Anti-inflammatory activity of isobutylamides from zanthoxylum nitidum var. tomentosum

Sesquilignans PD from Zanthoxylum nitidum var. tomentosum exerts antitumor effects via the ROS/MAPK pathway in liver cancer cells

Sesquilignans PD is a natural phenylpropanoid compound that was isolated from Zanthoxylum nitidum var. tomentosum. In this study, we assessed the antitumor effect of PD on SK-Hep-1 and HepG2 cells and the underlying molecular mechanisms. The results revealed that PD markedly inhibited the proliferation and migration of both liver cancer cells. Moreover, PD induced apoptosis, autophagy, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in liver cancer cells. Notably, PD increased the protein levels of p-p38 MAPK and p-ERK1/2 in liver cancer cells. This is the first report on the anticancer effect of PD, which is mediated via increased ROS production and MAPK signaling activation.

A new phenylpropanoic acid congener from Zanthoxylum nitidum

One new phenylpropanoic acid congener, 2R-(5'-methoxy) pandanusphenol B (1), along with 26 known isolates, were isolated from Zanthoxylum nitidum. Their structures were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic data and circular dichroism analyses. All compounds, except 4, 7-10, 15, 17, 19 and 25, were reported from Z. nitidum for the first time. Among them, 16 compounds (1-3, 5-6, 12-14, 16, 20-24 and 26-27) were discovered from genus Zanthoxylum for the first time, while 15 compounds (1-3, 5-6, 12-14, 20-24 and 26-27) were isolated from the Rutaceae family for the first time. All isolates were evaluated for their cytotoxicity against five human cancer cell lines and the results showed that compound 27 exhibited significant cytotoxicity toward HepG2 and T24, with IC50 values of 2.49 and 7.0 μM, respectively.

Pharmacological activities of Zanthoxylum L. plants and its exploitation and utilization

The study aims to provide an up-to-date review at the advancements of the investigations on the ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacological effect and exploitation and utilizations of Zanthoxylum L. Besides, the possible tendency and perspective for future research of this plant are discussed, as well. This article uses "Zanthoxylum L." "Zanthorylum bungeanum" as the keywords and collects relevant information on Zanthoxylum L. plants through electronic searches (Elsevier, PubMed, ACS, Web of Science, Science Direct, CNKI, Google Scholar), relevant books, and classic literature about Chinese herb. The plants of this genus are rich in volatile oils, alkaloids, amides, lignans, coumarins and organic acids, and has a wide range of pharmacological activities, including but not limited to anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-tumor, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, antioxidant and anti-infectious. This article reviewed both Chinese and international research progress on the active ingredients and pharmacological activities of Zanthoxylum L. as well as the applications of this genus in the fields of food, medicinal and daily chemicals, and clarified the material basis of its pharmacological activities. Based on traditional usage, phytochemicals, and pharmacological properties, of Zanthoxylum L. species, which indicate that they possess diverse bioactive metabolites with interesting bioactivities. Zanthoxylum L. is a potential medicinal and edible plant with diverse pharmacological effects. Due to its various advantages, it may have vast application potential in the food and medicinal industries and daily chemicals. Nonetheless, the currently available data has several gaps in understanding the herbal utilization of Zanthoxylum L. Thus, further research into their toxicity, mechanisms of actions of the isolated bioactive metabolites, as well as scientific connotations between the traditional medicinal uses and pharmacological properties is required to unravel their efficacy in therapeutic potential for safe clinical application.

New Meroterpenoids and α-Pyrone Derivatives Isolated from the Mangrove Endophytic Fungal Strain Aspergillus sp. GXNU-Y85

Two new meroterpenoids, aspergienynes O and P (1 and 2), one new natural compound, aspergienyne Q (3), and a new α-pyrone derivative named 3-(4-methoxy-2-oxo-2H-pyran-6-yl)butanoic acid (4) were isolated from the mangrove endophytic fungal strain Aspergillus sp. GXNU-Y85, along with five known compounds (5-9). The absolute configurations of those new isolates were confirmed through extensive analysis using spectroscopic data (HRESIMS, NMR, and ECD). The pharmacological study of the anti-proliferation activity indicated that isolates 5 and 9 displayed moderate inhibitory effects against HeLa and A549 cells, with the IC50 values ranging from 16.6 to 45.4 μM.

Alkaloids from Zanthoxylum nitidum and their anti-proliferative activity against A549 cells by regulating the EGFR/AKT/mTOR pathway

Zanthoxylum nitidum is frequently used as a traditional Chinese medicine and food supplement. Our previous study revealed that its constituent compounds were able to inhibit cancer cell proliferation. In our continuous exploration of bioactive compounds in Z. nitidum, we isolated ten alkaloids (1-10), including one new natural compound (1), and nine known alkaloids (2-10), from an ethanolic extract of the whole plant. The chemical structures were elucidated based on a combination of comprehensive NMR and HRESIMS analyses. Compounds 5, 8 and 10 exhibited significant antiproliferative effects against A549 cancer cell lines. We further elucidated the underlying molecular mechanisms of the antiproliferative activity of compound 8 in A549 human lung cancer cells. Compound 8 was found to induce cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase via p53 activation and CDK4/6 suppression. Compound 8 also effectively inhibited cell migration through the modulation of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), as indicated by the expression of biomarkers, such as N-cadherin downregulation and E-cadherin upregulation. Compound 8 significantly suppressed the activation of the EGFR/AKT/mTOR signalling pathway in A549 cells. These results indicate that alkaloid 8 from Z. nitidum has potential to be a lead antiproliferative compound in cancer cells.

Diisoprenyl-cyclohexene-type meroterpenoids from a mangrove endophytic fungus Aspergillus sp. GXNU-Y65 and their anti-nonalcoholic steatohepatitis activity in AML12 cells

Nine previously undescribed diisoprenyl-cyclohexene-type meroterpenoids, aspergienynes A-I, together with five known analogues, were obtained from the mangrove endophytic fungal strain Aspergillus sp. GXNU-Y65. The diisoprenyl-cyclohexene-type meroterpenoids were elucidated based on multispectroscopic analysis, and the previously undescribed compounds' absolute configurations were established via electronic circular dichroism calculations. Biological activity results indicated that aspergienyne C (compound 3) had strong anti-nonalcoholic steatohepatitis activity against AML12 cells treated with PA (Palmitic acid) + OA (Oleic acid). At the same concentration of 20 μM, 3 significantly reduced triglyceride (TG) content compared with fenofibrate (positive control) in PA + OA treated AML12 cells, and obviously increased phosphorylation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase.

Diisoprenyl Cyclohexene-Type Meroterpenoids with Cytotoxic Activity from a Mangrove Endophytic Fungus Aspergillus sp. GXNU-Y85

Five new diisoprenyl cyclohexene-type meroterpenoids, aspergienynes J-N (1-5), along with three known analogues (6-8), were obtained from the mangrove endophytic fungal strain Aspergillus sp. GXNU-Y85. The chemical structures, including their absolute configurations, were established via spectroscopic data and comparison of experimental and calculated ECD spectra. Cytotoxicity assay results indicated that compound 8 had strong cytotoxicity against HeLa cancer cells, and its IC50 value was 11.8 μM. In addition, flow cytometry analysis revealed that the cytotoxicity of 8 was due to the induction of G1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in HeLa cells.

SSR molecular marker developments and genetic diversity analysis of Zanthoxylum nitidum (Roxb.) DC

Zanthoxylum nitidum (Roxb.) is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine. However, the collection and protection of wild germplasm resources of Z. nitidum are still insufficient, and there is limited research on its genetic diversity and fingerprint. In the present study, 15 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were developed by genotyping based on multiplexed shotgun sequencing. The genetic diversity of 51 populations (142 individuals) of Z. nitidum was evaluated using these 15 SSRs. A total of 245 alleles (Na) were detected, with an average value of 16.333, and the average polymorphism information content was 0.756. The genetic distance among 51 populations was 0.164~1.000, with an average of 0.659. Analysis of molecular variance showed low genetic differentiation (40%) and high genetic differentiation (60%) between populations and individuals, respectively. The genetic differentiation coefficient (Fst) of the population was 0.338, indicating that 66.2% of the genetic variation occurred within the population, and the gene flow (Nm) was 0.636, demonstrating that the gene exchange between populations was low. Clustering analysis revealed that the genetic similarity coefficient was 0.30, dividing the 51 populations into 4 groups of 2, 17, 3, and 29 populations. There was no specific relationship between geographical location differences and genetic distance. The genetic diversity level of Z. nitidum is relatively high, and our results provide a theoretical basis for the rapid identification of Z. nitidum germplasm resources and variety selection.

Undescribed isoquinolines from Zanthoxylum nitidum and their antiproliferative effects against human cancer cell lines

Eleven previously undescribed alkaloids, including three pairs of enantiomers nitidumalkaloids A-C, a pair of scalemic mixtures nitidumalkaloid D and three optically pure or achiral alkaloids, nitidumalkaloids E-G, along with 20 known alkaloids, were isolated from an ethanolic extract of the whole Zanthoxylum nitidum (Roxb.) DC plant. The chemical structures of the alkaloids were elucidated using a combination of comprehensive nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and high-resolution electro-spray ionization mass spectrometry (HR-ESI-MS) analyses. The configuration of the stereogenic centers of all undescribed compounds was precisely established based on single-crystal X-ray diffraction and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. Racemic mixtures of nitidumalkaloids A-D were purified, and their enantiomers were analyzed via chiral-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection measurements (HPLC-ECD). Twelve compounds exhibited significant antiproliferative activities against a panel of cancer cell lines. Further studies were designed to investigate the underlying molecular mechanism of (1'S, 6R)-nitidumalkaloid B, which was the most active antiproliferative agent against human cancer A549 cells. G2/M cell cycle arrest, induction of apoptosis, and suppression of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway were in part associated with the antiproliferative activity of (1'S, 6R)-nitidumalkaloid B. Moreover, (1'S, 6R)-nitidumalkaloid B inhibited cell migration by downregulating the epithelial-mesenchymal transition process in A549 cells. These data suggest that the antiproliferation activity of (1'S, 6R)-nitidumalkaloid B was correlated with the stereoselectivity of the stereoisomers, and (1'S, 6R)-nitidumalkaloid B was prioritized as a potential leading compound for the management of aggressive human non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) from natural products.

Structurally diverse isobutylamides from Zanthoxylum nitidum

Five pairs of new racemic alkamides (1a/1b and 4a/4b-7a/7b) and two new achiral derivatives (2-3), as well as five known ones (8-12), were purified from the 95% EtOH extract of Zanthoxylum nitidum. Their structures were elucidated based on spectroscopic analyses (NMR and HR-ESI-MS), electronic circular dichroism (ECD) and NMR calculations. The enantiomeric separation was successfully achieved by chiral-phase HPLC-ECD measurements. Among all the isolates, compounds 2, 3, and 10 showed inhibitory effects against five human cancer cell lines, with IC₅₀ values in range of 18.51-48.03 μM.

In Vitro Inhibitory Effects of Maqian Essential Oil against Ectopic Endometrial Stromal Cells and LPS-Induced Endometrial Epithelial Cells

Previous studies revealed that MQEO (Maqian fruits essential oil), which is extracted from the fruit of Maqian (Zanthoxylum myriacanthum var. Pubescens), had a good anti-inflammatory effect, but the effect on endometriosis in vitro remains unknown. In the present study, the inhibitory effects of MQEO against the EESCs (ectopic endometrial stromal cells) were investigated. Cells were treated with a concentration gradient (from 0.025 % to 0.15 %) of MQEO for 24 h and cell viability was detected by CCK-8. In addition, apoptotic rates were investigated using flow cytometry. The effect of MQEO on cell migration was determined by wound-healing and transwell assay. The expression of apoptosis-associated and cell adhesion-related proteins was assessed by western blotting. The transcriptional levels of IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-α were determined by Real-time qPCR. RNA-seq was used to identify the DEGs (differentially expressed genes) in MQEO-pretreated EESCs. We found that the MQEO condition dosage-dependently reduced the cell viability of EESCs. Based on flow cytometry results, the number of apoptotic cells increased significantly with dosage. The wound-healing and transwell results showed that MQEO group exhibited a significantly decreased cell motility and migration ability in comparison with the normal group. Western blotting results showed that MQEO down-regulated the expression of Bcl-2, ICAM-1 (intercellular adhesion molecule 1) and CD44, but up-regulated the cleaved caspase-3 expression in EESCs. What's more, MQEO also inhibited the LPS-induced inflammation in human EECs (endometrial epithelial cells). RNA-seq revealed that 221 DEGs were up-regulated genes and 284 DEGs were down-regulated in MQEO-pretreated EESCs. Our data uncovered the beneficial effects of MQEO in endometriosis and provided new insights into the mechanism of the effect of MQEO on EESCs, suggesting MQEO could be a promising new therapeutic agent for endometriosis.

Four New Sesquiterpenoids from Zanthoxylum nitidum

Zanthoxylum nitidum (Roxb.) DC., is one of Guangxi's characteristic national medicines, and is the classic Laoban medicine of Yao people "Ru Shan Hu" and Zhuang medicine "Liang Bei Zhen". It has been used as an anti-inflammatory, analgesic and haemostatic medicine for thousands of years. In this study, four new sesquiterpenoids (1-4), along with six previously described coumarins (5-10), were isolated from 95 % EtOH extract of Zanthoxylum nitidum. Comprehensive spectroscopic analyses (NMR and HR-ESI-MS) were used to elucidate the structures of these isolates. The absolute configurations of nitidumine A-D (1-4) were established by electronic circular dichroism (ECD). Their cytotoxicity of all the isolates against five cancer cell lines (T24, HeLa, MGC-803, A549, and HepG2) was evaluated by MTT experiment and found not to be cytotoxicity.

Taxonomic delimitation and molecular identification of clusters within the species Zanthoxylumnitidum (Rutaceae) in China

Zanthoxylumnitidum, known as Liang-Mian-Zhen in China, is a traditional Chinese medicinal plant used to treat traumatic injury, rheumatism, paralysis, toothache, stomach ache, and venomous snake bites. Two varieties of the species have been described and three morphological types have been reported within the original variety. However, taxonomic delimitation and molecular markers for distinguishing these varieties and types within this species remain unknown. Since different populations exhibit varying chemical compositions, easy identification of intraspecific taxa is crucial. We collected 420 individuals from 38 natural populations, 3 samples of standard medicinal material, and 17 folk-medicine samples to perform classification and identification within Zanthoxylumnitidum. Four distinct genetic clusters (A, B, C, and D) were highly supported by the nuclear barcode. Two distinct chloroplast clusters (A1 and A2) were further detected within A, and three others had one-to-one correspondence with the remaining nuclear clusters. Molecular identification showed that the 17 folk samples comprised A1, A2, B, and D, while the 3 standard samples belonged to A2. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and rbcL gene are proposed as barcodes for rapid and accurate identification of the different Liang-Mian-Zhen lineages in China. This study highlights the importance of accurate taxonomic delimitation in combination with rapid and accurate molecular identification of medicinal plants.

Two new isoquinolines from Corydalis saxicola

Two new isoquinolines (1 and 3), along with 4 known isoquinolines were obtained from the ethanol extract of Corydalis saxicola Bunting. Their structures were elucidated based on detailed spectroscopic data (NMR, HR-ESIMS) and comparison with literature data. The absolute configurations of the new compounds were assigned by comparing computed electronic circular dichroism (ECD). The anti-inflammatory effects of the isolates were assessed by inhibiting NO production in LPS-induced RAW264.7 macrophage cells, and the results showed that compounds 1-6 exhibited anti-inflammatory activities, with IC₅₀ values ranged from 44.24 ± 1.16 to 69.00 ± 5.41 µM.

Geographical origin determination of Red Huajiao in China using the electronic nose combined with ensemble recognition algorithm

Red Huajiao was the most important Zanthoxylum species in China, and its quality was highly determined the geographical region. This study was aimed to establish a determination method for the geographical origin recognition of Red Huajiao by using the electronic nose and ensemble recognition algorithm. Six origins of samples were detected by the electronic nose, and two categories of electronic nose sensors characteristic values, named as "optimized characteristic value" and "filtered characteristic value," were obtained by the principal component analysis and discrimination index method and Filter-Wrapper method. Based on the two categories of characteristic values, 22 kinds of model analysis methods, which belonged to five categories of ensemble recognition algorithms were used to recognize the geographical origin. The total recognition accuracy rate of the two categories of characteristic values were 83.9% and 85.7%, respectively. Furthermore, during 22 kinds of model analysis method, the ensemble Subspace KNN and Bagged Trees methods in Ensemble Learning algorithm exhibited the best distinguishing ability with the accuracy rate more than 90%. Therefore, the electronic nose combined with Ensemble Learning would be promising for the geographical origin determination application. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This work demonstrates that the Red Huajiao can be simply and rapidly determined by using electronic nose combined with ensemble recognition algorithm, allowing to effectively distinguish geographical origin of Red Huajiao, which can provide an important reference for the quality assessment of Huajiao.

The neurotrophic and antineuroinflammatory effects of phenylpropanoids from Zanthoxylum nitidum var. tomentosum (Rutaceae)

Three novel lignans (1, 5 and 6) and two novel quinic acids (16 and 17) along with 15 known phenylpropanoids were obtained from the ethanol extract of Zanthoxylum nitidum var. tomentosum (Rutaceae). Their structures were confirmed by comprehensive spectroscopic data (NMR and HRESIMS), and the absolute configurations of all novel compounds were elucidated based on electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectroscopic data. The production of nitric oxide (NO) in BV-2 microglial cells induced through lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used to evaluate in vitro anti-neuroinflammatory activity of compounds 1-20. Compound 2, 3, 7 and 16 showed excellent inhibition of LPS-induced NO production. The structure-activity relationships of the isolates were investigated. In addition, the mechanism of action of 2 was elucidated by RT-PCR and Western blotting analysis, which indicated that it reduced neuroinflammatory mainly through NLRP3/caspase1 signaling pathways in LPS-induced BV2 microglial cells.