Isolation and evaluation of trypanocidal activity of sesquiterpenoids, flavonoids, and lignans in Artemisia sieversiana collected in Mongolia

Artemisia sieversiana is an annual herbaceous plant distributed throughout Central and East Eurasia and is regarded as an undesirable forage plant in Mongolia. It affects livestock, so information about its chemical composition is needed. We isolated three new sesquiterpenoids (1-3) and known compounds from A. sieversiana and investigated their activities. The absolute configuration of 1 was established using single-crystal X-ray diffraction crystallography, and its configuration differed from those of reported compounds with similar structures. Two additional new sesquiterpenoids (2 and 3) with similar structures were identified, and their configurations were determined. The trypanocidal activities of the isolated compounds (1-18) against Trypanosoma congolense and the pathogen responsible for fatal trypanosomosis in animals were estimated. Flavonoids and lignans were identified as active compounds with IC₅₀ values ranging from 2.9 to 90.2 µM.

Saxifraga spinulosa-Derived Components Rapidly Inactivate Multiple Viruses Including SARS-CoV-2

Novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), influenza A virus (IAV), and norovirus (NV) are highly contagious pathogens that threaten human health. Here we focused on the antiviral potential of the medicinal herb, Saxifragaspinulosa (SS). Water-soluble extracts of SS were prepared, and their virus-inactivating activity was evaluated against the human virus pathogens SARS-CoV-2 and IAV; we also examined virucidal activity against feline calicivirus and murine norovirus, which are surrogates for human NV. Among our findings, we found that SS-derived gallocatechin gallate compounds were capable of inactivating all viruses tested. Interestingly, a pyrogallol-enriched fraction (Fr 1C) inactivated all viruses more rapidly and effectively than did any of the component compounds used alone. We found that 25 µg/mL of Fr 1C inactivated >99.6% of SARS-CoV-2 within 10 s (reduction of ≥2.33 log₁₀ TCID₅₀/mL). Fr 1C resulted in the disruption of viral genomes and proteins as determined by gel electrophoresis, electron microscopy, and reverse transcription–PCR. Taken together, our results reveal the potential of Fr 1C for development as a novel antiviral disinfectant.

A new hexenoic acid glycoside with cytotoxic activity from the leaves of Psychotria luzoniensis

A new hexenoic acid glycoside (1) together with known compounds, flavonol glycosides (2-4), iridoid glycoside (5), megastigmane glycoside (6), and amino acid (7) were isolated from the leaves of P. luzoniensis by resin column chromatography and preparative HPLC. Their structures were determined based on spectroscopic analysis, including HRFABMS and NMR (¹H and ¹³C, ¹H-¹H COSY, HMQC, and HMBC) data. All compounds tested for cytotoxicity were active (IC₅₀ < 50 μM) with IC₅₀ values ranging from 1.97 to 32.85 μM against human colon adenocarcinoma cell line, compared to etoposide (IC₅₀ 1.19 μM).

Hyaluronidase inhibitory saponins and a trypanocidal isoflavonoid from the aerial parts of Oxytropis lanata

A chemical examination of an extract from the aerial part of Oxytropis lanata led to the isolation and identification of 36 compounds, including saponins, isoflavonoids, oxazoles, and glycosides. The three among them were previously unreported oleanane-type saponins. In trypanocidal screening, 5,7,4'-trihydroxyisoflavone showed inhibitory activity against Trypanosoma congolense (IC₅₀ = 10.5 μM), the causative agent of African trypanosomosis in animals; this activity was similar to that of active compounds from the roots of this plant. O. lanata is known to be a traditional medicinal plant in Mongolia for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. The anti-hyaluronidase effect of saponins 3, 5, 8, and 9, (IC₅₀ = 0.15-0.22 mM) was stronger than that of sodium cromoglicate, which was used as a reference drug (IC₅₀ = 0.37 mM). The chemical structures of the new saponins were determined based on HRFABMS, ¹H and ¹³C NMR, ¹H-¹H COSY, HMQC, HMBC, and ROESY spectroscopic data along with chemical procedures.

Indirubin promotes adipocyte differentiation and reduces lipid accumulation in 3T3‑L1 cells via peroxisome proliferator‑activated receptor γ activation

The peroxisome proliferator‑activated receptor γ (PPARγ) plays an important role in insulin sensitivity and adipocyte differentiation. It is known as ligand‑receptor that improves insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Several kinds of indigo plant have been already used to treat diabetes in oriental traditional medicine, but its mechanism has not been clarified yet. To investigate the effect of indirubin, which is a component of Polygonum tinctorium on the cell differentiation and adipprocess in 3T3‑L1 cells, 3T3‑L1 cells were cultured to determine the effect of cell differentiation and glucose uptake with indirubin. As a result, Indirubin compound enhanced adipocyte differentiation in 3T3‑L1 cells similar to rosiglitazone. This effect was terminated by cotreatment with GW9662, a PPARγ antagonist. In mature 3T3‑L1 adipocytes, the lipid droplet size and accumulation were reduced by this compound. The basal and insulin‑stimulated glucose uptakes were also significantly increased. In addition, indirubin treatment significantly enhanced estrogen level by 1.64‑fold with mature adipocytes which can be attributed to its aromatase activity. Conclutionaly, this finding suggested that indirubin is a potential anti‑diabetic compound for type 2 diabetes mellitus by promoting adipocyte differentiation and glucose uptake via PPARγ.

Cytohistology of morule in cribriform-morular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma

INTRODUCTION

Cribriform-morular variant (CMV) is a rare variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma. It frequently occurs in association with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), although some cases are sporadic. Herein, we report a case of CMV and analyse morule cytohistology.

CASE REPORT

The patient was a 47-year-old woman with no familial history of FAP. A 3.0-cm unifocal mass was identified in the left thyroidal lobe. Fine-needle aspiration cytology revealed papillary clusters of atypical cells with nuclear grooves, which was suspected to be conventional papillary thyroid carcinoma. Histologically, the tumour comprised a papillary and cribriform growth of atypical cells with cytoplasmic accumulation and nuclear translocation of b-catenin. In addition, frequent morule formation was identified.

DISCUSSION

In this case, we performed morule analysis through correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM), and revealed its ultrastructure. Although CMV is a rare form of thyroid carcinoma, it should be considered along with its distinct clinicopathological characteristics.

Inhibitory Effects of Phenylpropanoid Derivatives from Oenanthe javanica on Antigen-Stimulated Degranulation in RBL-2H3 Cells

Two diacyldaucic acids (1 and 2), an α,β-unsaturated γ-lactone-type lignan (3) and its derivatives (4-6), and 12 known compounds were isolated from a traditional East Asian vegetable, Oenanthe javanica. The absolute configuration of 1 was validated by obtaining (+)-osbeckic acid through acid hydrolysis. The absolute configurations of 3-5 were determined by comparing their experimental and computed ECD data. The conclusion was supported by applying the phenylglycine methyl ester method to 3. Compound 6 was obtained as an interconverting mixture of isomers in a 3:1 trans- cis ratio. Several water-soluble components (1, 3, and 6) showed concentration-dependent inhibitory effects on antigen-stimulated degranulation in RBL-2H3 cells without producing any direct cytotoxicity against RBL-2H3 or HeLa cells.

Acylated Lignans Isolated from Brachanthemum gobicum and Their Trypanocidal Activity

Eight isovaleryllignans (1-4 and 8-11), three isovalerylphenylpropanoids (5-7), three known lignans (12-14), and four known compounds were isolated from an extract of the aerial part of Brachanthemum gobicum. The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated based on NMR and MS data analyses. The enantiomers of compounds 1-3, 5, 8, and 9 were isolated using chiral-phase HPLC, and the absolute configurations of 1a/1b-3a/3b, 5a/5b, 8a/8b, and 9a/9b were elucidated from their optical rotations and ECD spectra; the other lignans were assumed to be racemic or scalemic by chiral-phase HPLC analyses and optical rotation data. Some of the acylated lignans (racemic mixtures) (1-4, 8, 9, and 12-14) exhibited moderate inhibitory activities against Trypanosoma congolense, the causative agent of nagana disease in animals.

[Complete Remission of Advanced Gastric Cancer with Tumor Embolism in the Right Gastric Vein Treated with Radical Resection after Chemotherapy]

A 74-year-old man presented to our hospital with the chief complaint of epigastric pain; upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a 7-cm-sized type 3 gastric cancer in the lesser curvature of the lower part of the stomach. Abdominal contrast computed tomography revealed a tumor embolus in the right gastric vein; the preoperative diagnosis was cT4a(SE) N3aH0P0M0, cStage ⅢC. Because the cancer could spread during surgical manipulation, performing a safe radical resection was difficult; therefore, we decided to initiate chemotherapy. The patient received 3 courses of trastuzumab plus CapeOX, which led to reduction of the primarylesion, peri-gastric lymph node, and right gastric vein tumor embolus. Partial remission was achieved after chemotherapy; therefore, distal gastrectomy, D2 lymph node dissection, and Roux-en-Y reconstruction were performed. Histopathological examination did not reveal viable tumor cells in the primarylesion, lymph nodes, or tumor embolus, and the histological effect was Grade 3. Currently, the patient is alive without relapse at 9 months post operation. Advanced gastric cancer accompanied with tumor embolism in the gastric vein is commonly observed in patients with liver metastasis and in those with severely progressed state of cancer; many of these patients have poor prognosis. Preoperative chemotherapymaybe effective in cases in which tumor embolism in the gastric vein is identified through preoperative diagnostic imaging.

Flavonoids isolated from the flowers of Pulsatilla flavescens and their anti-piroplasm activity

Pulsatilla species are known as "Yargui", and their flowers are traditionally used in Mongolia as a tonic and for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. By chemical investigation of P. flavescens flowers, 21 flavonoids, including a new chalcone C-glucoside, chalconaringenin 2'-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-5'-β-D-glucopyranoside, and two new flavanone C-glucosides, (2R)- and (2S)-naringenin 8-β-D-glucopyranosyl-4'-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, were isolated. The absolute configurations of the seven flavanone glucosides were elucidated by ECD spectra. For the isolated compounds, inhibitory activity against Babesia caballi and Theileria equi, which cause fatal diseases in horses, was estimated. Although most of the isolated chalcone and flavanone derivatives did not show any anti-piroplasm activity, all the isolated flavone and flavonol derivatives showed moderate effects against B. caballi and/or T. equi.

Inhibitory effects of Sanguisorba officinalis root extract on HYBID (KIAA1199)-mediated hyaluronan degradation and skin wrinkling

OBJECTIVES

Hyaluronan (HA), an important constituent of extracellular matrix in the skin, has many biological activities such as hydration that contributes to firmness and bounciness of the skin. We have reported that reduction in HA in the papillary dermis and over-expression of HYBID (HYaluronan Binding protein Involved in hyaluronan Depolymerization, alias KIAA1199 or CEMIP), a key molecule for HA degradation in skin fibroblasts, are implicated in facial skin wrinkling in Japanese and Caucasian women. However, little or no information is available for substances which inhibit the HYBID-mediated HA degradation.

METHODS

Inhibition of Sanguisorba officinalis root extract and ziyuglycoside I, one of the components of Sanguisorba officinalis root extract, to the HYBID-mediated HA degradation was assessed by size-exclusion chromatography of HA depolymerized by stable transfectants of HYBID in HEK293 cells (HYBID/HEK293 cells) or normal human skin fibroblasts (Detroit 551 cells and NHDF-Ad cells). The HYBID mRNA and protein expression was examined by quantitative real-time PCR and immunoblotting in the skin fibroblasts treated with Sanguisorba officinalis root extract, and size distribution of newly produced HA was evaluated by preparing metabolically radiolabelled HA. A double-blind, randomized and placebo-controlled study was carried out in the 21 healthy Japanese women, who were topically treated with the formulation containing Sanguisorba officinalis root extract or the placebo on each side of the face including crow's foot area.

RESULTS

Sanguisorba officinalis root extract, but not ziyuglycoside I, abolished HYBID-mediated HA degradation by HYBID/HEK293 cells. Sanguisorba officinalis root extract also inhibited HYBID-mediated HA degradation in skin fibroblasts by down-regulating HYBID mRNA and protein expression. Although control untreated skin fibroblasts produced polydispersed HA, the cells treated with Sanguisorba officinalis root extract produced only high-molecular-weight HA. Treatment with Sanguisorba officinalis root extract-formulated lotion significantly improved skin elasticity, and reduced skin wrinkling scores at the outer eye corner compared with the placebo formulation.

CONCLUSION

Sanguisorba officinalis root extract showed an anti-HYBID-mediated HA degradation activity and anti-wrinkle activity on human facial skin, which is accompanied by the improvement in elasticity. Our study provides the possibility of a new strategy to inhibit HYBID-mediated HA degradation for anti-wrinkle care.

Production cross sections of Mo, Nb and Zr radioisotopes from α-induced reaction on natZr

Cross sections of α-induced reactions on natural zirconium were measured up to 50 MeV using the stacked-foil technique, activation method and high resolution γ-ray spectrometry. The production cross sections of ^93m,99Mo, ^{90g,92m,95g,95m,96}Nb and ^88,89g,95Zr were determined and compared with other experimental data measured earlier and result of theoretical calculations. The integral thick target yield of ⁹⁹Mo was deduced from the measured cross section data.

[Bilateral Metastatic Lung Tumor with Different Primary Organs]

A 72-year-old woman with a history of surgery for left breast cancer was found to have sigmoid colon cancer and solitary pulmonary tumor of left upper lobe. We diagnosed adenocarcinoma of the unknown origin by a transbronchial biopsy. We performed left upper segmentectomy and sigmoidectomy. Left pulmonary tumor was diagnosed metastatic lung tumor from breast cancer. A right pulmonary tumor was confirmed by chest computed tomography(CT) after sigmoidectomy. It was also considered to be metastasis from breast cancer and treated with vinorelbine ditartrate. Since no effect was observed by chemotherapy, tumor was surgically removed by wedge resection. Right pulmonary tumor was pathologically diagnosed as metastasis from sigmoid colon cancer. In suspicious case of pulmonary metastases from double cancer, the possibility of different lesions from different primary site should be kept in mind.

Randomized phase III and extension studies: efficacy and impacts on quality of life of naldemedine in subjects with opioid-induced constipation and cancer

BACKGROUND

The efficacy and safety of naldemedine (a peripherally acting µ-opioid receptor antagonist) for opioid-induced constipation (OIC) in subjects with cancer was demonstrated in the primary report of a phase III, double-blind study (COMPOSE-4) and its open-label extension (COMPOSE-5). The primary end point, the proportion of spontaneous bowel movement (SBM) responders, was met. Here, we report results from secondary end points, including quality of life (QOL) assessments from these studies.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In COMPOSE-4, eligible adults with OIC and cancer were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive once-daily oral naldemedine 0.2 mg (n = 97) or placebo (n = 96) for 2 weeks, and those who continued on to COMPOSE-5 received naldemedine for 12 weeks (n = 131). Secondary assessments in COMPOSE-4 included the proportion of complete SBM (CSBM) responders, SBM or CSBM responders by week, and subjects with ≥1 SBM or CSBM within 24 h postinitial dose. Changes from baseline in the frequency of SBMs or CSBMs per week were assessed at weeks 1 and 2. Time to the first SBM or CSBM postinitial dose was also evaluated. In both studies, QOL impact was evaluated by Patient Assessment of Constipation-Symptoms (PAC-SYM) and PAC-QOL questionnaires.

RESULTS

Naldemedine improved bowel function for all secondary efficacy assessments versus placebo (all P ≤ 0.0002). The timely onset of naldemedine activity versus placebo was evidenced by median time to the first SBM (4.7 h versus 26.6 h) and CSBM (24.0 h versus 218.5 h) postinitial dose (all P < 0.0001). In COMPOSE-4, significant differences between groups were observed with the PAC-SYM stool domain (P = 0.045) and PAC-QOL dissatisfaction domain (P = 0.015). In COMPOSE-5, significant improvements from baseline were observed for overall and individual domain scores of PAC-SYM and PAC-QOL.

CONCLUSIONS

Naldemedine provided effective and timely symptomatic relief from OIC and improved the QOL of subjects with OIC and cancer. TRIAL REGISTRATION ID: www.ClinicalTrials.jp: JAPIC-CTI-132340 (COMPOSE-4) and JAPIC-CTI-132342 (COMPOSE-5).

[Pulmonary Pleomorphic Carcinoma Relapsed after Surgery Surviving Long-term by Chemotherapy and Nivolumab]

A 60'-year-old man was referred to our hospital because of nodular shadow found at mass screening. We diagnosed the tumor as non-small cell lung cancer by transbronchial biopsy. Chest computed tomography showed a tumor shadow of 3 cm in diameter with cavity. Right middle lobectomy was performed and the pathological diagnosis was pleomorphic carcinoma of the lung. The tumor recurrence was found at 10 months after surgery, and was treated with cisplatin, docetaxel plus bevacizumab for 6 cycles. A complete remission was achieved, but regrowth at 5 months after chemotherapy was noted. The patient was treated with nivolumab following carboplatin, gemcitabine plus bevacizumab 3 cycles. A good partial response is continuing 2 years and 5 months after confirming recurrence.

A case of small intestinal neuroendocrine carcinoma diagnosed using double-balloon endoscopy with long-term survival

Neuroendocrine neoplasms, including neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) and neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs), are rare epithelial tumors with a predominant neuroendocrine differentiation. Compared with NETs, NECs have been reported to be rarer and have a poorer prognosis. We present a rare case of small bowel NEC diagnosed using double-balloon endoscopy (DBE) and the long-term survival accomplished via intensive therapy. DBE revealed an ulcerative tumor in the deep jejunum, and biopsy specimens showed large and highly dysplastic tumor cells; immuno-histological synaptophysin and chromogranin A tests were positive, and the Ki-67 index was more than 90%. Partial intestinal resection without complete lymph node dissection was performed and, postoperatively, chemotherapy was administered. The patient was observed for 3 years after chemotherapy, and complete remission was maintained.

Flavonoid and Galloyl Glycosides Isolated from Saxifraga spinulosa and Their Antioxidative and Inhibitory Activities against Species That Cause Piroplasmosis

Eight new flavonoid-based 3'-O-β-d-glucopyranosides (1-8) and three new galloyl glucosides (9, 11, 12), were isolated from the aerial parts of Saxifraga spinulosa, along with 25 known compounds. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic methods. Most of the isolated compounds exhibited potent DPPH radical-scavenging activities. Further, their inhibitory activities were evaluated against Babesia bovis, Babesia bigemina, Babesia caballi, and Theileria equi, protozoan parasites that cause piroplasmosis in livestock. The results indicated that several of these compounds showed growth-inhibitory effects on such organisms that cause piroplasmosis.