The hepatoprotective effect of aqueous ethanol extract of Artimesia monosperma aerial parts was investigated against carbon tetrachloride-induced acute hepatotoxicity in rat. The hepatoprotective activity of A. monosperma was evaluated by determination of liver enzyme markers in the serum (aspartat amino transferase AST; serum alanine transaminase ALT and alkaline phosphatase ALP). The histopathological studies were also carried out to support the above parameters. Oral administration of A. monosperma (100 and 200 mg/kg) markedly reduced the elevated values of AST, ALT and ALP caused by CCl4 treatment. Glutathione (GSH) significantly decreases in the group treated with CCl4. A. monosperma (two doses) and silymarin significantly increased GSH levels when they administrated with CCl 4 . However, silymarin normalized liver enzymes and increased GSH levels than A. monosperma (two doses) when compared with the control group. Histopathological results revealed that A. monosperma treatment with its two doses exhibited almost normal architecture, compared to CCl4-treated group. Image analysis of liver revealed a marked reduction in liver damage area after treatment with A. monosperma (100 or 200 mg/kg) and silymarin compared with CCl4-treated group. A phytochemical study of A. monosprema resulted in the isolation of a quercetin 3-O-β- glucopyranoside; quercetin 5-O-β-glucopyranoside; isorhamnetin 3-O-β-glucopyranoside; 5, 4' - dihydroxy 6, 7-dimethoxy flavone; 5, 3' - dihydroxy 6, 7, 4'- trimethoxy flavone; 5, 7, 3' - trihydroxy 3, 6, 4' - trimethoxy flavone; quercetin and isorhamnetin. Structures of the isolated compounds were established by chromatography, UV and 1D/2D 1 H' 13 C spectroscopy. Hepatoprotective effect of A. momosperma is probably due to combined effect of flavonoids.
Two new long-chain ceramides, trametenamides A (1) and B (2), were isolated from the methanolic extract of the fruiting body of the fungus Trametes menziesii. The structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses and chemical transformations, and the absolute stereochemistry of trametenamide B (2) was determined by stereoselective total synthesis of four possible diastereomers. The acetyl derivative of the natural ceramide (1a) and synthetic ceramides (24-27) showed cytotoxicity on the human melanoma cell line SK-MEL-1, which was caused by induction of apoptosis as determined by DNA fragmentation, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage, and procaspase-9 and -8 processing.
Abstract ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.
The biological activity of compound 9 obtained by introducing an α-methylene-γ-butyrolactone group into 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propionic acid, 1, was studied for possible effects on HL-60 cells, murine splenocytes, and human peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMC). 9 induced apoptosis in the HL-60 cell line and has a clear capacity to inhibit proliferation induced in murine splenocytes and PBMC by different mitogenic agents with no apparent toxic side effects. 9 was synthesized from 1, and its structure and stereochemistry were elucidated by spectroscopic methods.