Asponchimides A−E: new enantiomeric N-acetyldopamine trimers from Aspongopus chinensis

Five new racemic N-acetyldopamine (NADA) trimers, asponchimides A−E ( 1 − 5 ), were isolated from Aspongopus chinensis, a prominent traditional Chinese medicinal insect employed for alleviating pain, treating indigestion, and addressing kidney ailments. Compounds 1 − 5 were successfully resolved by chiral high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), yielding five pairs of enantiomers: (+)- and (−)-asponchimides A−E ( 1a / 1b − 5a / 5b ). Their structural identities were discerned by extensive spectroscopic analyses, including high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, infrared (IR) spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and their absolute configurations were determined by electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. Compounds 1 − 5 are pioneering instances of NADA trimers featuring a Δ7 double bond. When subjected to a series of bioassays, a majority of the compounds exhibited weak inhibitory activity against nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells.

In vivo and in vitro antiproliferative and antimetastatic effects of hemolymph of Aspongopus chinensis Dallas on breast cancer cells

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effects of Aspongopus(A.)chinensis hemolymph on the proliferation and metastasis of breast cancer cells.METHODS:The in vitro effects of A.chinensis hemolymph were investigated in murine(4T1)and human(HCC1937)breast cancer cell lines.Cytotoxicity,cell apoptosis,and cell migration were evaluated by using the cell counting kit-8 assay,Hoechst staining,and wound healing experiments,respectively.A syngeneic mouse model was established to evaluate the in vivo effects of the hemolymph extract on tumor growth and metastasis.Mouse body weight,tumor size,blood levels of function-related enzymes,and pathological features of the liver and kidney tissues were evaluated.RESULTS:The hemolymph of A.chinensis significantly inhibited in vitro tumor cell migration and viability while inducing apoptosis.Furthermore,it inhibited in vivo tumor growth and metastasis with a minimal effect on mouse body weight,and did not induce liver or kidney damage.CONCLUSION:Our results suggested that the A.chinensis hemolymph has antitumorigenic properties,suggesting it has potential as a novel therapeutic option for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer.

九香虫防御性物质水溶液成分分析及其对LO2细胞活性的影响

研究了九香虫的防御性物质水溶液中挥发性成分及其相对百分含量,以及该水溶液对人肝LO2细胞活性的研究。采用温水浸泡法获得九香虫的防御性物质水溶液;GC-MS获得该水溶液的挥发性成分组成,并用面积归一法计算各成分的相对百分含量;利用MTT法、流式细胞术研究该水溶液对LO2细胞的影响。研究表明,九香虫防御性物质水溶液中挥发性成分包含19种化合物,其中相对百分含量最高的为反-2-己烯醛(88.54%),其次为2-甲基-4-戊烯醛(5.16%)、十三烷(3.43%)等;该水溶液作用LO2细胞后,IC50为3.64μL,呈剂量依赖性;细胞周期结果显示,G2/M期细胞比例明显降低,而G0/G1期细胞比例明显升高,且差异具有统计学意义。九香虫防御性物质水溶液成分主要是烯醛和烷烃类化合物;该物质能够抑制人肝LO2细胞的体外增殖,可能与其细胞周期阻滞有关。

顶空固相微萃取-气质联用法分析九香虫的挥发物成分

分析九香虫(Aspongopus chinensis)挥发物的化学组成及各组分的相对含量,可为九香虫的开发利用提供科学依据。采用顶空固相微萃取(HS-SPME)法提取采自遵义正安九香虫的挥发物,用气相色谱-质谱联用仪(GC-MS)对该挥发物进行分析鉴定,并采用面积归一法确定其各成分的相对含量。结果表明,九香虫挥发物共含有29种成分,其中醛类8种、烷类4种、酸类4种、烯酸类2种、酯类2种、醇类1种及胺类、呋喃类、吡唑类、吡啶类等化合物成分;而相对含量较高的是十三烷、十二烷、3-己烯酸和反-2-己烯醛,分别占总量的92.297%、2.712%、2.262%和0.564%。九香虫挥发物主要由烷类物质所构成。

Insect oil and protein: Biochemistry, food and other uses: Review

In searching for new sources of oil, protein and gelatin researchers have investigated many wild plants, but our research group took a different approach: We looked at insects as oil, protein and gelatin source for both nutritional and industrial applications. According to Sudanese indigenous knowledge, many insects have food and medicinal uses. We targeted two of these insects for our research:Aspongopus vidiuatus(melon bug) and Agonoscelis pubescens(sorghum bug). The two insects showed 27.0% and 28.2% crude protein, 45% and 60% oil, respectively. The oils contained 46.5% and 40.9% oleic acid, 3.4% and 34.5% linoleic acid, 44.2% and 12.1% palmitic acid and traces of linolenic acid,respectively. The tocopherol content of theseoils amounted to 0.3 and 34.0 mg/100g oil, respectively. The total content of sterols in the two oils was 17 and 450 mg/100g oil, respectively, whereasβ-sitosterol was determined as the main compound in all oils with about 60% of the totalsterol. The oxidative stability of the oils, asmeasured by the Rancimat test at 120°C, was 38 and 5.1 h, respectively. Edible gelatin was extracted from the two insect using hot water and mild acid and distilled water. SDS-PAGE patterns ofthe insect gelatins had very low molecularweight chains, and the two gelatins contained 40 kDa asmain component, differential scanning calorimetry results confirmed the difference betweenextraction methods concerning the extracted gelatin quality. FTIR spectra of melon and sorghum bug gelatins were similar and the absorption bands were situated in more than 6 bands in melon bug gelatin and only 6 bands in sorghum bug gelatin. Microstructures of the insect gelatinexamined with the scanning electron microscope showed that melon bug exhibited the finest gelatin network with very small voids. Melon bug gelatin showed the finer structure with smallerprotein strands and voids than sorghum buggelatin. Ice cream was made by using 0.5% insect’sgelatine and compared with that made using 0.5%commercial gelatine as stabilizing agent. The properties of the obtained ice cream produced using insects gelatine were found to be acceptable for the panelists, and no significant differences between ice cream made using insect gelatine when compared with that made using commercial gelatine in their general preferences The behavior of the crude Sorghum bug oil during deep-frying of par-fried potatoes was studied with regard to chemical, physical, and sensory parameters, such as the content ofFFA, tocopherols, polar compounds, oligomerTG, volatile compounds, oxidative stability, and totaloxidation (TOTOX) value. The results showed that the oil was suitable for deep-frying of potatoes. The oxidative stability of sunflower kernel oil was improved by blending with melon bug oil, the oxidative stability in the Rancimat test was improved from 5% to 68% compared to the control, with increasing parts of MBO, respectively. The insect oils were transesterified using methanol or ethanol in the presence of sulfuricacid to obtain biodiesel. The obtained insectbiodiesel characteristics were studied in accordance with the DIN EN 14214 specifications for biodiesel. It was possible to prepare the methyl and ethyl esters catalyzed by H2SO4 from the two insect oils.

Preparation and Characterization of Gelatins from Two Sudanese Edible Insects

Gelatins extracted from two edible insects Aspongubus viduatus （melon bug） and Agonoscelis pubescens （sorghum bug） were studied. The two insects showed 27.0 and 28.2% crude protein, respectively. Extraction of gelatin using hot water gave high yield followed by mild acid and distilled water extraction, respectively. SDS-PAGE pattern showed low molecular weight chains, and the two gelatins contained protein with molecular weight of 40 kDa as main component. The differential scanning calorimetry thermograms results confirm no difference between extraction methods concerning the extracted gelatin quality. FTIR spectra of melon and sorghum bug gelatins were similar and the absorption bands were situated in more than 6 bands in melon bug gelatin and only 6 bands in sorghum bug gelatin. Amide II bands of gelatins from both melon and sorghum bug appeared at around 1554 cm^-1, while Amide I bands （1734-1632 cmt） appeared only in melon bug method 2 （MB2） and melon bug method3 （MB3）. Microstructures of the insect gelatin examined with the scanning electron microscope showed that melon bug exhibited the finest gelatin network with very small voids. Melon bug gelatin showed finer structure with smaller protein strands and voids than sorghum bug gelatin.