Records of Natural Products Articles

 The present study was undertaken to investigate the chemical composition and effectiveness of the essential oil isolated from Echinophora spinosaon different bacterial and fungal species. Chemical analysis (GC/MS) showed that δ³-carene (60,86 %), α-phellandrene (7,12%), p-cymene (6,22 %), myrcene (4,82 %) and β-phellandrene (2,73 %) were dominant components in this oil. Essential oil tested showed good antimicrobial activity. Antimicrobial potential of this oil was higher than potential of commercial antimicrobial drugs tested, streptomycin, bifonozole and ketoconazole.

A new ent- kaurane diterpenoid was isolated from the ethanol extract of Euphorbia hirta, and elucidated as 2β,16α,19 -trihydroxy-ent-kaurane (1), along with two known ent - kauranes, 2β,16α -dihydroxy-ent-kaurane (2) and 16α,19 -dihydroxy-ent-kaurane (3). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis including 1D and 2D NMR techniques and HRESIMS evidence.

 In the course of processing extracts from fermentations with Nodulisporium hinnuleum Smith (ATCC 36102) to obtain demethoxyvirdin, we noticed that this fungus produced several other secondary metabolites as well. In an effort to identify these components, four new, related natural products designated hinnulin A-D (1-4) were isolated and characterized. Structure elucidation of the hinnulins, primarily by NMR spectroscopy, revealed that these belong to the rare class of 1,2’-binaphthyl natural products.

Senna leaves are one of the oldest medicinal herbs and they are used as laxative. Herbal teas which contain senna leaves are most commonly used to promote weight loss. The quality control of slimming teas which contain Senna leaves and also pharmaceutical preparations including Senna extract enriched by sennoside B was achieved by HPLC fingerprinting method. While the presence of sennoside A and B in laxative drugs was proved, it was seen to be devoid of sennosides in slimming teas. Kaempferol 3-O-β-D-gentiobioside (1), aloe-emodine 8-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (2), rhein 8-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (3), torachrysone 8-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (4), isorhamnetine 3-O-β-D-gentiobioside (5) were also isolated from Senna leaves.

A liquid chromatography-diode array detection-electrospray ionization mass spectrometric (HPLC–PDA– ESI/MS/MS) method was used for separation and characterization of the phytoconstituents of the aqueous acetone leaf extract of Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh (Myrtaceae). The employed method was optimized for separation, identification and quantification of fifty six compounds including ellagitannins, flavonoids, phloroglucinol derivatives and galloyl esters. The antioxidant effect was determined in vitro using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH ·), hydroxyl radical and super oxide anion radical scavenging assays. The cytotoxicity of the aqueous acetone extract was evaluated on MCF-7, Hep-2, HepG-2, HeLa, HCT-116 and Caco-2 cell lines. The results indicated that most of the fractions exhibited strong antioxidant activity. The aqueous acetone extract reduced the viability of all cell lines in a dose-dependent manner, and was more active on MCF-7 and HCT-116 cell lines.

Kappa Opioid Peptide Receptor (KOPr) activation produces analgesic, psychotomimetic, diuretic and antipruritic effects. KOPr ligands are investigated for their potential roles in the treatment of addiction, depression, feeding behavior, psychosis and schizophrenia. In this study the methanolic extracts of a number of Salvia species which are native to Turkey (S. tomentosa, S. tchihatcheffii , S. rosifolia, S. dichroantha and S. sclarea) were tested for their potential binding to opioid receptors in rat brain membranes and Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells expressing human KOPr (CHO-KOPh). [ 3H]Diprenorphine, an unselective opioid antagonist, was utilized in the radioligand receptor binding assays. All extracts (0.11 mg/ml) inhibited the [ 3H]Diprenorphine binding with ranging KOPr binding affinities. More than 50% inhibition of diprenorphine binding was shown only with Salvia dichroanthaand Salvia sclarea both in rat brain membranes and CHO-KOPh membranes.Among them Salvia sclarea deserves further investigation for its active component(s) and its pharmacological characterization. This study clearly demonstrates the potential opioid receptor binding activities of several Turkish Salvia species. This work constitutes the first study on in vitro opioid receptor binding activities of Salvia species from the Turkish flora.

The essential oil compositions of total nineteen cultivars of Cymbopogon Spreng. (Poaceae) species viz. C. martinii (Roxb.) Wats. var. motia Burk., C. flexuosus Nees ex Steud, C. winterinus Jowitt., C. pendulus Nees ex Steud. and a hybrid of C. khasianus (Hack) Stapf. ex Bor and C. pendulus Nees ex Steud. were examined and compared using capillary GC and GC-MS . The analysis led to the identification of 48 constituents forming 90.1% to 99.7% of their total oil compositions with monoterpenoids (78.9% to 97.4%) as the most exclusive constituents. The comparative results showed considerable variation in the qualitative and quantitative compositions of essential oils from nineteen different cultivars of the studied Cymbopogon species. On the basis of chemical similarity the cultivars of genus Cymbopogon was divided into five chemical variants/groups within two series viz. Citrati and Rusae. The volatile profile of existing cultivars of Cymbopogon are useful for their commercial utilization as they possess range of essential oils and aroma chemicals used in perfumery, flavour, pharmaceutical and other allied industries. Moreover, the marker constituents in their essential oils may be utilized as an important tool in oil authentication.

The phytochemical study of the chloroform soluble part of the hydroalcoholic extract of Marrubium deserti allowed us to describe a new labdane diterpene, 6-dehydroxy-19-acetyl-marrubenol (3) beside three other diterpenes : 19-acetyl-marrubenol (6) , 6-acetyl-marrubenol (7) and 16-epoxy-9-hydroxy-labda-13(16), 14- diene (1). This latter derivative is described for the first time as natural compound. Phytol (2), and three sterols: b -sitosterol (4), stigmasterol (5) and b -sitosterol 3-O-glucoside (8) were also isolated from this species. Structure elucidation of the isolated compounds was accomplished by means of spectroscopic techniques, especially NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry.

Helichrysum cameroonense is known for its medicinal value . This paper deals with a phytochemical investigation of this species, from which cameroonenoside A (1), a new cinnamic acid glycoside ester has been isolated. Its structure was determined by comprehensive analyses of its 1H and 13C NMR, COSY, HMQC, and HMBC spectroscopic, and HREIMS mass spectrometric data. Preliminary studies showed that cameroonenoside A (1) showed algicidal activity against Chlorella fusca

Two known quinolizidine alkaloids, lupanine and leontiformidine, were isolated from the tubers of L. leontopetalum subsp. ewersmannii. Lupanine having the highest inhibition of lipid peroxidation at 100 m g/mL among the tested samples indicated almost the same ABTS cation radical scavenging activity with BHT, a -tocopherol and (+)-catechin at the same concentration . Lupanine and the alkaloidal extract showed almost the same butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory activity with galantamine at 200 m g/mL.

The essential oils were obtained by hydro-distillation from the roots and rhizomes of two umbelliferous species Ligusticum sinense and L. jeholense. They were analyzed for their chemical composition by GC and GC-MS. 5-Oxo-δ-4-decahydrobenzindene (50.1%), ligustilide (16.4%), β-phellandrene (7.8%), myristicine (5.5%), and spathulenol (3.3%) were the major compounds of the 25 identified components which accounted for 96.6% of the total oil of L. sinense. m-Diaminobenzene (68.2%), ligustilide (10.1%), and p-vinylguaiacol (3.5%) were the major compounds of the 29 identified components which accounted for 92.7% of the total oil of L. jeholense. The essential oils were assayed to exhibit antibacterial activity with the MBC values ranged from 150 μg/mL to 350 μg/mL, MIC values from 62.5 μg/mL to 300 μg/mL, and IC 50 values from 43.53 μg/mL to 197.49 μg/mL. Two oils inhibited both the DPPH radical scavenging and β-carotene-linoleic acid oxidation in a dose dependent manner. The antibacterial activity of L. sinense oil was stronger than that of L. jeholense oil. Contrarily, the antioxidant activity of L. jeholense oil was stronger than that of L. sinense oil. The results showed that the isolated essential oils have potential for development as natural antimicrobial or antioxidant agents.

The chemical constituents of the essential oil from Cyperus kyllingia Endl. were analyzed by a GC, GC-MS. Twenty-three compounds were identified, accounting for 93.75% of the total oil that consisted mainly of oxygenated sesquiterpenes (53.52%), particularly sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (38.97%), and carboxylic acid (1.26%). The most representative compounds were a -cadinol (19.32 %), caryophyllene oxide (12.17%), a -muurolol (11.58 %), a -humulene (9.85%), and a -atlantone (6.07%). The oil showed significant activities against Plasmodium falcipalum (K1, multi drug resistant strain) and NCI-H187 (Small Cell Lung Cancer) with the IC 50 values of 7.52 and 7.72 µg/mL, respectively. The oilexhibited highly active against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923 and moderately active against Escherichia coli ATCC25922, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC27553, Aspergillus flavus and Candida albicans.

The aerial part of Salvia wiedemannii Boiss. (Lamiaceae) has been used for treatment of peptic ulcers and relieving pain in Turkish folk medicine. To evaluate the analgesic effect of S. wiedemannii, tail flick and acetic acid-induced writhing tests were used in mice. The chloroform extract (500 mg/kg, i.p.) obtained from S. wiedemannii showed significant analgesic activity on tail flick assay, while water, ethanol and butanol extracts of the plant had no activity on the same test. Chloroform extract (500 mg/kg, i.p.) also inhibited number of writhings induced by acetic acid. Chloroform extract provided analgesic effects similar to morphine. Its effect was quick and durable. This in vivo study demonstrates that S. wiedemannii has strong analgesic effect as the public believed.