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Kiusianins A-D (1-4) were isolated from the leaves of a Japanese endemic plant, Tilia kiusiana, together with 14 known compounds. The structures of a new lanostane-type triterpenoid 1 and three new cholestane-type sterols 2-4 were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, including two dimensional (2D) NMR. All the compounds isolated were evaluated for their cytotoxicity against two human cancer cell lines, HeLa and HL-60.

Erythraline, isolated from the bark of Erythrina crista-galli which are used as Brazilian medicine plant for the treatment of inflammation diseases, suppressed nitric oxide (NO) production and induction of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in RAW264.7 cells stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Because of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 and its signal transduction are indispensable to the production of NO and iNOS expression by LPS, we investigated the effects of erythraline on TLR signaling molecules. Western blot analysis revealed that the degradation of inhibitor of nuclear factor (NF)-κB (IκB) by LPS was suppressed by erythraline. Moreover, erythraline inhibited not only LPS-induced phosphorylation of IκB kinase (Ikk) but also phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). However, it showed no effect on LPS -induced phosphorylation of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β-activated kinase (TAK) 1 that exists upstream of Ikk and MAPKs, and is required for the activation of these signaling molecules on TLR signaling pathway. These results suggested that erythraline might have inhibited the kinase activity of TAK1. Furthermore, these results were supported from the inhibitory pattern of erythraline on TLR signaling molecules when the cells were stimulated by TLR2 ligand, peptidoglycan which activates the same pathway as LPS on TLR signal transduction.

Two new Erythrinan alkaloids, cristanines A and B (1, 2), were isolated from the bark of Erythrina crista-galli L. together with nine known Erythrinan alkaloids (3-5, 7-12) and an indole alkaloid (13). The structures of the compounds, cristanines A (1) and B (2), were elucidated by spectroscopic methods. Three of the twelve compounds isolated showed significant inhibitory activity on lipopolysaccharide induced nitric oxide (NO) production.

We studied the bioactivities of constituents from two tropical medicinal plants, Cunila spicata and Hyptis fasciculata. These plants found in Brazil belong to the Labiatae family. Four known compounds obtained from these herbs were identified as 3alpha, 24-dihydoxylurs-12-en-28-oic acid, betulinic acid, aurantiamide acetate, and aurantiamide benzoate by spectroscopic means. 3alpha, 24-Dihydoxylurs-12-en-28-oic acid has potent inhibitory activity against Streptococcus salivarius, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Porphyromomas gingivalis. Aurantiamide benzoate exhibited moderate inhibitory activity against xanthine oxidase. It was clarified that herbs Cunila spicata and Hyptis fasciculata are effective against bronchitis and gout.

Four known compounds have been isolated from the aerial parts of the Brazilian medicinal plant Pariparoba (Pothomorphe umbellata). They were an alkaloid, a flavone, a dihydrocalcone, and a steroid. The chemical structures were established to be N-benzoylmescaline, wogonin, uvangoletin, and beta-sitosterol glucoside using spectral methods. Among these compounds, the main component N-benzoylmescaline showed significant antibacterial activity against Helicobacter pylori.

Two known flavonoids were isolated from a tropical medicinal plant, Hyptis fasciculata (Labiatae), found in Brazil. Flavonoids were identified as cirsilineol (1) and cirsimaritin (2) by spectroscopic means and were exhibited potent antibacterial activity against Helicobacter pylori, and cirsilineol (1) had weak antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Salmonella enteritidis. Following up on the relationship between anti-H. pylori activity and flavonoids with methoxy groups, several methoxy flavonoids were evaluated for proliferation of H. pylori.

Two labdane-type diterpenes 4 and 5 isolated from the Brazilian medicinal plant Mimosa hostilis were confirmed to have absolute configurations in enantiomeric relation to each other by X-ray crystallographic analysis of p-bromophenyl carbamate derivative 5a and comparison between 4a and 5b, readily available from 5a.

Flavonoids, triterpenoids, and steroids were isolated from the leaves of Leucoseptrum stellipillum (MIQ). Kitamura et Murata and identified as apigenin, luteolin, chrysoeriol, ursolic acid, pomolic acid, tormentic acid, beta-sitosterol, and beta-sitosterol glucoside by comparison of their spectral data with those of authentic specimens. Among these compounds, the triterpenoids showed significant antibacterial activities against Streptococcus mutans.

In the survey of the minor diterpenoid constituents of Portulaca grandiflora Hook, four new compounds, portulic lactone (4), 3-hydroxyportulol ether (5), 5-hydroxyportulal (6), and 5-hydroxyportulic acid (7), were isolated and their structures, all of which have skeletons related to portulal (1), were elucidated on the basis of spectral evidence and chemical correlations.