Psychoactive Plant Database - Neuroactive Phytochemical Collection

1. Phytochemistry. 2022 Dec;204:113436. doi: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2022.113436.
Epub  2022 Sep 18.

Flavonolignans and biflavonoids from Cephalotaxus oliveri exert neuroprotective 
effect via Nrf2/ARE pathway.

Jiang C(1), Liu F(1), Yang H(1), Yang M(1), Li Z(1), Han T(2), Li D(3), Hua 
H(4).

Author information:
(1)Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of 
Education, and School of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang 
Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, 110016, PR China.
(2)Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, College of Life Science & 
Technology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, 5 Xinfeng Road, Daqing, 
163319, PR China. Electronic address: hantong1221@163.com.
(3)Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of 
Education, and School of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang 
Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, 110016, PR China. 
Electronic address: lidahong0203@163.com.
(4)Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of 
Education, and School of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang 
Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, 110016, PR China. 
Electronic address: huimhua@163.com.

Plants of the Cephalotaxus genus are rich in structurally diverse and naturally 
bioactive components, while limited studies have been reported for Cephalotaxus 
oliveri. Two undescribed flavonolignans and four undescribed biflavonoids, as 
well as thirteen known compounds, were isolated from the twigs and leaves of C. 
oliveri. Their structures were characterized by spectroscopic data analysis, and 
the absolute configurations were determined by electronic circular dichroism 
(ECD) calculations. All the isolated compounds were assayed for their 
neuroprotective activity against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced SH-SY5Y cell 
injury. All six undescribed compounds were effective to some degree, and 
umcephabiflovin B, apigenin 
5-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-6″-acetyl-β-D-glucopyranoside, and apigenin 
7-O-β-D-glucoside exhibited good neuroprotective activity. Umcephabiflovin B 
protected SH-SY5Y cells against H2O2-induced neurotoxicity by repressing 
oxidative stress and apoptosis and by activating the nuclear factor erythroid 
2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/antioxidant-response element (ARE) pathway.

Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2022.113436
PMID: 36130673

Conflict of interest statement: Declaration of competing interest The authors 
declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal 
relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this 
paper.


2. Chem Biodivers. 2021 Jan;18(1):e2000577. doi: 10.1002/cbdv.202000577. Epub
2020  Dec 17.

Effect of Non-Volatile Constituents of Elsholtzia ciliata (Thunb.) Hyl. from 
Southern Vietnam on Reactive Oxygen Species and Nitric Oxide Release in 
Macrophages.

Nguyen DTX(1)(2), Tran H(1), Schwaiger S(2), Stuppner H(2), Marzocco S(3).

Author information:
(1)Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and 
Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Dinh Tien Hoang 41-43, 700000, Ho Chi Minh City, 
Vietnam.
(2)Institute of Pharmacy/Pharmacognosy, Center for Molecular Biosciences 
Innsbruck, University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80-82, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
(3)Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, SA 
84084, Fisciano, Italy.

The extract of Elsholtzia ciliata aerial parts was subjected to bio-guided 
isolation using the intercellular ROS reduction in J774A.1 macrophages to 
monitor the anti-oxidative activity. Fifteen compounds were isolated from the 
active fractions including eleven flavonoids (vitexin, pedalin, 
luteolin-7-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, apigenin-5-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, 
apigenin-7-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, chrysoeriol-7-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, 
7,3'-dimethoxyluteolin-6-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, luteolin, 
5,6,4'-trihydroxy-7,3'-dimethoxyflavone, 5-hydroxy-6,7-dimethoxyflavone 
(compound 13), 5-hydroxy-7,8-dimethoxyflavone); three hydroxycinnamic acid 
derivatives (caffeic acid, 4-(E)-caffeoyl-l-threonic acid, 
4-O-(E)-p-coumaroyl-l-threonic acid) and one fatty acid (α-linolenic acid). The 
biological evaluation of these compounds (10-2.5 μm) indicated that all of them 
exerted good antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, in particular 
compound 13.

© 2020 The Authors. Chemistry & Biodiversity published by Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, 
Switzerland.

DOI: 10.1002/cbdv.202000577
PMID: 33314635 [Indexed for MEDLINE]


3. Planta Med. 2021 Oct;87(12-13):989-997. doi: 10.1055/a-1270-7761. Epub 2020
Nov  6.

Studies on Bignoniaceae: Newbouldiosides D - F, Minor Phenylethanoid Glycosides 
from Newbouldia laevis, and New Flavonoids from Markhamia zanzibarica and 
Spathodea campanulata.

Kolodziej H(1).

Author information:
(1)Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Biology, 
Berlin, Germany.

Continued examination of the stem bark of Newbouldia laevis afforded three minor 
phenylethanoid glycosides, designated as newbouldiosides D - F. Their structures 
were elucidated by spectroscopic methods as β-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethyl 
5-O-syringoyl-β-D-apiofuranosyloxy-(1 → 2)-O-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 3)]-6-O-E-sinapoyl-β-D-glucopyranoside, 
β-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethyl 
β-D-apiofuranosyloxy-(1 → 2)-O-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 3)]-6-O-E-sinapoyl-β-D-glucopyranoside, 
and β-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethyl 
β-D-apiofuranosyloxy-(1 → 2)-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-6-O-E-sinapoyl-β-D-glucopyranoside, 
respectively. These metabolites are the first members possessing a sinapoyl 
structural element. In addition, the series of naturally occurring flavonoids is 
extended by the identification of 3',4',5,7-tetrahydroxy-5'-methoxyflavanone and 
apigenin-5-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside obtained from leaf 
extracts of Markhamia zanzibarica and 
aromadendrin-7-O-(2″-O-formyl)-β-D-glucopyranoside isolated from Spathodea 
campanulata. The latter compound is the first example of a flavonoid possessing 
a formylated glucosyl moiety.

Thieme. All rights reserved.

DOI: 10.1055/a-1270-7761
PMID: 33157560 [Indexed for MEDLINE]

Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflict 
of interest.


4. Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 2017 Jul;42(13):2510-2517. doi: 
10.19540/j.cnki.cjcmm.2017.0116.

[Studies on chemical constituents of Clinopodium chinense].

[Article in Chinese]

Wang LT(1)(2), Sun ZH(3), Zhong ML(3), Wu HF(3), Zhang HJ(3), Zhu NL(3), Sun 
GB(3), Ye XX(1), Xu XD(3), Zhu YD(1), Yang JS(3).

Author information:
(1)School of Pharmacy, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
(2)School of Medicine, Shandong University, Ji'nan 250012, China.
(3)Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese 
Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant 
Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, 
Beijing 100193, China.

Twenty-eight compounds were isolated and purified from Clinopodium chinense by 
Sephedax LH-20, ODS, MCI and preparative HPLC. Their structures were identified 
as apigenin (1), apigenin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (2), 
apigenin-7-O-β-D-glucuronopyranoside (3), thellungianol (4), 
apigenin-7-O-β-D-rutinoside (5), luteolin (6), luteolin-4'-O-β-D-glucopyranoside 
(7), apigenin-7-O-β-D-pyranglycuronate butyl ester (8), 
luteolin-7-O-β-D-rutinoside (9), luteolin-7-O-β-D-noehesperidoside (10), 
acacetin (11), acacetin-7-O-β-D-glucuronopyranoside (12), buddleoside (13), 
naringenin (14), pruning (15), nairutin (16), isosakuranetin (17), isosakuranin 
(18), didymin (19), hesperidin (20), kaempferol (21), quercetin (22), 
kaempferol-3-O-α-L-rahmnoside (23), p-hydroxycinnamic acid (24), caffeic acid 
(25), cis-3-[2-[1-(3,4-dihydroxy-phenyl)-1 
-hydroxymethyl]-1,3-ben-zodioxol-5-yl]-(E)-2-propenoic acid (26), mesaconic acid 
(27), gentisic acid 5-O-β-D-(6'-salicylyl)-glucopyranoside (28). Among them, 
compounds 7, 9-10, 12, 23, 26-28 were isolated from the Clinopodium for the 
first time. The protective effects of compounds 1-6, 8-17 and 19 against 
H2O2-induced H9c2 cardiomyocyte injury were tested, compounds 15 exhibited 
significantly protective effects. Compared with the cell viability of 
(62.12±6.18)% in the model, pruning exhibited viabilities of (84.25±7.36)% at 
25.0 mg•L⁻¹, respectively, using quercetin as a positive control [cell viability 
of (84.55±8.26)%, 20 mg•L⁻¹].

Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

DOI: 10.19540/j.cnki.cjcmm.2017.0116
PMID: 28840692 [Indexed for MEDLINE]

Conflict of interest statement: The authors of this article and the planning 
committee members and staff have no relevant financial relationships with 
commercial interests to disclose.


5. Saudi Pharm J. 2017 Jan;25(1):104-109. doi: 10.1016/j.jsps.2016.05.004. Epub 
2016 May 24.

Bioactivity and chemical characterization of Acalypha fruticosa Forssk. growing 
in Saudi Arabia.

Fawzy GA(1), Al-Taweel AM(2), Perveen S(2), Khan SI(3), Al-Omary FA(4).

Author information:
(1)Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, PO 
Box 2457, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of 
Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo 11562, Egypt.
(2)Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, PO 
Box 2457, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
(3)National Center for Natural Products Research, School of Pharmacy, University 
of Mississippi, 38677, USA.
(4)Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, King Saud 
University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.

Acalypha is an important genus of the Euphorbiaceae family. The genus is 
represented by five species in Saudi Arabia. Acalypha fruticosa Forssk. Fl. Aeg 
is traditionally used as a cure for stomachache, dyspepsia, rheumatism, 
dermatitis, and swellings of the body. The present study endeavors to provide a 
phytochemical and biological evaluation of the plant, with the aim of relating 
activity to constituting secondary metabolites in the plant. Column 
chromatographic separation of the methanol extract led to the isolation of four 
compounds namely 2-methyl-5,7-dihydroxychromone 5-O-β-d-glucopyranoside 1, 
acalyphin 2, apigenin 3 and kaempferol 3-O-rutinoside 4. The plant extracts and 
the isolated compounds were subjected to biological assays to screen peroxisome 
proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) and PPARγ agonistic, 
anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activities. Results proved for the first time, 
the PPARγ activator effect of acalyphin, as well as its promising 
anti-inflammatory activity, in addition to the dual PPAR activator effect of the 
chromone glucoside. The plant extracts and isolated compounds were non-cytotoxic 
to the tested cell lines. Thus A. fruticosa could be a valuable source of 
important therapeutics that may hold clinical prospect.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jsps.2016.05.004
PMCID: PMC5310151
PMID: 28223870