Volume 71, Issue 1-2

The study aimed to investigate the synergistic activity of scopoletin and bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC) against the carmine spider mite Tetranychus cinnabarinus . The acaricidal activities of mixtures of scopoletin and BDMC against T. cinnabarinus female adults were measured via slide dipping and leaf disc dipping. A mathematical model was established by SPSS software. Bioassays for multiple effects including contact, ovicidal, cowpea root intake, repellency and oviposition inhibitory activity were carried out. The optimal mass ratio of the mixture of scopoletin and BDMC (at their respective LC 50 ), the median lethal concentration (LC 50 ) and the co-toxicity coefficient were 7:6, 0.19 mg/mL and 129, respectively. LC 50 values of contact activities of the mixture at optimal ratio against adults, nymphs, larvae, and eggs were 0.19, 0.18, 0.06, and 1.52 mg/mL, respectively. LC 50 values of cowpea root intake activity against adults and nymphs were 5.62 and 6.52 mg/mL, respectively. The highest repellent rates against adults and nymphs were 69.5% and 72.5%, respectively. The mixture of scopoletin and BDMC at the optimal mass ratio possessed strong acaricidal activity against T. cinnabarinus at various developmental stages.

GC-MS analysis of alkaloid profiles of five Fumaria species, naturally grown in Bulgaria ( F. officinalis , F. thuretii , F. kralikii , F. rostellata and F. schrammii ) and analysis of acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity of alkaloid extracts were performed. Fourteen isoquinoline alkaloids were identified, with the principle ones being protopine, cryptopine, sinactine, parfumine, fumariline, fumarophycine, and fumaritine. Protopine contents, defined by HPLC analysis varied between 210.6 ± 8.8 μg/g DW ( F. schrammii ) and 334.5 ± 7.1 μg/g DW. ( F. rostellata ). While all of the investigated alkaloid extracts significantly inhibited acetylcholinesterase activity, the F. kralikii demonstrated the highest level of inhibition (IC 50 0.13 ± 0.01 mg extract/mL).

The new cyclic heptapeptide unguisin F ( 1 ) and the known congener unguisin E ( 2 ), were obtained from the endophytic fungus Mucor irregularis , isolated from the medicinal plant Moringa stenopetala , collected in Cameroon. The structure of the new compound was unambiguously determined on the basis of one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy as well as by high-resolution mass spectrometry. The absolute configuration of the amino acid residues of 1 and 2 was determined using Marfey’s analysis. Compounds 1 and 2 were evaluated for their antibacterial and antifungal potential, but failed to display significant activities.

Endothelial cell dysfunction is considered a major cause of vascular complications in diabetes. In the present study, we investigated the protective effect of daidzein, a natural isoflavonoid, against high-glucose–induced oxidative damage in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Treatment with a high concentration of glucose (30 mM) induced oxidative stress in the endothelial cells, against which daidzein protected the cells as demonstrated by significantly increased cell viability. In addition, lipid peroxidation, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and indirect nitric oxide levels induced by the high glucose treatment were significantly reduced in the presence of daidzein (0.02–0.1 mM) in a dose-dependent manner. High glucose levels induced the overexpression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and NF-κB proteins in HUVECs, which was suppressed by treatment with 0.04 mM daidzein. These findings indicate the potential of daidzein to reduce high glucose-induced oxidative stress.

Three triterpenoidal derivatives [Sipholenol A ( 1 ), sipholenol L ( 2 ) and sipholenone A ( 3 )] were isolated from the Red Sea sponge Siphonochalina sp. The structures were determined based on spectroscopic measurements (NMR, UV, IR and MS). The isolated compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity against three cancer cell lines; HepG2, Caco-2 and HT-29. Moreover, the effects of these metabolites on cell cycle progression as well as cell cycle regulating proteins were assessed. Compounds 1 , 2 and 3 showed moderate activity against HepG2 cells with IC 50 values of 17.18 ± 1.18, 24.01 ± 0.59 and 35.06 ± 1.10 μM, respectively. Compounds 1 and 2 exerted a considerable antiproliferative effect with IC 50 values of 4.80 ± 0.18 and 26.64 ± 0.30 μM, respectively, against Caco-2 cells. Finally, 1 and 2 exhibited antiproliferative activity against colorectal cancer cells (HT-29) with IC 50 values of 24.65 ± 0.80 and 4.48 ± 0.1 μM, respectively. Cell cycle analysis indicated that these compounds induced cell cycle arrest particularly in G0/G1 and S phases. Furthermore, the triterpenoids increased the expression of cyclin-B1, cyclin-D1 and cleaved caspase-3, as determined by immunofluorescence, indicating an important role of apoptosis in cell death induced by these compounds.