Justidrusamides A-D (1-4), four new alkaloids containing 2-aminobenzyl alcohol, succinic acid, and 2,3-dihydroxy-2-(1-hydroxyethyl) butanoic acid skeletons have been isolated from leaves of Justicia gendarussa, and their structures were elucidated using 2D NMR data and chemical means. This is the first report of a 2,3-dihydroxy-2-(1-hydroxyethyl) butanoic acid derivative in nature.

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Objective: Andrographis paniculata, widely used as an antidiabetic in Indonesian traditional medicines (jamu), contains chemical compounds whose concentration is related to its therapeutic effects. The concentration of solvents used for extraction will also affect the number of compounds extracted. Therefore, a quality control method is needed to ensure consistency in quantifying these compounds in A. paniculata to improve its therapeutic application. High-performance liquid chromatography fingerprint analysis combined with chemometrics was used to evaluate extracts from different solvent extraction treatments. The content of andrographolide, the main bioactive compound in A. paniculata, and the level of α-glucosidase inhibition activity, an indicator of its antidiabetic activity, were also determined. Results: Fingerprint chromatograms of A. paniculata extracts from different treatments exhibited a similar pattern with several peaks in common, only differing in area and intensity value. The A. paniculata extracts were classified using HPLC fingerprint and principal component analysis to allow grouping according to their respective solvent extraction treatments. The highest andrographolide content and α-glucosidase inhibition activity occurred in the 50% ethanol extract and the lowest in the water extract. HPLC fingerprint analysis could be used for identifying A. paniculata extracts based on solvent extraction, thus improving quality control for their therapeutic application.

Phytochemical investigation of the dichloromethane extract of the leaves of Peltophorum pterocarpum, a tropical ornamental tree, led to the isolation of twelve compounds (1-12). One new derivative of peltogynoid ophioglonin (1) and a new 2-phenoxychromone (2) with its 3'-O-β-D-glucoside derivative (3) are described here for the first time. In addition, nine flavonoid derivatives, including peltogynoid ophioglonin (4), were isolated for the first time from this plant. The structures were determined by spectroscopic and chemical methods. Evaluation of the estrogenic activities of 1, 2, and 4 using different model cell systems revealed that 4 was estrogenic and that 2 was largely inactive. Interestingly, 1 was unable to stimulate the proliferation of breast and endometrial cancer cells but exhibited substantial estrogen receptor α-mediated activation of gene expression. This observation indicates that 1 can be further evaluated for its cancer chemopreventive potential.

Andrographis paniculata is known as the king of bitter and it has been widely used as a medicinal plant. The properties of A. paniculata are generally determined by the metabolite composition, which may be influenced by several factors, one of which is the part of the plant extracted. The objectives of this research are to identify putatively the metabolite composition of the stem and the leaves extracts using LC-MS/MS and classify them using PCA. The stem and the leaves samples were separated and extracted using sonication with 70% ethanol. A total of 31 metabolite compounds has been putatively identified. All compounds were identified in the stem and the leaves extracts, which only differed in their intensity. These metabolite compounds were divided into diterpene lactones, flavonoids, and phenolic acid groups. By using the peak intensities of the 18 compounds identified, the leaves and stem extracts were grouped using PCA.