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This article, published in the Chemistry of Natural Compounds journal, discusses the chemical constituents found in the leaves of Camellia ptilosperma, a yellow camellia species. The study reveals the presence of twenty compounds, including alcohols, sesquiterpenes, monoterpenes, triterpenes, pheophorbides, and ginsenosides. The structure of these compounds was determined using spectroscopic data. The cytotoxicity of these compounds against six cancer cell lines was also evaluated, with some compounds showing weak to moderate cytotoxicity. This research provides valuable insights into the chemical composition and potential medicinal properties of Camellia ptilosperma. [Extracted from the article]

Lead is a ubiquitous environmental and industrial pollutant. Exposure to excessive amounts of lead is especially harmful to the central nervous systems of infants and young children, and oxidative stress has been reported as a major mechanism of lead-induced toxicity. To evaluate the ameliorative potential of antioxidant mangiferin (MGN) on lead-induced toxicity, Morris water maze test, determination of blood and bone lead concentration, determination of antioxidant status in plasma, as well as observation of ultrastructural changes in the hippocampus were carried out. In the present study, under a transmission electron microscope, ameliorated morphological damages in the hippocampus were observed in MGN-treated groups. Blood and bone lead concentration in MGN-treated groups lowered to some extent ( p < 0.05, p < 0.01). The activities of antioxidant enzymes, glutathione (GSH) content, and the GSH/oxidized glutathione ratio in MGN-treated groups were increased, respectively. Further studies are needed to establish whether the observed differences were a direct cause of mangiferin on lead-induced toxicity or not. This study might provide clues for the treatment of lead-induced toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]