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Frangufoline, a sedative 14-membered frangulanine-type cyclopeptide alkaloid, was found to be rapidly converted, via enzymatic process, in vitro and in vivo in rodents to M1 ((S)-(N,N-dimethylphenylalanyl)-(2S,3S)-3-[(p-formylphenoxy) leucyl]-(S)-leucine); which is a substituted linear tripeptide. The reaction did not require low molecular weight cofactors, and mammalian serum failed to catalyze the reaction. Structure-reactivity study of cyclopeptide alkaloid analogs suggested that the enamide bond is the site being cleaved, and the reaction was inhibited by organophosphorus esters such as BPNP and by eserine at higher concentrations but not by eserine at lower concentrations or by EDTA and PCMB. On the basis of these results, a possible mechanism for metabolic conversion of frangufoline to M1 was proposed, in which oxidation of the vinyl group and enzyme-catalyzed hydrolysis of the adjacent amide bond, possibly by B-esterase-like enzyme, proceed in a concerted manner.

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Jujube Seed is a crude drug defined as the seed of Ziziphus jujuba Miller var. spinosa Hu ex H.F. Chou (Rhamnaceae) in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia (JP). Most of the jujube seed in the Japanese markets is imported from China, with the rest obtained from other Asian countries. Here we confirmed the botanical origins of jujube seeds from both China and Myanmar by a DNA sequencing analysis. We found that the botanical origins of the crude drugs from China and Myanmar were Z. jujuba and Z. mauritiana, respectively. Although the jujube seed from China conforms to the JP, that from Myanmar does not. A method for discriminating jujube seeds from China and Myanmar using a chemical approach is thus desirable, and here we sought to identify a compound specific to Z. jujuba. Jujuboside A ( 1) was identified as a compound specific to Z. jujuba. To establish a purity test of Jujube Seed in the JP against Z. mauritiana, we fractionated the extract of Z. mauritiana seeds and identified frangufoline ( 2) and oleanolic acid ( 4) as the marker compounds specific to Z. mauritiana. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses revealed that the latter compound was useful for testing by TLC analysis. The established TLC conditions were as follows: chromatographic support, silica gel; developing solvent, n-hexane:EtOAc:HCOOH = 10:5:1; developing length, 7 cm; visualization, diluted sulfuric acid; R value, 0.43 (oleanolic acid). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Botrytis cinerea, which has developed many strategies to infect plants, can survive in harsh environmental conditions, and has a wide host range, has become an important problem both economically and ecologically by causing tons of crop losses for many years. The residues in soil and crops caused by chemical pesticides used to get rid of agricultural pests pose serious threats to human and environmental health, such as hormonal abnormalities and acute respiratory poisoning, especially in children. The most critical step to avoid these hazards will be to replace chemical pesticides with plant-active molecules. At the same time, these studies primarily in silico will provide a return in terms of both time and cost. Inhibition of pectin methyl esterase, an important virulence factor of B. cinerea, will ensure the organism is controlled. In order to determine candidate biofungicide effector molecules, QSAR parameter values of 409 plant active molecules were calculated. Firstly, conformer distribution and geometry optimizations were performed with Spartan 14’ software. Docking studies of the optimized molecules were carried out through Autodock Vina software, while visualization studies to make sense of the interactions between the target receptor structure and effector molecules were used by BIOVIA Discovery Studio software. As a result of all the analyses, the molecules that are alternatives to chemical pesticides as biofungicides were determined to be the following molecules: Podolactone B, Repin, Sandaracopimaradienediol, 6-Hydrogenistein, Artemisinin, Lycoricidine, 6-Methoxygossypol, Viscidulin, Ciprofloxacin, and 7,4’-Dihydroxyflavan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Antidesma is a large genus consisting of around 100 species, which are widely distributed in the tropics and subtropics of Asia, some species can be found in Africa, the Pacific islands, and Australia. The uses of Antidesma plants range from food (for juice, jam, and red wine production) to medicinal purposes (for treatment of indigestion, pneumonia, menstrual regulation, and osteoarthritis). Methods: The review was conducted by gathering relevant literature from secondary databases, including Web of Science, Google Scholar, and PubMed, as well as specialized books and websites. Results: There have been more than 140 compounds reported as chemical constituents of the genus Antidesma, which mainly belonged to alkaloid, phenolic, flavonoid, lignan, and terpenoid classes. The high content of phenolic compounds was found in A. bunius and A. thwaitesianum fruits, which also correlates with the potential anti-oxidant activities of respective plants. Besides that, the antibiotic, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory activities, as well as effects on metabolism were also investigated and reported. Conclusion: The plants of the Antidesma genus have a wide range of applications in food and medicine. The published results have shown that the genus is a precious source of bioactive natural compounds, which was shown beneficial for preventive medicine. Further research is required to promote the application in the healthcare system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sedative principles of the seeds of Zizyphus vulgaris var. spinosus have been characterized as sanjoinine-A (frangufoline), nuciferine and their congeners. Also, heattreatment of sanjoinine-A produced a more active artifact, sanjoinine-Ahl, which provides a scientific basis for heat-processing (roasting) of this Oriental medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Jujube is an important economic forest tree whose fruit is rich in alkaloids. Chinese jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) and sour jujube (Ziziphus spinosa Hu.) are the two most important species of the jujube genus. However, the mechanisms underlying the synthesis and metabolism of alkaloids in jujube fruits remain poorly understood. Methods: In this study, the fruits of Ziziphus jujuba 'Hupingzao' and Ziziphus spinosa 'Taigusuanzao' in different harvest stages were used as test materials, we first integrated widely targeted metabolomics and transcriptomics analyses to elucidate the metabolism of alkaloids of jujube fruits. Results: In the metabolomics analysis, 44 alkaloid metabolites were identified in 4 samples, 3 of which were unique to sour jujube fruit. The differential alkaloid metabolites (DAMs) were more accumulated in sour jujube than in Chinese jujube; further, they were more accumulated in the white ripening stage than in the red stage. DAMs were annotated to 12 metabolic pathways. Additionally, transcriptomics data revealed 259 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in alkaloid synthesis and metabolism. By mapping the regulatory networks of DAMs and DEGs, we screened out important metabolites and 11 candidate genes. Discussion: This study preliminarily elucidated the molecular mechanism of jujube alkaloid synthesis. The candidate genes regulated the synthesis of key alkaloid metabolites, but the specific regulation mechanism is unclear. Taken together, our results provide insights into the metabolic networks of alkaloid synthesis in Chinese jujube and sour jujube fruits at different harvest stages, thereby providing a theoretical reference for further research on the regulatory mechanism of jujube alkaloids and their development and utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Rhamnus alaternus L. belongs to the genus Rhamnus (Rhamnaceae). It is a medicinal plant growing in Algeria. This plant is used worldwide as effective pharmacological remedy. Objective: This study describes in detail the phytochemical composition and the in vitro biological activities of R. alaternus L. aerial parts extracts. Methods: Total contents of bioactive components were estimated and the antioxidant potential was assessed by DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavenging assays, ferric reducing antioxidant activity and total antioxidant capacity. Additionally, the haemolytic activity was evaluated towards human red blood cells and the cytotoxicity was performed using Brine shrimp lethality test. Furthermore, the antibacterial activity was estimated in vitro against five bacteria. Seven known secondary metabolites have been established using different spectroscopic techniques such as 1D- and 2D-NMR experiments and ESI mass spectrometry and by comparison to data reported in the literature. Results: The chemical investigation of the aerial portions’ ethyl acetate extract of R. alaternus allowed the characterization of three triterpenoids, two phytosterols and two flavonoids. High levels of phenols and flavonoids were estimated in both ethyl acetate (EtOAc) and n-butanol (n-BuOH) extracts. These extracts exhibit strong ferric reducing antioxidant activity and significant hydroxyl and DPPH radicals scavenging effects. Moreover, the petroleum ether (PE) extract shows a very strong haemolytic effect with 94.03 ± 0.21% at 50 µg/mL and induces the mortality of 78.57 ± 0.17% of Brine Shrimp nauplii at 20 µg/mL. Furthermore, the tested crude extracts (PE, EtOAc and n-BuOH) inhibit the growth of all the bacterial strains. Conclusion: R. alaternus constitutes a natural resource of bioactive substances with potential cytotoxic, antioxidant and antibacterial effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ziziphus nummularia, a small bush of the Rhamnaceae family, has been widely used in traditional folk medicine, is rich in bioactive molecules, and has many reported pharmacological and therapeutic properties. Objective: To gather the current knowledge related to the medicinal characteristics of Z. nummularia. Specifically, its phytochemical contents and pharmacological activities in the treatment of various diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, are discussed. Methods: Major scientific literature databases, including PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, SciFinder, Chemical Abstracts, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Abstracts, Henriette's Herbal Homepage, Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases, were searched to retrieve articles related to the review subject. General web searches using Google and Google scholar were also utilized. The search period covered articles published between 1980 and the end of October 2021.The search used the keywords 'Ziziphus nummularia', AND ('phytochemical content', 'pharmacological properties, or activities, or effects, or roles', 'anti-inflammatory', 'anti-drought', 'anti-thermal', 'anthelmintic', 'antidiabetic',' anticancer', 'anticholinesterase', 'antimicrobial', 'sedative', 'antipyretic', 'analgesic', or 'gastrointestinal'). Results: This plant is rich in characteristic alkaloids, especially cyclopeptide alkaloids such as nummularine-M. Other phytochemicals, including flavonoids, saponins, glycosides, tannins, and phenolic compounds, are also present. These phytochemicals are responsible for the reported pharmacological properties of Z. nummularia, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anthelmintic, antidiabetic, anticancer, analgesic, and gastrointestinal activities. In addition, Z. nummularia has anti-drought and anti-thermal characteristics. Conclusion: Research into the phytochemical and pharmacological properties of Z. nummularia has demonstrated that this plant is a rich source of novel bioactive compounds. So far, Z. nummularia has shown a varied pharmacological profile (antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and cardioprotective), warranting further research to uncover the therapeutic potential of the bioactives of this plant. Taken together, Z. nummularia may represent a new potential target for the discovery of new drug leads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LC-HRMS-assisted chemical profiling of Zizyphus mauritiana fruit extract (ZFE) led to the dereplication of 28 metabolites. Furthermore, wound healing activity of ZFE in 24 adult male New Zealand Dutch strain albino rabbits was investigated in-vivo supported by histopathological investigation. Additionally, the molecular mechanism was studied through different in-vitro investigations as well as, studying both relative gene expression and relative protein expression patterns. Moreover, the antioxidant activity of ZFE extract was examined using two in-vitro assays including hydrogen peroxide and superoxide radical scavenging activities that showed promising antioxidant potential. Topical application of the extract on excision wounds showed a significant increase in the wound healing rate (p < 0.001) in comparison to the untreated and MEBO®-treated groups, enhancing TGF-β1, VEGF, Type I collagen expression, and suppressing inflammatory markers (TNF-α and IL-1β). Moreover, an in silico molecular docking against TNFα, TGFBR1, and IL-1β showed that some of the molecules identified in ZFE can bind to the three wound-healing related protein actives sites. Additionally, PASS computational calculation of antioxidant activity revealed potential activity of three phenolic compounds (Pa score > 0.5). Consequently, ZFE may be a potential alternative medication helping wound healing owing to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bioactive extracts recovered from Curcuma longa (stem), Mentha aquatica (stem and leaves), Emblica officinalis (fruits), Nigella sativa (seeds), and Glycyrrhiza glabra (stem) using methanol and ethanol, were appraised for antioxidant (total flavonoid contents, total phenolic contents, DPPH free radical scavenging ability, inhibition of linoleic acid peroxidation and reducing power) and antimicrobial attributes. Total phenolics (16.89 ± 0.18 - 25.06 ± 0.31g GAE/100g) and total flavonoids (1.96 ± 0.07 - 13.54 ± 0.18 CE g/100g) contents of aqueous methanol extracts of tested plant materials were significantly (p < 0.05) lower than that of aqueous ethanol extracts (13.87 ± 0.12 - 28.63 ± 0.34 g GAE/100g) and (2.20 ± 0.10 - 8.71 ± 0.24 CE /100g), respectively. The percent inhibition of linoleic acid per oxidation by crude ethanol extracts of plants was in the range of 48.72 ± 1.24 - 70.79 ± 1.57 and crude methanol extract 35.90 ± 1.28 - 61.54 ± 2.14, while the range of DPPH free radical scavenging activity of ethanol extracts was (58.36 ± 1.98 - 80.55 ± 3.07) and methanol extracts (39.55 ± 1.52 - 79.64± 2.33). The reducing power of the tested extracts obtained by ethanol (at the concentration of 10 mg/mL) ranged 1.11 ± 0.12 - 1.53 ± 0.18 while for methanol extracts 0.98 ± 0.11 - 1.39 ± 0.12. Among the attributes analyzed, total phenolics, total flavonoids, and DPPH free scavenging activity were found to be varied significantly in all the tested medicinal plants. The extracts from all plants showed good antimicrobial potential against a penal of bacteria, including E. coli, P. multocida and S. aureus, and fungi including A. niger, A. flavus, A. alternate, and G. lucidium. Overall, the tested samples were found to be a good source of natural antioxidant and antimicrobial agents and thus can be explored for potential functional food and nutra-pharmaceutical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jujubae Fructus (ZJF) [called Dazao (大枣) in Chinese], the fruit of Ziziphus jujuba Mill. (ZJ), is utilized as a food and traditional medicine in China. In TCM use, ZJF is traditionally used to treat and nourish the stomach, tonify the spleen, and nourish the blood, as well as for overall nourishing and strength. According to the available literature from 1974 to March 2019, more than 278 compounds have been isolated and identified from ZJ. Local books, papers and dissertations were also searched. The aim of this review was to examine this plant's traditional uses, botany, phytochemistry, pharmacological effects, toxicity, pharmacokinetics, quality control and economically important uses. In vivo and in vitro scientific investigations have initially confirmed its pharmacological potential by showing anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, gastrointestinal protective, cardiovascular, neuroprotective, anticancer, anti-HIV, sedative-hypnotic and anxiolytic effects. Bioactive metabolites belonging to different classes are responsible for these activities, including triterpenoid acids, saponins, cyclopeptide alkaloids, flavonoids and neo-lignans, which are considered the characteristic and active components of ZJ. The TCM use of ZJF, including tonifying and replenishing the middle Qi and nourishing the blood to tranquilize, is based on its gastrointestinal protective, cardiovascular, neuroprotective, sedative-hypnotic and anxiolytic properties. Its detoxification effects are attributed to its anti-inflammatory, antiviral, anticancer and antibacterial activities. Moreover, the TCM characteristics of ZJF (sweet flavour; warm nature; and spleen, stomach, and heart meridian effects) support its traditional uses and pharmacological effects. We encourage more studies to further clarify the relationship between modern applications and traditional uses in the future. Furthermore, no one has studied ZJ blossoms, and researchers should allocate more time to the study of ZJ blossoms. Additionally, unsolved problems include the scientific principle of the Chinese material medica processing [CMMP (中药炮制) in Chinese] of ZJF, the molecular mechanisms of the biological activity of ZJ and its other medicinal parts, the overall pharmacokinetics rather than single molecule pharmacokinetics, the efficacy and the toxicology. All of the unsolved problems noted above require further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ziziphus mauritiana (Rhamnaceae), commonly known as Indian jujube, is a pharmacologically diverse medicinal plant. A plethora of active phytochemical constituents of this plant has been revealed so far, namely, berberine, quercetin, kaempferol, sitosterol, stigmasterol, lanosterol, diosgenin, and so forth. Several studies demonstrated the exploration of pharmacological potential of various parts such as fruits, leaves, and stems of the plant as antioxidant, cytotoxic, antimicrobial, anti‐diarrhoeal, antidepressant, immunomodulator, and hepatoprotective. This review gives a unique summary including phytochemistry, nutritional value, and significant pharmacological importance of Z. mauritiana. The literature search was carried out via search engine PubMed, Science Direct, and so on. The data were heterogeneous in terms of leaves, stem, roots, and fruits which were used for different experimental findings, which made the comparison a lengthy task. Study findings suggested that the extracts from this plant may possess numerous types of pharmacological activities. As the search for novel drugs from botanical sources continues, there is need for future investigations to isolate and characterize pharmacologically active agents that confer medicinal properties on Z. mauritiana, as well as to elucidate the structures of these agents by which they exert their healing properties and to scientifically validate the existing traditional practices concerning its health benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discaria americana Gillies ex Hook (sin. Discaria febrifuga and Discaria longispina) (Rhamnaceae) is a plant native from Rio Grande do Sul (Southern Brazil), Uruguay and Argentine, and has been used in Brazilian traditional medicine as antipyretic agent, and for stomach disorders. In Rio Grande do Sul, Uruguay and Argentine, the roots, in decoction, are used as tonic and febrifuge. Although it is a plant widely used by the population, there are no studies proving this popular use. The crude neutral methanol extract, and pure isolated alkaloids, were investigated in vitro for antimicrobial activities against four Gram-positive bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus , Bacillus subtillis , Bacillus cereus , Enterococcus faecium ; and five Gram-negative bacteria: Escherichia coli , Enterobacter cloacae , Enterobacter aerogenes, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The crude neutral methanol (CME) extract of the root bark of Discaria americana showed antibacterial activity, ranging from 62.5 to 250 μg mL−1 (MIC), against the tested bacteria. From the fractions obtained from the crude extract, the basic ethereal fraction (BEF) showed to be more effective, with MICs between 31.5 and 125 μg mL−1 against the tested bacteria. The bioassay-guided fractionation of the ethyl ether basic fraction yielded eight cyclopeptide alkaloids: frangufoline (1), frangulanine (2), adouetine Y′ (3), discarine A (4) discarine B (5), discarine C (6), discarene C (7) and discarine D (8). When evaluated against the Gram-positive bacteria Enterococcus faecium , discarine B (5) proved to be the most active alkaloid with a MIC/MLC = 0.77/1.55 μg mL−1, near the most active antibacterial agent levofloxacin (MIC/MLC = 0.77/0.77 μg mL−1). Moreover, discarine C (6) was the more active alkaloid against Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, with a MIC / MLC = 3.1/6.2 μg mL−1, the same observed for the antibacterial agent azithromycin. Kinetic measurements of the bacteriolytic activities of discarine B (5) against Enterococcus faecium (Gram-positive), and of discarine C (6) against Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (Gram-negative) were determined by optical density based on real time assay, suggesting that both mode of action are partially bacteriolytic. In conclusion, five 14-membered cyclopeptide alkaloids isolated from Discaria americana Gillies ex Hook (Rhamnaceae) showed promising antibacterial activity, making this metabolites a class of scientific interest. The good activity presented by the extract and the alkaloids against the Gram-positive bacteria Enterococcus faecium and against the Gram-negative bacteria Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, Enterobacter. aerogenes and Escherichia coli , corroborate with the popular use of this plant for stomach disorders and as antifebrile. fx1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants are the biofactories. Indian Medicinal plants and their role in therapeutic usage was well documented by Charaka and Sushruta in 1500-500 BC. Medicinal Plants have been used in healthcare since long era. The vital role of medicinal plants in disease prevention and there promotions. Thus, in present review attempts were made to compile the data of Medicinal plants and their secondary metabolites for screening or bio-efficacy and/or isolation of bioactive especially with reference to alkaloids from Rajasthan. The study was conducted in region of Rajasthan, India. Rajasthan is situated in the north-western part of India between 23A3' and 30A12 N latitude and 69A30' and 78A17 E longitude and comprises an area of about 34239 Sq Km. Electronic literature review method was accustomed to study different review paper or research articles. The data was collected from Google, Google scolar, Pubchem science direct and also from various type of Journal such as Journal of Asian natural product research, African Pacific Journal of infectious disease etc. from the year 1984-2019were taken under consideration. In this review article 30 plants were reviewed and study for the alkaloids and their efficiency as therapeutic agents was reported. In this research we found that 15 families and from these families approximate 210 alkaloids were found to be present. These plants possess various biological activities such as, anti-inflammation, anti-diabetic, anti-cancerous. Plants surviving in such harsh condition possess amount of alkaloids which provides medicinal properties to the mankind and also provide the defense mechanism to the plants. These alkaloids rich plants can be alternative source of diet and replace the nutraceuticals as therapeutic targets in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Herbs are frequently and concurrently used with prescribed drugs by patients worldwide. While clinical trials have found some herbs to be as useful as standard psychiatric drugs, most clinicians are unaware of their pharmacological mechanisms. Methods: We searched English language and other language literature with English abstracts listed in PubMed website, supplemented by additional through Google Scholar's free academic paper abstract website for publications on herbs, focussing on their clinical use in mental disorders, their neurobiology and their pharmacology. Results: A major reason for herbs remaining outside of mainstream psychiatry is that the terminology and concepts in herbal medicine are not familiar to psychiatrists in general. Many publications regarding the use of herbal medicine for psychiatric disorders are deficient in details regarding diagnosis, criteria for response and the neurobiology details compared with publications on standard psychotropic drugs. Nomenclature for herbal medicine is usually confusing and is not conducive to an easy understanding of their mode of action in psychiatric disorders. Conclusions: The recent neuroscience-based nomenclature (NbN) for psychotropics methodology would be a logical application to herbal medicine in facilitating a better understanding of the use of herbal medicine in psychiatry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyclopeptide alkaloids are macrocyclic compounds, the ring system of which consists of a hydroxystyrylamine moiety, an amino acid and a β-hydroxy amino acid, and which is substituted with one or two additional units. This review covers scientific literature published since 2006 until today. In the past decade, 39 new cyclopeptide alkaloids have been reported. In addition, absolute or relative configurations of known compounds have been established. New sources of known compounds are listed: Plant families from which cyclopeptide alkaloids have been obtained during the past decade include the Acanthaceae, Malvaceae, Phyllanthaceae and Rubiaceae. Some development concerning total synthesis of cyclopeptide alkaloids are discussed. Finally, a critical overview is given of various biological activities that have been reported, i.e. on the central nervous system (CNS), antimicrobial activity and others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Covering: up to 2015 Traditional Chinese medicine has played a significant role in the mainstream healthcare system in China for thousands of years. Here, we summarize 84 major compounds from 15 selected herbal medicines targeting neurodegenerative diseases. We present a perspective based on the analysis of physicochemical properties of these TCM compounds, and comparison with current drugs and candidates for the treatment of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. The results demonstrate that traditional Chinese medicines contain compounds possessing physicochemical properties that have excellent overlap with developed western medicines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf-cutting ants of the Attini tribe are a major pest of agricultural and forestry productions in the New World. Economic losses caused by these ants were estimated at several million dollars per year. These ants need to live in symbiosis with a basidiomycete fungus. Due to their mutualistic interaction with the symbiotic fungus, management of Attini ants can be done with insecticides or fungicides or both. So far, synthetic pesticides were the main control means, albeit with negative effects on the environment. Very few studies describe alternative methods for the control of leaf-cutting ants such as the use of insecticidal and fungicidal plant extracts. There is therefore a need of knowledge on phytochemicals and plants that could be used as insecticides and fungicides. Here, we review chemicals of plant origin and species with insecticidal and fungicidal activities. We establish a list of plants and phytochemicals that could manage leaf-cutting ants and also other insects, notably insects that use fungus-based agriculture. An exhaustive literature search of 1965 references from 1923 to 2010 was conducted using scientific databases, chemical databases, botanical databases, and books to identify published papers related to insecticidal and fungicidal chemical compounds stemmed from plant species. The major points are the following: (1) 119 and 284 chemicals have been cited in the literature for their insecticidal and fungicidal activities, respectively; (2) 656 and 1,064 plant species have significant insecticidal and fungicidal activities, respectively; (3) 3 main chemical classes were most cited for these activities: alkaloids, phenolics, and terpenoids; (4) 20 interesting chemicals with the both insecticidal and fungicidal activities were found; and (5) 305 plant species containing these chemicals were cited. To conclude, 20 chemicals: caryophyllene oxide, cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, helenalin, linalool, menthone, myristicin, pulegone, thymol, anethole, anisaldehyde, elemicin, isopimpinellin, plumbagin, podophyllotoxin, psoralen, xanthotoxin, anonaine, solamargine, and tomatine; two main plant families, Lamiaceae and Apiaceae; and 17 species of these families were particularly interesting for the management of leaf-cutting ants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant cyclopeptides, cyclic compounds formed mainly by the peptidic bonds of 2-37 protein and non-protein amino acids (mainly L-amino acids) and found in higher plants, have been attractive for their extensive bioactivities and distinctive molecular architectures. During the last half century's study, about 500 cyclopeptides divided into eight types have been isolated from over 120 species, which belong to over 20 families and 60 genera. Some cyclopeptides showed potential anti-tumor, sedative, immunosuppressive, and uterotonic activities. In the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (CP, 2010 Version), 23 species (14 families, 18 genera) containing cyclopeptides have been recorded in the origins of 24 traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs). Heterophyllin B ( 64), first reported by us from Pseudostellaria heterophylla in 1993 was cited for the first time in CP as the standard substance of cyclopeptides for quality control. In this review, we highlight the progress in the chemical studies of these cyclopeptide-containing TCMs, in particular recent results in our group's publications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The indigenous people of southern Africa have a long history of traditional plant usage for medicinal purposes, with about 4,000 taxa being so employed. Traditional medicines continue to play a significant role in the treatment of life-threatening diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, diabetes and AIDS in the developing world, although no adequate scientific evidence has been documented in support of their healing properties. The primary goal of this paper is to summarize information on some of the plant species used by traditional healers for the treatment of diabetes in South Africa. The information obtained is from published literature as well as personal communication with various traditional healers and herbalists from different areas. In total, the information of 32 plant species, representing 20 families, traditionally used by healers in the treatment of diabetes, has been discussed, of which 14 are currently being investigated for their hypoglycemic activity by various scientists at the University of Pretoria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is becoming increasingly evident that a plant–pathogen interaction may be compared to an open warfare, whose major weapons are proteins synthesized by both organisms. These weapons were gradually developed in what must have been a multimillion-year evolutionary game of ping-pong. The outcome of each battle results in the establishment of resistance or pathogenesis. The plethora of resistance mechanisms exhibited by plants may be grouped into constitutive and inducible, and range from morphological to structural and chemical defences. Most of these mechanisms are defensive, exhibiting a passive role, but some are highly active against pathogens, using as major targets the fungal cell wall, the plasma membrane or intracellular targets. A considerable overlap exists between pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins and antifungal proteins. However, many of the now considered 17 families of PR proteins do not present any known role as antipathogen activity, whereas among the 13 classes of antifungal proteins, most are not PR proteins. Discovery of novel antifungal proteins and peptides continues at a rapid pace. In their long coevolution with plants, phytopathogens have evolved ways to avoid or circumvent the plant defence weaponry. These include protection of fungal structures from plant defence reactions, inhibition of elicitor-induced plant defence responses and suppression of plant defences. A detailed understanding of the molecular events that take place during a plant–pathogen interaction is an essential goal for disease control in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  In this review, we discuss cyclopeptide alkaloids, their plant origin, and the way of separation, spectral analysis done for structure elucidation, stereochemistry, and their biological activities. In addition, we discuss briefly the chemosystematic significance of the cyclopeptide alkaloids based on their discovery in the family Olacaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Microbiology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The effects of sedative peptide alkaloids from Zizyphus species on calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II were investigated. Protein kinase II activity was assayed on the basis of its ability to activate tryptophan 5-monooxygenase as its substrate in the presence of calmodulin. All thirteen alkaloids tested were stronger inhibitors than chlorpromazine (IC50, 98 μM) on calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II. Among them, the most potent inhibitor was daechuine S27 (IC50 2.95 μM), which was stronger than pimozide (IC50 15.0 μM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of various sedative cyclopeptides and peptide alkaloids from the Zizyphus species on calmodulin-dependent Ca2+-ATPase and phosphodiesterase were investigated. Calmodulin-induced activation of Ca2+-ATPase was strongly inhibited by sanjoinine-A dialdehyde (IC50, 2.3 μM), -Ah1 (IC50, 4.0 μM), -A (IC50, 4.6 μM), and -G2 (IC50, 7.2 μM), while calmodulin-induced activation of phosphodiesterase was strongly inhibited by both deachuine S10 (IC50, 4.9 μM) and sanjoinine-D (IC50, 9.0 μM). The inhibitory activity of the various cyclopeptides and peptide alkaloids on Ca2+-ATPase was found to correlate well with their sedative activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a source of bioactive compounds, species of the genus Lupinus are interesting legumes from a nutritional point of view. Although wild species are abundant and represent a potential source of nutrients and biologically active compounds, most research has focused on domesticated and semi-domesticated species, such as Lupinus angustifolius, Lupinus albus, Lupinus luteus, and Lupinus mutabilis. Therefore, in this review, we focus on recent research conducted on the wild Lupinus species of Mexico. The nutritional content of these species is characterized (similar to those of the domesticated species), including proteins (isolates), lipids, minerals, dietary fiber, and bioactive compounds, such as oligosaccharides, flavonoids, and alkaloids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To study the chemical constituents in the seeds of Ziziphus mauritiana., Methods: The constituents were isolated by silica column chromatography and their structures were elucidated by physico-chemical properties and spectroscopic analysis., Results: Twelve compounds were isolated from the seeds of Ziziphus mauritiana and identified as betulinic aldehyde (1), betulinic acid (2), ceanothic acid (3), frangufoline (4), spinosin (5), beta-sitosterol (6), daucosterol (7), daucosterol-6'-octadecanoate (8), sucrose (9), docosanoic acid (10), stearic acid (11), palmitoleic acid (12)., Conclusion: All the compounds are obtained from Ziziphus mauritiana seeds for the first time and compounds 4,5 and 8 are isolated from this plant for the first time.

From the bark extract of Discaria febrifuga Mart. the known alkaloids frangufoline (I), adouétine (II), scutianine B (III), franganine (IV) and two new ones, discarine C (V) and D (VI), were isolated. Their structures are elucidated by degradation reactions and spectroscopic investigations.