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Twelve hitherto unknown tandem prenylated p -hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives, namely, oberoniamyosurusins A-L, together with five known derivatives, were isolated from an EtOH extract of the whole parts of the plant Oberonia myosurus . Compounds 10 , 13 , and 17 exhibited moderate inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus ATCC29213 with MIC 50 values ranging from 7.6 to 23 μg/mL. To determine the biosynthetic pathway of this class of tandem prenyl-substituted compounds, the full-length transcriptome of O. myosurus was sequenced, yielding 19.09 Gb of clean data and 10 949 nonredundant sequences. Two isoforms of p -hydroxybenzoic acid prenyltransferases were annotated and functionally characterized as the enzymes that might be involved in the biosynthesis of nervogenic acid ( 13 ) in Pichia pastoris .

Eight new β-resorcylic acid lactones (RALs), including the hypothemycin-type compounds paecilomycins N-P (1-3) and the radicicol-type metabolites dechloropochonin I (4), monocillins VI (5) and VII (6), 4'-hydroxymonocillin IV (7), and 4'-methoxymonocillin IV (8), along with nine known RALs (9-17), were isolated from the cultures of Paecilomyces sp. SC0924. Compounds 1 and 2 feature a novel 6/11/5 ring system, and 3 is the first 5'-keto RAL. The structures of 1-8 were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis, X-ray diffraction analysis, and theoretical calculations of ECD spectra. Compounds 3, 5, and 6 exhibit cytotoxicity against MCF-7, A549, and HeLa cells, and compounds 5 and 7 display antifungal activity against Peronophythora litchii.

Antioxidant and antimelanogenesis activities of protocatechuic acid (1) from Origanum vulgare (oregano) were investigated. The antioxidative capacity of 1 was confirmed from its free-radical-scavenging activities, inhibition of lipid peroxidation, and suppression of reactive oxygen species in H(2)O(2)-induced BNLCL2 cells. The inhibition by 1 of tyrosinase and DOPA oxidase activity and melanin production was possibly related to the down-regulation of melanocortin-1 receptor, microphthalmia-associated transcription factor, tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related proteins-2, and tyrosinase-related proteins-1 expression in α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone-induced B16 cells. After a gel containing 1 was applied to mice, the values of L* slightly increased, and a* and erythema-melanin levels of skin were reduced by comparing the values of untreated control groups, indicating 1 can reduce melanin production. These results suggest that 1 may act as an effective quencher of oxidative attackers with antimelanogenesis properties.

Six new beta-resorcylic acid lactones (1-6), named paecilomycins A-F, and five known compounds, aigilomycin B (7), zeaenol (8), aigialomycin D (9), aigialomycin F (10), and aigialospirol, were isolated from the mycelial solid culture of Paecilomyces sp. SC0924. Their structures were elucidated by extensive NMR analysis, single-crystal X-ray study, and chemical correlations. Compounds 5 and 10 exhibited antiplasmodial activity against Plasmodium falciparum line 3D7 with IC(50) values of 20.0 and 10.9 nM, respectively, and compounds 5-7 showed moderate activity against the P. falciparum line Dd2.

New phenolic mono- and digalactopyranosides (1 and 2), their aglycone KS-501a (3), and a new phenolic 4-O-methylglucopyranoside (4) were isolated from the filamentous fungus Acremonium sp. BCC 14080. Structures of these compounds were elucidated by extensive MS and NMR spectroscopic analyses. Compound 1 displayed anti-HSV-1 activity with an IC(50) value of 7.2 microM. Compound 3 exhibited activity against Plasmodium falciparum K1 with an IC(50) value of 9.9 microM.

A new depside, jaboticabin (1), together with 17 known compounds were isolated from the fruit of jaboticaba (Myrciaria cauliflora). The structure of 1 was elucidated by spectroscopic data interpretation. Known compounds were identified by comparison of their spectroscopic data with literature values or by comparison to authentic standards. Compound 1 and the related depside 2-O-(3,4-dihydroxybenzoyl)-2,4,6-trihydroxyphenylacetic acid (2) significantly inhibited chemokine interleukin (IL)-8 production before and after cigarette smoke treatment of cells. Compound 1 was cytotoxic in the HT29 colon cancer cell line (IC50 = 65 microM), and 2 was active against HCT116 colon cancer cells (IC50 = 30 microM). Compounds 1 and 2 also exhibited antiradical activity in the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay (IC50 = 51.4 and 61.8 microM, respectively). Two anthocyanins, cyanidin 3-glucoside (3) and delphinidin 3-glucoside (4), also showed good activity in these assays.

The composition of the spasmolytic essential oil of the medicinal species Brickellia veronicaefolia was established by NMR spectroscopy in addition to GC-MS analysis and HPLC studies. Seven major compounds, representing ca. 86% of the oil, were identified as benzyl 2,6-dimethoxybenzoate (1), 2-hydroxybenzyl 2'-methoxybenzoate (2), chamazulene (3), beta-caryophyllene (4), germacrene D (5), bicyclogermacrene (6), and beta-eudesmol (7). A sensitive and accurate analytical 1H NMR method has been developed for the quantification of the major compounds in the essential oil of B. veronicaefolia. The method was validated using benzyl 2,6-dimethoxybenzoate (1) and beta-caryophyllene (4), two of the active principles in the oil, and successfully applied to the determination of these pharmacologically active compounds in three different batches of the oil collected in different geographical regions and/or seasons.

A new compound, N-(4-guanidinobutyl)-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-oxo-acetamide (1) was isolated from the aqueous extract of the hydroid Campanularia sp. Its structure was elucidated using NMR spectroscopic techniques and mass spectrometric analysis. The most stable conformation was determined using molecular modeling and the results of a NOESY experiment. Although compound 1 shows structural similarities to some highly potent histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi), e.g., suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) (2) and trichostatin A (TSA) (3), it does not inhibit the growth of ARP-1 cells at 100 microM concentration, a significant indication that it has no inhibitory activity to HDACs.

Two new diphenylpropan-1,2-diols, eryvarinols A (1) and B (2), were isolated from the roots of Erythrina variegata. Their structures were elucidated as 1-(4-hydroxy-2-methoxyphenyl)-2-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxybenzoyloxy)-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propan-1-ol (1) and its 3"-prenyl derivative (2) on the basis of spectroscopic and chemical evidence. Both these compounds are unusual diphenylpropan-1,2-diols with a syringyl group.

Four new compounds, 5-(2-hydroxyphenoxymethyl)furfural (1), (2'S)-7-hydroxy-5- hydroxymethyl-2-(2'-hydroxypropyl)chromone (2), benzyl 2-hydroxy-3,6-dimethoxybenzoate (3), and benzyl 2beta-O-D-glucopyranosyl-3,6-dimethoxybenzoate (4), together with four known compounds, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, (2'S)-7-hydroxy-2-(2'-hydroxypropyl)-5-methylchromone, and two oxyanthraquinones, chrysophanol and chrysophanein, were isolated and identified from the seeds of Cassia fistula. The structures of 1-4 were determined on the basis of spectral data explanation, and the synthesis of compound 1 was carried out.

Four new cassane-type furanoditerpenoids (1-4) were isolated from the air-dried leaves of Caesalpinia pulcherrima. Their structures were elucidated by spectral data interpretation. The exocyclic methylene compound 1 readily isomerized and oxidized to the benzofuran 4. Benzyl 2,6-dimethoxybenzoate (5) was also identified in this study. Antimicrobial tests on 1-5 indicated that they were active against several bacteria (S. aureus, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and B. subtilis) and fungi (C. albicans and T. mentagrophytes).

Two new compounds, agonodepsides A (1) and B (2), were isolated from a nonsporulating filamentous fungus, F7524. The compounds were purified via reversed-phase chromatography and their structures determined by spectroscopic methods. Agonodepside A (1) was found to inhibit the mycobacterial InhA enzyme with an IC50 value of 75 microM, while 2 was inactive at 100 microM.

From the hydrophilic extract of the ascidian Polycarpa aurata three new compounds, N-(4-methoxybenzoyl)-N'-methylguanidine (1), butyl 2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-2-oxoacetate (2), and 2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-N-methyl-2-oxoacetamide (3), together with the known compounds methyl 2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-2-oxoacetate (4) and 4-methoxybenzoic acid were isolated. The structures of all isolates were determined from their spectroscopic data (NMR, MS, IR, UV).

The sensitivity of the human keratinocyte cell line HaCaT to several lichen metabolites isolated from Parmelia nepalensis and Parmelia tinctorum was evaluated. The tridepside gyrophoric acid (6), the dibenzofuran derivative (+)-usnic acid (1), and the didepside diffractaic acid (5) were potent antiproliferative agents and inhibited cell growth, with IC50 values of 1.7, 2.1, and 2.6 microM, respectively. Methyl beta-orcinolcarboxylate (2), ethyl hematommate (3), the didepside atranorin (4), and (+)-protolichesterinic acid (7) did not influence keratinocyte growth at concentrations of 5 microM. Keratinocytes were further tested for their susceptibility to the action of the potent antiproliferative agents on plasma membrane integrity. The release of lactate dehydrogenase activity into the culture medium was unchanged as compared to controls, documenting that the activity of gyrophoric acid (6), (+)-usnic acid (1), and diffractaic acid (5) was due to cytostatic rather than cytotoxic effects.