of the original lot was recovered as cresyl violet and 40% as cresyl red. Separated materials were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectroscopy; UV-visible and Fourier-transform infrared spectra also were obtained for samples of pure cresyl violet and cresyl red. The colored constituents of the commercial dye lot were identified using thin layer chromatography and reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography. Both methodologies were suitable for routine testing; reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography is an appropriate tool for quality control and high resolution identification of these compounds.

Isolation and characterization of a novel acid degradation impurity of Amlodipine Besylate using Q-TOF, NMR, IR and single crystal X-ray.

Forced degradation of Amlodipine Besylate (AMD) in acidic condition gave rise to a potential unknown impurity. This unknown acid degradation product (ADP) was evaluated using a new-reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), where it was eluted at 1.24 relative retention time to AMD peak. ADP was isolated using preparative HPLC from degradation mixture. Later, structure of ADP was elucidated using high resolution MS, multidimensional NMR and FTIR spectroscopic techniques, and characterized as ethyl-6-(2-chlorophenyl)-8-methyl-3,4,6,7-tetrahydro-2H-benzo[b][1,4]oxazine-5-carboxylate. The presence of ADP recemic mixture was confirmed by polarimeter and chiral HPLC. Given the complexity associated with ADP generation, single crystal X-ray crystallography technique was used to confirm proposed structure. In addition, reaction mechanism was postulated and confirmed using computational chemistry. To our knowledge, it is a novel impurity and not reported elsewhere.

A simple method for isolation and purification of DIBOA-Glc from Tripsacum dactyloides.

Naturally occurring benzoxazinones (Bx) are a highly reactive class of compounds that have received particular attention in the past several decades. Recently, we identified 2-ß-D-glucopyranosyloxy-4-hydroxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one (DIBOA-Glc) as the compound present in the roots of Eastern gamagrass {Tripsacum dactyloides (L.)} responsible for atrazine degradation. However, characterization of the DIBOA-Glc/atrazine degradation reaction has been limited due to difficulties in attaining sufficient quantities of purified DIBOA-Glc. The objective of the study was to develop a simple purification and isolation method for obtaining bulk quantities of highly purified DIBOA-Glc. T. dactyloides roots were extracted with 90% aqueous methanol, and the crude extract was fractionated using an HPLC equipped with a C8 semi-prep column and fraction collector. UHPLC-DAD-MS/MS was used to confirm the identity of DIBOA-Glc in the fractions collected. Analysis by 13C and 1H NMR and DAD indicated that 542 mg of DIBOA-Glc with a purity of > 99% was obtained. The reactivity of the DIBOA-Glc was confirmed in a 16 hour assay with atrazine, which resulted in 48.5% ± 1.2% (SD) atrazine degradation. The method described here offers several advantages over existing extraction and synthesis methods, which are more cumbersome, use hazardous chemicals, and yield only small quantities of purified compound. The newly developed method will facilitate future research characterizing the chemical behavior of DIBOA-Glc and determine its potential as an atrazine mitigation and remediation tool.

Identification of an atrazine-degrading benzoxazinoid in Eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides).

This study was part of a broader effort to identify and characterize promising atrazine-degrading phytochemicals in Eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides ; EG) roots for the purpose of mitigating atrazine transport from agroecosystems. The objective of this study was to isolate and identify atrazine-degrading compounds in EG root extracts. Eastern gamagrass roots were extracted with methanol, and extracts were subjected to a variety of separation techniques. Fractions from each level of separation were tested for atrazine-degrading activity by a simple assay. Compounds were identified using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Results from the experiments identified 2-ß-d-glucopyranosyloxy-4-hydroxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one (DIBOA-Glc) as the compound responsible for atrazine degradation in the root extract fractions collected. 2-ß-d-Glucopyranosyloxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one (HBOA-Glc) was also identified in the root extract fractions, but it did not demonstrate activity against atrazine. Estimated root tissue concentrations were 210 mg kg(-1) (wet wt basis) for DIBOA-Glc and 71 mg kg(-1) for HBOA-Glc (dry wt basis, 710 ± 96 and 240 ± 74 mg kg(-1), respectively). This research was the first to describe the occurrence and concentrations of an atrazine-degrading benzoxazinone compound isolated from EG tissue.

Benzoxazinoids from Scoparia dulcis (sweet broomweed) with antiproliferative activity against the DU-145 human prostate cancer cell line.

Sweet broomweed (Scoparia dulcis) is an edible perennial medicinal herb widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Four compounds, (2R)-7-methoxy-2H-1,4-benzoxazin-3(4H)-one 2-O-ß-galactopyranoside [(2R)-HMBOA-2-O-Gal], 3,6-dimethoxy-benzoxazolin-2(3H)-one (3,6-M2BOA), 3-hydroxy-6-methoxy-2-benzoxazolinone (3-OH-MBOA), and scutellarein 7-O-ß-glucuronamide, along with eight known compounds, including two 7-methoxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3(2H)-one 3-O-hexopyranosides [(2R)-HMBOA-2-O-Glc and (2R)-HDMBOA-2-O-Glc], 6-methoxy-benzoxazolin-2(3H)-one (MBOA), acteoside, sodium scutellarin, p-coumaric acid, and two monosaccharides (fructose and glucose), were isolated from the aqueous extract of S. dulcis. Antiproliferative activities of the six benzoxazinoid compounds against the DU-145 human prostate cancer cell line were assayed, and one of these displayed an IC50 of 65.8 µg/mL.

Benzoxazinoids in root exudates of maize attract Pseudomonas putida to the rhizosphere.

Benzoxazinoids, such as 2,4-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-2H-1,4-benzoxazin-3(4H)-one (DIMBOA), are secondary metabolites in grasses. In addition to their function in plant defence against pests and diseases above-ground, benzoxazinoids (BXs) have also been implicated in defence below-ground, where they can exert allelochemical or antimicrobial activities. We have studied the impact of BXs on the interaction between maize and Pseudomonas putida KT2440, a competitive coloniser of the maize rhizosphere with plant-beneficial traits. Chromatographic analyses revealed that DIMBOA is the main BX compound in root exudates of maize. In vitro analysis of DIMBOA stability indicated that KT2440 tolerance of DIMBOA is based on metabolism-dependent breakdown of this BX compound. Transcriptome analysis of DIMBOA-exposed P. putida identified increased transcription of genes controlling benzoate catabolism and chemotaxis. Chemotaxis assays confirmed motility of P. putida towards DIMBOA. Moreover, colonisation essays in soil with Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP)-expressing P. putida showed that DIMBOA-producing roots of wild-type maize attract significantly higher numbers of P. putida cells than roots of the DIMBOA-deficient bx1 mutant. Our results demonstrate a central role for DIMBOA as a below-ground semiochemical for recruitment of plant-beneficial rhizobacteria during the relatively young and vulnerable growth stages of maize.

Benzoxacystol, a benzoxazine-type enzyme inhibitor from the deep-sea strain Streptomyces sp. NTK 935.

Benzoxacystol, a new 1,4-benzoxazine-type metabolite, was produced by strain NTK 935, a marine member of the Streptomyces griseus 16S rRNA clade, isolated from deep-sea sediment collected from the Canary Basin. The structure of benzoxacystol was determined by mass spectrometry, NMR experiments and X-ray analysis. The compound showed an inhibitory activity against the enzyme glycogen synthase kinase 3ß and a weak antiproliferative activity against mouse fibroblast cells.

Preparative isolation and purification of two benzoxazinoid glucosides from Acanthus ilicifolius L. by high-speed counter-current chromatography.

The first preparative separation of two benzoxazinoids, (2R)-2-O-beta-d-glucopyranosyl-2H-1,4-benzoxazin-3(4H)-one (HBOA-Glc) and (2R)-2-O-beta-d-glucopyranosyl-4-hydroxy-2H-1,4-benzoxazin-3(4H)-one (DIBOA-Glc), by means of high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) from the n-butanol extract of Acanthus ilicifolius L. is presented. The two-phase solvent system containing ethyl acetate-n-butanol-0.5%NH(4)OH (2:3:5, v/v/v, system B) was selected for the one-step HSCCC separation of HBOA-Glc and DIBOA-Glc according to the partition coefficient values (K) for target compounds and the separation factor (alpha) between the two target compounds. In the one-step HSCCC separation using solvent B, from 100mg n-butanol extract of A. ilicifolius, 6.3 mg HBOA-Glc and 6.8 mg DIBOA-Glc were isolated with purities of 90.3% and 80.2%, respectively. In order to obtain the two target compounds with higher purity, a second separation process was developed comprising two steps. In the two-step separation, the sample was first pre-purified by HSCCC using ethyl acetate-n-butanol-water (2:3:5, v/v/v, system A) solvent system and then purified using solvent system B. A 100-mg amount of the n-butanol extracts of A. ilicifolius was separated to yield 5.8 mg of HBOA-Glc and 4.8 mg of DIBOA-Glc with purities of 97.1% and 94.8%, respectively, which were directly used for NMR analyses.

[Determination of flumioxazin residue in foods using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry].

A method for the determination of flumioxazin residue in foods by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) has been developed. The food sample was extracted with acetonitrile or ethyl acetate, concentrated in a rotary evaporator, then dissolved in acetonitrile-methyl benzene (3 : 1, v/v) and purified with an NH2-solid phase extraction (SPE) column. The final extract was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with selected ion monitoring mode (GC-MS-SIM). External standard method was used for the quantification. The mean recoveries of flumioxazin spiked in foods were 79.4% - 101%, and the relative standard deviations were 0.242% -7.15% (n = 10). The detection limit for each was 0.01 mg/kg. This method has high sensitivity, veracity and is suitable for the determination of pesticide residues in foods.

Validated enantiospecific LC method for determination of (R)-enantiomer impurity in (S)-efavirenz.

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed for separation of the enantiomers of efavirenz. The developed method was applied for the determination of (R)-enantiomer in (S)-efavirenz and satisfactory results were achieved. The base line separation with a resolution of more than 4.0 was achieved on Chiralcel OD (250 mm x 4.6 mm, 10 microm) column containing tris-(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbomate) as stationary phase. The mobile phase consists of n-hexane: isopropyl alcohol (80:20 v/v) with 0.1% (v/v) of formic acid as additive. The flow rate was kept at 1.0 ml/min and the UV detection was monitored at 254 nm. The (R)-enantiomer was found linear over the range of 0.1 microg/ml--6 microg/ml. The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.03 microg/ml and the limit of quantification (LOQ) was 0.1 microg/ml (n=3. The precision of (R)-enantiomer at LOQ level was evaluated through six replicate injections and the RSD of the peak response was achieved as 1.34%. The results demonstrated that the developed LC method was simple, precise, robust and applicable for the purity determination of efavirenz.

1,4-benzoxazin-3-one, 2-benzoxazolinone and gallic acid from Calceolaria thyrsiflora Graham and their antibacterial activity.

Secondary metabolites, DIBOA, HBOA, 7-OH-HBOA, BOA and gallic acid, were isolated and quantified from Calceolaria thyrsiflora Graham, a native medicinal plant of Chile belonging to the Scrophulariaceae family. The highest DIBOA contents were determined in leaves (145 mmol kg(-1) dry wt) and flowers (161 mmol kg(-1) dry wt). Antibacterial activities of DIBOA, HBOA, BOA, gallic acid and infusions of flowers and leaves were determined. The phytomedicinal properties attributed to C. thyrsiflora Graham could be understood on the basis of its antibacterial activity.