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Three matrine-derived alkaloids, alopecuroidine A (1), alopecuroidine B (2a) and alopecuroidine C (2b) were isolated from the seeds of Sophora alopecuroides. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analyses and X-ray diffraction. Three compounds possess an unprecedented rearranged fused 7/6/5/6 tetracyclic skeleton with a diazacycloheptane structure. Their plausible biosynthetic pathway was also proposed. The anti-proliferative activities of compounds 1 and 2a were examined by the MTT assay. Compound 1 inhibited the viability of human lung cancer A549 cells, having a half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 7.58 ± 2.47 μmol/L at 72 h. The flow cytometric analysis suggested that 1 inhibited A549 cell growth by inducing apoptosis and cell-cycle arrest. Additionally, 1 induced the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, elevated intracellular reactive oxygen species, increased the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, stimulated cleaved-caspase-3 and P53 protein levels, and suppressed the pro-caspase-3 level. Thus, 1 appeared to induce A549 cells apoptosis through a mitochondria-mediated apoptotic pathway.

A concise method was established to determine the relative and absolute configurations of aryl-glycerols that depend on the chemical shift differences (Δδ) of the diastereotopic methylene protons (H-3) by 1H NMR spectroscopy. When using DMSO-d6 as the preferred solvent, the threo configuration corresponded to a larger ΔδH3a–H3b value (>0.15 ppm), whereas the erythro configuration ( 0.20 ppm. In the erythro enantiomers, the Δδ value of 1R,2S was >0.09 ppm, and that of 1S,2R was

New phloroglucinol glycosides, aglycones, and oxidative dearomatized products of aglycones were discovered from Agrimonia pilosa, and the mechanism of the auto oxidative dearomatization was disclosed as a free radical chain reaction with 3O2.

Lithium garnets have been widely studied as promising electrolytes that could enable the next-generation all-solid-state lithium batteries. However, upon exposure to atmospheric moisture and carbon dioxide, insulating lithium carbonate forms on the surface and deteriorates the interfaces within electrodes. Here, we report a scalable solid sintering method, defined by lithium donor reaction that allows for complete decarbonation of Li6.4La3Zr1.4Ta0.6O12 (LLZTO) and yields an active LiCoO2 layer for each garnet particle. The obtained LiCoO2 coated garnets composite is stable against air without any Li2CO3. Once working in a solid-state lithium battery, the LiCoO2-LLZTO@LiCoO2 composite cathode maintains 81% of the initial capacity after 180 cycles at 0.1 C. Eliminating CO2 evolution above 4.0 V is confirmed experimentally after transforming Li2CO3 into LiCoO2. These results indicate that Li2CO3 is no longer an obstacle, but a trigger of the intimate solid-solid interface. This strategy has been extended to develop a series of LLZTO@active layer materials., Formation of insulating lithium carbonate on surface of lithium garnets hinders their application as solid electrolyte in lithium ion batteries. Here the authors explore a scalable sintering approach to utilize the undesired Li2CO3 and improve the active material-electrolyte interface within cathodes.

Phytochemical investigation of the rhizome of Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort led to the isolation and identification of three new compounds, chuanxiongoside A, (2E,4E)-8-(6-O-inositolyl)-8-oxo-2,7-dimethyl-octadienoic acid (2), chuanxiongoside C (3). The structures of these compounds were unambiguously established by HR-ESI-MS, UV, IR, CD, NMR spectral data and comparison to reported data. All the isolated compounds (1-3) were investigated for their inhibitory effects on nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. All compounds showed excellent inhibition of NO production stronger than curcumin. [Formula: see text].

The 1,2-dibromoethane- and KI-mediated α-acyloxylation of ketones is reported in moderate to good yield without the use of transition metals and strong oxidants. Various acids are well tolerated with wide functional group compatibility. An 1,2-dibromoethane- and KI-catalysed reaction mechanism is proposed based on the results of control experiments.

One new tanshinone derivative, which possesses an unusual 6/6/5/6 fused-ring skeleton system (1), together with four new five-membered lactone benzohexa-membered ring compounds (2, 3, 4A and 4B), and three new carboxyl substituted 5,5-spiroketal compounds (5–7), were isolated from the dried rhizomes of Salvia miltiorrhiza. The structures of these compounds were determined by multiple spectral analyses (UV, IR, NMR, and HR-ESI-MS). In addition, the absolute configurations were established by X-ray diffraction experiments, calculated and experimental circular dichroism spectra. Evaluation of antitumor activity showed that 1 had strong cytotoxicity to tumor-repopulating cells (TRCs) with an IC50 value of 2.83 μM. In the evaluation of neuroprotective activity, 4A and 6 showed a strong improvement in the survival rates of SK-N-SH cell injury induced by oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD).

Four new phenolic acid derivatives, namely, 2,3-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)cyclopent-2-enone (1), 4,5-di-O-caffeoyldaucic acid methyl ester (2), (+)-ligusticumtone (3a), and (‒)-ligusticumtone (3b), and two known compounds were isolated from the rhizome of Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. Among of them, compound 1 is an unusual norlignan. Additionally, compounds 3a and 3b are enantiomers that were obtained by chiral separation. Their structures were established using UV, IR, HRESIMS, NMR analysis. The absolute configurations of 3a and 3b were determined via quantum ECD calculations. All the isolates were evaluated for their hepatoprotective activity against N-acetyl-p-aminophenol-induced HepG2 cell injury. Compound 1 showed moderate hepatoprotective activity at a concentration of 10 μM (p

Background Akkermansia spp. plays important roles in maintenance of host health. Increasing evidence reveals that berberine (BBR) may exert its pharmacological effects via, at least partially, promotion of Akkermansia spp. However, how BBR stimulates Akkermansia remains largely unknown. Purpose In this study, we investigated the mechanism underlying the Akkermansia-promoting effect of BBR. Materials and methods The effect of BBR on Akkermansia was assessed in BBR-gavaged mice and direct incubation. The influence of BBR on intestinal mucin production was determined by alcian-blue staining and real-time PCR. The feces were analysis by gas chromatography–time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF/MS) metabolomics. The role of polyamines in BBR-elicited mucin secretion and Akkermansia growth was evaluated by administration of difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) in mice. Results Gavage of BBR dose-dependently and time-dependently increased the abundance of Akkermansia in mice. However, it did not stimulate Akkermansia growth in direct incubation, suggesting that BBR may promote Akkermansia in a host-dependent way. Oral administration of BBR significantly increased the transcription of mucin-producing genes and mucin secretion in colon. Untargeted metabolomics analysis showed that BBR increased polyamines production in feces which are known to stimulate goblet cell proliferation and differentiation, but treatment with eukaryotic polyamine synthase inhibitor DFMO did not abolish the stimulating effect of BBR on mucin secretion and Akkermansia growth, indicating that the gut bacteria-derived but not the host-derived polyamines may involve in the BBR-promoted Akkermansia growth. Conclusions Our results reveal that BBR is a promising prebiotic for Akkermansia, and it promotes Akkermansia growth via stimulating mucin secretion in colon.

Background Porphyromonas gingivalis is the main pathogen of periodontal disease affecting over half of the worldwide adult population. Recent studies have shown that P. gingivalis is related to the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a global major chronic liver disease, especially in developed countries. However, how P. gingivalis contributes to the pathogenesis of NAFLD has not been fully clarified. We aimed to conduct a preliminary exploration of the underlying mechanism of P. gingivalis infection in the development of NAFLD. Methods Human hepatocellular cells HepG2 were incubated with/without oleic acid (OA) and tested for lipid accumulation upon stimulation by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) derived from P. gingivalis or Escherichia coli. Intracellular lipid droplet formation was analyzed and quantified by Oil Red O staining. The involvement of signaling pathway molecules and pro-inflammatory cytokines related to NF-κB and MAPKs were examined with Western blot and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analyses and further evaluated with inhibitor treatment and RNA interference. Results HepG2 cells accumulated more intracellular lipids when stimulated with P. gingivalis LPS, as compared to cells treated with E. coli LPS or control. Further pathway analysis demonstrated that after stimulation with P. gingivalis LPS, cells displayed significantly upregulated MyD88 expression, increased phosphorylation of p65 and JNK, and more release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1, IL-8, and TNF-α. In addition, suppression of phosphorylation of p65 and JNK by inhibitors and RNA interference resulted in a reduction in lipid accumulation upon P. gingivalis LPS treatment. Conclusions These results suggest that P. gingivalis-derived LPS may contribute to intracellular lipid accumulation and inflammatory reaction of HepG2 cells via the activation of NF-κB and JNK signaling pathways. This study offers a possible explanation to the functional involvement of P. gingivalis infection in the pathological progression of NAFLD. These findings may help design new treatment strategies in NAFLD.

Eight new triterpenoid saponins (1-8), were isolated from the roots of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., together with 10 known triterpenoid saponins (9-18). Their structures were determined by analysis of their spectroscopic data and comparison with the reference. All of the compounds were evaluated for their antioxidant effects in the in vitro assay. Compounds 2 and 8 showed significant antioxidant activities against Fe2+/cysteine-induced liver microsomal lipid peroxidation at 0.1 μM.

Neuroinflammation is emerging as a crucial reason of major neurodegenerative diseases in recent years. Increasingly evidences have supported that bioactive natural products from traditional Chinese medicines have efficiency for neuroinflammation. Forsythia suspensa, a typical medicinal herb, showed potential neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties in previous pharmacological studies. In our research to obtain neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory natural products, three unprecedented C6–C7′/C6–C16′ linked phenylethanoid glycoside dimers (1–3), three new phenylethanoid glycosides (4–6), and six known compounds (7–12) were isolated from the fruits of Forsythia suspensa. Their structures were determined by comprehensive spectroscopic data and comparison to the literature data. All isolated compounds were evaluated their neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory activities. Compounds 1 and 10 exhibited significant neuroprotective activities with the cell viability values of 75.24 ± 8.05% and 93.65 ± 10.17%, respectively, for the serum-deprivation and rotenone induced pheochromocytoma (PC12) cell injury. Meanwhile, compound 1 exhibited excellent anti-inflammatory activity against tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α expression in LPS induced RAW264.7 cells with the IC50 value of 1.30 μM. This study revealed that the bioactive phenylethanoid glycosides may attenuate neuroinflammation through their neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory activities.

Four new compounds including two new phenylpropanoid esters of sucrose, polygonusucroside A (1) and B (2); two new anthraquinones, 8-O-β- d -(6′-galloyl)-glucopyranoside (3) and polyanthraquinoside A (4), together with six known compounds were isolated from Polygonum cuspidatum. Their structures were established using UV, IR, HRESIMS, and NMR data. All compounds were evaluated for their α-glucosidase inhibitory activities and neuroprotective effects. Compounds 5, 7 and 9 showed significant α-glucosidase inhibitory activities with IC50 values of 27.30, 5.51, and 1.09 μmol/L, respectively (acarbose as positive control, IC50 = 6.17 μmol/L). In addition, the assessment of neuroprotective effect showed that compound 3 exhibited remarkable effect against PC12 cells injured by serum-deprivation and compounds 2, 7, and 9 exhibited moderate effects against PC12 cells injured by rotenone.

Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort is a famous health promoting plant cultivated in China, and widely consumed due to its various curative effects. To study the potential bioactive constituents from the rhizome of L. chuanxiong, a chemical investigation was thus performed. In present study, we report the isolation and identification of ten new compounds, including two coumarins (1-2), four lignans (3-6), and four phenols (7-10), along with five known compounds (11-15) from the rhizome of L. chuanxiong. The structures of these compounds were unambiguously established by HR-ESI-MS, UV, IR, CD, NMR spectral data and comparison to reported data. Meanwhile, the anti-inflammation and hepatoprotective activities of all these compounds were evaluated. The results show that compounds 5, 6 and 7 showed excellent inhibition of NO production in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells stronger than curcumin, and compounds 5, 7 and 9 exhibited greater hepatoprotective effect than that of bicyclol.

Two new benzoic acid derivatives, sophophenoside A (1) and sophophenoside B (2), were isolated from Sophora flavescens. Their structures were elucidated by detailed spectroscopic analysis and chemical methods. Compounds 1 and 2 were assayed for their hepatoprotective activity on the cytotoxic effect of D-galactosamine on HL-7702 cells, and compound 1 exhibited a moderate hepatoprotective activity at a concentration of 10 μM.

Three new thionic compounds, (S)-2-(2-carboxyl-2-hydroxyethylthio)-ferulic acid (1), (E)-2-methoxy-4-(3-(methylsulfonyl)prop-1-en-1-yl)phenol (2), and thiosenkyunolide C (3), together with two new aromatic glycosides (4 and 5) were isolated from the rhizome of Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. Two known compounds (6 and 7) were also obtained. Their structures were elucidated based on extensive spectroscopic data (UV, IR, 1D and 2D NMR, and HR-ESI-MS). Furthermore the absolute configurations were established by comparison of their calculated and experimental circular dichroism spectra and by a dimolybdenum tetraacetate [Mo2(AcO)4]-induced circular dichroism procedure. All compounds were evaluated against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced NO production in BV2 cells, and compounds 4 and 5 showed strong inhibitory activities with IC50 values of 2.03 and 3.09 µmol/L, respectively (positive control curcumin, IC50 = 6.17 µmol/L). In addition, compound 1 showed weak proteintyrosine phosphatase-1B (PTP1B) inhibitory activity. KEY WORDS: Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort., Thionic compounds, Aromatic glycosides, Anti-inflammatory, Natural products

In our ongoing investigation of the bioactive compounds from the extract of the roots of Sophora flavescens, two novel prenylated flavanones, named sophoflavanones A (1) and B (2), each with an unusual pyran ring were isolated. Their structures, as well as their absolute configurations, were elucidated based on spectroscopic data including a comparison of their experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. Additionally, compounds 1 and 2 showed moderate antioxidant activities against Fe2+/cysteine-induced toxicity at a concentration of 0.1 µM (inhibition values of 71.65% and 72.49%, respectively, using vitamin C as a positive control (87.83%)).

Background Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the main cause of end-stage kidney disease and has become a heavy economic and social burden due to its high prevalence and morbidity. The most effective strategy is that patients with DKD should be diagnosed and treated early. Preliminary studies showed that the Chinese herbal Tangshen Formula (TSF) may delay the progression of DKD, reducing microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria and improving renal function. We designed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of TSF in patients with DKD. Methods/design This trial is a 13-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. A total of 632 participants will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to an experiment group (TSF plus losartan) and a control group (placebo plus losartan). The trial cycle will last 24 weeks. The primary outcome will be the change in the urine microalbumin–creatinine ratio from baseline to week 24. The secondary outcome will be the change in the rate of progression to the clinical proteinuria period after intervention, the rate of urine microalbumin negative conversion, the rate of normal urinary microalbumin, the doubling rate of the baseline creatinine value and the glomerular filtration rate between the two groups. Safety in medication will also be evaluated. Discussion We hypothesize that patients with type 2 diabetes in the early stage of DKD will benefit from TSF. If successful, this study will provide evidence-based recommendations for clinicians. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03009864. Registered January 2017.

Four new sesquiterpene compounds, (5R,7R,10S)-3-O-β- d -glucopyranosylisopterocarpolone-11-O-β- d -apiofuranosyl-(1 → 6)-β- d -glucopyranoside (1), (5R,7R,10S)-14-carboxylisopterocarpolone-11-O-β- d -glucopyranoside (2), (1R,7R,10R)-1-hydroxylcarissone-11-O-β- d -glucopyranoside (3), and (1R,7R,10S)-10,11-dihydroxy-4-guaien-3-one 11-O-β- d - glucopyranoside (4), were isolated from the Atractylodes lancea by high-performance liquid chromatography. The compounds’ structures were elucidated through detailed spectroscopic methods.

An efficient 1H NMR spectroscopic approach for determining the relative configurations of lignans with a 7,9′:7′,9-diepoxy moiety has been established. Using the chemical shift differences of H2-9 and H2-9′ (ΔδH-9 and ΔδH-9′), the configurations of 8-H and 8-OH furofuran lignans can be rapidly and conveniently determined. The rule is applicable for data acquired in DMSO-d6, methanol-d4, or CDCl3. Notably, the rule should be applied carefully when the C-2 or C-6 substituent of the aromatic rings may alter the dominant conformers of the furofuran moiety.

Four new ferulic acid derivatives ligusticumacid A-C (1-3) and ligusticumaldehyde A (4), one new dimer ligusticumacid D (5), and two novel 8-8' lignans ligusticumacid E-F (6-7) were isolated from the rhizome of Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. In particular, compounds 1-2, 5 were rarely phenylpropanoid phenolic acid dimers through different polymerization action in natural products. Their structures were established using UV, IR, HRESIMS, NMR data. The absolute configurations of 3 was determined by quantum ECD calculation and 4, 6-7 were determined by the ECD exciton chirality method. In addition, all compounds were evaluated for their neuroprotective effects on human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell injury induced by H2O2. Compound 2 had a moderate neuroprotective activity and 7 had a weak neuroprotective activity on human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell injury induced by H2O2 respectively.

Eight new amino acid derivatives (1–8) and two known compounds (9–10) were isolated from the rhizome of Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. Their structures were established using UV, IR, HRESIMS, and NMR data. Notably, phenylpropanoid–amino acid adducts 1–6 are the first reported natural products, which possess a unique adduct structure. In addition, their analogues (1–5) were successfully synthesized by nucleophilic substitution and hydrolysis. The absolute configurations of 1–5 were determined by comparison of the specific rotations with those of their analogues and the natural amino acid methyl ester hydrochloride in acetic acid. In addition, these compounds were all evaluated for their neuroprotective effects, and compound 9 showed a moderate protective effect towards human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell injury induced by H2O2.

Although Li1.3Al0.3Ti1.7(PO4)3 (LATP) solid electrolyte has the advantages of high ionic conductivity , low cost, and satisfying air stability, it is thermodynamically unstable with lithium metal, which could reduce the Ti 4+ to Ti3+ and form a highly resistive interface, leading to the fast degradation of battery performance. Herein, through an in-depth study on the degradation mechanism of LATP by delocalized π electrons in succinonitrile (SN), we propose a novel plastic composite interlayer (PCI) based on succinonitrile and polyacrylonitrile, which can not only realize a rapid and uniform transmission of lithium ions but also localize π electrons, inhibit the continuous deterioration of LATP. Compared with previous battery tests at elevated temperatures or by adding liquid components, the PCI-based Li|Li symmetric cell has achieved a cyclability for more than 300 h at room temperature. Moreover, the discharge capacity of the all-solid-state battery based on PCI still retains 87.9% after 170 cycles at 0.1C, which is in sharp contrast to the 38.6% capacity retention after 50 cycles of LFP/SN/LATP/SN/Li battery. These results show that PCI, as an effective anode interlayer, paves a way for high-performance solid-state batteries based on NASICON-type electrolytes.

Five new dimeric phloroglucinol derivatives, agrimones A − E (1–5), were isolated from the whole plant of Agrimonia pilosa. Their structures including absolute configurations were determined by a series of spectroscopic data (UV, IR, HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR), complemented with the comparison of the experimental and calculated ECD spectra, and gauge-independent atomic orbital (GIAO) NMR calculations. Notably, compounds 1 and 2 represent a highly oxidized 6/6/6 tricyclic ring skeleton based on the cis-fused paraquinone and chroman. Compounds 1a, 4, and 5 exhibited moderate hepatoprotective activities against APAP-induced HepG2 cell injury at 10 μM.

Six new phenylethanoid glycosides possessing dioxane moieties, named forsyoxasides A−F ( 1–6 ), together with four known such compounds ( 7–10 ) were isolated from the fruits of Forsythia suspensa . These structures were illustrated by extensive NMR spectroscopic techniques and by comparing their NMR data with the related literatures. Notably, forsyoxaside A ( 1 ) is a novel dioxane phenylethanoid glycoside with an axial aromatic ring, which is rare in the natural sources. Compounds 1 , 4 , 7 and 8 showed remarkable bioactivities against rotenone induced PC12 cell damage. Furthermore, 1 and 7 displayed strong activities against serum deprivation induced damage on the same cells.

Five new heterocyclic compounds, 5-α-d-fructofuranosylmethyl-furfural (1), 5-β-d-fructofuranosylmethyl-furfural (2), 5-β-d-fructopyranosylmethyl-furfural (3), 4-(2-((2S-2,3-dihydroxypropoxy)methyl)-5-formyl-1H-pyrrol-1-yl)butanoic acid (4), and 3S,4S-4,5,8-trihydroxy-3-(prop-1-en-2-yl)isochroman-1-one (5), were obtained from the root of Ranunculus ternatus Thunb., which is a traditional Chinese anti-tuberculosis medicine. Their structures were elucidated by UV, IR, HRESIMS, NMR data, and the comparison of experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. Notably, compounds 1-3 are rarely occurring furfural fructosides in natural sources. These heterocyclic compounds could be further studied for the synthetic chemists and pharmacologists due to the source and structural properties.

Two new compounds, named lyciumlignan D ( 1 ) and lyciumphenyl propanoid A ( 2 ), along with seven known compounds, were isolated from the root bark of Lycium chinense . Their structures were elucidated using spectroscopic data (UV, IR, HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR, CD), as well as by comparison with those of the literature. Compounds 3 9 were isolated from this genus for the first time. In the in vitro assay, compounds 3 , 6 , and 7 exhibited stronger anti-inflammatory effects than the positive control curcumin at a concentration of 10 μmol/L.

Four new and rare iridoid glucosides, cornusfuroside A-D (1-4), containing the furan ring were identified from water extract of the fruit of Cornus officinalis. These new chemical structures were determined through extensive spectroscopic analysis, including 1D and 2D NMR, IR, HRESIMS, experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD). Notably, this study is the first report on the isolation of four iridoid glucoside structures with acetal functions in the sugar moiety. The neuroprotective effects of these compounds were also evaluated in vitro.

Four new glycosides including a eudesmane-type sesquiterpenoid (1), a guaiane-type sesquiterpenoid (2), and two C14-polyacetylenes (3, 4) were isolated from the rhizomes of Atractylodes lancea. Their structures were elucidated by means of spectroscopic and spectrometric analyses (UV, IR, 1D and 2D NMR, and HR-ESIMS). The absolute configurations of their aglycones were established based on the experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD), whereas those of monosaccharide moieties were determined by the GC method after chiral derivatization. Compound 4 showed weak anti-inflammatory effects on the LPS-induced NO production in microglia BV2 cells at a concentration of 10 μmol L−1.

An approach for discriminating the threo and erythro configurations of polyacetylene glycosides by 1H NMR spectroscopy was developed. Using acetic acid-d4/D2O as the solvent, a relatively larger 3JHH value (7.0 Hz) for the acyclic vicinal diol group was unambiguously assigned to the threo configuration, whereas the smaller value (3.5 Hz) was assigned to the erythro configuration. This convenient method requires no hydrolysis or derivatization and is suitable for micromolar concentrations of polyacetylene glycosides. The underlying mechanism is discussed via visualized conformations.

Lycium chinense Mill. is a deciduous shrub in the Solanaceae family that is known for its fruits (Lycii fructus) and root bark (Lycii cortex). In our ongoing search for α-glucosidase inhibitors from the root bark of L. chinense, lyciumflavane A, one new flavane with an unusual benzofuran unit, one new amide possessing a naphthalene skeleton, one new sesquiterpene, three new lignan glucosides, and three new phenolic glucosides were isolated along with eight known compounds. Their structures were elucidated using NMR, HRESIMS, UV, ECD, and IR spectroscopic data. Their α-glucosidase inhibitory activity was screened using acarbose as a positive control (IC50 = 385 μM). Compound 1 showed strong inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase (IC50 = 20.89 μM).

Eleven new phthalide derivatives (1–11) have been isolated from the rhizome of Ligusticum chuanxiong. In particular, 1 and 2 contain a mercaptopropionic acid moiety in the phthalide derivatives. All the structures, including their absolute configurations, were determined by UV, IR, HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic measurements, and by a comparison of the experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. Results of a bioassay showed that compound 4 has a moderate neuroprotective activity on human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell injury induced by H2O2 and oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD).

Forsythenethosides A (1) and B (2), two new phenylethanoid glycosides with an unprecedented 15-membered carbon scaffold ring, were isolated from the fruits of Forsythia suspensa. Their structures, including their geometric configurations, were determined via extensive NMR spectroscopy techniques, especially using 2D NMR data combined with systematic conformational analysis. Forsythenethosides A and B showed strong neuroprotective activities against serum-deprivation-induced PC12 cell damage. Furthermore, they were active on rotenone-induced PC12 cell damage.

During our continuing study on the fruits of Forsythia suspensa, one new heterodimer (forsythoneoside E) containing a flavonoid and a phenethanoid glycoside formed through a pyran ring, one new phenylethanoid glycoside dimer (forsythoneoside F) with a C–O bond, along with a pair of flavonoid glycoside dimers (forsythobiflavone A and B) possessing different axial chirality, were obtained. Their chemical structures, including absolute configurations, were established by NMR, HRESIMS, UV, IR, and ECD spectroscopic data and comparison of experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. All of the compounds were evaluated for their neuroprotective effects against rotenone-induced neurotoxicity in PC12 cells at 1 μM.

An ongoing phytochemical investigation of the rhizomes of Atractylodes lancea resulted in the isolation of four new C10-type polyacetylene glycosides (1-4). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic data (UV, IR, 1D and 2D NMR, and HRESIMS). The absolute configurations of compounds 2-4 were determined by comparing the specific rotations of their aglycones. Notably, compounds 2 and 3 exhibited significant hepatoprotective activities against APAP-induced HepG2 cell injury at a concentration of 10 μM. Compounds 2 and 3 showed weak anti-inflammatory effects on LPS-induced NO production in microglia BV2 cells at a concentration of 10 μM.

The Chrysanthemum morifolium flower is widely used in China and Japan as a food, beverage, and medicine for many diseases. In our work, two new caffeoylquinic acid derivatives (1, 2), a new flavanone glycoside (3), and six reported flavanones (4&ndash, 9) were isolated and identified from the flowers of C. morifolium. The chemical structures of all isolates were elucidated by the analysis of comprehensive spectroscopic data as well as by comparison with previously reported data. The isolated constituents 1&ndash, 8 were evaluated for their neuroprotective activity, and compounds 3 and 4 displayed neuroprotective effects against hydrogen peroxide-induced neurotoxicity in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells.

Two new isobenzofuranone derivatives, polyphthaliside A (1) and polyphthaliside B (2), and a new isocoumarin derivative, polyisocoumarin (3), were isolated from Polygonum cuspidatum. Their structures were elucidated by detailed spectroscopic analysis and chemical methods. The cytotoxicity activity and PTP1B inhibitory activity of compounds 1–3 were estimated and none of them exhibited activities at a concentration of 10 μM.

In the course of studying the components from the roots of Sophora flavescens, eight new unusual biflavonoids consisting of a flavanone fused with a dihydrochalcone skeleton were isolated. These new chemical structures were elucidated by means of UV, IR, HRESIMS, NMR and ECD spectroscopic data and a comparison of experimental ECD spectra with calculated ECD spectra. Some compounds were subjected to an antidiabetic bioassay on human recombinant PTP1B inhibition, and showed strong inhibitory activity.

Three new compounds, 4-{erythro-2-[3-(4-hydroxyl-3-methoxyphenyl)-3-O-β- d -glucopyranosyl-propan-1-ol]}-O-medioresinol (1), (7⿳E,9⿳E,1⿳R*,3⿳S*,5⿳R*,6⿳S*)-5-O-caffeoyl-3-O-dihydrophaseicoylquinic acid (2), and (7⿳E,9⿳E,1⿳R*,3⿳S*,5⿳R*,6⿳S*)-5-O-caffeoyl-4-O-dihydrophaseicoylquinic acid (3), were isolated from Chinese folk herb Erycibe obtusifolia together with six known compounds (4⿿9). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of comparisons of literatures and extensive spectroscopic analysis, including UV, IR, HRMS, and 1D and 2D NMR techniques. Further, the cytotoxicities of these compounds were evaluated against five cell lines (HCT-8, Bel-7402, BGC-823, A549, and A2780), but they were inactive against these tumor cell lines (IC50 > 10 μmol/L).

The mass transfer and kinetics of CO2 absorption into aqueous potassium argininate (ArgK) solutions were investigated using a wetted-wall column at concentrations ranging from 0.26 to 1.23 M and temperatures from 298 to 333 K. Absorption rates of CO2 were compared by the absorption flux and a fall-in-pressure method among basic amino acid salts (AAS) and two amine standards for capture technology. Results showed that ArgK has comparable kinetics toward CO2 with the standard monoethanolamine (MEA) but lower kinetics than piperazine (PZ). The kinetic results were interpreted using two models based on zwitterion mechanism and termolecular mechanism for the reactive absorption of CO2. It was found that the partial reaction orders vary from 1.25 to 1.60 with respect to ArgK. Under the pseudo-first-order regime, the overall reaction rate constants were obtained and the individual reaction rate constants in these models were derived. The calculated values from two models agree well with the experimental data wit...

The absolute configurations of 2-oxygenated phenylethanoid glycosides were conveniently determined by (1)H NMR spectroscopy. A comparison of the chemical shift differences (Δδ) of the diastereotopic methylene protons (H-1) demonstrate that a large chemical shift difference corresponds to an R configuration and a small chemical shift difference indicates S for the 2-alkoxy form. However, the situation is contrary to that of the 2-hydroxy form. Furthermore, the mechanism underlying this result is discussed based on the visualized conformations of such compounds.

Aqueous amino acid salts are attractive absorbents for carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) capture due to low volatility and resistance to oxidative degradation. The kinetics of CO 2 absorption into aqueous solutions of potassium histidinate (HisK) was investigated using a wetted wall column at concentrations ranging from 0.26 to 2.07 M and temperatures from 298 to 333 K. Density, viscosity of aqueous HisK and physical solubility of N 2 O in these solutions were measured. A temperature dependant ion parameter h His − was correlated to estimate Henry׳s constants of CO 2 . The zwitterion and termolecular mechanisms as well as ionic strength effect on reaction rate were applied to interpret the absorption rate of CO 2 in non-ideal systems. Under the pseudo-first-order regime, the overall reaction rate constants increase strongly with the increasing HisK concentration and temperature. HisK shows comparable chemical reactivity toward CO 2 with the industrial standard monoethanolamine (MEA). The partial reaction order with respect to HisK was found to be an average value of 1.26. Zwitterion deprotonation by water and HisK should be the rate-determining step. Two proposed models from zwitterion and termolecular mechanisms could successfully predict the experimental data within 12% AAD. The activation energy was calculated to be approximately 25.0 kJ mol −1 .

An on-line solid phase extraction coupled to capillary HPLC method was established for the simultaneous determination of fifteen kinds of biologic amines in cheese. The biogenic amines were concentrated using the solid phase extraction column and transferred by the six-way valve to analytical column for separation and detection. The separation conditions, including gradient elution, pH, flow rate and column temperature on capillary HPLC, composition of on-line SPE mobile phase, pH of the sample solution and switching time of six-way switching valve were optimized. Optimum on-line SPE conditions including 5% of the acetonitrile-water as mobile phase for SPE column, pH 11 of the sample solution and 3 min of valve switching time were chosen in this method. The linear ranges of standard curve for fifteen biogenic amines were 0.25–50.0 mg L −1 ; LOD was within the range of 0.05–0.25 mg L −1 and LOQ was in the range of 0.15–0.80 mg L −1 . In the spike and recovery study, four types of cheese were investigated. The recoveries for fifteen biogenic amines on four kinds of cheese ranged were from 79.6% to 118.7% except methylamine, ethylamine, 3-methylbutanamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine; with RSDs from 0.3% to 14.9%, except 3-methylbutanamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine. The method is accurate and reliable for detecting biogenic amines in cheese.

Sorbitol is a primary photosynthetic product and the principal photosynthetic transport substance in plants of the Rosaceae. Sorbitol transporters in the major facilitator superfamily (MFS) are important for phloem loading and sorbitol uptake into sink tissues. Here we report the cloning, localization, and expression analysis of a sorbitol transporter in fruit of Pyrus bretschneideri Rehd. cv. “Yali.” This clone, named PbSOT2, encoded a 537-aa protein with a calculated molecular mass of 57.92 kDa. The predicted protein had 12 transmembrane domains and belonged to the MFS carriers. PbSOT2 was sub-cellularly targeted to the plasma membrane. The expression of PbSOT2 was highest during the rapid enlargement phase of fruit (100 days after full bloom). In addition, the sorbitol content in fruit fluctuated within certain limits, but its proportion of total sugars decreased continuously. This work shows that PbSOT2 may play a role in fruit enlargement and the accumulation of hexose during fruit development.

Polyflavanostilbene B (1), an unusual adduct of epicatechin-3-O-gallate fused to piceid through a carbon–carbon bond, four new dimeric stilbene glycosides (2–5), three new stilbene glucosides (6–8), one new flavan glucoside (9), and six known compounds were isolated from the rhizome of Polygonum cuspidatum. The structures of these compounds were elucidated using spectroscopic data, including electronic circular dichroism (ECD) and Rh2(OCOCF3)4-induced CD spectra. All of the compounds were screened for their inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase using acarbose as a positive control (IC50 = 385 μM), and strong inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase was observed for compound 8 (IC50 = 3.04 μM).

An efficient method for the synthesis of (Z)-3-ylidenephthalides is reported in moderate to high yield with AlCl3 as catalyst. Different substrates of the 2-acylbenzoic acids are well performed in the Z/E selectivity. This method is highlighted by the gram-scale synthesis of the natural product (Z)-3-butylidene-5-hydroxyphthalide with anti-inflammatory activity.

Three new triacetic acid lactone (TAL) glycosides, forsyphensides A-C (1-3) were isolated from the fruits of Forsythia suspensa. Their structures were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic techniques. The absolute configurations of their monosaccharides were determined by GC analysis. Notably, forsyphensides A-C were relatively rare TAL glycosides identified from plants. Compound 1 exhibited inhibitory activity against the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in microglia BV2 cells with the inhibition rate of 69.40%.

Seven new butylphthalide derivatives, ligusticumolide A-G (1–7), together with two known butylphthalide derivatives (8–9) were isolated from an ethanol extract of Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. The structures of these derivatives were elucidated from analysis of 1D/2D NMR, UV, IR and HRESIMS data. The absolute configurations of these derivatives were determined by electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations and Mosher′s method. Ligusticumolide A (1) and ligusticumolide B (2) are enantiomers that were obtained by chiral separation. Ligusticumolide C (3) and ligusticumolide D (4) are diastereomers. All of the compounds were evaluated for their hepatoprotective activity against N-acetyl-p-aminophenol-induced HepG2 cell injury. Compounds 4, 5, and 7–9 showed more significant hepatoprotective activity than that of the positive control drug (bicyclol) at a concentration of 10 μM (p

Five new phenylpropanoid glycosides, susaroysides A–E (1–5) were isolated from the fruits of Forsythia suspensa. Their structures were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic data analysis. The absolute configurations of their sugars were determined by GC analysis. Notably, susaroysides A–D possessed a sugar with an unsubstituted anomeric carbon, which is relatively rare in natural sources. Compound 1 exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity against the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α expression in macrophage cells with the IC50 value of 1.053 μM.

The first synthesis of polyflavanostilbene B (1), which has seven contiguous stereocenters including two quaternary carbon centers, from abundant polymeric (-)-epicatechin gallate on a gram scale in three steps without the use of protecting groups is reported. The key transformations of this strategy include a regioselective and stereoselective substitution of resveratrol to give the 4-derivative of (-)-epicatechin 3-gallate and an iron-catalyzed cyclization reaction. The possible radical cyclization mechanism in the formation of the hexahydrocyclopenta[c]furan core is also discussed.