Volume 58, Issue 3-4

The resinous material accumulated on aerial parts of Madia species is shown to consist mainly of diterpenes, containing a series of flavonoid aglycones. A6- and/or 8-O-substitution is characteristic for many of these flavonoids. Three known rare diterpenes were found and the structure elucidation of a diterpene with a new carbon skeleton, named madiaol, is reported.

The essential oils from rhizomes of Rhodiola crenulata and R. fastigiata in eastern Tibet were analyzed by using GC-MS. The major constituents were geraniol (53.3%), n-octanol (13.4%), 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol (10.8%), citronellol (5.3%), 3-methyl-2-buten-1-ol (4.0%), myteol (3.0%), and linalool (2.4%) for R. crenulata and geraniol (45.3%), n-octanol (12.3%), 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol (8.0%), linalool (5.1%), isogeraniol (4.5%), citronellol (4.4%), and cissabinenehydrate (3.6%) for R. fastigiata.

The seeds of Citrus reticulata afforded the new limonoid derivative, isolimonexic acid methyl ether, in addition to the the previously isolated limonin, deacetylnomilin, obacunone and ichangin. The structure elucidation was achieved primarily through 1D and 2-D-NMR analyses. The marginal antimalarial activity of isolimonexic acid methyl ether is reported.

The composition of the hydrodistilled essential oils from the fruits and leaves of Thuja orientalis L. grown in Iran was analyzed by GC/MS. Nineteen and twenty-eight compounds have been identified in the volatile oils of the fruit and leaf, respectively. While the fruit oil contained α-pinene (52.4%), Δ-3-carene (14.2%), α-cedrol (6.5%) and β-phellandrene (5.1%), the leaf oil contained α-pinene (21.9%), α-cedrol (20.3%), Δ-3-carene (10.5%) and limonen (7.2%) as the main components.

Seven pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) have been isolated from Lithospermum canescens and their structures determined by spectroscopical methods. Besides the known lycopsamine, O 7 - acetyl-lycopsamine and O 7 -acetylintermedine four new PAs were found. Their structures are O 7 -(3-hydroxy-3-methyl-butanoyl)-O 9 -(+)-trachelanthoyl-heliotridine (= O 7 -(3-hydroxy-3- methyl-butanoyl)-rinderine = canescine), O 7 -(3-hydroxy-3-methyl-butanoyl)-O 9 -(D)-viridifloryl- heliotridine (= O 7 -(3-hydroxy-3-methyl-butanoyl)-echinatine = canescenine) and their O 13 -acetyl-derivatives (= acetylcanescine; acetylcanescenine).

From the aerial parts of Ajuga salicifolia (L.) Schreber, a new ionone glycoside (3β-hydroxy- 7,8-dihydro-4-oxo-β-ionol-9-O-β-ᴅ-glucopyranoside) was isolated, along with the known compounds, corchoionoside C, 8-O-acetylmioporoside, ajugol, harpagide, 8-O-acetylharpagide, lavandulifolioside and leonosides A and B. This is the first report of the occurrence of ionone glycosides and 8-O-acetylmioporoside in Ajuga species. Ajugol, lavandulifolioside, leonoside A and B were isolated for the first time from Ajuga salicifolia. The structures were elucidated by means of 1D-, 2D-NMR spectroscopy, and HR-MALDI mass spectrometry.

Two new iridoids, 10-O-benzoylglobularigenin (1) and dumuloside (2) were isolated from the aerial parts of Globularia dumulosa together with seven known iridoid glucosides, davisioside (3), aucubin (4), melampyroside (5), catalpol (6), 10-O-benzoylcatalpol (7), alpinoside (8) and deacetylalpinoside (9). Three phenylethanoid glycosides, verbascoside, decaffeoylverbascoside, leucosceptoside A and three flavone glucosides, pectolinarigenin 7-O-β-ᴅ-glucopyranoside, nepetin 7-O-β-ᴅ-glucopyranoside, demethoxycentaureidin 7-O-β-ᴅ-glucopyranoside were also isolated and characterized. The structure elucidation of the isolated compounds was performed by spectroscopic (UV, IR, HR-MALDIMS, 1D- and 2D NMR) methods.

Volatile substances of the green microalga Scenedesmus incrassatulus, cultivated in fresh and salt water, were studied. Cultivation in fresh water diversifies volatile secondary metabolites. Hydrocarbons and derivatives of the acetate pathway predominate when algae are grown in salt water; isoprenoids and aromatics are more abundant after fresh water cultivation.

This work describes the phytochemical analysis and analgesic activity of a non polar fraction obtained from Adiantum cuneatum grown in Brazil. The results showed that the hexane fraction as well as two pure compounds, identified as filicene (1) and filicenal (2), given intraperitoneally, exhibited potent analgesic activity when evaluated in two models of pain in mice, writhing test and formalin-induced pain. Compound 1 presented a calculated ID50 value of 19.5 μmol/kg body weight, when evaluated in writhing test, being about 7-fold more active than some reference drugs, like as acetyl salicylic acid and acetaminophen. It also inhibited both phases (neurogenic and inflammatory) of the formalin test at 10 mg/kg (24 μmol/kg). The chemical composition of the plant grown in Brazil is similar to that grown in other countries. The results confirm and justify the popular use of this plant for the treatment of dolorous processes.

The essential oil of Heracleum sphondylium L. subsp. ternatum (Velen.) Brummit (Umbelliferae) was isolated from crushed seeds by means of hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Major components were identified as 1-octanol (50.3%), octyl butyrate (24.6%), and octyl acetate (7.3%). Furthermore, antimicrobial activity of the oil was evaluated using microdilution broth and agar diffusion methods. The bioactive constituent of the essential oil was determined as 1-octanol by using a bioautography assay.

Tipuana tipu (Benth.) Kuntze is a tree from the leguminosae family (Papilionoideae) indigenous in Argentina and extensively used in urbanism, mainly in Southern Brazil. The epicuticular waxes of leaves and branch, and flower surface were studied by high temperature high resolution gas chromatography. Several compounds were characterized, among which the aliphatic alcohols were predominant in branch, leaves and receptacle. Alkanes were predominant only in the petals and the aliphatic acids were predominant in stamen. In branches and leaf epicuticular surfaces, six long chain wax esters series were characterized, as well as lupeol and b-amyrin hexadecanoates.

Some marine algae can form volatile aldehydes such as n-hexanal, hexenals, and nonenals. In higher plants it is well established that these short-chain aldehydes are formed from C18 fatty acids via actions of lipoxygenase and fatty acid hydroperoxide lyase, however, the biosynthetic pathway in marine algae has not been fully established yet. A brown alga, Laminaria angustata, forms relatively higher amounts of C6- and C9-aldehydes. When linoleic acid was added to a homogenate prepared from the fronds of this algae, formation of n-hexanal was observed. When glutathione peroxidase was added to the reaction mixture concomitant with glutathione, the formation of n-hexanal from linoleic acid was inhibited, and oxygenated fatty acids accumulated. By chemical analyses one of the major oxygenated fatty acids was shown to be (S)-13-hydroxy-(Z, E)-9, 11-octadecadienoic acid. Therefore, it is assumed that n-hexanal is formed from linoleic acid via a sequential action of lipoxygenase and fatty acid hydroperoxide lyase (HPL), by an almost similar pathway as the counterpart found in higher plants. HPL partially purified from the fronds has a rather strict substrate specificity, and only 13-hydroperoxide of linoleic acid, and 15-hydroperoxide of arachidonic acid are the essentially suitable substrates for the enzyme. By surveying various species of marine algae including Phaeophyta, Rhodophyta and Chlorophyta it was shown that almost all the marine algae have HPL activity. Thus, a wide distribution of the enzyme is expected.

Bioassay guided purification of the ethyl acetate extract of leaves of Melia azedarach led to the isolation of the limonoid 1-cinnamoyl-3,11-dihydroxymeliacarpin, which showed IC 50 values of 6 μᴍ and 20 μᴍ for vesicular stomatitis (VSV) and herpes simplex (HSV-1) viruses, respectively. Its structure was established by spectroscopic methods.

We investigated the effects of catecholamine on flower-induction in P. nil (cv. Violet). GCSIM analysis identified dopamine for the first time in P. nil seedlings. Dopamine levels in the cotyledons did not show a significant change during the inducing dark treatment. The dopamine content of cotyledons exposed to various durations of darkness were 0.1-0.2 nmol/ g fresh weight. The same content was found when cotyledons were exposed to continuous light.

Under intensive aeration (1.3 l/l min) the associated growth of Rhodotorula rubra GED2 and Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei in cheese whey ultrafiltrate (55 g lactose/l) proceeded effectively for both cultures with production of maximum carotenoids (12.4 mg/l culture fluid). For maximum amount of carotenoids synthesized in the cell, the yeast required more intensive aeration than the aeration needed for synthesis of maximum concentration of dry cells. Maximum concentration of carotenoids in the cell (0.49 mg/g dry cells) was registered with air flow rate at 1.3 l/l min, and of dry cells (27.0 g/l) at 1.0 l/l min. An important characteristic of carotenogenesis by Rhodotorula rubra GED2 + Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei was established - the intensive aeration (above 1.0 l/l min) stimulated β-carotene synthesis (60% of total carotenoids).

The yield of steam distillation of frankincense essential oil (3%); and its physicochemical constants were determined. Capillary GC/MS technique was used for the analysis of the oil. Several oil components were identified based upon comparison of their mass spectral data with those of reference compounds published in literature or stored in a computer library. The oil was found to contain monoterpenes (13.1%), sesquiterpenes (1%), and diterpenes (42.5%). The major components of the oil were duva-3,9,13-trien-1,5α-diol-1-acetate (21.4%), octyl acetate (13.4%), o-methyl anisole (7.6%), naphthalene decahydro-1,1,4a-trimethyl- 6-methylene-5-(3-methyl-2-pentenyl) (5.7%), thunbergol (4.1%), phenanthrene-7- ethenyl-1,2,3,4,4a,5,6,7,8,9,10,10a-dodecahydro-1,1,4a,7-tetramethyl (4.1%), α-pinene (3.1%), sclarene (2.9%), 9-cis-retinal (2.8%), octyl formate (1.4%), verticiol (1.2%) decyl acetate (1.2%), n-octanol (1.1%). The chemical profile of the oil is considered as a chemotaxonomical marker that confirmed the botanical and geographical source of the resin. Biologically, the oil exhibited a strong immunostimulant activity (90% lymphocyte transformation) when assessed by a lymphocyte proliferation assay.

Acid phosphatase activities in a culture liquid and mycelial extract were studied in submerged cultures of the filamentous fungus Humicola lutea 120-5 in casein-containing media with and without inorganic phosphate (Pi). The Pi-repressible influence on the phosphatase formation was demonstrated. Significant changes in the distribution of acid phosphatase between the mycelial extract and culture liquid were observed at the transition of the strain from exponential to stationary phase. Some differences in the cytochemical localization of phosphatase in dependence of Pi in the media and the role of the enzyme in the release of available phosphorus from the phosphoprotein casein for fungal growth were discussed.

Vitamin B1 (thiamine) can essentially effect the activity of mitomycin C (MMC), added individually or in combination with antioxidant vitamins (C, E-acetate, β-carotene) as found in experiments in vitro (Escherichia coli bacteria, AB 1157) under irradiation with γ-rays. The environment plays a crucial role. In airfree media vitamin B1 leads to a 2-fold increase of the MMC-efficiency, but adding vitamin C it decreases. In the presence of all vitamins (B1, C, E-ac., and β-carotene) the MMC-action increases about 1.8-fold. In aerated media vitamin B1 causes an about 4-times increase of the MMC-efficiency, but by adding vitamin B1 and C the MMC-activity decreases by a factor of two, whereas in the presence of B1, C, E-ac., and β-carotene it rises again to 2.6-fold. In environment saturated with N 2 O (conversion of e - aq into OH radicals) a different picture is observed. The presence of vitamin B1 or vitamin B1 + C causes a strong decrease of the MMC-efficiency, but the addition of all vitamins (B1, C, E-ac., and β-car.) leads to a small increase of the cytostatic action. The results demonstrate the influence of vitamin B1 used individually or in combination with other antioxidants on the MMC-efficiency and the strong effect of the environment. The results are of interest for the application of MMC in radiotherapy.

Argentatin B is a naturally occurring tetracyclic triterpene isolated from Parthenium argentatum x P. tomentosa. It was microbiologically transformed to 16, 24-epoxycycloartan-3α, 25- diol, (isoargentatin D), by Nocardia corallina var. taoka ATCC 31338, Mycobacterium species NRRL B3683 and Septomyxa affinis ATCC 6737. The later microbe also produced 16, 24- epoxycycloartan-3β, 25-diol (argentatin D) and 1, 2-didehydroargentatin B, (isoargentatin D). Sodium hydroxide converted argentatin B to argentatin D and isoargentatin D. Hydrochloric acid treatment gave cycloartan-25-ol-3, 24-dione. Cerium sulfate/sulfuric acid/aqueous methanol induced scission of the isopropanol moiety and provided an isomeric mixture of 24-methoxy-25-27-trinorargentatin B. Oxidation of this isomeric mixture with pyridinium chlorochromate, selectively, attacked the isomer with the equatorial proton at position-24 to give the corresponding lactone, 24-oxo-25-27-trinorargentatin B. The produced compounds were characterized by spectroscopic methods.

Binding of lactoferrin (Lf) to its membrane receptors requires an electron for the reduction of Fe 3+ LF to Fe 2+ LF. It is possible that glyceraldehyde D3-phosphate dehydrogenase, a glycolytic enzyme part of the erythrocyte membrane, delivers that electron. Then Lf, obtaining an electron from the coenzyme NADH, might stimulate glycolysis, which requires the oxidised state of the coenzyme NAD + . Such possibility is supported by the finding that another extracellular e - acceptor - potassium ferricyanide activates glycolysis by the similar mechanism. Present results show that ferricyanide inhibited the specific 59 Fe-lactoferrin binding to its erythrocyte membrane receptors. It may be assumed that ferricyanide competes with lactoferrin for an electron which leads to decrease of the binding of 59 Fe-lactoferrin to its receptors. Lactoferrin (50 and 100 nm), similar to ferricyanide, increased the accumulation of lactate (respectively by 25% and 30%). These results support the assumption that ferricyanide and lactoferrin are final acceptors of a common electron transport chain connected with the regulation of glycolysis. We established an antioxidative effect of lactoferrin on erythrocytes, which was expressed as: a) an influence on content and on activity of intracellular antioxidants - namely an enhancement of the content of reduced glutathione; b) a decreased content both of products of lipid peroxidation (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) and hemolysis under normal conditions and oxidative stress. Lactoferrin is capable to bind metal ions and thus to block their catalytic participation in the oxidative disturbances of the membrane. In most of our experiments there were no metal ions in the incubation mixtures (except those stimulating oxidative stress). Our results showed that Lf limited both the generation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and hemolysis in the absence of metal ions in the media, as well as in their presence. These facts suggest that probably the antioxidative property of lactoferrin is glycolysis stimulation, leading to increased formation of ATP, which is necessary to maintain the ion gradient, membrane potential and morphology of the erythrocyte.

A unique process has been developed to convert bituminous coal by controlled wet oxidation followed by base treatment to a water-soluble humate called oxihumate. The effects of oxihumate on the proliferative response of lymphocytes has been studied in vitro and ex vivo. Oxihumate increased the proliferative response of phytohaemagglutinin-stimulated human lymphocytes, from a concentration of 20 μg/ml and upwards. This response was even more striking in the case of lymphocytes from HIV-infected patients and was not limited to the in vitro setting since similar effects were observed ex vivo following administration of a nontoxic dosage of 4 g oxihumate per day to HIV-positive individuals for two weeks. Mechanistic studies revealed that stimulation of the proliferative response of lymphocytes by oxihumate is associated with an increased production of IL-2, as well as expression of the IL-2 receptor in the setting of decreased production of IL-10. Oxihumate therefore holds promise for the treatment of immunocompromized patients.

Oxidation of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) plays a crucial role in inflammatory diseases and aging. The main oxidation products of LDL are stereoisomeric 9-hydroxy-10,12-octadecadienoic acids (9-HODEs) and 13-hydroxy-9,11-octadecadienoic acids (13-HODEs). Nevertheless the content of HODEs in natural oxidized LDL is low compared to other components, thus determination of HODEs requires a sample enrichment in most cases. Big losses are encountered during the necessary processing due to the instability of HODEs against acidic conditions. Therefore the use of labeled standards is required. Standards with an 18 O label in the carboxylic group used previously may partly suffer a loss of the label by exchange with water. In this paper we describe an improved work-up procedure and the preparation of standards labeled with 18 O in the hydroxylic group which is not exchangeable.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different cytidine-5′-diphosphocholine (CDP-choline) concentrations (0.1-1 mm) on acetylcholinesterase (AChE), (Na + ,K + )-ATPase and Mg 2+ -ATPase activities in homogenates of adult and aged rat hippocampi. Tissues were homogenised, centrifuged at 1000 × g for 10 min and in the supernatant, AChE activity and Na + ,K + -ATPase and Mg 2+ -ATPase activities were determined according to Ellman’s method and Bowler’s and Tirri’s method, respectively. After an 1-3 h preincubation of the homogenised tissue with CDP-choline, a maximal AChE stimulation of about 25% for both adult and aged rats (p < 0.001) and a Na + ,K + -ATPase activation of about 50% for adult rats (p < 0.001) and about 60% for aged rats (p < 0.001) were observed, while hippocampal Mg 2+ - ATPase activity was not influenced in either adult or aged animals. It is suggested that: CDP-choline can restore hippocampal AChE and Na + ,K + -ATPase activities in the aged rat and thus it may play a role in improving memory performance which is impaired by aging and some neuronal disturbances.

Activity of nitrification inhibitors to several typical ammonia-oxidizing bacteria isolated recently, i. e. Nitrosococcus, Nitrosolobus, Nitrosomonas, Nitrosospira and Nitrosovibrio species was assayed using 2-amino-4-methyl-6-trichloromethyl-1,3,5-triazine (MAST), 2-amino- 4-tribromomethyl-6-trichloromethyl-1,3,5-triazine (Br-MAST), 2-chloro-6-trichloromethylpyridine (nitrapyrin) and others, and compared to confirm the adequate control of ammoniaoxidizing bacteria by the inhibitors. The order of activity of the inhibitors to 13 species of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria examined was approximately summarized as Br-MAST ≥ nitrapyrin ≥ MAST > other inhibitors. Two Nitrosomonas strains, N. europaea ATCC25978 and N. sp. B2, were extremely susceptible to Br-MAST, exhibiting a pI 50 ≥ 6.40. These values are the position logarithms of the molar half-inhibition concentration. The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity for the highly susceptible 4 strains of genus Nitrosomonas was 94% to 100% of Nitrosomonas europaea, although those of the less susceptible 3 strains of ammoniaoxidizing bacteria, Nitrosococcus oceanus C-107 ATCC19707, Nitrosolobus sp. PJA1 and Nitrosolobus multiformis ATCC25196, were 77.85, 91.53 and 90.29, respectively. However, no clear correlation has been found yet between pI 50 -values and percent similarity of 16S rRNA gene sequence among ammonia-oxidizing bacteria.

Unfolding/folding transitions of recombinant human interferon-gamma (hIFNγ) in urea and guanidine chloride (Gn.HCl) solutions were studied by fluorescence spectroscopy. At pH 7.4 Gn.HCl was a much more efficient denaturant (midpoint of unfolding C* = 1.1 m and ΔG 0 = 13.4 kJ/mol) than urea (C* = 2.8 m and ΔG 0 = 11.7 kJ/mol). The close ΔG 0 values indicate that the contribution of electrostatic interactions to the stability of hIFNγ is insignificant. Both the pH dependence of the fluorescence intensity and the unfolding experiments in urea at variable pH showed that hIFNγ remains native in the pH range of 4.8-9.5. Using two quenchers, iodide and acrylamide, and applying the Stern-Volmer equation, a cluster of acidic groups situated in close proximity to the single tryptophan residue was identified. Based on the denaturation experiments at different pH values and on our earlier calculations of the electrostatic interactions in hIFNγ, we assume that the protonation of Asp63 causes conformational changes having a substantial impact on the stability of hIFNγ.

Four fatty acid methyl esters identified in the solvent extract of Tribolium confusum (Jacquelin du Val) larvae as kairomones were individually and collectively tested for probing behavior of Peregrinator biannulipes Montrouzier et Signoret. All identified fatty acid methyl eaters, methyl palmitate, methyl linolate, methyl oleate and methyl stearate, exhibited characterisitic kairomonal probing behavior of P. biannulipe toward the lure. These fatty acid methyl ester were active at 0.2 μg/lure but a synergistic effect was not observed among them. Commercially available C 8 -C 14 even-numbered fatty acid methyl esters that were not detected in the extract of T. confusum larvae also elicited a probing behavior but their activities were weaker than those of four fatty acid methyl ester (C1 6:0 , C1 8:0 , C 18:1 and C 18:2 ) identified in the extract. On the other hand, C 17 and C 19 odd-numbered fatty acid methyl esters did not show any activity at all.

Twenty-seven pyrrolizidine alkaloids were identified by a detailed phytochemical study and GC/MS analysis on twelve Bulgarian species from genus Senecio. Twenty of them are new for the corresponding species. Other six structures reimain tentatively identified.