Two new furostanol saponins 1–2 and a new spirostanol saponin 3 were isolated together with two known furostanol saponins 4–5 from the roots and rhizomes of Tupistra chinensis. Their structures were characterized as 1β,2β,3β,4β,5β,26-hexahydroxyfurost-20(22), 25(27)-dien-5,26-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (1), 1β,2β,3β,4β,5β,6β,7α,23ξ,26-nona-hydroxyfurost- 20(22),25(27)-dien-26-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (2), (20S,22R)-spirost-25 (27)-en-1β,3β,5β- trihydroxy-1-O-β-d-xyloside (3), tupisteroide B (4) and 5β-furost-Δ²⁵⁽²⁷⁾-en-1β,2β,3β,4β,5β,7α, 22ξ,26-octahydroxy-6-one-26-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (5), respectively, by extensive use of spectroscopic techniques and chemical evidence. Additionally, the in vitro cytotoxic activity of 1–4 was evaluated on human A549 and H1299 tumor cell lines, and compound 3 exhibited cytotoxicity against A549 cells (IC₅₀ 86.63 ± 2.33 μmol·L⁻¹) and H1299 cells (IC₅₀ 88.21 ± 1.34 μmol·L⁻¹). Full article

A school-based environmental program to reduce adolescent smoking was conducted in 20 schools (10 intervention; 10 control) in south central Louisiana. The 9th grade cohort (n = 4,763; mean age = 15.4 yrs; 51% female; 61% Caucasian; 30-day smoking prevalence at baseline = 25%) was followed over four years for 30-day smoking prevalence with the school as the unit of analysis. Although prevalence decreased in intervention schools and increased in control schools in Year 2 the significant difference between the two groups at baseline was not overcome by the intervention and increases in prevalence were observed in both groups in Years 3 and 4. The higher the percentage of white students in a school the higher the prevalence rates regardless of intervention/control status. Boys’ and girls’ smoking rates were similar. These outcome data, student feedback and process evaluation provide a basis for continuing to create more innovative adolescent tobacco control programs. Full article