Normal-phase Silica Research Articles

Characterization of Potent Odorants Causing an Oily Odor in Rice-Made Baijiu by Comparative Aroma Extract Dilution Analysis, Quantitative Measurements, and Aroma Addition and Omission Studies.

The presence of an oily odor in rice-made Baijiu is a unique characteristic that has not been thoroughly studied. This study qualitatively and quantitatively identified important aroma-active compounds in samples with typical and atypical oily odors using aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA). By comparing the differences between flavor dilution (FD) and odor activity values (OAVs), nine compounds showing significant differences were selected. By combining normal-phase silica gel column and sensory analysis, these nine potential oily odor compounds were isolated from the typical oily odor sample. Addition and omission experiments confirmed that hexanal, trans-2-heptenal, trans,trans-2,4-nonadienal, (2E)-2-decenal, trans,trans-2,4-decadienal, and γ-nonanolide are key contributors to the oily odor.

Ethylamine as new derivatization reagent differentiating reducing from non-reducing saccharides

Typical derivatization reagents for saccharides in high-performance thin-layer chromatography, like 2-naphthol sulfuric acid, aniline diphenylamine orthophosphoric acid, or p-aminobenzoic acid, generally detect both reducing and non-reducing saccharides. A new reagent was found with ethylamine, specifically reacting with reducing saccharides on normal-phase silica gel plates, resulting in strongly fluorescent zones after heating the plate at 150 °C for 15 min. In contrast, non-reducing saccharides generally did not reveal fluorescent signals tested with 26 different saccharides. Optimal chromatographic separation was achieved with a mixture of 2-propyl acetate, methanol, and water with 1 mg/mL natural product reagent A when the plate was twofold developed. The high sensitivity of the ethylamine derivatization was shown with mean limits of detection and quantification of 10 and 30 ng per zone, respectively, calculated by different methods for selected mono- and disaccharides. The developed method has exemplarily been used for the digestion control of starch by α-amylase, the determination of lactose in lactose-free milk, and for the quantitative and qualitative study of honey. The analysis of honey gave an excellent example of the advantageous consecutive derivatization with ethylamine and aniline diphenylamine orthophosphoric acid reagent as reagent sequence to detect the coelution of reducing and non-reducing saccharides.

Development and validation of a high-performance thin layer chromatography method for the simultaneous determination of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid combinations in tablet dosage forms

A simple and sensitive high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) method was developed and validated as per the International Council for Harmonization (ICH) guidelines for the simultaneous determination of amoxicillin (AMX) and clavulanic acid (CLA) combinations in tablet formulations. Chromatography was performed on precoated glass plates with normal phase silica gel 60 F254. The mobile phase was acetone:ethyl acetate:glacial acetic acid:water (11:9:4:2 (v/v)). The plate was scanned at a wavelength of 428 nm after derivatization with ninhydrin. The validation of the method revealed that the linearity range lies between 400 and 1200 ng/band for AMX and 100–300 ng/band for CLA, with coefficients of determination of 0.9997 and 0.9966, respectively. Recoveries in standard addition accuracy studies were 100.3 % for AMX and 96.75 % for CLA. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation (LOQ) of the developed method are 20.3 ng/band and 61.6 ng/band for AMX and 18.5 ng/band and 56.2 ng/band for CLA, respectively. The new, novel high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) method that was successfully developed in this study was applied for the simultaneous determination of AMX and CLA in their fixed-dose tablet dosage forms obtained from retail pharmacies and offered comparable results with the official British Pharmacopoeial high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method.

Application of Normal-Phase Silica Column in Hydrophilic Interaction Liquid Chromatography Mode for Simultaneous Determination of Underivatized Amino Acids from Human Serum Samples via Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

In neonatal screening, amino acids have a significant diagnostic role. Determination of their values may identify abnormal conditions. Early diagnosis and continuous monitoring of amino acid disorders results in a better disease outcome. An easy and simple LC-MS/MS method was developed for the quantitation of underivatized amino acids. Amino acids were separated using a normal-phase HPLC column having a totally porous silica stationary phase and using classical reversed-phase eluents. Mass spectrometry in multiple reaction monitoring mode was used for the analysis, providing high selectivity and sensitivity. A standard addition calibration model was applied for quantitation using only one isotope-labeled internal standard for all amino acids. Five calibration points were used for quantitation, and the method was successfully validated. The slopes of the calibration curves of the individual amino acids in parallel measurements were found to be similar. Since the measured slopes were reproducible, one serum sample could represent every series of serum samples of a given day. The method was tested on human serum samples and adequate results were obtained. This new method can be easily applied in clinical laboratories.

Research on Secondary Metabolites From the Soft Coral-Associated Fungus Aspergillus sydowii SCSIO41203 and Their Bioactivities

Objective: As part of our ongoing search for bioactive secondary metabolites, the Beibu Gulf soft coral-derived fungus Aspergillus sydowii SCSIO41203 was investigated, which led to the isolation of 15 compounds. Methods: These compounds were purified by chromatographic methods, including normal phase silica gel column chromatography, octadecylsilyl column chromatography, Sephadex LH-20, and high-performance liquid chromatography. Their structures were elucidated by nuclear magnetic resonance, and mass spectrometry and compared their data with those related metabolites in the literature. Results: The structures of 1 to 15 were identified as expansol F (1), expansol C (2), expansol D (3), ( Z)-5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-(6′-methylhept-2′-en-2′-yl)phenol (4), ( E)-5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-(6′-methylhept-2′-en-2′-yl)phenol (5), sydonol (6), (-)-(7 R,10 S)-10-hydroxysydowic acid (7), (-)-(7 R,10 R)- iso-10-hydroxysydowic acid (8), sydowic acid (9), 1-hydroxyboivinianin A (10), (+)-sydonic acid (11), 3-hydroxydiorcinol (12), cordyol C (13), ( R)-mevalonolactone (14), and 4-methyl-5,6-dihydropyren-2-one (15). These isolated compounds were evaluated for antibacterial, cytotoxic, and enzyme-inhibitory activities. Among them, compounds 1 to 3 and 13 showed moderate acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity, with IC50 values of 3.9, 33.8, 11.5, and 19.8 μM, respectively, with the positive control (tacrine) of 0.5 μM.

Effect of Sample Plates and Sample Matrix on the Quantification Capabilities of Surface-Assisted Flowing Atmospheric-Pressure Afterglow Mass Spectrometry (SA-FAPA-MS).

Ambient desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (ADI-MS) has been broadly applied to accomplish direct analysis without sample preparation or separation. However, quantification capabilities and analytical performance are sometimes limited. Here, we report signal enhancement effects and improved quantification capabilities in plasma-based ADI-MS, when a flowing atmospheric-pressure afterglow (FAPA) source is used to probe analytes on tailored thin-layer chromatography (TLC) plates. It was found that quantitative results could be achieved when the TLC plate merely served as a sampling plate without a preceding separation step. Specifically, the dynamic response of caffeine, nicotine, acetaminophen, and progesterone was investigated with FAPA-MS on a variety of different TLC surfaces (normal-phase silica, reversed-phase-modified silica, cyano [CN]-modified silica, and dimethyl [RP2]-modified silica). All analytes were studied as single-analyte standards and in a multianalyte mixture to evaluate the effect of sample plates and sample matrix on analytical performance and competitive ionization processes. Overall, dimethyl (RP2)- and CN-modified silica resulted in superior performance compared to other TLC materials. After careful optimization and without the use of internal standards, linear ranges of five orders of magnitude were accessible for caffeine and nicotine. Limits of detection down to femtomole amounts of analyte were achieved. Quantitation limits using RP2-TLC and FAPA-MS were 0.062, 0.062l, 0.31, and 14 pmol for caffeine, nicotine, progesterone, and acetaminophen, respectively. Interestingly, the presence of nicotine at relatively high amounts reduced the signal of the other analytes, an observation that was found to correlate with the differences in the enthalpy of vaporization (ΔHvap) and proton affinity. To prove the quantitative capabilities, nicotine quantification in a real matrix-heavy e-liquid sample was demonstrated using an isotopically labeled standard. The use of TLC-based surfaces with FAPA-MS can aid in the direct and quantitative mass spectrometric investigation of complex mixtures.

Chemical Constituents and Neuroprotective Activity ofHypericum hookerianum

Objective/BackgroundThe Hypericum hookerianum is widely distributed in Asian countries and prevalently used in traditional herbal medicines for its significant antioxidant, antipyretic, and anticancer properties. To date, very limited reports are available regarding the phytochemical profile, and there are no reports that have studied the neuroprotective potentials of this plant.Experimental MethodsThe aerial parts of H. hookerianum were collected from the Sapa mountainous district, Lao Cai province of Vietnam. The extracts were prepared using methanol, n-butanol, ethyl acetate, and chloroform and fractionated by normal-phase silica gel column chromatography to isolate compounds. The purity of the isolated compounds was analyzed by liquid chromatography combined with mass spectrometry. The structures were studied using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. All the isolates were evaluated for their neuroprotective activity against the neurotoxicity induced by glutamate in HT-22 hippocampal cells and 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. The fluorescent dye calcein-AM image assay was used to measure the cell viability.ResultsBioassay-guided fractionation of the aerial parts of H. hookerianum led to the isolation of 20 previously reported compounds (1-20), including 3 flavonoids (1-3), 2 xanthones (4 and 5), 1 chalcone (6), 4 lignans (7-0), 1 chromone-C-glycoside (11), 1 cinnamic acid derivative (12), 7 phloroglucinols (13-9), and 1 stilbene (20). The structures of the compounds were determined by spectroscopic methods and compared with the reported data. The extracts and isolated compounds showed neuroprotection in both cell models. The compounds 4-hydroxy-2,6,4′-trimethoxydihydrochalcone (6, EC50 = 1.48 µM) and sesamin (10, EC50 = 2.85 µM) exhibited significant neuroprotective effects in HT-22 and SH-SY5Y cells, respectively.ConclusionThis is the first report on the neuroprotection of extracts and isolated compounds from H. hookerianum. The results provide information for further studies to develop products for the prevention and treatment of neurological disorders.

Chemical analysis of electronic cigarette liquids (e-liquids) and direct nicotine quantitation using surface-assisted flowing atmospheric-pressure afterglow desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (SA-FAPA-MS).

Ambient desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (ADI-MS) has been widely used for direct analysis of real samples without sample preparation or separation. Studies on the quantification of low molecular weight compounds in complex matrices with ADI-MS remain scarce. In this paper, we report the application of surface-assisted flowing atmospheric-pressure afterglow mass spectrometry (SA-FAPA-MS) for fast qualitative screening of electronic cigarette liquid (e-liquids) ingredients and direct quantification of nicotine. The quantification approach is rapid, uses a deuterated D4-nicotine standard spike, and does not require a preceding chromatography step or other methods to remove the complex sample matrix. Selected e-liquids were directly applied on thin-layer chromatography (TLC) plate surfaces (normal phase (NP) silica, reversed phase (RP) modified silica, cyano (CN) modified silica, and dimethyl (RP2) modified silica) after dilution and internal standard spiking. The plates served purely as sample carriers and no analyte separation was performed. Promising qualitative results were obtained, demonstrating the ability to detect nicotine alkaloids using this approach and the ability to differentiate e-liquids based on their flavor variations. In addition, dimethyl- (RP2-) and cyano-modified (CN-) silica surfaces were selected for quantification based on performance results of previous studies. It was shown that results were in high accordance with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) experiments with lowest deviations <3% on dimethyl surfaces. Additional quantitative experiments including a certified reference material achieved equally satisfying results with lowest deviations of -1.1% from the certified nicotine content. For nicotine, detection limits down to the fmol range (96 fmol on CN and 20 fmol on RP2) were obtained. A detailed comparison of glass surfaces with functionalized surfaces showed that the functionalized surfaces were superior in terms of sample application reproducibility, mass spectra quality, sensitivity, and information density. Thus, functionalized thin-layer surfaces are considered promising tools for both qualitative and quantitative ADI-MS analysis of complex samples.

A simple method for distinguishing Dendrobium devonianum and Dendrobium officinale by ultra performance liquid chromatography-photo diode array detector

Using UPLC and PDA detector, the fingerprints of Dendrobium devonianum and Dendrobium officinale produced in the Longling area of Yunnan Province, China were obtained quickly and efficiently, and 26 common peaks in Dendrobium devonianum and Dendrobium officinale samples were obtained by automatic peak matching through the “Chinese Medicine Chromatographic Fingerprint Similarity Evaluation System”. The relative peak areas of the common peaks were analyzed by PCA using R, and the results showed that Dendrobium devonianum and Dendrobium officinale could be well distinguished by PCA, which was consistent with the analysis results of OPLS-DA. The results fully demonstrate that Dendrobium devonianum and Dendrobium officinale grown in the same area can be effectively distinguished by using the method of common peaks combined with stoichiometry. The VIP value of the 13 common peaks is greater than 1.0, which has a significant contribution to the difference and it was differential marker in Dendrobium devonianum and Dendrobium officinale. At the same time, normal-phase silica gel column chromatography was used to separate and purify the compounds that are related to the common peaks, and a total of 7 compounds were identified, among which eupatolide and isoschaftoside belong to differential markers and characteristic compounds in Dendrobium devonianum and Dendrobium officinale, which have good biological health care activity. The successful identification of Dendrobium devonianum and Dendrobium officinale in Longling area of Yunnan Province and the discovery of related differential markers play an important role in the further research and development of Dendrobium devonianum as a new food raw material and its products.

Phytochemical characterization and anti-inflammatory activity of a water extract of Gentiana purpurea roots

Ethnopharmacological relevanceGentiana purpurea was one of the most important medicinal plants in Norway during the 18th and 19th centuries, and the roots were used against different types of gastrointestinal and airway diseases. Aim of the studyTo explore the content of bioactive compounds in a water extract from the roots, a preparation commonly used in traditional medicine in Norway, to assess the anti-inflammatory potential, and furthermore to quantify the major bitter compounds in both roots and leaves. Materials and methodsG. purpurea roots were boiled in water, the water extract applied on a Diaion HP20 column and further fractionated with Sephadex LH20, reverse phase C18 and normal phase silica gel to obtain the low molecular compounds. 1D NMR, 2D NMR, and ESI-MS were used for structure elucidation. HPLC-DAD analysis was used for quantification. The inhibition of TNF-α secretion in ConA stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was investigated. ResultsEleven compounds were isolated and identified from the hot water extract of G. purpurea roots. Gentiopicrin, amarogentin, erythrocentaurin and gentiogenal showed dose-dependent inhibition of TNF-α secretion. Gentiopicrin is the major secondary metabolite in the roots, while sweroside dominates in the leaves. ConclusionsThe present work gives a comprehensive overview of the major low-molecular weight compounds in the water extracts of G. purpurea, including metabolites produced during the decoction process, and show new anti-inflammatory activities for the native bitter compounds as well as the metabolites produced during preparation of the crude drug.

A new isoflavone from Dalbergia odorifera and inhibitory activity of its tyrosinase

Twelve flavonoids were isolated and purified from the ethyl acetate fraction of 95% ethanol extract of Dalbergia odorifera by heat reflux extraction, solvent extraction, recrystallization, normal phase silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, MCI gel and HPLC methods. The structures were identified with multiple spectroscopic methods, including 1 D-NMR, 2 D-NMR and MS. The compounds were identified as 6,7,8-trimethoxy-5,4'-dihydroxy isoflavone(1), medicarpin(2), 7,2'-dihydroxy-4'-methoxy-isoflavanol(3), biochanin A(4), prunetin(5), genistein(6), pratensein(7), 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-6-isopentenyl-7-methoxy-4H-chromen-4-one(8), tectorigenin(9), irisolidone(10), vestitol(11), and formononetin(12). Compound 1 was a new isoflavone, and compound 8 was isolated from D. odorifera for the first time. The results showed that compounds 1-3 had inhibitory effects on tyrosinase, with inhibition rates of 35.58%, 38.63% and 51.34% at the concentration of 1.0 mmol·L~(-1), respectively.

Several natural phytochemicals from Chinese traditional fermented food-pickled Raphanus sativus L.: Purification and characterization.

In this study, we aimed to isolate and identify the bioactive compounds from 5-year pickled radish. The pickled radish was extracted with methanol or ethyl acetate. Sephadex LH-20, normal phase and reverse phase silica gel column chromatography were used for separation and purification, combined with thin layer chromatography (TLC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), electrospray mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) technology for structural identification. The results showed that 6 compounds were separated and purified from methanol and ethyl acetate extracts of 5-year-old pickled radish. The structures were identified as 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, β-sitosterol, β-sitosterol-3-O-glucose glycosides, α-linolenic acid, 1-monopalmitin and chaenomic acid A. Using molecular docking, it was determined that β-sitosterol and its derivative β-sitosterol-3-O-glucose glycosides have high affinity for five antioxidant enzymes, and there were multiple hydrogen bonds between them. These results indicated that pickled radishes might be used as an important source of natural chemical substances.

Anti-urease and antioxidant activities of the leaf extracts from Murraya paniculata (L.) Jack (Rutaceae)

This report is on the urease inhibitory and free radical scavenging activities of the leaf extracts of Murraya paniculata. The pulverized plant sample (314 g) was extracted by successive cold maceration using n-hexane (non-polar), acetone (moderately polar) and absolute ethanol (polar) for 72 hrs. Phytochemical screening done using standard phytochemical methods, urease inhibition using modifed Berthelot method and free radical scavenging using 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) spectrophotometric assays. The bioactive extract was fractionated on chromatography column packed with normal phase silica gel (200-400 mesh size) and eluted using gradient mixtures of n-hexane, dichloromethane and methanol. The pooled fractions from the column were assessed for bioactivity. The functional group investigation was done using infra-red (IR) spectroscopy. Alkaloids, flavonoids, triterpenoids, phenols, steroids, and carbohydrates were present in the extract. The acetone extract displayed the highest free radical scavenging activity (54.186±0.0004) with IC 50 value: 0.84 mg/ml, and urease inhibition. Its dichloromethane-methanol column chromatography fraction had the highest free radical scavenging activity at 0.8 mg/ml (60.65±0.062) with an IC50 value: 0.49mg/ml. The activities were quite significant compared to the standard (Ascorbic acid) at P&lt;0.05. The bioactive dichloromethane-methanol column chromatography fraction evidenced vibration stretching bands [3440 cm-1 (O-H), 2975 cm-1 (C-H), 1745 cm-1 (C=O), 1634 cm-1 (C=C), 1290 cm-1(C-N), and 1134/1007 cm-1 (C-O)] from the IR spectroscopy thus corroborating the detected phytochemicals. These current results validate the use of the M. paniculata in managing oxidative stress and other reported traditional uses in addition to the potentials for its use in the discovery and development of eco-friendly urease inhibitors for sustainable agriculture.

A triterpene ketone from an anti-mycobacterial tuberculosis chromatography eluate from the n-hexane fraction of the fruits of Harungana madagascariensis Lam. Ex Poiret (Hypericaceae)

Clinical cases of drug resistant tuberculosis (TB) are a global threat because of the cost and extended duration of treatment regimen. This underscores the continuous drive to discover new therapeutic agents that are faster, simpler and affordable often by recourse to natural products. This report highlights the potentials of the Nigerian medicinal plant Harungana madagascariensis Lam. Ex Poiret (Hypericaceae) as a source of lead agents for the discovery and development of anti-tuberculosis drugs. The fruit of H. madagascariensis was extracted with 70% aqueous ethanol by cold maceration. The crude 70 % aqueous ethanol extract was partitioned with n-hexane to give n-hexane (NHF) soluble portions. The NHF was fractionated further on a column packed with normal phase silica gel (200-400 Mesh size) to afford the chromatography fractions used in this study. The structure of isolated compound was elucidated using spectroscopic (NMR, IR, and MS) techniques. Anti-Mycobacteria tuberculosis susceptibility screening of the chromatography fractions was done using Lowenstein Jensen method with rifampicin, ethambutol, isoniazid and dihydrostreptomycin as reference anti-TB drugs for comparison. Four fractions NHF1-4 were obtained from the NHF. The chromatography fractions: NHF2 and NHF3 inhibited the growth of the Mycobacteria tuberculosis. From the NHF2 was isolated the known bioactive triterpene ketone friedelan-3-one. This preliminary screening underscores the potentials of this ethno medicinal plant as a source of lead compounds for the development of anti-TB drugs.

Triterpenoids and triterpenoid saponins from leaves of Bougainvillea spectabilis

The genus Bougainvillea with about 18 species belonging to the family Nyctaginaceae is a widespread group throughout the world. Bougainvillea spectabilis was traditionally used in Indian and Mexico for treatment hepatitis, cough, and diarrhea. Ethanolic and methanolic extracts from leaves and stems of this plant showed anti–inflammatory activity. Some pharmacological studies have focused on antidiabetic activity of this species. Some extracts from leaves, bark exhibited hypoglycemic, -glucosidase, and amylase inhibitor activities. Phytochemical investigations have reported the isolation of flavonoids, triterpenoid saponins, and steroids. Leaves of B. spectabilis were collected and extracted with ethanol at room temperature by maceration method to obtain the ethanolic extract. By partitioning with n–hexane, ethyl acetate successively yields n–hexane and ethyl acetate extracts. Column chromatographies on normal phase silica gel, reversed–phase RP–18, and Sephadex LH–20 were used to isolate compounds 1–6. Their chemical structures were elucidated by HRESIMS, 1D, and 2D–NMR and compared with those reported in the literature, including lupeol (1), (20S)–3β–acetoxylupan–29–oic acid (2), maslinic acid (3), 3–O––D–(6'–O–methyl)glucuronopyranosyloleanolic acid (4), 3–O––D–(6'–O–ethyl)glucuronopyranosyloleanolic acid (5), and 3–O––D–glucopyranosyl–(14)––D–(6'–O–methyl)glucuronopyranosyloleanolic acid (6). All these compounds were isolated for the first time from the genus Bougainvillea.

Chemical constituents of triterpenoids from Euphorbia resinifera

The combination of normal-phase silica gel column chromatography, octadecyl silica(ODS) column chromatography, semi-preparative high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC), etc. was employed to isolate and purify the chemical components from Euphorbia resinifera, and 7 triterpenoids were separated from the ethanol extract of the medicinal materials. Their structures were identified by various spectroscopy methods as cycloartan-1,24-diene-3-one(1), cycloartan-1,24-diene-3-ol(2), 3β-hydroxy-lanosta-8,24-diene-11-one(3), lnonotusane C(4), eupha-8,24-diene-3β-ol-7,11-dione(5), eupha-24-methylene-8-ene-3β-ol-7,11-dione(6), and eupha-8,24-diene-3β,11β-diol-7-one(7). Compounds 1 and 2 are new compounds, and compound 3 is obtained from nature for the first time.

Identification, Isolation and Characterization of a Pharmaceutical Impurity in Levocetirizine Hydrochloride

Background: Levocetirizine is chemically know as (R)-(-)-2-[4-(4-chlorobenzhydryl)-1- piperazinyl]-ethoxy acetic acid dihydrochloride. Many publications have reported the synthetic routes of levocetirizine. Several related substances have been detected in levocetirizine hydrochloride drug substances. In our study, a pharmaceutical impurity, at the level of &gt;0.1% w/w, was isolated, purified and identified. It is not included in the European Pharmacopoeia (EP). Objective: Identification, isolation and characterization of a new pharmaceutical impurity in levocetirizine hydrochloride. Methods: The impurity was enriched by normal phase silica gel, and was further purified by semipreparative HPLC. It was separated from the crystallization mother liquor of levocetirizine hydrochloride for the first time. Mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy are the ultimate tools in structure elucidation. Results: The structure was identified as levocetirizine quaternary ammonium. The formation mechanisms of the impurity are also presented. The method was applied to the determination of the impurity in levocetirizine hydrochloride in real samples. Conclusion: The method was applied to the determination the impurity of levocetirizine hydrochloride in real samples.

Chemical constituents of the Rhizomes of Curcuma zedoaria

Curcuma zedoaria (Berg.), belongs to the Zingiberaceae family, is one of the medicinal plants that is found in Southeast Asia. This plant is known as “Nghe tim” in Vietnam; and a decoction of its rhizomes has been used traditionally for the cure flatulence, fatigue, and hepatitis. Previously, some studies on the chemical constituent of the rhizomes of C. zedoaria have reported plenty of curcuminoids and sesquiterpenoids together with their derivatives, which have shown a lot of various bioactivities such as antiproliferative characteristic, anti-ulcer, antioxidant and antibacterial potential. By chromatography column method along with preparative thin layer chromatography on a normal phase silica gel on the EtOAc extract of the rhizomes of Curcuma zedoaria, we have isolated five pure compounds. Their chemical structures have been elucidated by NMR techniques and comparison with publishing data that have determined to be gajustulactone A (1), isozedoarondiol (2), neolitacumone (3), β-sitosterol (4), and β-stigmasterol (5). The results of this study have contributed to the scientific data system on the chemical composition of Vietnamese medicinal plants, especially the rhizomes of Curcuma zedoaria grown in Tinh Bien, An Giang. Therefore, there is more evidence to continue screening studies to detect interesting biological activities from this species.

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Effect of &lt;em&gt;Panax notoginsenoside&lt;/em&gt; Rg1 on bidirectional regulation of blood glucose level in mice&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Panax notoginseng saponin (PNS) is one of the key bioactive components of dry root and rhizome of Panax notoginseng (Burk.), a well known as Tianqi in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Although PNS has been shown to possess various pharmacological activities, such as being antithrombotic, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory and hypolipidemic, etc., its effects on blood glucose levels have not been well documented but for some preliminary reports. It deserves a detailed in vivo investigation in animal model. Thus, to investigate the bi-directional regulation of ginsenoside Rgl (Rg1) on blood glucose in mice, Rg1 with high purity was prepared from panax notoginseng saponins by normal phase silica gel column chromatography and reverse phase C18 preparative chromatography. Normal 4-week-old mice were randomly divided into normal control group, normal control group with Rg1, glucose gavage control group, glucose gavage control group with Rg1, insulin treated control group and overnight fasting control group with or without Rg1 (n = 10). The mice in the control group were intragastrically administered with PBS solution, and the mice in the Rg1 groups were intragastrically administered with Rg1 once a day at the doses of 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mg/kg for consecutive 7 days. After the last drug, blood glucose (BG) levels were measured at 0.5 (30 min) and 1 h after administration using a simultaneous automatic biochemical analyzer to observe the effect of Rg1 on BG levels. Compared with the model group, Rg1 significantly decreased the BG levels of hyperglycemic mice induced by glucose gavage (P <0.05), significantly increased the BG level of overnight fasted mice (P <0.05), and had no significant effects on the normal group of mice. Panax notoginseng saponin Rgl has a significant bidirectional regulatory effect on glucose levels in mice. When the blood glucose of mice increases, intragastric administration of Rg1 can effectively reduce the blood glucose; conversely, when the blood glucose of mice is low, Rg1 can effectively increase the blood glucose value.

Chemical Composition and Cytotoxic Activity of the Fractionated Trunk Bark Essential Oil from Tetraclinis articulata (Vahl) Mast. Growing in Tunisia.

The aim of the present research was to determine the chemical composition and the cytotoxic effects of Tetraclinis articulata trunk bark essential oil (HEE) obtained by steam distillation and five fractions obtained by normal phase silica chromatographic separation. Chemical analysis allowed the identification of 54 known compounds. Relatively high amounts of oxygenated sesquiterpenes (44.4–70.2%) were detected, mainly consisting of caryophyllene oxide (13.1–26.6%), carotol (9.2–21.2%),14-hydroxy-9-epi-(E)-caryophyllene (3.2–15.5%) and humulene epoxide II (2.6–7.2%). The cytotoxic activity against human mammary carcinoma cell lines (MDA-MB-231) and colorectal carcinoma cell lines (SW620) of the essential oil and its fractions were assessed. All the samples displayed moderate to weak activity compared to 5-fluorouracil. The colorectal carcinoma cell line was relatively more sensitive to the essential oil and its fractions compared to the breast cancer cell line, showing IC50 values from 25.7 to 96.5 μg/mL. In addition, the essential oil and its fraction E.2 revealed a cytotoxic activity against colorectal carcinoma cell line, with IC50 values lower than 30 μg/mL. This is the first report on the chemical composition and cytotoxic activity of the trunk bark essential oil of T. articulata.