Records of Natural Products

This study presents the first comprehensive evaluation of the phytochemical profile and cell-free antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory activities of the endemic Campanula kirikkaleensis Dönmez & Güner. n-Hexane, chloroform, and 70% methanol extracts from aerial parts and roots were investigated for their phytochemical composition and bioactivities. GC-FID/MS analyses revealed phytol (14.2%) as the main volatile in aerial parts and hexadecanoic acid (22.5%) in roots. MSD-SPME identified 3-ethyl-3,4-dihydro-2(1H)-quinoxalinone as the major shared volatile (9.8% in aerial parts; 14.5% in roots). Linoleic acid was the predominant fatty acid in both parts (26.4% in aerial parts; 22.3% in roots). LC-HRMS highlighted rutin (525.29 mg/100g dry plant) in aerial parts and chlorogenic acid (24.78 mg/100g dry plant) in roots as dominant phenolics. The 70% methanol aerial extract showed the strongest antioxidant activity (DPPH IC₅₀: 0.14 ± 0.02 mg/mL; CUPRAC: 375.1 ± 12.2 mM Trolox), while the highest TEAC value was recorded in the chloroform root extract (1.27 ± 0.02 mM). The same methanol extract also demonstrated the most potent α-amylase inhibition (IC₅₀: 0.537 ± 0.042 mg/mL). ICP-OES analysis revealed calcium as most abundant in aerial parts (24.9 mg/g) and potassium in roots and flowers (11.7 and 19.0 mg/g). These findings provide a detailed chemical and bioactivity profile of C. kirikkaleensis, supporting its potential for future pharmacological investigations.

A novel triterpenoid compound named Uvaol-28-D-(R)-pyroglutamic acid ester (UPE) was obtained via microbial biotransformation of uvaol by Circinella muscae CGMCC 3.2695. Its structure was elucidated by spectroscopic and mass-spectrometric analyses, including 1D-, 2D-NMR and HR-ESI-MS. UPE administration promotes intersegmental vessel (ISV) growth and motor neuron development in transgenic zebrafish embryos in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, UPE significantly restored the swimming distance in zebrafish exposed to combretastatin A-4 (CA-4), as assessed by ESOvision behavioral analysis. These findings suggest that UPE holds promise for the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

Phytochemical investigation of the roots of Euphorbia fischeriana led to the isolation of a novel acetophenone derivative, named Euphebranone F (1), along with three known  acetophenone analogs (2–4). The structure of the new compound, featuring a C-C linkage between the C-9 of the acetophenone unit and C-8′ of  the phenylpropanoid moiety, was  elucidated by extensive NMR and HRESIMS analysis, and its absolute configuration was determined by ECD calculations. Cytotoxic activity screening against human gastric cancer cell lines (MKN-45 and AGS) revealed that only compound 2 exhibited moderate antiproliferative activity against MKN-45 cells.

A new quassinoid, named vilmorinine G (1), along with two known congeners (2 and 3), has been isolated from the root bark of Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle. The structure of 1 was elucidated through spectroscopic evidence in NMR, HR-ESI-MS, and ECD. The absolute configuration of 1 was further confirmed by X-ray crystallography.