A new cinnamic acid glycoside from roots of Heracleum dissectum

Extraction of Heracleum dissectum soluble dietary fiber by different methods: Structure and antioxidant properties

Heracleum dissectum is rich in nutrients, but there is little research on its soluble dietary fiber (SDF). In this study, SDF from H. dissectum was extracted by enzyme extraction (E-SDF), enzyme chemical extraction (EC-SDF), and fermentation extraction (F-SDF). The composition, molecular weight (Mw), structural characterization, and antioxidant activity of SDF extracted by the three methods were compared. This study showed that different extraction methods lead to differences in their structure. The Mw results showed that F-SDF had the largest Mw, the structure of SDF could be destroyed by enzymatic hydrolysis, and large molecules could be converted into small molecules. The monosaccharide composition analysis showed that the main sugars of E-SDF, EC-SDF, and F-SDF were galacturonic acid and galactose, and the main components of the three SDF samples were hemicellulose hydrolyzed pectin and soluble polysaccharide. Notably, E-SDF had the greatest antioxidant effect at the same concentration. In summary, different extraction methods can affect the structure and antioxidant capacity of H. dissectum SDF, among which E-SDF has potential as a functional food ingredient.

Isolation of coumarins with anti-Trichophyton rubrum activity from Heracleum vicinum Boiss

Heracleum vicinum Boiss., a perennial plant of Angelica in Umbelliferae, is mainly distributed in Sichuan and Hunan of China. Trichophyton rubrum is a common skin fungus causing dermatophyte. The previous experimental study found that the ethanol extract from Heracleum vicinum Boiss. had excellent anti-Trichophyton rubrum activity, especially the ethanol extract further extracted with petroleum ether and dichloromethane has the best antibacterial effect and has good potential for treating dermatophytes. In this study, Heracleum vicinum Boiss. was extracted with ethanol by microwave-assisted ultrasonic extraction method and isolated with silica gel column to obtain a coumarin compound M1-1 by the guidance of anti-Trichophyton rubrum activity, which was characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy(13C-NMR), hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), high-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-ESI-MS), and ultraviolet (UV) and identified as imperatorin and belonged to coumarins, with the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against Trichophyton rubrum of 12.5 μg/mL. According to the discussion on the inhibitory mechanism of the compound, we found that the compound may exert its inhibitory effect by destroying the mycelial membrane and inhibiting the mycelial growth of Trichophyton rubrum. In a word, imperatorin isolated from Heracleum vicinum Boiss. is expected to be used as an antibacterial agent to treat dermatophytes a potential natural compound against Trichophyton rubrum, and a template for drug development of dermatophytes the future.

Hogweed Seed Oil: Physico-Chemical Characterization, LC-MS Profile, and Neuroprotective Activity of Heracleum dissectum Nanosuspension

The seeds of dissected hogweed (Heracleum dissectum Ledeb., Apiaceae) are the source of hogweed oil (HSO), which is still underexplored and requires careful chemical and biological studies. The performed physico-chemical analysis of HSO elucidated basic physical characteristics and revealed the presence of fatty acids, essential oil components, pigments, and coumarins. High-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection and electrospray ionization triple quadrupole mass spectrometric detection (HPLC-PDA-ESI-tQ-MS/MS) identified 38 coumarins that were characterized and quantified. Various furanocoumarins were the major components of HSO polyphenolics, including imperatorin, phellopterin, and isoimperatorin, and the total coumarin content in HSO varied from 181.14 to 238.42 mg/mL. The analysis of storage stability of the selected compounds in HSO indicated their good preservation after 3-year storage at cold and freezing temperatures. The application of the CO₂-assisted effervescence method allowed the production of an HSO nanosuspension, which was used in a brain ischemia model of rats. The HSO nanosuspension enhanced cerebral hemodynamics and decreased the frequency of necrotic processes in the brain tissue. Thus, H. dissectum seeds are a good source of coumarins, and HSO nanosuspension promotes neuroprotection of the brain after lesions, which supports earlier ethnopharmacological data.

A new coumarin isolated from the roots of Heracleum dissectum Ledeb

A new coumarin named (9 R, 10 R)-9, 10-dihydro-10-hydroxy-9-methoxy-bergapten (1) and 13 known compounds (2-14) were isolated from the roots of Heracleum dissectum Ledeb., in which compounds (2-13) were obtained from H. dissectum for the first time. Their structures were illuminated by HR-ESI MS, 1 D and 2 D NMR, optical rotation and comparison with literatures. All compounds were evaluated against hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cell lines and the results showed that candinol C (8) had moderate cytotoxic activity against HepG2 cells with IC₅₀ value at 57.6 ± 1.1 µM.

Cinnamic Acid Derivatives and Their Biological Efficacy

The role played by cinnamic acid derivatives in treating cancer, bacterial infections, diabetes and neurological disorders, among many, has been reported. Cinnamic acid is obtained from cinnamon bark. Its structure is composed of a benzene ring, an alkene double bond and an acrylic acid functional group making it possible to modify the aforementioned functionalities with a variety of compounds resulting in bioactive agents with enhanced efficacy. The nature of the substituents incorporated into cinnamic acid has been found to play a huge role in either enhancing or decreasing the biological efficacy of the synthesized cinnamic acid derivatives. Some of the derivatives have been reported to be more effective when compared to the standard drugs used to treat chronic or infectious diseases in vitro, thus making them very promising therapeutic agents. Compound 20 displayed potent anti-TB activity, compound 27 exhibited significant antibacterial activity on S. aureus strain of bacteria and compounds with potent antimalarial activity are 35a, 35g, 35i, 36i, and 36b. Furthermore, compounds 43d, 44o, 55g–55p, 59e, 59g displayed potent anticancer activity and compounds 86f–h were active against both hAChE and hBuChE. This review will expound on the recent advances on cinnamic acid derivatives and their biological efficacy.