Novel nardosinane type sesquiterpenoids from Nardostachys chinensis Batal

A review on traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology and the analytical methods of the genus Nardostachys

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The plants of the genus Nardostachys (Caprifoliaceae) have been used for a long history in different cultural systems of medicine, including Chinese, Ayurvedic, Korean folk medicine and Islamic, for treatments of disorders in nervous, digestive, cardiovascular and integumentary systems.

AIM OF THE REVIEW

This review aims to provide comprehensive information on Nardostachys plants including botany update, traditional uses, data mining of uses in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and current Chinese medicinal patents, chemical constituents, pharmacological effects, toxicity and analytical method studies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Studies of the genus Nardostachys were collected via Google Scholar and Baidu Scholar, ScienceDirect, SciFinder, Wiley Online Library, ACS Publications, NLM/NCBI, Web of Science, CNKI, WANFANG DATA, EMBASE, Huabeing database and Traditional Chinese Medicine Resource Network and libraries. Some local books, PhD or MS's dissertations were also included. The literatures cited in this review covered the period from 1962 to March 2021. The Plant List and Kew Herbarium Catalogue databases were used to authenticate the scientific name.

RESULTS

Botany description of Nardostachys genus is updated. Analysis of the literatures indicates that Nardostachys species are valuable herbs with therapeutic potentials for various disorders. Data mining on ancient TCM prescriptions and current Chinese medicinal patents containing Nardostachys revealed its common compatibility with other herbs in China. Phytochemical studies identified terpenoids and phenolic compounds as the main constituents in the genus Nardostachys and sesquiterpenoids as the major bioactive components. Experimental studies demonstrated that crude extracts, major fractions and the main constituents from Nardostachys species mainly exhibited pharmacological activities on nervous, digestive, cardiovascular and skin systems. Further, in vivo and in vitro toxicological studies demonstrated that Nardostachys plants showed either no or low toxicities, except at high doses. Finally, methods of qualitative and quantitative analyses on chemical constituents of genus Nardostachys were summarized, including TLC/HPTLC, GC and HPLC/UPLC methods, combined with common detectors including PDA, DAD and MS.

CONCLUSIONS

This review summarizes the progress on phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology and analytical methods of the genus Nardostachys. Studies demonstrate traditional uses of the genus Nardostachys, and reveal novel bioactive effects for clinical uses. These achievements expand our knowledge on the genus Nardostachys and its clinical value.

Lemnardosinanes A-I: New Bioactive Sesquiterpenoids from Soft Coral Lemnalia sp

Two rearranged nardosinane sesquiterpenoids with novel carbon skeletons, lemnardosinanes A (1) and B (2), and seven new nardosinane-related sesquiterpeniod lemnardosinanes C-I (3-9), together with a known compound 6,7-seco-13-nornardosinan (10), were isolated from the soft coral Lemnalia sp. collected from Xisha Islands of the South China Sea. Their structures were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic analyses, Mosher's method, Mo₂(OAc)₄-induced circular dichroism experiment, and quantum chemical calculations. Plausible biosynthetic pathways of 1-10 were proposed. Compounds 1 and 10 displayed in vivo angiogenesis promoting activity in a zebrafish model. Compounds 3 and 4 exhibited antiviral activity against the H1N1 virus with IC₅₀ values of 10.9 and 41.5 μM, respectively.

Clavukoellians A-F, Highly Rearranged Nardosinane Sesquiterpenoids with Antiangiogenic Activity from Clavularia koellikeri

Six new nardosinane-type sesquiterpenoids, clavukoellians A-F (1-6), together with one new neolemnane-type sesquiterpene, 4- O-deacetylparalemnolin D (7), were isolated from the marine soft coral Clavularia koellikeri. The structures of compounds 1-7 were elucidated by NMR spectroscopy, ECD analysis, and quantum chemical calculation methods. Compounds 1 and 7 demonstrated significant antiangiogenic activities in wound healing assays on HUVECs.

Novel serotonin transporter regulators: Natural aristolane- and nardosinane- types of sesquiterpenoids from Nardostachys chinensis Batal

Serotonin transporter (SERT) is a classic target of drug discovery for neuropsychiatric and digestive disorders, and against those disorders, plants of Nardostachys genus have been valued for centuries in the systems of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurvedic and Unani. Herein, chemical investigation on the roots and rhizomes of Nardostachys chinensis Batal. led to the isolation of forty sesquiterpenoids including six new aristolane-type sesquiterpenoids and six new nardosinane-type sesquiterprenoids. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic methods, combined with analyses of circular dichroism and single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. To explore natural product scaffolds with SERT regulating activity, a high-content assay for measurement of SERT function in vitro was conducted to evaluate the SERT regulating properties of these isolates. In conclusion, eleven compounds could be potential natural product scaffolds for developing drug candidates targeting SERT. Among which, kanshone C of aristolane-type sesquiterpenoid inhibited SERT most strongly, while desoxo-nachinol A of nardosinane-type sesquiterpenoid instead enhanced SERT potently.