Hypericin: A natural anthraquinone as promising therapeutic agent

BACKGROUND

Hypericin is a prominent secondary metabolite mainly existing in genus Hypericum. It has become a research focus for a quiet long time owing to its extensively pharmacological activities especially the anti-cancer, anti-bacterial, anti-viral and neuroprotective effects. This review concentrated on summarizing and analyzing the existing studies of hypericin in a comprehensive perspective.

METHODS

The literature with desired information about hypericin published after 2010 was gained from electronic databases including PubMed, SciFinder, Science Direct, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases and Wan Fang DATA.

RESULTS

According to extensive preclinical and clinical studies conducted on the hypericin, an organized and comprehensive summary of the natural and artificial sources, strategies for improving the bioactivities, pharmacological activities, drug combination of hypericin was presented to explore the future therapeutic potential of this active compound.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, this review offered a theoretical guidance for the follow-up research of hypericin. However, the pharmacological mechanisms, pharmacokinetics and structure activity relationship of hypericin should be further studied in future research.

Hyperforin: A natural lead compound with multiple pharmacological activities

Hypericum perforatum L. (Clusiaceae), commonly known as St. John's wort, has a rich historical background as one of the oldest and most widely studied herbal medicines. Hyperforin is the main antidepressant active ingredient of St. John's wort. In recent years, hyperforin has attached increasing attention due to its multiple pharmacological activities. In this review, the information on hyperforin was systematically summarized. Hyperforin is considered to be a lead compound with diverse pharmacological activities including anti-depression, anti-tumor, anti-dementia, anti-diabetes and others. It can be obtained by extraction and synthesis. Further pharmacological studies and more precise detection methods will help develop a value for hyperforin. In addition, structural modification and pharmaceutical preparation technology will be beneficial to promoting the research progress of hyperforin based innovative drugs. Although these works are full of known and unknown challenges, researchers are still expected to make hyperforin play a greater value.

Isolation and structural identification of insecticidal compounds from Tripterygium wilfordii

Five compounds were identified from Tripterygium wilfordii, including two novel compounds and three previously known compounds. Two newly discovered compounds are celangulin CY (1α,2α,3β,4β,6β,8α,13-hepacetoxy-9β-benzoyloxy-β-dihydroagarofuran) and celangulin CQ (1α-nicotinoyloxy-2α,3β,6β-triacetoxy-9β-furancarbonyloxy-13-isobutanoyloxy-4β-hydroxy-β-dihydroagarofuran). Their structures were determined using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), mass spectrometry (MS), and high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). The isolated compounds were tested for insecticidal activity against the third instar larvae of Spodoptera frugiperda. Both celangulin CY and celangulin CQ exhibited significantly higher oral toxicity in the larvae than that exhibited by the three known compounds.

Secoiridoid dimers and their biogenetic precursors from the fruits of Cornus officinalis with potential therapeutic effects on type 2 diabetes

Cornusdiridoid A-F (1-6), six unusual cornuside-morroniside secoiridoid dimers, and their possible new biogenetic precursor, 3″,5″-dehydroxycornuside (7), together with four known secoiridoids (8-11), were obtained from the fruits of Cornus officinalis. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of various spectroscopic and chemical methods. A plausible biosynthetic pathway of compounds 1-11 was proposed. The α-glucosidase inhibitory, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of these isolates were evaluated. Some of them emerged out as potent antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory and free radical scavenging agents. Molecular docking was also carried out for antidiabetic target α-glucosidase to investigate the possible binding modes of the most potent α-glucosidase inhibitor, vincosamide (9). These results revealed that the secoiridoids from C. officinalis fruits may be served as new potential antidiabetic agents to prevent and treat type 2 diabetes.

[Periodontal disease treated with clear aligner]

Clear aligner is a kind of removable orthodontic appliance, which designed and manufactured using digital technology. It is more and more widely used in adults and patients with periodontal disease. Clear aligner treatment in patients with moderate and mild periodontal diseases can achieve good result. Meanwhile, there are still risks in the clear aligner treatment in patients with severe periodontal diseases, so it is necessary to strictly control the indications. Multidisciplinary treatment of complex periodontal disease is important before the start of orthodontics. The objective of orthodontic treatment in patients with periodontal disease should be made clear and the range of tooth movement must be strictly controlled. In the application of the clear aligner, the feasible target position of clear aligner should be designed. According to patient's periodontal condition, staging should be designed and the reasonable attachment should be set. The shape of the aligner should be designed to reduce the gingival stimulation. Clear aligner treatment could play an important role in multidisciplinary treatment, and improve the overall effect in patients with periodontal disease. The application of clear aligner in the treatment of periodontal diseases was discussed in various aspects, providing a reference for rational clinical use.

[A new phenylpropanoid glycoside from fruit of Cornus officinalis]

To investigate the chemical compounds from the ripe fruit of Cornus officinalis, a new phenylpropanoid glycoside 1-O-(6'-O-p-hydroxybenzoyl-β-D-glucopyranosyl)-p-phenylpropanol, named cornuphenylpropanoid A (1), were separated and purified by D101 macroporous resin, silica gel and ODS column chromatography. Its structure was extensively determined on basis of ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR, DEPT, HSQC, HMBC and HR-ESI-MS spectroscopic data.

Unusual cadinane-type sesquiterpene glycosides with α-glucosidase inhibitory activities from the fruit of Cornus officinalis Sieb. et Zuuc

Five novel and rare cadinane-type sesquiterpene glycosides, cornucadinoside A-E (1-5) were isolated from water extract of the fruit of Cornus officinalis Sieb. et Zuuc.. The new chemical structures, together with their absolute configurations, were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis, including a comparison of their experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. Their structures, which possess a naphthalene skeleton, are the first report on the occurrence of cadinane sesquiterpene glycosides in Cornus. Additionally, all the compounds exhibited marked α-glucosidase inhibitory activity except for 3in vitro.

Cornusides A-O, Bioactive Iridoid Glucoside Dimers from the Fruit of Cornus officinalis

Fifteen new and rare iridoid glucoside dimers, cornusides A-O (1-15), and 10 known iridoid glucosides (16-25) were isolated from the fruit of Cornus officinalis. These new chemical structures were established through spectroscopic analysis (UV, IR, HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR). Compounds 1-25 were tested for their inhibitory activities by measuring IL-6-induced STAT3 promoter activity in HepG2 cells, and 3, 12, 17, 22, and 23 showed inhibitory effects, with IC₅₀ values of 11.9, 12.2, 14.0, 7.0, and 6.9 μM, respectively.

[A clinical study on two forces orthodontic technique]

OBJECTIVE

Two Forces Technique was introduced in order to extend its use in daily clinical practice. The advantages of this technique were also mentioned.

METHODS

Various kinds of malocclusion were treated by using Broussard brackets and auxiliary springs according to Two Forces Technique procedure.

RESULTS

Satisfied treatment results were achieved based on the comparison of cephalometrics before and after orthodontic treatment.

CONCLUSION

Auxiliary springs and light force were used in this technique, which moved teeth in three dimension precisely. It can be used in correction of various kinds of malocclusion and is easy to manipulate in clinics.

[Determination of rufloxacin in human plasma by high performance liquid chromatography]

A high performance liquid chromatographic method has been developed for the determination of rufloxacin in human plasma. Rufloxacin was extracted from plasma with dichloromethane for three times. It was chromatographed on an Ultrasphere ODS column with Pefloxacin as internal standard with a mobile phase consisting of methanol-tetrabutylammonium bromide-triethanolamine (32:68:0.5, V/V) adjusted to pH 2.8 with orthophosphoric acid. The flow rate was 1.2 mL/min and the monitoring wavelength was 295 nm. The calibration curve was linear from 0.1 to 10 mg/L of plasma. The detection limit of rufloxacin was 0.05 mg/L for plasma and the recovery was (97.7 +/- 2.1)%. The intra-day RSD and inter-day RSD were 2.33% and 3.38% respectively. The method is simple, rapid, accurate and can be used to determine the rufloxacin concentration in plasma and for pharmacokinetic study.

[A Study On Dental and Craniofacial Structure Of Normal Shanghai Adults Occlusio-II The Dental Facial Symmetry Analysis with Posterioanterior Cephalometric Roentgenography]

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the dental facial symmetry in normal Shanghai adults occlusion with posterioanterior cephalometric roentgenography. METHODS:Posterioanterior films of the 92 adults subjects with normal occlusion were measured. Five facial midlines commonly used in posterioanterior cephalometric were analyzed according to the middle structure index and side middle structure index. The midline deviations were measured. RESULTS:The middle line through ANS and perpendicular to zygomaticofrontal line has less mean of middle structure index and side middle structure index. There are midline deviations in population with normal occlusion.CONCLUSION:The facial midline mentioned above was suitable for posterioanterior cephalometrics, but the reliability is not absolute. Normal occlusion also has midline deviations. The asymmetry of face was larger than that of dental occlusion.

[McNamara cephalometric analysis for Shanghai adolescents and adults]

This paper collects 101 Shanghai adolescents and adults with normal occlusion and balance facial profile.Using McNamara cephalometric analysis,it develops linear cephalometric standards for Shanghai adolescents and adults.By mean of SAS statistic software package,the characteristics of craniofacial linear parameters were observed.

Studies on mechanism of action of luteinizing releasing hormone (LH-RH) in ovulation of fish--intracellular distribution of LH-RH-A in pituitary gonadotrophs as revealed by electron-microscopic autoradiography

The results of competitive bending experiment and the electron-microscopic autoradiographic studies show that the peptide hormone, LH-RH-A (a nonapeptide), could be internalized into the gonadotrophs of the pituitary gland of the mud-carp (Cirrhrinus molitorella). It is demonstrated that the labeled peptide, 125I-LH-RH-A, is internalized not only into the cytoplasm, but also into the nucleus, apparently via the nuclear pores. It is, therefore, suggested that the peptide hormone might act directly on the genome either in the form of a hormone-receptor complex or of a single molecule.