Diastereoisomeric saponins from the rhizomes of Tupistra chinensis

A pair of diastereoisomeric furostanol saponins was obtained from the n-butanol fraction of methanol extract from Tupistra chinensis rhizomes, a folk medicine of Shennongjia Forest District of Hubei Province. Their structures were determined, on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic evidences.

Furostanol saponins with inhibitory action against COX-2 production from Tupistra chinensis rhizomes

Two furostanol saponins were obtained from the n-butanol fraction of methanol extract from Tupistra chinensis rhizomes, a folk medicine of Shennongjia Forest District of Hubei Province. Their structures were determined as （25S）-26-O-（β-D-glucopyranosyl）- furost-1β, 3β, 22α, 26-tetrol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-（1 → 4）-β-D-glucopyranosyl-（1 → 2）-β-D-glucopyranoside （1） and （25R）- 26-O-（β-D-glucopyranosyl）-furost-1β, 3β 22a, 26-tetrol 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-（1 → 4）-β-D-glucopyranosyl-（1 → 2）-β-D-glu- copyranoside （2）, on basis of chemical and spectroscopic evidences. 1 and 2 displayed marked inhibitory action towards COX-2 production in macrophages of the rat abdomen induced by LPS at 20 μg/mL.

Spirostane Steroidal Saponins from the Undergroud Parts of Tupistra chinensis

Two new spirostanol saponins, (25S)-spirostane-1β,3β,5β-triol 3-O-β-D-glucopyrano- side 1 and rhodeasapogenin 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-β-D-glucopyranoside 2, together with a known saponin, rhodeasapogenin 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside 3, were isolated from the underground parts of Tupistra chinensis Bak.. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic analysis.

A Furostanol Saponin from the Cytotoxic Fraction of Tupistra chinensis Rhizomes

A furostanol saponin was obtained from the n-butanol fraction of methanol extract from Tupistra chinensis rhizomes, a folk medicine of Shennongjia Forest District of Hubei Province. Its structure was determined as 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-（25S）-22-O-methyl-5β-furost-1β, 3β, 5β, 22α; 26-pentaol-26-O-β-D-glucopyranoside （1） on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic evidences. The n-butanol fraction displayed marked inhibitory activity in vitro towards HeLa and HL-60 human tumor cell lines by MTT method.

Saponin from Tupistra chinensis Bak Inhibits NF-κB Signaling in Sarcoma S-180 Cell Mouse Xenografts

This study examined the effect of saponins from Tupistra chinensis Bak （STCB） on the growth of sarcoma S-180 cells in vitro and in mouse xenografts as well as the underlying mechanisms. Cell proliferation was assessed by MTT assay. Cell cycle distribution was determined by flow cytometry. Sarcoma S-180 tumor-bearing mice were treated with different doses of STCB with 10 μg/mL 5-fluorouracil （5-Fu） as a positive control. The activity of nuclear factor （NF）-κB was detected by gel mobility shift assay. The mRNA level of NF-κB was determined by real-time quantitative RT-PCR. The results showed that in vitro STCB inhibited the growth of S-180 cells in a concentration-dependent manner, which was accompanied by cell cycle arrest at S-phase. In vivo STCB significantly inhibited the growth of S-180 tumor mouse xenografts in a dose-dependent manner with apparent induction of cell apoptosis. Moreover, STCB inhibited the activity of NF-rd3 p65 and reduced the expression of NF-κB p65 mRNA in mouse xenografts. It was concluded that STCB inhibits the proliferation and cell cycle progression of S- 180 cells by suppressing NF-κB signaling in mouse xenografts. Our findings suggest STCB is a promising agent for the treatment of sarcoma.

IN VITRO ACTIVITY OF EXTRACTS OF FIVE MEDICINAL PLANT SPECIES ON PLANT PATHOGENIC FUNGI

The antifungal effectiveness of extracts of five medicinal plant species was determined.The inhibitory activity of extracts of Eucalyptus tereticornis,Xanthium sibiricum,Artemisia argyi,Tupistra chinensis and Pyrola calliantha were evaluated against the mycelial growth of the plant pathogenic fungi Aspergillus niger,Botrytis cinerea,Penicillium digitatum,P.expansum,P.italicum and Rhizopus stolonifer.All plant extracts were prepared at 60°C using solvents(either water,50%ethanol(v/v),95%ethanol(v/v),ethyl acetate or petroleum ether).Fungicidal effects of all plants tested were confirmed.Different extracts from the same plant species gave different degrees of inhibition.All aqueous extracts had weak or no activity on all fungi tested.Ethyl acetate and 95%ethanol extracts from T.chinensis rhizomes gave greater inhibition and a broader spectrum inhibition than the other extracts.T.chinensis may have potential as a new natural fungicide and may be used for the preservation of agricultural and forestry products such as fruits and vegetables.