Cannabis research has historically focused on the most prevalent cannabinoids. However, extracts with a broad spectrum of secondary metabolites may have increased efficacy and decreased adverse effects compared to cannabinoids in isolation. Cannabis's complexity contributes to the length and breadth of its historical usage, including the individual application of the leaves, stem barks, and roots, for which modern research has not fully developed its therapeutic potential. This study is the first attempt to profile secondary metabolites groups in individual plant parts comprehensively. We profiled 14 cannabinoids, 47 terpenoids (29 monoterpenoids, 15 sesquiterpenoids, and 3 triterpenoids), 3 sterols, and 7 flavonoids in cannabis flowers, leaves, stem barks, and roots in three chemovars available. Cannabis inflorescence was characterized by cannabinoids (15.77-20.37%), terpenoids (1.28-2.14%), and flavonoids (0.07-0.14%); the leaf by cannabinoids (1.10-2.10%), terpenoids (0.13-0.28%), and flavonoids (0.34-0.44%); stem barks by sterols (0.07-0.08%) and triterpenoids (0.05-0.15%); roots by sterols (0.06-0.09%) and triterpenoids (0.13-0.24%). This comprehensive profile of bioactive compounds can form a baseline of reference values useful for research and clinical studies to understand the "entourage effect" of cannabis as a whole, and also to rediscover therapeutic potential for each part of cannabis from their traditional use by applying modern scientific methodologies. Cannabis is a complex herbal medicine containing several classes of secondary metabolites, including at least 104 cannabinoids, 120 terpenoids (including 61 monoterpenes, 52 sesquiterpenoids, and 5 triterpenoids), 26 flavonoids, and 11 steroids among 545 identified compounds 1-6. The postulated biosynthetic pathways for these metabolite groups 7,8 are outlined in Fig. 1. Cannabis has attracted a new wave of interest for its broad medicinal applications as 1) an analgesic, potentially as an adjunct to or substitute for opiates in the treatment of chronic pain 9 , and 2) an appetite stimulant and digestive aid 10 , among others. Since the 1960s, the research has focussed mainly on cannabinoids, ∆ 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (∆ 9-THC), and cannabidiol (CBD) in particular 11-28. The major psychoactive content expressed as total THC decreases in the order of inflorescences (10-12%), leaves (1-2%), stems (0.1-0.3%), roots (<0.03%), and seeds (generally absent) 29. As such, female flower tops are harvested while other parts are often discarded by growers 29. This is a potentially unnecessary waste. As an ancient medicine in various cultures, each part of the cannabis plant has been historically indicated with a wide range of applications relating mostly to painkilling, inflammation releasing, and mental illness treatment 30-33. Compounds other than ∆ 9-THC and CBD may contribute to the therapeutic effects of each plant part in their traditional uses. Minor cannabinoids, such as cannabinol (CBN), cannabigerol (CBG), cannabichromene (CBC), also have broad therapeu...

Two unusual phenanthrene derivatives related to aporphine alkaloids, artapilosines A (1) and B (2), as well as two biogenetically related known aporphine alkaloids, (−)-anonaine (3) and (−)-N-acetylanonaine (4), were separated and purified from Artabotrys pilosus. Artapilosine A (1) is the first compound representative of a new class of phenanthrene derivatives having an unprecedented carbon skeleton, in which the six-membered nitrogen-containing heterocyclic structure in a typical aporphine alkaloid was substituted with a unique five-membered carbocyclic ring. This is the first report of the formation of a carbon−carbon bond between C-5 and C-6a in 1 with the loss of the nitrogen atom N-6 in the classic aporphine alkaloid. Artapilosine B (2) is a novel phenanthrene derivative having a hydroxyethyl as a substituent on the phenanthrene ring. Their chemical structures as well as absolute configurations were determined based on analysis of spectroscopic data. Additionally, the potential anti-HIV activities of all isolates 1−4 were appraised. Artapilosines A (1) and B (2) showed notable anti-HIV reverse transcriptase affects, with EC 50 values of 20.93 and 125.29 nM, respectively. These results suggested that the discovery of these novel phenanthrene derivatives from A. pilosus with remarkable anti-HIV effects could be essentially important for the researching and developing of new anti-HIV agents.

Treatment of 3β-cholesteryl methanesulfonate with tetrabutylammonium halides in the presence of BF3·Et2O provides a mild and efficient method for the preparation of 3β-cholesteryl halides via i-steroid and retro-i-steroid rearrangements. The utilization of tetrabutylammonium halides avoided the moisture sensitivity and lowered the cost of reagents for the reported method based on trimethylsilyl halides.

A unique prenylated bicarbazole alkaloid, clausanisumine (1), and two biogenetically related known monomer carbazole alkaloids, mukonal (2) and 3-methylcarbazole (3), were isolated from the fruits of Clausena anisum-olens. Clausanisumine (1) was an uncommon prenylated bicarbazole alkaloid, possessing an unprecedented carbon skeleton, which was composed of a simple carbazole alkaloid and a prenylated carbazole alkaloid. The chemical structure of 1 was established by a combination of comprehensive spectral methods. A plausible biosynthetic pathway of 1 was also proposed. Additionally, the potential anti-HIV activities of all isolates 1–3 in vitro were evaluated. Compound 1 exhibited remarkable anti-HIV-1 reverse transcriptase effects showing an EC50 value of 18.58 nM. The discovery of the prenylated bicarbazole alkaloid from C. anisum-olens with notable anti-HIV activity would be meaningful to discovering and developing new anti-HIV drugs.

To study the chemical constituents from the ripe fresh fruits of Syzygium samarangense (wax apple) and their potential health effects, a phytochemical investigation was undertaken. A new δ-lactone derivative, syzysamalactone (1), along with a known biogenetically related δ-lactone derivative, 6-pentyl-α-pyrone (2), were isolated from the fresh ripe fruits of S. samarangense. Syzysamalactone (1) is an unusual 11-carbon δ-lactone derivative, and its chemical structure and absolute configuration were elucidated by spectroscopic data analysis. A plausible biogenetic pathway for 1 was also proposed. Furthermore, the potential neuroprotective effects of compounds 1 and 2 were assessed. As a result, compounds 1 and 2 displayed notable neuroprotective effects with EC50 values of 0.29 ± 0.03 and 1.28 ± 0.06 μM, respectively, using the SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cell line. This is the first report of δ-lactone derivatives showing significant neuroprotective activities.