Synthesis and anti-HIV-1 activities of novel podophyllotoxin derivatives

In order to explore the range of biological activities of the podophyllotoxin compound class, a novel series of derivatives of podophyllotoxin, which were conjugates containing stavudine and different structural podophyllotoxin analogues, were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their anti-HIV-1 activities in vitro. Among these compounds, 19d and 19c showed the highest anti-HIV-1 activities with EC(50) values of 0.17 and 0.29 microM and TI values of 466.9 and 354.5, respectively.

Highly Oxidized Humulane Sesquiterpenes from the Basidiomycete Lactarius mitissimus

Two new highly oxidized humulane sesquiterpenes, mitissimols D (1) and E (2) were isolated from the fruiting bodies of Lactarius mitissimus. Their structures were elucidated using extensive spectroscopic techniques including 1D and 2D NMR spectra.

Humulane-type sesquiterpenoids from the mushroom Lactarius mitissimus

Five new humulane-type sesquiterpenes, mitissimols A (1), B (2), and C (3), and a mixture of mitissimol A oleate (4) and mitissimol A linoleate (5), were isolated from the fruiting bodies of Lactarius mitissimus. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of comprehensive spectroscopic techniques and necessary chemical methods. The relative stereochemistry of 1 was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis.

A New Cytotoxic Lanostane Triterpenoid from the Basidiomycete Hebeloma versipelle

A new cytotoxic lanostane triterpenoid, 24(E)-3beta-hydroxylanosta-8,24-dien-26-al-21-oic acid (1), was isolated from the fruiting bodies of the mushroom Hebeloma versipelle. The structure was elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic studies including 2D NMR experiments. Compound 1 moderately inhibited the growth of several tumor cell lines (IC50 10-25.0 microg/ml).

Aurovertin E, a new polyene pyrone from the basidiomycete Albatrellus confluens

A new polyene pyrone, aurovertin E (2), was isolated along with aurovertin B (1) from the culture mycelia of the basidiomycete Albatrellus confluens. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic studies including 2D NMR experiments. This is the first example of the occurrence of aurovertins in basidiomycetes.

Rufuslactone, a New Antifungal Sesquiterpene from the Fruiting Bodies of the Basidiomycete Lactarius rufus

A new lactarane sesquiterpene, rufuslactone (1), was isolated from the fruiting bodies of the basidiomycete Lactarius rufus. Rufuslactone (1) is an isomer of a previously described lactarane 3,8-oxa-13-hydroxylactar-6-en-5-oic acid gamma-lactone (2) from Lactarius necatar. Its structure,was elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data. Rufuslactone (1) showed antifungal properties against plant pathogenic fungi.

Activity in vitro and in vivo against plant pathogenic fungi of grifolin isolated from the basidiomycete Albatrellus dispansus

In the course of screening for novel naturally occurring fungicides from mushrooms in Yunnan province, China, the ethanol extract of the fruiting bodies of Albatrellus dispansus was found to show antifungal activity against plant pathogenic fungi. The active compound was isolated from the fruiting bodies of A. dispansus by bioassay-guided fractionation of the extract and identified as grifolin by IR, 1H and 13C NMR and mass spectral analysis. Its antifungal activities were evaluated in vitro against 9 plant pathogenic fungi and in vivo against the plant disease of Erysiphe graminis. In vitro, Sclerotinina sclerotiorum and Fusarium graminearum were the most sensitive fungi to grifolin, and their mycelial growth inhibition were 86.4 and 80.9% at 304.9 microM, respectively. Spore germination of F. graminearum, Gloeosporium fructigenum and Pyricularia oryzae was almost completely inhibited by 38.1microM grifolin. In vivo, the curative effect of grifolin against E. graminis was 65.5% at 304.9 microM after 8 days.

Antifungal properties of pristimerin and celastrol isolated from Celastrus hypoleucus

Pristimerin and celastrol isolated from the roots of Celastrus hypoleucus (Oliv) Warb f argutior Loes exhibited inhibitory effects against diverse phytopathogenic fungi. Pristimerin and celastrol were found to inhibit the mycelial growth of Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn and Glomerella cingulata (Stonem) Spauld & Schrenk in vitro by 83.6 and 62.6%, respectively, at 10 microg ml(-1). Pristimerin showed good preventive effect (96.7% at 100 microg ml(-1)) and curative effect (66.5% at 100 microg ml(-1)) against wheat powdery mildew in vivo. For celastrol, the preventive and curative effects against wheat powdery mildew were 80.5 and 45.4%, respectively, at 100 microg ml(-1).

[Chest wall and mediastinum invasion by lung cancer--a CT and MRI evaluation]

CT and MRI manifestations of 52 peripheral lung cancers located close to the pleural surface or mediastinal structures were studied correlating with the surgical and pathologic findings. Rib destruction as shown by CT and T2 weighted MRI showing the encroachment of tumor upon the chest wall were crucial in demonstrating chest wall invasion. An obtuse chest wall intersecting angle and the length of the neighboring borders of the tumor and chest wall were of limited value. Local pleural thickening was observed near the tumor in 54% of cases, over half of them showed obtuse angle between the tumor and the chest wall but without tumor invasion. T2 weighted MRI was more reliable than CT by showing different signal intensities for pleural thickening, inflammation, localized pleural effusion or tumor invasion to chest wall soft tissue.