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1H NMR (400 MHz) spectra of the indole alkaloid dihydrocorynantheine recorded at room temperature show the presence of two conformers near coalescence. Low temperature 1H NMR allowed characterization of the conformational equilibrium, which involves rotation of the 3-methoxypropenoate side chain. Line-shape analysis yielded enthalpy of activation DeltaH(double dagger) = 71 +/- 6 kJ/mol, and entropy of activation DeltaS(double dagger) = 33 +/- 6 J/mol.K. The major and minor conformation contains the methyl ether group above and below the plane of the ring, respectively, as determined by low-temperature NOESY spectra, with free energy difference DeltaG degrees = 1.1 kJ/mol at -40 degrees C. In contrast to dihydrocorynantheine, the corresponding rotamers of corynantheine are in the fast exchange limit at room temperature. The activation parameters determined for corynantheine were DeltaH(double dagger) = 60 +/- 6 kJ/mol and DeltaS(double dagger) = 24 +/- 6 J/mol.K, with DeltaG degrees = 1.3 kJ/mol at -45 degrees C. The difference in the exchange rates of the rotamers of corynantheine and dihydrocorynantheine (respectively, 350 s(-1) and 9 s(-1) at 0 degrees C) reflects the difference in the steric bulk of the vinyl and the ethyl group. The conformational equilibria involving the side chain rotation as well as inversion of the bridgehead nitrogen in corynantheine and dihydrocorynantheine was studied by force-field (Amber and MMFF) and ab initio (density-functional theory at the B3LYP/6-31G level) computational methods, the results of which were in good agreement with the 1H NMR data. However, the calculations identified the rotamers as essentially isoenergetic, the experimental energy differences being to small to be reproduced exactly by the theory. Comparison of density-functional and force-field calculations with experimental results identified Amber as giving the most accurate results in the present case.

The protonation states of a series of piperidinedicarboxylic acids (PDAs), which are conformationally constrained acidic alpha-amino acids, have been studied by (13)C NMR titration in water. The resulting data have been correlated with theoretical results obtained by HF/6-31+G calculations using the polarizable continuum model (PCM) for the description of water. The PDAs are highly ionizable and contain one or two possible internal hydrogen bonds. In the present study, we show that the PCM model is able to reproduce the relative stabilities of the different protonation states of the PDAs. Furthermore, our results show that prediction of relative pK(a) values for two different types of ionizable functional groups covering a pK(a) range from 1.6 to 12.1 is possible with a high degree of accuracy.

We have previously reported the synthesis and pharmacological characterization of analogues of 2-amino-3-(3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolyl)propionic acid (AMPA, 1a), in which the methyl group was replaced by a phenyl group (APPA, 1b) or heteroaryl groups. While 2b and its 3-pyridyl analogue 2-amino-3-[3-hydroxy-5-(3-pyridyl)-4-isoxazolyl]propionic acid (3-Py-AMPA, 3) show very low affinity for AMPA receptors, introduction of heteroaryl substituents containing heteroatom in the 2-position provides potent AMPA receptor agonists. We here report the synthesis and pharmacology of 2-amino-3-(3-hydroxy-5-pyrazinyl-4-isoxazolyl)propionic acid (7) (IC50 = 1.2 microM), which is weaker as an AMPA agonist than AMPA (IC50 = 0.040 microM; EC50 = 3.5 microM) but comparable in potency with 2-Py-AMPA (4) (IC50 = 0.57 microM; EC50 = 7.4 microM), as determined in radioligand binding and electrophysiological experiments, respectively. The AMPA analogues 8a-c, containing 2-, 3-, or 4-methoxyphenyl substituents, respectively, and the corresponding hydroxyphenyl analogues, 9a-c, were also synthesized and evaluated pharmacologically. With the exception of 2-amino-3-[3-hydroxy-5-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-4-isoxazolyl]propionic acid (9a), which is a very weak AMPA agonist (IC50 = 45 microM; EC50 = 324 microM), none of these compounds showed detectable effect at AMPA receptors.

The modular structure of philanthotoxins was exploited for construction of the first combinatorial library of these compounds using solid-phase parallel synthesis. (S)-Tyrosine and (S)-3-hydroxyphenylalanine were used as amino acid components, spermine, 1,12-dodecanediamine, and 4,9-dioxa-1,12-dodecanediamine as amine components, and butanoyl, phenylacetyl, and cyclohexylacetyl as N-acyl groups. Following automated preparative HPLC, the resulting 18 compounds were isolated as the S-forms in 40-70% yields. The purity of the products was determined by HPLC with evaporative light scattering detection and by (1)H and (13)C NMR. The thus obtained philanthotoxins were tested electrophysiologically for their antagonist properties on human muscle-type nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) expressed in TE671 cells and on rat brain non-NMDA glutamate receptors (non-NMDAR) expressed in Xenopus oocytes. 4-Hydroxy analogues lacking the secondary amino groups (PhTX-12 and 4,9-dioxa-PhTX-12 and their analogues) were inactive on non-NMDAR, whereas the potency of the spermine derivatives (PhTX-343 and its analogues) increased with steric bulk of the N-acyl group. The analogue of PhTX-343 in which the N-butanoyl group was replaced by phenylacetyl group had IC(50) of 15 +/- 4 nM on non-NMDAR. Increasing the steric bulk of the N-acyl group was not advantageous for activity at nAChR, and a sharp decrease in potency with increased steric bulk was observed with the derivatives of PhTX-12. 3-Hydroxy analogues generally exhibited lower activity and different response to alterations of the N-acyl groups as compared to the 4-hydroxy analogues. Since the acyl group alterations in PhTX-343 and 4,9-dioxa-PhTX-12 have a similar effect on potency, which is distinctly different from that observed for PhTX-12, the two former compounds may bind to nAChR in a similar fashion but differently from that of PhTX-12. The combinatorial library approach described in this work represents a prototype methodology for future exploration of structure-activity relationships of philanthotoxins.

PhTX-343 and PhTX-12, analogues of the natural polyamine wasp toxin PhTX-433, were synthesised in 40-60% yields as pure enantiomers using solid phase synthesis techniques. Capillary electrophoresis procedures were developed for chiral separation and determination of enantiomeric purity (ee) of the enantiomers of PhTX-343 and PhTX-12. The methods were optimised with respect to chiral selector, buffer pH, and temperature around the capillary. Thus, rac-PhTX-343 was resolved using a separation buffer containing 30 mM heptakis-(2, 6-di-O-methyl)-beta-cyclodextrin in 50 mM 6-aminocarproic acid (pH 4. 0) at 15 degrees C. rac-PhTX-12 was not resolvable in this system, but could be resolved using a separation buffer containing 10% w/v of dextrin 10, a linear maltodextrin, in 50 mM 6-aminocaproic acid (pH 4.0) at 15 degrees C. Using these methods, the optical purity of the synthetic enantiomers was determined to be ee > 99%. The enantiomers were also characterised by chiroptical methods. The antagonist potency of the enantiomers was tested on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (human muscle-type nAChR) expressed in TE671 cells, ionotropic glutamate receptors in Xenopus laevis oocytes (expressing recombinant GluR1flop receptors), and locust muscle ionotropic glutamate receptors sensitive to quisqualate (qGluR). The potencies of each pair of enantiomers were similar (eudismic ratio close to 1).

Both epimers of the naturally occurring nonproteinogenic amino acid L-cyclopentenylglycine, (2S,1′S)- and (2S,1′R)-2-(cyclopent-2′-enyl)glycine, were obtained via a procedure involving condensation of 3-chlorocyclopentene with diethyl acetylaminomalonate, deethoxycarbonylation, chromatographic separation of the resulting two pairs of enantiomers, and enzymatic resolution of the racemates employing enantioselective hydrolysis of the ethyl ester group with α-chymotrypsin. The method was used for preparation of 13C-labeled compounds of interest for biosynthetic tracer experiments. Enantiomeric purity of the products was determined by chiral HPLC on a Crownpak CR(+) column. The biologically active (2S,1′R) isomer was obtained as a pure compound and characterized for the first time. The (2R,1′R) and (2R,1′S) isomers were obtained as N-acetyl ethyl ester derivatives. Chirality 12:665–669, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

A new ursane derivative, 3-oxo-15alpha,19alpha-dihydroxyursa-1,12-dien-28-oic acid, was isolated from the roots of Canthium multiflorum (Rubiaceae) along with 10-O-acetylgeniposidic acid, 6,7-dimethoxycoumarin, hymexelsin, scopoletin, and 5,6,7-trimethoxycoumarin.

Bioactivity-guided fractionation of extracts of Schinus molle leaves, using an in vitro assay, led to the isolation of ACE-inhibitory steroidal triterpenes of the euphane type, identified by means of NMR spectroscopic methods. One of the triterpenes was isolated as an equilibrium mixture of epimeric aldehydes. The triterpenes showed moderate ACE-inhibitory activity (IC(50) about 250 microM).

The AMPA receptor agonist Thio-AMPA, the 3-isothiazolol analogue of AMPA was converted into the selective NMDA antagonist, 2, in which a 3-isothiazolone unit is a bioisosteric analogue of the peptide bond of the NMDA antagonist, γ-(R)-Glu-Gly. The isomeric 3-oxygenated isothiazole amino acid, 3, and the corresponding isothiazole phosphono amino acid 4 were also synthesized, and were shown to be selective AMPA receptor antagonists. Compound 1, in which the peptide bond of γ-(R)-Glu-Gly is replaced by an ester group, was synthesized and shown to be unstable in the test buffer system.

A number of 3-isothiazolol bioisosteres of glutamic acid (1) and analogs of the AMPA receptor agonist, (RS)-2-amino-3-(3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazol-4-yl)propionic acid (AMPA, 2a), including (RS)-2-amino-3-(3-hydroxy-5-methylisothiazol-4-yl)propionic acid (thio-AMPA, 2b), were synthesized. Comparative in vitro pharmacological studies on this series of 3-isothiazolol and the corresponding 3-isoxazolol amino acids were performed using a series of receptor binding assays (IC50 values) and the electrophysiological rat cortical slice model (EC50 values). Whereas 2a (IC50 = 0.04 +/- 0.005 microM, EC50 = 3.5 +/- 0.2 microM) is markedly more potent than the tert-butyl analog ATPA (3a) (IC50 = 2.1 +/- 0.16 microM, EC50 = 34 +/- 2.4 microM) in [3H]AMPA binding and electrophysiological studies, 2b (IC50 = 1.8 +/- 0.13 microM, EC50 = 15.0 +/- 2.4 microM) was approximately equipotent with thio-ATPA (3b) (IC50 = 0.63 +/- 0.07 microM, EC50 = 14 +/- 1.3 microM). (RS)-2-Amino-3-(3-hydroxyisoxazol-5-yl)propionic acid (HIBO, 4a) was approximately equipotent with its thio analog 4b, whereas 4-Br-HIBO (5a) (IC50 = 0.65 +/- 0.12 microM, EC50 = 22 +/- 0.6 microM) turned out to be much more potent than the corresponding 3-isothiazolol 5b (IC50 = 17 +/- 2.2 microM, EC50 = 500 +/- 23 microM). 2b (ED50 = 130 mumol/kg) was more potent than 2a (220 mumol/kg) as a convulsant after subcutaneous administration in mice. The protolytic properties of 2a,b-4a,b were determined using 13C NMR spectroscopy. For each pair of compounds, the alpha-amino acid groups showed similar protolytic properties, whereas the 3-isoxazolol moieties typically showed pKa values 2 units lower than those of the 3-isothiazolols. Accordingly, calculations of ionic species distributions revealed pronounced differences between 3-isoxazolol and 3-isothiazolol amino acids. No simple correlation between activity as AMPA agonists in vitro and pKa values of these compounds was apparent. On the other hand, the relative potencies of AMPA (2a) and thio-AMPA (2b) in vitro and in vivo may reflect that these compounds predominantly penetrate the blood-brain barrier as net uncharged diprotonated ionic species.

Passiflora morifolia, which under natural conditions contains cyanohydrin glucosides linamarin, lotaustralin and epilotaustralin, converted cyclopentanecarbonitrile, 2-cyclopentenecarbonitrile and 3-methylbutanenitrile into the corresponding cyanohydrin glucosides. Turnera angustifolia, which normally produces glucosides of cyclopentenone cyanohydrin, converted cyclopentanecarbonitrile, 2-methylpropanenitrile and 2-methylbutanenitrile, but not 3-methylbutanenitrile, into the corresponding cyanohydrin glucosides. Mixtures of epimers were produced when these glucosides contained chiral cyanohydrin carbon atoms. Feeding with cyclopentanecarbonitrile resulted in formation of 1-(beta-D-glucopyranosyloxy)cyclopentanecarbonitrile, a saturated analogue of deidaclin and tetraphyllin A. Neither plant utilized cyclopropanecarbonitrile as substrate. The experiments demonstrate broad substrate specificity of nitrile hydroxylases present in these plants. A novel glycoside, 2-[6-O-(beta-D-xylopyranosyl)-beta-D-glucopyranosyloxy]propane (isopropyl primeveroside), was isolated from P. morifolia. The compound represents a rare example of natural isopropyl glycoside; its characterization included assignment of all 1H and 13C NMR signals of the primeverosyl group using two-dimensional NMR methods. Biosynthesis of the isopropyl moiety of the primeveroside is unclear, but the formation of alcohols corresponding to natural cyanohydrins may be a previously unrecognized extension of the cyanohydrin biosynthesis pathway in higher plants.

The effects of gossypol on glucose metabolism, ATP levels and intracellular sodium levels in murine TM3 Leydig and TM4 Sertoli cell lines were investigated, and their response compared. Relative ATP levels and sodium ion levels in the two cell lines were determined by 31P and 23Na NMR spectroscopy. Short-term effect of gossypol on phosphate metabolism in immobilized and perfused cells was apparent in 31P NMR spectra only with relatively high concentrations of gossypol, corresponding to about 40 times IC50. However, incubation with low gossypol concentrations markedly affected the energetic status of the cells, especially of the TM3 cells. Although inhibition of proliferation by gossypol was stronger with the TM4 cells, the decrease of intracellular ATP level and increase of sodium ion concentration were more pronounced in the TM3 cells. The growth-inhibitory effect of (-)-gossypol was stronger than that of (+)-gossypol, with the eudesmic ratio of 2-2.5. The enantioselectivity of the effect of gossypol on the energy metabolism of TM3 and TM4 cells was low, in contrast to the in vivo antispermatogenic effect, which was reported to be solely associated with (-)-gossypol. Inhibition of energy production in somatic testicular tissue is thus unlikely to be major cause of the antispermatogenic effect of gossypol.

Acid-base properties (pKa values and proton distribution patterns) of philanthotoxin-343(PhTX-343) were investigated by 1H and 13C NMR titration. Chemical shift data and the total ionization shifts were used to assign carbon atoms of the polyamine chain. Nonlinear analysis of the 13C NMR titration curves gave four pKa values (pK1 8.5, pK2 9.5, pK3 10.4, pK4 11.4) and the intrinsic chemical shifts of the non-, mono-, di-, tri-, and tetraprotonated forms. The changes of intrinsic chemical shifts enabled analysis of the deprotonation sequence of fully protonated PhTX-343. The results of analysis of the 13C NMR titration curves were supported by 1H NMR data obtained from two-dimensional 1H, 13C chemical shift correlation experiments. Thus, the first deprotonation mainly takes place at the inner amino group. The phenol group is deprotonated in the second and third deprotonation steps. The preferential deprotonation of the inner amino group is also apparent in the deprotonated form. The monoprotonated form carries a practically fully ionized phenol group and the proton shared between the three amino groups. This characteristic is in agreement with existing data on polyamines. At physiological pH, the tetraprotonated form of PhTX-343 predominates, but the proportion of the triprotonated form becomes significant at low ionic strength. The terminal, primary amino group, which has been shown to be essential for biological activity, remains practically fully protonated at biologically relevant pH values, and this charge is likely to participate in the receptor-binding event. Protonation of the central amino group does not appear to be necessary for biological activity.

Duplex formation from the self-complementary 12mer d(CGCGAATTCGCG) (Dickerson dodecamer) in which all phosphodiester linkages were replaced by phosphorothioate or phosphorodithioate linkages was studied using variable-temperature 1H and 31P NMR spectroscopy. Melting temperatures of the dodecamer, measured spectrophotometrically, showed significant decrease upon sulfur substitution (Tm 49 degrees C for the phosphorothioate and 21 degrees C for the phosphorodithioate, compared with 68 degrees C for the unmodified oligomer, in 1 M salt). Hyperchromicity observed upon melting of the dithioate was surprisingly low. NOESY spectra of the monothioate showed a cross-peak pattern characteristic for a right-handed duplex. Imino proton resonances of the duplex, shown by the mono- and the dithioate, were similar to those of the parent compound. In spite of monophasic melting curves, temperature dependence of the imino proton resonances and phosphorus resonances of the phosphorodithioate indicated heterogeneity with respect to base-pairing, compatible with the presence of a hairpin loop. Relaxation times (T1) of the imino protons in the phosphorothioate, determined by the saturation recovery method, were considerably shorter than in the unmodified oligomer. Base-pair lifetimes in the unmodified Dickerson dodecamer, determined by catalyst-dependent changes in relaxation rates of imino protons, were in the range of 2-30 ms at 20 degrees C. Strongly reduced base-pair lifetimes were found in the phosphorothioate analogue.

A mixture of cyanogenic glucosides epivolkenin and taraktophyllin, 1,4-dihydroxy-2-cyclopentenecarboxamide, and uridine were isolated from leaves of Lindackeria dentata (Flacourtiaceae). Another cyclopentanoid amide, (1 R,4 S,5 R)-1,4,5-trihydroxy-2-cyclopentenecarboxamide, was synthesized in two steps from gynocardin, and shown to have the same relative configuration as a partially identified amide previously isolated from L. dentata bark.

Bioactivity-guided fractionation of extracts of roots and leaves of Cajanus cajan afforded 8 compounds: betulinic acid, biochanin A, cajanol, genistein and 2'-hydroxygenistein, longistylin A and C, and pinostrobin. The two stilbenes, longistylin A and C, and betulinic acid showed a moderately high in vitro activity against the chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium falciparum strain 3D7.

[reaction: see text]. Polyamines containing piperidine and piperazine moieties have been synthesized on solid support using SN2 alkylation of resin-bound secondary amines with 2-nitrobenzenesulfonates (nosylates). The effect of solvent on this alkylation was investigated. The methodology was employed for the total synthesis of novel analogues of wasp polyamine toxins (philanthotoxins).

A museum collection of Cinchonae cortex samples (n = 117), from the period 1850-1950, was extracted with a mixture of chloroform-d1, methanol-d4, water-d2, and perchloric acid in the ratios 5 : 5 : 1 : 1. The extracts were directly analyzed using 1H NMR spectroscopy (600 MHz) and the spectra evaluated using principal component analysis (PCA) and total statistical correlation spectroscopy (STOCSY). A new method called STOCSY-CA, where CA stands for component analysis, is described, and an analysis using this method is presented. It was found that the samples had a rather homogenous content of the well-known cinchona alkaloids quinine, cinchonine, and cinchonidine without any apparent clustering. Signals from analogues were detected but not in substantial amounts. The main variation was related to the absolute amounts of extracted alkaloids, which was attributed to the evolution of the Cinchona tree cultivation during the period in which the samples were collected.

Transformations of the macrocyclic lactone tacrolimus (1), an important immunosuppressive drug produced by Streptomyces species, are described. These transformation products are primarily of interest as reference substances for drug impurity analyses. Upon action of acid (p-toluenesulfonic acid in toluene), tacrolimus is dehydrated by loss of water from the β-hydroxyketone moiety with partial inversion of configuration at C-8, resulting in formation of 5-deoxy-Δ(5,6)-tacrolimus and 5-deoxy-Δ(5,6)-8-epitacrolimus. The structure of the latter was determined by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. The same products are formed upon action of free radicals (iodine in boiling toluene), along with formation of 8-epitacrolimus. The latter is converted by p-toluenesulfonic acid to 5-deoxy-Δ(5,6)-8-epitacrolimus. Treatment of tacrolimus with weak base (1,5-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]nonene) gives, in addition to 8-epitacrolimus, the open-chain acid corresponding to 5-deoxy-Δ(5,6)-tacrolimus, a rare non-cyclic derivative of tacrolimus. Strong base (t-butoxide) causes pronounced degradation of the molecule. Thermolysis of tacrolimus leads to ring expansion by an apparent [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement of the allylic ester moiety with subsequent loss of water from the β-hydroxyketone moiety. ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra of the obtained compounds, complicated by the presence of amide bond rotamers and ketal moiety tautomers, were assigned by extensive use of 2D NMR techniques.

The hyphenated technique HPLC-SPE-NMR is an important tool for rapid dereplication of complex mixtures of in particular small molecules and has been successfully employed in natural product research. However, positively charged alkaloids at low pH are often poorly trapped on the generally used SPE cartridge limiting the general application of the procedure. In this work, two new approaches for efficient SPE trapping of alkaloids and elution efficiencies were evaluated using 24 model alkaloids. Use of a 0.1 M NaOH solution as the post-column dilution greatly enhanced trapping of alkaloids on the commonly used cartridge containing divinylbenzene polymer (GP resin). This procedure, however, was unsuitable for trapping phenolic alkaloids. Severe line broadening and immiscibility with water made chloroform-d(1) unsuited as eluent. None of these problems occurred when methanol-d(4) was used as eluent. Previously, mixed mode cation exchange sorbents have not been used in HPLC-SPE-NMR analysis of natural products. In contrast to GP resin this material showed good retention and elution characteristics for retention and elution of alkaloids. As well the use of methanol-d(4) containing 1% aqueous NaOD (40%) as methanol-d(4) containing 5% aqueous NH(4)OH (30%) as eluents were successful, even though elution of alkaloids with pK(a) of the corresponding acid above 10 proved difficult. Alkaloid extracts of Huperzia selago containing complex aliphatic alkaloids and Triclisia patens containing bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids were used for validation of the protocols for analysis of a diverse collection of alkaloids. Mixed mode cation exchange sorbent was efficient for trapping and elution of both types of alkaloids as evidenced by acquisition of 2D NMR data for all trapped compounds. In contrast, GP resin proved only viable for all the H. selago alkaloids whereas trapping and elution of bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids were dubious.

Solid phase extraction (SPE) was introduced as a crucial step in the HPLC-SPE-NMR technique to enable online analyte enrichment from which proton-detected NMR experiments on submicrogram amounts from complex mixtures were possible. However, the significance of direct-detected (13)C NMR experiments is indubitable in simplifying structural elucidations. In the current study, we demonstrated direct (13)C NMR detection of triterpenoids from a Ganoderma lucidum extract in hyphenation mode. The combined advantage of a cryogenically cooled probe, miniaturization, and multiple trapping enabled the first reported application of HPLC-SPE-NMR analysis using direct-detected (13)C NMR spectra. HPLC column loading, accumulative SPE trappings, and the effect of different elution solvents were evaluated and optimized. A column loading of approximately 600 μg of a prefractionated triterpenoid mixture, six trappings, and an acquisition time of 13 h resulted in spectra with adequate signal-to-noise ratios to detect all C-13 signals.

A method for the determination of enantiomeric composition of nicotine samples, based on 13 C-NMR spectroscopy in the presence of the chiral lanthanide shift reagent, tris[3-(trifluoromethylhydroxymethylene)-(+)camphorato]ytterbium [Yb(tfc) 3 ], was developed. Observation at 100.6 MHz of the C2' resonance of nicotine in the presence of 0.15–0.20 mol of the ytterbium complex, either in ordinary 13 C( 1 H)-NMR spectra or in carbon spectra enhanced by polarization transfer (refocused INEPT), allowed precise determination of the ratios of ( S )- to ( R )-nicotine. At least 1% of ( R )-nicotine could be determined in samples of ( S )-nicotine, milligram amounts being required for the analysis. Use of the 13 C-NMR spectra is more advantageous than use of 1 H-NMR spectra. Thus, Yb(tfc) 3 induced separation of the proton resonances of the enantiomers of nicotine, and the shifted resonances of nicotine enantiomers could be assigned by use of 1 H 13 C heteronuclear chemical shift correlation, but the proton resonances were broad, their chemical shifts were sensitive to small variations of the ratio between Yb(tfc) 3 and nicotine, and signals of the enantiomer present in small amounts were easily obscured by impurities. Therefore, although 13 C-NMR is more time consuming, this method is more suitable for routine analysis. The method was applied for the determination of enantiomeric purity of ( S )-nicotine in pharmaceutical formulations, including chewing gums, skin absorption patches, inhalators, and nasal sprays.

Dehydroabietinol isolated from Hyptis suaveolens (L.) Poit. was found to inhibit growth of chloroquine-sensitive as well as chloroquine-resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum cultivated in erythrocytes in vitro (IC 50 26-27 microM). However, erythrocytes exposed to dehydroabietinol were transformed in a dose-dependent manner towards spherostomatocytic forms with concomitant formation of endovesicles, as disclosed by transmission electron microscopy. The erythrocyte shape alterations caused by dehydroabietinol correlated well with its apparent IC 50 value. Thus, dehydroabietinol incorporates into the erythrocyte membrane, and since invasion and survival of Plasmodium parasites is known to depend on the function of the erythrocyte membrane, the observed antiplasmodial effect of dehydroabietinol is presumably an indirect effect on the host cell. Because of these findings, microscopic investigations should be generally used to support claims of antimalarial effects of apolar natural products.

An extract of Carthamus oxyacantha (wild safflower) was investigated using two approaches: a traditional, nontarget fractionation by VLC and HPLC, and the hyphenated technique HPLC-PDA-HRMS-SPE-NMR followed by targeted isolation of selected constituents for inclusion in a screening library of pure natural products. While the nontarget fractionation involved considerable time spent on pursuing fractions containing well-known or undesired compounds, the hyphenated analysis was considerably faster and required less solvent and other consumables. The results were used to design and execute an optimized, HPLC-HRMS-guided, targeted isolation scheme aiming exclusively at a series of identified spiro compounds. Thus, HPLC-PDA-HRMS-SPE-NMR is a dereplication technique of choice, allowing economical acquisition of comprehensive data about compounds in crude extracts, which can be used for rational, prospective decisions about further isolation efforts. A total of 15 compounds were identified in the extract. Six spiro compounds, of which four have not previously been characterized, and tracheloside (a lignin glucoside) are presented with assigned 1H and 13C chemical shifts.

The endophytic fungus Pestalotiopsis virgatula, derived from the plant Terminalia chebula and previously found to produce a large excess of a single metabolite when grown in the minimal M1D medium, was induced to produce a variety of unusual metabolites by growing in potato dextrose broth medium. Analysis of the fermentation medium extract was performed using an HPLC-PDA-MS-SPE-NMR hyphenated system, which led to the identification of a total of eight metabolites (1-8), six of which are new. Most of the metabolites are structurally related and are derivatives of benzo[c]oxepin, rare among natural products. This includes dispiro derivatives 7 and 8 (pestalospiranes A and B), having a novel 1,9,11,18-tetraoxadispiro[6.2.6.2]octadecane skeleton. Relative and absolute configurations of the latter were determined by a combination of NOESY spectroscopy and electronic circular dichroism spectroscopy supported by time-dependent density-functional theory calculations (B3LYP/TZVP level). This work demonstrates that a largely complete structure elucidation of numerous metabolites present in a raw fermentation medium extract can be performed by the HPLC-SPE-NMR technique using only a small amount of the extract, even with unstable metabolites that are difficult to isolate by traditional methods.

To assess the usefulness of computer-assisted modeling of mRNA as an aid in design of antisense DNA, the efficiency of inhibition of translation of rabbit beta-globin mRNA by various antisense sequences was compared with calculated structures of the mRNA. The model obtained by consideration of 30 lowest-energy computer-simulated structures is consistent with the high accessibility of the AUG initiation codon region known from digestion with nucleases and with previous antisense inhibition studies reported in the literature. Additional antisense inhibition data were obtained with 20-mer phosphorothioate oligonucleotides, targeted to regions of beta-globin mRNA differing moderately in their degree of participation in intramolecular folding. The efficiency of translation arrest by the oligonucleotides in cell-free expression systems (wheat germ extract and rabbit reticulocyte lysate) was obtained by measuring incorporation of [35S]methionine into total protein, and corrected for sequence-nonspecific inhibition using brome mosaic virus mRNA. In the presence of RNase H (wheat germ system), the inhibitory activity of the oligonucleotides showed correlation with the calculated secondary structure of mRNA, in particular at low oligonucleotide-to-mRNA ratios (correlation coefficient, 0.95). No correlation was observed in the reticulocyte lysate system, in which the inhibition is mediated by translational arrest.

[structure: see text] Leaves of the edible passion fruit plant, Passiflora edulis, contain benzylic beta-D-allopyranosides 1 and 2, representatives of a rare class of natural glycosides with D-allose as the only sugar constituent. The glycoside 1 is the first known cyanogenic glycoside containing a sugar different from D-glucose attached directly to the cyanohydrin center. Asymmetric perturbation of the (1)L(b) transition of the benzene chromophore was shown to be useful for determination of absolute configuration of the cyanohydrin center of aromatic cyanogenic glycosides.

Polyfunctional quinolines were obtained via thermal cyclization of phenylaminocrotonates and malonanilides and characterized by uv, ir, and 1 H and 13 C nmr spectra. Dehydration of a derivative of 5-hydroxymethyl-4(1H)-quinolone yielded a derivative of 5H-furo[2,3,4-de]quinoline, representing a novel tricyclic system

Rhodiola rosea is a broadly used medicinal plant with largely unexplored natural variability in secondary metabolite levels.The aim of this work was to develop a non-target procedure for ¹H NMR spectroscopic fingerprinting of rhizome extracts for pattern recognition analysis and identification of secondary metabolites responsible for differences in sample composition. To achieve this, plants from three different geographic areas (Swiss Alps, Finland, and Altai region in Siberia) were investigated.A sample preparation procedure was developed in order to remove polymeric polyphenols as the ¹H NMR analysis of low-molecular-weight metabolites was hampered by the presence of tannins. Principal component analysis disclosed tight clustering of samples according to population. PCA models based on the aromatic region of the spectra showed that the first two components reflected changes in the content of salidroside and rosavin, respectively, the rosavin content being negatively correlated to that of rhodiocyanoside A and minor aromatics. Score plots and non-parametric variance tests demonstrated population-dependent changes according to harvest time. Data consistency was assessed using score plots and box-and-whisker graphs. In addition, a procedure for presenting loadings of PCA models based on bucketed data as high-resolution plots, which are reminiscent of real ¹H NMR spectra and help to identify latent biomarkers, is presented.This study demonstrated the usefulness of the established procedure for multivariate non-target ¹H NMR metabolic profiling of Rhodiola rosea.

8-Epitacrolimus (2), a new l-pipecolic acid macrolide lactone, was obtained by base-catalyzed epimerization of tacrolimus (FK-506, 1), an important immunosuppressive drug, and its structure determined by a single-crystal X-ray diffraction method. The compound was fully characterized by spectroscopic techniques. The epimer is of importance due to its potential biological effects as well as because of its possible formation during formulation, handling, and use of tacrolimus products.

This paper describes the first study of solution-phase synthesis of chiral monosubstituted piperazine building blocks from nosylamide-activated aziridines. The protocol, involving aminolysis of the...

1H NMR spectroscopy-based metabolic phenotyping was used to identify biomarkers in the plasma of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Forty-seven patients with RA (23 with active disease at baseline and 24 in remission) and 51 healthy subjects were evaluated during a one-year follow-up with assessments of disease activity (DAS-28) and 1H NMR spectroscopy of plasma samples. Discriminant analysis provided evidence that the metabolic profiles predicted disease severity. Cholesterol, lactate, acetylated glycoprotein, and lipid signatures were found to be candidate biomarkers for disease severity. The results also supported the link between RA and coronary artery disease. Repeated assessment using mixed linear models showed that the predictors obtained from metabolic profiles of plasma at baseline from patients with active RA were significantly different from those of patients in remission (P=0.0007). However, after 31 days of optimized therapy, the two patient groups were not significantly different (P=0.91). The metabolic profiles of both groups of RA patients were different from the healthy subjects. 1H NMR-based metabolic phenotyping of plasma samples in patients with RA is well suited for discovery of biomarkers and may be a potential approach for disease monitoring and personalized medication for RA therapy.

The biosynthesis of deidaclin in Turnera angustifolia and of linamarin in Passiflora morifolia were investigated using intact plant tissues. Radiolabelled precursors, 2-(2′-cyclopentenyl)[2- 14 C]glycine and l -[U- 14 C]-valine were fed to freshly harvested shoots either alone or together with the presumed nitrile intermediates, 2-cyclopentenecarbonitrile and 2-methylpropanenitrile. The cyanohydrin glucosides were isolated and purified, and the incorporation of the radioactive labels was determined after enzymatic degradation of the glucosides to cyanide. The labels from the amino acid precursors were incorporated into the nitrile group of their corresponding cyanohydrin glucosides, and the incorporation was in each case strongly inhibited by simultaneous feeding with either of the two nitriles. Turnera angustifolia was able to synthesize linamarin when fed with 2-methylpropanenitrile, even though linamarin could not be demonstrated to be present in this plant naturally.

Sequences from the gag, pol and rev regions of the RF strain of HIV-1 (HIV-1 RF ) were chosen as targets for antisense phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotides (S-oligos). These sequences were the p18/p24 junction in gag, the active site of HIV protease in pol; a sequence from the first exon of the rev gene and S -oligodeoxycytidylic acid controls. Compounds were tested against HIV-1 in both acutely and chronically infected cells. The results show that these phosphorothioate analogues tested in acutely infected cells were active in the 0.1–2 μM range, were dependent on chain length but had no sequence specificity. To study the mechanism of action, the time of addition of S -oligos to acutely infected cells was delayed for up to 48 h post-infection. It was found that antiviral activity was lost when compounds were added to the cultures later than 10 h post-infection. With chronically infected cells only the antisense rev sequence showed activity at 30 μM and neither of the gag or pol antisense sequences has a significant effect on HIV replication at 50 μM. These results are consistent with previous in vitro studies which demonstrate that antisense S -oligodeoxynucleotides have several modes of action.

The optical stability of gossypol [1,1',6,6',7,7'-hexahydroxy-3,3'-dimetyl-5,5'-bis(1-methylethyl)-2,2'-binaphthalene-8,8'-dicarboxaldehyde], a natural product exhibiting profoundly enantiospecific antitumor and male antifertility action, was investigated by means of computational methods and thermal racemization experiments. The calculations on gossypol and several derivatives and model compounds were carried out using the MM2 force field; energies and geometries of minimum energy conformations, as well as structures along various inversion pathways, were calculated. According to the calculations, gossypol (the dialdehyde form) and its simple analogues are not thermally racemizable (energy barriers for rotational inversion above 50 kcal/mol). By contrast, the calculations suggest that the acetal tautomer of gossypol and its dehydration product (anhydrogossypol) are thermally racemizable, although the energy barriers are still relatively high (35–40 kcal/mol). Optically pure (+)-anhydrogossypol was prepared and characterized; its racemization became rapid only at high temperatures (180–200°C). When dehydration of gossypol was hindered (in aqueous solution), no racemization of gossypol was observed after prolonged heating at 90°C. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Two previously known phenanthroindolizidine alkaloids, (-)-10beta-antofine N-oxide (1) and (-)-10beta, 13aalpha-14beta-hydroxyantofine N-oxide (2), and a novel alkaloid, (-)-10beta,13aalpha-secoantofine N-oxide (3), were isolated from aerial parts of Cynanchum vincetoxicum. Their structures were established by means of NMR methods, including COSY, NOESY, HSQC, and HMBC experiments, as well as from their CD spectra. Cytotoxic activity of the alkaloids was assessed in vitro using both a drug-sensitive KB-3-1 and a multi-drug-resistant KB-V1 cancer cell line. The antofine derivatives (1 and 2) showed pronounced cytotoxicity against the drug-sensitive cell line (IC(50) values about 100 nM), whereas the secoantofine derivative (3) was considerably less active. The KB-V1 cell line showed a marginal resistance against all alkaloids, demonstrating that these compounds are poor substrates for the P-glycoprotein (P-170) efflux pump.

This paper describes the first study of solution-phase synthesis of chiral monosubstituted piperazine building blocks from nosylamide-activated aziridines. The protocol, involving aminolysis of the starting aziridines with omega-amino alcohols and subsequent Fukuyama-Mitsunobu cyclization, offers the advantage of mild conditions as well as short reaction times, and it leads to optically pure N-Boc- or N-Ns-protected piperazines. This four-step sequence, requiring only a single final chromatographic purification, was extended to include novel diazepane and diazocane derivatives.

Direct hyphenation of analytical-scale high-performance liquid chromatography, photo-diode array detection, mass spectrometry, solid-phase extraction and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (HPLC-PDA-MS-SPE-NMR) has been used for accelerated dereplication of crude extract of Haplophyllum acutifolium (syn. Haplophyllum perforatum). This technique allowed fast on-line identification of six quinolinone alkaloids, named haplacutine A-F, as well as of acutine, haplamine, eudesmine, and 2-nonylquinolin-4(1H)-one. Acutine and haplacutine E, isolated by preparative-scale HPLC, showed moderate antiplasmodial activity with IC(50) values of 2.17+/-0.22 microM and 3.79+/-0.24 microM, respectively (chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 strain).

The hyphenated technique HPLC-PDA-MS-SPE-NMR was used to assist targeted preparative-scale isolation of constituents of Lobelia siphilitica and Hippobroma longiflora (both Campanulaceae). This resulted in the isolation of two new alkaloids, (S)-2-[(2S,6R)-1-methyl-6-(2-oxo-2-phenylethyl)piperidin-2-yl]-1-phenylethyl acetate (3) and 6-[(E)-2-(3-methoxyphenyl)ethenyl]-2,3,4,5-tetrahydropyridine (4), the latter possessing a skeleton hitherto unseen among alkaloids of Lobelia and related genera. Lobeline (1), (1S,1′S)-2,2′-[(2R,6S)-1-methylpiperidine-2,6-diyl]bis(1-phenylethanol) (2), and lobetyolin (5) were also isolated. The structures of 1−5 were established using spectroscopic methods including homo- and heteronuclear two-dimensional NMR experiments and optical rotation data.

HPLC-SPE-NMR analysis of a crude extract of fermentation broth of cultured PESTALOTIOPSIS VIRGATULA isolate TC-320 from TERMINALIA CHEBULA Retz. (Combretaceae) disclosed the presence of a simple but unprecedented low-molecular-weight metabolite, 9-hydroxybenzo[ C]oxepin-3[1 H]-one, subsequently isolated by a targeted purification procedure.