Two New Cardenolide Glycosides from Biondia hemsleyana

Two new cardenolide glycosides, biondianosides A and B, were isolated from the roots of endemic plant of Biondia hemsleyana (Warb.) Tsiang. Their structures were elucidated as periplogenin-3-O--D-glucopyranosyl-(16)--D-glucopyranosyl-(14)--D-cymaropyranoside (1) and 17釮-periplogenin-3-O--D-cymaropyranoside (2) by the spectroscopic and chemical methods.

Advancement in research of anti-cancer effects of toad venom(ChanSu) and perspectives

Toad venom, called as Chan Su in China, is a widely used traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) whose active components are mainly bufadienolides. Chan Su could exhibit cardiotonic, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and, most importantly, anti-cancer effects. In the present review, reports about the in vitro, in vivo and clinical anti-cancer effects of Chan Su or its representative component, bufalin, were summarized.And, reported anti-cancer mechanisms of cardenolides, structure analogues of bufadienolides, were also introduced. Based on the results got from research of Chan Su/bufalin and the results from cardenolides, possible signal network related to the anti-cancer effects of Chan Su/bufalin was predicted. Furthermore, future potential use of Chan Su in anti-cancer therapy was discussed.

Optimizing Growth Conditions for Digoxin Production in Digitalis lanata Ehrh

Objective: Digoxin is a therapeutic cardenolide widely used to treat various heart conditions such as atrial flutter, atrial fibrillation and heart failure in both Western as well as Chinese medicine. Digoxin is extracted from cultivated Digitalis lanata Ehrh. plants, known as Mao Hua Yang Di Huang in Chinese medicine. This manuscript presents two studies that were conducted to optimize the cultivation conditions for digoxin production in the TCM Mao Hua Yan Di Huang in a greenhouse under GAP conditions.Methods: Two experiments were designed in which 4 growth conditions were compared. Levels of digoxin, gitoxin, digitoxin, α-acetyldigoxin, β-acetyl-digoxin were measured using HPLC-UV and compared between the conditions.Results: Normal soil, no CO_2 enrichment combined with a cold shock was found to be the optimal condition for producing digoxin in the first experiment. Gitoxin content was significantly lower in plants grown in this condition. Mechanical stress as well as the time of harvesting showed no statistically significant differences in the production of cardenolides. In the second experiment the optimal condition was found to be a combination of cold nights, sun screen, fertilizer use and no milled soil.Conclusion: This study shows that digoxin production can be increased by controlling the growth conditions of D. lanata Ehrh. The effect of cold was important in both experiments for improving digoxin production. Cultivating Chinese herbal medicines in optimized greenhouse conditions might be an economically attractive alternative to regular open air cultivation.

Two cardenolide glycosides from the seed fairs of Asclepias curassavica and their cytotoxic activities

Two cardenolide glycosides,corotoxigenin 3-0-[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(l→4)-6-deoxy-β-D-glucopyranoside](1)and coroglaucigenin 3-0-[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(l→4)-6-deoxy-β-D-glucopyranoside](2),were isolated from the seed fairs of Asclepias curassavica.The structures of 1-2 were determined based on the combination of the analysis of their MS,NMR spectroscopic data and acid hydrolysis.The inhibitory effects of compounds 1 and 2 on human colorectal carcinoma cells(HCT116),non-small cell lung carcinoma cells(A549)and hepatic cancer cells(SMMC-7721)were evaluated.The results showed that both compounds 1 and 2 significantly inhibited the viability,proliferation,and migration of A549,HCT116 and SMMC-7721 cells,suggesting that compounds 1 and 2 can be applied in the treatment of lung,colon and liver cancers in clinical practice.This study may not only provide a scientific basis for clarifying the active ingredients in A.curassavica,but also help to understand its antitumor activity,which can promote the application of A.curassavica in clinical treatment of various cancers.