Premna Research Articles

<i>Premna cordifolia</i> (Verbenaceae) - A Variously Misapplied Name

Premna cordifolia Roxb., does not occur in India. It is found that either this species was misunderstood or the name P. cordifolia misapplied to P. corymbosa Rottler in old literature; or to P. rubens (C.B. Clarke) Ridley in later literature. The species involved are keyed out and their nomenclature is set right. P. rubens is added to the Indian Verbenaceae and the name lectotypified.

Macrophage infiltration promotes regrowth in MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma after chemotherapy

ABSTRACT Despite aggressive treatment, the 5-year event-free survival rate for children with high-risk neuroblastoma is <50%. While most high-risk neuroblastoma patients initially respond to treatment, often with complete clinical remission, many eventually relapse with therapy-resistant tumors. Novel therapeutic alternatives that prevent the recurrence of therapy-resistant tumors are urgently needed. To understand the adaptation of neuroblastoma under therapy, we analyzed the transcriptomic landscape in 46 clinical tumor samples collected before (PRE) or after (POST) treatment from 22 neuroblastoma patients. RNA sequencing revealed that many of the top-upregulated biological processes in POST MYCN amplified (MNA+) tumors compared to PRE MNA+ tumors were immune-related, and there was a significant increase in numerous genes associated with macrophages. The infiltration of macrophages was corroborated by immunohistochemistry and spatial digital protein profiling. Moreover, POST MNA+ tumor cells were more immunogenic compared to PRE MNA+ tumor cells. To find support for the macrophage-induced outgrowth of certain subpopulations of immunogenic tumor cells following treatment, we examined the genetic landscape in multiple clinical PRE and POST tumor samples from nine neuroblastoma patients revealing a significant correlation between an increased amount of copy number aberrations (CNA) and macrophage infiltration in POST MNA+ tumor samples. Using an in vivo neuroblastoma patient-derived xenograft (PDX) chemotherapy model, we further show that inhibition of macrophage recruitment with anti-CSF1R treatment prevents the regrowth of MNA+ tumors following chemotherapy. Taken together, our work supports a therapeutic strategy for fighting the relapse of MNA+ neuroblastoma by targeting the immune microenvironment.

Triterpenoids and Steroids from Premna fulva

Triterpenoids and Steroids from Premna fulva

Effect of aqueous enriched fraction of Premna integrifolia root against cafeteria diet induced obesity in Swiss albino mice

Objective: The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of aqueous enriched fraction of Premna integrifolia root (AEFPIR) against cafeteria diet induced obesity in Swiss albino mice. Materials and Methods: Female Swiss albino mice were divided into four groups, which received cafeteria diet, standard drug simvastatin (10 mg/kg) and AEFPIR (200 and 400 mg/kg) daily for 40 days. The body weight, body mass index (BMI), food consumption, serum glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL) and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) were studied along with histopathological assessments for screening the effect of AEFPIR against cafeteria diet induced obesity. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fingerprint profile of AEFPIR was also studied using quercetin as the reference standard. Results: The results of present study revealed that, there was a significant decrease in body weight, BMI, food consumption and in the levels of serum glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL and VLDL with a significant increase in the level of HDL in mice treated with simvastatin and AEFPIR groups compared with cafeteria diet group. Mice treated with AEFPIR shows dose dependent effect. The AEFPIR (400 mg/kg) supplementation attenuated all the above alterations, which indicates the protective effect against cafeteria diet induced obesity that was further confirmed by histopathological analysis. The solvent system was used for HPLC fingerprint profile of AEFPIR, 50 Mm potassium diphosphate (pH‑3 with ortho phosphoric acid): Methanol (50:50 v/v) at 360 nm. The chromatograph showed three peaks at retention times 3.835, 5.649 and 11.106. Conclusion: The present study suggests that AEFPIR possess protective effect against cafeteria diet induced obesity that was substantiated its ethno‑medicinal use in the treatment of obesity. The exploration of chemical constituents and further pharmacological evaluation will give us basis for its therapeutic use. Further series of studies are required to prove its clinical reliability, safety and efficacy. Key words: Aqueous enriched fraction, cafeteria diet, obesity, Premna integrifolia

Fragments of acylated 6- O-α- l-rhamnopyranosylcatalpol from leaves of Premna japonica

Five monoacyl rhamnopyranoses were isolated from leaves of Premna japonica. The structures were determined to be 2- and 3- O- trans-isoferuloylrhamnopyranoses, 2- and 3- O- trans- p-methoxycinnamoylrhamnopyranoses and 2- O- cis- p-methoxycinnamoylrhamnopyranose.