Search Results (8)

In this experiment, chrysophanol analysis in Senna occidentalis (aerial parts) extract obtained by optimizing ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) variables (temperature, time, and liquid-to-solid ratio) using response surface methodology (RSM) was performed by employing the HPLC-UV method. For UAE process optimization, a highly significant quadratic model (p < 0.001) was projected to attain maximum chrysophanol yield. The extraction temperature, time, and liquid-to-solid ratio for the best UAE method were determined to be 49.3 °C, 57.7 min, and 18.7 mL/g, respectively. The optimized extract was subjected to a chrysophanol analysis utilizing HPLC-UV (fitted with a Pinnacle C18 column), and a gradient mobile phase composed of 0.5% formic acid (solvent A), acetonitrile (solvent B), methanol (solvent C), at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min, and an optimum wavelength of 279 nm, respectively. It furnished a compact and intense peak of chrysophanol at Rt = 23.809 min. The experimental value (20.47 mg/g) of chrysophanol obtained was close to the predicted value (19.32 mg/g), indicating that they agreed under the optimized extraction condition. UAE also displayed remarkable improvement in chrysophanol extraction compared with the conventional solvent extraction (CSE) method. Hence, our improved ultrasonic extraction process showed a potential use for effective chrysophanol extraction from commercial herbal supplements comprising the Senna species. Full article

The essential oils of Oricia suaveolens and Guibourtia ehie from Southern Côte d’Ivoire were extracted by hydrodistillation then analyzed by gas chromatography in combination with retention indices [GC(RI)], gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance of carbone-13 (¹³C NMR) And described here for the first time. A total of 42 compounds were identified in the essential oils of the leaves of G. ehie while 55, 40 and 23 components were identified in the leaves, stem bark and root bark oils of O. suaveolens, respectively. Essential oils samples were dominated by sesquiterpenes and (E)-β-caryophyllene was the major compound common to all samples: G. ehie leaf oil contained (E)-β-caryophyllene (26.9–40.8%), α-humulene (syn. α-caryophyllene) (6.7–9.7%), β-elemene (5.5–9.5%) and germacrene D (5.6–8.1%); O. suaveolens, leaf oil contained (E)-β-caryophyllene (33.5–39.3%), (E)-β-farnesene (5.9–9,3%), caryophyllene oxide (2.1–7.7%) and α-humulene (4.0–4.6%); stem bark oil contained α-humulene (38.3–45.8%) and (E)-β-caryophyllene (34.7–41.6%); root bark oil contained α-humulene (36.1–47.9%) and (E)-β-caryophyllene (34.3–43.3%). This study highlighted the abundant presence of (E)-β-caryophyllene, a phytocannabinoïd sesquiterpene with countless biological properties, in two plant species: Guibourtia ehie and Oricia suaveolens. Full article

Chamaecrista diphylla (L.) Greene (Fabaceae/Caesalpiniaceae) is a herbaceous plant that is widely distributed throughout the Americas. Plants from this genus have been used in traditional medicine as a laxative, to heal wounds, and to treat ulcers, snake and scorpion bites. In the present study, we investigated the chemical composition of Chamaecrista diphylla leaves through a mass spectrometry molecular network approach. The oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) for the ethanolic extract, enriched fractions and isolated compounds was assessed. Overall, thirty-five compounds were annotated for the first time in C. diphylla. Thirty-two of them were reported for the first time in the genus. The isolated compounds 9, 12, 24 and 33 showed an excellent antioxidant capacity, superior to the extract and enriched fractions. Bond dissociation energy calculations were performed to explain and sustain the antioxidant capacity found. According to our results, the leaves of C. diphylla represent a promising source of potent antioxidant compounds. Full article

Background: Griffonia simplicifolia Baill. (Caesalpiniaceae) is a medicinal plant whose seeds are widely used in traditional medicine for their high content of 5-hydroxy-l-tryptophan (5-HTP), a direct precursor and enhancer of the activity of the brain hormone serotonin (5-HT). The plant extracts are used in dietary supplements aimed to alleviate serotonin-related disorders. Methods: In order to characterize the chemical components of G. simplicifolia seeds and their identity, we used a combined methodology by using HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS for the qualitative and quantitative determination of the N-containing compounds, GC-FID and GC-MS for the characterization of the major fatty acids, and DNA fingerprinting based on PCR–RFLP for the unequivocal identification of the plant. Results: 5-HTP was the most representative compound, followed by lower percentages of the β-carboline alkaloid derivative griffonine and other alkaloids. Fatty acids were dominated by the unsaturated fatty acids linoleic acid and oleic acid, followed by the saturated fatty acids stearic and palmitic acids. PCR analysis of the internal transcribed spacer amplified sequence showed a major band at about 758 bp, whereas the PCR–RFLP analysis of this sequence using three different restriction enzymes (MspI, HhaI, and HaeIII) generated a specific fingerprinting useful for the plant identification. Conclusions: The combined chemical and molecular analysis of G. simplicifolia provided an interesting integrated approach for the unequivocal identification of commercial G. simplicifolia seeds. Full article

The seed is the pharmaceutical and breeding organ of Cassia obtusifolia, a well-known medical herb containing aurantio-obtusin (a kind of anthraquinone), food, and landscape. In order to understand the molecular mechanism of the biosynthesis of aurantio-obtusin, seed formation and development, and stress response of C. obtusifolia, it is necessary to understand the genomics information. Although previous seed transcriptome of C. obtusifolia has been carried out by short-read next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology, the vast majority of the resulting unigenes did not represent full-length cDNA sequences and supply enough gene expression profile information of the various organs or tissues. In this study, fifteen cDNA libraries, which were constructed from the seed, root, stem, leaf, and flower (three repetitions with each organ) of C. obtusifolia, were sequenced using hybrid approach combining single-molecule real-time (SMRT) and NGS platform. More than 4,315,774 long reads with 9.66 Gb sequencing data and 361,427,021 short reads with 108.13 Gb sequencing data were generated by SMRT and NGS platform, respectively. 67,222 consensus isoforms were clustered from the reads and 81.73% (61,016) of which were longer than 1000 bp. Furthermore, the 67,222 consensus isoforms represented 58,106 nonredundant transcripts, 98.25% (57,092) of which were annotated and 25,573 of which were assigned to specific metabolic pathways by KEGG. CoDXS and CoDXR genes were directly used for functional characterization to validate the accuracy of sequences obtained from transcriptome. A total of 658 seed-specific transcripts indicated their special roles in physiological processes in seed. Analysis of transcripts which were involved in the early stage of anthraquinone biosynthesis suggested that the aurantio-obtusin in C. obtusifolia was mainly generated from isochorismate and Mevalonate/methylerythritol phosphate (MVA/MEP) pathway, and three reactions catalyzed by Menaquinone-specific isochorismate synthase (ICS), 1-deoxy-d-xylulose-5-phosphate synthase (DXS) and isopentenyl diphosphate (IPPS) might be the limited steps. Several seed-specific CYPs, SAM-dependent methyltransferase, and UDP-glycosyltransferase (UDPG) supplied promising candidate genes in the late stage of anthraquinone biosynthesis. In addition, four seed-specific transcriptional factors including three MYB Transcription Factor (MYB) and one MADS-box Transcription Factor (MADS) transcriptional factors) and alternative splicing might be involved with seed formation and development. Meanwhile, most members of Hsp20 genes showed high expression level in seed and flower; seven of which might have chaperon activities under various abiotic stresses. Finally, the expressional patterns of genes with particular interests showed similar trends in both transcriptome assay and qRT-PCR. In conclusion, this is the first full-length transcriptome sequencing reported in Caesalpiniaceae family, and thus providing a more complete insight into aurantio-obtusin biosynthesis, seed formation and development, and stress response as well in C. obtusifolia. Full article

The current study aimed to evaluate, in vitro, the antioxidant capacity and the human lymphocyte-protective effect of the ethanolic extract from Detarium microcarpum fruit pulp against oxidative stress damage. Human lymphocytes were incubated with different concentrations of extract, followed by the addition of hydrogen peroxide or tert-butyl hydroperoxide. Cell viability was measured using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Furthermore, the antioxidant property of the extract was evaluated in vitro using hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide radical-scavenging assays. Compared to the vehicle, the fruit pulp ethanol extract did not exhibit a cytotoxic effect on human lymphocytes. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity of hydrogen peroxide and tert-butyl hydroperoxide to human lymphocytes was significantly reduced by fruit extract pretreatment. The extract and ascorbic acid exhibited similar cytoprotective activity (p > 0.05). The fruit pulp extract showed more antioxidant activity than gallic acid in the hydrogen peroxide-scavenging model, while in the nitric oxide-quenching model, the fruit extract and gallic acid showed similar activity. The fruit pulp of D. microcarpum contains potent antioxidant and cell-protective compounds. The use of the fruit pulp of D. microcarpum as a food supplement could rescue cellular oxidative damage responsible for numerous pathologies. Full article

The genus Caesalpinia (Caesalpiniaceae) has more than 500 species, many of which have not yet been investigated for potential pharmacological activity. Several classes of chemical compounds, such as flavonoids, diterpenes, and steroids, have been isolated from various species of the genus Caesalpinia. It has been reported in the literature that these species exhibit a wide range of pharmacological properties, including antiulcer, anticancer, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antirheumatic activities that have proven to be efficacious in ethnomedicinal practices. In this review we present chemical and pharmacological data from recent phytochemical studies on various plants of the genus Caesalpinia. Full article

3'-Deoxy-4-O-methylepisappanol, a new 3-benzylchroman derivative, was isolated from Sappan Lignum, together with thirteen known chemical compounds identified as protosappanin A, sappanchalcone, sappanone B, palmitic acid, (+)-(8S,8'S)-bisdihydrosiringenin, brazilein, 3-deoxysappanchalcone, (+)-lyoniresinol, 3-deoxysappanone B, protosappanin B, isoprotosappanin B, 3'-O-methylbrazilin and brazilin, respectively. Among these known compounds, this is the first time that (+)-(8S,8'S)-bisdihydrosiringenin was obtained from the family Caesalpiniaceae. Full article