Two new triterpenes from camellia sinensis and camellia sasanqua

Oxidosqualene Cyclases Involved in the Biosynthesis of Diverse Triterpenes in Camellia sasanqua

Camellia sasanqua is an important economic plant that is rich in lipophilic triterpenols with pharmacological activities including antiallergic, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities. However, the key enzymes related to triterpene biosynthesis have seldom been studied in C. sasanqua. Oxidosqualene cyclases (OSCs) are the rate-limiting enzymes related to triterpene biosynthesis. In this study, seven putative OSC genes (CsOSC1-7) were mined from the C. sasanqua transcriptome. Six CsOSCs were characterized for the biosynthesis of diverse triterpene skeletons, including α-amyrin, β-amyrin, δ-amyrin, dammarenediol-II, ψ-taraxasterol, taraxasterol, and cycloartenol by the heterologous expression system. CsOSC3 was a multiple functional α-amyrin synthase. Three key residues, Trp260, Tyr262, and Phe415, are critical to the catalytic performance of CsOSC3 judging from the results of molecular docking and site-directed mutagenesis. These findings provide important insights into the biosynthesis pathway of triterpenes in C. sasanqua.

Triterpenoid saponins and acylated prosapogenins from Harpullia austro-caledonica

Three new triterpenoid saponins have been isolated from the stem bark of Harpullia austro-caledonica and identified as 24-O-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1->2)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-28-O-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1->2)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-protoaescigenin, 24-O-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1->2)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-28-O-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1->2)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-16-desoxyprotoaescigenin, 24-O-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1->2)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-28-O-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1->2)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-24-oxo-camelliagenin D. The 21,22-di-O-angeloate esters of protoaescigenin and barringtogenol C were isolated in the acid hydrolysate of the saponin extract together with a new prosapogenin identified as 21beta,22alpha-di-O-angeloyl camelliagenin D. The structures were established using one- and two- dimensional NMR and mass spectrometry.

A triterpenoid saponin from Maesa ramentacea

The structure of a piscicidal triterpenoid saponin (saponin A) isolated from the leaves of Maesa ramentacea has been shown to be 3-O-[[(alpha-rhamnopyranosyl (1-->2)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)-beta-D-galactopyranosyl (1-->3)]-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->2)]-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl] barringtogenol C21, 22-O-diangeloate. Extensive use was made of homo- and heteronuclear 2D NMR techniques.