Spasmolytic constituents from Eucalyptus camaldulensis var. obtusa leaves

Components of Volatile Fractions from Eucalyptus camaldulensis Leaves from Iraqi-Kurdistan and Their Potent Spasmolytic Effects

Inhalation of vapors from a hot tea of Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh. leaves is considered by Iraqi-Kurdistan people an effective spasmolytic and antipyretic remedy for the treatment of respiratory diseases. The constituents of volatile fractions isolated by hydrodistillation from dried leaves of the plant collected in Kurdistan were determined by GC-FID and GC-MS analyses. More than 90% components were identified. The most abundant constituents were 1,8-cineole, p-cymene, α-pinene, terpinen-4-ol, aromadendrene, and α-terpineol. The different volatile fractions induced relaxation on rat isolated aortic and tracheal rings in concentration-dependent manner. These effects appeared to be due to a complex interaction between various terpenoid components rather than being only due to the main oil constituent, 1,8-cineole. The KCa channel and the NO pathway were not significantly involved in the relaxation mechanism, while Ca2+ channels played a major role in the spasmolytic effects.

Natural Antispasmodics: Source, Stereochemical Configuration, and Biological Activity

Natural products with antispasmodic activity have been used in traditional medicine to alleviate different illnesses since the remote past. We searched the literature and compiled the antispasmodic activity of 248 natural compounds isolated from terrestrial plants. In this review, we summarized all the natural products reported with antispasmodic activity until the end of 2017. We also provided chemical information about their extraction as well as the model used to test their activities. Results showed that members of the Lamiaceae and Asteraceae families had the highest number of isolated compounds with antispasmodic activity. Moreover, monoterpenoids, flavonoids, triterpenes, and alkaloids were the chemical groups with the highest number of antispasmodic compounds. Lastly, a structural comparison of natural versus synthetic compounds was discussed.

Clinically useful anticancer, antitumor, and antiwrinkle agent, ursolic acid and related derivatives as medicinally important natural product

Medicinal plants are becoming an important research area for novel and bioactive molecules for drug discovery. Novel therapeutic strategies and agents are urgently needed to treat different incurable diseases. Many plant derived active compounds are in human clinical trials. Currently ursolic acid is in human clinical trial for treating cancer, tumor, and skin wrinkles. This review includes the clinical use of ursolic acid in various diseases including anticancer, antitumor, and antiwrinkle chemotherapies, and the isolation and purification of this tritepernoid from various plants to update current knowledge on the rapid analysis of ursolic acid by using analytical methods. In addition, the chemical modifications of ursolic acid to make more effective and water soluble derivatives, previous and current information regarding, its natural and semisynthetic analogs, focusing on its anticancer, cytotoxic, antitumor, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-HIV, acetyl cholinesterase, α-glucosidase, antimicrobial, and hepatoprotective activities, briefly discussion is attempted here for its research perspectives. This review article contains fourteen medicinally important ursolic acid derivatives and 351 references.

Chemical Variability, Antifungal and Antioxidant Activity of Eucalyptus camaldulensis Essential Oil from Sardinia

Essential oil (EO) from aerial parts of Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh., growing wild in different localities of Sardinia (Italy), was extracted by steam distillation and analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) FID and GC-ion trap mass spectrometry (ITMS). The yields of EO (v/dry wt) ranged between 0.2-0.5%. Samples were harvested between April and December to study the seasonal chemical variability of the EO. The chemical composition varied depending on the different origins and showed strong fluctuation during the vegetative stage. Thirty-seven compounds, accounting for at least 97.7% of the total EOs were identified, the major components being p-cymene (27.8-42.7%), 1,8-cineole (4.1-39.5%), β-phellandrene (3.9-23.8%), spathulenol (2.1-15.5%) and cryptone (3.2-10.2%). The oils possessed moderate amounts (1.4-4.7%) of two uncommon aldehydes, cuminal and phellandral. The essential oils were screened for their antifungal activities against common phytopathogenic fungi using the paper disk diffusion method and they showed activity at low doses against the fungi tested. The antioxidant activity, assessed by DPPH-test and expressed as Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity, showed values ranging between 0.5 and 5.8 mmol/L.

Relaxant and antispasmodic effects of extracts of the orchid Encyclia michuacana on isolated guinea pig ileum

The antispasmodic effects of hexane-, chloroform-, methanol- and water-extracts of the orchid Encyclia michuacana were studied in vitro on guinea pig ileum against three spasmogens: acetylcholine (Ach), histamine and barium chloride. The chloroform extract exerted a significant antispasmodic effect on ileum contractions induced by Ach, histamine and barium chloride (IC(50) = 90.64, 73.12 and 115.2 microg/mL, respectively). Furthermore, the chloroform extract of E. michuacana provoked a concentration-dependent inhibition of spontaneous contractions of guinea pig ileum with potencies comparable to those of papaverine. The antagonism against the spasmogens used suggests that the action of the chloroform extract of E. michuacana could be due mainly to the presence of gigantol. Hexane-, methanol- and water-extracts did not elicit any significant spasmolytic activity.

Ursolic acid promotes the release of macrophage migration inhibitory factor via ERK2 activation in resting mouse macrophages

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) plays some pivotal roles in innate immunity and inflammation. Ursolic acid (UA), an anti-inflammatory triterpene carboxylic acid, was recently reported to induce the release of pro-inflammatory mediators in resting macrophages (Mvarphi). We investigated the effects of UA on MIF protein release in resting RAW264.7 mouse Mvarphi, and found that it decreased intracellular MIF protein levels and promoted the release of MIF into the culture media in dose- and time-dependent manners, without affecting mRNA levels. Further, the triterpene strikingly induced activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1/2 (MEK1/2) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) within 30min, whereas no phosphorylation of p38 MAPK or JNK protein was observed. In addition, UA-promoted MIF release was significantly inhibited by PD98059, a MEK1/2 inhibitor, while siRNA for ERK2, but not ERK1, significantly decreased the amount of MIF protein released. These results suggest that UA triggers the release of intracellular MIF protein through the ERK2 activation.

Triterpenoids from the leaves of Psidium guajava

Two triterpenoids, 20beta-acetoxy-2alpha,3beta-dihydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid (guavanoic acid, 3), and 2alpha,3beta-dihydroxy-24-p-z-coumaroyloxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid (guavacoumaric acid, 7), along with six known compounds 2alpha-hydroxyursolic acid (1), jacoumaric acid (2), isoneriucoumaric acid (4), asiatic acid (5), ilelatifol D (6) and beta-sitosterol-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (8), have been isolated from the leaves of Psidium guajava. Their structures were determined through spectroscopic methods. Compound 5 showed dose-dependent (10-500 microg/ml) spasmolytic activity in spontaneously contracting isolated rabbit jejunum preparations.