Three New Neolignans from the Aril of Myristica fragrans

Three new neolignans, named 1‐deoxycarinatone ( 1 ), isodihydrocarinatidin ( 2 ), and isolicarin A ( 3 ), together with the known neolignan (+)‐dehydrodiisoeugenol ( 4 ), were isolated from mace (the aril of Myristica fragrans Houtt .). Their structures were elucidated as 2‐[(1S)‐2‐(4‐hydroxy‐3‐methoxyphenyl)‐1‐methylethyl]‐6‐methoxy‐4‐(prop‐2‐enyl)phenol ( 1 ), 4‐[(2R,3R)‐2,3‐dihydro‐7‐methoxy‐3‐methyl‐5‐(prop‐2‐enyl)benzofuran‐2‐yl]‐2‐methoxyphenol ( 2 ), and 4‐{(2S,3R)‐2,3‐dihydro‐7‐methoxy‐3‐methyl‐5‐[(1E)‐prop‐1‐enyl]benzofuran‐2‐yl}‐2‐methoxyphenol ( 3 ) on the basis of spectroscopic data.     

Model-based equipment-design for plant-based extraction processes – considering botanic and thermodynamic aspects

The growing demand for plant-based products in the food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industry leads to the need for a systematic process and equipment-design for the potentially applicable extraction techniques. Therefore, in this article, the classification of plant-based raw materials according to their characteristics is discussed. Furthermore, physicochemical modelling via distributed plug flow approach is applied and its possible fields of application are examined. Here, especially the extraction of water from the plant-based raw material as well as the entailed effects on the equilibrium and the mass transport kinetics are concerned. In addition to that, an evaluation method for the examined and generally available equipment through spider diagram is proposed. The relation to the initially argued botanic systems is discussed in particular. The extraction of vanillin from vanilla beans serves as exemplary system for this.     

Activity Guided Isolation of Phenolic Compositions from Anneslea fragrans Wall. and Their Cytoprotective Effect against Hydrogen Peroxide Induced Oxidative Stress in HepG2 Cells

Anneslea fragrans Wall., commonly known as “Pangpo Tea”, is traditionally used as a folk medicine and healthy tea for the treatment of liver and intestine diseases. The aim of this study was to purify the antioxidative and cytoprotective polyphenols from A. fragrans leaves. After fractionation with polar and nonpolar organic solvents, the fractions of aqueous ethanol extract were evaluated for their total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid contents (TFC) and antioxidant activities (DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays). The n-butanol fraction (BF) showed the highest TPC and TFC with the strongest antioxidant activity. The bio-guided chromatography of BF led to the purification of six flavonoids (1–6) and one benzoquinolethanoid (7). The structures of these compounds were determined by NMR and MS techniques. Compound 6 had the strongest antioxidant capacity, which was followed by 5 and 2. The protective effect of the isolated compounds on hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced oxidative stress in HepG2 cells revealed that the compounds 5 and 6 exhibited better protective effects by inhibiting ROS productions, having no significant difference with vitamin C (p > 0.05), whereas 6 showed the best anti-apoptosis activity. The results suggest that A. fragrans could serve as a valuable antioxidant phytochemical source for developing functional food and health nutraceutical products.     

Microwave- and ultrasound-assisted extraction of vanillin and its quantification by high-performance liquid chromatography in Vanilla planifolia

Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and conventional extraction of vanillin and its quantification by HPLC in pods of Vanilla planifolia is described. A range of nonpolar to polar solvents were used for the extraction of vanillin employing MAE, UAE and conventional methods. Various extraction parameters such as nature of the solvent, solvent volume, time of irradiation, microwave and ultrasound energy inputs were optimized. HPLC was performed on RP ODS column (4.6 mm ID x 250 mm, 5 microm, Waters), a photodiode array detector (Waters 2996) using gradient solvent system of ACN and ortho-phosphoric acid in water (0.001:99.999 v/v) at 25 degrees C. Regression equation revealed a linear relationship (r2 > 0.9998) between the mass of vanillin injected and the peak areas. The detection limit (S/N = 3) and limit of quantification (S/N = 10) were 0.65 and 1.2 microg/g, respectively. Recovery was achieved in the range 98.5-99.6% for vanillin. Maximum yield of vanilla extract (29.81, 29.068 and 14.31% by conventional extraction, MAE and UAE, respectively) was found in a mixture of ethanol/water (40:60 v/v). Dehydrated ethanolic extract showed the highest amount of vanillin (1.8, 1.25 and 0.99% by MAE, conventional extraction and UAE, respectively).     

Phytochemical investigation on Myristica fragrans stem bark

Myristica fragrans Houtt., the source of very important spice ‘nutmeg’ used world over is native to India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, South Africa and Southeast Asia. Phytochemical investigation of M. fragrans stem bark led to the isolation of bis-aryl dimethyl tetrahydrofuran lignans, such as grandisin [(7S,8S,7′S,8′S)-3,3′,4,4′,5,5′-hexamethoxy-7,7′,8,8′-lignan] and (7S,8S,7′R,8′R)-3,3′,4,4′,5,5′-hexamethoxy-7,7′,8,8′-lignan along with important lignans and neolignans, licarinA, licarin B, odoratisol A, (2S, 3R)-7-methoxy-3-methyl-5-((E)-prop-1-enyl)-2-(5-methoxy,3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran, elemicin, fragransin B₁, raphidecursinol B, erythro-(7S,8R)-Δ^8′-4,7-dihydroxy-3,5,3′-trimethoxy-8-O-4′-neolignan, erythro-(7S,8R)-Δ⁸′-7-hydroxy-3,4,3′,5′-tetramethoxy-8-O-4′-neolignan, surinamensin.and β-sitosterol. Structures of the 12 compounds isolated were unambiguously identified by various spectroscopic methods. The former two compounds were isolated from M. fragrans for the first time. Furthermore, the X-ray crystal structure of odoratisol A is reported in this paper for the first time.     

Structures and bioactivities of seven flavonoids from Osmanthus fragrans ‘Jinqiu’ essential oil extraction residues

Osmanthus fragrans are well-known for their fragrance, but it is wasteful if to discard O. fragrans flower after extracting their essential oils. In this paper, we found that O. fragrans flower residues were rich in flavonoids. Six flavonoids and one phenylethanoid glycoside were isolated from the ethanol extract of O. fragrans flower residues, identified as quercetin (1), rutin (2), verbascoside (3), genistin (4), kaempferol (5), isorhamnetin (6) and naringin (7). In bioactivity study, kaempferol (IC₅₀ = 1.43 μg/mL) showed the best anti-inflammatory activity. Isorhamnetin, quercetin, kaempferol, verbascoside and rutin (the values of IC₅₀ were 18.30, 11.05, 16.88, 20.21 and 22.76 μg/mL, respectively) showed excellent DPPH free radical scavenging activity. Verbascoside performed relatively well at inhibiting the growth of both CT26 colonic carcinoma cells (IC₅₀ = 46.87 μg/mL) and HepG2 hepatocarcinoma cells (IC₅₀ = 30.58 μg/mL). In addition, quercetin and kaempferol showed strong anti-proliferation activity against HepG2 cells.     

高效液相梯度洗脱法测定杏香兔耳风中绿原酸和芦丁

建立了反相高效液相色谱法同时测定不同来源的杏香兔耳风中的绿原酸和芦丁。采用Kromasil C18柱(4.6 mm i.d.×250 mm,5μm),以甲醇-0.5%H3PO4的水溶液为流动相,梯度洗脱程序为0 min(30∶70)-15 min(30∶70)-20min(50∶50)-40 min(50∶50);流速0.8 mL/min;检测波长350 nm;柱温25℃;光电二极管阵列检测器(PAD)。绿原酸线性范围为0.654~5.886μg,r=0.9997,样品的平均加标回收率为98.6%,RSD 1.7%;芦丁线性范围为0.218~1.962μg,r=0.9993,样品的平均加标回收率为97.1%,RSD 2.3%。本法可作为杏香兔耳风中绿原酸和芦丁的定量分析方法。     

Development and validation of an RP-HPLC method for quantitative determination of vanillin and related phenolic compounds in Vanilla planifolia

A simple and fast method was developed using RP-HPLC for separation and quantitative determination of vanillin and related phenolic compounds in ethanolic extract of pods of Vanilla planifolia. Ten phenolic compounds, namely 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, vanillyl alcohol, 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, vanillin, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, and piperonal were quantitatively determined using ACN, methanol, and 0.2% acetic acid in water as a mobile phase with a gradient elution mode. The method showed good linearity, high precision, and good recovery of compounds of interest. The present method would be useful for analytical research and for routine analysis of vanilla extracts for their quality control.     

日香桂根的化学成分研究（III）

利用柱层析法（硅胶,C18）从日香桂根的乙酸乙酯提取物中分离出8个单体化合物［女贞苷(1),连翘苷（2）,(+)-羟基松脂醇-1-O-β-D-葡萄糖(3),(+) 环橄榄树脂素(4), 2α,3β-二羟基乌苏-12-烯-28酸(5),对羟基苯乙醇(6),(-) 橄榄脂素(7)和橄榄树脂素-4-O-β-D-葡萄糖苷(8)］,其结构经₁H NMR和¹³C NMR确证。5为首次在木犀科植物中发现,4为首次在木犀属植物中发现,2, 3, 7和8为首次在日香桂植物中发现。     

Antifungal,Antibacterial, and Cytotoxic Activities of Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized from Aqueous Extracts of Mace-Arils of Myristica fragrans

In the present study, mace-mediated silver nanoparticles (mace-AgNPs) were synthesized, characterized, and evaluated against an array of pathogenic microorganisms. Mace, the arils of Myristica fragrans, are a rich source of several bioactive compounds, including polyphenols and aromatic compounds. During nano synthesis, the bioactive compounds in mace aqueous extracts serve as excellent bio reductants, stabilizers, and capping agents. The UV-VIS spectroscopy of the synthesized NPs showed an intense and broad SPR absorption peak at 456 nm. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) analysis showed the size with a Z average of 50 nm, while transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies depicted the round shape and small size of the NPs, which ranged between 5–28 nm. The peaks related to important functional groups, such as phenols, alcohols, carbonyl groups, amides, alkanes and alkenes, were obtained on a Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectrum. The peak at 3 keV on the energy dispersive X-ray spectrum (EDX) validated the presence of silver (Ag). Mace-silver nanoparticles exhibited potent antifungal and antibacterial activity against several pathogenic microorganisms. Additionally, the synthesized mace-AgNPs displayed an excellent cytotoxic effect against the human cervical cancer cell line. The mace-AgNPs demonstrated robust antibacterial, antifungal, and cytotoxic activity, indicating that the mace-AgNPs might be used in the agrochemical industry, pharmaceutical industry, and biomedical applications. However, future studies to understand its mode of action are needed.