Natural Products Journal, The - Volume 2, Issue 1, 2012

The Natural Products Journal has completed its first year successfully and now enters its second year. The journal has attracted articles from many active scientists in this field. The first volume contained interesting articles on thermophilic fungal enzyme systems, cytotoxic fatty acids, natural pesticides for bio-control agents, novel anti-tumor compounds and on many other frontier fields. I am confident that with the contributions from eminent scientists, the journal will grow rapidly and become a leading journal in the field. I would like to thank the Co-Editor Dr. Iqbal Choudhary, Regional Editors Dr. Yulong Lin and Dr. Francesco Epifano, and the Editorial Advisory Board Members for their enthusiastic support for the journal. I would also like to thank the Bentham staff members, Ms. Madiha Rauf, Senior Production Editor, Ms. Nida Naeem and Mr. Faraz Khan for their help and assistance.

Acute diarrhea (AD) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality among both children and adults. An ideal antidiarrheal treatment should be safe, effective, compatible with Oral Rehydration Solution, and inexpensive. Herbal medicines, if effective, should fit these criteria as well or better than standard treatment. The objective of the present study was to assess the effectiveness of plant preparations in patients with AD in reports of randomized and non-randomized controlled trials. The aims of the present study were to identify effective antidiarrheal herbs and to identify potential antidiarrheal herbs for future studies of efficacy through well designed clinical trials in human populations. Nineteen published studies of herbal management of AD were examined to identify effective plant preparations. Ten plant preparations including Berberine (Berberis aristata, Berberidaceae), tormentil root (Potentilla tormentilla, Rosaceae), baobaosan (from the baohuahua herb), carob (Ceratonia siliqua, Fabaceae), pectin (Malus domestica, Rosaceae), wood creosote (Creosote bush, Zygophyllaceae), guava (Psidium guajava L., Myrtaceae), belladonna (Atropa belladonna, Solanaceae), white bean (Phaseolis vulgaris, Fabaceae), and wheat (Triticum aestivum, Poaceae) were identified. Qualitative data analysis of nineteen clinical trials indicated berberine's potentially valuable antisecretory effects against diarrhea caused by Vibrio cholerae and enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli. Tormentil root showed significant efficacy against rotavirus-induced diarrhea; carob exhibited antidiarrheal properties not only by acting to detoxify and constipate but by providing a rich source of calories. Guava and belladonna are antispasmodics and have been shown to relieve the symptoms of AD. Future randomized controlled trials are needed to evaluate their efficacy and safety.

Helicteres isora L. is an important medicinal plant which has been reported to posses phyto-constituents like alkaloida, glycosides, phytosterols, fixed oils and fats, phenolic compounds among which Cucurbitacin B and Isocucurbitacin B (cytotoxic principle) are of keen interest. Its diverse medicinal properties include anti-diabetic, anticancer, antispasmodic, anti-hyperglycemic, antioxidant, glycaemic control and renoprotective, glucose uptake activity, hypo-lipidaemic, antimicrobial, antifungal, anti-nociceptive, heart antioxidant, lipid peroxidation and hypoglycemic activities. This plant was commonly used in indigenous and traditional folk medicine system in South East Asia. An upto- date data on phytochemical composition and pharmacological properties of different parts of Helicteres isora are reviewed and commented in this article.

Objective: We previously reported antitumor effects of 3'-O-acetylhamaudol isolated from Angelica japonica roots. However, 3'-O-acetylhamaudol could not be detected in blood after its oral administration. In this study, we examined the antitumor effects and mechanisms of action of metabolites of 3'-O-acetylhamaudol. Methods: Metabolites of 3'-O-acetylhamaudol were isolated from blood plasma by HPLC. The effects of hamaudol on tumor growth and tumorinduced angiogenesis were examined in colon 26-bearing mice. Furthermore, the effects of the metabolites on VEGFinduced VEGFR-2 phosphorylation were investigated in HUVECs. Key Findings: Metabolites of 3'-O-acetylhamaudol were identified as hamaudol and 8-hydroxymethylhamaudol. Hamaudol (25 and 50 mg/kg) inhibited tumor growth, final tumor weight and metastasis to the abdomen in colon 26-bearing mice. Hamaudol (10 mg/kg) also inhibited tumor-induced angiogenesis in tumor-packed chamber-bearing mice. Blood plasma after the oral administration of 3'-O-acetylhamaudol (containing hamaudol and 8-hydorxymethylhamaudol), hamaudol and 8-hydroxymethylhamaudol inhibited VEGF-induced angiogenesis and VEGF-induced VEGFR-2 phosphorylation in HUVECs, and enhanced the production of IL-12 and IFN-γ induced by Con A in splenocytes. Conclusions: The antitumor effects of 3'-O-acetylhamaudol were due to the anti-angiogenic actions of hamaudol and/or 8-hydroxymethylhamaudol.

P. Californicum (Papaveraceae), fire poppy, is traditionally used against pain. The seed pods were found to contain glycosides of 14-methylnormorphine and papaverine. The major alkaloid, ignimorphinan C67H80O19N2, is a mixture of sterol glycoside dimers of 14-methylnormorphine and papaverine. The second most abundant alkaloid, ignipapaverine C44H55O10N, is a sterol glycoside of papaverine. A possible glycoside of 2-methoxy-7-hydroxy-6-Omethyl- 7,8-dihydronormorphine-14-carbinol was found. Other compounds found were myricetin, malvidin-3-Oglucuronide and kaempferol acetate.

The ethanolic extract of ripe fruits of Melia azedarach (Meliaceae) and its subfractions were tested against four insect species, portraying important agricultural pests. Five limonoids were isolated: two tirucallane type triterpenoids never isolated before from this species (21α-methylmelianodiol, 21β-ethylmelianodiol), as well as three ring C-seco limonoids previously reported on this tree (1-O-detigloyl-1-O-cinnamoylohchinolal, 1-O-detigloyl-1-O-benzoylohchinolal and ohchinolal). The complete NMR data of these natural products are reported here. Different patterns of activity were found among the products tested against the different pest models, emphasizing the value of testing potential biocontrol products against different insect targets.

Three new flavonol derivatives, macapruinosins D-F (1-3), together with a known flavonoid glyasperin A, had been isolated from the acetone extract of the leaves of Macaranga pruinosa. The structures of the new compounds were identified based on their spectroscopic data, including UV, IR, 1D and 2D NMR, and HREIMS spectra. Compounds 1 - 2 were further examples of phenolic compounds having an irregular sesquiterpenyl side chain with a cyclobutane skeleton.

Hydroxycinnamic acids are widely distributed in the plant kingdom secondary metabolites, found also as simple derivatives including amides, esters, and glycosides. These acids and their derivatives are known to possess antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, antiproliferative, immunostimulatory and neuroprotective properties. The aim of the present work was the synthesis of new hydroxycinnamoyl amides of the (L)- cysteine and (L)- proline and evaluation of their radical scavenging and antimicrobial activity. The structures of the synthesized analogues were characterized by UV, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, ESI-MS. The compounds were screened for their antibacterial (against Staphylococcus aureus 209, Streptococcus pyogenes 10535, Bacillus subtilis 1A95, Listeria monocytogenes C12) and antifungal (against Candida albicans 62) activities. All amides demonstrated the most potent activity against Streptococcus pyogenes, even higher in comparison with the free hydroxycinnamic acids. The ability of hydroxycinnamoyl amides to interact with 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) stable free radical in vitro was also evaluated. The results obtained showed that the radical scavenging activity of the sinapoyl- and caffeoyl amides of L-cysteine is superior to the standards ferulic acid, eugenol and isoeugenol.

In order to prevent the spread of banana diseases in Brazil, the government is expecting to replace the cultivation of sensitive varieties for other pest-resistant cultivars. But if the sensory properties are not taken into account, the breeding program may not succeed. The aim of this work was to compare the volatile compounds profile of Fhia 02 (AAAB group), resistant to black leaf streak disease, with its non resistant female genitor, Prata Ana (AAB group), one of the most commonly consumed cultivars in Brazil. Volatile compounds were isolated from the headspace by solid-phase microextraction and identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometer. Fhia 02 presented a richer volatile profile, with high amount of esters with desirable ‘fruity’, ‘banana’, ‘herbal’ and ‘sweet’ odor notes, indicating high flavor quality with great potential for consumer acceptance.

Lemon (Citrus limon) fruit is used for culinary and non-culinary purposes throughout the world. In traditional medicine, lemon fruit juice is used as home remedy for a variety of gastrointestinal disorders. This study evaluates the effect of lemon juice on gastric and duodenal ulcers and determines its interaction with conventionally used antiulcer drugs; pantoprazole and ranitidine. The antiulcer activity of lemon juice at two different doses and its interaction antiulcer agents was evaluated in acetic acid induced chronic gastric ulcer, pylorus ligation induced gastric ulcer, ethanol induced gastric ulcer, stress induced gastric ulcer, indomethacin induced gastric ulcer and cysteamine induced duodenal ulcer models. In all these models, the common parameter determined was ulcer index. The lemon juice produced marginal ulcer healing effect and augmented the ulcer healing effect of pantoprazole and ranitidine in acetic acid induced chronic gastric ulcers, while in pylorus ligated rats, lemon juice demonstrated gastric antisecretory and antiulcer effect. Both doses of lemon juice also showed significant antiulcer effect in ethanol induced, stress induced and indomethacin induced gastric ulcers. The lemon juice also reduced ulcer area in cysteamine-induced duodenal ulcer. Lemon juice possesses dose dependent antiulcer effect and augments the antiulcer action pantoprazole and ranitidine in rats.

Curcumin (diferuloylmethane, 1, 6-heptadiene-3, 5-5dione-1, 7-bis (4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)), a constituent of turmeric (curcuma longa), is traditionally used in various diseases. We report the strong anti-oxidative effect of curcumin on markers of oxidative stress in human erythrocytes subjected to in vitro oxidative stress by incubating with tert-butylhydroperoxide (t-BHP). Results show that curcumin protects erythrocyte lipid peroxidation (MDAMalondialdehyde) and decrease of glutathione (GSH) during oxidative stress. The quotient of MDA/GSH is high during stress however presence of curcumin (10-8 M-10-5 M) decreased the index (MDA/GSH) substantiating the antioxidant effect of curcumin in a model cell system. The effect of curcumin is dose-dependent with maximum effect at 10-5M. Since oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathogenesis of many diseases/conditions, a therapeutic role of curcumin is hypothesized.