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Oleanolic acid (OA) and its derivatives show potent anticancer function. Pancreatic cancer (PC) is the fourth core motive of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has been implicated in PC and has been validated as a therapeutic target. Our study demonstrated that K73-03, an OA derivative, was identified as a potent inhibitor of EGFR by using reverse pharmacophore screening and molecular dynamics simulation assays. Moreover, Western blot analysis showed that K73-03 markedly suppressed the levels of phosphorylated-EGFR (p-EGFR) and phosphorylated-Akt (p-Akt). The inhibitory effect of K73-03 on PC cells was assessed in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, K73-03 effectively inhibited the cell proliferation of PC cells, and induced apoptosis and autophagy of ASPC-1 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, pretreatment with chloroquine, an autophagy inhibitor, significantly inhibited K73-03-induced autophagy and enhanced K73-03-induced apoptotic cell death. K73-03 also strongly repressed ASPC-1 cells xenograft growth in vivo. Thus, all these findings provided new clues about OA analog K73-03 as an effective anticancer agent targeted EGFR against ASPC-1 cells, it is worth further evaluation in the future.

The metabolic profiles of Tanreqing injection, which is a traditional Chinese medicine recommended for complementary administration to treat a novel coronavirus, have remained unclear, which inhibit the understanding of the effective chemical compounds of Tanreqing injection. In this study, a sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry method was used to identify the compounds and metabolites in various biosamples, including plasma, bile, liver, lung, kidney, urine, and feces, following the intravenous administration of Tanreqing injection in rats. A total of 89 compounds were characterized in the biosamples of Tanreqing injection-treated rats including 25 precursor constituents and 64 metabolites. Nine flavonoid compounds, twelve phenolic acids, and four iridoid glycosides were identified in the rats. Their metabolites were mainly produced by glucuronidation, deglucuronidation, glycosylation, deglycosylation, methylation, demethylation, N-heterocyclisation, sulphation, dehydroxylation, decarboxylation, dehydration, hydroxylation, and corresponding recombination reactions. This study was the first to comprehensively investigate the metabolic profile of Tanreqing injection and provides a scientific basis to further elucidate the pharmacodynamic material basis and therapeutic mechanism of Tanreqing injection.

The temperature sensitivity (Q₁₀) of soil organic carbon (SOC) decomposition is an important parameter for those seeking accurate projections of SOC dynamics and its feedback on climate change in terrestrial ecosystems. However, how Q₁₀ responds to N deposition across environmental gradients and the underlying mechanism remain largely unresolved. We conducted a novel incubation experiment with periodically varying temperature based on the of soil origin sites to elucidate the responses of Q₁₀ to N addition across China. Our results demonstrated that N addition effects (NAEs) on Q₁₀ were negatively related to latitude and were strongly site dependent. Bioclimatic, edaphic, and microbial variables together explained 50.1% of the total variation in NAEs on Q₁₀, but bioclimate (16.0%) had the greater explanation than edaphic (11.8%) and microbial properties (6.3%). The response of soil exchangeable Ca²⁺ to N addition was a predictive power for NAEs on Q₁₀, contributing 7.2% relative importance in regulating this variation. Furthermore, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi indicated by Glomeromycota were the best microbial predictor and contributed 10.9% relative importance in the variation regulating NAEs on Q₁₀. Overall, our results suggest that increasing N addition will increase the sensitivity of SOC decomposition to global warming and highlight the importance of bioclimate, exchangeable Ca²⁺, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in predicting the response of Q₁₀ to N deposition in natural terrestrial ecosystems. The biogeographic variation in response of Q₁₀ to N deposition should be considered in carbon‐climate models to decrease the prediction uncertainties of SOC dynamics and its feedback to global warming.

Urolithiasis has become more prevalent throughout China.Knowing stone composition helps identify their possible underlying etiology of urolithiasis, provide appropriate individualized treatment and prevent stone recurrence.To explore characteristics of urinary stone composition in China, and determine the effects of gender, age, body mass index (BMI), stone localization and geographical region on stone composition.We used Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to analyse urinary stones from consecutive patients at 46 hospitals in seven geographic areas of China between June 1, 2010 and May 31, 2015.Chi-squared tests and logistic regression analyses were performed to determine associations between stone composition and sex, age, body mass index (BMI), stone location, and geographic region.The most common stone components were calcium oxalate (CaOx; 65.9%), carbapatite (15.6%), urate (12.4%), struvite (2.7%), brushite (1.7%), and cystine (0.9%). CaOx and urate occurred more frequently in males, whereas carbapatite and struvite were more common in females (p

In this study, Yin-Chen-Hao-Tang prepared by two decoction methods, namely, combined decoction (modern decoction method) and separated decoction (traditional decoction method), was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The acquired datasets containing sample codes, tR -m/z pairs and ion intensities were processed with multivariate statistical analyses, such as principal component analysis and an orthogonal partial least squared discriminant analysis model, to globally compare the chemical differences between the different decoction samples. Then, the chemical differences between the combined and separated decoctions were screened out by S-plots generated from the orthogonal partial least squared discriminant analysis model and compared with chemical information from an established in-house library. The six components that contributed the most to the chemical differences were identified as chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, geniposide, genipin, scopoletin, and 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid. The concentrations of genipin and caffeic acid from the separated decoction were higher than those from the combined decoction, indicating that the separated decoction may present a stronger hepatoprotective effect. However, the results still require further investigation through pharmacological and clinical studies. Our findings not only establish a strategy to evaluate chemical consistency of Yin-Chen-Hao-Tang but also provide the scientific basis for using traditional separated decoction method.

Qushi Huayu Fang (QHF) is a clinic-empirical prescription for treating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in China, which is composed of five herbs. However, the bioactive constituents responsible for the efficacy of QHF remain unclear. Thus, a high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry method was established and adopted to identify the constituents of QHF, and profile its metabolism in vivo and in vitro. Among the 66 constituents in QHF, only 14 compounds of six structural types were absorbed, and 34 metabolites were generated through eight metabolic pathways. A total of 20 metabolites were first reported, including four organic acids, one iridoid, two flavones, five naphthols, three anthraquinones, and five stilbenes. Glucuronidation and sulfation were the main metabolic pathways, and the intestinal metabolism played an important role in the biotransformation of QHF. Many compounds, especially those detected in the liver, the target organ of QHF, were reported to display the anti-NAFLD activity. This is the first study to explore the constituents of QHF and its metabolism in vivo and in vitro, thus realizing the first step to clarify the chemical basis of QHF qualitatively, and laying the foundation for further research on the anti-NAFLD mechanism of QHF.

Increasing fire risk and atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition have the potential to alter plant community structure and composition, with consequent impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. This study was conducted to examine short‐term responses of understory plant community to burning and N addition in a coniferous‐broadleaved mixed forest of the subtropical‐temperate transition zone in Central China. The experiment used a pair‐nested design, with four treatments (control, burning, N addition, and burning plus N addition) and five replicates. Species richness, cover, and density of woody and herbaceous plants were monitored for 3 years after a low‐severity fire in the spring of 2014. Burning, but not N addition, significantly stimulated the cover (+15.2%, absolute change) and density (+62.8%) of woody species as well as herb richness (+1.2 species/m2, absolute change), cover (+25.5%, absolute change), and density (+602.4%) across the seven sampling dates from June 2014 to October 2016. Light availability, soil temperature, and prefire community composition could be primarily responsible for the understory community recovery after the low‐severity fire. The observations suggest that light availability and soil temperature are more important than nutrients in structuring understory plant community in the mixed forest of the subtropical‐temperate transition zone in Central China. Legacy woody and herb species dominated the understory vegetation over the 3 years after fire, indicating strong resistance and resilience of forest understory plant community and biodiversity to abrupt environmental perturbation.

Germ cell apoptosis may be associated with the male infertility. The pathogenesis is to be further understood. Viral infection is one of the causative factors of apoptosis of the body cells. This study aims to investigate the role of activation of Toll like receptor (TLR)3 in the induction of germ cell apoptosis. In this study, spermatogonial stem cells (SSC) were isolated from C57BL/6 mouse testes. The expression of TLR3 on SSC was by RT-qPCR and Western blotting. polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (Poly I:C) was employed to activate TLR3 on SSCs. The results showed that re-activation by PolyI:C induced SSC apoptosis. Exposure to PolyI:C induced interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) phosphorylation in SSCs. TLR3 and IRF3 formed a complex in the SSCs. The complex of TLR3/IRF3 bound to the promoter of Fas ligand and promoted Fas ligand expression in SSC, and thus induced SSC apoptosis. In conclusion, the results of the present study indicate that activation of TLR3 by PolyI:C induces the SSC apoptosis, which implies that viral infection may interfere with the male germ cell development.

Iridoid glycosides (IGs), the major constituents in Fructus Gardeniae, have demonstrated various pharmacological activities, but there is no systematic chemical profile of IGs in Fructus Gardeniae in the published literature until now. Therefore, it is imperative that a rapid and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-Q/TOF-MS/MS) method is established for comprehensive characterization of IGs in Fructus Gardeniae. Firstly, the fragmentation patterns of six known IGs were investigated and proposed and further concluded the diagnostic fragment ions and characteristic fragmentation pathways. Then, based on the summarized fragmentation patterns and the known compounds in the literatures, the other IGs in Fructus Gardeniae were identified successively. As a result, a total of 20 IGs were identified, of which three pairs of epimers were structurally characterized and differentiated. More importantly, one compound, the isoshanzhiside methyl ester, was tentatively identified as a new compound. The results of this study demonstrate the superiority of HPLC-MS with a high-resolution mass spectrometer for the rapid and sensitive structural elucidation of the multiple groups of constituents in Fructus Gardeniae.

RATIONALE Seeds of Vaccaria segetalis (Wang-Bu-Liu-Xing in Chinese) are mainly used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of amenorrhea, breast infections, and edema. The study was designed to identify the components and metabolites of Wang-Bu-Liu-Xing. METHODS A novel methodology combining an adsorbent-separation strategy with analysis by liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (LC/QTOF-MS/MS) was established to identify the components of Wang-Bu-Liu-Xing. The adsorbent-separation technique was applied on macroporous resin (adsorbents). Different concentrations of ethanol (30%, 60%, and 95%), which covered high-to-low polarity ranges, were chosen as the elution solvent, respectively. The QTOF mass spectrometer was operated in negative ion mode with an electrospray ionization source. RESULTS A total of 52 components were successfully identified in the Wang-Bu-Liu-Xing decoction based on the fragmentation pathways and QTOF high-accuracy mass spectral analysis. To the best of our knowledge, several new saponins were reported for the first time. A total of 20 compounds, which included 10 prototypes and 10 metabolites, were also identified in rat plasma and urine after oral administration of Wang-Bu-Liu-Xing decoction. CONCLUSIONS An integrated adsorbent-separation strategy is powerful and reliable for global detection and identification of complex components in herbal prescriptions. The components identified in rat biofluids may also provide helpful chemical information for further pharmacology and active mechanism study on this herb. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

As a potential transplant antigen, major histocompatibility complex class I chain-related gene A (MICA) antigen, has attracted increased attention because of its possible role in solid organ transplantation. There are two MICA forms, and MICA antibodies and soluble MICA (sMICA) have been found in the serum of transplant recipients. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library for original reports of clinical studies involving the effect of MICA on outcomes of renal, heart, lung, and liver transplantation. In addition to the human leukocyte antigen antigens, which elicit a strong immune response, the polymorphic MICA antigens induce production of MICA antibodies and sMICA. A number of clinical studies have shown that MICA antibodies correlate with an increased incidence of rejection and a decreased allograft survival rate following renal or heart transplantation. Although it is clearly associated with chronic rejection of lung allografts, no such correlation was found for liver transplantation. Moreover, sMICA showed a negative association with acute rejection (AR) and may be a good predictor of heart transplant outcomes. These data suggest MICA expression patterns and regulatory function may be tissue specific and that different transplants have different organ-specific outcomes.

The Yinchen–Zhizi herb pair (YZHP) consists of Herba Artemisiae Scopariae (Yinchen in Chinese) and Fructus Gardeniae (Zhizi in Chinese), and is mainly used to treat icteric hepatitis, itching skin and eczema. However, the bioactive constituents responsible for the pharmacological effects of YZHP are still unclear to date. In this work, a rapid and sensitive method was established to comprehensively study the constituents in YZHP extract by HPLC-Q-TOF MS/MS. The analysis was performed on an HPLC system equipped with an Agilent poroshell 120 EC-C18 column (100 × 2.1 mm, 2.7 mm) working in a gradient elution program coupled to quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry operating in the negative ion mode. As a result, a total of 46 compounds including 17 from Herba Artemisiae Scopariae and 36 from Fructus Gardeniae were detected and tentatively identified in YZHP extract by comparing the retention time and mass spectrometry and retrieving the reference literature. More importantly, a series of constituents, such as many iridoid glycosides, were reported for the first time in this formula. The HPLC-Q-TOF MS/MS method was developed and utilized successfully to identify the major constituents in YZHP extract and would be helpful for further metabolism and pharmacology research on YZHP. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Introduction Cong-Ming-Tang (CMT), named smart-soup in English, is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine formula for the treatment of amnesia in China. However, the isolation, purification and identification procedures of the major bioactive constituents in CMT are difficult and time consuming. Objective To establish a rapid and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionisation with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC–QTOF/MS/MS) method that could be applied to rapidly separate and identify the major bioactive constituents in CMT. Methods Methanolic extract of CMT was used for HPLC–QTOF/MS/MS analysis. Separation was performed on an Agilent Poroshell 120 EC- C18 column (2.7 ×100 mm .i.d., 2.7 µm) with 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution and acetonitrile as the mobile phase under gradient conditions. Both positive and negative ion modes were employed. Results This analytical tool allowed the identification of 55 compounds from CMT formulae by comparing their retention times and MS spectra with those of authentic compounds or literature data in both positive and negative ion modes, including 4 xanthone C-glycosides, 4 sucrose esters, 11 oligosaccharide multi-esters,15 triterpene saponins, 15 triterpene acids, 2 lignans and 4 phenylpropanoids. Onjisaponin MF was tentatively elucidated as a new triterpene saponin based on the summarised fragmentation rules. Conclusion HPLC–QTOF/MS/MS provides a new powerful approach to identify the major chemical constituents in CMT rapidly and accurately. This study proposed a series of potential bioactive components without preparative isolation from the crude extract of CMT and indicated that the HPLC–QTOF/MS/MS method also can be a promising tool for the analysis of other traditional Chinese medicines. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

RATIONALE Analog-to-digital converter (ADC)-based acquisition systems are widely applied in time-of-flight mass spectrometers (TOFMS) due to their ability to record the signal intensity of all ions within the same pulse. However, the acquisition system raises the requirement for data throughput, along with increasing the conversion rate and resolution of the ADC. It is therefore of considerable interest to develop a high-performance real-time acquisition system, which can relieve the limitation of data throughput. METHODS We present in this work a high-efficiency real-time digital signal averager, consisting of a signal conditioner, a data conversion module and a signal processing module. Two optimization strategies are implemented using field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) to enhance the efficiency of the real-time processing. A pipeline procedure is used to reduce the time consumption of the accumulation strategy. To realize continuous data transfer, a high-efficiency transmission strategy is developed, based on a ping-pong procedure. RESULTS The digital signal averager features good responsiveness, analog bandwidth and dynamic performance. The optimal effective number of bits reaches 6.7 bits. For a 32 μs record length, the averager can realize 100% efficiency with an extraction frequency below 31.23 kHz by modifying the number of accumulation steps. In unit time, the averager yields superior signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) compared with data accumulation in a computer. CONCLUSIONS The digital signal averager is combined with a vacuum ultraviolet single-photon ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer (VUV-SPI-TOFMS). The efficiency of the real-time processing is tested by analyzing the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from ordinary printed materials. In these experiments, 22 kinds of compounds are detected, and the dynamic range exceeds 3 orders of magnitude.

In order to illustrate the main biotransformation pathways of vaccarin in vivo, metabolites of vaccarin in rats were identified using a specific and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization linear ion trap mass spectrometry (LTQ XL™) method. The rats were administered a single dose (200 mg/kg) of vaccarin by oral gavage. By comparing their changes in molecular masses (ΔM), retention times and spectral patterns with those of the parent drug, the parent compound and six metabolites were found in rat urine after oral administration of vaccarin. The parent compound and five metabolites were detected in rat plasma. In heart, liver and kidney samples, respectively, one, four and three metabolites were identified, in addition to the parent compound. Three metabolites, but no trace of parent drug, were found in the rat feces. This is the first systematic metabolism study of vaccarin in vivo. The biotransformation pathways of vaccarin involved methylation, hydroxylation, glycosylation and deglycosylation. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Poria cocos is a well-known medicinal plant widely used in China and other East Asian countries owing to its various therapeutic effects. However, the bioactive constituents responsible for the pharmacological effects of Poria cocos and their metabolites in vivo are still unclear to date. The aim of the present study was to develop a practical method based on the combined use of the liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization multistage tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MSn) for the comprehensive and systematic separation and characterization of the bioactive constituents of Poria cocos extract and their metabolites in rats. Based on the proposed strategy, a total of 34 compounds were characterized from the extract of Poria cocos. Among them, eight were unambiguously identified by comparing their retention times and mass spectra with those of reference standards, and 26 were tentatively identified on the basis of their MSn fragmentation behaviors and molecular weight information from literatures. In vivo, seven compounds were successfully detected in rat urine whereas one was found in rat plasma. This study proposed a series of potential bioactive components and provided helpful chemical information for further research on the action mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Paederia scandens (Lour.) Merri. (Jishiteng in Chinese) is a Chinese traditional medicine widely used in treating various diseases. However, its active components have remained unknown. In the present study, a rapid and sensitive method by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-MSn) techniques was employed to investigate the absorbed constituents in rats after oral administration of Paederia scandens decoction. By comparing their MS data with those of authentic compounds and published data, a total of six compounds (paederosid, 1; paederosidic acid, 2; paederosidic acid methyl ester, 3; 6-hydroxy geniposide, 4; asperuloside, 5; and deacetyl asperuloside, 6) were identified in the P. scandens decoction samples. In addition, a total of seven compounds, including three iridoid glucosides and four of their metabolites, were identified in rat urine samples after administration. In addition, six compounds, including four iridoid glucosides and two of their metabolites, were identified in rat serum samples after administration. Our results significantly narrow the range of potentially active compounds in P. scandens decoction, and build a solid foundation for future research on its mechanism. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A very simple and direct method has been established for the determination of polygalic acid and its metabolites in rat urine based on HPLC coupled with electrospray ionization multi-stage tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS(n)). The rats were administered a single dose (100 mg/kg) of polygalic acid by oral gavage. The urine samples were collected and purified through a C(18) solid-phase extraction cartridge, and then these pretreated samples were injected into a reversed-phase C(18) column with a gradient elution program, whereas acetonitrile-0.5% aqueous formic acid was used as mobile phase and detected by an on-line MS/MS system. As a result, the parent drug and its four metabolites were identified and characterized in rat urine for the first time by comparing their changes in molecular mass (ΔM), retention times and full-scan MS(n) spectra with those of the parent drug. A possible metabolic pathway of polygalic acid was investigated and proposed. More importantly, the results demonstrated that the newly developed method (HPLC-ESI-MS(n)) was sensitive, simple and suitable for the determination of polygalic acid and its metabolites in biological samples.

A new iridoid alkaloid containing a spirolactone unit, plumericidine (1), was isolated from the flowers of Plumeria rubra L. cv. Acutifolia. Its structure was elucidated by spectroscopic evidence and confirmed by X-ray diffraction crystallography. Its anticancer and antiviral activities were evaluated, but found to be insignificant.

Pulsatilla chinensis saponins, the major active components in the herb, have drawn great attention as potential hepatitis B virus infection and hepatoma treatments. Here, a sensitive and accurate HPLC-MS/MS method was established for simultaneous determination of three saponins - anemoside B4, anemoside A3 and 23-hydroxybetulinic acid - in rat plasma and liver, and fully validated. The method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetics and liver distribution study of P. chinensis saponins. Consequently, 23-hydroxybetulinic acid, with an extremely low content in the P. chinensis saponins, exhibited the highest exposure in the liver and in sites before and after hepatic disposition, namely, in the portal vein plasma and systemic plasma, followed by anemoside B4, which showed the highest content in the herb, whereas anemoside A3 displayed quite limited exposure. The hepatic first-pass effects were 71% for 23-hydroxybetulinic acid, 27% for anemoside B4 and 37% for anemoside A3, corresponding to their different extents of liver distribution. To our knowledge, this is the first investigation on the liver first-pass effect and distribution of P. chinensis saponins to date. These results also provide valuable information for the understanding of the pharmacological effect of P. chinensis saponins on liver diseases.

Anti-DHBV (duck hepatitis B virus) activity was found in the aqueous extracts of Sophora flavescens Ait. in vivo. Liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization ion trap mass spectrometry was applied to characterize the components in duck serum after oral administration of S. flavescens extract. Oxymatrine (1), sophoranol (2), sophoridine (3) and matrine (4) were identified in the serum. Further research on the four compounds was evaluated for their antiviral activity against HBV (hepatitis B virus) in cell culture. The results suggested that oxymatrine, sophoranol and matrine were the efficacy substances for anti-HBV activity in aqueous extracts of S. flavescens Ait.

A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) assay for calycosin-7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside in rat plasma and urine with solid-phase extraction (SPE) was developed. Rutin was employed as an internal standard. The mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile-water (16:84, v/v) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. Detection was set at 280 nm. The limit of quantitation of calycosin-7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside was 0.2 microg/mL in both plasma and urine. The standard curve was linear from 0.2 to 10.0 microg/mL in plasma, and 0.2 to 5.0 microg/mL in urine. Both intra- and inter-day precision of the calycosin-7-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside were determined and their RSD did not exceed 10%. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of samples obtained from a basic pharmacokinetic study, in which calycosin-7-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside was administered orally to rats.

Adsorption, diffusion and thermal desorption features of cyclopentane and cyclohexane in silicalite-1 have been investigated using the intelligent gravimetric technique. Both the saturation adsorption loadings and diffusion coefficient of cyclopentane were greater than those of cyclohexane. The diffusivity of cyclopentane was about one order of magnitude greater than that of cyclohexane at the same temperature and initial loading. For cyclopentane, there was only one kind of desorption process at adsorption loadings lower than 4 muc (molecule per unit cell), but two desorption processes appeared at the adsorption loadings higher than 4 muc. While for cyclohexane, one desorption process was found in the whole range of loadings. Both thermal desorption peaks of cyclopentane and cyclohexane moved to higher temperature region with increasing loading.

A new iridoid alkaloid containing a spirolactone unit, plumericidine (1), was isolated from the flowers of Plumeria rubra L. cv. Acutifolia. Its structure was elucidated by spectroscopic evidence and confirmed by X-ray diffraction crystallography. Its anticancer and antiviral activities were evaluated, but found to be insignificant.

The acidic ionic liquids were new catalysts for the one-pot Biginelli reaction coupling of aldehyde, 1,3-dicarbonyl compound, and urea to afford the corresponding dihydropyrimidinones in good yields under solvent-free conditions. The catalysts could be recycled and reused five times without a noticeable decrease in catalytic activity.

Under mild conditions and without any additional organic solvents, Beckmann rearrangement of ketoximes was performed in a novel task-specific ionic liquid consisting sulfonyl chloride. Especially for the conversion of cyclohexanone oxime to e-caprolactam, e-caprolactam has good solubility in water while the task-specific ionic liquid is immiscible with water, therefore, e-caprolactam could be easily separated from the reaction system by water extraction.