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A new natural product, 3α,19-dihydroxyl-ent-pimara-8(14),15-diene (1), which possesses an α-orientation hydroxymethyl at C-4 and ∆8,14 groups, as well as eight known compounds, was isolated from the rhizomes of Ricinus communis. The structure of 1 was elucidated by extensive spectroscopic methods and its absolute configurations were confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis. The inhibitory rate of 1 against protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) was 49.49% at the concentration of 6.58 × 10−5 mol/L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four new polyoxygenated cembranoids, namely sarcoboettgerol A (1), 12- epi -humilisin D (2), sarcoboettgerol B (3), and sarcoboettgerol C (4), together with one known related analogue, humilisin D (5), were isolated and characterized from the soft coral Sarcophyton boettgeri collected off Ximao island, Hainan Province, China. The structures and absolute configurations of the new compounds were determined by extensive spectroscopic data analyses, Cu k α single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, and TDDFT-ECD calculations. A plausible biogenetic relationship of 3 and 4 was proposed. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four rare isotachin-derived, isotachins E -H (1 – 4), together with two known biogenetically related isotachin derivatives (5 and 6) were isolated from the solid rice fermentation of a fungus Penicillium tanzanicum ZY-5 obtained from a medicinal plant Dasymaschalon rostratum collected from the Changjiang County, Hainan Province, China. Their structures were elucidated using comprehensive spectroscopic methods. The single-crystal X-ray diffraction of compound 5 was determined. Compounds 1 – 4 have a trans-3-(methylthio)-acrylic acid fragment, which are rare in nature. The inhibitory activities of all compounds against the nitric oxide (NO) production induced by lipopolysaccharide in mouse macrophage RAW 264.7 cells in vitro were evaluated. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT We have investigated the environment of the giant radio galaxy NGC 315 with its associated group of galaxies selected by their spectroscopic redshifts. Observations were made with the 2.16-m optical telescope at Xinglong Station of the National Astronomical Observatories of China. In addition to 25 galaxies near NGC 315 with published redshifts, we have successfully determined 21 new redshifts of candidates, five of which are previously unknown members of the NGC 315 galaxy group. We examine and discuss the spatial structure and kinematics of this group (which is part of the Perseus-Pisces filament). Nearly 40 per cent of its members are concentrated near NGC 315, close to the emission from its brighter radio jet. The X-ray luminosity implied by the optical velocity dispersion is higher than that derived empirically from observations of other groups, suggesting that X-ray-emitting gas within the NGC 315 group has a low density. This may be one reason for the size of the radio source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Chiratone (1), a rare new chiratane type triterpenoid, together with five known triterpenoids were isolated from the rhizomes of Drynaria fortunei (Kunze) J. Sm. The structure was characterized as 20β-hydroxychiratan-22-one on the basis of extensive 1D and 2D NMR, and MS spectroscopic analyses, and was further confirmed by X-ray crystal diffraction. Primary bioassays showed that compound 1 had significant cytotoxic activity against Hela, PC3 and HepG2 cells, with IC50 of 2.92μM, 1.08μM and 2.45μM, respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]