A series of analogues of etoposide, the C-4 amino- and alkylamino-substituted 4'-demethyl-epipodophyllotoxins, have been synthesized and studied for their activity to inhibit type II human DNA topoisomerase as well as their activity in causing cellular protein-linked DNA breakage. Substitution of the glycosidic moiety of 1 by a 2"-hydroxyethylamino or 2"-methoxyethylamino chain at the C-4 beta position resulted in potent inhibitors of the human DNA topoisomerase II. This inhibitory activity correlates reasonably well with their activity in causing protein-linked DNA breakage in KB cells. The in vitro cytotoxicity (KB) appears to have no correlation with the inhibitory activity of the human DNA topoisomerase II.

Two new macrolide sesquiterpene pyridine alkaloids, emarginatine F [1] and emarginatine G [2], were isolated from Maytenus emarginata. The structural determinations of 1 and 2 by 2D nmr techniques and spectral comparison with a related compound, emarginatine A [3], are discussed. Biological evaluation showed that emarginatine F [1] demonstrated strong cytotoxicity against human epidermoid carcinoma of the nasopharynx (KB), ileocecal adenocarcinoma (HCT-8), melanoma (RPMI-7951) and medulloblastoma (TE-671) tumor cells, and against murine leukemia (P-388).

Five new compounds, including four C(17) gamma-lactones, dihydroisoobtusilactone (1), dihydroobtusilactone (2), 3-epilitsenolide D(2) (3), and 3-epilitsenolide D(1) (4), and one furanone alseodafuranone (5), were isolated from the root and stem of Alseodaphne andersonii. Their structures were elucidated mainly by spectral analysis (NMR and MS) and partially by chemical correlation.

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MLPA was proven to be a powerful tool for the detection of DMD gene deletions and duplications in male patients and female carriers. There was a relatively lower frequency of deletion and a higher frequency of duplication of DMD gene in this population compared to previous reports.

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Three new flavonol glycosides, namely, isorhamnetin 3‐O‐(6″‐O‐(Z)‐p‐coumaroyl)‐β‐D‐glucopyranoside (1), quercetin 3‐O‐α‐L‐rhamnopyranosyl(1 → 2)‐α‐L‐arabinopyranosyl(1 → 2)‐α‐L‐rhamnopyranoside (2), and quercetin 3‐O‐α‐L‐arabinopyranosyl(1 → 2)‐α‐L‐rhamnopyranoside (3), were isolated from the stems of Alphitonia philippinensis. Their structures were established by spectral analysis. In addition, NMR data were assigned for ceanothenic acid (11). Some of the isolated triterpenoids and flavonoid glycosides showed cytotoxicity against human PC‐3 cells and hepatoma HA22T cells, and inhibition of replication on herpes simplex virus type‐1.