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Methanolic extract of Euphorbia cornigera shoots was separated using HPLC, affording compounds 1-4. Their structures and relative stereochemistry were established after obtaining their spectroscopic (IR, 1H, 13C NMR COSY-45°, HOHAHA, HSQC, HMBC, NOESY, and mass measurement) data. On the basis of these data, the compounds were characterized as 3-O-(2,3-dimethylbutanoyl)-13-O-dodecanoyl-20-O-tetradecanoylingenol (1), 3-O-decanoyl-20-O-hexanoylingenol (2), 3-O-(2,3-dimethylbutanoyl)-13-O-dodecanoyl-20-O-hexadecanoylingenol (3), and 13-O-dodecanoyl-20-O-hexanoylingenol (4); among these compounds, two (1 and 2) were new metabolites while the rest (3 and 4) were known. The MTT cytotoxicity assay was carried out using amrubicin hydrochloride as a positive control. Compound 1 displayed IC50 as 5.0 and 2.9 μM against RAW and HT-29 cell lines, respectively, which is 5- and 1.5-folds stronger than the control with IC50 values of 25 and 4.36 μM, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fate of trace elements (like Ca, Fe, Al, Pb, K, and Cu) in various pulses (mash, mung, lentils and red kidney beans) of Pakistan has been studied. Samples were collected from two districts (Mansehra and Rawalpindi) and analyzed by wet acid digestion method using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Experimental results show that the intensity of heavy metal accumulation in plants depends upon the type of the soil, the species of plants, the physicochemical properties of heavy metals, and their content in the soil. The obtained values were compared with the World Health Organization (WHO) standards for food quality. The grains from District Mansehra contained greater amount of trace metals as compared to those collected from District Rawalpindi. However, those values did not exceed the upper limits described by the WHO in nearly all the cases. Based on these findings, the consumption of pulses in larger amounts may easily be recommended.

Ten (1-10) irritant and mild co-carcinogenic diterpene esters were isolated from the latex of Euphorbia cauducifolia L. using bioassay-guided countercurrent distribution and other chromatographic techniques. The isolated compounds were characterized on the basis of spectroscopic results and mass measurements. As an outcome, the ingenane-type esters were established with the following structures: 3-O-angeloyl-17-O-palmatoylingenol (1), 3-O-palmatoyl-5-O-angeloylingenol (2), 5-O-angeloyl-17-O-palmatoylingenol (3), 3-O-angeloyl-5-O-palmatoylingenol (4), 17-O-(2Z,4E,6Z)-2,4,6-tetradecatrienoyl-20-O-palmatoylingenol (5), 5-O-angeloyl-17-O-benzoylingenol (6), 5-O-angeloyl-17,20-diacetoxyingenol (7), 3-O-angeloyl-17-O-benzoyl-20-acetoxyingenol (8), 3-acetoxy-5-O-angeloyl-17-O-benzoylingenol (9), and 5-O-angeloyl-3,17,20-triacetoxyingenol (10). Their biological screening revealed that they are moderate irritants, and low to moderate tumor promoters compared to TPA, but hardly showed any solitary carcinogenic activity. The isolated esters represent new compounds and were not reported before from any source.