Mass spectrometry as a tool for the dereplication of specialised metabolites from Pterocaulon angustifolium DC

Pterocaulon genus comprises 26 species, half of them have been phytochemical investigations regarding the chemical composition, and coumarins have been considered the chemotaxonomic markers in the genus. Herein Pterocaulon angustifolium DC (Asteraceae), a native plant from Brazil, is investigated for the first time. Twenty-six compounds were isolated from aerial parts of P. angustifolium DC., being 5 triterpenes, 4 phytosterols, 9 flavonoids, 3 phenolic acids, and 5 coumarins. Moreover, a total of 177 compounds were putatively identified using the dereplication technique by UHPLC-HRMS/MS, more than 50% correspond to flavonoids and coumarins. Although 41 different coumarins have already been reported in Pterocaulon genus, 16 were identified for the first time in this study. Crude ethanolic extract and fractions of P. angustifolium were also biologically investigates, and dichloromethane fraction was the most active fraction in the evaluation of antiproliferative, antioxidant, antimicrobial and cholinesterase inhibitory activities.

Phytochemistry and Pharmacology of Medicinal Plants Used by the Tenggerese Society in Java Island of Indonesia

The archipelagic country of Indonesia is inhabited by 300 ethnic groups, including the indigenous people of Tengger. Based on the reported list of medicinal plants used by the Tengger community, we have reviewed each of them for their phytochemical constituents and pharmacological activities. Out of a total of 41 medicinal plants used by the Tengerrese people, 33 species were studied for their phytochemical and pharmacological properties. More than 554 phytochemicals with diverse molecular structures belonging to different chemical classes including flavonoids, terpenoids, saponins and volatiles were identified from these studied 34 medicinal plants. Many of these medicinal plants and their compounds have been tested for various pharmacological activities including anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, wound healing, headache, antimalarial and hypertension. Five popularly used medicinal plants by the healers were Garcinia mangostana, Apium graveolens, Cayratia clematidea, Drymocallis arguta and Elaeocarpus longifolius. Only A. graviolens were previously studied, with the outcomes supporting the pharmacological claims to treat hypertension. Few unexplored medicinal plants are Physalis lagascae, Piper amplum, Rosa tomentosa and Tagetes tenuifolia, and they present great potential for biodiscovery and drug lead identification.

Chemical Composition and Valorization of Broccoli Leaf By-Products (Brassica oleracea L. Variety: Italica) to Ameliorate Reno-Hepatic Toxicity Induced by Gentamicin in Rats

Broccoli (Brassica oleracea) is reported to possess antioxidant activity that could potentially prevent oxidative damage to tissues caused by many diseases. In the present study, we investigated the preventive effect of broccoli leaf by-product extract (BL) on gentamicin-induced renal and hepatic injury by measuring tissue antioxidant activities and morphological apoptotic changes. Broccoli leaf was thoroughly extracted with 70% methanol to yield the total methanol extract (TME). The total phenolic content (TPC) was determined. Thirty male rats were divided into five groups (six animals/group). Group I received phosphate-buffered saline orally, while group II was treated with gentamicin (100 mg/kg i.p. intraperitoneal) for ten days. Group III and group IV animals were given BL (200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg, respectively) plus gentamicin treatment. Group V received L-cysteine (1 mmole/kg) plus gentamicin. Antioxidant and biochemical parameters, such as transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), creatinine, and urea, and mRNA expression levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and nuclear factor kappa B (NFkB) were determined in various groups, along with the quantification of inflammatory and apoptotic cells in hepatic and renal tissues. Malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels were determined in liver and renal samples. Histopathological studies of the liver and kidneys were also carried out. The TME was subjected to various and repeated techniques of chromatography to yield caffeic acid, gallic acid, and methyl gallate. The TPC was 6.47 mg Gallic Acid Equivalent/g of dry extract. Gentamicin increased the levels of serum AST, ALT, ALP, creatinine, and urea. The MDA and GSH contents and theactivity levels of the antioxidant enzyme SOD decreased in liver and kidney samples with gentamicin administration. BL administration dose-dependently prevented the alteration in biochemical parameters and was supported by low levels of tubular and glomerular injuries induced by gentamicin. This study valorizes the potential of BL as a preventive candidate in cases of gentamicin-induced liver and kidney toxicity and recommends further clinical studies using BL to validate its utilization for human consumption and as a source of phenolics for nutraceutical and pharmaceutical purposes.

Purification of Four Caffeoylquinic Acid Derivatives from the Flowers of Gynura Procumbens by HSCCC

Four caffeoylquinic acid derivatives from the Gunura procumbens flowers (GPF) were successfully isolated and purified by high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC). Ethyl acetate-methanol-water (3:1:3, v/v/v) was the optimum biphasic solvent system, which was selected by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and run on a preparative scale where the lower aqueous phase was used as the mobile phase with a head-to-tail elution mode. Chlorogenic acid (3.83 mg), Isochlorogenic acid A (6.51 mg), Isochlorogenic acid B (4.38 mg) and Isochlorogenic acid C (4.47 mg) were obtained for the first time in an one-step HSCCC separation from 800 mg of the crude extracts. The purities of four compounds were determined to be >95% by HPLC. Chemical structures of each isolated compounds were identified by nuclear magnetic resonance and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry methods. It is worth noting that all the four compounds were isolated here for the first time from GPF and this work confirms the effectiveness of HSCCC for the separation of compounds contained in complex samples, and provides a foundation for further exploitation of G. procumbens.

Biomolecule from Trigonella stellata from Saudi Flora to Suppress Osteoporosis via Osteostromal Regulations

Trigonella stellata has used in folk medicine as palatable and nutraceutical herb. It also regulates hypocholesterolemia, hypoglycemia, and has showed anti-inflammatory activities as well as antioxidants efficacy. Osteoporosis is a one of bone metabolic disorders and is continuously increasing worldwide. In the present study, caffeic acid was isolated from Trigonella stellata and identified using 1 D- and 2 D-NMR spectroscopic data. Caffeic acid was investigated on osteoblast and osteoclast in vitro using mice bone marrow-derived mesenchymal cells. Caffeic acid played reciprocal proliferation between osteoblast and osteoclast cells and accelerated the bone mineralization. It was confirmed by cytotoxicity, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alizarin red S (ARS), and Tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) assay. Caffeic acid regulated the osteogenic marker and upregulated the osteopontin, osteocalcin, and bone morphogenic proteins (BMP). Quantitative real time PCR and Western blot were used to quantify the mRNA and protein markers. It also regulated the matrix metalloprotease-2 (MMP-2) and cathepsin-K proteolytic markers in osteoclast cells. In addition, caffeic acid inhibited bone resorption in osteoclast cells. On the other hand, it upregulate osteoblast differentiation through stimulation of extracellular calcium concentrations osteoblast differentiation, respectively. The results also were confirmed through in silico docking of caffeic acid against cathepsin-B and cathepsin-K markers. These findings revealed that caffeic acid has a potential role in bone-metabolic disorder through its multifaceted effects on osteoblast and osteoclast regulations and controls osteoporosis.

Flavonoids and other Non-alkaloidal Constituents of Genus Erythrina: Phytochemical Review

BACKGROUND

Genus Erythrina belongs to family Fabaceae, which is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical areas. It has been used in both traditional herbal medicines and pharmacological applications. Original research articles and publications on the overview of alkaloids related to this genus are available, but a supportive systematic review account which highlighted phytochemical aspects of other types of secondary metabolites is currently insufficient.

OBJECTIVE

With the utilization of data and information from SCI-Finder, Google Scholar, the Web of Science, Scopus, Science Direct, PubMed, Chemical Abstracts, ACS journals, Springer, Taylor Francis, Bentham Science and IOP Science, the reliable material sources of this systematic review paper were obtained from the literature published from the 1980s to now.

CONCLUSION

A vast amount of data showed that the non-alkaloidal secondary metabolites were obtained from genus Erythrina with various classes of chemical structures. Herein, approximately five hundred constituents were isolated, comprising flavonoids, terpenoids, saponins, phytosterols, phenols, arylbenzofurans, coumarins, alcohols, ceramides, mono-sugars and fatty acid derivatives. In agreement with the previous phytochemical reports on the plants of the family Fabaceae, flavonoids reached a high amount in the plants of genus Erythrina. Numerous biological activity investigations such as anti-bacteria, anti-cancer, anti-virus using isolated compounds from Erythrina species suggested that secondary metabolites of Erythrina plants are now becoming the promising agents for drug developments.

The applicability of high-speed counter current chromatography to the separation of natural antioxidants

Antioxidants play an essential role in human health, as they have been found to be capable of lowering the incidence of many diseases, such as cancer and angiocardiopathy. Currently, more attention is paid to natural antioxidants because of the possible insecurity of synthetic antioxidants. Thus, the development of efficient techniques or methods to separate antioxidants from natural sources is requested urgently. High-speed counter current chromatography (HSCCC) is a unique support-free liquid-liquid chromatographic technique and has been widely applied in the field of separation of natural products. In this review, we summarize and analyze the related researches on the application of HSCCC in the separation of various natural antioxidants so far. The purpose of the article is to provide a certain theoretical support for the separation of natural antioxidants by HSCCC, and to make full use of advantages of HSCCC in the separation of bioactive components. In particular, some key problems associated with the separation strategies, the structural categories of natural antioxidants, solvent system choices, and the application of different elution modes in HSCCC separation, are summarized and commented. We expect that the content reviewed can offer more evidence for the development of the field of natural antioxidants separation, so as to achieve large-scale preparation of natural antioxidants.