Elaeagnus oldhamii Maxim. is a commonly used traditional herbal medicine. In Taiwan the leaves of E. oldhamii Maxim. are mainly used for treating lung disorders. Twenty five compounds were isolated from the leaves of E. oldhamii Maxim. in the present study. These included oleanolic acid (1), 3-O-(Z)-coumaroyl oleanolic acid (2), 3-O-(E)-coumaroyl oleanolic acid (3), 3-O-caffeoyl oleanolic acid (4), ursolic acid (5), 3-O-(Z)-coumaroyl ursolic acid (6), 3-O-(E)-coumaroyl ursolic acid (7), 3-O-caffeoyl ursolic acid (8), 3β, 13β-dihydroxyolean-11-en-28-oic acid (9), 3β, 13β-dihydroxyurs-11-en-28-oic acid (10), uvaol (11), betulin (12), lupeol (13), kaempferol (14), aromadendrin (15), epigallocatechin (16), cis-tiliroside (17), trans-tiliroside (18), isoamericanol B (19), trans-p-coumaric acid (20), protocatechuic acid (21), salicylic acid (22), trans-ferulic acid (23), syringic acid (24) and 3-O-methylgallic acid (25). Of the 25 isolated compounds, 21 compounds were identified for the first time in E. oldhamii Maxim. These included compounds 1, 4, 5 and 8-25. These 25 compounds were evaluated for their inhibitory activity against the growth of non-small cell lung cancer A549 cells by the MTT assay, and the corresponding structure-activity relationships were discussed. Among these 25 compounds, compound 6 displayed the best activity against the A549 cell line in vitro (CC50=8.56±0.57 μg/mL, at 48 h of MTT asssay). Furthermore, compound 2, 4, 8 and 18 exhibited in vitro cytotoxicity against the A549 cell line with the CC50 values of less than 20 μg/mL at 48 h of MTT asssay. These five compounds 2, 4, 6, 8 and 18 exhibited better cytotoxic activity compared with cisplatin (positive control, CC50 value of 14.87±1.94 μg/mL, at 48 h of MTT asssay). The result suggested that the five compounds might be responsible for its clinical anti-lung cancer effect.

Four new compounds, including two new dihydroagarofuranoid sesquiterpenes, 8-benzoyloxymutangin (1) and 15-acetoxyorbiculin G (2), a new lignan derivative, 9,9'- O-di-(Z)-feruloyl-(-)-secoisolariciresinol (3), and a new benzenoid, 5'-methoxyevofolin B (4), have been isolated from the stem of Microtropis japonica, together with 20 known compounds (5- 24). 3-Ethoxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (5) was identified from a natural source for the first time. The structures of these new compounds were determined through analyses of physical data. 15-Acetoxyorbiculin G (2), celahin C (6), and salasol A (7) exhibit antituberculosis activities (MICs < or = 39.6 microM) against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H 37Rv in vitro.

A new bithiophene, 5-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-1-butyny)-2,2′-bithiophene (1), and sixteen known thiophenes: 2-(3,4-dihydroxybut-1-ynyl)-5-(penta-1,3-diynyl)thiophene (2), α-terthienyl (3), 5-(3,4-dihydroxybut-1-ynyl)-2,2′-bithiophene (4), 5-acetyl-2,2′-bithiophene (5), 5-formyl-2,2′-bithiophene (6), methyl 2,2′-bithiophene-5-carboxylate (7), 5-(but-3-en-1-ynyl)-2,2′-bithiophene (8), 5-(4-isovaleroyloxybut-1-ynyl)-2,2′-bithiophene (9), cardopatine (10), isocardopatine (11), 5-(3-hydroxy-4-isovaleroyloxybut-1-ynyl)-2,2′-bithiophene (12), 5-(3-hydroxymethyl-3-isovaleroyloxyprop-1-ynyl)-2,2′-bithiophene (13), 5-(4-hydroxy-1-butynyl)-2,2′-bithiophene (14), 5-(4-acetoxy-1-butynl)-2,2′-bithiophene (15), 2,2′-bithiophene-5-carboxylic acid (16) and 2-(4-hydroxybut-1-ynyl)-5-(penta-1,3-diynyl)thiophene (17) were isolated from the roots of Echinops grijisii Hance. Among them, compounds 6, 7 and 16 were isolated from a natural source for the first time. Compounds 2, 4 and 14 exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity against nitrite of LPS-stimulated production in the RAW 264.7 cell line.

Abstract:One lignanoid compound, isoamericanol B (1), along with four triterpenoid (5) have been isolated for the first time from the leaves of Elaeagnus oldhamii Maxim. Compounds 1-4 significantly inhibited the expression of NO (nitric oxide) produced in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. The IC50 value for inhibition of nitrite production of compound 1 was about 10.3 ± 0.4 μg/mL. In the cell viability test, however, among compounds 1-4 compound 1 did not significantly change cell viability. Therefore, in this study compound 1 possessed anti-inflammatory effects. The result suggests compound 1 as a potential lead compound for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.