Jeannette Mendez’s research while affiliated with Central University of Venezuela and other places

Highlights ► Twelve compounds were isolated from C. venezuelanus. ► This work constitute the first phytochemical report for C. venezuelanus. ► Chemical profile identified in this specie was similar to that of C. icaco. ► This work suggests a chemosystematic relationship between Licania and Chrysobalanus.

From the cholroform extract of the aerial parts of Couepia paraensis the triterpenes β-sitosterol1, betulinic acid acetate 2, and oleanolic acid acetate 3, were isolated. Six triterpenes from the chloroform-methanol, acids: oleanolic 4, pomolic 5, ursolic 6, betulinic 7, 6-β-hydroxybetulínic 8. Additionally from the methanolic extract three flavonoids were isolated: mricetin 9, quercetin 10 y rutina 11. The chloroform and chloroform-methanol extracts were not citotoxic at concentration of 2,5 and 3,1 μg / ml respectively after 24 hours of incubation. The methanol extract was found to be harmless to a concentration of 50 μg / ml, both at 24 hours (LD50 = 10.77 μg / ml) and 120 hours (LD50 = 28.86 μg / ml) of incubation. Only the methanol extract showed significant inhibition (41%) of the activity of G-6-Pase in intact microsomes without affecting the activity of the enzyme in microsomes broken.

From the n-butanol extract of the aerial parts of Exellodendron coriaceum (Benth.) Prance the flavonoids quercetin-3-O-beta-D-galactopyranoside (1), quercetin-3-O-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside (2), quercetin-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (3), and quercetin-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->6)-beta-D-galactopyranoside (4) were isolated. Additionally from this extract three flavonoids were isolated and partially characterized as quercetin glycosides. All these compounds were tested for their hypoglycemic activity using the glucose-6-phosphatase microsomal hepatic system. The flavonoids inhibited the activity of the enzyme when intact microsomes were used, the highest percentage of inhibition being 65%. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of chemical and biological activity of E. coriaceum.

Thirteen new triterpenoid saponins (1-13) were isolated from the aerial parts of Campsiandra guayanensis. Their structures were elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR experiments including 1D-TOCSY, DQF-COSY, ROESY, HSQC, and HMBC spectroscopy, as well as ESIMS analysis. The aglycon moieties of 1-10 were assigned as oleanane derivatives and those of 11-13 as lupane derivatives.

A new kaurane diterpene dimer, 15-oxozoapatlin-13alpha-yl-10'alpha,16'alpha-dihydroxy-9'alpha-methyl-20'-nor-kauran-19'-oic acid gamma-lactone-17'-oate (1), together with the known 13-hydroxy-15-oxozoapatlin (2), 10alpha,13alpha,16alpha,17-tetrahydroxy-9alpha-methyl-15-oxo-20-nor-kauran-19-oic acid gamma-lactone (3), 2alpha,10alpha,13alpha,16alpha,17-pentahydroxy-9alpha-methyl-15-oxo-20-nor-kauran-19-oic acid (19,10)-lactone (4), 3alpha,10alpha,13alpha,16alpha,17-pentahydroxy-9alpha-methyl-15-oxo-20-nor-kauran-19-oic acid gamma-lactone (5), and 1beta,16alpha,17-trihydroxy-ent-kaurane (6) were isolated from the leaves of Parinari campestris and identified on the basis of detailed spectral analysis, including 2D NMR spectrometry and ESI-MS.

From the methanol extract of Bauhinia megalandra fresh leaves, eight flavonoids were isolated and evaluated by rat liver microsomal glucose-6-phosphatase (G-6-Pase) bioassay, which might be a useful methodology for screening antihyperglycaemic substances. All the flavonoids assayed showed an inhibitory effect on the intact microsomal G-6-Pase: quercetin and kaempferol exhibited the lowest effect; astilbin, quercetin 3-O-alpha-rhamnoside, kaempferol 3-O-alpha-rhamnoside and quercetin 3-O-alpha-arabinoside an intermediate effect. The highest inhibitory activity was shown by quercetin 3-O-alpha-(2''-galloyl)rhamnoside and kaempferol 3-O-alpha-(2''galloyl)rhamnoside. None of the flavonoids mentioned above showed an inhibitory effect on the disrupted microsomal G-6-Pase. Quercetin 3-O-alpha-(2''-galloyl)rhamnoside and kaempferol 3-O-alpha-(2''-galloyl)rhamnoside exhibited the lowest IC50 of all the flavonoids assayed. Also, the phlorizin IC50 is reported.

In intact microsomes, quercetin 3-O-α-(2″-galloyl)rhamnoside (QGR) inhibits glucose-6-phosphatase (G-6-Pase) in a concentration-dependent manner. QGR increased the G-6-Pase Km for glucose-6-phosphate without change in the Vmax. The flavonol did not change the kinetic parameters of disrupted microsomal G-6-Pase or intact or disrupted microsomal G-6-Pase pyrophosphatase (PPase) activity. This result allowed the conclusion that QGR competitively inhibits the glucose-6-phosphate (G-6-P) transporter (T1) without affecting the catalytic subunit or the phosphate/pyrophosphate transporter (T2) of the G-6-Pase system. QGR strongly inhibits the neoglucogenic capacity of rat liver slices incubated in a Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate buffer, supplemented with lactate and oleate saturated albumin. The QGR G-6-Pase inhibition might explain the decrease in the liver slice neoglucogenic capacity and, in turn, could reduce glucose levels in diabetic patients. Copyright

Twenty-three kaurane-type diterpenes 1 - 23, including twenty new natural products 1 - 20, have been isolated from the leaves of Parinari sprucei and their structures elucidated by spectroscopic and chemical analysis. The isolated compounds were tested for their cytotoxic activity towards a panel of cancer cell lines. Compounds 9 and 10 showed activity against all cell lines with ED (50) values in the range of 10 - 20 microg/mL. The previously known 13-hydroxy-15-oxozoapatlin 21 was evaluated in an in vivo hollow fiber test, and found to be active with KB and LNCaP cells at the concentrations used.

This paper reports the phytochemical and biological studies carried out on several species of the Licania genus (Chrysobalanaceae). This genus includes many species mainly distributed in neotropical South American countries such as Venezuela, Brasil, and Mexico, most of them not yet investigated from the chemical and biological point of view. The name Licania derives from the anagram of the indigenous Venezuelan name “Calignia”.Phytochemical studies of these species led to the isolation and structural characterization, by NMR and MS analysis, of many secondary metabolites, mainly flavonoids, and expecially flavonol glycosides, clerodane diterpenes, and triterpenes having the lupane, ursane, and oleanane skeletons. Particularly flavonoids and their glycosides have a chemotaxonomic interest in the genus and in general in the Chrysobalanaceae family.Furthermore, several biological studies were performed on some crude extracts of these plants. They were found to be cytotoxic to cultured human hepatoma (HepG2), colon carcinoma (Caco-2), melanoma B16, and CA-9KB cells. In addition a molluscicidal activity against Biomphalaria glabrata was also demonstrated. Pure triterpenes showed antibacterial activity on Gram positive and yeast and a moderate cytotoxic action against KB assay, while diterpenes snowed antifungal properties. Flavonoids were also tested for their antioxidative action as radical scavengers.