Records of Natural Products

Trachyspermum ammi is widely used among the people in the Arabian Peninsula to treat general respiratory problems including bronchoconstriction. In this study, the fruit extracts and its fractions and purely isolated components obtained from the T. ammi were investigated for their possible bronchodilator potential in an ex vivo model using guinea pig trachea. It was observed that the ethanol extract (TAT) of the plant and its hexane (TAH) and chloroform (TAC) extract fractions completely inhibited carbachol (CCh, 1 µM)-induced contractions at a concentration of 1 mg/mL. As a result of the biological activity-guided purification studies of the chloroform extract (TAC), in which the highest activity was observed, eight sub-fractions were obtained between A-H. Of these, fractions A, D, G were found to have significant activity for tracheal relaxation with 100%, 55 ± 5% and 31 ± 3%, respectively, while the other five fractions were found not to have any activity. Three monoterpene compounds were isolated from the fractions with high activity and their structures were determined by 1D and 2D NMR and mass spectrometric techniques as well as by simple chemical derivatization. In this study, it was determined that the bronchodilator effect of compound 1 (thymol) was demonstrated by the activation of different subtypes of K+ channels. Reported data herein, demonstrated the scientific justification for the traditional use of T. amni species against asthma and bronchitis.

One new 3-O-glycoside of betulinic acid, named heptaelliptoic acid A (1), together with one known betulinic acid analogue (2), and four other compounds (3‒6) were separated by combinatively chromatographic techniques. For the first time, all of the purified compounds (1‒6) were reported from the H. ellipticum species. Their structures were obviously elucidated basing exhaustive and pervasive UV-VIS, FT-IR, HR-MS-ESI, and NMR experiment data. Compounds 2-4 were significantly displayed the in vitro a-glucosidase inhibition (IC50 values of 11.53, 28.75, and 10.90 μM, respectively) better than the acarbose positive drug (IC50 value of 214.50 μM).

Marine-derived Aspergillus sp. strain w2-13, isolated from Dongshan Island in Fujian Province, produced five compounds through solid-state fermentation. This included a new polyketide, aspilactonol J (1), and four previously identified compounds (2–5). The structure of the new compound was determined using NMR, HR-MS, and ECD, supported by theoretical calculations. A plausible biosynthetic pathway for polyketides 1–3 was also proposed. Cytotoxicity tests on various cancer cell lines revealed that aspilactonol J (1) exhibited significant selectivity and efficacy, especially against HepG2 cells, suggesting its potential for pharmaceutical development. This study highlights the role of marine fungi as valuable sources of bioactive natural products with therapeutic potential.

Cortex Daphnes, a traditional Chinese medicine, has been utilized in China for millennia owing to it’s anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. As it is belonging to the Thymelaeaceae family within the genus Daphne, it has traditionally been employed to dispel wind, eliminate dampness, alleviate pain, and dissipate blood stasis. Consequently, numerous scholars both domestically and internationally have investigated it’s chemical composition, pharmacological effects, and various other aspectsAmong these, daphnetin stands out as the primary active constituent in C. Daphnes, holding significant value as a precursor molecule for drug development. Pharmacological research has demonstrated that compounds and extracts derived from C. Daphnes exhibit notable activities, including anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, antibacterial, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, and analgesic effects. Clinically, C. Daphnes has a long-standing history of use in the treatment of rheumatic diseases. This presents considerable potential for further development and exploration. According to existing records, C. Daphnes exhibits low toxicity; therefore, refining its processing technology, conducting toxicological studies, and establishing a comprehensive quality standard system are current challenges that need to be addressed. In this review, the botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and clinical applications of C. Daphnes, with the aim of providing a valuable reference for its future development and resource utilization was summarized.