Polyyne hybrid compounds from Notopterygium incisum with peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma agonistic effects

A systematic review of the botany, traditional use, phytochemistry, analytical methods, pharmacological effects and pharmacokinetics of NOTOPTERYGII RHIZOMA ET RADIX

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

NOTOPTERYGII RHIZOMA ET RADIX (NRR), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has been utilized in China for millennia. Thriving in high-altitude regions with cold climates, wild NRR has been heavily exploited for its significant economic worth, particularly in the medical sector.

THE AIM OF THE REVIEW

This paper presents a comprehensive review of the botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, analytical methods, quality control, processing methods, pharmacological effects, and pharmacokinetics of NRR. These findings offer valuable insights for future research endeavors and establish a solid groundwork for the judicious clinical utilization of NRR.

MATERIALS AND METHOD

The related information for NRR comes from scientific databases (such as Baidu Scholar, CNKI, Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, SciFinder Scholar, Chinese Herb Classics, Chinese Pharmacopoeia, PhD and MSC Dissertations, etc.).

RESULTS

Currently, components isolated from NRR are identified as coumarins, volatile oils, organic acids, flavonoids, glycosides, polyacetylenes, and trace elements. Most compounds are analyzed using HPLC and GC techniques. NRR exhibits a broad spectrum of pharmacological effects, such as anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic, antitumor, antiviral, antibacterial, immunosuppressive activities, as well as promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis, providing neuroprotection, and liver protection.

CONCLUSION

The research on NRR in phytochemistry and pharmacology has made great progress, and some traditional uses have been proven by modern pharmacology. However, because the complex chemical composition of NRR has not been effectively related to its pharmacological action, its mechanism of action has not been clearly expounded. In this review, the processing methods of NRR are summarized, and the exploration of further strengthening the processing mechanism of NRR is put forward, which provides some theoretical help for the clinical application of NRR. Furthermore, the complex chemical composition of NRR makes quality control difficult, so we must study its quality control thoroughly. In order to better develop and utilize NRR, we should establish a reasonable, reliable, and accurate quality control standard, and focus on the relationship between its active components and pharmacodynamic indicators and the study of its mechanism of pharmacological effects.

Phytochemistry and Biological Profile of the Chinese Endemic Herb Genus Notopterygium

Notopterygium, a plant genus belonging to the Apiaceae family, is utilized in traditional Chinese medicine for its medicinal properties. Specifically, the roots and rhizomes of these plants are employed in phytotherapy to alleviate inflammatory conditions and headaches. This review provides a concise overview of the existing information regarding the botanical description, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and molecular mechanisms of the two Notopterygium species: Notopterygium incisum and N. franchetii. More than 500 distinct compounds have been derived from these plants, with the root being the primary source. These components include volatile oils, coumarins, enynes, sesquiterpenes, organic acids and esters, flavonoids, and various other compounds. Research suggests that Notopterygium incisum and N. franchetii exhibit a diverse array of pharmacological effects, encompassing antipyretic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antiarrhythmic, anticoagulant, antibacterial, antioxidant, and anticancer properties on various organs such as the brain, heart, digestive system, and respiratory system. Building activity screening models based on the pharmacological effects of Notopterygium species, as well as discovering and studying the pharmacological mechanisms of novel active ingredients, will constitute the primary development focus of Notopterygium medicinal research in the future.

Structurally diverse phthalides from fibrous roots of Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. and their biological activities

Falonolide A (1) and B (2), two novel polyyne hybrid phthalides resulting from unprecedented carbon skeleton polymerized by Z-ligustilide and falcarindiol, along with six new related phthalides (3-8), were isolated from Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis, computer-assisted structure elucidation (CASE) analysis, DP4+ probability analysis and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. A plausible biosynthetic pathway for 1-8 was proposed, and the production mechanism of 2 was revealed by density functional theory (DFT) method. Compounds 4 and 6 exhibited significant vasodilatory activity with EC50 of 8.00 ± 0.86 and 6.92 ± 1.02 μM, respectively. Compound 4 also displayed significant inhibitory effect of NO production with EC50 value of 8.82 ± 0.30 μM. Based on the established compounds library, structure-activity relationship analysis of phthalides was explored to provide insights into the drug development of vasodilators and anti-flammatory.

A partial peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma agonist isolated from the roots of Euphorbia sikkimensis

Chemical constituents of the Euphorbia sikkimensis roots was investigated and twelve known compounds were isolated, including three ent-atisane diterpenes: ent-(13S)-hydroxyatis-16-ene-3,14-dione (1), ent-(5β,8α,9β,10α,11α,12α)-11-hydroxyatis-16-ene-3,14-dione (2), ent-atisane-3-oxo-16α,17-diol (3); two kaurene diterpenes: ent-kaurane-3-oxo-16α,17-diol (4), ent-kaurane-3-oxo-16β,17-diol (5); one lathyane diterpene of latilagascene B (6); two flavonoids: quercetin (7), luteolin (8); one lignin d-pinoresinol (9); one coumarin scopoletin (10); together with ethyl gallate (11), p-hydroxybenzaldehyde (12). Their structures were identified based on the extensive spectroscopic analysis in comparison with the literature data. Compounds 1, 2, 4, 6 and 9 were isolated from Euphorbia sikkimensis for the first time. The agonistic activity of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) for compounds 1, 7, 8, 9 and 11 was evaluated. Compound 1 exhibited moderate agonistic activity for PPARγ receptor with relative fluorescence intensity of 10.19 at 30.0 µM, in comparison with that of the positive control of rosiglitazone (28.50 at 2.0 µM).

Polyacetylenes in herbal medicine: A comprehensive review of its occurrence, pharmacology, toxicology, and pharmacokinetics (2014-2021)

Polyacetylenes are a kind of small active compounds with carbon-carbon triple bond with vast occurrence in plants. Polyacetylenes have attracted considerable attention owing to their diverse biofunctions like tumor suppression, immunity regulation, depression resistance and neural protection. The present review intends to reconstruct data concerning the occurrence, pharmacology, toxicology and pharmacokinetics of polyacetylenes from herbal medicine in a systematic and integrated way, with a view to backing up their curative potential and healthcare properties (2014-2021). The natural polyacetylene-related data were all acquired from the scientific search engines and databases that are globally recognized, such as PubMed, Web of Science, Elsevier, Google Scholar, ResearchGate, SciFinderⁿ and CNKI. A total of 183 polyacetylenes were summarized in this paper. Modern pharmacological studies indicated that polyacetylenes possess multiple biological activities including antitumor, immunomodulatory, neuroprotective, anti-depression, anti-obesity, hypoglycemic, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, hepatoprotective and renoprotective activities. As important bioactive components of herbal medicine, the pharmacological curative potential of polyacetylenes has been described against carcinomas, inflammatory responses, central nervous system, endocrine disorders and microbial infection in this review. While, further in-depth studies on the aspects of polyacetylenes for toxicity, pharmacokinetics, and molecular mechanisms are still limited, thereby intensive research and assessments should be performed.

Evodiamine Lowers Blood Lipids by Up-Regulating the PPARγ/ABCG1 Pathway in High-Fat-Diet-Fed Mice

The natural alkaloid evodiamine enhances cholesterol efflux from cultured THP-1-derived macrophages, but whether it has any impact on blood lipids in vivo remains unknown. In this study, the effect of evodiamine on hyperlipidemia induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) was investigated in mice. Intragastric administrations of evodiamine (10 and 20 mg/kg) for 8 weeks resulted in a significant improvement of metabolic lipid profiles by reducing the plasma levels of triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Evodiamine also significantly decreased hepatic lipid accumulation and hepatic total bile acids (TBA). Mechanistically, evodiamine increased ATP-binding cassette transporter G1 (ABCG1) mRNA and protein expression and up-regulated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) expression in the liver. Taken together, the natural product evodiamine lowers blood lipids in HFD-fed mice likely through promoting the PPARγ-ABCG1 signaling pathway.

Synthesis of fused 1,2-naphthoquinones with cytotoxic activity using a one-pot three-step reaction

A method for the synthesis of fused 1,2-naphthoquinones, as analogues of biologically active natural terpene quinones, is described. The intermediate polycyclic naphthalenes were prepared by a one-pot palladium-catalysed process from simple alkynes, one of which was made from an optically pure biomass-derived levoglucosenone. The prepared methoxy-substituted naphthalenes were subsequently transformed in one step to 1,2-naphthoquinones by a trivalent-iodine-mediated oxidation. The naphthoquinone products were found to have cytotoxic properties.

6-[(tert-Butyldimethylsilyl)oxy]-3-ethenyl-7-methoxy-4-[(trimethylsilyl)ethynyl]naphtho[2,3-c]furan-1(3H)-one

The tricyclic core in the title compound, C26H34O4Si2, shows disorder of the furan ring and deviates slightly from planarity, with the largest displacement from the least-squares plane [0.166 (2) Å] for the major disordered part of the methine C atom. To this C atom the likewise disordered vinyl group is attached, lying nearly perpendicular to the tricyclic core. In the crystal, mutual C—H...π interactions between the methine group of the furan ring and the central ring of the tricyclic core of an adjacent molecule lead to inversion-related dimers.

Enantioselective Synthesis and Antifungal Activity of C18 Polyacetylenes

Fungal pathogens cause serious crop diseases and decrease crop yields and quality. Polyacetylene alcohols are plant secondary metabolites and bioactive against various pathogenic fungi. They are, however, difficult to synthesize. In the present study, an efficient and highly enantioselective method (>98% ee) was established and employed to achieve the synthesis of the natural C18 polyacetylenes (S,E)-octadeca-1,9-dien-4,6-diyn-3-ol 1, (3R,10R,E)-octadeca-1,8-dien-4,6-diyne-3,10-diol 2, and their analogs. The title compounds were structurally characterized and biologically evaluated for fungicidal activities. The compounds exhibited high potencies against eight pathogenic fungal species tested, such as Colletotrichum gloeosporioiles, Bipolaris sorokiniana, Fusarium graminearum, and Fusarium pseudograminearum, with half-maximum effective concentrations ranging from 8 to 425 μg/mL, being similar to those of the fungicide thiophanate-methyl (3-408 μg/mL). These compounds are potential natural fungicides and fungicide lead candidates for further structural and property improvements.

A Single Standard to Determine Multi-Components Method Coupled with Chemometric Methods for the Quantification, Evaluation and Classification of Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix from Different Regions

An ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/time of flight mass spectrometry is used to identify 33 compounds in Notopterygii rhizoma and radix, after which a single standard to determine multi-components method is established for the simultaneous determination of 19 compounds in Notopterygii rhizoma and radix using chlorogenic acid and notopterol as the internal standard. To screen the potential chemical markers among Notopterygii rhizoma and radix planted in its natural germination area and in others, the quantitative data of 19 compounds are analyzed via partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). Depending on the variable importance parameters (VIP) value of PLS-DA, six compounds are selected to be the potential chemical markers for the discrimination of Notopterygii rhizoma and radix planted in the different regions. Furthermore, the Fisher's discriminant analysis is used to build the models that are used to classify Notopterygii rhizoma and radix from the different regions based on the six chemical markers. Experimental results indicate that Notopterygii rhizoma and radix planted in the Sichuan province are distinguished successfully from those in other regions, reaching a 96.0% accuracy rating. Therefore, a single standard to determine multi-components method combined with a chemometrics method, which contains the advantages such as simple, rapid, economical and accurate identification, offers a new perspective for the quantification, evaluation and classification of Notopterygii rhizoma and radix from the different regions.

Anti-rheumatoid arthritic effect of volatile components in notopterygium incisum in rats via anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic activities

Notopterygium incisum (QH) has been used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and volatile oils may be its mainly bioactive constituents. The present study was designed to analyze the volatile compounds in QH and to determine the anti-arthritic capacity of Notopterygium volatile oils and the potential mechanism of action. The volatile compounds analysis was conducted by GC-MS. The anti-arthritic capacity test of the volatile oils was conducted on adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) rats. The anti-inflammatory property was tested in NO release model in RAW 264.7 cells. Endothelial cells were used to evaluate the anti-proliferative and anti-tube formative effects. 70 compounds were analyzed by GC-MS in the volatile oils. Notopterygium volatile oils weakened the rat AIA in a dose-dependent manner (2, 4, and 8 g crude drug/kg). The NO production by RAW 264.7 was decreased by more than 50% in Notopterygium volatile oils (5, 15, and 45 μg·mL^-1) pretreated groups. Notopterygium volatile oils also inhibited EAhy926 cell proliferation and further delayed EAhy926 cell capillary tube formation in a concentration-dependent manner. The anti-NO productive, anti-proliferative, and anti-tube formative effects of Notopterygium volatile oils strongly suggested that the therapeutic effect of QH in AIA might be related to the potent anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic capacities of the volatile oils.

Stereoselective Synthesis of the Isomers of Notoincisol A: Assigment of the Absolute Configuration of this Natural Product and Biological Evaluation

The total syntheses of all stereoisomers of notoincisol A, a recently isolated natural product with potential anti-inflammatory activity, are reported. The asymmetric synthesis was conducted employing a lipase-mediated kinetic resolution, which enables easy access to all required chiral building blocks with the aim of establishing the absolute configuration of the naturally occurring isomer. This was achieved by comparison of optical properties of the isolated compound with the synthetic derivatives obtained. Moreover, an assessment of the biological activity on PPARγ (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma) as a prominent receptor related to inflammation is reported. Only the natural isomer was found to activate the PPARγ receptor, and this phenomenon could be explained based on molecular docking studies. In addition, the pharmacological profiles of the isomers were determined using the GABA_A (gamma-aminobutyric acid A) ion channel receptor as a representative target for allosteric modulation related to diverse CNS activities. These compounds were found to be weak allosteric modulators of the α1β3 and α1β2γ2 receptor subtypes.

Nitric oxide inhibitory coumarins from the roots and rhizomes of Notopterygium incisum

Phytochemical study on the roots and rhizomes of Notopterygium incisum resulted in the isolation of six new coumarins, notoptetherins A - F (1-6), and 20 known analogues (7-26). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive analyses of NMR and HRMS data, and the absolute configurations of 5 and 6 were established by Mo₂(AcO)₄-induced CD and exciton chirality, respectively. Moreover, a biomimetic synthesis of 6 from 21 was employed to confirm its absolute configuration. In a subsequent activity screening, compounds 12 and 17 exhibited potent inhibition against LPS-induced nitric oxide production in RAW 264.7 cells with IC₅₀ values of 12.7 and 10.2 μM, respectively.

Oplopanax horridus: Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Diversity and Structure-Activity Relationship on Anticancer Effects

Oplopanax horridus, well-known as Devil's club, is probably the most important ethnobotanical to most indigenous people living in the Pacific Northwest of North America. Compared with the long history of traditional use and widespread distribution in North America, the study of O. horridus is relatively limited. In the past decade, some exciting advances have been presented on the phytochemistry and pharmacological diversity and structure-activity relationship on anticancer effects of O. horridus. To date, no systematic review has been drafted on the recent advances of O. horridus. In this review, the different phytochemicals in O. horridus are compiled, including purified compounds and volatile components. Animal and in vitro studies are also described and discussed. Especially, the potential structural-activity relationship of polyynes on anticancer effects is highlighted. This review aimed to provide comprehensive and useful information for researching O. horridus and finding potential agents in drug discovery.

The Forty-Sixth Euro Congress on Drug Synthesis and Analysis: Snapshot †

The 46th EuroCongress on Drug Synthesis and Analysis (ECDSA-2017) was arranged within the celebration of the 65th Anniversary of the Faculty of Pharmacy at Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia from 5-8 September 2017 to get together specialists in medicinal chemistry, organic synthesis, pharmaceutical analysis, screening of bioactive compounds, pharmacology and drug formulations; promote the exchange of scientific results, methods and ideas; and encourage cooperation between researchers from all over the world. The topic of the conference, "Drug Synthesis and Analysis," meant that the symposium welcomed all pharmacists and/or researchers (chemists, analysts, biologists) and students interested in scientific work dealing with investigations of biologically active compounds as potential drugs. The authors of this manuscript were plenary speakers and other participants of the symposium and members of their research teams. The following summary highlights the major points/topics of the meeting.

The Dietary Constituent Falcarindiol Promotes Cholesterol Efflux from THP-1 Macrophages by Increasing ABCA1 Gene Transcription and Protein Stability

We report increased cholesterol efflux from macrophages in the presence of falcarindiol, an important dietary constituent present in commonly used vegetables and medicinal plants. Falcarindiol (3–20 μM) increased cholesterol efflux from THP-1-derived macrophages. Western blot analysis showed an increased protein level of ABCA1 upon falcarindiol exposure. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed that also ABCA1 mRNA level rise with falcarindiol (10 μM) treatment. The effect of falcarindiol on ABCA1 protein as well as mRNA level were counteracted by co-treatment with BADGE, an antagonist of PPARγ. Furthermore, falcarindiol significantly inhibited ABCA1 protein degradation in the presence of cycloheximide. This post-translational regulation of ABCA1 by falcarindiol occurs most likely by inhibition of lysosomal cathepsins, resulting in decreased proteolysis and extended protein half-life of ABCA1. Taken together, falcarindiol increases ABCA1 protein level by two complementary mechanisms, i.e., promoting ABCA1 gene expression and inhibiting ABCA1 protein degradation, which lead to enhanced cholesterol efflux.

Anti-rheumatoid arthritis effects of traditional Chinese herb couple in adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Clematis chinensis Osbeck / Notopterygium incisum Ting ex H, T-Chang (CN) is a traditional Chinese herb couple with prominent efficacy. The herb couple has been commonly used for clinical treatment of arthralgia syndrome ("Bi Zheng" in Chinese) for centuries in China, including rheumatic arthritis, osteoarthritis and gout in modern medicine.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To evaluate the anti-arthritic effect of CN herb couple in a rat model of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Rats were divided randomly into six groups with eight each. Adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) model was established by intradermal injection of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). Rats were treated orally with different dosages of CN (0.7g/kg, 2.1g/kg, 6.3g/kg) from day 16 till day 40. Ibuprofen (50.4mg/kg) served as a positive control. Spontaneous activity, body weight, paw swelling, and arthritis index (AI) were monitored throughout drug treatment. Then serum levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. In addition, histopathological examination and immunohistochemistry were used to assess the severity of arthritis.

RESULTS

Three dosage of CN significantly ameliorated symptoms of RA via increasing body weight as well as reducing paw swelling (at dose of 6.3g/kg, p<0.01) in AIA rats. An extremely significant reduction of AI (p<0.001) was also observed with treatment of CN (6.3g/kg) compared with model group. In parallel, treatment of CN significantly down-regulated levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and VEGF both in serum (p<0.01) and in joint synovial compared with model rats. And histopathology revealed noticeable reduction in synovial hyperplasia, cartilage damage, and inflammatory infiltration by CN treatment, especially at dose of 6.3g/kg.

CONCLUSIONS

To conclude, all results suggest that CN possesses evident anti-arthritic effects in AIA rats.

Chemical Compounds in Natural Medicines That Affect Macropharges and Adipocyte Cells

Macrophages play major roles in inflammation, immunity and host defense mechanisms. Once activated they produce and release cytokines, oxygen and nitrogen species, and eicosanoids. The best characterized stimuli to induce the transcription of genes encoding pro-inflammatory proteins in macrophages in vitro is bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). LPS could be used alone or in combination with recombinant mouse interferon-γ (IFN-γ). Such stimulation results in cytokine release and the synthesis of enzymes such as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). The nitric oxide (NO) radical is known to play a central role in inflammatory and immune reactions for self-protection. However, the excessive production of NO may lead to tissue damage. In inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, excessive NO production by activated macrophages has been observed. Adipose tissue is composed of various cell types such as mature adipocytes, preadipocytes, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, vascular cells, and macrophages. Recent studies indicate that obesity is associated with low-grade chronic inflammation of adipose tissues, and that such inflammation is one of the potential mechanisms leading to the insulin resistance. It has been demonstrated that obese adipose tissue is characterized by the increased infiltration of macrophages. Therefore, we attempted to identify natural anti-inflammatory compounds that not only inhibit the secretion of NO from RAW 264.7 cells, but also inhibit triglyceride accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. This review describes the NO prpduction inhibitory activity or the TG accumulation inhibitory activity of the compounds obtained from 18 plants and a fungi that have been used as traditional medicines.

A review of the ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and pharmacology of Notopterygium incisum

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Notopterygium incisum Ting ex H.T. Chang, known in Chinese as 'Qianghuo' is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb with the rhizome and roots associated with meridians of the kidney and urinary bladder. It is pungent, bitter and warm in nature. It has been used over the years to disperse cold, prevent painful obstructions from wind, damp and warm pain. It has also been used with other herbs to treat wind-cold exterior syndrome and wind-cold-damp bi-syndromes and has been known to grow well in regions of high altitude such as Gansu, Tibet etc.

THE AIM OF THE REVIEW

This systematic review focuses on the ethnopharmacological uses of this herb, including recent advances on the phytochemical and pharmacological study of N. incisum. Recent analytical methods developed for the quantitative and qualitative determination of constituents in this herb have also been reviewed. Additionally, future trends and prospects in the study of this herb have been proposed.

MATERIALS AND METHOD

Various literature and electronic databases such as Pubmed, Science Direct, Springer, Wiley etc were searched and data obtained. Other online academic libraries such as Google Scholar and ethnopharmacological literature were searched systematically for more information on the herb.

RESULTS

This review focuses on the ethnopharmacological uses of N. incisum and also the various chemical constituents present in the herb and their various therapeutic effects such as analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and antioxidants effects. Analytical methods developed for the quantitative and qualitative determination of various compounds in this herb were further reviewed.

CONCLUSION

In this paper, we have reviewed various researches conducted on N. incisum especially in areas of its ethnopharmacological use, phytochemicals, pharmacology and developed analytical methods. This herb has been used over the years in treating headache, rheumatoid arthritis, cold, diaphoretic etc, prompting many types of research into identifying which compounds are responsible for these activities and their mechanism of action. More research is needed in the area of pharmacokinetics and toxicology to give further information on the clinical use and control the quality of the herb.

Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Modulation during Metabolic Diseases and Cancers: Master and Minions

The prevalence of obesity and metabolic diseases (such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia, and cardiovascular diseases) has increased in the last decade, in both industrialized and developing countries. This also coincided with our observation of a similar increase in the prevalence of cancers. The aetiology of these diseases is very complex and involves genetic, nutritional, and environmental factors. Much evidence indicates the central role undertaken by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) in the development of these disorders. Due to the fact that their ligands could become crucial in future target-therapies, PPARs have therefore become the focal point of much research. Based on this evidence, this narrative review was written with the purpose of outlining the effects of PPARs, their actions, and their prospective uses in metabolic diseases and cancers.

Identification of Nematicidal Constituents of Notopterygium incisum Rhizomes against Bursaphelenchus xylophilus and Meloidogyne incognita

During a screening program for new agrochemicals from Chinese medicinal herbs, the ethanol extract of Notopterygium incisum rhizomes was found to possess strong nematicidal activity against the two species of nematodes, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus and Meloidogyne incognita. Based on bioactivity-guided fractionation, the four constituents were isolated from the ethanol extract and identified as columbianetin, falcarindiol, falcarinol, and isoimperatorin. Among the four isolated constituents, two acetylenic compounds, falcarindiol and falcarinol (2.20-12.60 μg/mL and 1.06-4.96 μg/mL, respectively) exhibited stronger nematicidal activity than two furanocoumarins, columbianetin, and isoimperatorin (21.83-103.44 μg/mL and 17.21-30.91 μg/mL, respectively) against the two species of nematodes, B. xylophilus and M. incognita. The four isolated constituents also displayed phototoxic activity against the nematodes. The results indicate that the ethanol extract of N. incisum and its four isolated constituents have potential for development into natural nematicides for control of plant-parasitic nematodes.

Drugs from nature targeting inflammation (DNTI): a successful Austrian interdisciplinary network project

ABSTRACT

Inflammation is part of numerous pathological conditions, which are lacking satisfying treatment and effective concepts of prevention. A national research network project, DNTI, involving scientists from six Austrian universities as well as several external partners aimed to identify and characterize natural products capable of combating inflammatory processes specifically in the cardiovascular system. The combined use of computational techniques with traditional knowledge, high-tech chemical analysis and synthesis, and a broad range of in vitro, cell-based, and in vivo pharmacological models led to the identification of a series of promising anti-inflammatory drug lead candidates. Mechanistic studies contributed to a better understanding of their mechanism of action and delivered new knowledge on the molecular level of inflammatory processes. Herein, the used approaches and selected highlights of the results of this interdisciplinary project are presented.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT