Vallesiachotamine and isovallesiachotamine from the seeds of Strychnos tricalysioides

The Impact of Entrepreneurial Spirituality on Business Performance: Based on the Survey of Private Enterprise Executives in Fujian China

Entrepreneurship is the main engine of economic development. This paper aims to explore the impact of high executives' entrepreneurial spirituality (ES) on the business performance in China under the background of "mass entrepreneurship and innovation." By analyzing the relevant literature of entrepreneurship, the connotation and elements of ES are determined. According to the relevant research, we design the questionnaire of ES and business performance. The questionnaire was distributed to 100 private enterprise entrepreneurs by equidistant sampling, and 74 valid questionnaires were recovered. According to the questionnaire, responsibility has the highest score, followed by innovation, proactiveness, and risk-taking. The ES of women is slightly higher than that of men. The entrepreneurs with higher education also have higher score in ES. After analyzing the impact of different elements of ES on enterprise performance using structural equation modeling (SEM) and regression equation model, it is found that: (1) ES has a positive impact on enterprise performance. (2) Different factors of ES have different effects on business performance, and innovation and proactiveness play the greatest role. (3) There is an inverted U-shaped relationship between innovation, risk-taking, and business performance.

Monoterpenoid indole alkaloids from the fruits of Gelsemium elegans and their anti-inflammatory activities

Two novel monoterpenoid indole alkaloids (MIAs), gelsechizines A-B (1-2), along with four known ones (3-6) were isolated from the fruits of Gelsemium elegans. Compound 1 features a new carbon skeleton with two additional carbon atoms forming a 4-methylpyridine unit. Their structures with absolute configurations were elucidated by NMR, MS, X-ray diffraction and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. Compounds 1-3 showed significant anti-inflammatory effects in vivo and in vitro, which may be related to the inhibition of the trecruitment of neutrophils and macrophages as well as the secretion of TNF-α and IL-6. Preliminary structure-activity relationship analysis revealed that the β-N-acrylate moiety plays an important role in the anti-inflammatory effect.

Alkaloids isolated from Tabernaemontana bufalina display xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity

Continued interest in bioactive alkaloids led to the isolation of four undescribed alkaloids along with 74 known ones from the aerial parts of Tabernaemontana bufalina Lour. The structures of the yet undescribed alkaloids were elucidated based on NMR, IR, UV, MS and CD spectroscopic data and X-ray crystal diffraction and, according to the plant source, named as taberhaines A-D (1-4). The known compounds comprised of 66 monoterpenoid indole, three carboline and five isoquinoline alkaloids. Among them, the known apparicine inhibited significantly the activity of xanthine oxidase, which plays an important role for gout, with an IC₅₀ value of 0.65 μM, compared to the standard drug allopurinol (IC₅₀ = 0.60 μM).

Bisindole alkaloids from Tabernaemontana corymbosa

Continued study in bioactive monoterpenoid alkaloids led to the isolation of nine undescribed alkaloids, taberyunines A-I, together with 32 known ones from the aerial parts of Tabernaemontana corymbosa Roxb. ex Wall (Apocynaceae). Among the undescribed alkaloids, taberyunines A-G and H-I were assigned to Aspidosperma-Aspidosperma and Vobasinyl-Ibogan type bisindoles, respectively. Their structures were determined by NMR spectra, MS data and X-ray diffraction. Taberyunine B showed significant cytotoxicity against three cancer cell lines.

Gelsecorydines A-E, Five Gelsedine-Corynanthe-Type Bisindole Alkaloids from the Fruits of Gelsemium elegans

Five monoterpenoid bisindole alkaloids with new carbon skeletons, gelsecorydines A-E (1-5), together with their biogenetic precursors were isolated from the fruits of Gelsemium elegans. Compounds 1-5 represent the first examples of heterodimeric frameworks composed of a gelsedine-type alkaloid and a modified corynanthe-type one. Notably, compound 2 featured an unprecedented caged skeleton with a 6/5/7/6/5/6 heterohexacyclic ring system, which possessed a pyridine ring that linked the two monomers. Their structures and absolute configurations were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis, X-ray diffraction, and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculation. A plausible biosynthetic pathway for compounds 1-5 is proposed. Compounds 1, 3, 4, and 5 exhibited a significant inhibitory effect against nitric oxide (NO) production in macrophages.

Analysis of Indole Alkaloids from Rhazya stricta Hairy Roots by Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

Rhazya stricta Decne. (Apocynaceae) contains a large number of terpenoid indole alkaloids (TIAs). This study focused on the composition of alkaloids obtained from transformed hairy root cultures of R. stricta employing ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS). In the UPLC-MS analyses, a total of 20 TIAs were identified from crude extracts. Eburenine and vincanine were the main alkaloids followed by polar glucoalkaloids, strictosidine lactam and strictosidine. Secodine-type alkaloids, tetrahydrosecodinol, tetrahydro- and dihydrosecodine were detected too. The occurrence of tetrahydrosecodinol was confirmed for the first time for R. stricta. Furthermore, two isomers of yohimbine, serpentine and vallesiachotamine were identified. The study shows that a characteristic pattern of biosynthetically related TIAs can be monitored in Rhazya hairy root crude extract by this chromatographic method.

Antibacterial monoterpenoid indole alkaloids from Alstonia scholaris cultivated in temperate zone

Three new monoterpenoid indole alkaloids, named normavacurine-21-one (1), 5-hydroxy-19, 20-E-alschomine (2), and 5-hydroxy-19, 20-Z-alschomine (3), together with thirteen known indole alkaloids (4-16) were isolated from the leaves of Alstonia scholaris cultivated in Kunming. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis, as well as by comparison with the reported spectroscopic data. The leaves of A. scholaris cultivated in Kunming, contained picrinine-type alkaloids, scholaricin-type alkaloids and nareline as major alkaloids. New compounds 1-3 might be derived from a common biogenetic precursor (5). Compounds 1, 5 and 10 exhibited significant antibacterial activity against Enterococcus faecalis, and 3, 9 and 14 against Pseudomonas aeruginosa with an MIC value of 0.781 μg/mL, while 14 showed moderate activity against Klepsiella pneumonia with an MIC value of 1.56 μg/mL.

Indole alkaloids from leaves and twigs of Rauvolfia verticillata

Seven new indole alkaloids, rauverines A-G (1-7), and 19 known indole alkaloids were isolated from the leaves and twigs of Rauvolfia verticillata. All compounds showed no cytotoxicity against five human cancer cell lines, human myeloid leukemia (HL-60), hepatocellular carcinoma (SMMC-7721), lung cancer (A-549), breast cancer (MCF-7), and colon cancer (SW480) cells.

Turbinatine, a potential key intermediate in the biosynthesis of corynanthean-type indole alkaloids

Extraction of the leaves of Chimarrhis turbinata has led to the isolation of turbinatine (1), a new corynanthean-type indole alkaloid, besides four known indole alkaloids, strictosidine, 5alpha-carboxystrictosidine, vallesiachotamine, and isovallesiachotamine. The structural determination of 1 was based on 1D and 2D spectroscopic data. An evaluation of the DNA-damaging activities of the isolates was performed by means of a bioassay using mutant strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which indicated these compounds were weakly active.

Novel bis(monoterpenoid) indole alkaloids from Psychotria bahiensis

Two new bis(monoterpenoid) indole alkaloid glucosides, bahienoside A (1) and bahienoside B (2), together with five known compounds, 5alpha-carboxystrictosidine, angustine, strictosamide, and (E)- and (Z)-vallesiachotamine, were isolated from the aerial parts of Psychotria bahiensis collected in Trinidad, West Indies. The structures of the compounds were elucidated using 1D and 2D NMR spectral methods, viz., (1)H, (13)C, (13)C DEPT, (1)H-(1)H COSY, HSQC, HMQC, HMBC, and TOCSY aided by IR, UV, and circular dichroism measurements.