Sesquiterpene lactones (SLs) are the active compounds of a variety of traditionally used medicinal plants from the Asteraceae family. They are known to possess a considerable antiinflammatory activity in different inflammation models. They inhibit the transcription factor NF-kappaB probably by alkylating cysteine38 in the DNA binding domain of the p65 subunit. Here we investigate a set of 103 different sesquiterpene lactones representing 6 structural groups (44 germacranolides, 16 heliangolides, 22 guaianolides, 9 pseudoguaianolides, 2 hypocretenolides, 10 eudesmanolides) for their NF-kappaB inhibiting properties and the resulting IC(100)-values were submitted to a QSAR study. Properties important for the inhibition potency are discussed for the whole data set and for subsets of the different structural classes.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

In a search for biologically active phenolics, a hydroalcoholic extract from the hairy roots of Lactuca virosa was fractionated by chromatographical methods. The procedure led to the isolation of a substantial amount of 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (3,5-DCQA)-a potent free radical scavenger. An analytical RP-HPLC separation of the hydroalcoholic extract from the hairy roots allowed identification of further hydroxycinnamates: caftaric acid (CTA), chlorogenic acid (5-CQA) and cichoric acid (DCTA), as well as small amounts of unbound phenolic acids. A time course of growth and caffeic acid derivatives accumulation in the hairy root culture was also investigated. The highest contents of the compounds in the examined roots were detected at the logarithmic phase of growth. The average content of 3,5-DCQA in the roots (ca. 2.5% DW) was at least one order of magnitude higher than that found in roots of Lactuca species and callus culture of L. virosa.

No abstract

The effects of methyl jasmonate (MJ) or salicylic acid (SA) on the sesquiterpene lactone content and biomass accumulation were investigated in a hairy root culture of Cichorium intybus. The guaianolides crepidiaside B (1), 8-deoxylactucin (2), and the germacranolide sonchuside A (3) were quantified by RP-HPLC. Neither MJ nor SA affected the growth of examined hairy root culture. Jasmonate up-regulated biosynthesis of the analysed sesqiterpene lactones in the culture (maximum after 72 h). SA caused a transient increase in sonchuside A accumulation in the roots (up to twofold increase compared with the control) and decrease of guaianolide content.