Records of Natural Products Articles

The viruses are one of the most threatening factors for plants resulting in gigantic economic losses. These utilize host internal machinery for reproduction and can spread through biological and non-biological means. Among the most hazardous plant viruses, Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) is the most ancient virus which causes massive economic losses to tobacco, pepper, cucumber and ornamental crops globally. The problem can be reduced by minimizing the vector population through application of pesticides. Opposite to obtained success in virus control, rapid utilization of synthetic chemicals is disastrous for our ecosystem. Therefore, alternative approaches such as natural derivatives should be explored for eco-friendly management of TMV. So, here we have tried to take into account various natural metabolites which can be effectively and potentially used against TMV. We further explained about the derivatives from animals, fungi, bacteria and actinomycetes which are useful against TMV. The review imbibes the recent research findings regarding exploration of natural derivatives for management of TMV and concludes through highlighting the future prospects via hoping that future pesticides will be safer for human being and our planet.

Charantins A is cucurbitane-type triterpene glycoside secondary metabolites derived from Momordica charantia . Here, biological activities of charantin A and mode of action to Spodoptera litura ovary cell line ( SpLi-221) were evaluated. We investigated the effects of charantins A on cell growth inhibition compared with charantins B, momordicin I and azadirachtin A. Among them, charantins A showed the most potent activity against SpLi-221 cells with the lowest IC 50 values, and in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Moreover, the cell morphology changed after charantin A treatment, including cytoplasm leakage, irregular morphology, and apoptotic bodies. In addition, the flow cytometry assay confirmed that charantin A promoted the occurrence of cells’ G2/M block and apoptosis, as evidenced by an increased ratio of cells in the sub-G1 phase. Furthermore, cell membrane disruption and increase of intracellular calcium levels were observed following charantin A treatment. These findings provide new clues regarding the role of cucurbitane-type triterpene glycosides as potential novel pesticides for pest control.

The composition of the essential oil produced from aerial parts of Salvia montbretii Benth.(Lamiaceae), was analyzed by GC and GC-MS. Forty-six compounds constituting about 97.7% of the essential oil were characterized.The main compounds were characterized as b -caryophyllene (32.8%), b -pinene (9.8%), a -humulene (8.2%), 12-hydroxy- b -caryophyllene acetate (6.6%), germacrene D (4.9%) and a -pinene (4.5%).

The present study evaluated the anti-gout potential of an ethanolic extract from Calluna vulgaris L. Hull (ECV). A preliminary phytochemical analysis of ECV was performed by spectrophotometric and HPLC-PDA-MS methods. Hypouricemic effect of ECV was tested in vivo using the oxonate-induced hyperuricemia model in rats, systolic blood pressure being also monitored in hyperuricemic animals. The anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of ECV were investigated by the carrageenan-induced paw oedema and Randall-Selitto test in rats. The results of the phytochemical analysis of the extract obtained from C. vulgaris showed the main chemical constituents were flavonoids and chlorogenic acid. ECV showed significant and dose-dependent hypouricemic effects in oxonate-treated rats, increasing the urinary excretion of uric acid. The tested extract produced statistically significant anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects at the dose of 500 mg/kg. This study offers a new perspective regarding the anti-gout potential of C. vulgaris.

One of the many properties of propolis, a gift of nature, is that it is a potent antioxidant agent, which has been shown to be a miracle-worker in many different diseases. In this study, its possible protective and reversing effects against hiperoxaluria was investigated in a rat model in comparison with verapamil. In all 5 groups (Total n=76), aside from the control, hiperoxaluria was induced with continuous ethylene glycol (EG) administration. The others received EG only, 50 mg/kg propolis, 100 mg/kg propolis and 1mg/kg verapamil. To estimate the antioxidant/oxidant status in the tissue and serum samples, catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), total glutathione (GSH), nitric oxide (NO), malonyl dialdehyde (MDA) and total anti-oxidant capacity (T-AOC) were measured after 7 and 28 days. In the early phase, serum T-AOC levels were significantly elevated in the EG+P100 (p=0.0062) compared to the control, while in the late phase, it was elevated in the EG+P50 (p=0.037) and EG+V (p=0.009) compared to the EG only group. Propolis administration was observed to dramatically decrease crystal deposition (p<0.0001) and was more effective in the prevention of oxalate-induced renal injury than verapamil. Propolis being a natural product with almost none adverse effects elevates its value as a future approach to urolithiasis.

Triterpene saponins are bioactive glycosides which are responsible for the defense mechanism of the plants and have extensive structural diversity in many plant species. In this study, profile of triterpene saponins was determined in the crude n-BuOH extracts of Cephalariahirsuta, Cephalaria elazigensis var. elazigensis, and Cephalaria procera taxa (Caprifoliaceae) by ultra pressure liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. The UPLC-ESI-MS/MS method has been validated to provide linearity, recovery, precision (repeatability), limit of detection and limit of quantification parameters for quantitative analysis. Identification and quantification of the compounds were based on a group of fragment ions and ESI-MS spectra; precursor ions were observed as [M+Na] + and [M+H] + in positive mode for molecular mass information. Thirty nine saponins were identified and quantified by reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RP-LC) and they were separated on C18 reverse phase column (50 mm x 2.1 mm, 1.7 µm) by methanol-water gradient containing 0.1 mM ammonium formate solution as a mobile phase. Among the detected compounds, 28 compounds in C. hirsuta, 4 compounds in C. elazigensis var. elazigensis and 22 compounds in C. procera were identified and quantified based on their retention times and mass spectra in comparison with the data of references which were isolated in our previous studies. In this study, rapid application of an UPLC-ESI-MS/MS approach for resolving the chemical content of complex crude n-BuOH extracts of three Cephalaria species were presented, for the first time.

Aplysterol, several didehydroaplysterols, and their acetylated derivatives were isolated from samples of the marine sponge Aplysina aerophoba, which had been collected on the coast of the Canary Islands, and were identified by chromatography and 1H- and 13C-NMR spectroscopy. A quantitative analysis was done, based on the relative intensities of the signals corresponding to the olefinic quaternary carbons from the 13C-NMR spectrum at 125 MHz. Finally, the results described were confirmed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS).

The neuroprotective potential of Bombax ceiba L. (Malvaceae) leaves extract (BCLE) was evaluated herein for the first time. Memory impairment was induced in rats by scopolamine (SC) administration for seven days (1.5 mg/kg/day, i.p.). BCLE (200 mg/kg) or donepezil (1mg/kg) was administered orally a week before and then concomitantly with SC for another week. BCLE improved the rats’ behaviors estimated by Morris water maze and passive avoidance tests, where the rats showed prolongation in time spent in platform quadrant and step-through latency, respectively, compared to administration of SC alone. BCLE also ameliorated the antioxidant parameters (Catalase with malondialdehyde (MDA), and the SC-induced elevation of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in rats’ brain tissues. Histopathological studies supported the above results. BCLE phytochemical study resulted in isolation and structural elucidation of β-sitosterol linoleate (first to be isolated from the genus) and β-amyrin. Twenty-seven compounds ( 93 .35%) were identified in BCLE by gas chromatography / mass spectrometry (GC/MS) . The major components were triterpenoids (69.82%), composing mainly of β-amyrin (45.28%), lupeol (15.03%) and olean-12-en-3-one (6.27%), in addition to fatty acid esters (13.37%) and steroids ( 7.75%), which were rich in methyl palmitate (9.87%) and stigmasterol acetate (4.91%), respectively. These compounds may be responsible for ameliorating the SC-induced oxidative stress and cholinergic dysfunction.

A new ent-pimarane-type diterpenoid glucoside , along with eight known same skeleton type were isolated from the ethanol extract of Siegesbeckia pubescens Makino by means of various chromatographic techniques (silica gel, RP-8, Sephadex LH-20, Pre-HPLC). Their structures were elucidated on the ba sis of spectroscopic analyses and the new one identified as ent-15-methylene-2α,16,19-trihydroxy-pimar-8(14)-ene-19-O-β-D-glucopyranoside.

Morphological, chemical and indumentum characteristics of Rhododendron ponticum L. subsp. ponticum collected from Bartın province have been investigated. A detailed description of the species has been prepared and compared with that published in the Flora of Turkey of Davis in a tabular form. The taxonomic and morphological characteristics of the plant material have been described and illustrated by drawings. Indumentum characteristics were also investigated. Volatiles of the flowers were trapped by a dynamic headspace SPME setup and their hexane extract were analyzed by GC/MS. Main components of the headspace trapped volatiles of flowers were characterized as α -pinene (44.5 %), β -pinene (10.8 %), linalool (4 %) and limonene (3.3 %) whereas main components in volatiles of the hexane extract were linalool (19.6 %), phenylethyl alcohol (19.1 %), myrtenol (10.1 %). citronellol (9.4 %) and phenylacetaldehyde (7.8%).

The aim of this research was to determine the chemical constituents of essential oils derived from the leaf, bark and stems of Schefflera myriocarpa Harms (Araliaceae) grown in Vietnam for the first . The essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation and investigated through gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The principal compounds identified in the essential oils were mainly monoterpenes represented by α-pinene (17.1%-21.2%), α-phellandrene (9.2%-27.4%) and limonene (19.8%-36.8%). In addition, methyl eugenol (10.4%) was found in the bark.

Aerial parts of Carissa opaca have been investigated for the search of new bioactive secondary metabolites and a new nortriterpenoid: noropacursane (1) has been isolated together with three known compounds, namely, 6-methoxy-7-hydroxycoumarin (2), lupeol (3) and 4-ketopinoresinol (4). The structure of the new compound was established by 1D ( 1H-, 13C-NMR), 2D-NMR (HMBC, HSQC, COSY and NOESY) and high resolution mass spectrometry (HR-EI-MS), where as the structures of the known compounds were elucidated through 1D-NMR, mass spectrometric analysis and compared with the reported data in literature. All the isolates were evaluated for their biological potential against the enzymes acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and lipoxygenase (LOX) as well as for DPPH free radical scavenging assays. Compound 4 was found active against DPPH radical scavenging activity and BChE with IC 50 values of 83.41±0.17 and 101.81±0.24 µM, respectively, whereas compound 2 inhibited enzyme LOX with IC 50 value of 102.25±0.17 µM.