Records of Natural Products Articles

NNotopterygium incisum is widely used in clinical practice because of its complex chemical composition and remarkable pharmacological effects. In this study, a previously undescribed lignan (1) was isolated from N. incisum. Its structure was evaluated through examinations of the NMR, HREIMS data and ECD calculation. Compound 1 demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory potential by inhibiting the secretion of nitric oxide (NO) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced macrophages, with an IC50 value of 3.57 μM.

A new benzofuranside compound (eupbenzofuranside C) was isolated from the n-butanol fraction of ethanol extract of Eupatorium chinense L. along with three known compounds. The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR techniques, mass spectrometry and circular dichromism (CD). The isolated compounds were investigated for their α-glucosidase and PTP1B inhibitory activities by p-nitrophenyl-β-galactopyranoside method and p-nitrophenyl phosphate method, respectively. Although eupbenzofuranside C showed potential dual inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase and PTP1B with IC50 values of 40.07±0.38 μg/mL and 39.37±0.36 μg/mL, respectively, these values were determined to be far from the data of the positive control acarbose. In contrast, compound 2 showed inhibitory activities against both α-glucosidase and PTP1B with IC50 (μg/mL) values of 4.83±0.29 and 17.29±0.17, which were closer to acarbose. Compounds 3 and 4 showed no inhibition in both tests (IC50 > 50 μg/mL). In addition, the interactions of compound 1 with α-glucosidase and PTP1B were analyzed using the active site analysis for computer-aided drug design.

Nine known compounds were isolated from the fruitless bunches of Washingtonia filifera, an underutilized agricultural waste, using NMR and mass spectrometry. The identified compounds included β-sitosteryl oleate (1), oleic acid (2), β-sitosterol (3), threo-2,3-bis-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-3-methoxypropanol (4), syringaresinol (5), diosmetin (6), tricin (7), daucosterol (8), and luteolin-7-O-β-D-glucoside (cynaroside) (9). In vitro acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition assays revealed that compound 5 exhibited the strongest activity (IC50 = 29.75 µM), followed by compounds 4 and 6. Docking studies indicated significant interactions of the active compounds with key AChE residues, particularly Trp86 and Tyr341. ADME predictions further supported the drug-likeness of compounds 4 and 5. These results highlight the significance of W. filifera agricultural waste as a source of bioactive compounds, particularly with neuroprotective effects.

Fusarium solani 2024f-xx, an endophytic fungus derived from the marine brown algae Sargassum thunbergii, was chemically studied. As a result, two polyhydroxy compounds, namely fusasolpolyol A (1) and (4E,8E,12E)-2,3,7,11-tetrahydroxy-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexamethyltetradeca-4,8,12-trienoic acid (2), as well as two known drimane-type sesquiterpenoids (3 and 4) were isolated and identified. The structures of the isolated compounds were ascertained by means of specific spectroscopic methods (mainly determined by HRESIMS and 1D/2D NMR data). Compound 1 was identified as a new compound. In the cytotoxic assays, compound 2 revealed moderate activity against the human gastric carcinoma cell MKN-45 and the human pancreatic cancer cell PATU8988T, with the respective IC50 values of 19.6 ± 1.2 μM and 26.3 ± 0.9 μM.

This paper mainly provides a systematic review of the chemical constituents and biological activities of Fomes fomentarius. As a widely distributed medicinal fungus, F. fomentarius has a long history of application in traditional medicine. Rich in chemical constituents, it contains over a hundred compounds such as steroids, triterpenes, and fatty acids. Pharmacological studies have demonstrated that this fungus exhibits multiple activities, including antitumor, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and analgesic, antidiabetic, anti-hypoxic, and hepatoprotective effects. However, our current understanding of its action mechanisms and the synergistic effect among components remains limited. This review provides crucial references for further research and development of F. fomentarius.

Fusarinene A (1), a previously undescribed trichothecene sesquiterpene, and three known compounds, 4β-hydroxytrichotheca-9,12-diene (2), trichodermol (3), and trichodermin (4), were isolated from the extract of Fusarium sp. XPW68. Their structures and relative configurations were identified by detailed analysis of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HRESIMS) data. In the cytotoxic assay, compounds 1-4 exhibited selective or potent inhibition against five human osteosarcoma cell lines including 143B, MG-63, SaOS-2, SW1353, and U2OS, with IC50 values ranging from 0.8 to 48.2 μM.

The consumption of raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) leaves has a long tradition, especially as a "general pregnancy tea", although the scientific data are insufficient and contradictory. Phytochemical comparation of extracts from cultivated and wild raspberry leaves, in silico prediction of their biological activities and acute toxicity followed by in vitro antiradical activity and effects on the viability/proliferation of HeLa cells and isolated rat uterus were performed. Leaves from cultured (v. Polka) and wild individuals were extracted with distilled water, 70% v/v ethanol or 70% v/v methanol. All samples exhibited high polyphenol content and antiradical activity, with the 70% v/v ethanol extract of wild R. idaeus showing the strongest free radical scavenging ability. In silico analyzes predicted that raspberry leaves possess numerous compounds with anti-inflammatory, apoptosis-agonistic, antinociceptive and NO signaling-related activities. Potentially toxic levels of the tested compounds could not be achieved with regular tea drinking. The tested extracts have no noticeable effects on the viability/proliferation of HeLa cells. The effects on spontaneous contraction of the isolated rat uterus were modest. Although safety is not a concern, further studies are needed to justify or deny the efficacy of raspberry leaf tea in folk medicine for healthy pregnancy and easy delivery.