Maytenus erythroxylon Reissek(Celastraceae) ethanol extract presents antidiarrheal activity via antimotility and antisecretory mechanisms

To investigate the acute toxicity, phytochemical profile, antidiarrheal activity and mechanisms of action of Maytenus erythroxylon (M. erythroxylon) ethanol extract. METHODSA castor oil-induced diarrhea model was used to evaluate antidiarrheal activity. Intestinal transit and gastric emptying protocols were used to evaluate a possible antimotility effect. KATP channels, nitric oxide, presynaptic α2-adrenergic and tissue adrenergic receptors were investigated to uncover antimotility mechanisms of action and castor oil-induced enteropooling to elucidate antisecretory mechanisms. RESULTSAll tested doses of the extract (62.5, 125, 250 and 500 mg/kg) possessed antidiarrheal activity, with a significant decrease of the evacuation index. This activity is possibly related to a reduced gastric emptying (125, 250 and 500 mg/kg) and to a decreased percentage of intestinal transit for all tested doses. That last effect seems to be modulated by nitric oxide, KATP channels and tissue adrenergic receptors. Besides, the extract also presented antisecretory effect due to a decrease of intestinal fluid accumulation. CONCLUSIONThe antidiarrheal effect of M. erythroxylon found in this study involves antimotility and antisecretory mechanisms that may be attributed to the chemical compounds found in this species: saponins, flavonoids, tannins, triterpenes and steroids.

Reappraisal of Microtropis macrocarpa C.Y. Cheng & T.C. Kao(Celastraceae),a critically endangered species endemic to Yunnan, China

Microtropis macrocarpa C.Y. Cheng ＆ T.C. Kao has been treated as a synonym of Microtropis macrophylla Merr. ＆ Freeman in most taxonomic reports in China. According to our study, M. macrocarpa is an independent species endemic to Yunnan, China. Microtropis macrophylla and Microtropis pachyphylla Merr. ＆ Freeman should be treated as synonyms of Microtropis longifolia Wall. ex Kurz. M. macrocarpa is also identified as a critically endangered species, CR B lab （i,ii,iii,v）, based on the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. The foliar surface, anther and pollen structures were also observed with a scanning electron microscope.

CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS AND BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF CELASTRACEAE PLANTS

Ⅰ. INTRODUCTIONDihydroagarofuran sesquiterpenoids are the main chemical constituents of Celastraceae plants. Since the Celastraceae plants were used as agricultural insecticides, we are quite interested in the investigation on the insecticidal activity of this kind of compound. Our previous note reported that three sesquiterpenoids (1—3) were isolated

Chemical Constituents of the Suspension Cell Cultures of Maytenus hookeri

Suspension cell cultures of Maytenus hookeri Loos. (Celastraceae) in SH media were established from the calli induced from the leaves and young steins of M. hookeri on MS media with the supplement of 2 mg/L 2,4-D and 0.1 mg/L KIN (kinetin). Ethyl acetate extract of the cultures showed inhibitory activities against Penicillium avellaneum UC-4376 which was sensitive to maytansinoids. Exhaustive isolation of natural products from a large scale of suspension cell cultures did not yield maytansine instead of affording nine compounds including one novel triterpenoid, named 2, 3-diacetoxyl maytenusone (1), and eight known ones including squalene (2), beta-sitosterol (3), 2', 3', 4-triacetyl-sitoindoside I (4), salaspermic acid (5), maytenonic acid (6), 2alpha-hydroxy-maytenonic acid (7), 6, 11,12-trihydroxy-8, 11, 13-abietrien-7-one (8) and 11, 12-dihydroxy-8, 11, 13-abietatrien-7-one (9) elucidated on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR data. The H-1-NMR and C-13-NMR assignments were made for 1, 5, 6 and 7, while the C-13-NMR assignments for 5 and 6 were revised. The chemical results suggested that the suspension cell cultures of M. hookeri did not produce maytansinoids under the reported experiment conditions.

DNA条形码在新型毒品原植物恰特草种属鉴定中的应用研究

毒品原植物是指用来提炼、加工成鸦片、海洛因、甲基苯丙胺、吗啡等麻醉药物和精神药物的原植物。其中罂粟、古柯、大麻被称为世界三大毒品原植物。恰特草作为一种新型毒品原植物近两年被大量走私入境。

Three new sesquiterpene alkaloids from the root of Tripterygium wilfordii

Three new sesquiterpene alkaloids,1-desacetylwilforgine（1）,1-desacetylwilforine（2）,and 9′-hydroxy-2-nicotinoylwilforine （3） were isolated from the roots of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook f.,along with six known alkaloids.Their structures were established on the basis of spectral analysis.

Triterpenoids from Tripterygium wilfordii

A triterpenoid named 3β, 22α, 30-trihydroxy-urs-12-en (1) was isolated from the ethanol extract of Tripterygium wilfordii together with four known compounds. The structure of (1), which was for the first time isolated from nature, was established by spectral analysis and by comparison with that of the relative compound.

Two New Sesquiterpenes from Euonymus nanoides

Two new dihydroagarofuran sesquiterpenes with a novel substitution pattern: 1-(-methyl)-butanoyl-2, 15-diacetoxy-4-hydroxy-9-(-)furancarboxy--dihydroagarofuran (1) and 1, 2-di-(-methyl)-butanoyl-4-hydroxy-9-(-)furancarboxy-15-acetoxy--dihydroagaro- furan (2) were isolated from Euonymus nanoides. Their structures were elucidated by means of 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopic studies, including 2D NMR technique.

A Novel Diterpenoid,11-O-β-D-glucopyranosylneo-triptophenolide, from Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. f

A new diterpenoid was isolated from the ethanolic extract of the dried root bark of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook.f. It is the first example of abietane diterpenoid glycoside isolated from Tripterygium wilfordii Hook.f. Its structure was identified to be 11-O-b-D-glucopyranosyl- neotriptophenolide based on spectral methods.

Microtropins J-P: 6’-O-(2”<i>S</i>,3”<i>R</i>)-2”-Ethyl-2”,3”-Dihydroxybutyrates of Phenolic Alcohol <i>&#223</i>-D-Glucopyranosides from the Branches of <i>Microtropis japonica</i>

From the branches of Microtropis japonica (Celastraceae), seven phenolic alcohol glucosides, named microtropins J-P (1-7), were isolated. The 6-position of glucose was esterified with 2-ethyl-2,3-dihydroxybutyric acid. Microtropin K (2) was hydrolyzed under a mild basic condition to give methyl (2S,3R)-2-ethyl-2,3-dihydroxybutyrate, whose absolute structure was determined by the comparison of NMR data and the optical rotation value with that reported.

Diversity and Evolution of Inflorescences in Celastrales

Inflorescences structures in context of their evolution have been conducted for 60 genera and 170 species of Celastrales （according to APG （Angiosperm Phylogeny Group） III 2009, almost 60% of genera and 15% of species from this taxon of the world flora）. There are two big groups of inflorescences in Celastrales-intercalary （more often） and terminal. For many genera of Celastrales both types of inflorescences can be observed, although the frequency of their occurrence varies. There is an important difference between two types of inflorescences： character of completion of the main axis （the terminal flower present or absent）. Flower opening can be in basipetal （Celastraceae, Brexia） or acropetal （Stackhousiaceae） order. Partial inflorescence types included： simple, compound or umbrellate dichasia, spike, raceme, thyrse. Simple flowers of Parnassia are large, nested on long reproductive shoots, emerging from a rosette, with amplexicaule leaf.

Leigongteng(Radix et Rhizoma Tripterygii) via compatibility with Jinqiancao(Herba Lysimachiae): its toxicity-reduced efficacy in H22-bearing mice

OBJECTIVE: To observe toxicity-reduced effects of Leigongteng(Radix et Rhizoma Tripterygii)(LGT) via compatibility with Jinqiancao(Herba Lysimachiae)(JQC) in H22-bearing mice and investigate the possible underlying mechanism, and further explore whether JQC can enhance LGT-evoked anti-tumor effect.METHODS: H22-bearing mice were orally administered with LGT alone and its compatibility with JQC, and tumors, serum, livers and kidneys were collected to evaluate the toxicity-reduced efficacy and the possible mechanism.RESULTS: LGT evoked significantly elevated biochemical indicators including serum alanine/aspartate transaminase(ALT/AST), creatinine(Cr) and urea nitrogen(BUN) as well as pathological damage in mice, which were all obviously reversed by JQC via compatibility at the ratios from 4/1 to 1/4.Further analysis indicated that pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α), and malondialdehyde(MDA) levels significantly decreased, while anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin(IL)-10, and glutathione(GSH), GSH-s transferase(GST), GSH peroxidase(GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase(SOD) and catalase(CAT) levels all increased in livers and kidneys of mice. Besides, after compatibility with JQC at the ratios of 4/1, 2/1, 1/1,1/2 and 1/4, LGT-decreased tumor weight was further decreased by 48.4%, 57.3%, 54.0%, 49.3% and52.9%, respectively(all P < 0.01).CONCLUSION: JQC could reduce LGT-induced hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity, and enhance the antitumor efficacy via compatibility with JQC, and the toxicity-reduced mechanism could involve inhibiting hepatic and kidney oxidative stress and inflammation.