Cambial Variants in the Family Menispermaceae in Taiwan

Anatomical data regarding the climbing modes and cambial variants of the stem transverse section in the Menispermaceae in Taiwan are lacking. Here, we examined the climbing modes and anomalous structure of climber stems in this family. Reviewing the previous reports of cambial variants in angiosperm liana families, a list of angiosperm liana families processing specified types of cambial variants and the terms based on description for the transverse section of a stem were provided. The results show that Cocculus laurifolius DC. is a shrub, Stephania cephalantha Hayata and Stephania longa Lour. are vines, and the remaining 13 species are lianas. In all species, the climbing mode was twining and dextrorse stems. The anomalous structure of the stem comprised successive cambia in Cocculus laurifolius, a combination of xylem in plates and dissected xylem in Cocculus orbiculatus (L.) DC., and xylem in plates in the remaining 14 species. In the genus Cyclea, parenchyma proliferation from the secondary xylem resulted in the development of 1 - 3 linear lobes in each collateral vascular bundle. The vessel diameter of C. laurifolius is <50 μm which is the smallest size due to shrub in its life stage. C. orbiculatus had the longest collateral vascular bundles, longest rays and widest rays. Cyclea ochiaiana (Yamam.) S. F. Huang & T. C. Huang had the widest collateral vascular bundles. Sinomenium acutum (Thunb.) Rehder & E. H. Wilson had the highest vessel density. Tinospora crispa (L.) Hook. F. et Thoms develops blunt tubercles on the epidermis and Stephania tetrandra S. Moore bears conspicuous phellem layer. Those findings, such as the climbing mode, the features of parenchyma proliferation, the features of collateral vascular bundles (number, width, length), dimorphic vessels, and size and density of vessels, highlight new anatomical characteristics for species identification in the Menispermaceae in Taiwan.

Alkaloidal compounds and bioactivities of three medicinal plants of Menispermaceaefamily in Qinling Montain

Aim To find the original active compounds from three medicinal plants of Menispermaceae family in Qinling Montain,Shaanxi,China.Method Several kinds of isolation techniques such as liquid-liquid partition,column chromatography,thin layer chromatography and sephadex LH-20 gel chromatography are used to separate the compounds and all kinds of identification techniques such as mass,high resolution mass,1H-NMR,13C-NMR,all kinds of 2D-NMR,CD spectra and X-ray diffraction analysis are used to determine the structure of the isolated compounds;several enzymes linked immunosorbent assay are used to test the biological activities of some isolated compounds.Results 30 alkaloids were isolated and identified from Sinomenium acutum of which 8 are new compounds;nine alkaloids were isolated and identified from Menispermum dauricum of which 6 are new compounds;six alkaloids were isolated and identified from Stephania epigaea.Among all the identified alkaloids,six compounds show protective effects against hydrogen peroxide induced cell injury;eight compounds show weak or strong cytotoxicity activity;one compound shows neuroprotective effect against hydrogen peroxide and.β-amyloid25-35-induced oxidative injury.Conclusion These three plants of Menispermaceae family may be considered as the potential drugs for Alzheimer's disease therapy and anticancer agents.

Antitussive activity of Triclisia dictyophylla of the family Menispermecae

Objective:To verify through a scientific mean the therapeutic use of the plant as an anti-tussive agent,by traditional medicine healers and also aid in the search for new drugs developments from plants.Methods:The roots of Triclisia dictyophylla were investigated for their antitussive properties.The plant was uprooted in the month of June 2003 at Igbodo,Delta State,Nigeria and was taken to the university of Nigeria Nsukka for taxonomy. The roots were chopped,ground and immersed in pure drinking water for 24 hours.After filtration, extraction was carried out using a Rotary evaporator,preliminary phytochemistry and acute toxicity studies were carried out.Antitussive study was carried out using a total of 42 young rats of average weight of 72.2 g.The rats were housed in standard animal house of the university and were allowed access to feeds and water but, were fasted for 12 hours prior to commencement of experiment.Specific and appropriate dosage of the crude extract and Codeine re - dissolved in water were administered orally 30 minutes prior to induction of cough. Cough was induced by exposing the animals to Sulphure dioxide gas for 3- minutes.Coughing was taken as number of Head-nods per minute,Stethoscope aided audible sounds and,or tears secretion.Percentage cough inhibition for crude extract and,or Codeine treated rats were compared with reference to control animals.Results were subjected to statistical analysis using SPSS 13.0.Results:A 10.2%extraction yield was got from a starting root initial weight of 320 g.The preliminary phytochemistry of the aqueous root extract revealed the presence of alkaloids,saponins,flavonoids,proteins,reducing sugars,steroids,resins fats/oils and glycosides. The Median lethal dose(LD_(50)) based on Lorke's 1983 method was 548 mg/kg The aqueous root extract at concentrations of 10 mg/kg,50 mg/kg,100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg orally administered,inhibited cough in rats induced by sulphure dioxide gas by 16.67%,33.33%,50.00%and 83.33%respectively.While Codeine phosphate,a standard antitussive agent,at oral concentrations of 10 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg inhibited cough in rats induced by sulphure dioxide gas by 33.33%and 60.67%respectively.Conclusion:Earlier works by some authors had led to isolation of Morhinian Alkaloids from Triclisia dictyophylla thus most probably linking its mechanism of antitussive activity to that likable of Morphine.This study justifies the use of the plant in treatment of cough by Traditional Medicine Healers.

Gindarudine,a novel morphine alkaloid from Stephania glabra

A novel morphine alkaloid, named gindarudine 1 has been isolated from ethanol extract of Stephania glabra tubers, together with four known alkaloids, palmatine, dehydrocorydalmine, stepharanine, and 8-（4＇-methoxybenzyl）-xylopinine. Compound 1 was elucidated as 3,6-O,N-detrimethyl-10-hydroxy-l-methoxy-thebaine by means of spectroscopic data including 2D NMR studies. C 2009 Deepak Kumar Semwal. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Chinese Chemical Society. All rights reserved.

Therapeutic Application,Phytoactives and Pharmacology of Tinospora cordifolia:An Evocative Review

Tinospora cordifolia(Guduchi or Gurjo),a herbaceous vine or climbing deciduous shrub,is consider as an important medicine in the Ayurvedic system of medication,which is available in India,China,Myanmar,Bangladesh and Srilanka.Menispermaceae is the family of this compound.T.cordifolia have a variety of properties to treat various ailments such as fevers,jaundice,diabetes,dysentery,urinary infections,and skin diseases.This compound has been subjected to many chemicals,pharmacological,pre-clinical,or clinical investigations and some new therapeutic potential effects have been indicated.This review aims to summarize the critical information concerning in areas of chemical constituents,chemical structure,and pharmacokinetic activities such as anti-diabetic,anticancer,immune-modulatory,antivirus(especially in silico study about COVID-19),antioxidant,antimicrobial,hepatoprotective and its effect on cardiovascular and neurological disorders as well as rheumatoid arthritis.This traditional herb needs more experimental study on the clinical,pre-clinical study,and clinical efficacy of these compounds for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 and needs large-scale clinical studies to prove the clinical efficacy of this compound,especially in stress-related diseases and other neuronal disorders.

A New Hasubanan Alkaloid from Stephania hernandifolia

Objective To study the chemical constituents of Stephania hernandifolia. Methods Various chromato- graphic techniques were used to isolate the constituents, and the structures were elucidated on the basis of HR-EI-MS, 1D-NMR and 2D-NMR spectral analyses. Results A hasubanan alkaloid, hernsubanine D （1） was isolated from the whole plants of S. hernandifolia. The compound was screened for the cytotoxic activity against two human cancer cell lines in vitro. Conclusion Compound 1 is a new compound without cytotoxicity against A549 and K562 cells.