Cembrane-type Diterpenes Research Articles

Polyoxygenated cembrane-type diterpenes from the Hainan soft coral Lobophytum crassum as a promising source of anticancer agents with ErbB3 and ROR1 inhibitory potential.

A detailed chemical investigation of the Hainan soft coral Lobophytum crassum led to the identification of a class of polyoxygenated cembrane-type macrocyclic diterpenes (1-28), including three new flexible cembranoids, lobophycrasins E-G (2-4), and twenty-five known analogues. Their structures were elucidated by combining extensive spectroscopic data analysis, quantum mechanical-nuclear magnetic resonance (QM-NMR) methods, the modified Mosher's method, X-ray diffraction analysis, and comparison with data reported in the literature. Bioassays revealed that sixteen cembranoids inhibited the proliferation of H1975, MDA-MB231, A549, and H1299 cells. Among them, Compounds 10, 17, and 20 exhibited significant antiproliferative activities with IC50 values of 1.92-8.82 μM, which are very similar to that of the positive control doxorubicin. Molecular mechanistic studies showed that the antitumour activity of Compound 10 was closely related to regulation of the ROR1 and ErbB3 signalling pathways. This study may provide insight into the discovery and utilization of marine macrocyclic cembranoids as lead compounds for anticancer drugs.

Nine New Antibacterial Diterpenes and Steroids from the South China Sea Soft Coral Lobophytum catalai Tixier-Durivault.

Five new cembrane-type diterpenes, lobocalines A-E (1-5), and four new steroids, lobocaloids A-D (9-12), along with six known related compounds (6-8 and 13-15) were isolated from the Yalong Bay soft coral Lobophytum catalai Tixier-Durivault. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis, NMR calculation with DP4+ analysis, time-dependent density functional theory-electronic circular dichroism (TDDFT-ECD) calculations, X-ray diffraction analyses and comparison with the reported spectroscopic data of known compounds. Further, with the aid of X-ray diffraction analysis, the structure of lobocrasol B (15) was firmly revised as 15a. In in vitro bioassays, compound 2 showed moderate antibacterial activities against fish pathogenic bacteria Streptococcus parauberis KSP28 and Phoyobacterium damselae FP2244 with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 8.7 and 17.3 µg/mL, respectively. All the steroids exhibited antibacterial activities against the S. parauberis KSP28 with MIC values ranging from 12.3 to 53.6 µg/mL. Compounds 2, 7 and 14 have remarkable inhibitory effects on the hemolysin production of Staphylococcus aureus, while compounds 8-12 have medium inhibitory effects on the pyocyanin production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Rare new bicyclic cembranoid ethers and a novel trihydroxy prenylated guaiane from the Xisha soft coral Lobophytum sp

Seven new cembrane-type diterpenes, lobophytolins C–I (3–9), and one new prenylated-guiane-type diterpene, lobophytolin J (10), along with six known related ones (1, 2, 11–14), have been isolated from the soft coral Lobophytum sp. collected off the Xisha Island in the South China Sea. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis and quantum mechanical (QM)-NMR methods. The absolute configuration of lobophytolin H (8) was determined by the application of the modified Mosher’s method and chemical transformation. Lobophytolin D (4) exhibited promising cytotoxicities in in vitro bioassays against HT-29, Capan-1, A549, and SNU-398 human cancer cell lines with IC50 values of 4.52, 6.62, 5.17, and 6.15 μM, respectively.

Ten undescribed cembrane-type diterpenoids from the gum resin of Boswellia sacra and their biological activities

Ten undescribed cembrane-type diterpenes boscartins AL-AU, as well as five known analogues were isolated from Boswellia sacra Flueck. The relative configurations of these boscartins were established by extensive spectroscopic analysis of NMR spectra, IR and MS. The absolute configurations of boscartin AL, boscartin AN and isoincensole oxide were unequivocally assigned by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Meanwhile, the absolute configurations of boscartin AM, boscartin AP and boscartin AQ were determined by an empirical in situ formed Rh-complex ECD method. Biological evaluations showed that four compounds exhibited obvious hepatoprotective activities against paracetamol-induced HepG2 cell damage at 10 μM. Regarding neuroprotective activity, some isolates displayed moderate to evident protective effects against glutamate-induced toxicity in primary cultured fetal rat cortical neurons or oxygen-glucose deprivation toxicity in SK-N-SH Cells at 10 μM.

Triterpenic Acids as Non-Competitive α-Glucosidase Inhibitors from Boswellia elongata with Structure-Activity Relationship: In Vitro and In Silico Studies.

Fourteen triterpene acids, viz., three tirucallane-type (1–3), eight ursane-type (4–11), two oleanane-type (12, 13) and one lupane type (21), along with boswellic aldehyde (14), α-amyrine (15), epi-amyrine (16), straight chain acid (17), sesquiterpene (19) and two cembrane-type diterpenes (18, 20) were isolated, first time, from the methanol extract of Boswellia elongata resin. Compound (1) was isolated for first time as a natural product, while the remaining compounds (2‒21) were reported for first time from B. elongata. The structures of all compounds were confirmed by advanced spectroscopic techniques including mass spectrometry and also by comparison with the reported literature. Eight compounds (1–5, 11, 19 and 20) were further screened for in vitro α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Compounds 3–5 and 11 showed significant activity against α-glucosidase with IC50 values ranging from 9.9–56.8 μM. Compound 4 (IC50 = 9.9 ± 0.48 μM) demonstrated higher inhibition followed by 11 (IC50 = 14.9 ± 1.31 μM), 5 (IC50 = 20.9 ± 0.05 μM) and 3 (IC50 = 56.8 ± 1.30 μM), indicating that carboxylic acid play a key role in α-glucosidase inhibition. Kinetics studies on the active compounds 3–5 and 11 were carried out to investigate their mechanism (mode of inhibition and dissociation constants Ki). All compounds were found to be non-competitive inhibitors with Ki values in the range of 7.05 ± 0.17–51.15 ± 0.25 µM. Moreover, in silico docking was performed to search the allosteric hotspot for ligand binding which is targeted by our active compounds investigates the binding mode of active compounds and it was identified that compounds preferentially bind in the allosteric binding sites of α-glucosidase. The results obtained from docking study suggested that the carboxylic group is responsible for their biologic activities. Furthermore, the α-glucosidase inhibitory potential of the active compounds is reported here for the first time.

Two new cembrane-type diterpenoids from the xisha soft coral Lemnalia flava

Further chemical investigation of the South China Sea soft coral Lemnalia flava resulted in the isolation and characterization of two new cembranoids, namely, xishaflavalins G and H (1 and 2), along with three known related compounds (3–5). The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by detailed spectroscopic analysis and by the comparison of their spectroscopic data with those reported in the literature. The discovery of cembrane-type diterpenes from soft coral of the genus Lemnalia was reported for the first time. In addition, compound 5 exhibited moderate inhibitory effects on the ConA-induced T lymphocytes and/or lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced B lymphocytes proliferation.

Numerosol A-D, new cembranoid diterpenes from the soft coral Sinularia numerosa.

Four new cembrane-type diterpenes; numerosol A–D (1–4); along with a known steroid; gibberoketosterol (5); were isolated from the Taiwanese soft coral Sinularia numerosa. The structures of these metabolites were determined by extensive analysis of spectroscopic data. Gibberoketosterol (5) exhibited cytotoxicity against P-388 (mouse lymphocytic leukemia) cell line with an ED50 of 6.9 μM.

Effects of cembrane-type diterpenes on proliferation of PC12 cells and their antagonistic effects on neurotoxicity induced by glutamate

To investigate the effects of cembrane-type diterpenes extracted from Sinularia flexibilis on the proliferation of PC12 cells and their protective effects on PC12 cells exposed to glutamate. Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) method was adopted to observe the effects of cembrane-type diterpenes (compound 1, compound 2 and compound 3) on the proliferation of PC12 cells. And the protective effects of the three compounds on PC12 cells exposed to glutamate were also detected by MTT. Furthermore, the influence of compound 1 on intracellular concentration of calcium in PC12 cells exposed to glutamate was detected by laser confocal microscopy. After 72-hour PC12 cell culture, OD values in the 2, 10 and 50 micromol/L compound 1 groups were significantly higher than that in the normal group (P<0.05, P<0.01). After 24-hour glutamate damage, OD values in the 0.4, 2 and 50 micromol/L compound 1 groups, the 0.4, 2 and 100 micromol/L compound 2 groups and the 2 micromol/L compound 3 group were obviously increased as compared with the untreated group (P<0.01, P<0.05). After 48-hour glutamate damage, OD values in the compound 1 group were approximate to those in the normal control and the positive control group while were significantly higher than that in the untreated group (P<0.01, P<0.05), but no dose-dependent effect was observed. Compound 1 of 0.4, 2, 50 micromol/L could significantly reduce the intracellular concentration of calcium in PC12 cells exposed to glutamate (P<0.05, P<0.01), which was also approximate to the effect of nimodipine (positive control drug). Cembrane-type diterpenes (compound 1, compound 2 and compound 3) extracted from Sinularia flexibilis have obvious protective effects on PC12 cells damaged by glutamate, and compound 1 has the best neuroprotective effect. The mechanism of the neuroprotective effect of compound 1 may lie in reducing the intracellular concentration of calcium in PC12 cells exposed to glutamate and relieving the calcium overload.

Anti-inflammatory activities of the triterpene acids from the resin of Boswellia carteri

Boswellic acids are the main well-known active components of the resin of Boswellia carteri (Burseraceae) and these are still dealing with the ethnomedicinal use for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory diseases. Although several studies have already been reported on the pharmacological properties, especially on the anti-inflammatory activity, of Boswellia carteri resin and boswellic acids, the ethnomedicinal importance of Boswellia carteri and its components, boswellic acids, prompted us to undertake detailed investigation on the constituents of the resin and their anti-inflammatory activity. Fifteen triterpene acids, viz., seven of the β-boswellic acids (ursane-type) ( 1– 7), two of the α-boswellic acids (oleanane-type) ( 8, 9), two of the lupeolic acids (lupane-type) ( 10, 11), and four of the tirucallane-type ( 12– 14, 16), along with two cembrane-type diterpenes ( 17, 18), were isolated and identified from the methanol extract of the resin of Boswellia carteri. Upon evaluation of 17 compounds, 1– 14 and 16– 18, and compound 15, semi-synthesized from 14 by acetylation, for their inhibitory activity against 12- O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced inflammation (1 μg/ear) in mice, all of the compounds, except for 18, exhibited marked anti-inflammatory activity with a 50% inhibitory dose (ID 50) of 0.05–0.49 mg/ear.

Structurally Novel Bioconversion Products of the Marine Natural Product Sarcophine Effectively Inhibit JB6 Cell Transformation.

Sarcophytol A (1) and B (2) (see Chart 1) are cembrane-type diterpenes known to inhibit tumor promotion. Indicative of this inhibitory response, we currently report sarcophytol A (1) mediates dose-dependent diminution of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA)-induced transformation of JB6 cells. Moreover, a structurally related furanocembrane diterpene, sarcophine (3), isolated in good yield from the Red Sea soft coral Sarcophyton glaucum, was also found to serve as an effective inhibitor of JB6 cell transformation. This compound was subjected to preparative-scale fermentation with Absidia glauca ATCC 22752, Rhizopus arrhizus ATCC 11145, and Rhizopus stolonifer ATCC 24795, resulting in the production of 10 new metabolites (5-14) along with the known compound 7beta,8alpha-dihydroxydeepoxysarcophine (4). Structures were elucidated primarily on the basis of 2D-NMR spectroscopy, with X-ray crystallography being used to establish the relative stereochemistry of metabolite 5. When evaluated for potential to inhibit TPA-induced JB6 cell transformation, several of the metabolites mediated inhibitory responses greater than sarcophytol A (1) or sarcophine (3), most notably 7alpha-hydroxy-Delta(8(19))-deepoxysarcophine (6), which was comparable to 13-cis-retinoic acid. These studies provide a basis for further development of novel furanocembranoids as anticancer agents.

Sarcophytols A and B inhibit tumor promotion by teleocidin in two-stage carcinogenesis in mouse skin

Sarcophytols A and B, isolated from a soft coral, Sarcophyton glaucum, are cembrane-type diterpenes with different numbers of hydroxyl groups. Sarcophytols A and B inhibited tumor promotion by teleocidin in two-stage carcinogenesis experiments on mouse skin. The inhibitory effect of sarcophytol A was demonstrated with two different initiating doses of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA): 50 micrograms (experiment 1) and 100 micrograms (experiment 2). In experiment 1, three groups of mice were treated with DMBA, and then twice a week with doses (1.6 micrograms, 16 micrograms, and 82 micrograms) of sarcophytol A followed by 2.5 micrograms teleocidin. In week 25, the incidences of tumors in these groups were only 7.1%, 20.0%, and 13.3%, respectively, whereas that in the control group treated with DMBA plus teleocidin was 53.3%. Moreover, at this time, the average numbers of tumors per mouse in these groups were 0.1, 0.3, and 0.3, respectively, while that in the control group was 2.1. In experiment 2 an amount of sarcophytol A (1.6 micrograms) or B (1.7 micrograms) equimolar to 2.5 micrograms teleocidin was applied twice a week, as in experiment 1, and results showed that sarcophytol B also inhibited tumor promotion by teleocidin. Both sarcophytols A and B caused delay in onset of tumor formation, and reduced the percentage of tumor-bearing mice and the average number of tumors per mouse. The effective concentrations of sarcophytols A and B were in the microgram range with an equimolar amount of teleocidin.

Marine terpenes and terpenoids. III. Isolation and structures of two cembrane diols from the soft coral Sinularia mayi.

Nine cembrane-type diterpenes were isolated from the lipid extract of the soft coral, Sinularia mayi. Of these, seven α-methylene-γ-lactone derivatives (1-7) had been previously isolated from various soft corals. The structures of the two new cembrane diols, sinulariol A (8a) and sinulariol B (9), were determined by means of spectroscopic analyses, and compound 9 was chemically correlated with nephthenol (11) whose absolute configuration is known. Compounds 8a and 9 are plausible precursors to the cembrane lactones found in various soft corals.

Marine terpenes and terpenoids. II. Structures of three cembrane-type diterpenes, sarcophytol-C, sarcophytol-D, and sarcophytol-E, from the soft coral, Sarcophyton glaucun Q. et G.

Three new minor cembrane-type diterpenes, sarcophytol-C, sarcophytol-D, and sarcophytol-E, were isolated from the lipid extract of the soft coral, Sarcophyton glaucum Q. et G., collected in southern Japan. Their structures were characterized on the basis of spectral evidence and degradative studies by ozonolysis.

Marine terpenes and terpenoids. I. Structures of four cembrane-type diterpenes; sarcophytol-A, sarcophytol-A acetate sarcophytol-B, and sarcophytonin-A, from the soft coral, Sarcophyton glaucum.

The lipid extract of the soft coral, Sarcophyton glaucum, was found to contain significant amounts of cembrane-type diterpenes. The structures of four major components, sarcophytol-A, sarcophytol-A acetate, sarcophytol-B, and sarcophytonin-A were characterized on the basis of spectral data and degradative studies by ozonolysis. Sarcophine and 16-deoxosarcophine, which were reported to be abundant in S. glaucum collected in the Red Sea, were not found yet.