Sesquiterpene Coumarins fromFerula Foetida

Medicinal plant resin natural products: structural diversity and biological activities

Covering: up to the mid of 2023Plants secrete defense resins rich in small-molecule natural products under abiotic and biotic stresses. This comprehensive review encompasses the literature published up to mid-2023 on medicinal plant resin natural products from six main contributor genera, featuring 275 citations that refer to 1115 structurally diverse compounds. The scope of this review extends to include essential information such as the racemic nature of metabolites found in different species of plant resins, source of resins, and revised structures. Additionally, we carefully analyze the reported biological activities of resins, organizing them based on the their structures. The findings offer important insights into the relationship between their structure and activity. Furthermore, this detailed examination can be valuable for researchers and scientists in the field of medicinal plant resin natural products and will promote continued exploration and progress in this area.

Sesquiterpenes and Sesquiterpene Derivatives from Ferula: Their Chemical Structures, Biosynthetic Pathways, and Biological Properties

Ferula is a genus of flowering plants known for its edible and medicinal properties. Since ancient times, many species of Ferula have been used in traditional medicine to treat various health issues across countries, such as digestive disorders, respiratory problems, and even as a remedy for headaches and toothaches. In addition, they are also used as a flavoring agent in various cuisines. As the main active ingredients in Ferula, sesquiterpenes and their derivatives, especially sesquiterpene coumarins, sesquiterpene phenylpropanoids, and sesquiterpene chromones, have attracted the attention of scientists due to the diversity of their chemical structures, as well as their extensive and promising biological properties, such as antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial properties. However, there has not been a comprehensive review of sesquiterpenes and their derivatives from this plant. This review aims to provide an overview of the chemical structures, biosynthetic pathways, and biological properties of sesquiterpenes and sesquiterpene derivatives from Ferula, which may help guide future research directions and possible application methods for this valuable edible and medicinal plant.

Sesquiterpene coumarins from Ferula samarkandica Korovin and their bioactivity

Phytochemical study on the ethanolic extract of the dried roots of Ferula samarkandica Korovin led to the isolation of nine undiscribed sesquiterpene coumarins, samarcandicins A-I, along with thirteen known sesquiterpene coumarins. Their structures were characterized by detailed spectroscopic analysis including NMR and HR-ESI-MS. Mogoltacin and nevskin exhibited high inhibitory activity against MV-4-11 cell with IC₅₀ values of 3.94 ± 0.06 μM and 3.87 ± 0.10 μM, respectively, and nevskin and feshurin showed high inhibitory activity against mino cell with IC₅₀ values of 1.48 ± 0.06 μM and 7.88 ± 0.60 μM, respectively.

Chemical constituents of Ferula seravschanica

Phytochemical investigation of Ferula seravschanica afforded seven new compounds, including three new bicyclic-type sesquiterpene coumarins (1-3), two new monocyclic-type sesquiterpene coumarins (16-17), two new phenylpropanoids (23-24) as well as twenty-two known compounds (4-15, 18-22, and 25-29). The structures of new compounds were determined by HRESIMS, NMR, ECD calculations, and X-ray single-crystal diffraction analysis. Furthermore, crude EtOAc extract and separated fractions (F1-F12) possessed cytotoxic activity against four human tumor cell lines (HT-29, DU145, HeLa, and Jurkat). Subsequently, we examined Jurkat inhibitory activity of isolated compounds. Compound 12 significantly inhibited the proliferation of the leukemia cells with IC₅₀ value of 2.50 μM.

Phytochemical screening and evaluation of the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of Ferula caspica M. Bieb. extracts

Chloroform, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts from the aerial parts of Ferula caspica M. Bieb. were tested for their antioxidant capacities by CUPRAC, ABTS, FRAP, Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride methods and for antimicrobial activities by the broth microdilution method. Chloroform and ethyl acetate extracts showed the highest antioxidant capacity and antimicrobial activity. Three known sesquiterpene derivatives; 1-(2',4'-dihydroxyphenyl)-3,7,11-trimethyl-3-vinyl-6(E),10-dodecadien-1-one (1), 2,3-dihydro-7-hydroxy-2,3-dimethyl-2-[4',8'-dimethyl-3',7'-nonadienyl]-furo[3,2,c]coumarin (2), 2,3-dihydro-7-hydroxy-2,3-dimethyl-3-[4',8'-dimethyl-3',7'-nonadienyl]-furo[3,2,c]coumarin(3); phenylpropanoid; laserine/2-epilaserine (4/5) and steroid mixtures; stigmasterol and β-sitosterol (6/7) were isolated from chloroform extract; three known flavonoids; kaempferol-3-O-β-glucopyranoside (8), kaempferol-3-O-α-rhamnopyranoside (9), quercetin-3-O-β-glucopyranoside (10), and one benzoic acid derivative; 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (11) were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract. The structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods.

Antiprotozoal and Antiglycation Activities of Sesquiterpene Coumarins from Ferula narthex Exudate

The exudate of Ferula narthex Boiss. (Apiaceae) is widely used in the Indian subcontinent as a spice and because of its health effects. Six sesquiterpene coumarins have been isolated from this exudate: feselol, ligupersin A, asacoumarin A, 8'-O-acetyl-asacoumarin A, 10'R-karatavacinol and 10'R-acetyl-karatavacinol. Based on its use in infectious and diabetic conditions, the isolated constituents were evaluated for antimicrobial and antiglycation activities. Some compounds showed activity against protozoal parasites, asacoumarin A being the most active one against Plasmodium falciparum K1 (IC50 1.3 μM). With regard to antiglycation activity, in the BSA-glucose test, ligupersin A displayed the highest activity (IC50 0.41 mM), being more active than the positive control aminiguanidine (IC50 1.75 mM). In the BSA-MGO assay, the highest activity was shown by 8'-O-acetyl-asacoumarin A (IC50 1.03 mM), being less active than aminoguanidine (IC50 0.15 mM). Hence, the antiglycation activity of the isolated constituents was due to both oxidative and non-oxidative modes of inhibition.

Profiling of Coumarins in Peucedanum palustre (L.) Moench Populations Growing in Finland

The coumarin composition of Peucedanum palustre (L.) Moench populations growing in Finland was investigated. A total of 132 flowering P. palustre specimens from 43 locations in southern and central Finland were collected, divided into root, stem, leaf, and umbel samples, and analyzed by HPLC. HPLC coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry was used to aid the identification of coumarins. A total of 13 coumarin-structured compounds were quantitatively analyzed from the samples. The coumarin profile of root samples was found to differ from the aerial plant parts. The main coumarins in roots were oxypeucedanin and columbianadin. In aerial parts, peulustrin isomers were the most abundant coumarin components. Umbels and leaves also contained a considerable amount of umbelliprenin, which was only found in traces in roots. Based on hierarchical cluster analysis of the coumarin profiles, some populations shared common characteristics. The most distinct property connecting certain populations was their high peulustrin content. Another notable common property between some populations was the high umbelliprenin content in aerial plant parts. Some populations were clustered together due to their low overall coumarin content.

Foetithiophenes C-F, thiophene derivatives from the roots of Ferula foetida

CONTEXT

Ferula foetida Regel (Apiaceae) is an Iranian medicinal plant with various biological activities including antispasmodic and anthelmintic.

OBJECTIVE

The sulfur compounds from the roots of F. foetida were isolated and characterized to test their cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The methanolic extract of the roots of F. foetida was fractionated using silica column chromatography. The components of each fraction were further purified using RP-HPLC. Their structures were elucidated by 1- and 2-D NMR spectroscopy as well as HREIMS. Their cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities were evaluated using Alamar Blue assay and broth microdilution method, respectively.

RESULTS

Four new thiophene derivatives, namely foetithiophenes C-F (3-6), together with four known compounds, foetithiophenes A (1) and B (2), coniferaldehyde, and sinapic aldehyde, were isolated from the roots of F. foetida. Antimicrobial activities were observed in particular against the Gram-positive bacteria. The best antimicrobial activity was observed for compound 6 against B. cereus with a MIC value 50 µg/mL. The tested compounds did not show cytotoxic properties against MCF-7 and K562 cells.

CONCLUSION

Four new thiophene derivatives including foetithiophenes C-F (3-6) were characterized from the roots of F. foetida. Foetithiophene F (6) exhibited the most potent activity against the Gram-positive bacteria B. cereus.

Influenza A (H(1)N(1)) Antiviral and Cytotoxic Agents from Ferula assa-foetida

Two new sesquiterpene coumarins, designated 5'-acetoxy-8'-hydroxyumbelliprenin (1) and 10'R-acetoxy-11'-hydroxyumbelliprenin (2), and a new diterpene, 15-hydroxy-6-en-dehydroabietic acid (3), along with 27 known compounds, were isolated from a CHCl(3)-soluble extract of Ferula assa-foetida through bioassay-guided fractionation. The structures of the new metabolites 1-3 were identified by spectroscopic data interpretation and by the Mosher ester method. Compounds 4 and 6-13 showed greater potency against influenza A virus (H(1)N(1)) (IC(50) 0.26-0.86 microg/mL) than amantadine (IC(50) 0.92 microg/mL), and 11 exhibited the best potency (IC(50) 0.51, 2.6, and 3.4 microg/mL) of these compounds against the HepG2, Hep3B, and MCF-7 cancer cell lines, respectively.

Natural sesquiterpenoids

This review covers the isolation, structural determination, synthesis and chemical and microbiological transformations of natural sesquiterpenoids. 423 references are cited.