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(+)-Sarcanan A (1a) and (−)-Sarcanan A (1b), a pair of new dihydrobenzofuran neolignan enantiomers, together with six known compounds (2–7), were isolated from the aerial parts of Sarcandra glabra. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis, and the absolute configurations of 1a and 1b were determined by analyses of the electronic circular dichroism (ECD) data. All compounds were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on the nitric oxide (NO) production induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in RAW264.7 cells, and compounds 2–4 exhibited moderate inhibition against NO production.

Two previously undescribed 7, 20-epoxy-ent-kauranes along with six known ent-kauranoids, were isolated from the aerial parts of Isodon eriocalyx. The structures of new compounds were established on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analyses. Compound 2 could inhibit the production of interleukin - 1β (IL - 1β) in monosodium urate (MSU) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced macrophages.

(+)-Sarcanan A (

Two previously undescribed triterpenoids (

Two previously undescribed 7, 20-epoxy

Four xanthones were isolated from Gentianopsis paludosa Ma and were identified by modern spectroscopic methods. Cytotoxicity of the four xanthones was tested on HepG2 cells and HL-60 cells by sulphorhodamine B (SRB) assay. Clonogenic survival assay, trypan blue exclusion method, AO/EB staining and DNA fragmentation assay were conducted to investigate the effect on growth inhibition and apoptosis in the two cell lines in vitro. At the same time, structure-activity relationships (SARs) of the xanthones were investigated. The results showed that the xanthones had significant cytotoxicity and inhibition of proliferation in both HepG2 cells and HL-60 cells, and could induce apoptosis in these two cell lines. SARs indicated that the methoxy group had more cytotoxic contribution than the hydroxyl group at site C-8 in the structural scaffold of xanthone. The glycosidea at site C-1 may aggravate the stereospecific blockade of compound 4 and reduced its cytotoxic activity.

The cytotoxicity of six ent-kaurene diterpenoids isolated from the leaves of Isodon japonica (Burm.f.) Hara var. galaucocalyx (maxin) Hara was evaluated against three human tumour HepG2, GLC-82 and HL-60 cell lines through SRB assay, and their DNA damage potential (against HepG2 cell line) was assessed by comet assay. Among the six ent-kaurene diterpenoids, Rabdosin B was most cytotoxic, followed by Oridonin, Epinodosin, Rabdosinate, Lasiokaurin and Epinodosinol. All of the six ent-kaurene diterpenoids induced significant DNA damage (p0.05) to HepG2 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner except Lasiokaurin and Eponodosinol at 6 µmol L⁻¹ for 24 h. The structure-activity relationships (SARs) were discussed and it was found that exo-methylene cyclopentanone in the molecular structure was important for maintaining the cytotoxicity and DNA damage potential of the compounds.-OAc group at site C-1 in Lasiokaurin had a higher stereospecific blockade, which made the compound have less cytotoxicity and DNA damage potential than Oridonin (-OH at C-1).

Two new eremophilanolides, sibiriolides A (1) and B (2), were isolated from the aerial parts of Xanthium sibiricum. The structures of the new compounds were identified as 4S,5R,7R,8R, 11R-2-oxo-1(10)-eremophilen-12,8-olide (1) and 4S,5R,7R,8R,11S-2-oxo-1(10)-eremophilen-12,8-olide (2) by HREIMS and NMR spectroscopic techniques in combination with X-ray crystallographic analysis and CD measurements.