Dammarane-type saponins, gypenosides VN1-VN7 (1-7), were isolated from the total saponin extract of Gynostemma pentaphyllum aerial parts, with their structures elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic and chemical methods. These compounds showed moderate cytotoxic activity against four human cancer cell lines, A549 (lung), HT-29 (colon), MCF-7 (breast), and SK-OV-3 (ovary), with IC(50) values ranging from 19.6+/-1.1 to 43.1+/-1.0 microM. Regarding the HL-60 (acute promyelocytic leukemia) cell line, compounds 1, 5, and 6 showed weakly active with IC(50) values of 62.8+/-1.9, 72.6+/-3.6, and 82.4+/-3.2 nM, respectively, while 2, 3, 4, and 7 were less active with IC(50) values>100 microM.
Aims. To investigate the antidiabetic effect of the traditional Vietnamese herb Gynostemma pentaphyllum (GP) together with sulfonylurea (SU) in 25 drug-naïve type 2 diabetic patients.
Methods. After 4-week treatment with gliclazide (SU), 30 mg daily, all patients were randomly assigned into 2 groups to add on GP extract or placebo extract, 6 g daily, during eight weeks.
Results. After 4-week SU treatment, fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and HbA1C decreased significantly (P < 0.001). FPG was further reduced after add-on therapy with 2.9 ± 1.7 and 0.9 ± 0.6 mmol/L in the GP and placebo groups, respectively (P < 0.001). Therapy with GP extract also reduced 30- and 120-minute oral glucose tolerance test postload values. HbA1C levels decreased approximately 2% units in the GP group compared to 0.7% unit in the placebo group (P < 0.001).
Conclusion. GP extract in addition to SU offers an alternative to addition of other oral medication to treat type 2 diabetic patients.
Phaeanthus vietnamensis Bân is a well-known medicinal plant which has been used for the treatment of various inflammatory diseases in traditional medicine. Using various chromatographic methods, three new compounds, (7S,8R,8'R)-9,9'-epoxy-3,5,3',5'-tetramethoxylignan-4,4',7-triol (1), 8α-hydroxyoplop-11(12)-en-14-one (5), and (1R,2S,4S)-4-acetyl-2-[(E)-(cinnamoyloxy)]-1-methylcyclohexan-1-ol (12) along with twelve known compounds were isolated from the leaves of P. vietnamensis. Their chemical structures were elucidated by physical and chemical methods. All compounds were evaluated for the inhibitory activities of nitric oxide production in LPS-stimulated BV2 cells. As the results, compound 6 showed the most potent inhibitory activity on LPS-stimulated NO production in BV2 cells with the IC values of 15.7 ± 1.2 μm. Compounds 2, 7, and 8 significantly inhibited inflammatory NO production with IC values ranging from 22.6 to 25.3 μm.
Phytochemical study on the plant Premna integrifolia L. led to the isolation of twelve compounds. In which, a new acylated iridoid glycoside, 6-O-(3″-O-acetyl-2″-O-trans-p-coumaroyl)-α-L-rhamnopyranosylcatalpol (premnacorymboside A) (1), was isolated from the flowers along with 10-O-trans-p-methoxycinnamoylcatalpol (3) and verbascoside. From the leaves, a new iridoid glycoside, 6-O-(3″-O-trans-p-coumaroyl)-α-L-rhamnopyranosylcatalpol (premnacorymboside B) (2), together with 10-O-trans-p-methoxycinnamoylcatalpol (3), scutellarioside II (4), premnaodoroside A (5), 1-O-trans-p-coumaroyl-α-Lrhamnopyranoside, hexyl glucoside, 4-hydroxy-2-methoxybenzaldehyde, and 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde were obtained. The new compound premnacorymboside A (1) and scutellarioside II (4), were also isolated from the stem bark along with quercetin 3rutinoside and leonuriside A. The structure determinations were based on physical and spectroscopic evidence.
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