Unusual cadinane-type sesquiterpene glycosides with α-glucosidase inhibitory activities from the fruit of Cornus officinalis Sieb. et Zuuc

Therapeutic Potential of Cornus Genus: Navigating Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, Clinical Studies, and Advanced Delivery Approaches

The genus Cornus (Cornaceae) plants are widely distributed in Europe, southwest Asia, North America, and the mountains of Central America, South America, and East Africa. Cornus plants exhibit antimicrobial, antioxidative, antiproliferative, cytotoxic, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective and immunomodulatory activities. These plants are exploited to possess various phytoconstituents such as triterpenoids, iridoids, anthocyanins, tannins and flavonoids. Pharmacological research and clinical investigations on various Cornus species have advanced significantly in recent years. Over the past few decades, a significant amount of focus has also been made into developing new delivery systems for Cornus mas and Cornus officinalis. This review focuses on the morphological traits, ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacological activities and clinical studies on extracts and active constituents from plants of Cornus genus. The review also highlights recent novel delivery systems for Cornus mas and Cornus officinalis extracts to promote sustained and targeted delivery in diverse disorders. The overwhelming body of research supports the idea that plants from the genus Cornus have therapeutic potential and can be investigated in the future for treatingseveral ailments.

Chemical Constituents of the Fruits of Cornus Officinalis and Evaluation of their Neuroprotective Activity

The phytochemical investigation of the fruits of Cornus officinalis yielded a new phenolic acid derivative, neophenolic acid A (1), and a novel flavonoid glycoside, (2R)-naringenin-7-O-β-(6''-galloyl-glucopyranoside) (2 a), along with six known flavonoid glycosides (2 b-7). Their structures were determined by 1D, 2D NMR and HRESIMS data. The absolute configuration of 1 was established by ECD analysis. Compounds 1- 7 were evaluated for their neuroprotective activities against corticosterone (CORT)-induced injury in PC-12 cells. Compounds 1, 2 a, 2 b, 5, and 6 exhibited neuroprotective activities against CORT-induced neurotoxicity in PC-12 cells. The underlying mechanism study suggested that compounds 1, 2 a, 2 b, 5, and 6 were able to attenuate CORT-induced apoptosis and damage, increase the levels of MMP and decrease Ca2+ inward flow in PC-12 cells.

A comprehensive review of Cornus officinalis: health benefits, phytochemistry, and pharmacological effects for functional drug and food development

Introduction

Cornus officinalis sieb. et zucc, a deciduous tree or shrub, is renowned for its "Cornus flesh" fruit, which is widely acknowledged for its medicinal value when matured and dried. Leveraging C. officinalis as a foundational ingredient opens avenues for the development of environmentally friendly health foods, ranging from beverages and jams to preserves and canned products. Packed with diverse bioactive compounds, this species manifests a spectrum of pharmacological effects, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic, immunomodulatory, neuroprotective, and cardiovascular protective properties.

Methods

This study employs CiteSpace visual analysis software and a bibliometric analysis platform, drawing upon the Web of Science (WOS) database for literature spanning the last decade. Through a comprehensive analysis of available literature from WOS and Google Scholar, we present a thorough summary of the health benefits, phytochemistry, active compounds, and pharmacological effects of C. officinalis. Particular emphasis is placed on its potential in developing functional drugs and foods.

Results and Discussion

While this review enhances our understanding of C. officinalis as a prospective therapeutic agent, its clinical applicability underscores the need for further research and clinical studies to validate findings and establish safe and effective clinical applications.

Sesquiterpenoids from Alpinia oxyphylla with GLP-1 Stimulative Effects through Ca2+/CaMKII and PKA Pathways and Multiple-Enzyme Inhibition

Six new sesquiterpenoids (1-6), a pair of enantiomers (7a and 7b), and six known ones (8-13) were isolated from the fruits of Alpinia oxyphylla. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic data and ECD calculations. The stereochemistry of 7a and 7b was reported for the first time. All compounds showed significant GLP-1 stimulation in NCI-H716 cells with promoting ratios ranging from 90.4 to 668.9% at 50 μM. Mechanism study indicated that compound 6 stimulated GLP-1 secretion mainly by regulating the transcription and the shearing process of proglucagon, while compound 13 exerted its effects through up-regulating prkaca levels. Interestingly, the GLP-1 stimulative effects of 6 and 13 were both closely related with Ca2+/CaMKII and PKA pathways but irrelevant to TGR5 and GPR119 receptors. Moreover, most compounds exhibited inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase and PTP1B at concentrations of 100 and 200 μM, while showing no activity against GPa. Compounds 3, 9, 11, and 13 could suppress α-glucosidase with IC50 values of 190.0, 204.0, 181.8, and 159.6 μM, equivalent to acarbose (IC50 = 212.0 μM). This study manifests that A. oxyphylla contains diverse sesquiterpenoids with multiple activities.

α-Glucosidase inhibition of sesquiterpenoids from the heartwood of Mansonia gagei

Nine undescribed sesquiterpenoids, along with ten known compounds, were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of Mansonia gagei heartwood. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic data analysis (FTIR, 1D, 2D NMR, and HRESIMS), and their absolute configurations were established by ECD calculation. The isolated compounds were evaluated for their inhibitory effect against α-glucosidase from yeast. The results showed that mansonone U, mansonialactam, heliclactone and mansonone S exhibited exceptionally potent activities when compared to the positive control, acarbose, with IC₅₀ values of 12.38 ± 0.71, 0.20 ± 0.05, 13.12 ± 2.85, and 12.05 ± 1.91 μM, respectively. Among them, mansonialactam possessed the most potent inhibitory activity against yeast α-glucosidase, and it showed an uncompetitive inhibition mode.

Secoiridoid dimers and their biogenetic precursors from the fruits of Cornus officinalis with potential therapeutic effects on type 2 diabetes

Cornusdiridoid A-F (1-6), six unusual cornuside-morroniside secoiridoid dimers, and their possible new biogenetic precursor, 3″,5″-dehydroxycornuside (7), together with four known secoiridoids (8-11), were obtained from the fruits of Cornus officinalis. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of various spectroscopic and chemical methods. A plausible biosynthetic pathway of compounds 1-11 was proposed. The α-glucosidase inhibitory, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of these isolates were evaluated. Some of them emerged out as potent antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory and free radical scavenging agents. Molecular docking was also carried out for antidiabetic target α-glucosidase to investigate the possible binding modes of the most potent α-glucosidase inhibitor, vincosamide (9). These results revealed that the secoiridoids from C. officinalis fruits may be served as new potential antidiabetic agents to prevent and treat type 2 diabetes.

Undescribed morroniside-like secoiridoid diglycosides with α-glucosidase inhibitory activity from Corni Fructus

Corni Fructus, also known as the fruit of Cornus officinalis Sieb. et Zucc., has long been used as a traditional Chinese medicine and is widely consumed as a nutritional food in the form of function drink and wine. Recently, Corni Fructus has attracted considerable interest because of its anti-diabetic effects. A systematic phytochemical investigation of Corni Fructus was performed to find anti-diabetic components, which led to the isolation of 10 unreported iridoid glycosides, cornusdiglycosides A-J (1-8, 9a/9b and 10a/10b). Their chemical structures were determined through spectroscopic analysis (ultraviolet [UV], infrared [IR], high-resolution electrospray ionisation mass spectroscopy [HRESIMS], one-dimensional [1D] and two-dimensional [2D] nuclear magnetic resonance [NMR]). Such morroniside-type diglycosides were first reported from natural sources, and all isolates were evaluated for α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. The results showed that all compounds (1-10) exhibited α-glucosidase (from Saccharomyces cerevisiae) inhibitory activities with IC₅₀ values ranging from 78.9 ± 4.09 to 162.2 ± 9.17 μM, whereas acarbose, the positive control, displayed α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with IC₅₀ value of 118.9 ± 7.89 μM.

Cornusglucosides A and B, Two New Iridoid Glucosides from the Fruit of Cornus officinalis

Phytochemical study on the fruit of Cornus officinalis Sieb. et Zucc. yielded two new iridoid glucosides, named cornusglucoside A (1) and cornusglucoside B (2). The structures of 1 and 2 were elucidated via comprehensive NMR and HR-ESI-MS data analysis. Additionally, their inhibitory effects on IL-6-induced STAT3 activation were assessed.