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A new flavonolignan, sonyamandin (1), along with other known compounds was isolated from the aerial parts and seeds extracts of Silybum marianum (milk thistle) collected from Jordan. The known ones are ursolic acid (2), oleanolic acid (3), maslinic acid (4), oleic acid (5), β-sitosterol (6), β-, sitosteryl glucoside (7), apigenin (8), kaempferol-3-O-rhamnoside (9), apigenin-7-O-β-D-glycoside (10), isosylibin A (11), isosylibin B (12), and silybin B (13). The absolute stereochemistry of 1 was confirmed by 2D NMR and CD analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pomegranate (Punica granatum) peels have shown numerous health benefits such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities. These health activities are owed to the unique phytochemical components present in pomegranate peels. Variations in the pomegranate cultivar, geographical region, and extraction methods significantly affect the phytochemical composition and concentrations of pomegranate fruits and their peels, hence their health outcomes. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the phytochemical contents of pomegranate peels of Jordanian origin and their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Among the 6 extracts of pomegranate peels tested, the ethanol extract exhibited the highest total phenolic content (TPC = 297.70 ± 1.73 mg GAE/g DW), highest total flavonoids content (TFC = 116.08 ± 3.46 mg RE/g DW), highest hydrolyzable tannins (HT) contents (688.50 ± 3.54 mg TE/g DW). Whereas the highest condensed tannins (CT) content was found in both the ethanol (13.87 ± 0.58 mg CE/g DW) and methanol (13.84 ± 0.55 mg CE/g DW) extracts. For the antioxidant activities, the water extract of pomegranate peels displayed the highest inhibitory effect on DPPH radicals (9.43 ± 0.06 μmole TE/g DW), while for the ABTS+ assay the methanol and ethanol extracts exhibited the highest activities of 11.09 ± 0.02 and 11.09 ± 0.06 μmole TE/g DW, respectively. For the FRAP assay, the aqueous methanol extract exhibited the highest reducing activity (1.60 ± 0.09 mmole Fe (II)/g DW). As for the antimicrobial activities of various extracts of pomegranate peels, the highest antimicrobial activity against Micrococcus luteus was achieved by the ethanol extract (MIC = 6.25 mg/mL), whereas the lowest antimicrobial activity was observed against Candida krusei using the methanol extract (MIC = 100 mg/mL). These results indicate that pomegranate peels of Jordanian origin are rich in phytochemical content and exhibited strong antioxidant and antimicrobial activities making these agroindustrial by-products potential candidates for various medical applications and possible safe sources for important bioactive components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytochemical investigation of the aerial parts and latex of Pergularia tomentosa from Jordan, utilizing column chromatography accompanied with NMR (1 & 2D), IR, UV, and HR-ESI-Mass spectroscopy have led to the isolation and characterization of two new compounds, pergularol (1) and 3-O-acetyl-28-hydroxytaraxasterol (2) for the first time along with other ten known compounds including linoleic acid (3), 3'-didehydroafroside (4), apigenin (5), β-sitosteryl glucoside (6), luteolin (7), apigenin 7-(6''-crotonoyl)glucoside (8), 3'-O-β-glucopyranosylcalotropin (9), apigenin-7-O-β-D-glycoside (10), pergularine A (11), taraxasterol (12). Compound (8) is isolated for the first time from Pergularia genus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From different plant parts of Calotropis species (C. gigantea and C. procera), various classes of compounds such as oxypregnanes, terpenoids, sterols, cardenolides and flavonoids have been isolated. Of these compounds, the cardenolides stand out as many of them have anticancer properties. Cardenolides are C23 steroids with a five-membered unsaturated butyrolactone ring consisting of a steroid nucleus, a lactone moiety at C-17 and a sugar moiety at C-3. The roles of cardenolides in the treatment of human cancer have been established as they can induce apoptosis and inhibit the growth of cancer cells. Structure-activity relationship analyses have yielded some interesting findings on their cytotoxicity. Compounds with six-membered ring sugar groups generally have significantly stronger inhibitory activity than those with five-membered ring sugar groups. A formyl or methyl-hydroxyl group at C-10 enhances cytotoxicity while the presence of a 4´-OH or 16-OH group decreases cytotoxicity. Chemical modification of 2"-oxovoruscharin, a novel cardenolide extracted from the root bark of C. procera, has led to the synthesis of UNBS1450. The compound is characterized by more potent antiproliferative activity, lower toxicity, and is a strong sodium pump inhibitor and inducer of non-apoptotic cell death. UNBS1450 is currently in Phase I clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new cardenolides, named ischarin and ischaridin in addition to 10 known compounds, were isolated from Calotropis procera Ait. (Asclepiadaceae), growing wild in Jordan. Their structures were established mainly by the extensive application of one- and two-dimensional 1H and 13C-NMR spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we report on a phyto-mediated bimetallic (NiFe2O4) preparation using a Boswellia carterii extract, which was characterized by XRD, FT-IR, TGA, electron microscopy, magnetic spectroscopy, and Mössbauer spectroscopy measurements. The prepared nano-catalysts were tested for oxidation of lignin monomer molecules—vanillyl alcohol and cinnamyl alcohol. In comparison with previously reported methods, the nano NiFe2O4 catalysts showed high photocatalytic activity and selectivity, under visible light irradiation with a nitroxy radical initiator (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyloxy or 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine 1-oxyl; TEMPO) at room temperature and aerobic conditions. The multifold advantages of the catalyst both in terms of reduced catalyst loading and ambient temperature conditions were manifested by higher conversion of the starting material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the article "Acylated Flavonoid Glucoside from Marrubium vulgare" by Nuha I. Sweidan and colleagues is presented.

Column chromatography (CC) analysis of methanol and butanol extracts of the aerial parts of Calortopis procera as well as the methanol extract of its latex, led to the isolation of 8 cardenolides, of which the structures were elucidated by NMR and HRESIMS spectroscopy. They also revealed several triterpenes and flavonoid glycoside. Based on the antiproliferative activity reported for cardenolides, the activity of calotropin and calotoxin was tested against two common cancer cell lines, human triple-negative breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231) and human lung adenocarcinoma cell line (A549). The high toxicity of the latex also encouraged performing the same test on the same cancer cell lines. The anti-proliferative activity of calotropin and calotoxin was compared to the methanol extract and the wax of the latex. The results showed that calotropin and calotoxin have significant cytotoxicity against MDA-MB-231 and A549 cell lines ranging from 0.046 to 0.072 μM compared to the methanol extract and the wax of its latex ranging from 0.47 to 58.41 μM. Moreover, the results showed lower toxicity of all treatments to the human skin fibroblasts compared to the toxicity to both MDA-MB-231 and A549 cancer cells lines except the higher toxicity of Methanolic extracts of C. procera latex to the MDA-MB-231 cells. In conclusion, C. procera is a medicinal plant with a wide spectrum of cardinolides including calotropin and calotoxin, which are promising agents for targeted cancer phytotherapy., (© 2021 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.)