Hepatic fibrosis is a common pathway leading to liver cirrhosis, which is the end result of any injury to the liver.

Passiflora incarnata as well as some other Passiflora species are reported to possess anxiolytic and sedative activity and to treat various CNS disorders. The medicinal use of only a few Passiflora species has been scientifically verified. There are over 400 species in the Passiflora genus worldwide, most of which have been little characterized in terms of phytochemical or pharmacological properties. Herein, large-scale multi-targeted metabolic profiling and fingerprinting techniques were utilized to help gain a broader insight into Passiflora species leaves' chemical composition. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS) spectra of extracted components derived from 17 Passiflora accessions and from different geographical origins were analyzed using multivariate data analyses. A total of 78 metabolites were tentatively identified, that is, 20 C-flavonoids, 8 O-flavonoids, 21 C, O-flavonoids, 2 cyanogenic glycosides, and 23 fatty acid conjugates, of which several flavonoid conjugates are for the first time to be reported in Passiflora spp. To the best of our knowledge, this study provides the most complete map for secondary metabolite distribution within that genus. Major signals in (1)H-NMR and MS spectra contributing to species discrimination were assigned to those of C-flavonoids including isovitexin-2″-O-xyloside, luteolin-C-deoxyhexoside-O-hexoside, schaftoside, isovitexin, and isoorientin. P. incarnata was found most enriched in C-flavonoids, justifying its use as an official drug within that genus. Compared to NMR, LC-MS was found more effective in sample classification based on genetic and/ or geographical origin as revealed from derived multivariate data analyses. Novel insight on metabolite candidates to mediate for Passiflora CNS sedative effects is also presented.

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The isolation and structure elucidation of catharanthamine (3), a new bisindole alkaloid with antitumor activity from Catharanthus roseus, is described.Vincaleukoblastine (VLB) and leurocristine (VCR) are the most important bisindole alkaloids for the clinical management of many cancerous states (2, 3), yet there is still a pressing need for new, more active, and less toxic agents. It was with this aim in mind that we began to investigate a number of highly active alkaloid fractions of Catharanthus roseus (L.

16-Epi-Z-isositsirikine (1) has been isolated from the leaves of Catharanthus roseus and Rhazya stricta and identified through a combination of spectral interpretation and chemical correlation. The compound displayed antineoplastic activity in the KB test system in vitro and the P-388 test system in vivo.

Passiflora edulis Sims F. flavicarpa along with several other plants belonging to the genus Passiflora have been reported as sedatives and for treatment or prevention of central disorders. This study evaluated the anxiolytic effect of P. edulis ethanol extract and its fractions (viz. chloroform, ethyl acetate and butanol) using the elevated plus-maze model of anxiety and assessment of γ-aminobutyric acid levels. The results revealed that butanol and chloroform extracts exhibit the strongest effect followed by ethyl acetate suggesting that a combination of different classes of metabolites is likely to mediate for P. edulis anxiolytic effect in these fractions. To further pinpoint bioactive agents in fractions, ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled to high resolution qTOF-MS was used for secondary metabolite profiling. A total of 65 metabolites were characterized including O-flavonoids, C-flavonoids, cyanogenic glycosides and fatty acids. Harman type alkaloids found in P. incarnata were not detected in P. edulis ethanol extract or any of its fractions suggesting that they do not mediate for its CNS modulating effects. Multivariate data analysis (PCA) was further applied to identify metabolite markers for fractions and revealed that enrichment of C-glycoside type flavonoids in chloroform/ethyl acetate fractions versus the exclusive presence of cyanogenic glycosides in its butanol fraction.

Additional and confirming chemical and spectroscopic evidence for vindolicine (4), roseadine (5), and leurosine-N'b-oxide (6) is presented. Leurosine-N'b-oxide (6) was found to be exceptionally active in the B-16 melanoma test system in vivo. Roseadine (5), a new isolate of Catharanthus roseus, and 6 displayed significant activity in the P-388 lymphocytic leukemia test system in vivo. Preliminary spectral studies on the new alkaloid roseamine are also described.

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