Calisto Moreno Cardenas

Cicerbita alpina (L.) Wallroth and Peucedanum ostruthium W.D.J. Koch occur in megaphorb communities in alpine and subalpine areas; both species often share the same habitats. P. ostruthium is used as a spice for spirits, while young shoots of C. alpina are collected in the northeastern regions of Italy as a local delicacy. In the present study, we isolated eleven known coumarins and one chromone from subaerial parts of P. ostruthium; two furanocoumarins were found for the first time in this species. Using UHPLC-HRMS, we analyzed the furanocoumarin content of two P. ostruthium accessions, one commercially purchased and one collected in the wild. These samples were compared to six rootstock samples of Cicerbita alpina collected in the wild. Though the furanocoumarins imperatorin, isoimperatorin, oxypeucedanin, and ostruthol had been reported from C. alpina before, we were not able to detect any of these compounds in our samples of C. alpina. Therefore, and due to the occurrence of both taxa in the same habitat, we assume that the original report of furanocoumarins in C. alpina was based on a mixed collection of C. alpina and P. ostruthium. This hypothesis seems plausible, because furanocoumarins have not been reported from any other taxon of the Cichorieae tribe of the Asteraceae family.

Objectives: Multiple myeloma and acute myeloid leukemia are severe forms of blood cancer, which lack effective therapies for treatment. In our search for new chemical lead structures from nature, we were investigating the Brazilian medicinal plant arnica-do-cerrado (Lychnophora ericoides). Methods: Repeated chromatography led to the isolation of four flavonoids and three sesquiterpenoids, which were evaluated for their cytostatic and cytotoxic properties against HL-60, MOLM-13, AMO-1, and KMS-12 PE cancer cells as well as the non-malignant HS-5 cell line. Results: Whereas the isolated flavonoids displayed only moderate activity, the three sesquiterpene lactones goyazensolide, centratherin, and lychnopholide exhibited pronounced effects against all four tested cell lines. Goyazensolide was the most effective compound, inhibiting proliferation and metabolic activity with IC₅₀ values between 1.0 and 1.6 µM, as well as 1.0 to 2.0 µM, respectively. Centratherin and lychnopholide were somewhat less active but showed higher selectivity towards malignant cell lines, which was most pronounced for MOLM-13 cells. Conclusion: The results of this study revealed interesting natural products that will be further evaluated for their potential as new lead compounds for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia and multiple myeloma.

Novel antiretroviral drugs are constantly needed for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients to confront the continuously emerging resistance to the commonly prescribed combination of anti-HIV synthetic agents and their side effects. Amazonian medicinal plants, Licania macrophylla (LM) (Chrysobalanaceae) and Ouratea hexasperma (OH) (Ochnaceae), were assayed for antiretroviral and immunomodulatory activity, by utilizing an established human leukocyte cell line and the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV). Interleukin (IL)-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and interferon-gamma were quantified after leukocyte culture was stimulated with ethanolic plant extracts and subsequently challenged with lentivirus infection. Mitotic activity induced by OH extract was significantly more pronounced than that of LM extract. Cytokine modulation was observed in SIV-infected cells under independent treatment with OH and LM extracts. Betulinic acid, niruriflavone, (-)-epigallocatechin, (-)-gallocatechin, and 4’-O-methyl-epigallocatechin were isolated from LM. In summary, the tested extracts hold application potential in the therapy of HIV/AIDS pathology by regulating cellular proliferative activity and cytokine levels, as the isolated compounds from these plants have been reported to exhibit antiviral activity.

Background: Novel antiretroviral drugs are in constant need for HIV/AIDS patients to face the continuous emerging resistance to the commonly prescribed combination of anti-HIV synthetic agents and their side effects. Methods: Amazonian medicinal plants, Licania macrophylla (Chrysobalanaceae) and Ouratea hexasperma (Ochnaceae) were assayed for antiretroviral and immunomodulatory activity, utilizing an established human leukocyte cell line and the Simian Immunodeficiency Virus. The IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and IFN-y cytokines were quantified after leukocyte culture stimulation with ethanolic plant extracts and challenged with lentivirus infection. Results: Mitotic activity induced by O. hexasperma extract was significatively more pronounced than L. macrophylla extract. Cytokine modulation was recorded in SIV infected cells under independent treatment with O. hexasperma and L. macrophylla extracts. Betulinic acid, ninuriflavone, (-)epigallocathechine, (-)gallocatechine and 4-O-methyl-epigallocatechin were isolated from L. macrophyla . Conclusions: Cellular proliferative activity and cytokine modulation by the extracts assayed have potential applications in the therapy of HIV/AIDS pathology, as the isolated compounds of these plants have been reported for antiviral activity.

In the present work, a two-dimensional qNMR method for the determination of sennosides was established. Using band-selective HSQC and the cross correlations of the characteristic 10–10’ bonds, we quantified the total amount of the value-determining dianthranoids in five minutes, thus, rendering the method not only fast, but also specific and stability indicating. The validation of the method revealed excellent accuracy (recovery rates of 98.5 to 103%), precision (RSD values of 3.1%), and repeatability (2.2%) and demonstrated the potential of 2D qNMR in the quality control of medicinal plants. In a second method, the use of 2D qNMR for the single analysis of sennosides A, B, and A₁ was evaluated with acceptable measurement times (31 min), accuracy (93.8%), and repeatability (5.4% and 5.6%) for the two major purgatives sennoside A and B. However, the precision for sennoside B and A₁ was not satisfactory, mainly due to the low resolution of the HSQC signals of the two compounds.