Activity of extracts and terpenoids from Tontelea micrantha (Mart. ex Schult.) A.C.Sm. (Celastraceae) against pathogenic bacteria

The pharmacological properties of plant extracts and phytochemicals, such as flavonoids and terpenoids, remain of great interest. In this work, the effect of extracts, friedelan-3,21-dione, and 3β-O-D-glucosyl-sitosterol isolated from Tontelea micrantha roots was evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Klebsiella oxytoca and Escherichia coli. The antibacterial activity was evaluated by the minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations (MIC and MBC, respectively), and the synergistic effect was assessed by the Checkerboard assay. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity of the plant-derived compounds against Vero cells was measured by the 3-(4 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method. The biological effects of the isolated compounds were predicted using the PASS online software. The chloroform and hexane extracts of T. micrantha roots showed promising antibacterial effect, with MIC in the range of 4.8-78.0 µg/mL. Further analyses showed that these compounds do not affect the integrity of the membrane. The combination with streptomycin strongly reduced the MIC of this antibiotic and extracts. The extracts were highly toxic to Vero cells, and no cytotoxicity was detected for the two terpenoids isolated from them (i.e. friedelan-3,21-dione and 3β-O-D-glucosyl-sitosterol; CC50 > 1000 μg/mL). Therefore, extracts obtained from T. micrantha roots significantly inhibited bacterial growth and are considered promising agents against pathogenic bacteria. The cytotoxicity results were very relevant and can be tested in bioassays.

Polyoxygenated Stigmastane-Type Steroids from Vernonia kotschyana Sch. Bip. ex Walp. and Their Chemophenetic Significance

Four polyoxygenated stigmastanes (1-4) alongside known analogues (7-8) and flavonoids (5-6) were isolated from a dichloromethane/methanol (1:1, v/v) extract of the whole plant of Vernonia kotschyana Sch. Bip. ex Walp. (Asteraceae). Their structures were determined by means of spectroscopic and spectrometric analysis. The relative stereochemistry of the new compounds was established and confirmed via biosynthesis evidence and cyclization of 1 under acidic conditions. A plausible biosynthetic pathway to the new compounds and the chemophenetic significance of the isolated constituents were also discussed. The crude extract, fractions, and compounds (1-3) were assessed for their antibacterial activity against five highly prevalent bacterial strains. The fractions and compounds showed low to moderate activity with minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) > 125 µg/mL.

Characterization of Promising Cytotoxic Metabolites from Tabebuia guayacan Hemsl.: Computational Prediction and In Vitro Testing

Genus Tabebuia is famous for its traditional uses and valuable phytoconstituents. Our previous investigation of Tabebuia species noted the promising anticancer activity of T. guayacan Hemsl. leaves extract, however, the mechanism underlying the observed anticancer activity is still unexplored. The current research was designed to explore the phytochemical content as well as to address the phytoconstituent(s) responsible for the recorded anticancer activity. Accordingly, sixteen compounds were isolated, and their structures were elucidated using different spectroscopic techniques. The drug-likeness of the isolated compounds, as well as their binding affinity with four anticancer drug target receptors: CDK-2/6, topoisomerase-1, and VEGFR-2, were evaluated. Additionally, the most promising compounds were in vitro evaluated for inhibitory activities against CDK-2/6 and VEGFR-2 enzymes using kinase assays method. Corosolic acid (3) and luteolin-7-O-β-glucoside (16) were the most active inhibitors against CDK-2 (−13.44 kcal/mol) and topoisomerase 1 (−13.83 kcal/mol), respectively. Meanwhile, quercetin 3-O-β-xyloside (10) scored the highest binding free energies against both CDK-6 (−16.23 kcal/mol) as well as against VEGFR-2 protein targets (−10.39 kcal/mol). Molecular dynamic simulation indicated that quercetin 3-O-β-xyloside (10) exhibited the least fluctuations and deviations from the starting binding pose with RMSD (2.6 Å). Interestingly, in vitro testing results confirmed the potent activity of 10 (IC₅₀ = 0.154 µg/mL) compared to IC₅₀ = 0.159 µg/mL of the reference drug ribociclib. These findings suggest the three noted compounds (3, 10, and 16) for further in vivo anticancer studies.

Echinops taeckholmiana Amin: Optimization of a Tissue Culture Protocol, Biological Evaluation, and Chemical Profiling Using GC and LC-MS

There have been no reports published on the rare Echinops taeckholmiana growing wildly in Egypt. So, this study aimed to preserve it through method optimization of in vitro seed germination, besides callus formation from induced seedlings. Chemical profiling using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of the n-hexane fraction afforded 29 identified components, mainly fatty acids esters, sesquiterpenes, triterpenes, one thiophene, and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electron spray ionization/tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI/MS-MS) analysis of total alcoholic root and induced calli extracts resulted in 68 metabolites. Taraxeryl acetate, β-sitosterol, stigmasterol-3β-d-glucoside, and 1,1,1-kestopentaose were identified from the defatted root extract, which inhibited α-amylase (IC50 54.6 μg/mL) and α-glucosidase (60.4 μg/mL) enzymes compared with acarbose (IC50 values of 30.57 and 34.71 μg/mL, respectively). Moreover, it showed moderate activity against HepG2 (IC50 31.1 ± 1.4 μg/mL) and no activity against M-NFS-60 cell lines compared to cisplatin (IC50 3.25 ± 1.4 and 8.37 ± 0.25, respectively).

Phytochemical Composition and Chronic Hypoglycemic Effect of Bromelia karatas on STZ-NA-Induced Diabetic Rats

Oral administration of an aqueous extract of the aerial parts of Bromelia karatas to STZ-NA rats showed a significant hypoglycemic effect in a chronic trial lasting 42 days. Chromatographic profiles of the active extract (WE) and an organic extract (OE) of B. karatas were obtained by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and used to identify their major components. Isolation and identification of the compounds present in the extracts were accomplished by means of various conventional chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. This process led to the identification of β-sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (1) and ρ-coumaric acid (3) as the major compounds present in the extracts. During the isolation of 1 and 3, seven additional metabolites not previously reported for the plant were obtained, namely, cirsiliol 4'-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (2), stigmasterol (4), β-sitosterol (5), 1-O-feruloyl-3-O-ρ-coumaroylglycerol (6), β-D-(1-O-acetyl-3,6-O-trans-diferuloyl) fructofuranosyl-α-D-2',4',6'-O-triacetylglucopyranoside (7), 1-O-p-coumaroyl-3-O-caffeoylglycerol (8), and 2-propyl-β-glucopyranoside (9).

New tetranorlabdanoic acid from aerial parts of Salvia aethiopis

Salvia aethiopis is a perennial plant native to Eurasia and known by the common names Mediterranean sage or African sage. This plant has been used in Iranian medicine as a carminative and tonic. The ethanolic extract of aerial part of S. aethiopis exhibited moderate to weak activity towards delta and kappa opioid receptors (46.3 and 45.3% displacement, respectively). Chromatographic purification of the ethanolic extract on silica gel column led to isolation of one new: 3α-hydroxy-8α-acetoxy-13,14,15,16-tetranorlabdan-12-oic acid (I) and three known compounds: sesquiterpene spathulenol (II), β-sitosterol (III) and β-sitosterol-3-O-glucoside (IV). The structures of all isolated compounds were elucidated by their NMR (1D and 2D) and MS spectral data. All the fractions and isolated compounds were tested for cannabinoid and opioid receptor binding assays.

A New Ajmaline-type Alkaloid from the Roots of Rauvolfia serpentina

A new ajmaline-type alkaloid, 21- O-methylisoajmaline (1), together with twenty-one known compounds, a mixture ofβ-sitosterol (2) and stigmasterol (3), reserpinine (4), tetrahydroalstonine (5), reserpine (6), venoterpine (7), yohimbine (8), 6'- O-(3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoyl)glomeratose A (9), isoajmaline (10), 3- epi-α-yohimbine (11), methyl 3,4,5-trimethoxy- trans-cinnamate (12), a mixture of β-sitosterol 3- O-β-D-glucopyranoside (13) and stigmasterol 3- O-β-D-glucopyranoside (14), rescidine (15), 7-deoxyloganic acid (16), ajmaline (17), suaveoline (18), (+)-tetraphyllicine (19), loganic acid (20), 3-hydroxysarpagine (21), and sarpagine (22), were isolated from the roots of Rauvolfia serpentina. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic data analysis and comparison with literature data. Compounds 11, 12 and 15 were for the first time identified from the genus Rauvolfia and 5, 7, 11, 12, 15, 18 and 22 were found from R. serpentina for the first time. Compound 11 showed moderate anticholinesterase activity with IC50 value of 15.58 μM, whereas 6 exhibited strong vasorelaxant activity with the EC50 value of 0.05 μM.

Fatty acids as natural specific inhibitors of the proto-oncogenic protein Shp2

Src homology-2 domain-containing protein tyrosine phosphatase (Shp2), a novel proto-oncogenic protein, is an important target in cancer therapy research. Approximately 2000 plant extracts were screened to find its natural specific inhibitors, with the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) active extract of the root of Angelica dahurica showing considerable inhibitory effects (IC(50)=21.6 mg/L). Bioguided isolation of EtOAc extract led to 13 compounds, including 10 fatty acids and derivatives. All these compounds were isolated from the plant for the first time. The inhibitory effects of these compounds on the enzyme activities of Shp2, VH1-related human protein (VHR), and hematopoietic protein tyrosine phosphatase (HePTP) were investigated. 8Z,11Z-Feptadecadienoic acid (4), 14Z,17Z-tricosadienoic acid (5), caffeic acid (9), and 2-hydroxy-3-[(1-oxododecyl) oxy]propyl-β-d-glucopyranoside (11) showed considerable selective inhibition of Shp2 activity. After treatment of HepG2 cells with the compounds, only compound 5, a polyunsaturated fatty acid, strongly induced poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage in a dose- and time-dependent manner and increased the activities of caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9 at 100 μM. Compound 5 also inhibited colony formation of HepG2 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, this study reported fatty acids as specific Shp2 inhibitors and provided the molecular basis of one active compound as novel potential anticancer drug.

Two New Terpenoids from Trichilia quadrijuga (Meliaceae)

Two new terpenoids, ambrosanoli-10(14)-en-11,12-diol (1), a sesquiterpene named quadrijugol, and a pregnane steroid, 3β,4β-dihydroxypregnan-16-one (2), were isolated from the stem and leaves of Trichilia quadrijuga, along with eleven known compounds, spathulenol, kudtdiol, 2β,3β,4β-trihydroxypregnan-16-one, bourjotinolone B, piscidinol, niloticin, dihydroniloticin, β-sitosterol, 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-sitosterol, itesmol and stigmasterol. Structures were elucidated by spectral data analysis, mainly afforded by 1H and 13C NMR (1D and 2D NMR HMQC, HMBC, NOESY and COSY) and mass spectra.