Sample records for active chemical compounds

  1. Anti-trypanosomal activities and structural chemical properties of selected compound classes.

    PubMed

    Ponte-Sucre, Alicia; Bruhn, Heike; Schirmeister, Tanja; Cecil, Alexander; Albert, Christian R; Buechold, Christian; Tischer, Maximilian; Schlesinger, Susanne; Goebel, Tim; Fuß, Antje; Mathein, Daniela; Merget, Benjamin; Sotriffer, Christoph A; Stich, August; Krohne, Georg; Engstler, Markus; Bringmann, Gerhard; Holzgrabe, Ulrike

    2015-02-01

    Potent compounds do not necessarily make the best drugs in the market. Consequently, with the aim to describe tools that may be fundamental for refining the screening of candidates for animal and preclinical studies and further development, molecules of different structural classes synthesized within the frame of a broad screening platform were evaluated for their trypanocidal activities, cytotoxicities against murine macrophages J774.1 and selectivity indices, as well as for their ligand efficiencies and structural chemical properties. To advance into their modes of action, we also describe the morphological and ultrastructural changes exerted by selected members of each compound class on the parasite Trypanosoma brucei. Our data suggest that the potential organelles targeted are either the flagellar pocket (compound 77, N-Arylpyridinium salt; 15, amino acid derivative with piperazine moieties), the endoplasmic reticulum membrane systems (37, bisquaternary bisnaphthalimide; 77, N-Arylpyridinium salt; 68, piperidine derivative), or mitochondria and kinetoplasts (88, N-Arylpyridinium salt; 68, piperidine derivative). Amino acid derivatives with fumaric acid and piperazine moieties (4, 15) weakly inhibiting cysteine proteases seem to preferentially target acidic compartments. Our results suggest that ligand efficiency indices may be helpful to learn about the relationship between potency and chemical characteristics of the compounds. Interestingly, the correlations found between the physico-chemical parameters of the selected compounds and those of commercial molecules that target specific organelles indicate that our rationale might be helpful to drive compound design toward high activities and acceptable pharmacokinetic properties for all compound families.

  2. Target Fishing for Chemical Compounds using Target-Ligand Activity data and Ranking based Methods

    PubMed Central

    Wale, Nikil; Karypis, George

    2009-01-01

    In recent years the development of computational techniques that identify all the likely targets for a given chemical compound, also termed as the problem of Target Fishing, has been an active area of research. Identification of likely targets of a chemical compound helps to understand problems such as toxicity, lack of efficacy in humans, and poor physical properties associated with that compound in the early stages of drug discovery. In this paper we present a set of techniques whose goal is to rank or prioritize targets in the context of a given chemical compound such that most targets that this compound may show activity against appear higher in the ranked list. These methods are based on our extensions to the SVM and Ranking Perceptron algorithms for this problem. Our extensive experimental study shows that the methods developed in this work outperform previous approaches by 2% to 60% under different evaluation criterions. PMID:19764745

  3. Propolis volatile compounds: chemical diversity and biological activity: a review

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Propolis is a sticky material collected by bees from plants, and used in the hive as building material and defensive substance. It has been popular as a remedy in Europe since ancient times. Nowadays, propolis use in over-the-counter preparations, “bio”-cosmetics and functional foods, etc., increases. Volatile compounds are found in low concentrations in propolis, but their aroma and significant biological activity make them important for propolis characterisation. Propolis is a plant-derived product: its chemical composition depends on the local flora at the site of collection, thus it offers a significant chemical diversity. The role of propolis volatiles in identification of its plant origin is discussed. The available data about chemical composition of propolis volatiles from different geographic regions are reviewed, demonstrating significant chemical variability. The contribution of volatiles and their constituents to the biological activities of propolis is considered. Future perspectives in research on propolis volatiles are outlined, especially in studying activities other than antimicrobial. PMID:24812573

  4. Exploring sets of molecules from patents and relationships to other active compounds in chemical space networks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kunimoto, Ryo; Bajorath, Jürgen

    2017-09-01

    Patents from medicinal chemistry represent a rich source of novel compounds and activity data that appear only infrequently in the scientific literature. Moreover, patent information provides a primary focal point for drug discovery. Accordingly, text mining and image extraction approaches have become hot topics in patent analysis and repositories of patent data are being established. In this work, we have generated network representations using alternative similarity measures to systematically compare molecules from patents with other bioactive compounds, visualize similarity relationships, explore the chemical neighbourhood of patent molecules, and identify closely related compounds with different activities. The design of network representations that combine patent molecules and other bioactive compounds and view patent information in the context of current bioactive chemical space aids in the analysis of patents and further extends the use of molecular networks to explore structure-activity relationships.

  5. Pupicidal and repellent activities of Pogostemon cablin essential oil chemical compounds against medically important human vector mosquitoes

    PubMed Central

    Gokulakrishnan, J; Kuppusamy, Elumalai; Shanmugam, Dhanasekaran; Appavu, Anandan; Kaliyamoorthi, Krishnappa

    2013-01-01

    Objective To determine the repellent and pupicidal activities of Pogostemon cablin (P. cablin) chemical compositions were assayed for their toxicity against selected important vector mosquitoes, viz., Aedes aegypti (Ae. aegypti), Anopheles stephensi (An. stephensi) and Culex quinquefasciatus (Cx. quinquefasciatus) (Diptera: Culicidae). Methods The plants dry aerial parts were subjected to hydrodistillation using a modified Clevenger-type apparatus. The composition of the essential oil was analyzed by Gas Chromatography (GC) and GC mass spectrophotometry. Evaluation was carried out in a net cage (45 cm×30 cm×45 cm) containing 100 blood starved female mosquitoes and were assayed in the laboratory condition by using the protocol of WHO 2010. The repellent activity of P. cablin chemical compositions at concentration of 2mg/cm2were applied on skin of fore arm in man and exposed against adult female mosquitoes. The pupicidal activity was determined against selected important vector mosquitoes to concentration of 100 mg/L and mortality of each pupa was recorded after 24 h of exposure to the compounds. Results Chemical constituents of 15 compounds were identified in the oil of P.cablin compounds representing to 98.96%. The major components in essential oil were â-patchoulene, á-guaiene, ã-patchoulene, á-bulnesene and patchouli alcohol. The repellent activity of patchouli alcohol compound was found to be most effective for repellent activity and 2 mg/cm2 concentration provided 100% protection up to 280 min against Ae. aegypti, An. stephensi and Cx. quinquefasciatus, respectively. Similarly, pupae exposed to 100 mg/L concentrations of P. cablin chemical compositions. Among five compounds tested patchouli alcoholwas found to be most effective for pupicidal activity provided 28.44, 26.28 and 25.36 against Ae.aegypti, An.stephensi and Cx. quinquefasciatus, respectively. The percent adult emergence was inversely proportional to the concentration of compounds and directly

  6. Devices for collecting chemical compounds

    DOEpatents

    Scott, Jill R; Groenewold, Gary S

    2013-12-24

    A device for sampling chemical compounds from fixed surfaces and related methods are disclosed. The device may include a vacuum source, a chamber and a sorbent material. The device may utilize vacuum extraction to volatilize the chemical compounds from a fixed surface so that they may be sorbed by the sorbent material. The sorbent material may then be analyzed using conventional thermal desorption/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TD/GC/MS) instrumentation to determine presence of the chemical compounds. The methods may include detecting release and presence of one or more chemical compounds and determining the efficacy of decontamination. The device may be useful in collection and analysis of a variety of chemical compounds, such as residual chemical warfare agents, chemical attribution signatures and toxic industrial chemicals.

  7. Quantum chemical and statistical study of megazol-derived compounds with trypanocidal activity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rosselli, F. P.; Albuquerque, C. N.; da Silva, A. B. F.

    In this work we performed a structure-activity relationship (SAR) study with the aim to correlate molecular properties of the megazol compound and 10 of its analogs with the biological activity against Trypanosoma cruzi (trypanocidal or antichagasic activity) presented by these molecules. The biological activity indication was obtained from in vitro tests and the molecular properties (variables or descriptors) were obtained from the optimized chemical structures by using the PM3 semiempirical method. It was calculated ˜80 molecular properties selected among steric, constitutional, electronic, and lipophilicity properties. In order to reduce dimensionality and investigate which subset of variables (descriptors) would be more effective in classifying the compounds studied, according to their degree of trypanocidal activity, we employed statistical methodologies (pattern recognition and classification techniques) such as principal component analysis (PCA), hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), K-nearest neighbor (KNN), and discriminant function analysis (DFA). These methods showed that the descriptors molecular mass (MM), energy of the second lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO+1), charge on the first nitrogen at substituent 2 (qN'), dihedral angles (D1 and D2), bond length between atom C4 and its substituent (L4), Moriguchi octanol-partition coefficient (MLogP), and length-to-breadth ratio (L/Bw) were the variables responsible for the separation between active and inactive compounds against T. cruzi. Afterwards, the PCA, KNN, and DFA models built in this work were used to perform trypanocidal activity predictions for eight new megazol analog compounds.

  8. Chemical composition and antioxidant activity of phenolic compounds and essential oils from Calamintha nepeta L.

    PubMed

    Khodja, Nabyla Khaled; Boulekbache, Lila; Chegdani, Fatima; Dahmani, Karima; Bennis, Faiza; Madani, Khodir

    2018-05-24

    Background Essential oils, infusion and decoction extracts of Calamintha nepeta L. were evaluated for their bioactive substances (polyphenols and essential oils) and antioxidant activities. Methods The amounts of phenolic compounds were determined by colorimetric assays and identified by high performance and liquid chromatography coupled with ultraviolet detector (HPLC-UV) method. The chemical composition of essential oils was determined by gas-chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS) method. For the evaluation of the antioxidant activity of essential oils and extracts, two different assays (reducing power and DPPH radical scavenging activity) were used. Results Infusion extract presented the highest phenolic content, followed by the decoction one, while the lowest amount was observed in essential oils. The amount of flavonoids of the decocted extract was higher than that of the infused one. The phenolic profile of C. nepeta infusion and decoction extracts revealed the presence of 28 and 13 peaks, respectively. Four phenolics compounds were identified in infusion (gallic acid (GA), rosmarinic acid (RA), caffeine (C) and caffeic acid (CA)) and two were identified in decoction (GA and RA). The chemical composition of essential oils revealed the presence of 29 compounds, accounting for the 99.7% of the total oils. Major compounds of essential oil (EO) were trans-menthone (50.06%) and pulegone (33.46%). Infusion and decoction extracts revealed an interesting antioxidant activity which correlates positively with their total phenolic contents. Conclusions These results showed that Calamintha nepeta could be considered as a valuable source of phenolics and essential oils with potent antioxidant activity.

  9. STATISTICAL DATA ON CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    DATA STORAGE SYSTEMS, FEASIBILITY STUDIES, COMPUTERS, STATISTICAL DATA , DOCUMENTS, ARMY...CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS, INFORMATION RETRIEVAL), (*INFORMATION RETRIEVAL, CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS), MOLECULAR STRUCTURE, BIBLIOGRAPHIES, DATA PROCESSING

  10. Automated compound classification using a chemical ontology.

    PubMed

    Bobach, Claudia; Böhme, Timo; Laube, Ulf; Püschel, Anett; Weber, Lutz

    2012-12-29

    Classification of chemical compounds into compound classes by using structure derived descriptors is a well-established method to aid the evaluation and abstraction of compound properties in chemical compound databases. MeSH and recently ChEBI are examples of chemical ontologies that provide a hierarchical classification of compounds into general compound classes of biological interest based on their structural as well as property or use features. In these ontologies, compounds have been assigned manually to their respective classes. However, with the ever increasing possibilities to extract new compounds from text documents using name-to-structure tools and considering the large number of compounds deposited in databases, automated and comprehensive chemical classification methods are needed to avoid the error prone and time consuming manual classification of compounds. In the present work we implement principles and methods to construct a chemical ontology of classes that shall support the automated, high-quality compound classification in chemical databases or text documents. While SMARTS expressions have already been used to define chemical structure class concepts, in the present work we have extended the expressive power of such class definitions by expanding their structure-based reasoning logic. Thus, to achieve the required precision and granularity of chemical class definitions, sets of SMARTS class definitions are connected by OR and NOT logical operators. In addition, AND logic has been implemented to allow the concomitant use of flexible atom lists and stereochemistry definitions. The resulting chemical ontology is a multi-hierarchical taxonomy of concept nodes connected by directed, transitive relationships. A proposal for a rule based definition of chemical classes has been made that allows to define chemical compound classes more precisely than before. The proposed structure-based reasoning logic allows to translate chemistry expert knowledge into a

  11. Automated compound classification using a chemical ontology

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Classification of chemical compounds into compound classes by using structure derived descriptors is a well-established method to aid the evaluation and abstraction of compound properties in chemical compound databases. MeSH and recently ChEBI are examples of chemical ontologies that provide a hierarchical classification of compounds into general compound classes of biological interest based on their structural as well as property or use features. In these ontologies, compounds have been assigned manually to their respective classes. However, with the ever increasing possibilities to extract new compounds from text documents using name-to-structure tools and considering the large number of compounds deposited in databases, automated and comprehensive chemical classification methods are needed to avoid the error prone and time consuming manual classification of compounds. Results In the present work we implement principles and methods to construct a chemical ontology of classes that shall support the automated, high-quality compound classification in chemical databases or text documents. While SMARTS expressions have already been used to define chemical structure class concepts, in the present work we have extended the expressive power of such class definitions by expanding their structure-based reasoning logic. Thus, to achieve the required precision and granularity of chemical class definitions, sets of SMARTS class definitions are connected by OR and NOT logical operators. In addition, AND logic has been implemented to allow the concomitant use of flexible atom lists and stereochemistry definitions. The resulting chemical ontology is a multi-hierarchical taxonomy of concept nodes connected by directed, transitive relationships. Conclusions A proposal for a rule based definition of chemical classes has been made that allows to define chemical compound classes more precisely than before. The proposed structure-based reasoning logic allows to translate

  12. LigandBox: A database for 3D structures of chemical compounds

    PubMed Central

    Kawabata, Takeshi; Sugihara, Yusuke; Fukunishi, Yoshifumi; Nakamura, Haruki

    2013-01-01

    A database for the 3D structures of available compounds is essential for the virtual screening by molecular docking. We have developed the LigandBox database (http://ligandbox.protein.osaka-u.ac.jp/ligandbox/) containing four million available compounds, collected from the catalogues of 37 commercial suppliers, and approved drugs and biochemical compounds taken from KEGG_DRUG, KEGG_COMPOUND and PDB databases. Each chemical compound in the database has several 3D conformers with hydrogen atoms and atomic charges, which are ready to be docked into receptors using docking programs. The 3D conformations were generated using our molecular simulation program package, myPresto. Various physical properties, such as aqueous solubility (LogS) and carcinogenicity have also been calculated to characterize the ADME-Tox properties of the compounds. The Web database provides two services for compound searches: a property/chemical ID search and a chemical structure search. The chemical structure search is performed by a descriptor search and a maximum common substructure (MCS) search combination, using our program kcombu. By specifying a query chemical structure, users can find similar compounds among the millions of compounds in the database within a few minutes. Our database is expected to assist a wide range of researchers, in the fields of medical science, chemical biology, and biochemistry, who are seeking to discover active chemical compounds by the virtual screening. PMID:27493549

  13. LigandBox: A database for 3D structures of chemical compounds.

    PubMed

    Kawabata, Takeshi; Sugihara, Yusuke; Fukunishi, Yoshifumi; Nakamura, Haruki

    2013-01-01

    A database for the 3D structures of available compounds is essential for the virtual screening by molecular docking. We have developed the LigandBox database (http://ligandbox.protein.osaka-u.ac.jp/ligandbox/) containing four million available compounds, collected from the catalogues of 37 commercial suppliers, and approved drugs and biochemical compounds taken from KEGG_DRUG, KEGG_COMPOUND and PDB databases. Each chemical compound in the database has several 3D conformers with hydrogen atoms and atomic charges, which are ready to be docked into receptors using docking programs. The 3D conformations were generated using our molecular simulation program package, myPresto. Various physical properties, such as aqueous solubility (LogS) and carcinogenicity have also been calculated to characterize the ADME-Tox properties of the compounds. The Web database provides two services for compound searches: a property/chemical ID search and a chemical structure search. The chemical structure search is performed by a descriptor search and a maximum common substructure (MCS) search combination, using our program kcombu. By specifying a query chemical structure, users can find similar compounds among the millions of compounds in the database within a few minutes. Our database is expected to assist a wide range of researchers, in the fields of medical science, chemical biology, and biochemistry, who are seeking to discover active chemical compounds by the virtual screening.

  14. A model explaining and predicting lamb flavour from the aroma-active chemical compounds released upon grilling light lamb loins.

    PubMed

    Bueno, Mónica; Campo, M Mar; Cacho, Juan; Ferreira, Vicente; Escudero, Ana

    2014-12-01

    The objective of the work is to understand the role of the different aroma compounds in the perception of the local "lamb flavour" concept. For this, a set of 70 loins (Longissimus dorsi) from approximately seventy day-old Rasa Aragonesa male lambs were grilled and the aroma-active chemicals released during the grilling process were trapped and analyzed. Carbonyl compounds were derivatizated and determined by GC-NCI-MS, whereas other aromatic compounds were directly analyzed by GC-GC-MS. Odour activity values (OAVs) were calculated using their odour threshold values in air. Lamb flavour could be satisfactory explained by a partial least-squares model (74% explained variance in cross-validation) built by the OAVs of 32 aroma-active chemical compounds. The model demonstrates that the lamb flavour concept is the result of a complex balance. Its intensity critically and positively depends to the levels of volatile fatty acids and several dimethylpyrazines while is negatively influenced by the different alkenals and alkadienals. (E,E)-2,4-decadienal and (E)-2-nonenal showed top OAVs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Identification of Three Classes of Heteroaromatic Compounds with Activity against Intracellular Trypanosoma cruzi by Chemical Library Screening

    PubMed Central

    Bettiol, Esther; Samanovic, Marie; Murkin, Andrew S.; Raper, Jayne; Buckner, Frederick; Rodriguez, Ana

    2009-01-01

    The development of new drugs against Chagas disease is a priority since the currently available medicines have toxic effects, partial efficacy and are targeted against the acute phase of disease. At present, there is no drug to treat the chronic stage. In this study, we have optimized a whole cell-based assay for high throughput screening of compounds that inhibit infection of mammalian cells by Trypanosoma cruzi trypomastigotes. A 2000-compound chemical library was screened using a recombinant T. cruzi (Tulahuen strain) expressing β-galactosidase. Three hits were selected for their high activity against T. cruzi and low toxicity to host cells in vitro: PCH1, NT1 and CX1 (IC50: 54, 190 and 23 nM, respectively). Each of these three compounds presents a different mechanism of action on intracellular proliferation of T. cruzi amastigotes. CX1 shows strong trypanocidal activity, an essential characteristic for the development of drugs against the chronic stage of Chagas disease where parasites are found intracellular in a quiescent stage. NT1 has a trypanostatic effect, while PCH1 affects parasite division. The three compounds also show high activity against intracellular T. cruzi from the Y strain and against the related kinetoplastid species Leishmania major and L. amazonensis. Characterization of the anti–T. cruzi activity of molecules chemically related to the three library hits allowed the selection of two compounds with IC50 values of 2 nM (PCH6 and CX2). These values are approximately 100 times lower than those of the medicines used in patients against T. cruzi. These results provide new candidate molecules for the development of treatments against Chagas disease and leishmaniasis. PMID:19238193

  16. Identification of three classes of heteroaromatic compounds with activity against intracellular Trypanosoma cruzi by chemical library screening.

    PubMed

    Bettiol, Esther; Samanovic, Marie; Murkin, Andrew S; Raper, Jayne; Buckner, Frederick; Rodriguez, Ana

    2009-01-01

    The development of new drugs against Chagas disease is a priority since the currently available medicines have toxic effects, partial efficacy and are targeted against the acute phase of disease. At present, there is no drug to treat the chronic stage. In this study, we have optimized a whole cell-based assay for high throughput screening of compounds that inhibit infection of mammalian cells by Trypanosoma cruzi trypomastigotes. A 2000-compound chemical library was screened using a recombinant T. cruzi (Tulahuen strain) expressing beta-galactosidase. Three hits were selected for their high activity against T. cruzi and low toxicity to host cells in vitro: PCH1, NT1 and CX1 (IC(50): 54, 190 and 23 nM, respectively). Each of these three compounds presents a different mechanism of action on intracellular proliferation of T. cruzi amastigotes. CX1 shows strong trypanocidal activity, an essential characteristic for the development of drugs against the chronic stage of Chagas disease where parasites are found intracellular in a quiescent stage. NT1 has a trypanostatic effect, while PCH1 affects parasite division. The three compounds also show high activity against intracellular T. cruzi from the Y strain and against the related kinetoplastid species Leishmania major and L. amazonensis. Characterization of the anti-T. cruzi activity of molecules chemically related to the three library hits allowed the selection of two compounds with IC(50) values of 2 nM (PCH6 and CX2). These values are approximately 100 times lower than those of the medicines used in patients against T. cruzi. These results provide new candidate molecules for the development of treatments against Chagas disease and leishmaniasis.

  17. Chemical-genetic profile analysis of five inhibitory compounds in yeast.

    PubMed

    Alamgir, Md; Erukova, Veronika; Jessulat, Matthew; Azizi, Ali; Golshani, Ashkan

    2010-08-06

    Chemical-genetic profiling of inhibitory compounds can lead to identification of their modes of action. These profiles can help elucidate the complex interactions between small bioactive compounds and the cell machinery, and explain putative gene function(s). Colony size reduction was used to investigate the chemical-genetic profile of cycloheximide, 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole, paromomycin, streptomycin and neomycin in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These compounds target the process of protein biosynthesis. More than 70,000 strains were analyzed from the array of gene deletion mutant yeast strains. As expected, the overall profiles of the tested compounds were similar, with deletions for genes involved in protein biosynthesis being the major category followed by metabolism. This implies that novel genes involved in protein biosynthesis could be identified from these profiles. Further investigations were carried out to assess the activity of three profiled genes in the process of protein biosynthesis using relative fitness of double mutants and other genetic assays. Chemical-genetic profiles provide insight into the molecular mechanism(s) of the examined compounds by elucidating their potential primary and secondary cellular target sites. Our follow-up investigations into the activity of three profiled genes in the process of protein biosynthesis provided further evidence concerning the usefulness of chemical-genetic analyses for annotating gene functions. We termed these genes TAE2, TAE3 and TAE4 for translation associated elements 2-4.

  18. Device for collecting chemical compounds and related methods

    DOEpatents

    Scott, Jill R.; Groenewold, Gary S.; Rae, Catherine

    2013-01-01

    A device for sampling chemical compounds from fixed surfaces and related methods are disclosed. The device may include a vacuum source, a chamber and a sorbent material. The device may utilize vacuum extraction to volatilize the chemical compounds from the fixed surfaces so that they may be sorbed by the sorbent material. The sorbent material may then be analyzed using conventional thermal desorption/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TD/GC/MS) instrumentation to determine presence of the chemical compounds. The methods may include detecting release and presence of one or more chemical compounds and determining the efficacy of decontamination. The device may be useful in collection and analysis of a variety of chemical compounds, such as residual chemical warfare agents, chemical attribution signatures and toxic industrial chemicals.

  19. Systematic chemical-genetic and chemical-chemical interaction datasets for prediction of compound synergism

    PubMed Central

    Wildenhain, Jan; Spitzer, Michaela; Dolma, Sonam; Jarvik, Nick; White, Rachel; Roy, Marcia; Griffiths, Emma; Bellows, David S.; Wright, Gerard D.; Tyers, Mike

    2016-01-01

    The network structure of biological systems suggests that effective therapeutic intervention may require combinations of agents that act synergistically. However, a dearth of systematic chemical combination datasets have limited the development of predictive algorithms for chemical synergism. Here, we report two large datasets of linked chemical-genetic and chemical-chemical interactions in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We screened 5,518 unique compounds against 242 diverse yeast gene deletion strains to generate an extended chemical-genetic matrix (CGM) of 492,126 chemical-gene interaction measurements. This CGM dataset contained 1,434 genotype-specific inhibitors, termed cryptagens. We selected 128 structurally diverse cryptagens and tested all pairwise combinations to generate a benchmark dataset of 8,128 pairwise chemical-chemical interaction tests for synergy prediction, termed the cryptagen matrix (CM). An accompanying database resource called ChemGRID was developed to enable analysis, visualisation and downloads of all data. The CGM and CM datasets will facilitate the benchmarking of computational approaches for synergy prediction, as well as chemical structure-activity relationship models for anti-fungal drug discovery. PMID:27874849

  20. Revealing Individual Lifestyles through Mass Spectrometry Imaging of Chemical Compounds in Fingerprints.

    PubMed

    Hinners, Paige; O'Neill, Kelly C; Lee, Young Jin

    2018-03-26

    Fingerprints, specifically the ridge details within the print, have long been used in forensic investigations for individual identification. Beyond the ridge detail, fingerprints contain useful chemical information. The study of fingerprint chemical information has become of interest, especially with mass spectrometry imaging technologies. Mass spectrometry imaging visualizes the spatial relationship of each compound detected, allowing ridge detail and chemical information in a single analysis. In this work, a range of exogenous fingerprint compounds that may reveal a personal lifestyle were studied using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI). Studied chemical compounds include various brands of bug sprays and sunscreens, as well as food oils, alcohols, and citrus fruits. Brand differentiation and source determination were possible based on the active ingredients or exclusive compounds left in fingerprints. Tandem mass spectrometry was performed for the key compounds, so that these compounds could be confidently identified in a single multiplex mass spectrometry imaging data acquisition.

  1. QSAR modeling and chemical space analysis of antimalarial compounds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sidorov, Pavel; Viira, Birgit; Davioud-Charvet, Elisabeth; Maran, Uko; Marcou, Gilles; Horvath, Dragos; Varnek, Alexandre

    2017-05-01

    Generative topographic mapping (GTM) has been used to visualize and analyze the chemical space of antimalarial compounds as well as to build predictive models linking structure of molecules with their antimalarial activity. For this, a database, including 3000 molecules tested in one or several of 17 anti- Plasmodium activity assessment protocols, has been compiled by assembling experimental data from in-house and ChEMBL databases. GTM classification models built on subsets corresponding to individual bioassays perform similarly to the earlier reported SVM models. Zones preferentially populated by active and inactive molecules, respectively, clearly emerge in the class landscapes supported by the GTM model. Their analysis resulted in identification of privileged structural motifs of potential antimalarial compounds. Projection of marketed antimalarial drugs on this map allowed us to delineate several areas in the chemical space corresponding to different mechanisms of antimalarial activity. This helped us to make a suggestion about the mode of action of the molecules populating these zones.

  2. QSAR modeling and chemical space analysis of antimalarial compounds.

    PubMed

    Sidorov, Pavel; Viira, Birgit; Davioud-Charvet, Elisabeth; Maran, Uko; Marcou, Gilles; Horvath, Dragos; Varnek, Alexandre

    2017-05-01

    Generative topographic mapping (GTM) has been used to visualize and analyze the chemical space of antimalarial compounds as well as to build predictive models linking structure of molecules with their antimalarial activity. For this, a database, including ~3000 molecules tested in one or several of 17 anti-Plasmodium activity assessment protocols, has been compiled by assembling experimental data from in-house and ChEMBL databases. GTM classification models built on subsets corresponding to individual bioassays perform similarly to the earlier reported SVM models. Zones preferentially populated by active and inactive molecules, respectively, clearly emerge in the class landscapes supported by the GTM model. Their analysis resulted in identification of privileged structural motifs of potential antimalarial compounds. Projection of marketed antimalarial drugs on this map allowed us to delineate several areas in the chemical space corresponding to different mechanisms of antimalarial activity. This helped us to make a suggestion about the mode of action of the molecules populating these zones.

  3. In Silico and In Vitro Anticancer Activity of Isolated Novel Marker Compound from Chemically Modified Bioactive Fraction from Curcuma longa (NCCL).

    PubMed

    Naqvi, Arshi; Malasoni, Richa; Gupta, Swati; Srivastava, Akansha; Pandey, Rishi R; Dwivedi, Anil Kumar

    2017-10-01

    Turmeric ( Curcuma longa ) is reported to possess wide array of biological activities. Herbal Medicament (HM) is a standardized hexane-soluble fraction of C. longa and is well known for its neuroprotective effect. In this study, we attempted to synthesize a novel chemically modified bioactive fraction from HM (NCCL) along with isolation and characterization of a novel marker compound (I). NCCL was prepared from HM. The chemical structure of the marker compound isolated from NCCL was determined from 1D/2D nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared. The compound so isolated was subjected to in silico and in vitro screenings to test its inhibitory effect on estrogen receptors. Molecular docking studies revealed that the binding poses of the compound I was energetically favorable. Among NCCL and compound I taken for in vitro studies, NCCL had exhibited good anti-cancer activity over compound I against MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, DU-145, and PC-3 cells. This is the first study about the synthesis of a chemically modified bioactive fraction which used a standardized extract since the preparation of the HM. It may be concluded that NCCL fraction having residual components induce more cell death than compound I alone. Thus, NCCL may be used as a potent therapeutic drug. In the present paper, a standardized hexane soluble fraction of Curcuma longa (HM) was chemically modified to give a novel bioactive fraction (NCCL). A novel marker compound was isolated from NCCL and was characerized using various spectral techniques. The compound so isolated was investigated for in-silico screenings. NCCL and isolated compound was subjected to in-vitro anti-cancer screenings against MCF 7, MDA MB 231 (breast adenocarcinoma) and DU 145 and PC 3 cell lines (androgen independent human prostate cancer cells). The virtual screenings reveals that isolated compound has shown favourable drug like properties. NCCL fraction having residual components induces more cell

  4. Diazo Compounds: Versatile Tools for Chemical Biology.

    PubMed

    Mix, Kalie A; Aronoff, Matthew R; Raines, Ronald T

    2016-12-16

    Diazo groups have broad and tunable reactivity. That and other attributes endow diazo compounds with the potential to be valuable reagents for chemical biologists. The presence of diazo groups in natural products underscores their metabolic stability and anticipates their utility in a biological context. The chemoselectivity of diazo groups, even in the presence of azido groups, presents many opportunities. Already, diazo compounds have served as chemical probes and elicited novel modifications of proteins and nucleic acids. Here, we review advances that have facilitated the chemical synthesis of diazo compounds, and we highlight applications of diazo compounds in the detection and modification of biomolecules.

  5. Organometallic compounds: an opportunity for chemical biology?

    PubMed

    Patra, Malay; Gasser, Gilles

    2012-06-18

    Organometallic compounds are renowned for their remarkable applications in the field of catalysis, but much less is known about their potential in chemical biology. Indeed, such compounds have long been considered to be either unstable under physiological conditions or cytotoxic. As a consequence, little attention has been paid to their possible utilisation for biological purposes. Because of their outstanding physicochemical properties, which include chemical stability, structural diversity and unique photo- and electrochemical properties, however, organometallic compounds have the ability to play a leading role in the field of chemical biology. Indeed, remarkable examples of the use of such compounds-notably as enzyme inhibitors and as luminescent agents-have recently been reported. Here we summarise recent advances in the use of organometallic compounds for chemical biology purposes, an area that we define as "organometallic chemical biology". We also demonstrate that these recent discoveries are only a beginning and that many other organometallic complexes are likely to be found useful in this field of research in the near future. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. Validation of chemical compound library screening for transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif inhibitors using GFP-fused transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif.

    PubMed

    Nagashima, Shunta; Maruyama, Junichi; Kawano, Shodai; Iwasa, Hiroaki; Nakagawa, Kentaro; Ishigami-Yuasa, Mari; Kagechika, Hiroyuki; Nishina, Hiroshi; Hata, Yutaka

    2016-06-01

    Transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) plays versatile roles in cell proliferation and differentiation. It is phosphorylated by large tumor suppressor kinases, the core kinases of the tumor-suppressive Hippo pathway. Phosphorylation induces the cytoplasmic accumulation of TAZ and its degradation. In human cancers, the deregulation of the Hippo pathway and gene amplification enhance TAZ activity. TAZ interacts with TEA domain family members (TEAD), and upregulates genes implicated in epithelial-mesenchymal transition. It also confers stemness to cancer cells. Thus, TAZ activation provides cancer cells with malignant properties and worsens the clinical prognosis. Therefore, TAZ attracts attention as a therapeutic target in cancer therapy. We applied 18 606 small chemical compounds to human osteosarcoma U2OS cells expressing GFP-fused TAZ (GFP-TAZ), monitored the subcellular localization of GFP-TAZ, and selected 33 compounds that shifted GFP-TAZ to the cytoplasm. Unexpectedly, only a limited number of compounds suppressed TAZ-mediated enhancement of TEAD-responsive reporter activity. Moreover, the compounds that weakened TEAD reporter activity did not necessarily decrease the unphosphorylated TAZ. In this study, we focused on three compounds that decreased both TEAD reporter activity and unphosphorylated TAZ, and treated several human cancer cells with these compounds. One compound did not show a remarkable effect, whereas the other two compounds compromised the cell viability in certain cancer cells. In conclusion, the GFP-TAZ-based assay can be used as the first screening for compounds that inhibit TAZ and show anticancer properties. To develop anticancer drugs, we need additional assays to select the compounds. © 2016 The Authors. Cancer Science published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Cancer Association.

  7. Mapping of the Available Chemical Space versus the Chemical Universe of Lead-Like Compounds.

    PubMed

    Lin, Arkadii; Horvath, Dragos; Afonina, Valentina; Marcou, Gilles; Reymond, Jean-Louis; Varnek, Alexandre

    2018-03-20

    This is, to our knowledge, the most comprehensive analysis to date based on generative topographic mapping (GTM) of fragment-like chemical space (40 million molecules with no more than 17 heavy atoms, both from the theoretically enumerated GDB-17 and real-world PubChem/ChEMBL databases). The challenge was to prove that a robust map of fragment-like chemical space can actually be built, in spite of a limited (≪10 5 ) maximal number of compounds ("frame set") usable for fitting the GTM manifold. An evolutionary map building strategy has been updated with a "coverage check" step, which discards manifolds failing to accommodate compounds outside the frame set. The evolved map has a good propensity to separate actives from inactives for more than 20 external structure-activity sets. It was proven to properly accommodate the entire collection of 40 m compounds. Next, it served as a library comparison tool to highlight biases of real-world molecules (PubChem and ChEMBL) versus the universe of all possible species represented by FDB-17, a fragment-like subset of GDB-17 containing 10 million molecules. Specific patterns, proper to some libraries and absent from others (diversity holes), were highlighted. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  8. Extraction, chemical characterization and biological activity determination of broccoli health promoting compounds.

    PubMed

    Ares, Ana M; Nozal, María J; Bernal, José

    2013-10-25

    Broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. Italica) contains substantial amount of health-promoting compounds such as vitamins, glucosinolates, phenolic compounds, and dietary essential minerals; thus, it benefits health beyond providing just basic nutrition, and consumption of broccoli has been increasing over the years. This review gives an overview on the extraction and separation techniques, as well as the biological activity of some of the above mentioned compounds which have been published in the period January 2008 to January 2013. The work has been distributed according to the different families of health promoting compounds discussing the extraction procedures and the analytical techniques employed for their characterization. Finally, information about the different biological activities of these compounds has been also provided. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Isolation, identification and antioxidant activity of bound phenolic compounds present in rice bran.

    PubMed

    Wang, Wei; Guo, Jia; Zhang, Junnan; Peng, Jie; Liu, Tianxing; Xin, Zhihong

    2015-03-15

    The bound phenolic compounds in rice bran were released and extracted with ethyl acetate based on alkaline digestion. An investigation of the chemical constituents of EtOAc extract has led to the isolation of a new compound, para-hydroxy methyl benzoate glucoside (8), together with nine known compounds, cycloeucalenol cis-ferulate (1), cycloeucalenol trans-ferulate (2), trans-ferulic acid (3), trans-ferulic acid methyl ester (4), cis-ferulic acid (5), cis-ferulic acid methyl ester (6), methyl caffeate (7), vanillic aldehyde (9) and para-hydroxy benzaldehyde (10). The structures of these compounds were determined using a combination of spectroscopic methods and chemical analysis. Among the compounds isolated, compound 3, 5 and 7 exhibited strong DPPH and ABTS(+) radical scavenging activities, followed by compounds 4 and 6. Compound 1 and 2 showed potent DPPH and ABTS(+) radical scavenging activities, compound 8 displayed moderate antioxidant activity against ABTS(+) radical, whereas compound 9 and 10 showed weak antioxidant activity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Chemical structure of bismuth compounds determines their gastric ulcer healing efficacy and anti-Helicobacter pylori activity.

    PubMed

    Sandha, G S; LeBlanc, R; Van Zanten, S J; Sitland, T D; Agocs, L; Burford, N; Best, L; Mahoney, D; Hoffman, P; Leddin, D J

    1998-12-01

    The recognition of the role of Helicobacter pylori in the pathogenesis of peptic ulcer disease has led to renewed interest in bismuth pharmacology since bismuth compounds have both anti-Helicobacter pylori and ulcer healing properties. The precise chemical structure of current bismuth compounds is not known. This has hindered the development of new and potentially more efficacious formulations. We have created two new compounds, 2-chloro-1,3-dithia-2-bismolane (CDTB) and 1,2-[bis(1,3-dithia-2-bismolane)thio]ethane (BTBT), with known structure. In a rat model of gastric ulceration, BTBT was comparable to, and CDTB was significantly less effective than colloidal bismuth subcitrate in healing cryoprobe-induced ulcers. However, both BTBT and CDTB inhibited H. pylori growth in vitro at concentrations <1/10 that of colloidal bismuth subcitrate. The effects on ulcer healing are not mediated by suppression of acid secretion, pepsin inhibition, or prostaglandin production. Since all treated animals received the same amount of elemental bismuth, it appears that the efficacy of bismuth compounds varies with compound structure and is not simply dependent on the delivery of bismuth ion. Because the structure of the novel compounds is known, our understanding of the relationship of bismuth compound structure and to biologic activity will increase. In the future it may be possible to design other novel bismuth compounds with more potent anti-H. pylori and ulcer healing effects.

  11. Process for preparing a chemical compound enriched in isotope content

    DOEpatents

    Michaels, Edward D.

    1982-01-01

    A process to prepare a chemical enriched in isotope content which includes: (a) A chemical exchange reaction between a first and second compound which yields an isotopically enriched first compound and an isotopically depleted second compound; (b) the removal of a portion of the first compound as product and the removal of a portion of the second compound as spent material; (c) the conversion of the remainder of the first compound to the second compound for reflux at the product end of the chemical exchange reaction region; (d) the conversion of the remainder of the second compound to the first compound for reflux at the spent material end of the chemical exchange region; and the cycling of the additional chemicals produced by one conversion reaction to the other conversion reaction, for consumption therein. One of the conversion reactions is an oxidation reaction, and the energy that it yields is used to drive the other conversion reaction, a reduction. The reduction reaction is carried out in a solid polymer electrolyte electrolytic reactor. The overall process is energy efficient and yields no waste by-products.

  12. Multidirectional Efficacy of Biologically Active Nitro Compounds Included in Medicines.

    PubMed

    Olender, Dorota; Żwawiak, Justyna; Zaprutko, Lucjusz

    2018-05-29

    The current concept in searching for new bioactive products, including mainly original active substances with potential application in pharmacy and medicine, is based on compounds with a previously determined structure, well-known properties, and biological activity profile. Nowadays, many commonly used drugs originated from natural sources. Moreover, some natural materials have become the source of leading structures for processing further chemical modifications. Many organic compounds with great therapeutic significance have the nitro group in their structure. Very often, nitro compounds are active substances in many well-known preparations belonging to different groups of medicines that are classified according to their pharmacological potencies. Moreover, the nitro group is part of the chemical structure of veterinary drugs. In this review, we describe many bioactive substances with the nitro group, divided into ten categories, including substances with exciting activity and that are currently undergoing clinical trials.

  13. Chemical Space Mapping and Structure-Activity Analysis of the ChEMBL Antiviral Compound Set.

    PubMed

    Klimenko, Kyrylo; Marcou, Gilles; Horvath, Dragos; Varnek, Alexandre

    2016-08-22

    Curation, standardization and data fusion of the antiviral information present in the ChEMBL public database led to the definition of a robust data set, providing an association of antiviral compounds to seven broadly defined antiviral activity classes. Generative topographic mapping (GTM) subjected to evolutionary tuning was then used to produce maps of the antiviral chemical space, providing an optimal separation of compound families associated with the different antiviral classes. The ability to pinpoint the specific spots occupied (responsibility patterns) on a map by various classes of antiviral compounds opened the way for a GTM-supported search for privileged structural motifs, typical for each antiviral class. The privileged locations of antiviral classes were analyzed in order to highlight underlying privileged common structural motifs. Unlike in classical medicinal chemistry, where privileged structures are, almost always, predefined scaffolds, privileged structural motif detection based on GTM responsibility patterns has the decisive advantage of being able to automatically capture the nature ("resolution detail"-scaffold, detailed substructure, pharmacophore pattern, etc.) of the relevant structural motifs. Responsibility patterns were found to represent underlying structural motifs of various natures-from very fuzzy (groups of various "interchangeable" similar scaffolds), to the classical scenario in medicinal chemistry (underlying motif actually being the scaffold), to very precisely defined motifs (specifically substituted scaffolds).

  14. Chemical effect on diffusion in intermetallic compounds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Yi-Ting

    With the trend of big data and the Internet of things, we live in a world full of personal electronic devices and small electronic devices. In order to make the devices more powerful, advanced electronic packaging such as wafer level packaging or 3D IC packaging play an important role. Furthermore, ?-bumps, which connect silicon dies together with dimension less than 10 ?m, are crucial parts in advanced packaging. Owing to the dimension of ?-bumps, they transform into intermetallic compound from tin based solder after the liquid state bonding process. Moreover, many new reliability issues will occur in electronic packaging when the bonding materials change; in this case, we no longer have tin based solder joint, instead, we have intermetallic compound ?-bumps. Most of the potential reliability issues in intermetallic compounds are caused by the chemical reactions driven by atomic diffusion in the material; thus, to know the diffusivities of atoms inside a material is significant and can help us to further analyze the reliability issues. However, we are lacking these kinds of data in intermetallic compound because there are some problems if used traditional Darken's analysis. Therefore, we considered Wagner diffusivity in our system to solve the problems and applied the concept of chemical effect on diffusion by taking the advantage that large amount of energy will release when compounds formed. Moreover, by inventing the holes markers made by Focus ion beam (FIB), we can conduct the diffusion experiment and obtain the tracer diffusivities of atoms inside the intermetallic compound. We applied the technique on Ni3Sn4 and Cu3Sn, which are two of the most common materials in electronic packaging, and the tracer diffusivities are measured under several different temperatures; moreover, microstructure of the intermetallic compounds are investigated to ensure the diffusion environment. Additionally, the detail diffusion mechanism was also discussed in aspect of diffusion

  15. Quantum chemical studies of estrogenic compounds

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Quantum chemical methods are potent tools to provide information on the chemical structure and electronic properties of organic molecules. Modern computational chemistry methods have provided a great deal of insight into the binding of estrogenic compounds to estrogenic receptors (ER), an important ...

  16. A Novel Chemical Compound for Inhibition of SARS Coronavirus Helicase.

    PubMed

    Lee, Jin-Moo; Cho, Jin-Beom; Ahn, Hee-Chul; Jung, Woong; Jeong, Yong-Joo

    2017-11-28

    We have discovered a novel chemical compound, (E)-3-(furan-2-yl)- N -(4-sulfamoylphenyl) acrylamide, that suppresses the enzymatic activities of SARS coronavirus helicase. To determine the inhibitory effect, ATP hydrolysis and double-stranded DNA unwinding assays were performed in the presence of various concentrations of the compound. Through these assays, we obtained IC 50 values of 2.09 ± 0.30 µM (ATP hydrolysis) and 13.2 ± 0.9 µM (DNA unwinding), respectively. Moreover, we found that the compound did not have any significant cytotoxicity when 40 µM of it was used. Our results showed that the compound might be useful to be developed as an inhibitor against SARS coronavirus.

  17. Lifetime of a Chemically Bound Helium Compound

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chaban, Galina M.; Lundell, Jan; Gerber, R. Benny; Kwak, Dochan (Technical Monitor)

    2001-01-01

    The rare-gas atoms are chemically inert, to an extent unique among all elements. This is due to the stable electronic structure of the atoms. Stable molecules with chemically bound rare-gas atoms are, however, known. A first such compound, XePtF6, W2S prepared in 1962 and since then a range of molecules containing radon, xenon and krypton have been obtained. Most recently, a first stable chemically bound compound of argon was prepared, leaving neon and helium as the only elements for which stable chemically bound molecules are not yet known. Electronic structure calculations predict that a metastable species HHeF exists, but significance of the result depends on the unknown lifetime. Here we report quantum dynamics calculations of the lifetime of HHeF, using accurate interactions computed from electronic structure theory. HHeF is shown to disintegrate by tunneling through energy barriers into He + HF and H + He + F the first channel greatly dominating. The lifetime of HHeF is more than 120 picoseconds, that of DHeF is 14 nanoseconds. The relatively long lifetimes are encouraging for the preparation prospects of this first chemically bound helium compound.

  18. Exposure Levels for Chemical Threat Compounds; Information to Facilitate Chemical Incident Response

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hauschild, Veronique; Watson, Annetta Paule

    2013-01-01

    Exposure Standards, Limits and Guidelines for Chemical Threat Compunds ABSTRACT Exposure criteria for chemical warfare (CW) agents and certain toxic industrial chemicals (TICs) used as CW agents (such as chlorine fill in an improvised explosive device) have been developed for protection of the civilian general public, civilian employees in chemical agent processing facilities and deployed military populations. In addition, compound-specific concentrations have been developed to serve as how clean is clean enough clearance criteria guiding facility recovery following chemical terrorist or other hazardous release events. Such criteria are also useful to verify compound absence, identify containment boundaries and expedite facilitymore » recovery following chemical threat release. There is no single right value or concentration appropriate for all chemical hazard control applications. It is acknowledged that locating and comparing the many sources of CW agent and TIC exposure criteria has not been previously well-defined. This paper summarizes many of these estimates and assembles critical documentation regarding their derivation and use.« less

  19. How to acquire new biological activities in old compounds by computer prediction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Poroikov, V. V.; Filimonov, D. A.

    2002-11-01

    Due to the directed way of testing chemical compounds' in drug research and development many projects fail because serious adverse effects and toxicity are discovered too late, and many existing prospective activities remain unstudied. Evaluation of the general biological potential of molecules is possible using a computer program PASS that predicts more than 780 pharmacological effects, mechanisms of action, mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, etc. on the basis of structural formulae of compounds, with average accuracy ˜85%. PASS applications to both databases of available samples included hundreds of thousands compounds, and small collections of compounds synthesized by separate medicinal chemists are described. It is shown that 880 compounds from Prestwick chemical library represent a very diverse pharmacological space. New activities can be found in existing compounds by prediction. Therefore, on this basis, the selection of compounds with required and without unwanted properties is possible. Even when PASS cannot predict very new activities, it may recognize some unwanted actions at the early stage of R&D, providing the medicinal chemist with the means to increase the efficiency of projects.

  20. Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of selected essential oils and some of their main compounds.

    PubMed

    Wanner, Juergen; Schmidt, Erich; Bail, Stefanie; Jirovetz, Leopold; Buchbauer, Gerhard; Gochev, Velizar; Girova, Tanya; Atanasova, Teodora; Stoyanova, Albena

    2010-09-01

    The chemical composition of essential oils of cabreuva (Myrocarpus fastigiatus Allemao, Fabaceae) from Brazil, cedarwood (Juniperus ashei, Cupressaceae) from Texas, Juniper berries (Juniperus communis L., Cupressaceae) and myrrh (Commiphora myrrha (Nees) Engl., Burseraceae) were analyzed using GC/FID and GC/MS. The antimicrobial activity of these essential oils and some of their main compounds were tested against eleven different strains of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria by using agar diffusion and agar serial dilution methods. Animal and plant pathogens, food poisoning and spoilage bacteria were selected. The volatile oils exhibited considerable inhibitory effects against all tested organisms, except Pseudomonas, using both test methods. Higher activity was observed against Gram-positive strains in comparison with Gram-negative bacteria. Cabreuva oil from Brazil showed similar results, but in comparison with the other oils tested, only when higher concentrations of oil were used.

  1. Modeling the Biodegradability of Chemical Compounds Using the Online CHEmical Modeling Environment (OCHEM)

    PubMed Central

    Vorberg, Susann

    2013-01-01

    Abstract Biodegradability describes the capacity of substances to be mineralized by free‐living bacteria. It is a crucial property in estimating a compound’s long‐term impact on the environment. The ability to reliably predict biodegradability would reduce the need for laborious experimental testing. However, this endpoint is difficult to model due to unavailability or inconsistency of experimental data. Our approach makes use of the Online Chemical Modeling Environment (OCHEM) and its rich supply of machine learning methods and descriptor sets to build classification models for ready biodegradability. These models were analyzed to determine the relationship between characteristic structural properties and biodegradation activity. The distinguishing feature of the developed models is their ability to estimate the accuracy of prediction for each individual compound. The models developed using seven individual descriptor sets were combined in a consensus model, which provided the highest accuracy. The identified overrepresented structural fragments can be used by chemists to improve the biodegradability of new chemical compounds. The consensus model, the datasets used, and the calculated structural fragments are publicly available at http://ochem.eu/article/31660. PMID:27485201

  2. Analysis of Pfizer compounds in EPA's ToxCast chemicals-assay space.

    PubMed

    Shah, Falgun; Greene, Nigel

    2014-01-21

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched the ToxCast program in 2007 with the goal of evaluating high-throughput in vitro assays to prioritize chemicals that need toxicity testing. Their goal was to develop predictive bioactivity signatures for toxic compounds using a set of in vitro assays and/or in silico properties. In 2009, Pfizer joined the ToxCast initiative by contributing 52 compounds with preclinical and clinical data for profiling across the multiple assay platforms available. Here, we describe the initial analysis of the Pfizer subset of compounds within the ToxCast chemical (n = 1814) and in vitro assay (n = 486) space. An analysis of the hit rate of Pfizer compounds in the ToxCast assay panel allowed us to focus our mining of assays potentially most relevant to the attrition of our compounds. We compared the bioactivity profile of Pfizer compounds to other compounds in the ToxCast chemical space to gain insights into common toxicity pathways. Additionally, we explored the similarity in the chemical and biological spaces between drug-like compounds and environmental chemicals in ToxCast and compared the in vivo profiles of a subset of failed pharmaceuticals having high similarity in both spaces. We found differences in the chemical and biological spaces of pharmaceuticals compared to environmental chemicals, which may question the applicability of bioactivity signatures developed exclusively based on the latter to drug-like compounds if used without prior validation with the ToxCast Phase-II chemicals. Finally, our analysis has allowed us to identify novel interactions for our compounds in particular with multiple nuclear receptors that were previously not known. This insight may help us to identify potential liabilities with future novel compounds.

  3. Relationships between chemical structure and rat repellency. II. Compounds screened between 1950 and 1960

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bowles, W.A.; Adomaitis, V.A.; DeWitt, J.B.; Pratt, J.J.

    1974-01-01

    Over 4,600 compounds, chiefly organic types, were evaluated using both a food acceptance test (Part A) and a barrier penetration bioassay (Part B), to correlate relationships between chemical structure and rodent repellency.These chemicals are indexed and classified according to the functional groups present and to the degree of substitution within their molecular structures. The results of reduction in foot consumption for each compound appraised are calculated and their K values listed in Table I.The repellent activities of the functional groups represented, alone or in combinations, are expressed in Table II by a Functional Group Repellency Index. A ranking of these indices suggests that acyclic and heteroyclic compounds containing tri- or pentavalent nitrogen would be a parent compound of choice for synthesizing novel repellents. Other molecular arrangements, spatial configurations and combinations of functional groups are compared.There were 123 active, interesting or promising compounds included in the 699 having K values of 85 or greater, which were selected for the barrier appraisal study. These chemicals were formulated in selective solvents at several concentrations and applied to burlap. Small foot bags were fashioned using the fabric impregnated with the candidate formulation, and exposed to rodent attack following storage periods of varying intervals. The results of these tests are listed in Table III. Again, those compounds containing nitrogen in the functional groupings indicated a high order of effectiveness. Several commercial patents covering rodent repellents were issued using the data from the food acceptance and barrier studies.Organizations and cooperators which supplied samples for the program are listed in Appendix I. The Wiswesser cipher for compounds in Table I is used in Appendix II to facilitate location of chemicals by sample code number as they appear under the index headings, and for computer storage and analysis.

  4. Relationships between chemical structure and rat repellency: II. compounds screened between 1950 and 1960

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bowles, Walter A.; Adomaitis, V.A.; DeWitt, J.B.; Pratt, J.J.

    1974-01-01

    Over 4,600 compounds, chiefly organic types, were evaluated using both a food acceptance test (Part A) and a barrier penetration bioassay (Part B), to correlate relationships between chemical structure and rodent repellency. These chemicals are indexed and classified according to the functional groups present and to the degree of substitution within their molecular structures. The results of reduction in food consumption for each compound appraised are calculated and their K values listed in Table 1. The repellent activities of the functional groups represented, alone or in combinations, are expressed in Table II by a Functional Group Repellency Index.. A ranking of these indices suggests that acyclic and heteroyclic compounds containing tri- or pentavalent nitrogen would be a parent compound of choice for synthesizing novel repellents. Other molecular arrangements, spatial configurations and combinations of functional groups are compared. There were 123 active, interesting or promising compounds included in the 699 having K values of 85 or greater, which were selected for the barrier appraisal study. These chemicals were formulated in selective solvents at several concentrations and applied to burlap. Small food bags were fashioned using the fabric impregnated with the candidate formulation, and exposed to rodent attack following storage periods of varying intervals. The results of these tests are listed in Table III. Again, those compounds containing nitrogen in the functional groupings indicated a high order of effectiveness. Several commercial patents covering rodent repellents were issued using the data from the food acceptance and barrier studies. Organizations and cooperators which supplied samples for the program are listed in Appendix I. The Wiswesser cipher for compounds in Table I is used in Appendix II to facilitate location of chemicals by sample code number as they appear under the index headings, and for computer storage and analysis.

  5. Modeling the Biodegradability of Chemical Compounds Using the Online CHEmical Modeling Environment (OCHEM).

    PubMed

    Vorberg, Susann; Tetko, Igor V

    2014-01-01

    Biodegradability describes the capacity of substances to be mineralized by free-living bacteria. It is a crucial property in estimating a compound's long-term impact on the environment. The ability to reliably predict biodegradability would reduce the need for laborious experimental testing. However, this endpoint is difficult to model due to unavailability or inconsistency of experimental data. Our approach makes use of the Online Chemical Modeling Environment (OCHEM) and its rich supply of machine learning methods and descriptor sets to build classification models for ready biodegradability. These models were analyzed to determine the relationship between characteristic structural properties and biodegradation activity. The distinguishing feature of the developed models is their ability to estimate the accuracy of prediction for each individual compound. The models developed using seven individual descriptor sets were combined in a consensus model, which provided the highest accuracy. The identified overrepresented structural fragments can be used by chemists to improve the biodegradability of new chemical compounds. The consensus model, the datasets used, and the calculated structural fragments are publicly available at http://ochem.eu/article/31660. © 2014 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

  6. Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activity Determination of One Hundred Kinds of Pure Chemical Compounds Using Offline and Online Screening HPLC Assay.

    PubMed

    Lee, Kwang Jin; Oh, You Chang; Cho, Won Kyung; Ma, Jin Yeul

    2015-01-01

    This study investigated the antioxidant activity of one hundred kinds of pure chemical compounds found within a number of natural substances and oriental medicinal herbs (OMH). Three different methods were used to evaluate the antioxidant activity of DPPH radical-scavenging activity, ABTS radical-scavenging activity, and online screening HPLC-ABTS assays. The results indicated that 17 compounds exhibited better inhibitory activity against ABTS radical than DPPH radical. The IC50 rate of a more practical substance is determined, and the ABTS assay IC50 values of gallic acid hydrate, (+)-catechin hydrate, caffeic acid, rutin hydrate, hyperoside, quercetin, and kaempferol compounds were 1.03 ± 0.25, 3.12 ± 0.51, 1.59 ± 0.06, 4.68 ± 1.24, 3.54 ± 0.39, 1.89 ± 0.33, and 3.70 ± 0.15 μg/mL, respectively. The ABTS assay is more sensitive to identifying the antioxidant activity since it has faster reaction kinetics and a heightened response to antioxidants. In addition, there was a very small margin of error between the results of the offline-ABTS assay and those of the online screening HPLC-ABTS assay. We also evaluated the effects of 17 compounds on the NO secretion in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells and also investigated the cytotoxicity of 17 compounds using a cell counting kit (CCK) in order to determine the optimal concentration that would provide an effective anti-inflammatory action with minimum toxicity. These results will be compiled into a database, and this method can be a powerful preselection tool for compounds intended to be studied for their potential bioactivity and antioxidant activity related to their radical-scavenging capacity.

  7. GPU Accelerated Chemical Similarity Calculation for Compound Library Comparison

    PubMed Central

    Ma, Chao; Wang, Lirong; Xie, Xiang-Qun

    2012-01-01

    Chemical similarity calculation plays an important role in compound library design, virtual screening, and “lead” optimization. In this manuscript, we present a novel GPU-accelerated algorithm for all-vs-all Tanimoto matrix calculation and nearest neighbor search. By taking advantage of multi-core GPU architecture and CUDA parallel programming technology, the algorithm is up to 39 times superior to the existing commercial software that runs on CPUs. Because of the utilization of intrinsic GPU instructions, this approach is nearly 10 times faster than existing GPU-accelerated sparse vector algorithm, when Unity fingerprints are used for Tanimoto calculation. The GPU program that implements this new method takes about 20 minutes to complete the calculation of Tanimoto coefficients between 32M PubChem compounds and 10K Active Probes compounds, i.e., 324G Tanimoto coefficients, on a 128-CUDA-core GPU. PMID:21692447

  8. Sorption and toxicity reduction of pharmaceutically active compounds and endocrine disrupting chemicals in the presence of colloidal humic acid.

    PubMed

    Kim, Injeong; Kim, Hyo-Dong; Jeong, Tae-Yong; Kim, Sang Don

    This study investigated the toxicity changes and sorption of pharmaceuticals and endocrine disrupters in the presence of humic acid (HA). For the sorption experiment, a dead end filtration (DEF) system was used to separate bound and free-form target compounds. An algae growth inhibition test and E-screen assay were conducted to estimate the toxic effect of pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) and endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), respectively. The permeate concentration was confirmed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. In the sorption test, we observed significant sorption of PhACs and EDCs on colloidal HA, except for sulfamethoxazole (SMX). The values of log KCOC derived from DEF determinations ranged from 4.40 to 5.03. The removal efficiency varied with the HA concentration and the target chemical properties. Tetracycline and 4-octylphenol showed the highest sorption or removal efficiency (≈50%), even at 5 mg C/L HA. The algal growth inhibition of PhACs and the estrogenic effects of EDCs were significantly decreased in proportion to HA concentrations, except for SMX. In addition, the chemical analysis results showed a positive relationship with the bioassay results. Consequently, the sorption of PhACs and EDCs onto colloidal HA should be emphasized in natural environments because it significantly reduces bioavailable concentrations and toxicity to aquatic organisms.

  9. Adsorption of aromatic compounds from the biodegradation of azo dyes on activated carbon

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Faria, P. C. C.; Órfão, J. J. M.; Figueiredo, J. L.; Pereira, M. F. R.

    2008-03-01

    The adsorption of three selected aromatic compounds (aniline, sulfanilic acid and benzenesulfonic acid) on activated carbons with different surface chemical properties was investigated at different solution pH. A fairly basic commercial activated carbon was modified by means of chemical treatment with HNO 3, yielding an acid activated carbon. The textural properties of this sample were not significantly changed after the oxidation treatment. Equilibrium isotherms of the selected compounds on the mentioned samples were obtained and the results were discussed in relation to their surface chemistry. The influence of electrostatic and dispersive interactions involved in the uptake of the compounds studied was evaluated. The Freundlich model was used to fit the experimental data. Higher uptakes are attained when the compounds are present in their molecular form. In general, adsorption was disfavoured by the introduction of oxygen-containing groups on the surface of the activated carbon.

  10. Large-Scale Chemical Similarity Networks for Target Profiling of Compounds Identified in Cell-Based Chemical Screens

    PubMed Central

    Lo, Yu-Chen; Senese, Silvia; Li, Chien-Ming; Hu, Qiyang; Huang, Yong; Damoiseaux, Robert; Torres, Jorge Z.

    2015-01-01

    Target identification is one of the most critical steps following cell-based phenotypic chemical screens aimed at identifying compounds with potential uses in cell biology and for developing novel disease therapies. Current in silico target identification methods, including chemical similarity database searches, are limited to single or sequential ligand analysis that have limited capabilities for accurate deconvolution of a large number of compounds with diverse chemical structures. Here, we present CSNAP (Chemical Similarity Network Analysis Pulldown), a new computational target identification method that utilizes chemical similarity networks for large-scale chemotype (consensus chemical pattern) recognition and drug target profiling. Our benchmark study showed that CSNAP can achieve an overall higher accuracy (>80%) of target prediction with respect to representative chemotypes in large (>200) compound sets, in comparison to the SEA approach (60–70%). Additionally, CSNAP is capable of integrating with biological knowledge-based databases (Uniprot, GO) and high-throughput biology platforms (proteomic, genetic, etc) for system-wise drug target validation. To demonstrate the utility of the CSNAP approach, we combined CSNAP's target prediction with experimental ligand evaluation to identify the major mitotic targets of hit compounds from a cell-based chemical screen and we highlight novel compounds targeting microtubules, an important cancer therapeutic target. The CSNAP method is freely available and can be accessed from the CSNAP web server (http://services.mbi.ucla.edu/CSNAP/). PMID:25826798

  11. A knowledge base of the chemical compounds of intermediary metabolism.

    PubMed

    Karp, P D

    1992-08-01

    This paper describes a publicly available knowledge base of the chemical compounds involved in intermediary metabolism. We consider the motivations for constructing a knowledge base of metabolic compounds, the methodology by which it was constructed, and the information that it currently contains. Currently the knowledge base describes 981 compounds, listing for each: synonyms for its name, a systematic name, CAS registry number, chemical formula, molecular weight, chemical structure and two-dimensional display coordinates for the structure. The Compound Knowledge Base (CompoundKB) illustrates several methodological principles that should guide the development of biological knowledge bases. I argue that biological datasets should be made available in multiple representations to increase their accessibility to end users, and I present multiple representations of the CompoundKB (knowledge base, relational data base and ASN. 1 representations). I also analyze the general characteristics of these representations to provide an understanding of their relative advantages and disadvantages. Another principle is that the error rate of biological data bases should be estimated and documented-this analysis is performed for the CompoundKB.

  12. Antioxidant and Anti-Osteoporotic Activities of Aromatic Compounds and Sterols from Hericium erinaceum.

    PubMed

    Li, Wei; Lee, Sang Hyun; Jang, Hae Dong; Ma, Jin Yeul; Kim, Young Ho

    2017-01-11

    Hericium erinaceum , commonly called lion's mane mushroom, is a traditional edible mushroom widely used in culinary applications and herbal medicines in East Asian countries. In this study, a new sterol, cerevisterol 6-cinnamate ( 6 ), was isolated from the fruiting bodies of H. erinaceum together with five aromatic compounds 1 - 5 and five sterols 7 - 11 . The chemical structures of these compounds were elucidated using chemical and physical methods and comparison of HRESIMS, ¹D-NMR (¹H, 13 C, and DEPT) and 2D-NMR (COSY, HMQC, HMBC, and NOESY) spectra with previously reported data. The antioxidant and anti-osteoporotic activities of extracts and the isolated compounds 1 - 11 were investigated. All compounds exhibited peroxyl radical-scavenging capacity but only compounds 1 , 3 , and 4 showed potent reducing capacity. Moreover, compounds 1 , 2 , 4 , and 5 showed moderate effects on cellular antioxidant activity and inhibited the receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclastic differentiation. These results suggested that H. erinaceum could be utilized in the development of natural antioxidant and anti-osteoporotic nutraceuticals and functional foods.

  13. Physico-Chemical Characterization, Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Malay Apple [Syzygium malaccense (L.) Merr. & L.M. Perry

    PubMed Central

    Nunes, Polyana Campos; Aquino, Jailane de Souza; Rockenbach, Ismael Ivan; Stamford, Tânia Lúcia Montenegro

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the physico-chemical characteristics, bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of Malay apple fruit (Syzygium malaccense) grown in Brazil with regard to the geographical origin and its peel fractions and edible portion analyzed independently. Fruit diameter, weight, yield, and centesimal composition, ascorbic acid, reductive sugars, total soluble solids, pH and fiber content were determined. Total phenolics (1293 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g) and total anthocyanins (1045 mg/100 g) contents were higher in the peel, with the major anthocyanin identified using HPLC-DAD-MS/MS as cyanidin 3-glucoside. Higher values for DPPH antiradical scavenging activity (47.52 μMol trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity/g) and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Potential (FRAP, 0.19 mM ferreous sulfate/g) were also observed in the peel fraction. All extracts tested showed the ability to inhibit oxidation in the β-carotene/linoleic acid system. This study highlights the potential of Malay apple fruit as a good source of antioxidant compounds with potential benefits to human health. PMID:27352306

  14. Relation between chemical composition or antioxidant activity and antihypertensive activity for six essential oils.

    PubMed

    Yvon, Yan; Raoelison, Emmanuel Guy; Razafindrazaka, René; Randriantsoa, Adolphe; Romdhane, Mehrez; Chabir, Naziha; Mkaddem, Mounira Guedri; Bouajila, Jalloul

    2012-08-01

    Six essential oils (EOs), Juniperus phoenicea (leaves and berries), Thymus capitatus, Lauris nobilis, Melaleuca armillaris, and Eucalyptus gracilis, were screened for their antioxidant and antihypertensive activity as well as their chemical compositions. We identified and quantified 24 compounds (representing 99.8% of total oil) for J. phoenicea leaves, 14 compounds (representing 98.8% of total oil) for J. phoenicea berries, 11 compounds (representing 99.6% of total oil) for T. capitatus, 32 compounds (representing 98.9% of total oil) for L. nobilis, 32 compounds (representing 98.7% of total oil) for M. armillaris, and 26 compounds (representing 99.3% of total oil) for E. gracilis. In the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, the antioxidant activity was in the range of 0.59 to 2183.6 mg/L, whereas T. capitatus (1.24 ± 0.05 mg/L) gave the best activity in the 2,2'-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate assay. Antihypertensive activity was evaluated by testing the vasorelaxing capacity of EOs on rat aorta precontracted by phenylephrine (10(-6) M). T. capitatus and L. nobilis were most active for an antihypertensive activity (29 ± 3 and 59 ± 2 mg/L, respectively). Correlations between chemical composition or antioxidant activity and/or antihypertensive activity were studied. Significant correlation has been found for antihypertensive activity and p-cymene (R(2) = 0.86), β-elemene (R(2) = 0.90), and β-myrcene (R(2) = 0.76). A good correlation has been found between antihypertensive activity and antioxidant activity by DPPH assay (R(2) = 0.98). Antioxidant activity can contribute to the prevention of the increase of the blood pressure. According to the literature, no study has been reported until now of correlation between antihypertensive activity and antioxidant activity. Natural EOs can find its interest and application in a medicinal area. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

  15. Cyanobacteria and microalgae: a renewable source of bioactive compounds and other chemicals.

    PubMed

    Encarnação, Telma; Pais, Alberto A C C; Campos, Maria G; Burrows, Hugh D

    2015-01-01

    Microalgae and cyanobacteria are rich sources of many valuable compounds, including important bioactive and biotechnologically relevant chemicals. Their enormous biodiversity, and the consequent variability in the respective biochemical composition, make microalgae cultivations a promising resource for many novel chemically and biologically active molecules and compounds of high commercial value such as lipids and dyes. The nature of the chemicals produced can be manipulated by changing the cultivation media and conditions. Algae are extremely versatile because they can be adapted to a variety of cell culture conditions. They do not require arable land, can be cultivated on saline water and wastewaters, and require much less water than plants. They possess an extremely high growth rate making these microorganisms very attractive for use in biofuel production--some species of algae can achieve around 100 times more oil than oil seeds. In addition, microalgae and cyanobacteria can accumulate various biotoxins and can contribute to mitigate greenhouse gases since they produce biomass through carbon dioxide fixation. In this review, we provide an overview of the application of microalgae in the production of bioactive and other chemicals.

  16. Chemical composition and antioxidant activity of phenolic compounds from Dioscorea (Yam) leaves.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Li; Shi, Xinmin; Ren, Xiangmei; Qin, Zhihong

    2018-05-01

    This study was aimed to assess the potential of Dioscorea (yam) leaves as a source of antioxidants. Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) process was used to prepare the extracts. The phenolic compounds in Dioscorea leaves extracts were analyzed by HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS method and the contents of major compounds were determined. Results indicated that a total of 17 phenolic compounds were separated identified by means of UV and mass spectra compared with authentic reference substances and/or reported values in the literature. The main phenolic compound was rosmarinic acid and its highest amount was found in Dioscorea glabra Roxb. leaves (22.31±1.33 mg/g DW). Rutin was the dominant flavonoid followed by quercetin which highest amount was found in Dioscorea alata leaves (8.66±0.29 mg/g DW). Antioxidant activity of the extracts was estimated by the use of DPPH and ABTS assays. Both kinds of leaves exhibited satisfied antioxidant capacity which was correlated with phenolic contents. In the cytoprotective effect on HUVECs viability assay, Dioscorea glabra Roxb. leaves extract was found to be more active than that of Dioscorea alata against H 2 O 2 -induced oxidative stress. Our findings support the promising role of Dioscorea leaves that can be used as an interesting source of phenolic antioxidants.

  17. Phenolic compounds can delay the oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids and the growth of Listeria monocytogenes: structure-activity relationships.

    PubMed

    Pernin, Aurélia; Dubois-Brissonnet, Florence; Roux, Stéphanie; Masson, Marine; Bosc, Véronique; Maillard, Marie-Noëlle

    2018-04-20

    Phenolic compounds present a potential solution to ensuring food quality and safety. Indeed, they can limit oxidation reactions and bacterial growth in food products. Although their antioxidant mechanisms of action are well known, their antibacterial ones are less well understood, especially in light of their chemical structures. The aim of this study was to first quantify both aspects of a series of natural phenolic compounds and then link these activities to their chemical structure. We evaluated antioxidant activity by measuring the capacity of phenolic compounds to delay free linoleic acid oxidation caused by the action of a hydrophilic azo-radical initiator (AAPH). We evaluated antibacterial activity by measuring the growth inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes and determining the non-inhibitory and minimum inhibitory concentrations for each compound. Compounds with ortho-diphenolic structures were the best antioxidants, whereas those belonging to the simple phenol category were the best antibacterial compounds. The physico-chemical properties of the compounds influenced both activities, but not in the same way. The chemical environment of the phenolic group and the presence of delocalization structures are the most important parameters for antioxidant activity, whereas the partition coefficient logP is one of the most important factors involved in antibacterial activity. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  18. Lignans, bacteriocides and organochlorine compounds activate the human pregnane X receptor (PXR)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Jacobs, Miriam N.; Nolan, Gail T.; Hood, Steven R.

    2005-12-01

    The pregnane X receptor (PXR) mediates the induction of enzymes involved in steroid metabolism and xenobiotic detoxification. The receptor is expressed in liver and intestinal tissues and is activated by a wide range of compounds. The ability of a diverse range of dietary compounds to activate PXR-mediated transcription was assayed in HuH7 cells following transient transfection with human PXR (hPXR). The compounds investigated included phytochemicals such as lignans and phytoestrogens, organochlorine dietary contaminants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and triclosan and selected steroid, drug and herbal compounds. The hPXR activation at the top concentrations tested (10 {mu}M) relative to themore » positive control 10 {mu}M rifampicin ranged from 1.3% (trans-resveratrol) to 152% (ICI 182780). Hydroxylated compounds were marginally more potent than the parent compounds (tamoxifen activation was 74.6% whereas 4 hydroxytamoxifen activation was 84.2%) or significantly greater (vitamin D{sub 3} activation was 1.6%, while hydroxylated vitamin D{sub 3} activation was 55.6%). Enterolactone, the metabolite of common dietary lignans, was a medium activator of PXR (35.6%), compared to the lower activation of a parent lignan, secoisolariciresinol (20%). Two non-hydroxylated PCB congeners (PCB 118 and 153), which present a larger fraction of the PCB contamination of fatty foods, activated hPXR by 26.6% and 17%, respectively. The pesticide trans-nonachlor activation was 53.8%, while the widely used bacteriocide triclosan was a medium activator of hPXR at 46.2%. The responsiveness of PXR to activation by lignan metabolites suggests that dietary intake of these compounds may affect the metabolism of drugs that are CYP3A substrates. Additionally, the evidence that organochlorine chemicals, particularly the ubiquitous triclosan, activate hPXR suggests that these environmental chemicals may, in part, exhibit their endocrine disruptor activities by altering PXR

  19. Combining functional genomics and chemical biology to identify targets of bioactive compounds.

    PubMed

    Ho, Cheuk Hei; Piotrowski, Jeff; Dixon, Scott J; Baryshnikova, Anastasia; Costanzo, Michael; Boone, Charles

    2011-02-01

    Genome sequencing projects have revealed thousands of suspected genes, challenging researchers to develop efficient large-scale functional analysis methodologies. Determining the function of a gene product generally requires a means to alter its function. Genetically tractable model organisms have been widely exploited for the isolation and characterization of activating and inactivating mutations in genes encoding proteins of interest. Chemical genetics represents a complementary approach involving the use of small molecules capable of either inactivating or activating their targets. Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been an important test bed for the development and application of chemical genomic assays aimed at identifying targets and modes of action of known and uncharacterized compounds. Here we review yeast chemical genomic assays strategies for drug target identification. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. [Study of antioxidant activity of phenolic compounds from some species of Georgian flora].

    PubMed

    Alaniia, M; Shalashvili, K; Sagareishvili, T; Kavtaradze, N; Sutiashvili, M

    2013-09-01

    The antioxidant activity of extracts obtained from different parts of Georgian flora species Hamamelis virginiana L., Astragalus caucasicus Pall., Astragalus microcephalus Willd., Vitis vinifera L., Rhododendron ponticum L., Rhododendron Ungernii Trautv., Ginkgo biloba L., Salvia officinalis L., Querqus iberica Stev., Maclura aurantiaca Nutt., Cotinus coggygria Ledeb., Fraxinus ornus L., Urtica dioica L., Rhododendron caucasicum Pall., Pueraria hirsuta Matsum., Geranium pusillum L., Astragalus Tanae Sosn., Pinus silvestris L. has been studied. Comparison with ethylentetraacetate and α-tocopherole revealed high efficacy of all extracts studied. 45 individual phenolic compounds were isolated and described by chemical examination of biologically active objects. Common sage (Salvia officinalis) extract turned out as the most active (200 %). The chemical study revealed the dominant content of condensed tannins and low molecular phenolic compounds, which may be attributed to the high antioxidant activity. Biologically active antiatherosclerotic food additive "Salbin" was developed on the basis of Common sage - Salvia officinalis L. phenolic compounds.

  1. Automated Inference of Chemical Discriminants of Biological Activity.

    PubMed

    Raschka, Sebastian; Scott, Anne M; Huertas, Mar; Li, Weiming; Kuhn, Leslie A

    2018-01-01

    Ligand-based virtual screening has become a standard technique for the efficient discovery of bioactive small molecules. Following assays to determine the activity of compounds selected by virtual screening, or other approaches in which dozens to thousands of molecules have been tested, machine learning techniques make it straightforward to discover the patterns of chemical groups that correlate with the desired biological activity. Defining the chemical features that generate activity can be used to guide the selection of molecules for subsequent rounds of screening and assaying, as well as help design new, more active molecules for organic synthesis.The quantitative structure-activity relationship machine learning protocols we describe here, using decision trees, random forests, and sequential feature selection, take as input the chemical structure of a single, known active small molecule (e.g., an inhibitor, agonist, or substrate) for comparison with the structure of each tested molecule. Knowledge of the atomic structure of the protein target and its interactions with the active compound are not required. These protocols can be modified and applied to any data set that consists of a series of measured structural, chemical, or other features for each tested molecule, along with the experimentally measured value of the response variable you would like to predict or optimize for your project, for instance, inhibitory activity in a biological assay or ΔG binding . To illustrate the use of different machine learning algorithms, we step through the analysis of a dataset of inhibitor candidates from virtual screening that were tested recently for their ability to inhibit GPCR-mediated signaling in a vertebrate.

  2. Chemical compound-based direct reprogramming for future clinical applications

    PubMed Central

    Takeda, Yukimasa; Harada, Yoshinori; Yoshikawa, Toshikazu; Dai, Ping

    2018-01-01

    Recent studies have revealed that a combination of chemical compounds enables direct reprogramming from one somatic cell type into another without the use of transgenes by regulating cellular signaling pathways and epigenetic modifications. The generation of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells generally requires virus vector-mediated expression of multiple transcription factors, which might disrupt genomic integrity and proper cell functions. The direct reprogramming is a promising alternative to rapidly prepare different cell types by bypassing the pluripotent state. Because the strategy also depends on forced expression of exogenous lineage-specific transcription factors, the direct reprogramming in a chemical compound-based manner is an ideal approach to further reduce the risk for tumorigenesis. So far, a number of reported research efforts have revealed that combinations of chemical compounds and cell-type specific medium transdifferentiate somatic cells into desired cell types including neuronal cells, glial cells, neural stem cells, brown adipocytes, cardiomyocytes, somatic progenitor cells, and pluripotent stem cells. These desired cells rapidly converted from patient-derived autologous fibroblasts can be applied for their own transplantation therapy to avoid immune rejection. However, complete chemical compound-induced conversions remain challenging particularly in adult human-derived fibroblasts compared with mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). This review summarizes up-to-date progress in each specific cell type and discusses prospects for future clinical application toward cell transplantation therapy. PMID:29739872

  3. Chemical compounds from Chenopodium album Linn.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zheng, Wei

    2017-06-01

    Bioactive components from Chenopodium album Linn. were isolated and identified in this research. Light petroleum, dichloromethane and n-BuOH were firstly applied to partition the 75% EtOH extract of Chenopodium album Linn. which were then subjected to normal-phase silica, ODS silica gel column chromatography and semi-preparative HPLC chromatography. By the employment of NMR method in this study, chemical structures of the compounds were elucidated. Three known compounds were isolated from Chenopodium album Linn., and identified as Isolariciresinol 4-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (1), (7’S, 8R, 8’R)-Isolariciresinol (2) and (7’S, 8R, 8’S)-Isolariciresinol (3) by comparison of their spectral data with references. This is the first time that isolation of the compounds mentioned above from Chenopodium album Linn. was achieved.

  4. Compounds from the aerial parts of Piper bavinum and their anti-cholinesterase activity.

    PubMed

    Dung, Hoang Viet; Cuong, To Dao; Chinh, Nguyen Minh; Quyen, Do; Kim, Jeong Ah; Byeon, Jeong Su; Woo, Mi Hee; Choi, Jae Sui; Min, Byung Sun

    2015-01-01

    A new alkenylphenol, bavinol A (1), together with six known compounds (2-7) were isolated from the aerial parts of Piper bavinum (Piperaceae). The chemical structures of these compounds were determined by spectroscopic analyses including 2D NMR spectroscopy. The anti-Alzheimer effects of compounds 1-7 were evaluated from acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitory activity assays. Bavinol A (1), ampelopsin (3), and violanthin (4) exhibited AChE inhibitory activities with IC50 values of 29.80, 59.47 and 79.80 μM. Compound 1 also showed the most potent BChE inhibitory activity with an IC50 value of 19.25 μM.

  5. Identifying Metabolically Active Chemicals Using a Consensus ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are abundant throughout the environment and can alter neurodevelopment, behavior, and reproductive success of humans and other species by perturbing signaling pathways related to the estrogen receptor (ER). A recent study compared results across 18 ER-related assays in the ToxCast™ in vitro screening program to predict the likelihood of a chemical exhibiting in vivo estrogenic activity, with the purpose of eliminating chemicals that may produce a false signal by interfering with the technological attributes of an individual assay. However, flaws in in vitro assay design can also prevent induction of signal activity by EDCs. Another reason for not observing activity for some EDCs in in vitro assays is that metabolic activation is required to perturb ER-related pathways. In the current study, 1,024 chemicals were identified as lacking ER activity after establishing a consensus across each of the 18 ER-related in vitro assays, and nearly 2,000 primary and 3,700 secondary unique metabolites were predicted for these chemicals. The ER binding activity for each metabolite was then predicted using an existing ER activity quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) consensus model. Binding activity was predicted for 2-3% of the metabolites within each generation. Of the inactive parent compounds generating at least one metabolite predicted to have ER-binding activity, nearly 30% were found to have metabolites from both gene

  6. Bayesian screening for active compounds in high-dimensional chemical spaces combining property descriptors and molecular fingerprints.

    PubMed

    Vogt, Martin; Bajorath, Jürgen

    2008-01-01

    Bayesian classifiers are increasingly being used to distinguish active from inactive compounds and search large databases for novel active molecules. We introduce an approach to directly combine the contributions of property descriptors and molecular fingerprints in the search for active compounds that is based on a Bayesian framework. Conventionally, property descriptors and fingerprints are used as alternative features for virtual screening methods. Following the approach introduced here, probability distributions of descriptor values and fingerprint bit settings are calculated for active and database molecules and the divergence between the resulting combined distributions is determined as a measure of biological activity. In test calculations on a large number of compound activity classes, this methodology was found to consistently perform better than similarity searching using fingerprints and multiple reference compounds or Bayesian screening calculations using probability distributions calculated only from property descriptors. These findings demonstrate that there is considerable synergy between different types of property descriptors and fingerprints in recognizing diverse structure-activity relationships, at least in the context of Bayesian modeling.

  7. How to tackle chemical communication? Relative proportions versus semiquantitative determination of compounds in lizard chemical secretions.

    PubMed

    García-Roa, Roberto; Sáiz, Jorge; Gómara, Belén; López, Pilar; Martín, José

    2018-02-01

    Knowledge about chemical communication in some vertebrates is still relatively limited. Squamates are a glaring example of this, even when recent evidences indicate that scents are involved in social and sexual interactions. In lizards, where our understanding of chemical communication has considerably progressed in the last few years, many questions about chemical interactions remain unanswered. A potential reason for this is the inherent complexity and technical limitations that some methodologies embody when analyzing the compounds used to convey information. We provide here a straightforward procedure to analyze lizard chemical secretions based on gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry that uses an internal standard for the semiquantification of compounds. We compare the results of this method with those obtained by the traditional procedure of calculating relative proportions of compounds. For such purpose, we designed two experiments to investigate if these procedures allowed revealing changes in chemical secretions 1) when lizards received previously a vitamin dietary supplementation or 2) when the chemical secretions were exposed to high temperatures. Our results show that the procedure based on relative proportions is useful to describe the overall chemical profile, or changes in it, at population or species levels. On the other hand, the use of the procedure based on semiquantitative determination can be applied when the target of study is the variation in one or more particular compounds of the sample, as it has proved more accurate detecting quantitative variations in the secretions. This method would reveal new aspects produced by, for example, the effects of different physiological and climatic factors that the traditional method does not show.

  8. Survey of Chemical Compounds Tested In Vitro against Rumen Protozoa for Possible Control of Bloat

    PubMed Central

    Willard, F. L.; Kodras, Rudolph

    1967-01-01

    Over 170 chemical agents were screened for antiprotozoal action in bovine ruminal fluid. Compounds were tested at 0.1 and 0.05% concentrations. Tested compounds included inorganic compounds, antibiotics, biocides, neuromuscular agents, arsenicals, plant and animal hormones, antimalarials, surface-active agents, anthelmintics, and many others. The most active compounds were cupric sulfate, nickel sulfate, nitrofurazone, hydrogen peroxide, dodecyl sodium sulfate, pelargonic acid, iodoacetic acid, 1-diethylaminoethylamino-4-methylthiaxanthrone, sodium arsanilate, sodium arsenate, bismuth glycolyl arsanilate, 1-β-hydroxyethyl-2-methyl-5-nitroimidazole, and p-nitroaniline. Copper ion was not particularly effective against entodinia; nickel ion had no effect on holotrichs. Hydrogen peroxide and iodoacetic acid were effective at a concentration of 0.005%. Anionic surface-active agents were very effective, especially long-chain sulfates and phosphates. These antiprotozoal agents warrant further in vivo studies for possible use in treating or curing bloat in ruminants. PMID:6077407

  9. Survey of chemical compounds tested in vitro against rumen protozoa for possible control of bloat.

    PubMed

    Willard, F L; Kodras, R

    1967-09-01

    Over 170 chemical agents were screened for antiprotozoal action in bovine ruminal fluid. Compounds were tested at 0.1 and 0.05% concentrations. Tested compounds included inorganic compounds, antibiotics, biocides, neuromuscular agents, arsenicals, plant and animal hormones, antimalarials, surface-active agents, anthelmintics, and many others. The most active compounds were cupric sulfate, nickel sulfate, nitrofurazone, hydrogen peroxide, dodecyl sodium sulfate, pelargonic acid, iodoacetic acid, 1-diethylaminoethylamino-4-methylthiaxanthrone, sodium arsanilate, sodium arsenate, bismuth glycolyl arsanilate, 1-beta-hydroxyethyl-2-methyl-5-nitroimidazole, and p-nitroaniline. Copper ion was not particularly effective against entodinia; nickel ion had no effect on holotrichs. Hydrogen peroxide and iodoacetic acid were effective at a concentration of 0.005%. Anionic surface-active agents were very effective, especially long-chain sulfates and phosphates. These antiprotozoal agents warrant further in vivo studies for possible use in treating or curing bloat in ruminants.

  10. Chemical Compounds and Extraction Methods of "Maollahm".

    PubMed

    Sadeghpoor, Omid; Dayeni, Manijeh; Razi, Samane

    2016-05-01

    Maollahm or meat juice, a by-product of meat, is a traditional remedy in Persian medicine. This product was used as a nourishment or treatment substance for sick people. According to the ancient Persian medicine, animal meat has more affinity with the human body and the body easily absorbs its nutrition. Therefore, one could resort to maollahm for patients requiring urgent nourishment to boost and strengthen their body. In this work, different ways of preparing maollahm from poultry, goat, cow, and sheep meat are studied. Most of these methods are based on distillation or barbecue before distillation, as prescribed by traditional medicine books. The reactions, chemical processes, and volatile compounds related to different types of cooked meat are also compared with the outcome of recent research studies. The difference between various types of meat is related to their compounds. Different cooking processes such as barbecuing, roasting, cooking, and boiling have an effect on the taste, smell and the chemical constituents of maollahm. Additionally, the type of meat, animal feed, as well as using or removing the fat during the cooking process, have an effect on the produced volatile compounds. Cooking process and the type of meat have a direct effect on the compounds of maollahm. Possible reactions in the preparation process of maollahm are investigated and presented according to the new research studies.

  11. [Reviews on antiviral activity of chemical constituents from plants].

    PubMed

    Yang, Xian-Feng; Wang, Yu-Li; Xu, Wei-Ren

    2008-01-01

    This paper reviewed the progress in researches on antiviral activity of chemical constituents from plants in recent years, the antiviral activity and mechanism of action of flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, coumarins and polysaccharoses were sammarszed, provided new leading compound for antivirus new drugs from the plares in prospect.

  12. Chemical Compound Design Using Nuclear Charge Distributions

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-03-01

    Finding optimal solutions to design problems in chemistry is hampered by the combinatorially large search space. We develop a general theoretical ... framework for finding chemical compounds with prescribed properties using nuclear charge distributions. The key is the reformulation of the design

  13. [Chemical Constituents from Leaves of Acanthus ilicifolius and Their Anti-influenza Virus Activities].

    PubMed

    Chen, Yan-ping; Tan, Dao-peng; Zeng, Qi; Wang, Yu; Yan, Qi-xin; Zeng, Ling-jie

    2015-03-01

    To study the chemical constituents from the leaves of Acanthus ilicifolius. The compounds were isolated by silica and gel column chromatographic methods and identified by spectoscopic analysis. The anti-influenza virus activities of these compounds were obtained by measuring the neuraminidase activity of influenza virus. Five compounds were isolated and their structures were identified as blepharin(1), acteoside(2), isoverbascoside(3), daucosterol(4), and 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-stigmasterol(5). All the compounds are isolated from the leaves of Acanthus ilicifolius for the first time, and compounds 1 ~ 3 exhibit the anti-influenza virus activities.

  14. Identifying relationships between unrelated pharmaceutical target proteins on the basis of shared active compounds.

    PubMed

    Miljković, Filip; Kunimoto, Ryo; Bajorath, Jürgen

    2017-08-01

    Computational exploration of small-molecule-based relationships between target proteins from different families. Target annotations of drugs and other bioactive compounds were systematically analyzed on the basis of high-confidence activity data. A total of 286 novel chemical links were established between distantly related or unrelated target proteins. These relationships involved a total of 1859 bioactive compounds including 147 drugs and 141 targets. Computational analysis of large amounts of compounds and activity data has revealed unexpected relationships between diverse target proteins on the basis of compounds they share. These relationships are relevant for drug discovery efforts. Target pairs that we have identified and associated compound information are made freely available.

  15. Chemically activated manganese dioxide for dry batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Askar, M.; Abbas, H.

    1994-10-01

    The present investigation has enabled us to convert inactive beta-manganese dioxide to high electrochemically active types by chemical processes. Natural and chemically prepared beta-manganese dioxides were roasted at 1050 C to form Mn3O4. This compound was subjected to activation treatment using hydrochloric and sulfuric acid under various reaction conditions. The manganese dioxide so obtained was examined by x-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric, differential thermal, and chemical analyses. The structure of the dioxide obtained was found to be greatly dependent on the origin of MnO2 and type of acid used. Treatment with hydrochloric acid yielded the so-called gamma-variety while sulfuric acid tended to produce gamma- or alpha-MnO2. In addition, waste manganese sulfate obtained as by-product from sulfuric acid digestion treatment was recycled and electrolytically oxidized to gamma-MnO2. The discharge performance of the above-mentioned MnO2 samples as battery cathodic active material was evaluated and compared with the ordinary battery grade.

  16. [Chemical characterization and quantification of fructooligosaccharides, phenolic compounds and antiradical activity of Andean roots and tubers grown in Northwest of Argentina].

    PubMed

    Jiménez, María Eugenia; Sammán, Norma

    2014-06-01

    There is great interest in consuming foods that can provide the nutrients for a good nutrition and other health beneficial compounds. The aim of this work was to determine the chemical composition of native foods of the Andean region and to quantify some functional com-ponents. Proximal composition, vitamin C, total phenolic compounds, antiradical activity (DPPH) in peel and pulp, dietary fiber soluble and insoluble, fructooligosaccharides (FOS), total and resistant starch (in tubers and raw roots, boiled and boiled and stored) of 6 varieties of Oca (Oxalis tuberosa), 4 clones of manioc (Manihot esculenta Crantz) and yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius were determined. The results showed greater amount of bioactive compounds and antiradical activity in the skin of these products. The highest content was found in the oca peel. In all cases, the content of insoluble fiber was greater than the soluble. The manioc had higher total starch than Andean roots and tubers. The boiling process decreased the resistant starch content of ocas and maniocs, but when these are stored for 48 h at 5 ° C, the resistant starch content increased. The FOS content of the ocas was similar for all varieties (7%). The main component of yacon carbohydrates were FOS (8.89%). The maniocs did not contain FOS. It can be concluded that the roots and tubers studied, in addition to provide nutrients, contain functional compounds that confer additional helpful value for preventing no communicable diseases.

  17. Chemical bath deposition of II-VI compound thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oladeji, Isaiah Olatunde

    II-VI compounds are direct bandgap semiconductors with great potentials in optoelectronic applications. Solar cells, where these materials are in greater demand, require a low cost production technology that will make the final product more affordable. Chemical bath deposition (CBD) a low cost growth technique capable of producing good quality thin film semiconductors over large area and at low temperature then becomes a suitable technology of choice. Heterogeneous reaction in a basic aqueous solution that is responsible for the II-VI compound film growth in CBD requires a metal complex. We have identified the stability constant (k) of the metal complex compatible with CBD growth mechanism to be about 106.9. This value is low enough to ensure that the substrate adsorbed complex relax for subsequent reaction with the chalcogen precursor to take place. It is also high enough to minimize the metal ion concentration in the bath participating in the precipitation of the bulk compounds. Homogeneous reaction that leads to precipitation in the reaction bath takes place because the solubility products of bulk II-VI compounds are very low. This reaction quickly depletes the bath of reactants, limit the film thickness, and degrade the film quality. While ZnS thin films are still hard to grow by CBD because of lack of suitable complexing agent, the homogeneous reaction still limits quality and thickness of both US and ZnS thin films. In this study, the zinc tetraammine complex ([Zn(NH3) 4]2+) with k = 108.9 has been forced to acquire its unsaturated form [Zn(NH3)3]2+ with a moderate k = 106.6 using hydrazine and nitrilotriacetate ion as complementary complexing agents and we have successfully grown ZnS thin films. We have also, minimized or eliminated the homogeneous reaction by using ammonium salt as a buffer and chemical bath with low reactant concentrations. These have allowed us to increase the saturation thickness of ZnS thin film by about 400% and raise that of US film

  18. Characterization of traditional Istrian dry-cured ham by means of physical and chemical analyses and volatile compounds.

    PubMed

    Marušić, Nives; Petrović, Marinko; Vidaček, Sanja; Petrak, Tomislav; Medić, Helga

    2011-08-01

    The aroma-active compounds of Istrian dry-cured ham were investigated by using headspace-solid phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Samples of biceps femoris were also evaluated by measuring physical and chemical characteristics: moisture, protein, fat, ash and NaCl content, a(w) value; colour: L*, a*, b* and oxidation of fat: TBARS test. About 50 volatile compounds were identified and quantified which belonged to several classes of chemical: 5 alcohols, 8 aldehydes, 7 alkanes, 1 ketone, 2 esters, 9 monoterpenes and 15 sesquiterpenes. Except volatile compounds derived from lipolysis and proteolysis the most abundant constituents were terpenes (62.97; 41.43%) that originate from spices added in the salting phase of the production process. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Process for preparing a chemical compound enriched in isotope content. [nitrogen 15-enriched nitric acid

    DOEpatents

    Michaels, E.D.

    1981-02-25

    A process to prepare a chemical enriched in isotope content includes: a chemical exchange reaction between a first and second compound which yields an isotopically enriched first compound and an isotopically depleted second compound; the removal of a portion of the first compound as product and the removal of a portion of the second compound as spent material; the conversion of the remainder of the first compound to the second compound for reflux at the product end of the chemical exchange reaction region; the conversion of the remainder of the second compound to the first compound for reflux at the spent material end of the chemical exchange region; and the cycling of the additional chemicals produced by one conversion reaction to the other conversion reaction, for consumption therein. One of the conversion reactions is an oxidation reaction, and the energy that it yields is used to drive the other conversion reaction, a reduction. The reduction reaction is carried out in a solid polymer electrolyte electrolytic reactor. The overall process is energy efficient and yields no waste by-products. A particular embodiment of the process in the production of nitrogen-15-enriched nitric acid.

  20. LOSS OF ORGANIC CHEMICALS IN SOIL: PURE COMPOUND TREATABILITY STUDIES

    EPA Science Inventory

    Comprehensive screening data on the treatability of 32 organic chemicals in soil were developed. Of the evaluated chemicals, 22 were phenolic compounds. Aerobic batch laboratory microcosm experiments were conducted using two soils: an acidic clay soil with <1% organic matter and ...

  1. Chemical genomic profiling via barcode sequencing to predict compound mode of action

    PubMed Central

    Piotrowski, Jeff S.; Simpkins, Scott W.; Li, Sheena C.; Deshpande, Raamesh; McIlwain, Sean; Ong, Irene; Myers, Chad L.; Boone, Charlie; Andersen, Raymond J.

    2015-01-01

    Summary Chemical genomics is an unbiased, whole-cell approach to characterizing novel compounds to determine mode of action and cellular target. Our version of this technique is built upon barcoded deletion mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and has been adapted to a high-throughput methodology using next-generation sequencing. Here we describe the steps to generate a chemical genomic profile from a compound of interest, and how to use this information to predict molecular mechanism and targets of bioactive compounds. PMID:25618354

  2. Chemical composition and biological activity of four salvia essential oils and individual compounds against two species of mosquitoes.

    PubMed

    Ali, Abbas; Tabanca, Nurhayat; Demirci, Betul; Blythe, Eugene K; Ali, Zulfiqar; Baser, K Husnu Can; Khan, Ikhlas A

    2015-01-21

    The chemical compositions of essential oils obtained from four species of genus Salvia were analyzed by gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The main compounds identified from Salvia species essential oils were as follows: 1,8-cineole (71.7%), α-pinene (5.1%), camphor (4.4%), and β-pinene (3.8%) in Salvia apiana; borneol (17.4%), β-eudesmol (10.4%), bornyl acetate (5%), and guaiol (4.8%) in Salvia elegans; bornyl acetate (11.4%), β-caryophyllene (6.5%), caryophyllene oxide (13.5%), and spathulenol (7.0%) in Salvia leucantha; α-thujene (25.8%), viridiflorol (20.4%), β-thujene (5.7%), and camphor (6.4%) in Salvia officinalis. In biting-deterrent bioassays, essential oils of S. leucantha and S. elegans at 10 μg/cm(2) showed activity similar to that of DEET (97%, N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide) in two species of mosquitoes, whereas the activities of S. officinalis and S. apiana essential oils were lower than those of the other oils or DEET. Pure compounds β-eudesmol and guaiol showed biting-deterrent activity similar to DEET at 25 nmol/cm(2), whereas the activity of 13-epi-manool, caryophyllene oxide, borneol, bornyl acetate, and β-caryophyllene was significantly lower than that of β-eudesmol, guaiol, or DEET. All essential oils showed larvicidal activity except that of S. apiana, which was inactive at the highest dose of 125 ppm against both mosquito species. On the basis of 95% CIs, all of the essential oils showed higher toxicity in Anopheles quadrimaculatus than in Aedes aegypti. The essential oil of S. leucantha with an LC50 value of 6.2 ppm showed highest toxicity in An. quadrimaculatus.

  3. Deciphering potential chemical compounds of gaseous oxidized mercury in Florida, USA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, Jiaoyan; Miller, Matthieu B.; Edgerton, Eric; Sexauer Gustin, Mae

    2017-02-01

    The highest mercury (Hg) wet deposition in the United States of America (USA) occurs along the Gulf of Mexico, and in the southern and central Mississippi River Valley. Gaseous oxidized Hg (GOM) is thought to be a major contributor due to high water solubility and reactivity. Therefore, it is critical to understand concentrations, potential for wet and dry deposition, and GOM compounds present in the air. Concentrations and dry-deposition fluxes of GOM were measured and calculated for Naval Air Station Pensacola Outlying Landing Field (OLF) in Florida using data collected by a Tekran® 2537/1130/1135, the University of Nevada Reno Reactive Mercury Active System (UNRRMAS) with cation exchange and nylon membranes, and the Aerohead samplers that use cation-exchange membranes to determine dry deposition. Relationships with Tekran®-derived data must be interpreted with caution, since the GOM concentrations measured are biased low depending on the chemical compounds in air and interferences with water vapor and ozone.Criteria air pollutants were concurrently measured. This allowed for comparison and better understanding of GOM.In addition to other methods previously applied at OLF, use of the UNRRMAS provided a platform for determination of the chemical compounds of GOM in the air. Results from nylon membranes with thermal desorption analyses indicated seven GOM compounds in this area, including HgBr2, HgCl2, HgO, Hg-nitrogen and sulfur compounds, and two unknown compounds. This indicates that the site is influenced by different gaseous phase reactions and sources. Using back-trajectory analysis during a high-GOM event related to high CO, but average SO2, indicated air parcels moved from the free troposphere and across Arkansas, Mississippi, and Alabama at low elevation (< 300 m). This event was initially characterized by HgBr2, followed by a mixture of GOM compounds. Overall, GOM chemistry indicates oxidation reactions with local mobile source pollutants and long

  4. REVIEW OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND SOURCE APPORTIONMENT BY CHEMICAL MASS BALANCE. (R826237)

    EPA Science Inventory

    The chemical mass balance (CMB) receptor model has apportioned volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in more than 20 urban areas, mostly in the United States. These applications differ in terms of the total fraction apportioned, the calculation method, the chemical compounds used ...

  5. Screening of chemical compound libraries identified new anti-Toxoplasma gondii agents.

    PubMed

    Adeyemi, Oluyomi Stephen; Sugi, Tatsuki; Han, Yongmei; Kato, Kentaro

    2018-02-01

    Toxoplasma gondii is the etiological agent of toxoplasmosis, a common parasitic disease that affects nearly one-third of the human population. The primary infection can be asymptomatic in healthy individuals but may prove fatal in immunocompromised individuals. Available treatment options for toxoplasmosis patients are limited, underscoring the urgent need to identify and develop new therapies. Non-biased screening of libraries of chemical compounds including the repurposing of well-characterized compounds is emerging as viable approach to achieving this goal. In the present investigation, we screened libraries of natural product and FDA-approved compounds to identify those that inhibited T. gondii growth. We identified 32 new compounds that potently inhibit T. gondii growth. Our findings are new and promising, and further strengthen the prospects of drug repurposing as well as the screening of a wide range of chemical compounds as a viable source of alternative anti-parasitic therapeutic agents.

  6. FilTer BaSe: A web accessible chemical database for small compound libraries.

    PubMed

    Kolte, Baban S; Londhe, Sanjay R; Solanki, Bhushan R; Gacche, Rajesh N; Meshram, Rohan J

    2018-03-01

    Finding novel chemical agents for targeting disease associated drug targets often requires screening of large number of new chemical libraries. In silico methods are generally implemented at initial stages for virtual screening. Filtering of such compound libraries on physicochemical and substructure ground is done to ensure elimination of compounds with undesired chemical properties. Filtering procedure, is redundant, time consuming and requires efficient bioinformatics/computer manpower along with high end software involving huge capital investment that forms a major obstacle in drug discovery projects in academic setup. We present an open source resource, FilTer BaSe- a chemoinformatics platform (http://bioinfo.net.in/filterbase/) that host fully filtered, ready to use compound libraries with workable size. The resource also hosts a database that enables efficient searching the chemical space of around 348,000 compounds on the basis of physicochemical and substructure properties. Ready to use compound libraries and database presented here is expected to aid a helping hand for new drug developers and medicinal chemists. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Chemical Components and Cardiovascular Activities of Valeriana spp.

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Heng-Wen; Wei, Ben-Jun; He, Xuan-Hui; Liu, Yan; Wang, Jie

    2015-01-01

    Valeriana spp. is a flowering plant that is well known for its essential oils, iridoid compounds such as monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, flavonoids, alkaloids, amino acids, and lignanoids. Valeriana spp. exhibits a wide range of biological activities such as lowering blood pressure and heart rate, antimyocardial ischemia reperfusion injury, antiarrhythmia, and regulation of blood lipid levels. This review focuses on the chemical constituents and cardiovascular activities of Valeriana spp. PMID:26788113

  8. Anti-cancer activity of compounds from Bauhinia strychnifolia stem.

    PubMed

    Yuenyongsawad, Supreeya; Bunluepuech, Kingkan; Wattanapiromsakul, Chatchai; Tewtrakul, Supinya

    2013-11-25

    The stem and root of Bauhinia strychnifolia Craib (Fabaceae family) have been traditionally used in Thailand to treat fever, alcoholic toxication, allergy and cancer. An EtOH extract of Bauhinia strychnifolia showed good inhibitory activity against several cancer cell lines including HT-29, HeLa, MCF-7 and KB. As there has been no previous reports on chemical constituents of Bauhinia strychnifolia, this study is aimed to isolate the pure compounds with anti-cancer activity. Five pure compounds were isolated from EtOH extract of Bauhinia strychnifolia stem using silica gel, dianion HP-20 and sephadex LH-20 column chromatography and were tested for their cytotoxic effects against HT-29, HeLa, MCF-7 and KB cell lines using the Sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay. Among five compounds, 3,5,7,3',5'-pentahydroxyflavanonol-3-O-α-l-rhamnopyranoside (2) possessed very potent activity against KB (IC₅₀=0.00054μg/mL), HT-29 (IC₅₀=0.00217 μg/mL), MCF-7 (IC₅₀=0.0585 μg/mL) and HeLa cells (IC₅₀=0.0692 μg/mL). 3,5,7-Trihydroxychromone-3-O-α-l-rhamnopyranoside (3) also showed good activity against HT-29 (IC₅₀=0.02366 μg/mL), KB (IC₅₀=0.0412 μg/mL) and MCF-7 (IC₅₀=0.297 μg/mL), respectively. The activity of 2 (IC₅₀=0.00054 μg/mL) against KB cell was ten times higher than that of the positive control, Camptothecin (anti-cancer drug, IC₅₀=0.0057 μg/mL). All compounds did not show any cytotoxicity with normal cells at the concentration of 1 μg/mL. This is the first report of compounds 2 and 3 on anti-cancer activity and based on the anti-cancer activity of extracts and pure compounds isolated from Bauhinia strychnifolia stem, it might be suggested that this plant could be useful for treatment of cancer. © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Antimalarial activity of compounds comprising a primary benzene sulfonamide fragment.

    PubMed

    Andrews, Katherine T; Fisher, Gillian M; Sumanadasa, Subathdrage D M; Skinner-Adams, Tina; Moeker, Janina; Lopez, Marie; Poulsen, Sally-Ann

    2013-11-15

    Despite the urgent need for effective antimalarial drugs with novel modes of action no new chemical class of antimalarial drug has been approved for use since 1996. To address this, we have used a rational approach to investigate compounds comprising the primary benzene sulfonamide fragment as a potential new antimalarial chemotype. We report the in vitro activity against Plasmodium falciparum drug sensitive (3D7) and resistant (Dd2) parasites for a panel of fourteen primary benzene sulfonamide compounds. Our findings provide a platform to support the further evaluation of primary benzene sulfonamides as a new antimalarial chemotype, including the identification of the target of these compounds in the parasite. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. A herbicide structure-activity analysis of the antimalarial lead compound MMV007978 against Arabidopsis thaliana.

    PubMed

    Corral, Maxime G; Leroux, Julie; Tresch, Stefan; Newton, Trevor; Stubbs, Keith A; Mylne, Joshua S

    2018-07-01

    To fight herbicide-resistant weeds, new herbicides are needed; particularly ones with new modes of action. Building on the revelation that many antimalarial drugs are herbicidal, here we focus on the Medicines for Malaria Venture antimalarial lead compound MMV007978 that has herbicidal activity against the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Twenty-two variations of the lead compound thiophenyl motif revealed that change was tolerated provided ring size and charge were retained. MMV007978 was active against select monocot and dicot weeds, and physiological profiling indicated that its mode of action is related to germination and cell division. Of interest is the fact that the compound has a profile that is currently not found among known herbicides. We demonstrate that the antimalarial compound MMV007978 is also herbicidal and that exploiting lead compounds that are often understudied could lead to the identification of interesting herbicidal scaffolds. Further structural investigation of MMV007978 could provide improved herbicidal chemistries with a potential new mode of action. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

  11. Real-time monitoring of volatile organic compounds using chemical ionization mass spectrometry

    DOEpatents

    Mowry, Curtis Dale; Thornberg, Steven Michael

    1999-01-01

    A system for on-line quantitative monitoring of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) includes pressure reduction means for carrying a gaseous sample from a first location to a measuring input location maintained at a low pressure, the system utilizing active feedback to keep both the vapor flow and pressure to a chemical ionization mode mass spectrometer constant. A multiple input manifold for VOC and gas distribution permits a combination of calibration gases or samples to be applied to the spectrometer.

  12. Repellent activity of estrogenic compounds toward zoospores of the phytopathogenic fungus Aphanomyces cochlioides.

    PubMed

    Islam, M T; Tahara, S

    2001-01-01

    Screening chemical compounds, we found that a xenoestrogen, bisphenol A, showed potent repellent activity against the zoospores of Aphanomyces cochlioides. Based on this finding, we tested a number of androgenic and estrogenic compounds (e.g. testosterone, progesterone, estradiols, diethylstilbestrol, estrone, estriol, pregnenolone, dienestrol etc.) on the motility behavior of A. cochlioides zoospores. Interestingly, most of the estrogenic compounds exhibited potent repellent activity (1 microg/ml or less by the "particle method") toward the motile zoospores of A. cochlioides. We derivatized some of the estrogens and discussed the relationship between the structure of active molecules and their repellent activity. Apparently, aromatization of the A ring with a free hydroxyl group at C-3 position of a steroidal structure is necessary for higher repellent activity. Interestingly, methylation of diethylstilbestrol (DES) yielded completely different activity i.e. both mono- and di-methyl ethers of DES showed attractant activity. Moreover, the attracted zoospores were encysted and then germinated in the presence of di-methyl ether of DES. The potential usefulness of this repellent test is discussed for the detection of estrogenic activity of naturally occurring compounds, and the possible role of phytoestrogens in host/parasite interactions. So far, this will be the first report of repellent activity of estrogenic compounds toward trivial fungal zoospores.

  13. Compound annotation with real time cellular activity profiles to improve drug discovery.

    PubMed

    Fang, Ye

    2016-01-01

    In the past decade, a range of innovative strategies have been developed to improve the productivity of pharmaceutical research and development. In particular, compound annotation, combined with informatics, has provided unprecedented opportunities for drug discovery. In this review, a literature search from 2000 to 2015 was conducted to provide an overview of the compound annotation approaches currently used in drug discovery. Based on this, a framework related to a compound annotation approach using real-time cellular activity profiles for probe, drug, and biology discovery is proposed. Compound annotation with chemical structure, drug-like properties, bioactivities, genome-wide effects, clinical phenotypes, and textural abstracts has received significant attention in early drug discovery. However, these annotations are mostly associated with endpoint results. Advances in assay techniques have made it possible to obtain real-time cellular activity profiles of drug molecules under different phenotypes, so it is possible to generate compound annotation with real-time cellular activity profiles. Combining compound annotation with informatics, such as similarity analysis, presents a good opportunity to improve the rate of discovery of novel drugs and probes, and enhance our understanding of the underlying biology.

  14. Chemical features of Ganoderma polysaccharides with antioxidant, antitumor and antimicrobial activities.

    PubMed

    Ferreira, Isabel C F R; Heleno, Sandrina A; Reis, Filipa S; Stojkovic, Dejan; Queiroz, Maria João R P; Vasconcelos, M Helena; Sokovic, Marina

    2015-06-01

    Ganoderma genus comprises one of the most commonly studied species worldwide, Ganoderma lucidum. However, other Ganoderma species have been also reported as important sources of bioactive compounds. Polysaccharides are important contributors to the medicinal properties reported for Ganoderma species, as demonstrated by the numerous publications, including reviews, on this matter. Yet, what are the chemical features of Ganoderma polysaccharides that have bioactivity? In the present manuscript, the chemical features of Ganoderma polysaccharides with reported antioxidant, antitumor and antimicrobial activities (the most studied worldwide) are analyzed in detail. The composition of sugars (homo- versus hetero-glucans and other polysaccharides), type of glycosidic linkages, branching patterns, and linkage to proteins are discussed. Methods for extraction, isolation and identification are evaluated and, finally, the bioactivity of polysaccharidic extracts and purified compounds are discussed. The integration of data allows deduction of structure-activity relationships and gives clues to the chemical aspects involved in Ganoderma bioactivity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. The antitumor activity screening of chemical constituents from Camellia nitidissima Chi

    PubMed Central

    Yang, Rui; Qi, Jing; Huang, Yue; Feng, Shuyun; Wu, Yao; Lin, Sensen; Liu, Zhixin; Jia, Ai-Qun; Yuan, Shengtao; Sun, Li

    2018-01-01

    Chemotherapy is the preferred and most common treatment for cancer in clinical practice. An increasing number of researchers all over the world are focusing on natural medicines to find new antitumor drugs, and several reports have shown that Camellia nitidissima (C. nitidis-sima) Chi could reduce blood-lipid, decrease blood pressure, resist oxidation, prevent carcinogenesis and inhibit tumors. Therefore, the pharmacodynamics of the chemical constituents in C. nitidissima need to be investigated further. In the present study, 16 chemical constituents were isolated from the leaves of C. nitidissima, of which 6 compounds are reported to be found in this plant for the first time. Furthermore, all these phytochemicals were screened for antitumor activity on 4 common cancer cell lines, while compound 3, one oleanane-type triterpene, exhibited the most potential antitumor effects. Interestingly, to our knowledge, this was the first report that compound 3 inhibits cancer cells. Compound 3 inhibited EGFR-mutant lung cancer cell line, NCI-H1975 via apoptosis effect, with an IC50 of 13.37±2.05 µM at 48 h. Based on the data, compound 3 showed potential for antitumor drug development, suggesting the scientific basis for the antitumor activity of C. nitidissima. PMID:29484370

  16. [Assessment of the relationship of properties of chemical compounds and their toxicity to a unified hygienic standardization for chemicals].

    PubMed

    Trushkov, V F; Perminov, K A; Sapozhnikova, V V; Ignatova, O L

    2013-01-01

    The connection of thermodynamic properties and parameters of toxicity of chemical substances was determined. Obtained data are used for the evaluation of toxicity and hygienic rate setting of chemical compounds. The relationship between enthalpy and toxicity of chemical compounds has been established. Orthogonal planning of the experiment was carried out in the course of the investigations. Equation of unified hygienic rate setting in combined, complex, conjunct influence on the organism is presented. Prospects of determination of toxicity and methodology of unified hygienic rate setting in combined, complex, conjunct influence on the organism are presented

  17. ToxAlerts: a Web server of structural alerts for toxic chemicals and compounds with potential adverse reactions.

    PubMed

    Sushko, Iurii; Salmina, Elena; Potemkin, Vladimir A; Poda, Gennadiy; Tetko, Igor V

    2012-08-27

    The article presents a Web-based platform for collecting and storing toxicological structural alerts from literature and for virtual screening of chemical libraries to flag potentially toxic chemicals and compounds that can cause adverse side effects. An alert is uniquely identified by a SMARTS template, a toxicological endpoint, and a publication where the alert was described. Additionally, the system allows storing complementary information such as name, comments, and mechanism of action, as well as other data. Most importantly, the platform can be easily used for fast virtual screening of large chemical datasets, focused libraries, or newly designed compounds against the toxicological alerts, providing a detailed profile of the chemicals grouped by structural alerts and endpoints. Such a facility can be used for decision making regarding whether a compound should be tested experimentally, validated with available QSAR models, or eliminated from consideration altogether. The alert-based screening can also be helpful for an easier interpretation of more complex QSAR models. The system is publicly accessible and tightly integrated with the Online Chemical Modeling Environment (OCHEM, http://ochem.eu). The system is open and expandable: any registered OCHEM user can introduce new alerts, browse, edit alerts introduced by other users, and virtually screen his/her data sets against all or selected alerts. The user sets being passed through the structural alerts can be used at OCHEM for other typical tasks: exporting in a wide variety of formats, development of QSAR models, additional filtering by other criteria, etc. The database already contains almost 600 structural alerts for such endpoints as mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, skin sensitization, compounds that undergo metabolic activation, and compounds that form reactive metabolites and, thus, can cause adverse reactions. The ToxAlerts platform is accessible on the Web at http://ochem.eu/alerts, and it is constantly

  18. ToxAlerts: A Web Server of Structural Alerts for Toxic Chemicals and Compounds with Potential Adverse Reactions

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    The article presents a Web-based platform for collecting and storing toxicological structural alerts from literature and for virtual screening of chemical libraries to flag potentially toxic chemicals and compounds that can cause adverse side effects. An alert is uniquely identified by a SMARTS template, a toxicological endpoint, and a publication where the alert was described. Additionally, the system allows storing complementary information such as name, comments, and mechanism of action, as well as other data. Most importantly, the platform can be easily used for fast virtual screening of large chemical datasets, focused libraries, or newly designed compounds against the toxicological alerts, providing a detailed profile of the chemicals grouped by structural alerts and endpoints. Such a facility can be used for decision making regarding whether a compound should be tested experimentally, validated with available QSAR models, or eliminated from consideration altogether. The alert-based screening can also be helpful for an easier interpretation of more complex QSAR models. The system is publicly accessible and tightly integrated with the Online Chemical Modeling Environment (OCHEM, http://ochem.eu). The system is open and expandable: any registered OCHEM user can introduce new alerts, browse, edit alerts introduced by other users, and virtually screen his/her data sets against all or selected alerts. The user sets being passed through the structural alerts can be used at OCHEM for other typical tasks: exporting in a wide variety of formats, development of QSAR models, additional filtering by other criteria, etc. The database already contains almost 600 structural alerts for such endpoints as mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, skin sensitization, compounds that undergo metabolic activation, and compounds that form reactive metabolites and, thus, can cause adverse reactions. The ToxAlerts platform is accessible on the Web at http://ochem.eu/alerts, and it is constantly

  19. Selection of quantum chemical descriptors by chemometric methods in the study of antioxidant activity of flavonoid compounds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Weber, K. C.; Honório, K. M.; da Silva, S. L.; Mercadante, R.; da Silva, A. B. F.

    In the present study, the aim was to select electronic properties responsible for free radical scavenging ability of a set of 25 flavonoid compounds employing chemometric methods. Electronic parameters were calculated using the AM1 semiempirical method, and chemometric methods (principal component analysis, hierarchical cluster analysis, and k-nearest neighbor) were used with the aim to build models able to find relationships between electronic features and the antioxidant activity presented by the compounds studied. According to these models, four electronic variables can be considered important to discriminate more and less antioxidant flavonoid compounds: polarizability (α), charge at carbon 3 (QC3), total charge at substituent 5 (QS5), and total charge at substituent 3' (QS3'). The features found as being responsible for the antioxidant activity of the flavonoid compounds studied are consistent with previous results found in the literature. The results obtained can also bring improvements in the search for better antioxidant flavonoid compounds.

  20. Relationship between electronic properties and drug activity of seven quinoxaline compounds: A DFT study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Behzadi, Hadi; Roonasi, Payman; Assle taghipour, Khatoon; van der Spoel, David; Manzetti, Sergio

    2015-07-01

    The quantum chemical calculations at the DFT/B3LYP level of theory were carried out on seven quinoxaline compounds, which have been synthesized as anti-Mycobacterium tuberculosis agents. Three conformers were optimized for each compound and the lowest energy structure was found and used in further calculations. The electronic properties including EHOMO, ELUMO and related parameters as well as electron density around oxygen and nitrogen atoms were calculated for each compound. The relationship between the calculated electronic parameters and biological activity of the studied compounds were investigated. Six similar quinoxaline derivatives with possible more drug activity were suggested based on the calculated electronic descriptors. A mechanism was proposed and discussed based on the calculated electronic parameters and bond dissociation energies.

  1. Chemical and sensory profiles of makgeolli, Korean commercial rice wine, from descriptive, chemical, and volatile compound analyses.

    PubMed

    Jung, Heeyong; Lee, Seung-Joo; Lim, Jeong Ho; Kim, Bum Keun; Park, Kee Jai

    2014-01-01

    The chemical and sensory profiles of 12 commercial samples of makgeolli, a Korean rice wine, were determined using descriptive sensory, chemical, and volatile components analyses. The sample wines were analysed for their titratable acidity, ethanol content, pH, Hunter colour value and total reducing sugars. The chemical compositions of the makgeolli samples were found to be significantly different. The volatile compounds were extracted with solid-phase microextraction and analysed by gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry. In all, 45 major volatile compounds, consisting of 33 esters, 8 alcohols, 1 aldehyde, 1 acid, 1 phenol and 1 terpene, were identified; each makgeolli sample included 28-35 volatile compounds. Based on principal component analysis of the sensory data, samples RW1, RW2, RW5, RW8 and RW12 were associated with roasted cereal, mouldy, bubbles, sweet and sour attributes; the other samples were associated with sensory attributes of yellowness, yeast, full body, turbidity, continuation, swallow, alcohol, fruit aroma and whiteness. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  2. A ranking method for the concurrent learning of compounds with various activity profiles.

    PubMed

    Dörr, Alexander; Rosenbaum, Lars; Zell, Andreas

    2015-01-01

    In this study, we present a SVM-based ranking algorithm for the concurrent learning of compounds with different activity profiles and their varying prioritization. To this end, a specific labeling of each compound was elaborated in order to infer virtual screening models against multiple targets. We compared the method with several state-of-the-art SVM classification techniques that are capable of inferring multi-target screening models on three chemical data sets (cytochrome P450s, dehydrogenases, and a trypsin-like protease data set) containing three different biological targets each. The experiments show that ranking-based algorithms show an increased performance for single- and multi-target virtual screening. Moreover, compounds that do not completely fulfill the desired activity profile are still ranked higher than decoys or compounds with an entirely undesired profile, compared to other multi-target SVM methods. SVM-based ranking methods constitute a valuable approach for virtual screening in multi-target drug design. The utilization of such methods is most helpful when dealing with compounds with various activity profiles and the finding of many ligands with an already perfectly matching activity profile is not to be expected.

  3. Unraveling the structure and chemical mechanisms of highly oxygenated intermediates in oxidation of organic compounds.

    PubMed

    Wang, Zhandong; Popolan-Vaida, Denisia M; Chen, Bingjie; Moshammer, Kai; Mohamed, Samah Y; Wang, Heng; Sioud, Salim; Raji, Misjudeen A; Kohse-Höinghaus, Katharina; Hansen, Nils; Dagaut, Philippe; Leone, Stephen R; Sarathy, S Mani

    2017-12-12

    Decades of research on the autooxidation of organic compounds have provided fundamental and practical insights into these processes; however, the structure of many key autooxidation intermediates and the reactions leading to their formation still remain unclear. This work provides additional experimental evidence that highly oxygenated intermediates with one or more hydroperoxy groups are prevalent in the autooxidation of various oxygenated (e.g., alcohol, aldehyde, keto compounds, ether, and ester) and nonoxygenated (e.g., normal alkane, branched alkane, and cycloalkane) organic compounds. These findings improve our understanding of autooxidation reaction mechanisms that are routinely used to predict fuel ignition and oxidative stability of liquid hydrocarbons, while also providing insights relevant to the formation mechanisms of tropospheric aerosol building blocks. The direct observation of highly oxygenated intermediates for the autooxidation of alkanes at 500-600 K builds upon prior observations made in atmospheric conditions for the autooxidation of terpenes and other unsaturated hydrocarbons; it shows that highly oxygenated intermediates are stable at conditions above room temperature. These results further reveal that highly oxygenated intermediates are not only accessible by chemical activation but also by thermal activation. Theoretical calculations on H-atom migration reactions are presented to rationalize the relationship between the organic compound's molecular structure ( n -alkane, branched alkane, and cycloalkane) and its propensity to produce highly oxygenated intermediates via extensive autooxidation of hydroperoxyalkylperoxy radicals. Finally, detailed chemical kinetic simulations demonstrate the influence of these additional reaction pathways on the ignition of practical fuels. Copyright © 2017 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

  4. Synthesis of Some Novel Thiadiazole Derivative Compounds and Screening Their Antidepressant-Like Activities.

    PubMed

    Can, Nafiz Öncü; Can, Özgür Devrim; Osmaniye, Derya; Demir Özkay, Ümide

    2018-03-21

    Novel thiadiazole derivatives were synthesized through the reaction of acetylated 2-aminothiadiazole and piperazine derivatives. The chemical structures of the compounds were clarified by Infrared Spectroscopy (IR), ¹H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (¹H-NMR), 13 C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ( 13 C-NMR) and Electronspray Ionisation Mass Spectroscopy (ESI-MS) spectroscopic methods. Antidepressant-like activities were evaluated by the tail-suspension (TST) and modified forced swimming (MFST) methods. Besides, possible influence of the test compounds on motor activities of the animals were examined by activity cage tests. In the TST, administration of the compounds 2c , 2d , 2e , 2f , 2g and 2h significantly decreased the immobility time of mice regarding the control values. Further, in the MFST, the same compounds reduced the total number of immobility behaviors while increasing swimming performance. However, no change was observed in the total number of climbing behaviors. These data suggested that compounds 2c , 2d , 2e , 2f , 2g and 2h possess notable antidepressant-like activities. Reference drug fluoxetine (10 mg/kg) was also exhibited its antidepressant activity, as expected. No significant difference was seen between the locomotor activity values of the test groups signifying that observed antidepressant-like activities are specific. Theoretical calculation of absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion (ADME) properties for the obtained compounds were performed and obtained data supported the antidepressant-like potential of these novel thiadiazole derivatives.

  5. Preparation and antibacterial activity of compound chitosan-compound Yizhihao-nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Ou, Sheng; Zhang, Yang-de

    2008-05-01

    To prepare chitosan (CS)-compound Yizhihao-nanoparticles (NP) and to investigate its antibacterial activity. CS NPs were formed by the incorporation of CS and Na3 PO4. CS-compound Yizhihao NPs were prepared by ion-cross-linking. The particle sizes and surface charges of CS NPs were determined by Malvern Zetasizer 1000-HAS and atomic force microscope (AFM), respectively. The antibacterial activity of CS-compound Yizhihao-NPs was studied in vitro and compared with that of compound Yizhihao powder. Malvern Zetasizer 1000-HAS and AFM demonstrated that the diameter of CS-compound Yizhihao NPs was (137.00+/-14.28)nm and CS NPs had (16.90+/-1.32)mV positive surface charges. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of CS-compound Yizhihao NPs on Staphylococcus aureus,Pneumococcus,beta-hemolytic streptococcus, and Escherichia coli were 1:32,1:32,1:16,and 1:2, respectively. The minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBC) of CS-compound Yizhihao-NPs on Staphylococcus aureus, Pneumococcus, beta-hemolytic streptococcus, and Escherichia coli were 1:16,1:16,1:8, and 1:2, respectively. The antibacterial efficacy of CS-compound Yizhihao-NPs to Staphylococcus aureus, Pneumococcus, and beta-hemolytic streptococcus had been improved significantly (P< 0.05). CS-compound Yizhihao-nanoparticles have obvious antibacterial activity to the Staphylococcus aureus,Pneumococcus,and beta-hemolytic streptococcus,which lays the experimental foundation for new preparation of traditional Chinese medicine in future research.

  6. Anti-inflammatory activities of compounds from twigs of Morus alba.

    PubMed

    Tran, Huynh Nguyen Khanh; Nguyen, Van Thu; Kim, Jeong Ah; Rho, Seong Soo; Woo, Mi Hee; Choi, Jae Sui; Lee, Jeong-Hyung; Min, Byung Sun

    2017-07-01

    Five new compounds, 10-oxomornigrol F (1), (7″R)-(-)-6-(7″-hydroxy-3″,8″-dimethyl-2″,8″-octadien-1″-yl)apigenin (2), ramumorin A (3), ramumorin B (4), and (4S,7S,8R)-trihydroxyoctadeca-5Z-enoic acid (5), together with 31 known compounds (6-36), were isolated from the twigs of Morus alba (Moraceae). The chemical structures of these compounds were established using spectroscopic analyses, 1D and 2D NMR, high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HRESIMS), and Mosher's methods. The anti-inflammatory activities of the compounds were evaluated by investigating their ability to inhibit lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. Compounds 1, 2, 13, 17, 19, 25-28, and 32 showed inhibitory effects with IC 50 values ranging from 2.2 to 5.3μg/mL. Compounds 1, 2, 17, 25, and 32 reduced LPS-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, pretreating the cells with compound 1, 17, and 32 significantly suppressed LPS-induced expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  7. Thermodynamic analysis of chemical compatibility of several compounds with Fe-Cr-Al alloys

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Misra, Ajay K.

    1993-01-01

    Chemical compatibility between Fe-19.8Cr-4.8Al (weight percent), which is the base composition for the commercial superalloy MA956, and several carbides, borides, nitrides, oxides, and silicides was analyzed from thermodynamic considerations. The effect of addition of minor alloying elements, such as Ti, Y, and Y2O3, to the Fe-Cr-Al alloy on chemical compatibility between the alloy and various compounds was also analyzed. Several chemically compatible compounds that can be potential reinforcement materials and/or interface coating materials for Fe-Cr-Al based composites were identified.

  8. Profiling of the Tox21 Chemical Collection for Mitochondrial Function to Identify Compounds that Acutely Decrease Mitochondrial Membrane Potential

    PubMed Central

    Attene-Ramos, Matias S.; Huang, Ruili; Michael, Sam; Witt, Kristine L.; Richard, Ann; Tice, Raymond R.; Simeonov, Anton; Austin, Christopher P.

    2014-01-01

    Background: Mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a variety of disorders including cancer, diabetes, and neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases. Understanding whether different environmental chemicals and druglike molecules impact mitochondrial function represents an initial step in predicting exposure-related toxicity and defining a possible role for such compounds in the onset of various diseases. Objectives: We sought to identify individual chemicals and general structural features associated with changes in mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). Methods: We used a multiplexed [two end points in one screen; MMP and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content] quantitative high throughput screening (qHTS) approach combined with informatics tools to screen the Tox21 library of 10,000 compounds (~ 8,300 unique chemicals) at 15 concentrations each in triplicate to identify chemicals and structural features that are associated with changes in MMP in HepG2 cells. Results: Approximately 11% of the compounds (913 unique compounds) decreased MMP after 1 hr of treatment without affecting cell viability (ATP content). In addition, 309 compounds decreased MMP over a concentration range that also produced measurable cytotoxicity [half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) in MMP assay/IC50 in viability assay ≤ 3; p < 0.05]. More than 11% of the structural clusters that constitute the Tox21 library (76 of 651 clusters) were significantly enriched for compounds that decreased the MMP. Conclusions: Our multiplexed qHTS approach allowed us to generate a robust and reliable data set to evaluate the ability of thousands of drugs and environmental compounds to decrease MMP. The use of structure-based clustering analysis allowed us to identify molecular features that are likely responsible for the observed activity. Citation: Attene-Ramos MS, Huang R, Michael S, Witt KL, Richard A, Tice RR, Simeonov A, Austin CP, Xia M. 2015. Profiling of the Tox

  9. Activation of nitrite. [Interaction of amino compounds to form carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds in digestive tract of animals

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lijinsky, W.

    At low doses dietary nitrite has no obvious deleterious effect, even when ingested for long periods, and nitrites have been used for a long time as flavoring and coloring additives to meat and fish and as preservatives in food in which there is a danger of botulism. In recent years there has been increasing concern that one form of activation of nitrite might be related to cancer. That is the property of interaction with amino compounds to form N-nitroso compounds, which are potent chemical carcinogens. Results are reported from studies on the carcinogenic effects of nitrite and amines in rats.more » (CH)« less

  10. Anti-inflammatory activity and chemical profile of Galphimia glauca.

    PubMed

    González-Cortazar, Manasés; Herrera-Ruiz, Maribel; Zamilpa, Alejandro; Jiménez-Ferrer, Enrique; Marquina, Silvia; Alvarez, Laura; Tortoriello, Jaime

    2014-01-01

    Galphimia glauca, commonly known as "flor de estrella", is a plant species used in Mexican traditional medicine for the treatment of different diseases that have an acute or chronic inflammatory process in common. Aerial parts of this plant contain nor-seco-triterpenoids with anxiolytic properties, which have been denominated galphimines. Other compounds identified in the plant are tetragalloyl-quinic acid, gallic acid, and quercetin, which are able to inhibit the bronchial obstruction induced by platelet-activating factor. The objective of this work was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of crude extracts from G. glauca and, by means of bioguided chemical separation, to identify the compounds responsible for this pharmacological activity. n-Hexane, ethyl acetate, dichloromethane, and methanol extracts showed an important anti-inflammatory effect. Chemical separation of the active methanol extract allowed us to identify the nor-seco-triterpenes galphimine-A (1) and galphimine-E (3) as the anti-inflammatory principles. Analysis of structure-activity relationships evidenced that the presence of an oxygenated function in C6 is absolutely necessary to show activity. In this work, the isolation and structural elucidation of two new nor-seco-triterpenes denominated as galphimine-K (4) and galphimine-L (5), together with different alkanes, fatty acids, as well as three flavonoids (17-19), are described, to our knowledge for the first time, from Galphimia glauca. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  11. New effective chemically synthesized anti-smallpox compound NIOCH-14.

    PubMed

    Mazurkov, Oleg Yu; Kabanov, Alexey S; Shishkina, Larisa N; Sergeev, Alexander A; Skarnovich, Maksim O; Bormotov, Nikolay I; Skarnovich, Maria A; Ovchinnikova, Alena S; Titova, Ksenya A; Galahova, Darya O; Bulychev, Leonid E; Sergeev, Artemiy A; Taranov, Oleg S; Selivanov, Boris A; Tikhonov, Alexey Ya; Zavjalov, Evgenii L; Agafonov, Alexander P; Sergeev, Alexander N

    2016-05-01

    Antiviral activity of the new chemically synthesized compound NIOCH-14 (a derivative of tricyclodicarboxylic acid) in comparison with ST-246 (the condensed derivative of pyrroledione) was observed in experiments in vitro and in vivo using orthopoxviruses including highly pathogenic ones. After oral administration of NIOCH-14 to outbred ICR mice infected intranasally with 100 % lethal dose of ectromelia virus, it was shown that 50 % effective doses of NIOCH-14 and ST-246 did not significantly differ. The 'therapeutic window' varied from 1 day before infection to 6 days post-infection (p.i.) to achieve 100-60 % survival rate. The administration of NIOCH-14 and ST-246 to mice resulted in a significant reduction of ectromelia virus titres in organs examined as compared with the control and also reduced pathological changes in the lungs 6 days p.i. Oral administration of NIOCH-14 and ST-246 to ICR mice and marmots challenged with monkeypox virus as compared with the control resulted in a significant reduction of virus production in the lungs and the proportion of infected mice 7 days p.i. as well as the absence of disease in marmots. Significantly lower proportions of infected mice and virus production levels in the lungs as compared with the control were demonstrated in experiments after oral administration of NIOCH-14 and ST-246 to ICR mice and immunodeficient SCID mice challenged with variola virus 3 and 4 days p.i., respectively. The results obtained suggest good prospects for further study of the chemical compound NIOCH-14 to create a new smallpox drug on its basis.

  12. In Vitro Estrogenic and Breast Cancer Inhibitory Activities of Chemical Constituents Isolated from Rheum undulatum L.

    PubMed

    Lee, Dahae; Park, SeonJu; Choi, Sungyoul; Kim, Seung Hyun; Kang, Ki Sung

    2018-05-18

    We investigated the estrogenic and breast cancer inhibitory activities of chemical constituents isolated from Rhei undulati Rhizoma (roots of Rheum undulatum L.), which is used as a laxative, an anti-inflammatory, and an anti-blood stagnation agent. Estrogen-like activity was studied using the well characterized E-screen assay in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive MCF-7 cells. The mechanism underlying the breast cancer inhibitory activity of the compounds was studied using human ER-negative MDA-MB-231 and ER-positive MCF-7 cells. The activation of apoptosis pathway-related proteins was investigated by western blotting, using extracts of R. undulatum prepared in three solvent conditions (EX1, EX2, and EX3). The R. undulatum chemical constituents (compounds 1 ⁻ 3 ) showed estrogen-like activity in the concentration range of 10 to 50 μM, by increasing the proliferation of human ER-positive MCF-7 cells. These effects were attenuated by co-treatment with 100 nM fulvestrant, an ER antagonist. Compounds 1 ⁻ 3 decreased the viability of MCF-7 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Compounds 1 (aloe emodin) and 2 (rhapontigenin) induced mitochondria-independent apoptosis by activating the caspase-8 pathway, whereas the cytotoxic effect of compound 3 (chrysophanol 1- O -β-d-glucopyranoside) was mediated through the mitochondria-dependent apoptotic pathway.

  13. Dittrichia graveolens (L.) Greuter Essential Oil: Chemical Composition, Multivariate Analysis, and Antimicrobial Activity.

    PubMed

    Mitic, Violeta; Stankov Jovanovic, Vesna; Ilic, Marija; Jovanovic, Olga; Djordjevic, Aleksandra; Stojanovic, Gordana

    2016-01-01

    The chemical composition and in vitro antimicrobial activities of Dittrichia graveolens (L.) Greuter essential oil was studied. Moreover, using agglomerative hierarchical cluster (AHC) and principal component analyses (PCA), the interrelationships of the D. graveolens essential-oil profiles characterized so far (including the sample from this study) were investigated. To evaluate the chemical composition of the essential oil, GC-FID and GC/MS analyses were performed. Altogether, 54 compounds were identified, accounting for 92.9% of the total oil composition. The D. graveolens oil belongs to the monoterpenoid chemotype, with monoterpenoids comprising 87.4% of the totally identified compounds. The major components were borneol (43.6%) and bornyl acetate (38.3%). Multivariate analysis showed that the compounds borneol and bornyl acetate exerted the greatest influence on the spatial differences in the composition of the reported oils. The antimicrobial activity against five bacterial and one fungal strain was determined using a disk-diffusion assay. The studied essential oil was active only against Gram-positive bacteria. Copyright © 2016 Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta AG, Zürich.

  14. Unraveling the structure and chemical mechanisms of highly oxygenated intermediates in oxidation of organic compounds

    PubMed Central

    Popolan-Vaida, Denisia M.; Chen, Bingjie; Moshammer, Kai; Mohamed, Samah Y.; Wang, Heng; Sioud, Salim; Raji, Misjudeen A.; Kohse-Höinghaus, Katharina; Hansen, Nils; Dagaut, Philippe; Leone, Stephen R.

    2017-01-01

    Decades of research on the autooxidation of organic compounds have provided fundamental and practical insights into these processes; however, the structure of many key autooxidation intermediates and the reactions leading to their formation still remain unclear. This work provides additional experimental evidence that highly oxygenated intermediates with one or more hydroperoxy groups are prevalent in the autooxidation of various oxygenated (e.g., alcohol, aldehyde, keto compounds, ether, and ester) and nonoxygenated (e.g., normal alkane, branched alkane, and cycloalkane) organic compounds. These findings improve our understanding of autooxidation reaction mechanisms that are routinely used to predict fuel ignition and oxidative stability of liquid hydrocarbons, while also providing insights relevant to the formation mechanisms of tropospheric aerosol building blocks. The direct observation of highly oxygenated intermediates for the autooxidation of alkanes at 500–600 K builds upon prior observations made in atmospheric conditions for the autooxidation of terpenes and other unsaturated hydrocarbons; it shows that highly oxygenated intermediates are stable at conditions above room temperature. These results further reveal that highly oxygenated intermediates are not only accessible by chemical activation but also by thermal activation. Theoretical calculations on H-atom migration reactions are presented to rationalize the relationship between the organic compound’s molecular structure (n-alkane, branched alkane, and cycloalkane) and its propensity to produce highly oxygenated intermediates via extensive autooxidation of hydroperoxyalkylperoxy radicals. Finally, detailed chemical kinetic simulations demonstrate the influence of these additional reaction pathways on the ignition of practical fuels. PMID:29183984

  15. Antifoaming effect of chemical compounds in manure biogas reactors.

    PubMed

    Kougias, P G; Tsapekos, P; Boe, K; Angelidaki, I

    2013-10-15

    A precise and efficient antifoaming control strategy in bioprocesses is a challenging task as foaming is a very complex phenomenon. Nevertheless, foam control is necessary, as foam is a major operational problem in biogas reactors. In the present study, the effect of 14 chemical compounds on foam reduction was evaluated at concentration of 0.05%, 0.1% and 0.5% v/v(sample), in raw and digested manure. Moreover, two antifoam injection methods were compared for foam reduction efficiency. Natural oils (rapeseed and sunflower oil), fatty acids (oleic, octanoic and derivative of natural fatty acids), siloxanes (polydimethylsiloxane) and ester (tributylphosphate) were found to be the most efficient compounds to suppress foam. The efficiency of antifoamers was dependant on their physicochemical properties and greatly correlated to their chemical characteristics for dissolving foam. The antifoamers were more efficient in reducing foam when added directly into the liquid phase rather than added in the headspace of the reactor. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Identification of the active compounds and significant pathways of yinchenhao decoction based on network pharmacology

    PubMed Central

    Huang, Jihan; Cheung, Fan; Tan, Hor-Yue; Hong, Ming; Wang, Ning; Yang, Juan; Feng, Yibin; Zheng, Qingshan

    2017-01-01

    Yinchenhao decoction (YCHD) is a traditional Chinese medicine formulation, which has been widely used for the treatment of jaundice for 2,000 years. Currently, YCHD is used to treat various liver disorders and metabolic diseases, however its chemical/pharmacologic profiles remain to be elucidated. The present study identified the active compounds and significant pathways of YCHD based on network pharmacology. All of the chemical ingredients of YCHD were retrieved from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology database. Absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion screening with oral bioavailability (OB) screening, drug-likeness (DL) and intestinal epithelial permeability (Caco-2) evaluation were applied to discover the bioactive compounds in YCHD. Following this, target prediction, pathway identification and network construction were employed to clarify the mechanism of action of YCHD. Following OB screening, and evaluation of DL and Caco-2, 34 compounds in YCHD were identified as potential active ingredients, of which 30 compounds were associated with 217 protein targets. A total of 31 significant pathways were obtained by performing enrichment analyses of 217 proteins using the JEPETTO 3.x plugin, and 16 classes of gene-associated diseases were revealed by performing enrichment analyses using Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery v6.7. The present study identified potential active compounds and significant pathways in YCHD. In addition, the mechanism of action of YCHD in the treatment of various diseases through multiple pathways was clarified. PMID:28791364

  17. Segregation Phenomena on the Crystal Surface of Chemical Compounds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tomashpol'skii, Yu. Ya.

    2018-06-01

    The current state of the theoretical and experimental studies of changes in the chemical structure and composition caused by segregation phenomena on the surface of chemical compounds was reviewed. The review considers the experimental data obtained exclusively on single crystals, which were studied by modern instrumental methods, including in situ Auger electron spectrometry, X-ray spectral microanalysis, high-resolution scanning and transmission electron microscopy, secondary electron emission, and atomic force microscopy. The models that suggest the crystal-chemical diffusion and liquid-phase mechanisms of segregation were described. The parameters of the theory include the type of chemical bond, elastic constants, and crystal-chemical characteristics of substances. The models make it possible to predict the nature of changes in the surface composition: segregation tendency, segregant type, and degree of nonstoichiometry. A new direction in surface segregation was considered, which is promising for nanoelectronics and emission electronics.

  18. Wound Healing Activity and Chemical Standardization of Eugenia pruniformis Cambess

    PubMed Central

    de Albuquerque, Ricardo Diego Duarte Galhardo; Perini, Jamila Alessandra; Machado, Daniel Escorsim; Angeli-Gamba, Thaís; Esteves, Ricardo dos Santos; Santos, Marcelo Guerra; Oliveira, Adriana Passos; Rocha, Leandro

    2016-01-01

    Background: Eugenia pruniformis is an endemic species from Brazil. Eugenia genus has flavonoids as one of the remarkable chemical classes which are related to the improvement of the healing process. Aims: To evaluate of wound healing activity of E. pruniformis leaves and to identify and quantify its main flavonoids compounds. Materials And Methods: Wound excision model in rats was used to verify the hydroethanolic and ethyl acetate extracts potential. The animals were divided in four groups of six and the samples were evaluated until the 15° day of treatment. Hydroxyproline dosage and histological staining with hematoxilin-eosin and Sirius Red were used to observe the tissue organization and quantify the collagen deposition, respectively. Chemical compounds of the ethyl acetate extract were identified by chromatographic techniques and mass spectrometry analysis and total flavonoids content was determined by spectrophotometric method. The antioxidant activity was determined by oxygen radical absorbing capacity (ORAC) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazylhydrate radical photometric (DPPH) assays. Results: The treated group with the ethyl acetate extract showed collagen deposition increase, higher levels of hidroxyproline, better tissue reorganization and complete remodeling of epidermis. Quercetin, kaempferol and hyperoside were identified as main compounds and flavonoids content value was 43% (w/w). The ORAC value of the ethyl acetate extract was 0.81± 0.05 mmol TE/g whereas the concentration to produce 50% reduction of the DPPH was 7.05± 0.09 μg/mL. Conclusion: The data indicate a wound healing and antioxidant activities of E. pruniformis. This study is the first report of flavonoids and wound healing activity of E. pruniformis. KEY MESSAGES Eugenia pruniformis extract accelerates wound healing in skin rat model, probably due to its involvement with the collagen deposition increase, higher levels of hidroxyproline, dermal remodelling and potent antioxidant activity

  19. An approach in building a chemical compound search engine in oracle database.

    PubMed

    Wang, H; Volarath, P; Harrison, R

    2005-01-01

    A searching or identifying of chemical compounds is an important process in drug design and in chemistry research. An efficient search engine involves a close coupling of the search algorithm and database implementation. The database must process chemical structures, which demands the approaches to represent, store, and retrieve structures in a database system. In this paper, a general database framework for working as a chemical compound search engine in Oracle database is described. The framework is devoted to eliminate data type constrains for potential search algorithms, which is a crucial step toward building a domain specific query language on top of SQL. A search engine implementation based on the database framework is also demonstrated. The convenience of the implementation emphasizes the efficiency and simplicity of the framework.

  20. Anticancer activity of botanical compounds in ancient fermented beverages (review).

    PubMed

    McGovern, P E; Christofidou-Solomidou, M; Wang, W; Dukes, F; Davidson, T; El-Deiry, W S

    2010-07-01

    Humans around the globe probably discovered natural remedies against disease and cancer by trial and error over the millennia. Biomolecular archaeological analyses of ancient organics, especially plants dissolved or decocted as fermented beverages, have begun to reveal the preliterate histories of traditional pharmacopeias, which often date back thousands of years earlier than ancient textual, ethnohistorical, and ethnological evidence. In this new approach to drug discovery, two case studies from ancient Egypt and China illustrate how ancient medicines can be reconstructed from chemical and archaeological data and their active compounds delimited for testing their anticancer and other medicinal effects. Specifically, isoscopoletin from Artemisia argyi, artemisinin from Artemisia annua, and the latter's more easily assimilated semi-synthetic derivative, artesunate, showed the greatest activity in vitro against lung and colon cancers. In vivo tests of these compounds previously unscreened against lung and pancreatic cancers are planned for the future.

  1. A comparative study of aroma-active compounds between dark and milk chocolate: relationship to sensory perception.

    PubMed

    Liu, Jianbin; Liu, Mengya; He, Congcong; Song, Huanlu; Guo, Jia; Wang, Ye; Yang, Haiying; Su, Xiaoxia

    2015-04-01

    The most important aroma-active compounds of two types of chocolate and cocoa liquor used for their production were analysed by gas chromatography-olfactometry-mass spectrometry (GC-O-MS) and aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA). Furthermore, the relationship between odorants and sensory perception of chocolate was measured by quantitative analysis, sensory evaluation and correlation analysis. In addition, some chemicals were added to the original dark or milk chocolate to validate their roles in the aroma property of chocolate. A total of 32 major aroma-active compounds were identified in the chocolate with the flavour dilution factors of 27-729 by AEDA, including seven aldehydes, six pyrazines, three pyrroles, four carboxylic acids, four lactones, two alcohols, two ketones, one ester, one pyrone, one furan and one sulfur-containing compound. Further quantitative analysis showed that dark chocolate had higher contents of pyrazine, pyrrole, carboxylic acids, alcohols and Strecker aldehydes, whereas the concentration of lactones, esters, long chain aldehydes and ketones were higher in the milk type. Differences in volatile composition and descriptive flavour attributes between the dark and milk chocolate were observed. The relationship between aroma-active compounds and sensory perception in the chocolate was verified. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

  2. Freely Accessible Chemical Database Resources of Compounds for in Silico Drug Discovery.

    PubMed

    Yang, JingFang; Wang, Di; Jia, Chenyang; Wang, Mengyao; Hao, GeFei; Yang, GuangFu

    2018-05-07

    In silico drug discovery has been proved to be a solidly established key component in early drug discovery. However, this task is hampered by the limitation of quantity and quality of compound databases for screening. In order to overcome these obstacles, freely accessible database resources of compounds have bloomed in recent years. Nevertheless, how to choose appropriate tools to treat these freely accessible databases are crucial. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first systematic review on this issue. The existed advantages and drawbacks of chemical databases were analyzed and summarized based on the collected six categories of freely accessible chemical databases from literature in this review. Suggestions on how and in which conditions the usage of these databases could be reasonable were provided. Tools and procedures for building 3D structure chemical libraries were also introduced. In this review, we described the freely accessible chemical database resources for in silico drug discovery. In particular, the chemical information for building chemical database appears as attractive resources for drug design to alleviate experimental pressure. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  3. Chemical constituents and antibacterial activity of Melastoma malabathricum L.

    PubMed

    Wong, Keng-Chong; Hag Ali, Dafaalla Mohamed; Boey, Peng-Lim

    2012-01-01

    The aqueous methanolic extracts of Melastoma malabathricum L. exhibited antibacterial activity when assayed against seven microorganisms by the agar diffusion method. Solvent fractionation afforded active chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions from the leaves and the flowers, respectively. A phytochemical study resulted in the identification of ursolic acid (1), 2α-hydroxyursolic acid (2), asiatic acid (3), β-sitosterol 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (4) and the glycolipid glycerol 1,2-dilinolenyl-3-O-β-D-galactopyanoside (5) from the chloroform fraction. Kaempferol (6), kaempferol 3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (7), kaempferol 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (8), kaempferol 3-O-β-D-galactopyranoside (9), kaempferol 3-O-(2″,6″-di-O-E-p-coumaryl)-β-D-galactopyranoside (10), quercetin (11) and ellagic acid (12) were found in the ethyl acetate fraction. The structures of these compounds were determined by chemical and spectral analyses. Compounds 1-4, the flavonols (6 and 11) and ellagic acid (12) were found to be active against some of the tested microorganisms, while the kaempferol 3-O-glycosides (7-9) did not show any activity, indicating the role of the free 3-OH for antibacterial activity. Addition of p-coumaryl groups results in mild activity for 10 against Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus. Compounds 2-5, 7 and 9-12 are reported for the first time from M. malabathricum. Compound 10 is rare, being reported only once before from a plant, without assignment of the double bond geometry in the p-coumaryl moiety.

  4. Characteristics, chemical compositions and biological activities of propolis from Al-Bahah, Saudi Arabia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Elnakady, Yasser A.; Rushdi, Ahmed I.; Franke, Raimo; Abutaha, Nael; Ebaid, Hossam; Baabbad, Mohannad; Omar, Mohamed O. M.; Al Ghamdi, Ahmad A.

    2017-02-01

    Propolis has been used to treat several diseases since ancient times, and is an important source of bioactive natural compounds and drug derivatives. These properties have kept the interest of investigators around the world, leading to the investigation of the chemical and biological properties and application of propolis. In this report, the chemical constituents that are responsible for the anticancer activities of propolis were analyzed. The propolis was sourced from Al-Baha in the southern part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Standard protocols for chemical fractionation and bioactivity-guided chemical analysis were used to identify the bio-active ethyl acetate fraction. The extraction was performed in methanol and then analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The major compounds are triterpenoids, with a relative concentration of 74.0%; steroids, with a relative concentration of 9.8%; and diterpenoids, with a relative concentration of 7.9%. The biological activity was characterized using different approaches and cell-based assays. Propolis was found to inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells in a concentration-dependent manner through apoptosis. Immunofluorescence staining with anti-α-tubulin antibodies and cell cycle analysis indicated that tubulin and/or microtubules are the cellular targets of the L-acetate fraction. This study demonstrates the importance of Saudi propolis as anti-cancer drug candidates.

  5. Evaluation of mycobactericidal activity of selected chemical disinfectants and antiseptics according to European standards

    PubMed Central

    Bocian, Ewa; Grzybowska, Wanda; Tyski, Stefan

    2014-01-01

    Background The history of the investigation of standardized mycobactericidal activity of disinfectants and antiseptics is not very long. There is growing interest among the manufacturers of disinfectants in carrying out research on the antimicrobial activities in accordance with European standards (EN). This research could facilitate the introduction of high-quality disinfectants to the market. The aim of this study was to evaluate the mycobactericidal activity of selected chemical disinfectants and antiseptics used in the medical and veterinary fields. Material/Methods This study included 19 products submitted to the National Medicines Institute in Poland for evaluation of mycobactericidal activity. These products contain in their composition active substances belonging to different chemical groups, including aldehydes, alcohols, amines, quaternary ammonium compounds, phenols, guanidine, and oxidizing compounds. This study, conducted according to the manufacturers’ description of the preparations, was carried out in accordance with European standards, which also met the Polish standards: PN-EN 14204: 2013, PN-EN 14348: 2006, and PN-EN 14563: 2012. Results Tested products for disinfection and antiseptics containing active substances from different chemical groups showed high mycobactericidal activity and met the requirements of the appropriate European standards in most cases. In the case of products containing guanidine and amine compounds, the concentration of active ingredients used in the test and the test conditions specified by the manufacturer did not provide the mycobactericidal activity required by the standards. Conclusions Prior to the launch of a new product on the market, it is important to establish the appropriate usage and testing conditions of the preparation, such as its practical concentration, contact time, and environment condition (clean or dirty). PMID:24755666

  6. Herbicidal activity of pure compound isolated from rhizosphere inhabiting Aspergillus flavus.

    PubMed

    Khattak, Saeed Ullah; Lutfullah, Ghosia; Iqbal, Zafar; Rehman, Irshad Ur; Ahmad, Jamshaid; Khan, Abid Ali

    2018-05-01

    In the quest for bioactive natural products of fungal origin, Aspergillus flavus was isolated from rhizosphere of Mentha piperita using Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) and Czapec Yeast Broth (CYB) nutrient media for metabolites production. In total, three different metabolites were purified using HPLC/LCMS and the structures were established using 500 Varian NMR experiments. Further the isolated metabolites in different concentrations (10, 100, 1000 μg/mL) were tested for herbicidal activity using Completely Randomized design (CRD) against the seeds of Silybum marianum and Avena fatua which are major threats to wheat crop in Pakistan. Among the isolated metabolites, one compound was found active against the test weed species whose activity is reported in the present work. The chemical name of the compound is 2-(1, 4-dihydroxybutan-2-yl)-1, 3-dihydroxy-6, 8-dimethoxyanthracene-9, 10(4aH, 9aH)-dione with mass of 388. Results showed that all seeds germinated in control treatment; however, with the metabolite treated, the growth was retarded to different levels in all parts of the weeds. At a dose of 1000 μg/mL of the pure compound, 100% seeds of S. marianum and 60% seeds of A. fatua were inhibited. Interestingly, the pure compound exhibited less inhibition of 10% towards the seeds of common wheat (Triticum aestivum).

  7. Biological activity and chemical profile of Lavatera thuringiaca L. extracts obtained by different extraction approaches.

    PubMed

    Mašković, Pavle Z; Veličković, Vesna; Đurović, Saša; Zeković, Zoran; Radojković, Marija; Cvetanović, Aleksandra; Švarc-Gajić, Jaroslava; Mitić, Milan; Vujić, Jelena

    2018-01-01

    Lavatera thuringiaca L. is herbaceous perennial plant from Malvaceae family, which is known for its biological activity and richness in polyphenolic compounds. Despite this, the information regarding the biological activity and chemical profile is still insufficient. Aim of this study was to investigate biological potential and chemical profile of Lavatera thuringiaca L., as well as influence of applied extraction technique on them. Two conventional and four non-conventional extraction techniques were applied in order to obtain extracts rich in bioactive compound. Extracts were further tested for total phenolics, flavonoids, condensed tannins, gallotannins and anthocyanins contents using spectrophotometric assays. Polyphenolic profile was established using HPLC-DAD analysis. Biological activity was investigated regarding antioxidant, cytotoxic and antibacterial activities. Four antioxidant assays were applied as well as three different cell lines for cytotoxic and fifteen bacterial strain for antibacterial activity. Results showed that subcritical water extraction (SCW) dominated over the other extraction techniques, where SCW extract exhibited the highest biological activity. Study indicates that plant Lavatera thuringiaca L. may be used as a potential source of biologically compounds. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  8. Evaluation of Chemically-Sensitive Field-Effect Transistors for Detection of Organophosphorus Compounds

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1989-12-05

    during past decade. In order to understand the basic operation of these sensors, especially of the CHEMFET, the appropriate background information will...during the past decade for detecting organophosphorus compounds, the chemically- sensitive thin films investigated in this thesis, and finally, the...reactivate the phosphorylated cholinesterase enzyme. Solid State Chemical Sensors During the past decade, a number of solid state chemical sensors have been

  9. Unraveling the structure and chemical mechanisms of highly oxygenated intermediates in oxidation of organic compounds

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wang, Zhandong; Popolan-Vaida, Denisia M.; Chen, Bingjie

    Decades of research on the autooxidation of organic compounds have provided fundamental and practical insights into these processes; however, the structure of many key autooxidation intermediates and the reactions leading to their formation still remain unclear. This work provides additional experimental evidence that highly oxygenated intermediates with one or more hydroperoxy groups are prevalent in the autooxidation of various oxygenated (e.g., alcohol, aldehyde, keto compounds, ether, and ester) and nonoxygenated (e.g., normal alkane, branched alkane, and cycloalkane) organic compounds. These findings improve our understanding of autooxidation reaction mechanisms that are routinely used to predict fuel ignition and oxidative stability ofmore » liquid hydrocarbons, while also providing insights relevant to the formation mechanisms of tropospheric aerosol building blocks. The direct observation of highly oxygenated intermediates for the autooxidation of alkanes at 500–600 K builds upon prior observations made in atmospheric conditions for the autooxidation of terpenes and other unsaturated hydrocarbons; it shows that highly oxygenated intermediates are stable at conditions above room temperature. These results further reveal that highly oxygenated intermediates are not only accessible by chemical activation but also by thermal activation. Theoretical calculations on H-atom migration reactions are presented to rationalize the relationship between the organic compound’s molecular structure (n-alkane, branched alkane, and cycloalkane) and its propensity to produce highly oxygenated intermediates via extensive autooxidation of hydroperoxyalkylperoxy radicals. In conclusion, detailed chemical kinetic simulations demonstrate the influence of these additional reaction pathways on the ignition of practical fuels.« less

  10. Unraveling the structure and chemical mechanisms of highly oxygenated intermediates in oxidation of organic compounds

    DOE PAGES

    Wang, Zhandong; Popolan-Vaida, Denisia M.; Chen, Bingjie; ...

    2017-11-28

    Decades of research on the autooxidation of organic compounds have provided fundamental and practical insights into these processes; however, the structure of many key autooxidation intermediates and the reactions leading to their formation still remain unclear. This work provides additional experimental evidence that highly oxygenated intermediates with one or more hydroperoxy groups are prevalent in the autooxidation of various oxygenated (e.g., alcohol, aldehyde, keto compounds, ether, and ester) and nonoxygenated (e.g., normal alkane, branched alkane, and cycloalkane) organic compounds. These findings improve our understanding of autooxidation reaction mechanisms that are routinely used to predict fuel ignition and oxidative stability ofmore » liquid hydrocarbons, while also providing insights relevant to the formation mechanisms of tropospheric aerosol building blocks. The direct observation of highly oxygenated intermediates for the autooxidation of alkanes at 500–600 K builds upon prior observations made in atmospheric conditions for the autooxidation of terpenes and other unsaturated hydrocarbons; it shows that highly oxygenated intermediates are stable at conditions above room temperature. These results further reveal that highly oxygenated intermediates are not only accessible by chemical activation but also by thermal activation. Theoretical calculations on H-atom migration reactions are presented to rationalize the relationship between the organic compound’s molecular structure (n-alkane, branched alkane, and cycloalkane) and its propensity to produce highly oxygenated intermediates via extensive autooxidation of hydroperoxyalkylperoxy radicals. In conclusion, detailed chemical kinetic simulations demonstrate the influence of these additional reaction pathways on the ignition of practical fuels.« less

  11. Active compounds, antioxidant activity and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of different varieties of Chaenomeles fruits.

    PubMed

    Miao, Jing; Li, Xia; Zhao, Chengcheng; Gao, Xiaoxiao; Wang, Ying; Gao, Wenyuan

    2018-05-15

    Chaenomeles is an important source for food industry in China, and its planting area is expanding year by year. This study was conducted to evaluate different varieties of Chaenomeles by comparing the chemical compositions, antioxidant activity and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of peels and fleshes from twelve varieties of Chaenomeles. In the results, peels of Chaenomeles contain more phenolics, flavonoids and triterpenes, and show better antioxidant activity and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity than their fleshes. All varieties of Chaenomeles perform different depend on cultivar and climatic conditions. Oleanolic acid, ursolic acid, protocatechuic acid, rutin, catechin, caffeic acid, syringic acid, epicatechin, hyperin, quercetin, kaempferol and chlorogenic acid are main active compounds in Chaenomeles. Zheng'an, Liufu, Zimugua1, Qijiang and Changjun get Top five scores. This is the first study on the peels and fleshes of twelve varieties of Chaenomeles, and it gives insights into variety selection in the planting and production of Chaenomeles. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Enumeration method for tree-like chemical compounds with benzene rings and naphthalene rings by breadth-first search order.

    PubMed

    Jindalertudomdee, Jira; Hayashida, Morihiro; Zhao, Yang; Akutsu, Tatsuya

    2016-03-01

    Drug discovery and design are important research fields in bioinformatics. Enumeration of chemical compounds is essential not only for the purpose, but also for analysis of chemical space and structure elucidation. In our previous study, we developed enumeration methods BfsSimEnum and BfsMulEnum for tree-like chemical compounds using a tree-structure to represent a chemical compound, which is limited to acyclic chemical compounds only. In this paper, we extend the methods, and develop BfsBenNaphEnum that can enumerate tree-like chemical compounds containing benzene rings and naphthalene rings, which include benzene isomers and naphthalene isomers such as ortho, meta, and para, by treating a benzene ring as an atom with valence six, instead of a ring of six carbon atoms, and treating a naphthalene ring as two benzene rings having a special bond. We compare our method with MOLGEN 5.0, which is a well-known general purpose structure generator, to enumerate chemical structures from a set of chemical formulas in terms of the number of enumerated structures and the computational time. The result suggests that our proposed method can reduce the computational time efficiently. We propose the enumeration method BfsBenNaphEnum for tree-like chemical compounds containing benzene rings and naphthalene rings as cyclic structures. BfsBenNaphEnum was from 50 times to 5,000,000 times faster than MOLGEN 5.0 for instances with 8 to 14 carbon atoms in our experiments.

  13. Yellow-Cedar, Callitropsis (Chamaecyparis) nootkatensis, Secondary Metabolites, Biological Activities, and Chemical Ecology.

    PubMed

    Karchesy, Joseph J; Kelsey, Rick G; González-Hernández, M P

    2018-05-01

    Yellow-cedar, Callitropsis nootkatensis, is prevalent in coastal forests of southeast Alaska, western Canada, and inland forests along the Cascades to northern California, USA. These trees have few microbial or animal pests, attributable in part to the distinct groups of biologically active secondary metabolites their tissues store for chemical defense. Here we summarize the new yellow-cedar compounds identified and their biological activities, plus new or expanded activities for tissues, extracts, essential oils and previously known compounds since the last review more than 40 years ago. Monoterpene hydrocarbons are the most abundant compounds in foliage, while heartwood contains substantial quantities of oxygenated monoterpenes and oxygenated sesquiterpenes, with one or more tropolones. Diterpenes occur in foliage and bark, whereas condensed tannins have been isolated from inner bark. Biological activities expressed by one or more compounds in these groups include fungicide, bactericide, sporicide, acaricide, insecticide, general cytotoxicity, antioxidant and human anticancer. The diversity of organisms impacted by whole tissues, essential oils, extracts, or individual compounds now encompasses ticks, fleas, termites, ants, mosquitoes, bacteria, a water mold, fungi and browsing animals. Nootkatone, is a heartwood component with sufficient activity against arthropods to warrant research focused toward potential development as a commercial repellent and biopesticide for ticks, mosquitoes and possibly other arthropods that vector human and animal pathogens.

  14. Four new compounds isolated from Psoralea corylifolia and their diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) inhibitory activity.

    PubMed

    Lin, Xin; Li, Ban-Ban; Zhang, Le; Li, Hao-Ze; Meng, Xiao; Jiang, Yi-Yu; Lee, Hyun-Sun; Cui, Long

    2018-05-14

    A new bakuchiol compound Δ 11 -12-hydroxy-12-dimethyl bakuchiol (1), a new flavanone compound 2(S)-6-methoxy-7- hydroxymethylene-4'-hydroxyl-flavanone (8), and two new isoflavanone compounds 4',7-dihydroxy-3'-(6"β-hydroxy-3″,7″-dimethyl-,2″,7″-dibutenyl)-geranylisoflavone (9) and 4',7-dihydroxy-3'-(7″-hydroxy-7″-methyl-2″,5″-dibutenyl)-geranylisoflavone (10) together with eight known compounds (2-7, 11, 12) were isolated from the P. corylifolia. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic and physico-chemical analyses. All the isolates were evaluated for in vitro inhibitory activity against DGAT1/2. Among them, compounds 3, 9 and 10 were found to exhibit selective inhibitory activity on DGAT1 with IC 50 values ranging from 93.7 ± 1.3 to 96.2 ± 1.1 μM. Compound 1 showed inhibition activity on DGAT1 with IC 50 values 73.4 ± 1.3 μM and inhibition of DGAT2 with IC 50 value 121.1 ± 1.3 μM. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Emergy Evaluations of the Global Biogeochemical Cycles of Six Biologically Active Elements and Two Compounds

    EPA Science Inventory

    Estimates of the emergy carried by the flows of biologically active elements (BAE) and compounds are needed to accurately evaluate the near and far field effects of anthropogenic wastes. The transformities and specific emergies of these elements and of their different chemical sp...

  16. Characteristics, chemical compositions and biological activities of propolis from Al-Bahah, Saudi Arabia

    PubMed Central

    Elnakady, Yasser A.; Rushdi, Ahmed I.; Franke, Raimo; Abutaha, Nael; Ebaid, Hossam; Baabbad, Mohannad; Omar, Mohamed O. M.; Al Ghamdi, Ahmad A.

    2017-01-01

    Propolis has been used to treat several diseases since ancient times, and is an important source of bioactive natural compounds and drug derivatives. These properties have kept the interest of investigators around the world, leading to the investigation of the chemical and biological properties and application of propolis. In this report, the chemical constituents that are responsible for the anticancer activities of propolis were analyzed. The propolis was sourced from Al-Baha in the southern part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Standard protocols for chemical fractionation and bioactivity-guided chemical analysis were used to identify the bio-active ethyl acetate fraction. The extraction was performed in methanol and then analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The major compounds are triterpenoids, with a relative concentration of 74.0%; steroids, with a relative concentration of 9.8%; and diterpenoids, with a relative concentration of 7.9%. The biological activity was characterized using different approaches and cell-based assays. Propolis was found to inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells in a concentration-dependent manner through apoptosis. Immunofluorescence staining with anti-α-tubulin antibodies and cell cycle analysis indicated that tubulin and/or microtubules are the cellular targets of the L-acetate fraction. This study demonstrates the importance of Saudi propolis as anti-cancer drug candidates. PMID:28165013

  17. Characterization of chemical ingredients and anticonvulsant activity of American skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora).

    PubMed

    Zhang, Zhizhen; Lian, Xiao-yuan; Li, Shiyou; Stringer, Janet L

    2009-05-01

    American skullcap (the aerial part of Scutellaria lateriflora L.) has been traditionally used by Native Americans and Europeans as a nerve tonic, sedative, and anticonvulsant. However, despite some previous studies, the quality and safety, the bioactive ingredients, and the pharmacological properties of American skullcap are not fully understood. The aims of this study were to characterize the chemical ingredients of American skullcap and to evaluate its anticonvulsant activity. Twelve phenolic compounds including 10 flavonoids and two phenylethanoid glycosides were isolated and identified from American skullcap and used as marker compounds. An HPLC analytic method for analyzing these marker compounds in commercial American skullcap products from different sources was established and validated. The anticonvulsant activity of American skullcap was determined in rat models of acute seizures induced by pilocarpine and pentylenetetrazol. The results from this study indicate that (1) phenolic compounds, especially flavonoids, are the predominant constituents in American skullcap; (2) American skullcap products have similar constituents, but the content and relative proportions of the individual constituents varies widely; and (3) American skullcap has anticonvulsant activity in rodent models of acute seizures.

  18. Apple Pomace as Potential Source of Natural Active Compounds.

    PubMed

    Waldbauer, Katharina; McKinnon, Ruxandra; Kopp, Brigitte

    2017-08-01

    Apple pomace is a waste product of the apple manufacturing industry that has been in the focus of life sciences as it represents a low-cost source of fruit-derived compounds. High fruit consumption is associated with beneficial health effects, and therefore, apple pomace and its constituents raise therapeutic interest. The present work reviews (i) the chemical constituents of apple pomace, (ii) optimized extraction methods of apple pomace compounds, and (iii) biological activities of apple pomace. Current evidence of apple pomace influence on digestion and metabolism, cholesterol and triglyceride homeostasis, diabetes, and sex hormones is summarized. Furthermore, studies regarding its antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, antibacterial and antiviral effects are presented. The review concludes that apple pomace is an underutilized waste product of the apple industry with the potential of being processed for its nutritional and pharmaceutical value. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  19. Spectral Response and Diagnostics of Biological Activity of Hydroxyl-Containing Aromatic Compounds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tolstorozhev, G. B.; Mayer, G. V.; Bel'kov, M. V.; Shadyro, O. I.

    2016-08-01

    Using IR Fourier spectra and employing quantum-chemical calculations of electronic structure, spectra, and proton-acceptor properties, synthetic derivatives of aminophenol exhibiting biological activity in the suppression of herpes, influenza, and HIV viruses have been investigated from a new perspective, with the aim of establishing the spectral response of biological activity of the molecules. It has been experimentally established that the participation of the aminophenol hydroxyl group in intramolecular hydrogen bonds is characteristic of structures with antiviral properties. A quantum-chemical calculation of the proton-acceptor ability of the investigated aminophenol derivatives has shown that biologically active structures are characterized by a high proton-acceptor ability of oxygen of the hydroxyl group. A correlation that has been obtained among the formation of an intramolecular hydrogen bond, high proton-acceptor ability, and antiviral activity of substituted aminophenols enables us to predict the pharmacological properties of new medical preparations of the given class of compounds.

  20. ESTIMATION OF PHYSICAL PROPERTIES AND CHEMICAL REACTIVITY PARAMETERS OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The computer program SPARC (Sparc Performs Automated Reasoning in Chemistry)has been under development for several years to estimate physical properties and chemical reactivity parameters of organic compounds strictly from molecular structure. SPARC uses computational algorithms ...

  1. Phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity, antiproliferative activity and bioaccessibility of Sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides L.) berries as affected by in vitro digestion.

    PubMed

    Guo, Ruixue; Chang, Xiaoxiao; Guo, Xinbo; Brennan, Charles Stephen; Li, Tong; Fu, Xiong; Liu, Rui Hai

    2017-11-15

    Phenolics, antioxidant and antiproliferative properties of Sea buckthorn berries were evaluated using a simulated in vitro digestion and compared with a chemical extraction method. Digested samples were subjected to antiproliferation evaluation against human liver, breast and colon cancer cells. Furthermore, the bioaccessibility of digested berries was evaluated using a Caco-2 cell culture model. Results revealed that after enzymatic digestion the phenolic compounds were quite different from the chemical extracts, more flavonoid aglycones were released, whereas less total phenolics, phenolic acids and flavonoid glycosides were detected. Although the extracellular antioxidant activity of the digesta was lower than that of extracts, the cellular antioxidant activity (CAA) and antiproliferative effects of berries were significantly enhanced by digestion. This was attributed to their higher flavonoid aglycone content and could be verified by testing individual active compounds, suggesting that the cellular uptake of samples might be improved, which was also certified by the Caco-2 cell uptake model. The digested samples showed an almost 5-fold cellular accumulative amount of isorhamnetin than pure isorhamnetin, which was attributed to the significant down regulation of the mRNA expression level of efflux transporters MRP2 and P-gp. This finding indicated that the digestion enhanced the bioaccessibility of bioactive compounds of berries.

  2. Gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC/MS) system for quantitative analysis of reactive chemical compounds

    DOEpatents

    Grindstaff, Quirinus G.

    1992-01-01

    Described is a new gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC/MS) system and method for quantitative analysis of reactive chemical compounds. All components of such a GC/MS system external to the oven of the gas chromatograph are programmably temperature controlled to operate at a volatilization temperature specific to the compound(s) sought to be separated and measured.

  3. Instrumental and bioanalytical measures of dioxin-like compounds and activities in sediments of the Pohang Area, Korea.

    PubMed

    Hong, Seongjin; Khim, Jong Seong; Park, Jinsoon; Kim, Sunmi; Lee, Sangwoo; Choi, Kyungho; Kim, Chul-Su; Choi, Sung-Deuk; Park, Jeongim; Ryu, Jongseong; Jones, Paul D; Giesy, John P

    2014-02-01

    Pohang is a mid-sized city in which Korea's largest manufacturer of steel is located. The Hyeongsan River, which runs through Pohang and empties into Yeongil Bay, is therefore expected to be affected by various municipal and industrial inputs. In order to characterize aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)-mediated activities in sediments from the Pohang area, a total of eight locations along the Hyeongsan River were chosen and 16 sediment samples were collected during two sampling campaigns in 2010. Organic extracts of sediments were characterized by both quantitative chemical analyses of dioxin-like chemicals and the in vitro H4IIE-luc bioassay. Significant dioxin-like activities were observed in sediments from industrial and municipal areas, which indicates that most of the dioxin-like chemicals were associated with surrounding anthropogenic sources. In general, responses of the H4IIE-luc assay were significantly correlated with concentrations of target compounds including dioxins, furans, co-planar PCBs, and dioxin-like PAHs. A potency balance analysis indicated that instrumentally derived TCDD equivalents (TEQs) explained about 77% of the bioassay-derived TCDD equivalents (TCDD-EQs). Among the target chemicals measured, certain penta-chlorinated dioxin and furan compounds accounted for the majority of dioxin-like activities associated with sediments. Compositional analysis of target chemicals the sources of such dioxin-like activities were mainly derived from the local activities such as the iron and steel industries. Concentrations and activities of AhR agonists were similar to what was measured approximately 10 years ago. Thus, while AhR agonists seem to be persistent in sediments there seem to have been no large increases in these chemicals in the Pohang area. © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Omani propolis: chemical profiling, antibacterial activity and new propolis plant sources

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Propolis (bee glue) is a resinous honeybee product having a long history of application in many countries as a traditional remedy for treating wounds, burns, soar throat, stomach disorders, etc. It has been proved to possess beneficial biological effects, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic, antiulcer, and many others. Bees gather propolis from diverse resinous plant parts and in different phytogeographic regions its chemical composition might vary significantly. In this article we report the results of the first study on the chemical profiles of propolis from Oman, its plant origin and antibacterial activity. Results The chemical profiles of Omani propolis extracts were obtained by GC-MS analysis after silylation. Over 50 individual compounds were identified in the samples, belonging to different compound types: sugars, polyols, hydroxy acids, fatty acids, cardanols and cardols, anacardic acids, flavan derivatives, triterpenes, prenylated flavanones and chalcones. The profiles were dissimilar from other known propolis types. They demonstrate that although Oman is not a large country, the plant sources of propolis vary significantly, even in the same apiary and the same season. Based on chemical profiles, and isolation and identification of major marker compounds (new propolis constituents), new plant sources of propolis were found: Azadiracta indica (neem tree) and Acacia spp. (most probably A. nilotica). The ethanol extracts of the studied propolis samples demonstrated activity against S. aureus (MIC < 100 μg. mL-1) and E. coli (MIC < 380 μg. mL-1). Conclusion Omani propolis is different form the known propolis types and demonstrates significant chemical diversity. Its most important plant source is the resin of Azadirachta indica, and as a result its typical components are С5-prenyl flavanones. Other plant sources have been identified, too, playing some role in resin collection by bees in Oman: Acacia spp

  5. Chemical images of marine bio-active compounds by surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy and transposed orthogonal partial least squares (T-OPLS).

    PubMed

    Abbas, Aamer; Josefson, Mats; Nylund, Göran M; Pavia, Henrik; Abrahamsson, Katarina

    2012-08-06

    Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy combined with transposed Orthogonal Partial Least Squares (T-OPLS) was shown to produce chemical images of the natural antibacterial surface-active compound 1,1,3,3-tetrabromo-2-heptanone (TBH) on Bonnemaisonia hamifera. The use of gold colloids functionalised with the internal standard 4-mercapto-benzonitrile (MBN) made it possible to create images of the relative concentration of TBH over the surfaces. A gradient of TBH could be mapped over and in the close vicinity of the B. hamifera algal vesicles at the attomol/pixel level. T-OPLS produced a measure of the spectral correlation for each pixel of the hyperspectral images whilst not including spectral variation that was linearly independent of the target spectrum. In this paper we show the possibility to retrieve specific spectral information with a low magnitude in a complex matrix. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Identification of chemical modulators of the constitutive activated receptor (CAR) in a gene expression compendium

    PubMed Central

    Oshida, Keiyu; Vasani, Naresh; Jones, Carlton; Moore, Tanya; Hester, Susan; Nesnow, Stephen; Auerbach, Scott; Geter, David R.; Aleksunes, Lauren M.; Thomas, Russell S.; Applegate, Dawn; Klaassen, Curtis D.; Corton, J. Christopher

    2015-01-01

    The nuclear receptor family member constitutive activated receptor (CAR) is activated by structurally diverse drugs and environmentally-relevant chemicals leading to transcriptional regulation of genes involved in xenobiotic metabolism and transport. Chronic activation of CAR increases liver cancer incidence in rodents, whereas suppression of CAR can lead to steatosis and insulin insensitivity. Here, analytical methods were developed to screen for chemical treatments in a gene expression compendium that lead to alteration of CAR activity. A gene expression biomarker signature of 83 CAR-dependent genes was identified using microarray profiles from the livers of wild-type and CAR-null mice after exposure to three structurally-diverse CAR activators (CITCO, phenobarbital, TCPOBOP). A rank-based algorithm (Running Fisher’s algorithm (p-value ≤ 10-4)) was used to evaluate the similarity between the CAR biomarker signature and a test set of 28 and 32 comparisons positive or negative, respectively, for CAR activation; the test resulted in a balanced accuracy of 97%. The biomarker signature was used to identify chemicals that activate or suppress CAR in an annotated mouse liver/primary hepatocyte gene expression database of ~1850 comparisons. CAR was activated by 1) activators of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in wild-type but not AhR-null mice, 2) pregnane X receptor (PXR) activators in wild-type and to lesser extents in PXR-null mice, and 3) activators of PPARα in wild-type and PPARα-null mice. CAR was consistently activated by five conazole fungicides and four perfluorinated compounds. Comparison of effects in wild-type and CAR-null mice showed that the fungicide propiconazole increased liver weight and hepatocyte proliferation in a CAR-dependent manner, whereas the perfluorinated compound perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) increased these endpoints in a CAR-independent manner. A number of compounds suppressed CAR coincident with increases in markers of

  7. Characterization of Chemical Compounds with Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Activities in Bougainvillea x buttiana Holttum and Standl, (var. Rose) Extracts

    PubMed Central

    Abarca-Vargas, Rodolfo; Peña Malacara, Carlos F.; Petricevich, Vera L.

    2016-01-01

    Bougainvillea is widely used in traditional Mexican medicine to treat several diseases. This study was designed to characterize the chemical constituents of B. x buttiana extracts with antioxidant and cytotoxic activities using different solvents. The extraction solvents used were as follows: distilled water (dH2O), methanol (MeOH), acetone (DMK), ethanol (EtOH), ethyl acetate (EtOAc), dichloromethane (DCM), and hexane (Hex) (100%) at an extraction temperature of 26 °C. Analysis of bioactive compounds present in the B. x buttiana extracts included the application of common phytochemical screening assays, GC-MS analysis, and cytotoxicity and antioxidant assays. The results show that the highest extraction yield was observed with water and methanol. The maximum total phenolic content amount and highest antioxidant potential were obtained when extraction with methanol was used. With the exceptions of water and ethanol extractions, all other extracts showed cytotoxicity ranging between 31% and 50%. The prevailing compounds in water, methanol, ethanol, and acetone solvents were as follows: 4H-pyran-4-one, 2,3-dihydro-3, 5-dihydroxy-6-methyl (2), 2-propenoic acid, 3-(2-hydrophenyl)-(E)- (3), and 3-O-methyl-d-glucose (6). By contrast, the major components in the experiments using solvents such as EtOH, DMK, EtOAc, DCM, and Hex were n-hexadecanoic acid (8), 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z) (12); 9-octadecenoic acid (E)- (13), and stigmasta-5,22-dien-3-ol (28). PMID:27918436

  8. Privacy-preserving search for chemical compound databases.

    PubMed

    Shimizu, Kana; Nuida, Koji; Arai, Hiromi; Mitsunari, Shigeo; Attrapadung, Nuttapong; Hamada, Michiaki; Tsuda, Koji; Hirokawa, Takatsugu; Sakuma, Jun; Hanaoka, Goichiro; Asai, Kiyoshi

    2015-01-01

    Searching for similar compounds in a database is the most important process for in-silico drug screening. Since a query compound is an important starting point for the new drug, a query holder, who is afraid of the query being monitored by the database server, usually downloads all the records in the database and uses them in a closed network. However, a serious dilemma arises when the database holder also wants to output no information except for the search results, and such a dilemma prevents the use of many important data resources. In order to overcome this dilemma, we developed a novel cryptographic protocol that enables database searching while keeping both the query holder's privacy and database holder's privacy. Generally, the application of cryptographic techniques to practical problems is difficult because versatile techniques are computationally expensive while computationally inexpensive techniques can perform only trivial computation tasks. In this study, our protocol is successfully built only from an additive-homomorphic cryptosystem, which allows only addition performed on encrypted values but is computationally efficient compared with versatile techniques such as general purpose multi-party computation. In an experiment searching ChEMBL, which consists of more than 1,200,000 compounds, the proposed method was 36,900 times faster in CPU time and 12,000 times as efficient in communication size compared with general purpose multi-party computation. We proposed a novel privacy-preserving protocol for searching chemical compound databases. The proposed method, easily scaling for large-scale databases, may help to accelerate drug discovery research by making full use of unused but valuable data that includes sensitive information.

  9. Privacy-preserving search for chemical compound databases

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    Background Searching for similar compounds in a database is the most important process for in-silico drug screening. Since a query compound is an important starting point for the new drug, a query holder, who is afraid of the query being monitored by the database server, usually downloads all the records in the database and uses them in a closed network. However, a serious dilemma arises when the database holder also wants to output no information except for the search results, and such a dilemma prevents the use of many important data resources. Results In order to overcome this dilemma, we developed a novel cryptographic protocol that enables database searching while keeping both the query holder's privacy and database holder's privacy. Generally, the application of cryptographic techniques to practical problems is difficult because versatile techniques are computationally expensive while computationally inexpensive techniques can perform only trivial computation tasks. In this study, our protocol is successfully built only from an additive-homomorphic cryptosystem, which allows only addition performed on encrypted values but is computationally efficient compared with versatile techniques such as general purpose multi-party computation. In an experiment searching ChEMBL, which consists of more than 1,200,000 compounds, the proposed method was 36,900 times faster in CPU time and 12,000 times as efficient in communication size compared with general purpose multi-party computation. Conclusion We proposed a novel privacy-preserving protocol for searching chemical compound databases. The proposed method, easily scaling for large-scale databases, may help to accelerate drug discovery research by making full use of unused but valuable data that includes sensitive information. PMID:26678650

  10. Chemical composition and antioxidant activities of the essential oil from Nandina domestica fruits.

    PubMed

    Bi, Shu-Feng; Zhu, Guang-Qi; Wu, Jie; Li, Zhong-Kang; Lv, Yong-Zhan; Fang, Ling

    2016-01-01

    The chemical composition and antioxidant activities of the essential oil from Nandina domestica fruits were studied for the first time. Twenty-two compounds, representing 82.79% of the oil, were identified from the oil. The major compounds were 3-hexen-1-ol (12.9%), linalool (12.3%), 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol (9.9%), oleic acid (8.0%), furfural (5.8%) and 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol (5.7%). The antioxidant activities of the oil were evaluated using reducing power, metal chelating ability and scavenging capacity against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azinobis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonate (ABTS) and superoxide anion free radical. The oil exhibited significant antioxidant activities.

  11. Effects of biologically-active chemical mixtures on fish in a wastewater-impacted urban stream

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Barber, L.B.; Brown, G.K.; Nettesheim, T.G.; Murphy, E.W.; Bartell, S.E.; Schoenfuss, H.L.

    2011-01-01

    Stream flow in urban aquatic ecosystems often is maintained by water-reclamation plant (WRP) effluents that contain mixtures of natural and anthropogenic chemicals that persist through the treatment processes. In effluent-impacted streams, aquatic organisms such as fish are continuously exposed to biologically-active chemicals throughout their life cycles. The North Shore Channel of the Chicago River (Chicago, Illinois) is part of an urban ecosystem in which > 80% of the annual flow consists of effluent from the North Side WRP. In this study, multiple samplings of the effluent and stream water were conducted and fish (largemouth bass and carp) were collected on 2 occasions from the North Shore Channel. Fish also were collected once from the Outer Chicago Harbor in Lake Michigan, a reference site not impacted by WRP discharges. Over 100 organic chemicals with differing behaviors and biological effects were measured, and 23 compounds were detected in all of the water samples analyzed. The most frequently detected and highest concentration (> 100 ??g/L) compounds were ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and 4-nonylphenolmono-to-tetraethoxycarboxylic acids. Other biologically-active chemicals including bisphenol A, 4-nonylphenol, 4-nonylphenolmono-to-tetraethoxylates, 4- tert-octylphenol, and 4- tert-octylphenolmono-to-tetraethoxylates were detected at lower concentrations (< 5 ??g/L). The biogenic steroidal hormones 17??-estradiol, estrone, testosterone, 4-androstene-3,17-dione, and cis-androsterone were detected at even lower concentrations (< 0.005 ??g/L). There were slight differences in concentrations between the North Side WRP effluent and the North Shore Channel, indicating minimal in-stream attenuation. Fish populations are continuously exposed to mixtures of biologically-active chemicals because of the relative persistency of the chemicals with respect to stream hydraulic residence time, and the lack of a fresh water source for dilution. The majority of male fish

  12. Chemical Composition and Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitory Activity of Essential Oils from Piper Species.

    PubMed

    Xiang, Cai-Peng; Han, Jia-Xin; Li, Xing-Cong; Li, Yun-Hui; Zhang, Yi; Chen, Lin; Qu, Yan; Hao, Chao-Yun; Li, Hai-Zhou; Yang, Chong-Ren; Zhao, San-Jun; Xu, Min

    2017-05-10

    The essential oils (EOs) derived from aromatic plants such as Piper species are considered to play a role in alleviating neuronal ailments that are associated with inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). The chemical compositions of 23 EOs prepared from 16 Piper spp. were analyzed by both gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A total of 76 compounds were identified in the EOs from the leaves and stems of 19 samples, while 30 compounds were detected in the EOs from the fruits of four samples. Sesquiterpenes and phenylpropanoids were found to be rich in these EOs, of which asaricin, caryophyllene, caryophyllene oxide, isospathulenol, (+)-spathulenol, and β-bisabolene are the major constituents. The EOs from the leaves and stems of Piper austrosinense, P. puberulum, P. flaviflorum, P. betle, and P. hispidimervium showed strong AChE inhibitory activity with IC 50 values in the range of 1.51 to 13.9 mg/mL. A thin-layer chromatography (TLC) bioautography assay was employed to identify active compound(s) in the most active EO from P. hispidimervium. The active compound was isolated and identified as asaricin, which gave an IC 50 value of 0.44 ± 0.02 mg/mL against AChE, comparable to galantamine with an IC 50 0.15 ± 0.01 mg/mL.

  13. A comparison of the chemical constituents of Barbadian medicinal plants within their respective plant families with established drug compounds and phytochemicals used to treat communicable and non-communicable diseases.

    PubMed

    Cohall, D; Carrington, S

    2012-01-01

    Barbados has a strong base in the practice of folklore botanical medicines. Consistent with the rest of the Caribbean region, the practice is criticized due to lack of evidence on the efficacy and safety testing. The objectives of this review article are i) to categorize and identify plants by their possible indications and their scientific classification and ii) to determine if the chemical constituents of the plants will be able to provide some insight into their possible uses in folklore medicine based on existing scientific research on their chemical constituents and also by their classification. A review of the folklore botanical medicines of Barbados was done. Plants were primarily grouped based on their use to treat particular communicable and non-communicable diseases. Plants were then secondarily grouped based on their families. The chemical profiles of the plants were then compared to established drug compounds currently approved for the conventional treatment of illnesses and also to established phytochemicals. The extensive literature review identified phytochemical compounds in particular plants used in Barbadian folklore medicine. Sixty-six per cent of reputed medicinal plants contain pharmacologically active phytochemicals; fifty-one per cent of these medicinal plants contain phytochemicals with activities consistent with their reported use. Folklore botanical medicine is well grounded on investigation of the scientific rationale. The research showed that fifty-one per cent of the identified medicinal plants have chemical compounds which have been identified to be responsible for its associated medicinal activity. To a lesser extent, approved drug compounds from drug regulatory bodies with similar chemical structure to the bioactive compounds in the plants proved to validate the use of some of these plants to treat illnesses.

  14. Characterization of phenolic compounds and antinociceptive activity of Sempervivum tectorum L. leaf juice.

    PubMed

    Alberti, Ágnes; Béni, Szabolcs; Lackó, Erzsébet; Riba, Pál; Al-Khrasani, Mahmoud; Kéry, Ágnes

    2012-11-01

    Sempervivum tectorum L. (houseleek) leaf juice has been known as a traditional herbal remedy. The aim of the present study was the chemical characterization of its phenolic compounds and to develop quantitation methods for its main flavonol glycoside, as well as to evaluate its antinociceptive activity. Lyophilized houseleek leaf juice was studied by HPLC-DAD coupled to electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) to identify flavonol glycosides, hydroxy-benzoic and hydroxy-cinnamic acids. Ten flavonol glycosides and sixteen phenolic acid compounds were identified or tentatively characterized. Structure of the main flavonol compound was identified by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Three characteristic kaempferol glycosides were isolated and determined by LC-ESI-MS/MS with external calibration method, using the isolated compounds as standard. The main flavonol glycoside was also determined by HPLC-DAD. Validated HPLC-DAD and LC-ESI-MS/MS methods were developed to quantify kaempferol-3-O-rhamnosyl-glucoside-7-O-rhamnoside and two other kaempferol glycosides. Antinociceptive activity of houseleek leaf juice was investigated by writhing test of mice. Sempervivum extract significantly reduced pain in the mouse writhing test. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Chemical constituents with anti-allergic activity from the root of Edulis Superba, a horticultural cultivar of Paeonia lactiflora.

    PubMed

    Shi, Yan-Hong; Zhu, Shu; Tamura, Takayuki; Kadowaki, Makoto; Wang, Zhengtao; Yoshimatsu, Kayo; Komatsu, Katsuko

    2016-04-01

    The methanolic extract and its subfractions from the dried root of Edulis Superba, a horticultural cultivar of Paeonia lactiflora Pallas, showed potent anti-allergic effect as inhibition of immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated degranulation in rat basophil leukemia (RBL)-2H3 cells. Bioassay-guided fractionation led to the isolation of 26 compounds, including a new norneolignan glycoside, paeonibenzofuran (1), together with 25 known ones (2-26). The chemical structure of the new compound was elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic and chemical evidences. Among the isolated compounds, mudanpioside E (5) with paeoniflorin-type skeleton and quercetin (16) showed potent inhibitory activity against a degranulation marker, β-hexosaminidase release with IC50 values of 40.34 and 25.05 μM, respectively. A primary structure-activity relationship of these components was discussed.

  16. Design, synthesis, antiviral activity and mode of action of phenanthrene-containing N-heterocyclic compounds inspired by the phenanthroindolizidine alkaloid antofine.

    PubMed

    Yu, Xiuling; Wei, Peng; Wang, Ziwen; Liu, Yuxiu; Wang, Lizhong; Wang, Qingmin

    2016-02-01

    The phenanthroindolizidine alkaloid antofine and its analogues have excellent antiviral activity against tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). To simplify the structure and the synthesis of the phenanthroindolizidine alkaloid, a series of phenanthrene-containing N-heterocyclic compounds (compounds 1 to 33) were designed and synthesised, based on the intermolecular interaction of antofine and TMV RNA, and systematically evaluated for their anti-TMV activity. Most of these compounds exhibited good to reasonable anti-TMV activity. The optimum compounds 5, 12 and 21 displayed higher activity than the lead compound antofine and commercial ribavirin. Compound 12 was chosen for field trials of antiviral efficacy against TMV, and was found to exhibit better activity than control plant virus inhibitors. Compounds 5 and 12 were chosen for mode of action studies. The changes in fluorescence intensity of compounds 5 and 12 on separated TMV RNA showed that these small molecules can also bind to TMV RNA, but the mode is very different from that of antofine. The compounds combining phenanthrene and an N-heterocyclic ring could maintain the anti-TMV activity of phenanthroindolizidines, but their modes of action are different from that of antofine. The present study lays a good foundation for us to find more efficient anti-plant virus reagents. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

  17. Elevated levels of diesel range organic compounds in groundwater near Marcellus gas operations are derived from surface activities.

    PubMed

    Drollette, Brian D; Hoelzer, Kathrin; Warner, Nathaniel R; Darrah, Thomas H; Karatum, Osman; O'Connor, Megan P; Nelson, Robert K; Fernandez, Loretta A; Reddy, Christopher M; Vengosh, Avner; Jackson, Robert B; Elsner, Martin; Plata, Desiree L

    2015-10-27

    Hundreds of organic chemicals are used during natural gas extraction via high-volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF). However, it is unclear whether these chemicals, injected into deep shale horizons, reach shallow groundwater aquifers and affect local water quality, either from those deep HVHF injection sites or from the surface or shallow subsurface. Here, we report detectable levels of organic compounds in shallow groundwater samples from private residential wells overlying the Marcellus Shale in northeastern Pennsylvania. Analyses of purgeable and extractable organic compounds from 64 groundwater samples revealed trace levels of volatile organic compounds, well below the Environmental Protection Agency's maximum contaminant levels, and low levels of both gasoline range (0-8 ppb) and diesel range organic compounds (DRO; 0-157 ppb). A compound-specific analysis revealed the presence of bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, which is a disclosed HVHF additive, that was notably absent in a representative geogenic water sample and field blanks. Pairing these analyses with (i) inorganic chemical fingerprinting of deep saline groundwater, (ii) characteristic noble gas isotopes, and (iii) spatial relationships between active shale gas extraction wells and wells with disclosed environmental health and safety violations, we differentiate between a chemical signature associated with naturally occurring saline groundwater and one associated with alternative anthropogenic routes from the surface (e.g., accidental spills or leaks). The data support a transport mechanism of DRO to groundwater via accidental release of fracturing fluid chemicals derived from the surface rather than subsurface flow of these fluids from the underlying shale formation.

  18. Elevated levels of diesel range organic compounds in groundwater near Marcellus gas operations are derived from surface activities

    PubMed Central

    Drollette, Brian D.; Hoelzer, Kathrin; Warner, Nathaniel R.; Darrah, Thomas H.; Karatum, Osman; O’Connor, Megan P.; Nelson, Robert K.; Fernandez, Loretta A.; Reddy, Christopher M.; Vengosh, Avner; Jackson, Robert B.; Elsner, Martin; Plata, Desiree L.

    2015-01-01

    Hundreds of organic chemicals are used during natural gas extraction via high-volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF). However, it is unclear whether these chemicals, injected into deep shale horizons, reach shallow groundwater aquifers and affect local water quality, either from those deep HVHF injection sites or from the surface or shallow subsurface. Here, we report detectable levels of organic compounds in shallow groundwater samples from private residential wells overlying the Marcellus Shale in northeastern Pennsylvania. Analyses of purgeable and extractable organic compounds from 64 groundwater samples revealed trace levels of volatile organic compounds, well below the Environmental Protection Agency’s maximum contaminant levels, and low levels of both gasoline range (0–8 ppb) and diesel range organic compounds (DRO; 0–157 ppb). A compound-specific analysis revealed the presence of bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, which is a disclosed HVHF additive, that was notably absent in a representative geogenic water sample and field blanks. Pairing these analyses with (i) inorganic chemical fingerprinting of deep saline groundwater, (ii) characteristic noble gas isotopes, and (iii) spatial relationships between active shale gas extraction wells and wells with disclosed environmental health and safety violations, we differentiate between a chemical signature associated with naturally occurring saline groundwater and one associated with alternative anthropogenic routes from the surface (e.g., accidental spills or leaks). The data support a transport mechanism of DRO to groundwater via accidental release of fracturing fluid chemicals derived from the surface rather than subsurface flow of these fluids from the underlying shale formation. PMID:26460018

  19. The novel antibacterial compound walrycin A induces human PXR transcriptional activity

    PubMed Central

    Berthier, Alexandre; Oger, Frédérik; Gheeraert, Céline; Boulahtouf, Abdel; Le Guével, Rémy; Balaguer, Patrick; Staels, Bart; Salbert, Gilles; Lefebvre, Philippe

    2012-01-01

    The human pregnane X receptor (PXR) is a ligand-regulated transcription factor belonging to the nuclear receptor superfamily. PXR is activated by a large, structurally diverse, set of endogenous and xenobiotic compounds, and coordinates the expression of genes central to metabolism and excretion of potentially harmful chemicals and therapeutic drugs in humans. Walrycin A is a novel antibacterial compound targeting the WalK/WalR two-component signal transduction system of Gram (+) bacteria. Here we report that, in hepatoma cells, walrycin A potently activates a gene set known to be regulated by the xenobiotic sensor PXR. Walrycin A was as efficient as the reference PXR agonist rifampicin to activate PXR in a transactivation assay at non cytoxic concentrations. Using a limited proteolysis assay, we show that walrycin A induces conformational changes at a concentration which correlates with walrycin A ability to enhance the expression of prototypic target genes, suggesting that walrycin A interacts with PXR. The activation of the canonical human PXR target gene CYP3A4 by walrycin A is dose- and PXR-dependent. Finally, in silico docking experiments suggest that the walrycin A oxidation product Russig’s blue is the actual a ligand for PXR. Taken together, these results identify walrycin A as novel human PXR activator. PMID:22314385

  20. High Throughput Screening Identifies Novel Lead Compounds with Activity against Larval, Juvenile and Adult Schistosoma mansoni

    PubMed Central

    Gardner, J. Mark F.; Bell, Andrew S.; Parkinson, Tanya; Bickle, Quentin

    2016-01-01

    An estimated 600 million people are affected by the helminth disease schistosomiasis caused by parasites of the genus Schistosoma. There is currently only one drug recommended for treating schistosomiasis, praziquantel (PZQ), which is effective against adult worms but not against the juvenile stage. In an attempt to identify improved drugs for treating the disease, we have carried out high throughput screening of a number of small molecule libraries with the aim of identifying lead compounds with balanced activity against all life stages of Schistosoma. A total of almost 300,000 compounds were screened using a high throughput assay based on motility of worm larvae and image analysis of assay plates. Hits were screened against juvenile and adult worms to identify broadly active compounds and against a mammalian cell line to assess cytotoxicity. A number of compounds were identified as promising leads for further chemical optimization. PMID:27128493

  1. Lead selection and characterization of antitubercular compounds using the Nested Chemical Library.

    PubMed

    Sipos, Anna; Pató, János; Székely, Rita; Hartkoorn, Ruben C; Kékesi, László; Őrfi, László; Szántai-Kis, Csaba; Mikušová, Katarína; Svetlíková, Zuzana; Korduláková, Jana; Nagaraja, Valakunja; Godbole, Adwait Anand; Bush, Natassja; Collin, Frédéric; Maxwell, Anthony; Cole, Stewart T; Kéri, György

    2015-06-01

    Discovering new drugs to treat tuberculosis more efficiently and to overcome multidrug resistance is a world health priority. To find novel antitubercular agents several approaches have been used in various institutions worldwide, including target-based approaches against several validated mycobacterial enzymes and phenotypic screens. We screened more than 17,000 compounds from Vichem's Nested Chemical Library™ using an integrated strategy involving whole cell-based assays with Corynebacterium glutamicum and Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and target-based assays with protein kinases PknA, PknB and PknG as well as other targets such as PimA and bacterial topoisomerases simultaneously. With the help of the target-based approach we have found very potent hits inhibiting the selected target enzymes, but good minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) against M. tuberculosis were not achieved. Focussing on the whole cell-based approach several potent hits were found which displayed minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) against M. tuberculosis below 10 μM and were non-mutagenic, non-cytotoxic and the targets of some of the hits were also identified. The most active hits represented various scaffolds. Medicinal chemistry-based lead optimization was performed applying various strategies and, as a consequence, a series of novel potent compounds were synthesized. These efforts resulted in some effective potential antitubercular lead compounds which were confirmed in phenotypic assays. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Essential Oils’ Chemical Characterization and Investigation of Some Biological Activities: A Critical Review

    PubMed Central

    Dhifi, Wissal; Bellili, Sana; Jazi, Sabrine; Bahloul, Nada; Mnif, Wissem

    2016-01-01

    This review covers literature data summarizing, on one hand, the chemistry of essential oils and, on the other hand, their most important activities. Essential oils, which are complex mixtures of volatile compounds particularly abundant in aromatic plants, are mainly composed of terpenes biogenerated by the mevalonate pathway. These volatile molecules include monoterpenes (hydrocarbon and oxygenated monoterpens), and also sesquiterpenes (hydrocarbon and oxygenated sesquiterpens). Furthermore, they contain phenolic compounds, which are derived via the shikimate pathway. Thanks to their chemical composition, essential oils possess numerous biological activities (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, etc…) of great interest in food and cosmetic industries, as well as in the human health field. PMID:28930135

  3. Photo- and radiation chemical induced degradation of lignin model compounds.

    PubMed

    Lanzalunga; Bietti, M

    2000-07-01

    The basic mechanistic aspects of the photo- and radiation chemistry of lignin model compounds (LMCs) are discussed with respect to important processes related to lignin degradation. Several reactions occur after direct irradiation, photosensitized or radiation chemically induced oxidation of LMCs. Direct irradiation studies on LMCs have provided supportive evidence for the involvement of hydrogen abstraction reactions from phenols, beta-cleavage of substituted alpha-aryloxyacetophenones and cleavage of ketyl radicals (formed by photoreduction of aromatic ketones or hydrogen abstraction from arylglycerol beta-aryl ethers) in the photoyellowing of lignin rich pulps. Photosensitized and radiation chemically induced generation of reactive oxygen species and their reaction with LMCs are reviewed. The side-chain reactivity of LMC radical cations, generated by radiation chemical means, is also discussed in relation with the enzymatic degradation of lignin.

  4. Chemical constituents and biological activities of Dianthus elegans var. elegans.

    PubMed

    Mutlu, Kiymet; Sarikahya, Nazli Boke; Nalbantsoy, Ayse; Kirmizigul, Suheyla

    2018-06-01

    Chemical investigation of the aerial parts of Dianthus elegans var. elegans afforded two previously undescribed saponins, named dianosides M-N (1-2), together with four oleanane-type triterpenoid glycosides (3-6). Their structures were elucidated as 3-O-α-L-arabinofuranosyl-16α-hydroxyolean-12-ene-23α, 28β-dioic acid (1) and 3-O-α-L-arabinofuranosyl-(1 → 3)-β-D-glucopyranosyl 16α-hydroxyolean-12-ene-23α-oic acid, 28-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 6)-β-D-glycosyl ester (2) by chemical and extensive spectroscopic methods including IR, 1D, 2D NMR and HRESIMS. Both of the saponins were evaluated for their cytotoxicities against HEK-293, A-549 and HeLa human cancer cells using the MTT method. All compounds showed no substantial cytotoxic activity against tested cell lines. However, dianosides M-N and the n-butanol fraction exhibited considerable haemolysis in human erythrocyte cells. The immunomodulatory properties of dianosides M-N were also evaluated in activated whole blood cells by PMA plus ionomycin. Dianosides M-N increased IL-1β concentration significantly whereas the n-butanol fraction slightly augmented IL-1β secretion. All compounds did not change IL-2 and IFN-γ levels considerably.

  5. From bird's eye views to molecular communities: two-layered visualization of structure-activity relationships in large compound data sets

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kayastha, Shilva; Kunimoto, Ryo; Horvath, Dragos; Varnek, Alexandre; Bajorath, Jürgen

    2017-11-01

    The analysis of structure-activity relationships (SARs) becomes rather challenging when large and heterogeneous compound data sets are studied. In such cases, many different compounds and their activities need to be compared, which quickly goes beyond the capacity of subjective assessments. For a comprehensive large-scale exploration of SARs, computational analysis and visualization methods are required. Herein, we introduce a two-layered SAR visualization scheme specifically designed for increasingly large compound data sets. The approach combines a new compound pair-based variant of generative topographic mapping (GTM), a machine learning approach for nonlinear mapping, with chemical space networks (CSNs). The GTM component provides a global view of the activity landscapes of large compound data sets, in which informative local SAR environments are identified, augmented by a numerical SAR scoring scheme. Prioritized local SAR regions are then projected into CSNs that resolve these regions at the level of individual compounds and their relationships. Analysis of CSNs makes it possible to distinguish between regions having different SAR characteristics and select compound subsets that are rich in SAR information.

  6. Chemical Composition and in-Vitro Evaluation of the Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities of Essential Oils Extracted from Seven Eucalyptus Species.

    PubMed

    Ghaffar, Abdul; Yameen, Muhammad; Kiran, Shumaila; Kamal, Shagufta; Jalal, Fatima; Munir, Bushra; Saleem, Sadaf; Rafiq, Naila; Ahmad, Aftab; Saba, Iram; Jabbar, Abdul

    2015-11-18

    Eucalyptus is well reputed for its use as medicinal plant around the globe. The present study was planned to evaluate chemical composition, antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of the essential oils (EOs) extracted from seven Eucalyptus species frequently found in South East Asia (Pakistan). EOs from Eucalyptus citriodora, Eucalyptus melanophloia, Eucalyptus crebra, Eucalyptus tereticornis, Eucalyptus globulus, Eucalyptus camaldulensis and Eucalyptus microtheca were extracted from leaves through hydrodistillation. The chemical composition of the EOs was determined through GC-MS-FID analysis. The study revealed presence of 31 compounds in E. citriodora and E. melanophloia, 27 compounds in E. crebra, 24 compounds in E. tereticornis, 10 compounds in E. globulus, 13 compounds in E. camaldulensis and 12 compounds in E. microtheca. 1,8-Cineole (56.5%), α-pinene (31.4%), citrinyl acetate (13.3%), eugenol (11.8%) and terpenene-4-ol (10.2%) were the highest principal components in these EOs. E. citriodora exhibited the highest antimicrobial activity against the five microbial species tested (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Aspergillus niger and Rhizopus solani). Gram positive bacteria were found more sensitive than Gram negative bacteria to all EOs. The diphenyl-1-picrylhydazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and percentage inhibition of linoleic acid oxidation were highest in E. citriodora (82.1% and 83.8%, respectively) followed by E. camaldulensis (81.9% and 83.3%, respectively). The great variation in chemical composition of EOs from Eucalyptus, highlight its potential for medicinal and nutraceutical applications.

  7. Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of the essential oil from Pyrrosia tonkinensis (Giesenhagen) Ching.

    PubMed

    Xin, Xiaowei; Liu, Qingshen; Zhang, Yingying; Gao, Demin

    2016-01-01

    The present study aimed to analyse the chemical components of the essential oil from Pyrrosia tonkinensis by GC-MS and evaluate the in vitro antibacterial activity. Twenty-eight compounds, representing 88.1% of the total essential oil, were identified and the major volatile components were trans-2-hexenal (22.1%), followed by nonanal (12.8%), limonene (9.6%), phytol (8.4%), 1-hexanol (3.8%), 2-furancarboxaldehyde (3.5%) and heptanal (3.1%). The antibacterial assays showed that the essential oil of P. tonkinensis had good antibacterial activities against all the tested microorganisms. This paper first reported the chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil from P. tonkinensis.

  8. Solvent Extraction of Chemical Attribution Signature Compounds from Painted Wall Board: Final Report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wahl, Jon H.; Colburn, Heather A.

    2009-10-29

    This report summarizes work that developed a robust solvent extraction procedure for recovery of chemical attribution signature (CAS) compound dimethyl methyl phosphonate (DMMP) (as well as diethyl methyl phosphonate (DEMP), diethyl methyl phosphonothioate (DEMPT), and diisopropyl methyl phosphonate (DIMP)) from painted wall board (PWB), which was selected previously as the exposed media by the chemical attribution scientific working group (CASWG). An accelerated solvent extraction approach was examined to determine the most effective method of extraction from PWB. Three different solvent systems were examined, which varied in solvent strength and polarity (i.e., 1:1 dichloromethane : acetone,100% methanol, and 1% isopropanol inmore » pentane) with a 1:1 methylene chloride : acetone mixture having the most robust and consistent extraction for four original target organophosphorus compounds. The optimum extraction solvent was determined based on the extraction efficiency of the target analytes from spiked painted wallboard as determined by gas chromatography x gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCxGC-MS) analysis of the extract. An average extraction efficiency of approximately 60% was obtained for these four compounds. The extraction approach was further demonstrated by extracting and detecting the chemical impurities present in neat DMMP that was vapor-deposited onto painted wallboard tickets.« less

  9. Bioaccumulation of pharmaceutically active compounds and endocrine disrupting chemicals in aquatic macrophytes: Results of hydroponic experiments with Echinodorus horemanii and Eichhornia crassipes.

    PubMed

    Pi, N; Ng, J Z; Kelly, B C

    2017-12-01

    Information regarding the bioaccumulation behaviour of pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) and endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in aquatic plants is limited. The present study involved controlled hydroponic experiments to assess uptake and elimination rate constants (k u , k e ), bioconcentration factors (BCFs) and translocation factors (TFs) of several PhACs and EDCs in two aquatic macrophyte species, including one submerged species (Echinodorus horemanii) and one free-floating species (Eichhornia crassipes). The results revealed that the studied compounds are readily taken up in these aquatic plants. While bioconcentration factors (BCFs) and translocation factors (TFs) of the test compounds varied substantially, no discernible relationship with physicochemical properties such as octanol-water distribution coefficient (D ow ), membrane-water distribution coefficient (D mw ) and organic carbon-water partition coefficient (K oc ). Diphenhydramine and triclosan exhibited the highest degree of uptake and bioaccumulation potential. For example, the whole-plant BCF of triclosan in E. horemanii was 4390L/kg, while the whole-plant BCF of diphenhydramine in E. crassipes was 6130L/kg. BCFs of 17β-estradiol (E2), 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), estrone (E1) and bisphenol A (BPA) were relatively low (2-150L/kg). BCFs were generally higher in free-floating aquatic macrophyte species compared to the submerged species. For the free-floating species, E. crassipes, the majority of PhACs and EDCs were more allocated in roots compared to leaves, with TFs<1. However, some compounds such as caffeine, atrazine, diphenhydramine, E2 and carbamazepine were more allocated in leaf tissue (TFs>1). The study findings may be useful for design and implementation of phytoremediation systems, as well as aid future modeling and risk assessment initiatives for these emerging organic contaminants. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Compound toxicity screening and structure-activity relationship modeling in Escherichia coli.

    PubMed

    Planson, Anne-Gaëlle; Carbonell, Pablo; Paillard, Elodie; Pollet, Nicolas; Faulon, Jean-Loup

    2012-03-01

    Synthetic biology and metabolic engineering are used to develop new strategies for producing valuable compounds ranging from therapeutics to biofuels in engineered microorganisms. When developing methods for high-titer production cells, toxicity is an important element to consider. Indeed the production rate can be limited due to toxic intermediates or accumulation of byproducts of the heterologous biosynthetic pathway of interest. Conversely, highly toxic molecules are desired when designing antimicrobials. Compound toxicity in bacteria plays a major role in metabolic engineering as well as in the development of new antibacterial agents. Here, we screened a diversified chemical library of 166 compounds for toxicity in Escherichia coli. The dataset was built using a clustering algorithm maximizing the chemical diversity in the library. The resulting assay data was used to develop a toxicity predictor that we used to assess the toxicity of metabolites throughout the metabolome. This new tool for predicting toxicity can thus be used for fine-tuning heterologous expression and can be integrated in a computational-framework for metabolic pathway design. Many structure-activity relationship tools have been developed for toxicology studies in eukaryotes [Valerio (2009), Toxicol Appl Pharmacol, 241(3): 356-370], however, to the best of our knowledge we present here the first E. coli toxicity prediction web server based on QSAR models (EcoliTox server: http://www.issb.genopole.fr/∼faulon/EcoliTox.php). Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. Chemical Constituents and Activity of Murraya microphylla Essential Oil against Lasioderma serricorne.

    PubMed

    You, Chun-Xue; Guo, Shan-Shan; Zhang, Wen-Juan; Yang, Kai; Wang, Cheng-Fang; Geng, Zhu-Feng; Du, Shu-Shan; Deng, Zhi-Wei; Wang, Yong-Yan

    2015-09-01

    The chemical composition, contact and repellent activities of the essential oil from Murraya microphylla branches and leaves against Lasioderma serricorne adults were determined and six compounds from the essential oil were isolated as well. The essential oil of M microphylla obtained by hydrodistillation was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometric (GC-MS) analysis; 22 compounds were identified. The main constituents of the essential oil included β-caryophyllene (18.0%), α-pinene (13.8%), spathulenol (9.5%), α-humulene (6.0%), γ-elemene (5.1%) and zingiberene (4.6%), followed by α-cadinol (3.9%) and caryophyllene oxide (3.8%). Six of these compounds were isolated and fully identified as α-pinene, β-caryophyllene, α-humulene, caryophyllene oxide, spathulenol and α-cadinol. L. serricorne adults had different sensitivities to the crude essential oil and isolated compounds. α-Humulene exhibited the strongest contact activity against L. serricorne, showing an LD50 value of 13.1 µg adult(-1). However, spathulenol, the crude essential oil and α-cadinol showed stronger contact activity against L. serricorne than caryophyllene oxide and β-caryophyllene. The essential oil, α-humulene and spathulenol showed comparable repellency against L. serricorne adults at 2 h after exposure, relative to the positive control, DEET. The results demonstrate that the essential oil and isolated compounds exhibited important contact and repellent activities against L. serricorne. Thus, they could become potential natural insecticides or repellents for control of insects in stored products.

  12. Chemical Characterization and Cytotoxic Activity of Blueberry Extracts (cv. Misty) Cultivated in Brazil.

    PubMed

    Massarotto, Giovana; Barcellos, Thiago; Garcia, Charlene Silvestrin Celi; Brandalize, Ana Paula Carneiro; Moura, Sidnei; Schwambach, Joséli; Henriques, João Antonio Pêgas; Roesch-Ely, Mariana

    2016-08-01

    Vaccinium corymbosum (L.) varieties cultivation is relatively recent in Brazil, but its production has been intensified given its good adaptability to the Southern Brazil climate. Blueberries are a rich source of phenolic compounds and contain significant levels of anthocyanins, flavonols, chlorogenic acids, and procyanidins, which lead to different biological activities. Chemical identification of skin and whole hydroalcoholic blueberry extracts (ExtSB and ExtWB) revealed the presence of anthocyanins concentrated in the skin and others chemicals compounds as quercetin glycosides, proanthocyanins dimers, citric, and chlorogenic acid in the pulp. Selectivity for tumor cell lines (Hep-2, HeLa, HT-29) using ExtSB and ExtWB extracts was observed through MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay after 24 h of treatment when compared to nontumor cells (MRC-5). Morphological changes and late stages of apoptotic and necrosis process were seen in HT-29 cell line after ExtWB treatment, compared to nontumor cell line MRC-5. These results are in agreement with other studies that indicate the activity of compounds such as anthocyanins and other molecules found in Southern Highbush blueberry variety, attributed to promote beneficial effects on health that may respond as cytotoxic natural agent and contribute to cancer treatment. © 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®

  13. Structural Characterization and Evaluation of the Antioxidant Activity of Phenolic Compounds from Astragalus taipaishanensis and Their Structure-Activity Relationship

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pu, Wenjun; Wang, Dongmei; Zhou, Dan

    2015-09-01

    Eight phenolic compounds were isolated using bio-guided isolation and purified from the roots of Astragalus taipaishanensis Y. C. Ho et S. B. Ho (A. taipaishanensis) for the first time. Their structures were elucidated by ESI-MS, HR-ESI-MS, 1D-NMR and 2D-NMR as 7,2‧-dihydroxy-3‧,4‧-dimethoxy isoflavan (1), formononetin (2), isoliquiritigenin (3), quercetin (4), kaempferol (5), ononin (6), p-hydroxybenzoic acid (7) and vanillic acid (8). Six flavonoids (compounds 1-6) exhibited stronger antioxidant activities (determined by DPPH, ABTS, FRAP and lipid peroxidation inhibition assays) than those of BHA and TBHQ and also demonstrated noticeable protective effects (particularly quercetin and kaempferol) on Escherichia coli under oxidative stress. Additionally, the chemical constituents compared with those of Astragalus membranaceus and the structure-activity relationship of the isolated compounds were both analyzed. The results clearly demonstrated that A. taipaishanensis has the potential to be selected as an alternative medicinal and food plant that can be utilized in health food products, functional tea and pharmaceutical products.

  14. Influence of plasma-activated compounds on melanogenesis and tyrosinase activity

    PubMed Central

    Ali, Anser; Ashraf, Zaman; Kumar, Naresh; Rafiq, Muhammad; Jabeen, Farukh; Park, Ji Hoon; Choi, Ki Hong; Lee, SeungHyun; Seo, Sung-Yum; Choi, Eun Ha; Attri, Pankaj

    2016-01-01

    Many organic chemists around the world synthesize medicinal compounds or extract multiple compounds from plants in order to increase the activity and quality of medicines. In this work, we synthesized new eugenol derivatives (ED) and then treated them with an N2 feeding gas atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) to increase their utility. We studied the tyrosinase-inhibition activity (activity test) and structural changes (circular dichroism) of tyrosinase with ED and plasma activated eugenol derivatives (PAED) in a cell-free environment. Later, we used docking studies to determine the possible interaction sites of ED and PAED compounds with tyrosinase enzyme. Moreover, we studied the possible effect of ED and PAED on melanin synthesis and its mechanism in melanoma (B16F10) cells. Additionally, we investigated the structural changes that occurred in activated ED after plasma treatment using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Hence, this study provides a new perspective on PAED for the field of plasma medicine. PMID:26931617

  15. EVALUATION USING AN ORGANOPHILIC CLAY TO CHEMICALLY STABILIZE WASTE CONTAINING ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

    EPA Science Inventory

    A modified clay (organophilic) was utilized to evaluate the potential for chemically stabilizing a waste containing organic compounds. hemical bonding between the binder and the contaminants was indicated. eachate testing also indicated strong binding. Copy available at NTIS as ...

  16. High-Throughput Gene Expression Profiles to Define Drug Similarity and Predict Compound Activity.

    PubMed

    De Wolf, Hans; Cougnaud, Laure; Van Hoorde, Kirsten; De Bondt, An; Wegner, Joerg K; Ceulemans, Hugo; Göhlmann, Hinrich

    2018-04-01

    By adding biological information, beyond the chemical properties and desired effect of a compound, uncharted compound areas and connections can be explored. In this study, we add transcriptional information for 31K compounds of Janssen's primary screening deck, using the HT L1000 platform and assess (a) the transcriptional connection score for generating compound similarities, (b) machine learning algorithms for generating target activity predictions, and (c) the scaffold hopping potential of the resulting hits. We demonstrate that the transcriptional connection score is best computed from the significant genes only and should be interpreted within its confidence interval for which we provide the stats. These guidelines help to reduce noise, increase reproducibility, and enable the separation of specific and promiscuous compounds. The added value of machine learning is demonstrated for the NR3C1 and HSP90 targets. Support Vector Machine models yielded balanced accuracy values ≥80% when the expression values from DDIT4 & SERPINE1 and TMEM97 & SPR were used to predict the NR3C1 and HSP90 activity, respectively. Combining both models resulted in 22 new and confirmed HSP90-independent NR3C1 inhibitors, providing two scaffolds (i.e., pyrimidine and pyrazolo-pyrimidine), which could potentially be of interest in the treatment of depression (i.e., inhibiting the glucocorticoid receptor (i.e., NR3C1), while leaving its chaperone, HSP90, unaffected). As such, the initial hit rate increased by a factor 300, as less, but more specific chemistry could be screened, based on the upfront computed activity predictions.

  17. Chemical characterisation of Nigerian red propolis and its biological activity against Trypanosoma Brucei.

    PubMed

    Omar, Ruwida M K; Igoli, John; Gray, Alexander I; Ebiloma, Godwin Unekwuojo; Clements, Carol; Fearnley, James; Ebel, Ru Angeli Edrada; Zhang, Tong; De Koning, Harry P; Watson, David G

    2016-01-01

    A previous study showed the unique character of Nigerian red propolis from Rivers State, Nigeria (RSN), with regards to chemical composition and activity against Trypanosoma brucei in comparison with other African propolis. To carry out fractionation and biological testing of Nigerian propolis in order to isolate compounds with anti-trypanosomal activity. To compare the composition of the RSN propolis with the composition of Brazilian red propolis. Profiling was carried out using HPLC-UV-ELSD and HPLC-Orbitrap-FTMS on extracts of two samples collected from RSN with data extraction using MZmine software. Isolation was carried out by normal phase and reversed phase MPLC. Elucidation of the compounds with a purity > 95% was performed by 1D/2D NMR HRMS and HRLC-MS(n) . Ten phenolic compounds were isolated or in the case of liquiritigenin partially purified. Data for nine of these correlated with literature reports of known compounds i.e. one isoflavanone, calycosin (1); two flavanones, liquiritigenin (2) and pinocembrin (5); an isoflavan, vestitol (3); a pterocarpan, medicarpin (4); two prenylflavanones, 8-prenylnaringenin (7) and 6-prenylnaringenin (8); and two geranyl flavonoids, propolin D (9) and macarangin (10). The tenth was elucidated as a previously undescribed dihydrobenzofuran (6). The isolated compounds were tested against Trypanosoma brucei and displayed moderate to high activity. Some of the compounds tested had similar activity against wild type T. brucei and two strains displaying pentamidine resistance. Nigerian propolis from RSN has some similarities with Brazilian red propolis. The propolis displayed anti-trypanosomal activity at a potentially useful level. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  18. Identification of Compounds with Anti-Proliferative Activity against Trypanosoma brucei brucei Strain 427 by a Whole Cell Viability Based HTS Campaign

    PubMed Central

    Kaiser, Marcel; Chatelain, Eric; Moawad, Sarah R.; Ganame, Danny; Ioset, Jean-Robert; Avery, Vicky M.

    2012-01-01

    Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) is caused by two trypanosome sub-species, Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense and Trypanosoma brucei gambiense. Drugs available for the treatment of HAT have significant issues related to difficult administration regimes and limited efficacy across species and disease stages. Hence, there is considerable need to find new alternative and less toxic drugs. An approach to identify starting points for new drug candidates is high throughput screening (HTS) of large compound library collections. We describe the application of an Alamar Blue based, 384-well HTS assay to screen a library of 87,296 compounds against the related trypanosome subspecies, Trypanosoma brucei brucei bloodstream form lister 427. Primary hits identified against T.b. brucei were retested and the IC50 value compounds were estimated for T.b. brucei and a mammalian cell line HEK293, to determine a selectivity index for each compound. The screening campaign identified 205 compounds with greater than 10 times selectivity against T.b. brucei. Cluster analysis of these compounds, taking into account chemical and structural properties required for drug-like compounds, afforded a panel of eight compounds for further biological analysis. These compounds had IC50 values ranging from 0.22 µM to 4 µM with associated selectivity indices ranging from 19 to greater than 345. Further testing against T.b. rhodesiense led to the selection of 6 compounds from 5 new chemical classes with activity against the causative species of HAT, which can be considered potential candidates for HAT early drug discovery. Structure activity relationship (SAR) mining revealed components of those hit compound structures that may be important for biological activity. Four of these compounds have undergone further testing to 1) determine whether they are cidal or static in vitro at the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and 2) estimate the time to kill. PMID:23209849

  19. Classification of Chemical Compounds to Support Complex Queries in a Pathway Database

    PubMed Central

    Weidemann, Andreas; Kania, Renate; Peiss, Christian; Rojas, Isabel

    2004-01-01

    Data quality in biological databases has become a topic of great discussion. To provide high quality data and to deal with the vast amount of biochemical data, annotators and curators need to be supported by software that carries out part of their work in an (semi-) automatic manner. The detection of errors and inconsistencies is a part that requires the knowledge of domain experts, thus in most cases it is done manually, making it very expensive and time-consuming. This paper presents two tools to partially support the curation of data on biochemical pathways. The tool enables the automatic classification of chemical compounds based on their respective SMILES strings. Such classification allows the querying and visualization of biochemical reactions at different levels of abstraction, according to the level of detail at which the reaction participants are described. Chemical compounds can be classified in a flexible manner based on different criteria. The support of the process of data curation is provided by facilitating the detection of compounds that are identified as different but that are actually the same. This is also used to identify similar reactions and, in turn, pathways. PMID:18629066

  20. Iron-targeting antitumor activity of gallium compounds and novel insights into triapine(®)-metal complexes.

    PubMed

    Chitambar, Christopher R; Antholine, William E

    2013-03-10

    Despite advances made in the treatment of cancer, a significant number of patients succumb to this disease every year. Hence, there is a great need to develop new anticancer agents. Emerging data show that malignant cells have a greater requirement for iron than normal cells do and that proteins involved in iron import, export, and storage may be altered in cancer cells. Therefore, strategies to perturb these iron-dependent steps in malignant cells hold promise for the treatment of cancer. Recent studies show that gallium compounds and metal-thiosemicarbazone complexes inhibit tumor cell growth by targeting iron homeostasis, including iron-dependent ribonucleotide reductase. Chemical similarities of gallium(III) with iron(III) enable the former to mimic the latter and interpose itself in critical iron-dependent steps in cellular proliferation. Newer gallium compounds have emerged with additional mechanisms of action. In clinical trials, the first-generation-compound gallium nitrate has exhibited activity against bladder cancer and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, while the thiosemicarbazone Triapine(®) has demonstrated activity against other tumors. Novel gallium compounds with greater cytotoxicity and a broader spectrum of antineoplastic activity than gallium nitrate should continue to be developed. The antineoplastic activity and toxicity of the existing novel gallium compounds and thiosemicarbazone-metal complexes should be tested in animal tumor models and advanced to Phase I and II clinical trials. Future research should identify biologic markers that predict tumor sensitivity to gallium compounds. This will help direct gallium-based therapy to cancer patients who are most likely to benefit from it.

  1. Structure and Chemical Synthesis of a Biologically Active Form of Renilla (Sea Pansy) Luciferin*

    PubMed Central

    Hori, Kazuo; Cormier, Milton J.

    1973-01-01

    The structure of a biologically active form of Renilla (sea pansy) luciferin has been elucidated; this structure, confirmed by total chemical synthesis, is 3,7-dihydro-2-methyl-6-(p-hydroxyphenyl)-8-benzylimidazo [1,2-a] pyrazin-3-one. In the natural compound the methyl group at the 2 position is replaced by an unknown, more complex group. For this reason the synthetic compound is 10% as active as the natural compound in producing light with Renilla luciferase. However, the spectral properties of the two compounds are identical. In addition the rates of the luminescent reaction with both compounds are similar, and the color of the light produced is identical in each case. A compound isolated from the calcium-triggered photoprotein aequorin has been identified by Shimomura and Johnson [(1972) Biochemistry 11, 1602] to be 2-amino-3-benzyl-5-(p-hydroxyphenyl)pyrazine. This compound forms an integral part of the structure of Renilla luciferin. This, and other evidence, suggests that the structure elucidated for Renilla luciferin is a more general one associated with the luciferins of most, if not all, bioluminescent coelenterates. PMID:16592045

  2. Activities of various compounds against murine and primate polyomaviruses.

    PubMed Central

    Andrei, G; Snoeck, R; Vandeputte, M; De Clercq, E

    1997-01-01

    Polyomavirus infections in humans are due to BK virus (BKV) and JC virus (JCV). Diseases associated with human polyomaviruses occur mostly in immunocompromised adults, e.g., progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), caused by JCV, in AIDS patients and hemorrhagic cystitis and uretral stenosis, caused by BKV, in transplant recipients. No therapy is available for these diseases, which necessitates the development of chemical entities that are active against polyomaviruses. Several antiviral compounds were evaluated to determine their effects on the in vitro replication of mouse polyomavirus and the primate viruses simian virus 40 (SV40), SV40 PML-1, and SV40 PML-2. The activity of the different compounds was assessed by a cytopathic effect reduction assay and confirmed in a virus yield assay. Cidofovir [HPMPC; (S)-1-(3-hydroxy-2-phosphonylmethoxypropyl)cytosine] and its cyclic counterpart emerged as the most selective antipolyomavirus agents. The 50% inhibitory concentrations for HPMPC were in the range of 4 to 7 micrograms/ml, and its selectivity index varied from 11 to 20 for mouse polyomavirus and from 23 to 33 for SV40 strains in confluent cell monolayers. Cell cytotoxicity was up to 15-fold greater in growing cells. Other acyclic nucleoside phosphonates (i.e., HPMPA; [(S)-9-(3-hydroxy-2-phosphonylmethoxypropyl)adenine] and PMEG [9-(2-phosphonylmethoxyethyl)-guanine]) also showed some activity but had low selectivity. None of the other drugs tested against these animal viruses (i.e., acyclovir, ganciclovir, brivudine, ribavirin, foscarnet, and cytarabine) showed significant activity. Thus, HPMPC deserves further evaluation as a candidate drug for polyomavirus infections in the immunocompromised host. PMID:9055998

  3. Antimicrobial Activity and Chemical Composition of Three Essential Oils Extracted from Mediterranean Aromatic Plants.

    PubMed

    Elshafie, Hazem S; Sakr, Shimaa; Mang, Stefania M; Belviso, Sandra; De Feo, Vincenzo; Camele, Ippolito

    2016-11-01

    There is a growing interest in essential oils (EOs) as possible alternatives for traditional chemical pesticides. This study was carried out to characterize the chemical composition of the three EOs extracted from Verbena officinalis, Majorana hortensis, and Salvia officinalis using gas chromatography (GC) and GC-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and to evaluate in vitro their efficacy against some phyto or human pathogens. The antifungal activity was investigated against Colletotrichum acutatum and Botrytis cinerea in comparison with Azoxystrobin as a large spectrum fungicide. Antibacterial activity was evaluated against Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus mojavensis, and Clavibacter michiganensis (G+ve) and Escherichia coli, Xanthomonas campestris, Pseudomonas savastanoi, and P. syringae pv. phaseolicola (G-ve) compared to a synthetic antibiotic tetracycline. Minimum inhibitory concentration was evaluated against the above tested fungi using 96-well microplate method. Results showed that the chemical structure of the three studied EOs was mainly composed of monoterpene compounds and all oils belong to the chemotype carvacrol/thymol. Results of GC analysis identified 64 compounds, which were identified based on their mass to charge ratio. Furthermore, the different concentrations of studied EOs inhibited the growth of tested microorganism in a dose-dependent manner.

  4. Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of endemic Dalmatian black pine (Pinus nigra ssp. dalmatica).

    PubMed

    Politeo, Olivera; Skocibusic, Mirjana; Maravic, Ana; Ruscic, Mirko; Milos, Mladen

    2011-03-01

    The chemical composition and the antimicrobial activity of the essential oil isolated from the needles of endemic Dalmatian black pine (Pinus nigra ssp. dalmatica) from Croatia were investigated. The chemical composition of the essential oil was determined by GC and GC/MS analyses, and the main compounds identified were α-pinene, β-pinene, germacrene D, and β-caryophyllene. Disc-diffusion and broth-microdilution assays were used for the in vitro antimicrobial screening. The Dalmatian black pine essential oil exhibited a great potential of antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria (MIC=0.03-0.50% (v/v)) and a less pronounced activity against Gram-negative bacteria (MIC=0.12-3.2% (v/v)). The volatile compounds also inhibited the growth of all fungi tested, including yeast. Copyright © 2011 Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta AG, Zürich.

  5. QSAR and 3D-QSAR studies applied to compounds with anticonvulsant activity.

    PubMed

    Garro Martinez, Juan C; Vega-Hissi, Esteban G; Andrada, Matías F; Estrada, Mario R

    2015-01-01

    Quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR and 3D-QSAR) have been applied in the last decade to obtain a reliable statistical model for the prediction of the anticonvulsant activities of new chemical entities. However, despite the large amount of information on QSAR, no recent review has published and discussed this data in detail. In this review, the authors provide a detailed discussion of QSAR studies that have been applied to compounds with anticonvulsant activity published between the years 2003 and 2013. They also evaluate the mathematical approaches and the main software used to develop the QSAR and 3D-QSAR model. QSAR methodologies continue to attract the attention of researchers and provide valuable information for the development of new potentially active compounds including those with anticonvulsant activity. This has been helped in part by improvements in the size and performance of computers; the development of specific software and the development of novel molecular descriptors, which have given rise to new and more predictive QSAR models. The extensive development of descriptors, and the way by which descriptor values are derived, have allowed the evolution of the QSAR methods. This evolution could strengthen the QSAR methods as an important tool in research and development of new and more potent anticonvulsant agents.

  6. Relationship between chemical structure and the occupational asthma hazard of low molecular weight organic compounds

    PubMed Central

    Jarvis, J; Seed, M; Elton, R; Sawyer, L; Agius, R

    2005-01-01

    Aims: To investigate quantitatively, relationships between chemical structure and reported occupational asthma hazard for low molecular weight (LMW) organic compounds; to develop and validate a model linking asthma hazard with chemical substructure; and to generate mechanistic hypotheses that might explain the relationships. Methods: A learning dataset used 78 LMW chemical asthmagens reported in the literature before 1995, and 301 control compounds with recognised occupational exposures and hazards other than respiratory sensitisation. The chemical structures of the asthmagens and control compounds were characterised by the presence of chemical substructure fragments. Odds ratios were calculated for these fragments to determine which were associated with a likelihood of being reported as an occupational asthmagen. Logistic regression modelling was used to identify the independent contribution of these substructures. A post-1995 set of 21 asthmagens and 77 controls were selected to externally validate the model. Results: Nitrogen or oxygen containing functional groups such as isocyanate, amine, acid anhydride, and carbonyl were associated with an occupational asthma hazard, particularly when the functional group was present twice or more in the same molecule. A logistic regression model using only statistically significant independent variables for occupational asthma hazard correctly assigned 90% of the model development set. The external validation showed a sensitivity of 86% and specificity of 99%. Conclusions: Although a wide variety of chemical structures are associated with occupational asthma, bifunctional reactivity is strongly associated with occupational asthma hazard across a range of chemical substructures. This suggests that chemical cross-linking is an important molecular mechanism leading to the development of occupational asthma. The logistic regression model is freely available on the internet and may offer a useful but inexpensive adjunct to the

  7. Metathesis Activity Encoded in the Metallacyclobutane Carbon-13 NMR Chemical Shift Tensors

    PubMed Central

    2017-01-01

    Metallacyclobutanes are an important class of organometallic intermediates, due to their role in olefin metathesis. They can have either planar or puckered rings associated with characteristic chemical and physical properties. Metathesis active metallacyclobutanes have short M–Cα/α′ and M···Cβ distances, long Cα/α′–Cβ bond length, and isotropic 13C chemical shifts for both early d0 and late d4 transition metal compounds for the α- and β-carbons appearing at ca. 100 and 0 ppm, respectively. Metallacyclobutanes that do not show metathesis activity have 13C chemical shifts of the α- and β-carbons at typically 40 and 30 ppm, respectively, for d0 systems, with upfield shifts to ca. −30 ppm for the α-carbon of metallacycles with higher dn electron counts (n = 2 and 6). Measurements of the chemical shift tensor by solid-state NMR combined with an orbital (natural chemical shift, NCS) analysis of its principal components (δ11 ≥ δ22 ≥ δ33) with two-component calculations show that the specific chemical shift of metathesis active metallacyclobutanes originates from a low-lying empty orbital lying in the plane of the metallacyclobutane with local π*(M–Cα/α′) character. Thus, in the metathesis active metallacyclobutanes, the α-carbons retain some residual alkylidene character, while their β-carbon is shielded, especially in the direction perpendicular to the ring. Overall, the chemical shift tensors directly provide information on the predictive value about the ability of metallacyclobutanes to be olefin metathesis intermediates. PMID:28776018

  8. Quantum-chemical Calculations in the Study of Antitumour Compounds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Luzhkov, V. B.; Bogdanov, G. N.

    1986-01-01

    The results of quantum-chemical calculations on antitumour preparations concerning the mechanism of their action at the electronic and molecular levels and structure-activity correlations are discussed in this review. Preparations whose action involves alkylating and free-radial mechanisms, complex-forming agents, and antimetabolites are considered. Modern quantum-chemical methods for calculations on biologically active substances are described. The bibliography includes 106 references.

  9. [Chemical Constituents from Leaves of "Chuju" Chrysanthemum morifolium and Their Antioxidant Activities in vitro].

    PubMed

    Wei, Qiang; Ji, Xiao-ying; Long, Xian-shun; Li, Qian-rong; Yin, Hao

    2015-02-01

    To study the chemical constituents from the leaves of "Chuju" Chrysanthemum morifolium. All compounds were separated and purified by column chromatography over silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and preparative HPLC. Their structures were identified by spectral methods including 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR. 21 compounds were isolated and identified as octa-cosyl alcohol (1), β-sitosterol (2), lupeol (3), α-amyrin (4), daucosterol (5), ineupatorolide B (6), syringin (7), chlorogenic acid (8), petasiphenol (9), physcion (10), acacetin (11), eupatilin (12), quercetin (13), diosmetin (14), luteolin (15), apigenin (16), apigenin- 7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (17), quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (18), luteolin-7-O-β-D-gluco pyranoside (19), apigenin-7-O-β-D- neospheroside (20), and acacetin-7-O-β-D-glucoside (21). Compounds 1-12, 18 and 20 are isolated from this plant for the first time. Compounds 10, 13, 14, 15 and 16 have shown strong antioxidant activities by DPPH · scavenging activity better than Vit C.

  10. Chemical aging of single and multicomponent biomass burning aerosol surrogate-particles by OH: Implications for cloud condensation nucleus activity

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Thalman, R.; Thalman, R.; Wang, J.

    Multiphase OH and O₃ oxidation reactions with atmospheric organic aerosol (OA) can influence particle physicochemical properties including composition, morphology, and lifetime. Chemical aging of initially insoluble or low soluble single-component OA by OH and O₃ can increase their water-solubility and hygroscopicity, making them more active as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) and susceptible to wet deposition. However, an outstanding problem is whether the effects of chemical aging on their CCN activity are preserved when mixed with other organic or inorganic compounds exhibiting greater water-solubility. In this work, the CCN activity of laboratory-generated biomass burning aerosol (BBA) surrogate-particles exposed to OH andmore » O₃ is evaluated by determining the hygroscopicity parameter, κ, as a function of particle type, mixing state, and OH/O₃ exposure applying a CCN counter (CCNc) coupled to an aerosol flow reactor (AFR). Levoglucosan (LEV), 4-methyl-5-nitrocatechol (MNC), and potassium sulfate (KS) serve as representative BBA compounds that exhibit different hygroscopicity, water solubility, chemical functionalities, and reactivity with OH radicals, and thus exemplify the complexity of mixed inorganic/organic aerosol in the atmosphere. The CCN activities of all of the particles were unaffected by O₃ exposure. Following exposure to OH, κ of MNC was enhanced by an order of magnitude, from 0.009 to ~0.1, indicating that chemically-aged MNC particles are better CCN and more prone to wet deposition than pure MNC particles. No significant enhancement in κ was observed for pure LEV particles following OH exposure. κ of the internally-mixed particles was not affected by OH oxidation. Furthermore, the CCN activity of OH exposed MNC-coated KS particles is similar to the OH unexposed atomized 1:1 by mass MNC: KS binary-component particles. Our results strongly suggest that when OA is dominated by water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) or inorganic ions

  11. Chemical aging of single and multicomponent biomass burning aerosol surrogate particles by OH: implications for cloud condensation nucleus activity

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Slade, J. H.; Thalman, R.; Wang, J.

    Multiphase OH and O 3 oxidation reactions with atmospheric organic aerosol (OA) can influence particle physicochemical properties including composition, morphology, and lifetime. Chemical aging of initially insoluble or low-soluble single-component OA by OH and O 3 can increase their water solubility and hygroscopicity, making them more active as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) and susceptible to wet deposition. However, an outstanding problem is whether the effects of chemical aging on their CCN activity are preserved when mixed with other organic or inorganic compounds exhibiting greater water solubility. In this work, the CCN activity of laboratory-generated biomass burning aerosol (BBA) surrogate particlesmore » exposed to OH and O 3 is evaluated by determining the hygroscopicity parameter, κ, as a function of particle type, mixing state, and OH and O 3 exposure applying a CCN counter (CCNc) coupled to an aerosol flow reactor (AFR). Levoglucosan (LEV), 4-methyl-5-nitrocatechol (MNC), and potassium sulfate (KS) serve as representative BBA compounds that exhibit different hygroscopicity, water solubility, chemical functionalities, and reactivity with OH radicals, and thus exemplify the complexity of mixed inorganic/organic aerosol in the atmosphere. The CCN activities of all of the particles were unaffected by O 3 exposure. Following exposure to OH, κ of MNC was enhanced by an order of magnitude, from 0.009 to ~ 0.1, indicating that chemically aged MNC particles are better CCN and more prone to wet deposition than pure MNC particles. No significant enhancement in κ was observed for pure LEV particles following OH exposure. κ of the internally mixed particles was not affected by OH oxidation. Furthermore, the CCN activity of OH-exposed MNC-coated KS particles is similar to the OH unexposed atomized 1 : 1 by mass MNC : KS binary-component particles. Our results strongly suggest that when OA is dominated by water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) or inorganic ions

  12. Chemical aging of single and multicomponent biomass burning aerosol surrogate particles by OH: implications for cloud condensation nucleus activity

    DOE PAGES

    Slade, J. H.; Thalman, R.; Wang, J.; ...

    2015-09-14

    Multiphase OH and O 3 oxidation reactions with atmospheric organic aerosol (OA) can influence particle physicochemical properties including composition, morphology, and lifetime. Chemical aging of initially insoluble or low-soluble single-component OA by OH and O 3 can increase their water solubility and hygroscopicity, making them more active as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) and susceptible to wet deposition. However, an outstanding problem is whether the effects of chemical aging on their CCN activity are preserved when mixed with other organic or inorganic compounds exhibiting greater water solubility. In this work, the CCN activity of laboratory-generated biomass burning aerosol (BBA) surrogate particlesmore » exposed to OH and O 3 is evaluated by determining the hygroscopicity parameter, κ, as a function of particle type, mixing state, and OH and O 3 exposure applying a CCN counter (CCNc) coupled to an aerosol flow reactor (AFR). Levoglucosan (LEV), 4-methyl-5-nitrocatechol (MNC), and potassium sulfate (KS) serve as representative BBA compounds that exhibit different hygroscopicity, water solubility, chemical functionalities, and reactivity with OH radicals, and thus exemplify the complexity of mixed inorganic/organic aerosol in the atmosphere. The CCN activities of all of the particles were unaffected by O 3 exposure. Following exposure to OH, κ of MNC was enhanced by an order of magnitude, from 0.009 to ~ 0.1, indicating that chemically aged MNC particles are better CCN and more prone to wet deposition than pure MNC particles. No significant enhancement in κ was observed for pure LEV particles following OH exposure. κ of the internally mixed particles was not affected by OH oxidation. Furthermore, the CCN activity of OH-exposed MNC-coated KS particles is similar to the OH unexposed atomized 1 : 1 by mass MNC : KS binary-component particles. Our results strongly suggest that when OA is dominated by water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) or inorganic ions

  13. Chemical aging of single and multicomponent biomass burning aerosol surrogate-particles by OH: Implications for cloud condensation nucleus activity

    DOE PAGES

    Thalman, R.; Thalman, R.; Wang, J.; ...

    2015-03-06

    Multiphase OH and O₃ oxidation reactions with atmospheric organic aerosol (OA) can influence particle physicochemical properties including composition, morphology, and lifetime. Chemical aging of initially insoluble or low soluble single-component OA by OH and O₃ can increase their water-solubility and hygroscopicity, making them more active as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) and susceptible to wet deposition. However, an outstanding problem is whether the effects of chemical aging on their CCN activity are preserved when mixed with other organic or inorganic compounds exhibiting greater water-solubility. In this work, the CCN activity of laboratory-generated biomass burning aerosol (BBA) surrogate-particles exposed to OH andmore » O₃ is evaluated by determining the hygroscopicity parameter, κ, as a function of particle type, mixing state, and OH/O₃ exposure applying a CCN counter (CCNc) coupled to an aerosol flow reactor (AFR). Levoglucosan (LEV), 4-methyl-5-nitrocatechol (MNC), and potassium sulfate (KS) serve as representative BBA compounds that exhibit different hygroscopicity, water solubility, chemical functionalities, and reactivity with OH radicals, and thus exemplify the complexity of mixed inorganic/organic aerosol in the atmosphere. The CCN activities of all of the particles were unaffected by O₃ exposure. Following exposure to OH, κ of MNC was enhanced by an order of magnitude, from 0.009 to ~0.1, indicating that chemically-aged MNC particles are better CCN and more prone to wet deposition than pure MNC particles. No significant enhancement in κ was observed for pure LEV particles following OH exposure. κ of the internally-mixed particles was not affected by OH oxidation. Furthermore, the CCN activity of OH exposed MNC-coated KS particles is similar to the OH unexposed atomized 1:1 by mass MNC: KS binary-component particles. Our results strongly suggest that when OA is dominated by water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) or inorganic ions

  14. Micro- and Nanostructured Metal Oxide Chemical Sensors for Volatile Organic Compounds

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Alim, M. A.; Penn, B. G.; Currie, J. R., Jr.; Batra, A. K.; Aggarwal, M. D.

    2008-01-01

    Aeronautic and space applications warrant the development of chemical sensors which operate in a variety of environments. This technical memorandum incorporates various kinds of chemical sensors and ways to improve their performance. The results of exploratory investigation of the binary composite polycrystalline thick-films such as SnO2-WO3, SnO2-In2O3, SnO2-ZnO for the detection of volatile organic compound (isopropanol) are reported. A short review of the present status of the new types of nanostructured sensors such as nanobelts, nanorods, nanotube, etc. based on metal oxides is presented.

  15. Chemical Compounds Toxic to Invertebrates Isolated from Marine Cyanobacteria of Potential Relevance to the Agricultural Industry

    PubMed Central

    Essack, Magbubah; Alzubaidy, Hanin S.; Bajic, Vladimir B.; Archer, John A. C.

    2014-01-01

    In spite of advances in invertebrate pest management, the agricultural industry is suffering from impeded pest control exacerbated by global climate changes that have altered rain patterns to favour opportunistic breeding. Thus, novel naturally derived chemical compounds toxic to both terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates are of interest, as potential pesticides. In this regard, marine cyanobacterium-derived metabolites that are toxic to both terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates continue to be a promising, but neglected, source of potential pesticides. A PubMed query combined with hand-curation of the information from retrieved articles allowed for the identification of 36 cyanobacteria-derived chemical compounds experimentally confirmed as being toxic to invertebrates. These compounds are discussed in this review. PMID:25356733

  16. Chemical compounds toxic to invertebrates isolated from marine cyanobacteria of potential relevance to the agricultural industry.

    PubMed

    Essack, Magbubah; Alzubaidy, Hanin S; Bajic, Vladimir B; Archer, John A C

    2014-10-29

    In spite of advances in invertebrate pest management, the agricultural industry is suffering from impeded pest control exacerbated by global climate changes that have altered rain patterns to favour opportunistic breeding. Thus, novel naturally derived chemical compounds toxic to both terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates are of interest, as potential pesticides. In this regard, marine cyanobacterium-derived metabolites that are toxic to both terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates continue to be a promising, but neglected, source of potential pesticides. A PubMed query combined with hand-curation of the information from retrieved articles allowed for the identification of 36 cyanobacteria-derived chemical compounds experimentally confirmed as being toxic to invertebrates. These compounds are discussed in this review.

  17. [Advances in research of chemical constituents and pharmacological activities of common used spices].

    PubMed

    Sun, Chao-nan; Zhu, Yuan; Xu, Xi-ming; Yu, Jiang-nan

    2014-11-01

    Spices have enjoyed a long history and a worldwide application. Of particular interest is the pharmaceutical value of spices in addition to its basic seasoning function in cooking. Concretely, equipped with complex chemical compositions, spices are of significant importance in pharmacologic actions, like antioxidant, antibacterial, antitumor, as well as therapeutical effects in gastrointestinal disorders and cardiovascular disease. Although increasing evidences in support of its distinct role in the medical field has recently reported, little information is available for substantive, thorough and sophisticated researches on its chemical constituents and pharmacological activities, especially mechanism of these actions. Therefore, in popular wave of studies directed at a single spice, this review presents systematic studies on the chemical constituents and pharmacological activities associated with common used spices, together with current typical individual studies on functional mechanism, in order to pave the way for the exploitation and development of new medicines derived from the chemical compounds of spice (such as, piperine, curcumin, geniposide, cinnamaldehyde, cinnamic acid, linalool, estragole, perillaldehyde, syringic acid, crocin).

  18. Feasibility of Active Machine Learning for Multiclass Compound Classification.

    PubMed

    Lang, Tobias; Flachsenberg, Florian; von Luxburg, Ulrike; Rarey, Matthias

    2016-01-25

    A common task in the hit-to-lead process is classifying sets of compounds into multiple, usually structural classes, which build the groundwork for subsequent SAR studies. Machine learning techniques can be used to automate this process by learning classification models from training compounds of each class. Gathering class information for compounds can be cost-intensive as the required data needs to be provided by human experts or experiments. This paper studies whether active machine learning can be used to reduce the required number of training compounds. Active learning is a machine learning method which processes class label data in an iterative fashion. It has gained much attention in a broad range of application areas. In this paper, an active learning method for multiclass compound classification is proposed. This method selects informative training compounds so as to optimally support the learning progress. The combination with human feedback leads to a semiautomated interactive multiclass classification procedure. This method was investigated empirically on 15 compound classification tasks containing 86-2870 compounds in 3-38 classes. The empirical results show that active learning can solve these classification tasks using 10-80% of the data which would be necessary for standard learning techniques.

  19. Chemical genomics: characterizing target pathways for bioactive compounds using the endomembrane trafficking network.

    PubMed

    Rodriguez-Furlán, Cecilia; Hicks, Glenn R; Norambuena, Lorena

    2014-01-01

    The plant endomembrane trafficking system is a highly complex set of processes. This complexity presents a challenge for its study. Classical plant genetics often struggles with loss-of-function lethality and gene redundancy. Chemical genomics allows overcoming many of these issues by using small molecules of natural or synthetic origin to inhibit specific trafficking proteins thereby affecting the processes in a tunable and reversible manner. Bioactive chemicals identified by high-throughput phenotype screens must be characterized in detail starting with understanding of the specific trafficking pathways affected. Here, we describe approaches to characterize bioactive compounds that perturb vesicle trafficking. This should equip researchers with practical knowledge on how to identify endomembrane-specific trafficking pathways that may be perturbed by specific compounds and will help to eventually identify molecular targets for these small molecules.

  20. Quantitative structure-activity relationship for the partition coefficient of hydrophobic compounds between silicone oil and air.

    PubMed

    Qu, Yanfei; Ma, Yongwen; Wan, Jinquan; Wang, Yan

    2018-06-01

    The silicon oil-air partition coefficients (K SiO/A ) of hydrophobic compounds are vital parameters for applying silicone oil as non-aqueous-phase liquid in partitioning bioreactors. Due to the limited number of K SiO/A values determined by experiment for hydrophobic compounds, there is an urgent need to model the K SiO/A values for unknown chemicals. In the present study, we developed a universal quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) model using a sequential approach with macro-constitutional and micromolecular descriptors for silicone oil-air partition coefficients (K SiO/A ) of hydrophobic compounds with large structural variance. The geometry optimization and vibrational frequencies of each chemical were calculated using the hybrid density functional theory at the B3LYP/6-311G** level. Several quantum chemical parameters that reflect various intermolecular interactions as well as hydrophobicity were selected to develop QSAR model. The result indicates that a regression model derived from logK SiO/A , the number of non-hydrogen atoms (#nonHatoms) and energy gap of E LUMO and E HOMO (E LUMO -E HOMO ) could explain the partitioning mechanism of hydrophobic compounds between silicone oil and air. The correlation coefficient R 2 of the model is 0.922, and the internal and external validation coefficient, Q 2 LOO and Q 2 ext , are 0.91 and 0.89 respectively, implying that the model has satisfactory goodness-of-fit, robustness, and predictive ability and thus provides a robust predictive tool to estimate the logK SiO/A values for chemicals in application domain. The applicability domain of the model was visualized by the Williams plot.

  1. Analysis and occurrence of endocrine-disrupting compounds and estrogenic activity in the surface waters of Central Spain.

    PubMed

    Esteban, S; Gorga, M; Petrovic, M; González-Alonso, S; Barceló, D; Valcárcel, Y

    2014-01-01

    Endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) are chemical compounds with the ability to alter the hormonal systems of organisms. Such compounds are used in several industrial and domestic activities and reach the aquatic environment via wastewater discharge. The aim of this study is to assess the occurrence of 30 EDCs and related compounds in the surface waters of central Spain and to determine the overall estrogenic activity of environmental samples. This study analyzed a large number of EDCs and other emergent or suspected compounds with endocrine-disrupting activity. The results have shown the presence of 19 EDCs at concentrations ranging from 2 to 5928 ng L(-1). Organophosphorus-based flame retardants, alkylphenolic compounds and anticorrosives were found at the highest concentrations. Furthermore, although insufficient data are available to calculate an average over time, these preliminary results show the need to monitor the waters in both rivers studied. Alkylphenolic compounds, particularly nonylphenol, were the main contributors to overall estrogenicity. A higher concentration of the compounds studied was detected in the river Jarama, although the estrogenicity expressed as estradiol equivalents (EEQs) was higher in the river Manzanares due to a higher concentration of nonylphenol. However, the total estrogenicity did not exceed 1 ng L(-1) (EEQ), which is the level that may cause estrogenic effects in aquatic organisms, in any of the samples. In conclusion, the potential estrogenic risk in both rivers is low, although organophosphorus-based flame retardants may increase this risk as they were found at high levels in all samples. Unfortunately, these compounds could not be taken into account when calculating the estrogenic activity due to the lack of activity data for them. For future investigations, it will be important to assess the estrogenicity provided by these flame retardants. Due to the significant concentrations of EDCs detected in both rivers, further

  2. Gamma irradiation effect on the chemical composition and the antioxidant activity of Ipomoea batatas L.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tahir, D.; Halide, H.; Wahab, A. W.; Kurniawan, D.

    2014-09-01

    The chemical composition and antioxidant activity of Ipomoea batatas L. (sweet potato) were studied by x-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and by the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity. The irradiation treatment was performed by using Cs-137 as a gamma sources in experimental equipment. Treatment by irradiation emerges as a possible conservation technique that has been tested successfully in several food products. The amount of chemical composition was changed and resulting new chemical for absorbed dose 40 mSv. Interestingly, it was found that gamma irradiation significantly increased the antioxidant activity, as measured by DPPH radical scavenging capacity. The antioxidant activity of Ipomoea batatas L. extract was dramatically increased in the non-irradiated sample to the sample irradiated at 40 mSv. These results indicate that gamma irradiation of Ipomoea batatas L. extract can enhance its antioxidant activity through the formation of a new chemical compound. Based on these results, increased antioxidant activity of Ipomoea batatas L. extracts by gamma rays can be applied to various industries, especially cosmetics, foodstuffs, and pharmaceuticals.

  3. Therapeutic Uses and Pharmacological Properties of Garlic, Shallot, and Their Biologically Active Compounds

    PubMed Central

    Mikaili, Peyman; Maadirad, Surush; Moloudizargari, Milad; Aghajanshakeri, Shahin; Sarahroodi, Shadi

    2013-01-01

    Objective(s): Garlic (Allium sativum L. family Liliaceae) is well known in Iran and its leaves, flowers, and cloves have been used in traditional medicine for a long time. Research in recent decades has shown widespread pharmacological effects of A. sativum and its organosulfur compounds especially Allicin. Studies carried out on the chemical composition of the plant show that the most important constituents of this plant are organosulfur compounds such as allicin, diallyl disulphide, S-allylcysteine, and diallyl trisulfide. Allicin represents one of the most studied among these naturally occurring compounds. In addition to A. sativum, these compounds are also present in A. hirtifolium (shallot) and have been used to treat various diseases. This article reviews the pharmacological effects and traditional uses of A. sativum, A. hirtifolium, and their active constituents to show whether or not they can be further used as potential natural sources for the development of novel drugs. Materials and Methods: For this purpose, the authors went through a vast number of sources and articles and all needed data was gathered. The findings were reviewed and classified on the basis of relevance to the topic and a summary of all effects were reported as tables. Conclusion: Garlic and shallots are safe and rich sources of biologically active compounds with low toxicity. Further studies are needed to confirm the safety and quality of the plants to be used by clinicians as therapeutic agents. PMID:24379960

  4. Chemical Preparation Laboratory for IND Candidate Compounds

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1990-08-10

    Confirmation by 500 MHz Spectroscopy of an Analogue of the Amaryllidaceae Alkaloids, Narciclasine and Pancratistatin." Bjarne Gabrielsen, Department...subdivided into modified nucleosides, alkaloids with synthetically modified precursors and analogues , and miscellaneous heterocycles that possess...or antitumor compounds were modified synthet 4cally to possibly yield novel analogues that possess enhanced activities or show a specific mode of

  5. Iron-Targeting Antitumor Activity of Gallium Compounds and Novel Insights Into Triapine®-Metal Complexes

    PubMed Central

    Antholine, William E.

    2013-01-01

    Abstract Significance: Despite advances made in the treatment of cancer, a significant number of patients succumb to this disease every year. Hence, there is a great need to develop new anticancer agents. Recent Advances: Emerging data show that malignant cells have a greater requirement for iron than normal cells do and that proteins involved in iron import, export, and storage may be altered in cancer cells. Therefore, strategies to perturb these iron-dependent steps in malignant cells hold promise for the treatment of cancer. Recent studies show that gallium compounds and metal-thiosemicarbazone complexes inhibit tumor cell growth by targeting iron homeostasis, including iron-dependent ribonucleotide reductase. Chemical similarities of gallium(III) with iron(III) enable the former to mimic the latter and interpose itself in critical iron-dependent steps in cellular proliferation. Newer gallium compounds have emerged with additional mechanisms of action. In clinical trials, the first-generation-compound gallium nitrate has exhibited activity against bladder cancer and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, while the thiosemicarbazone Triapine® has demonstrated activity against other tumors. Critical Issues: Novel gallium compounds with greater cytotoxicity and a broader spectrum of antineoplastic activity than gallium nitrate should continue to be developed. Future Directions: The antineoplastic activity and toxicity of the existing novel gallium compounds and thiosemicarbazone-metal complexes should be tested in animal tumor models and advanced to Phase I and II clinical trials. Future research should identify biologic markers that predict tumor sensitivity to gallium compounds. This will help direct gallium-based therapy to cancer patients who are most likely to benefit from it. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 00, 000–000. PMID:22900955

  6. New Approach to Evaluate the Antennal Response of an Adult Predator Insect to Different Volatile Chemical Compounds by using Electroantennogram Technique

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shonouda, Mourad L.

    The antennal response of adult syrphid flies to selected plant volatile chemical compounds was investigated in the present study. The main chemical classes and their chemical compounds were aldehydes (nonanal and benzaldehyde), monoterpene-alcohols (linalool and alpha-terpineol), ketones (6-methyl-5-heptene-2-one and 2-undecanone), hydrocarbons (tetradecane) and benzoids (methyl salicylate). Electroantennogram (EAG) records showed that the syrphid antennae were strongly responded to linalool, 6-methyl-5-heptene-2-one and methyl salicylate even at low concentrations, in addition to the high dose concentration of nonanal comparably to the other chemical compounds. The antennae of old syrphid adults were more responsive and elicited higher levels of responses to all compounds rather than young syrphid adults. The antennal sensitivity may differ from one compound to another according to the sex. The difference in responses could be attributed to the sensitivity of olfactory receptors and/or the characterization of binding protein(s). The quality of biocontrol agent could be improved if the chemical interaction between beneficial natural enemies and the surrounding environment is intensively studied and we clearly understand the chemical ecology of each natural enemy.

  7. Chemical fate and biological effects of several endocrine disrupters compounds in two echinoderm species.

    PubMed

    Sugni, Michela; Tremolada, Paolo; Porte, Cinta; Barbaglio, Alice; Bonasoro, Francesco; Carnevali, M Daniela Candia

    2010-03-01

    Two echinoderm species, the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus and the feather star Antedon mediterranea, were exposed for 28 days to several EDCs: three putative androgenic compounds, triphenyltin (TPT), fenarimol (FEN), methyltestosterone (MET), and two putative antiandrogenic compounds, p,p'-DDE (DDE) and cyproterone acetate (CPA). The exposure nominal concentrations were from 10 to 3000 ng L(-1), depending on the compound. This paper is an attempt to join three different aspects coming from our ecotoxicological tests: (1) the chemical behaviour inside the experimental system; (2) the measured toxicological endpoints; (3) the biochemical responses, to which the measured endpoints may depend. The chemical fate of the different compounds was enquired by a modelling approach throughout the application of the 'Aquarium model'. An estimation of the day-to-day concentration levels in water and biota were obtained together with the amount assumed each day by each animal (uptake in microg animal(-1) d(-1) or ng g-wet weight(-1) d(-1)). The toxicological endpoints investigated deal with the reproductive potential (gonad maturation stage, gonad index and oocyte diameter) and with the regenerative potential (growth and histology). Almost all the compounds exerted some kind of effect at the tested concentrations, however TPT was the most effective in altering both reproductive and regenerative parameters (also at the concentration of few ng L(-1)). The biochemical analyses of testosterone (T) and 17beta-estradiol (E(2)) also showed the ability of the selected compounds to significantly alter endogenous steroid concentrations.

  8. Comparative Study of Chemical Composition and Biological Activity of Yellow, Green, Brown, and Red Brazilian Propolis

    PubMed Central

    Machado, Christiane Schineider; Mokochinski, João Benhur; de Lira, Tatiana Onofre; de Oliveira, Fátima de Cassia Evangelista; Cardoso, Magda Vieira; Ferreira, Roseane Guimarães; Sawaya, Alexandra Christine Helena Frankland; Ferreira, Antonio Gilberto; Pessoa, Cláudia; Cuesta-Rubio, Osmany; Monteiro, Marta Chagas; de Campos, Mônica Soares

    2016-01-01

    The chemical composition and biological activity of a sample of yellow propolis from Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil (EEP-Y MS), were investigated for the first time and compared with green, brown, and red types of Brazilian propolis and with a sample of yellow propolis from Cuba. Overall, EEP-Y MS had different qualitative chemical profiles, as well as different cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities when compared to the other types of propolis assessed in this study and it is a different chemotype of Brazilian propolis. Absence of phenolic compounds and the presence of mixtures of aliphatic compounds in yellow propolis were determined by analysing 1H-NMR spectra and fifteen terpenes were identified by GC-MS. EEP-Y MS showed cytotoxic activity against human tumour strain OVCAR-8 but was not active against Gram-negative or Gram-positive bacteria. Our results confirm the difficulty of establishing a uniform quality standard for propolis from diverse geographical origins. The most appropriate pharmacological applications of yellow types of propolis must be further investigated. PMID:27525023

  9. Hibiscus sabdariffa anthocyanins-rich extract: Chemical stability, in vitro antioxidant and antiproliferative activities.

    PubMed

    Maciel, Laércio Galvão; do Carmo, Mariana Araújo Vieira; Azevedo, Luciana; Daguer, Heitor; Molognoni, Luciano; de Almeida, Mereci Mendes; Granato, Daniel; Rosso, Neiva Deliberali

    2018-03-01

    Hibiscus sabdariffa calyx is a rich source of anthocyanins and other bioactive compounds but no study reported the effects of experimental conditions on the extraction of these chemical compounds. Therefore, the effects of time and extraction temperature on the bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of Hibiscus sabdariffa calyx were evaluated. In addition, the effects of copigmentation and pH on the stability of anthocyanins were assessed and the cytotoxic effects (LC 50 , IC 50 , and GC 50 ) of the extracts were determined in relation to tumor cell lines - Caco-2, HepG-2, HCT8, and A549. The temperature significantly influenced the total anthocyanins and flavonoids contents. The interaction between time/temperature influenced the total phenolic content and ascorbic acid. The t 1/2 and the percentage of colour retention decreased markedly at temperatures above 80 °C. Variations in pH conserved the antioxidant activity of the anthocyanins, and the protonation-deprotonation process of the extract was reversible. The treatment of cells with purified anthocyanin extract or crude extracts at 5-800 μg mL -1 did not show significant cytotoxic effects on the cell lines, corroborating the chemical antioxidant effect of the extracts (DPPH assay). Cyanidin-3-glucoside, delphinidin-3-sambubioside, delphinidin-3-glucoside, and cyanidin-3-sambubioside were identified in the extracts by LC-ESI-MS. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Adsorption of selected endocrine disrupting compounds and pharmaceuticals on activated biochars.

    PubMed

    Jung, Chanil; Park, Junyeong; Lim, Kwang Hun; Park, Sunkyu; Heo, Jiyong; Her, Namguk; Oh, Jeill; Yun, Soyoung; Yoon, Yeomin

    2013-12-15

    Chemically activated biochar produced under oxygenated (O-biochar) and oxygen-free (N-biochar) conditions were characterized and the adsorption of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs): bisphenol A (BPA), atrazine (ATR), 17 α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), and pharmaceutical active compounds (PhACs); sulfamethoxazole (SMX), carbamazepine (CBM), diclofenac (DCF), ibuprofen (IBP) on both biochars and commercialized powdered activated carbon (PAC) were investigated. Characteristic analysis of adsorbents by solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) was conducted to determine better understanding about the EDCs/PhACs adsorption. N-biochar consisted of higher polarity moieties with more alkyl (0-45 ppm), methoxyl (45-63 ppm), O-alkyl (63-108 ppm), and carboxyl carbon (165-187 ppm) content than other adsorbents, while aromaticity of O-biochar was higher than that of N-biochar. O-biochar was composed mostly of aromatic moieties, with low H/C and O/C ratios compared to the highly polarized N-biochar that contained diverse polar functional groups. The higher surface area and pore volume of N-biochar resulted in higher adsorption capacity toward EDCs/PhACs along with atomic-level molecular structural property than O-biochar and PAC. N-biochar had a highest adsorption capacity of all chemicals, suggesting that N-biochar derived from loblolly pine chip is a promising sorbent for agricultural and environmental applications. The adsorption of pH-sensitive dissociable SMX, DCF, IBP, and BPA varied and the order of adsorption capacity was correlated with the hydrophobicity (Kow) of adsorbates throughout the all adsorbents, whereas adsorption of non-ionizable CBM, ATR, and EE2 in varied pH allowed adsorbents to interact with hydrophobic property of adsorbates steadily throughout the study. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. [Chemical constituents from petroleum ether fraction of Swertia chirayita and their activities in vitro].

    PubMed

    You, Rong-Rong; Chen, Xue-Qing; He, Dan-Dan; Huang, Chang-Gao; Jin, Yang; Qian, Shi-Hui; Ju, Jian-Ming; Fan, Jun-Ting

    2017-10-01

    The present work is to study the chemical constituents from petroleum ether fraction of Tibetan medicine Swertia chirayita by column chromatography and recrystallization. The structures were identified by physical and chemical properties and spectral data as swerchirin (1), decussatin (2), 1,8-dihydroxy-3,5,7-trimethoxyxanthone (3), 1-hydroxy-3,5,7,8-tetramethoxyxanthone (4), bellidifolin (5), 1-hydroxy-3, 7-dimethoxyxanthone (6), methylswertianin (7), 1-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyxanthone (8), erythrodiol (9), oleanolic acid (10), gnetiolactone (11), scopoletin (12), sinapaldehyde (13), syringaldehyde (14), and β-sitosterol (15). Compounds 3, 4, 9, 11-14 were isolated from S. chirayita for the first time. Compounds 9 and 12 were firstly isolated from the genus Swertia. The cytotoxic activities of compounds 1, 2, 5, 7 and 8 against human pancreatic cancer cell lines SW1990 and BxPC-3,and the protective effects of these compounds against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced oxidative stress in human endothelium-derived EA.hy926 were investigated in vitro. The results showed no obvious effect at the high concentration of 50 μmol•L⁻¹. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

  12. Chemical composition, in vitro antioxidant, antimicrobial and insecticidal activities of essential oil from Cladanthus arabicus

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The essential oil obtained from the aerial parts of Cladanthus arabicus (L.) Cass was studied for its chemical composition, antioxidant, antimicrobial and insecticidal activities. The essential oil (EO) was analyzed by GC-MS. Sixty seven compounds representing 94.2% of the oil were identified. The m...

  13. Electrolytic photodissociation of chemical compounds by iron oxide electrodes

    DOEpatents

    Somorjai, Gabor A.; Leygraf, Christofer H.

    1984-01-01

    Chemical compounds can be dissociated by contacting the same with a p/n type semi-conductor diode having visible light as its sole source of energy. The diode consists of low cost, readily available materials, specifically polycrystalline iron oxide doped with silicon in the case of the n-type semi-conductor electrode, and polycrystalline iron oxide doped with magnesium in the case of the p-type electrode. So long as the light source has an energy greater than 2.2 electron volts, no added energy source is needed to achieve dissociation.

  14. Text Mining for Drugs and Chemical Compounds: Methods, Tools and Applications.

    PubMed

    Vazquez, Miguel; Krallinger, Martin; Leitner, Florian; Valencia, Alfonso

    2011-06-01

    Providing prior knowledge about biological properties of chemicals, such as kinetic values, protein targets, or toxic effects, can facilitate many aspects of drug development. Chemical information is rapidly accumulating in all sorts of free text documents like patents, industry reports, or scientific articles, which has motivated the development of specifically tailored text mining applications. Despite the potential gains, chemical text mining still faces significant challenges. One of the most salient is the recognition of chemical entities mentioned in text. To help practitioners contribute to this area, a good portion of this review is devoted to this issue, and presents the basic concepts and principles underlying the main strategies. The technical details are introduced and accompanied by relevant bibliographic references. Other tasks discussed are retrieving relevant articles, identifying relationships between chemicals and other entities, or determining the chemical structures of chemicals mentioned in text. This review also introduces a number of published applications that can be used to build pipelines in topics like drug side effects, toxicity, and protein-disease-compound network analysis. We conclude the review with an outlook on how we expect the field to evolve, discussing its possibilities and its current limitations. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  15. Chemical compounds and mechanisms involved in the formation and stabilization of foam in sparkling wines.

    PubMed

    Kemp, Belinda; Condé, Bruna; Jégou, Sandrine; Howell, Kate; Vasserot, Yann; Marchal, Richard

    2018-02-08

    The visual properties of sparkling wine including foam and bubbles are an indicator of sparkling wine quality. Foam properties, particularly foam height (FH) and foam stability (TS), are significantly influenced by the chemical composition of the wine. This review investigates our current knowledge of specific chemical compounds and, the mechanisms by which they influence the foam properties of sparkling wines. Grape and yeast proteins, amino acids, polysaccharides, phenolic compounds, organic acids, fatty acids, ethanol and sugar are examined with respect to their contribution to foam characteristics in sparkling wines made with the Traditional, Transfer, and Charmat and carbonation methods. Contradictory results have been identified that appear to be due to the analytical methods used to measure and quantify compounds and foam. Biopolymer complexes are discussed and absent knowledge with regards to thaumatin-like proteins (TLPs), polysaccharides, amino acids, oak-derived phenolic compounds and organic acids are identified. Future research is also likely to concentrate on visual analysis of sparkling wines by in-depth imaging analysis and specific sensory analysis techniques.

  16. Cytochrome P450-mediated activation of the fragrance compound geraniol forms potent contact allergens

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hagvall, Lina; Baron, Jens Malte; Boerje, Anna

    2008-12-01

    Contact sensitization is caused by low molecular weight compounds which penetrate the skin and bind to protein. In many cases, these compounds are activated to reactive species, either by autoxidation on exposure to air or by metabolic activation in the skin. Geraniol, a widely used fragrance chemical, is considered to be a weak allergen, although its chemical structure does not indicate it to be a contact sensitizer. We have shown that geraniol autoxidizes and forms allergenic oxidation products. In the literature, it is suggested but not shown that geraniol could be metabolically activated to geranial. Previously, a skin-like CYP cocktailmore » consisting of cutaneous CYP isoenzymes, was developed as a model system to study cutaneous metabolism. In the present study, we used this system to investigate CYP-mediated activation of geraniol. In incubations with the skin-like CYP cocktail, geranial, neral, 2,3-epoxygeraniol, 6,7-epoxygeraniol and 6,7-epoxygeranial were identified. Geranial was the main metabolite formed followed by 6,7-epoxygeraniol. The allergenic activities of the identified metabolites were determined in the murine local lymph node assay (LLNA). Geranial, neral and 6,7-epoxygeraniol were shown to be moderate sensitizers, and 6,7-epoxygeranial a strong sensitizer. Of the isoenzymes studied, CYP2B6, CYP1A1 and CYP3A5 showed high activities. It is likely that CYP1A1 and CYP3A5 are mainly responsible for the metabolic activation of geraniol in the skin, as they are expressed constitutively at significantly higher levels than CYP2B6. Thus, geraniol is activated through both autoxidation and metabolism. The allergens geranial and neral are formed via both oxidation mechanisms, thereby playing a large role in the sensitization to geraniol.« less

  17. Cytochrome P450-mediated activation of the fragrance compound geraniol forms potent contact allergens.

    PubMed

    Hagvall, Lina; Baron, Jens Malte; Börje, Anna; Weidolf, Lars; Merk, Hans; Karlberg, Ann-Therese

    2008-12-01

    Contact sensitization is caused by low molecular weight compounds which penetrate the skin and bind to protein. In many cases, these compounds are activated to reactive species, either by autoxidation on exposure to air or by metabolic activation in the skin. Geraniol, a widely used fragrance chemical, is considered to be a weak allergen, although its chemical structure does not indicate it to be a contact sensitizer. We have shown that geraniol autoxidizes and forms allergenic oxidation products. In the literature, it is suggested but not shown that geraniol could be metabolically activated to geranial. Previously, a skin-like CYP cocktail consisting of cutaneous CYP isoenzymes, was developed as a model system to study cutaneous metabolism. In the present study, we used this system to investigate CYP-mediated activation of geraniol. In incubations with the skin-like CYP cocktail, geranial, neral, 2,3-epoxygeraniol, 6,7-epoxygeraniol and 6,7-epoxygeranial were identified. Geranial was the main metabolite formed followed by 6,7-epoxygeraniol. The allergenic activities of the identified metabolites were determined in the murine local lymph node assay (LLNA). Geranial, neral and 6,7-epoxygeraniol were shown to be moderate sensitizers, and 6,7-epoxygeranial a strong sensitizer. Of the isoenzymes studied, CYP2B6, CYP1A1 and CYP3A5 showed high activities. It is likely that CYP1A1 and CYP3A5 are mainly responsible for the metabolic activation of geraniol in the skin, as they are expressed constitutively at significantly higher levels than CYP2B6. Thus, geraniol is activated through both autoxidation and metabolism. The allergens geranial and neral are formed via both oxidation mechanisms, thereby playing a large role in the sensitization to geraniol.

  18. An investigation of interurban variations in the chemical composition and mutagenic activity of airborne particulate organic matter using an integrated chemical class/bioassay system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Butler, J. P.; Kneip, T. J.; Daisey, J. M.

    Previous investigations in this laboratory have demonstrated that the mutagenic activities of extractable particulate organic matter (EOM) from cities which differ in their principal fuels and meteorology can vary significantly. To gain a better understanding of these interurban variations, an Integrated Chemical Class/Biological Screening System was developed and used for a more detailed examination of differences in the chemical composition and mutagenic activity of EOM. The screening system involved coupling in situ Ames mutagenicity determinations on high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) plates with class specific chemical analyses on a second set of plates. The system was used to screen for mutagenic activity and selected chemical classes (including PAH, nitro-PAH, phenols, carboxylic acids, carbonyls, aza-arenes and alkylating agents) in EOM from the following sites: New York City; Elizabeth, N.J.; Mexico City; Beijing, China; Philadelphia, PA; and the Caldecott Tunnel (CA). The results of this study demonstrated mutagenic activity and chemical compositional differences in HPTLC subfractions of particulate organic matter from these cities and from the Caldecott Tunnel. The greatest interurban differences in chemical classes were observed for the phenols, carbonyl compounds and alkylating agents. Interurban variations in mutagenic activities were greatest for EOM subfractions of intermediate polarity. These differences are probably related to interurban differences in the fuels used, types of sources and atmospheric conditions. The relationships between these variables are not well understood at present.

  19. Probing chemical space of tick-borne encephalitis virus reproduction inhibitors with organoselenium compounds.

    PubMed

    Orlov, Alexey A; Eletskaya, Anastasia A; Frolov, Konstantin A; Golinets, Anastasia D; Palyulin, Vladimir A; Krivokolysko, Sergey G; Kozlovskaya, Liubov I; Dotsenko, Victor V; Osolodkin, Dmitry I

    2018-06-01

    Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), a member of the genus Flavivirus, is the leading cause of arboviral neuroinfections in Europe. Only a few classes of the nucleoside and non-nucleoside inhibitors were investigated against TBEV reproduction. Paving the way to previously unexplored areas of anti-TBEV chemical space, we assessed the inhibition of TBEV reproduction in the plaque reduction assay by various compounds derived from cyanothioacetamide and cyanoselenoacetamide. Compounds from seven classes, including 4-(alkylthio)-2-aryl-3-azaspiro[5.5]undec-4-ene-1,1,5-tricarbonitriles, 3-arylamino-2-(selenazol-2-yl)acrylonitriles, ethyl 6-(alkylseleno)-5-cyano-2-oxo-1,2-dihydropyridine-3-carboxylates, 6-(alkylseleno)-2-oxo-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyridine-3-carbonitriles, 2-(alkylseleno)-5-oxo-1,4,5,6,7,8-hexahydroquinoline-3-carbonitriles, 8-selenoxo-3,5,7,11-tetraazatricyclo[7.3.1.0 2,7 ]tridec-2-ene-1,9-dicarbonitriles, and selenolo[2,3-b]quinolines, inhibited TBEV reproduction with EC 50 values in the micromolar range while showing moderate cytotoxicity and no inhibition of enterovirus reproduction. Thus, new scaffolds with promising anti-TBEV activity were found. © 2018 Deutsche Pharmazeutische Gesellschaft.

  20. Mesoionic compounds with antifungal activity against Fusarium verticillioides.

    PubMed

    Paiva, Rojane de Oliveira; Kneipp, Lucimar Ferreira; dos Reis, Camilla Moretto; Echevarria, Aurea

    2015-02-04

    Fungi contaminate the food of humans and animals, are a risk to health, and can cause financial losses. In this work, the antifungal activities of 16 mesoionic compounds (MI 1-16) were evaluated against mycotoxigenic fungi, including Aspergillus spp., Fusarium verticillioides and Penicillium citrinum. Furthermore, the decreased ergosterol in the total lipid content of Fusarium verticillioides was investigated. F. verticillioides was the most sensitive fungus to the mesoionic compounds. Among the evaluated compounds, MI-11 and MI-16 presented higher antifungal effects against F. verticillioides, with MIC values of 7.8 μg/ml, and MI-2 and MI-3 followed, with MICs of 15.6 μg/ml. The most active compounds were those with heterocyclic ring phenyl groups substituted by electron donor moieties (MI-11 and MI-16). Among some compounds with higher activity (MI-2, MI-11 and MI-16), decreased ergosterol content in the total lipid fraction of F. verticillioides was demonstrated. MI-2 reduced the ergosterol content approximately 40% and 80% at concentrations of 7.8 μg/ml and 15.6 μg/ml, respectively, and MI-11 and MI-16 decreased the content by 30% and 50%, respectively, when at a concentration of 7.8 μg/ml. These findings indicate that mesoionic compounds have significant antifungal activity against F. verticillioides.

  1. Compound prioritization methods increase rates of chemical probe discovery in model organisms

    PubMed Central

    Wallace, Iain M; Urbanus, Malene L; Luciani, Genna M; Burns, Andrew R; Han, Mitchell KL; Wang, Hao; Arora, Kriti; Heisler, Lawrence E; Proctor, Michael; St. Onge, Robert P; Roemer, Terry; Roy, Peter J; Cummins, Carolyn L; Bader, Gary D; Nislow, Corey; Giaever, Guri

    2011-01-01

    SUMMARY Pre-selection of compounds that are more likely to induce a phenotype can increase the efficiency and reduce the costs for model organism screening. To identify such molecules, we screened ~81,000 compounds in S. cerevisiae and identified ~7,500 that inhibit cell growth. Screening these growth-inhibitory molecules across a diverse panel of model organisms resulted in an increased phenotypic hit-rate. This data was used to build a model to predict compounds that inhibit yeast growth. Empirical and in silico application of the model enriched the discovery of bioactive compounds in diverse model organisms. To demonstrate the potential of these molecules as lead chemical probes we used chemogenomic profiling in yeast and identified specific inhibitors of lanosterol synthase and of stearoyl-CoA 9-desaturase. As community resources, the ~7,500 growth-inhibitory molecules has been made commercially available and the computational model and filter used are provided. PMID:22035796

  2. Environmental bacteria produce abundant and diverse antibiofilm compounds.

    PubMed

    Farmer, J T; Shimkevitch, A V; Reilly, P S; Mlynek, K D; Jensen, K S; Callahan, M T; Bushaw-Newton, K L; Kaplan, J B

    2014-12-01

    The aim of this study was to isolate novel antibiofilm compounds produced by environmental bacteria. Cell-free extracts were prepared from lawns of bacteria cultured on agar. A total of 126 bacteria isolated from soil, cave and river habitats were employed. Extracts were tested for their ability to inhibit Staphylococcus aureus biofilm in a 96-well microtitre plate assay. A total of 55/126 extracts (44%) significantly inhibited Staph. aureus biofilm. Seven extracts were selected for further analysis. The antibiofilm activities in all seven extracts exhibited unique patterns of molecular mass, chemical polarity, heat stability and spectrum of activity against Staph. aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Pseudomonas fluorescens, suggesting that these seven antibiofilm activities were mediated by unique chemical compounds with different mechanisms of action. Environmental bacteria produce abundant and diverse antibiofilm compounds. Screening cell-free extracts is a useful method for identifying secreted compounds that regulate biofilm formation. Such compounds may represent a novel source of antibiofilm agents for technological development. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  3. Antimicrobial activity and cytotoxic effects of Magnolia dealbata and its active compounds.

    PubMed

    Jacobo-Salcedo, Maria del Rosario; Gonzalez-Espindola, Luis Angel; Alonso-Castro, Angel Josabad; Gonzalez-Martinez, Marisela del Rocio; Domínguez, Fabiola; Garcia-Carranca, Alejandro

    2011-08-01

    Multi-drug resistance is of great concern for public health worldwide and necessitates the search for new antimicrobials from sources such as plants. Several Magnolia (Magnoliaceae) species have been reported to exert antimicrobial effects on sensitive and multidrug-resistant microorganisms. However, the antimicrobial properties of Magnolia dealbata have not been experimentally evaluated. The antimicrobial effects of an ethanol extract of Magnolia dealbata seeds (MDE) and its active compounds honokiol (HK) and magnolol (MG) were tested against the phytopathogen Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis and several human multi-drug resistant pathogens using the disk-diffusion assay. The effects of MDE and its active compounds on the viability of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were evaluated using MTT assay. MDE and its active compounds had antimicrobial activity (inhibition zone > 10 mm) against C. michiganensis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Acinetobacter lwoffii, Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis and Trichosporon belgeii. The results suggest that M. dealbata and its active compounds have selective antimicrobial effects against drug-resistant fungal and Gram (-) bacteria and exert minimal toxic effects on human PMBC.

  4. Activated coconut shell charcoal carbon using chemical-physical activation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Budi, Esmar; Umiatin, Nasbey, Hadi; Bintoro, Ridho Akbar; Wulandari, Futri; Erlina

    2016-02-01

    The use of activated carbon from natural material such as coconut shell charcoal as metal absorbance of the wastewater is a new trend. The activation of coconut shell charcoal carbon by using chemical-physical activation has been investigated. Coconut shell was pyrolized in kiln at temperature about 75 - 150 °C for about 6 hours in producing charcoal. The charcoal as the sample was shieved into milimeter sized granule particle and chemically activated by immersing in various concentration of HCl, H3PO4, KOH and NaOH solutions. The samples then was physically activated using horizontal furnace at 400°C for 1 hours in argon gas environment with flow rate of 200 kg/m3. The surface morphology and carbon content of activated carbon were characterized by using SEM/EDS. The result shows that the pores of activated carbon are openned wider as the chemical activator concentration is increased due to an excessive chemical attack. However, the pores tend to be closed as further increasing in chemical activator concentration due to carbon collapsing.

  5. Structure Analysis of Effective Chemical Compounds against Dengue Viruses Isolated from Isatis tinctoria.

    PubMed

    Gao, Bo; Zhang, Jianming; Xie, Lianhui

    2018-01-01

    The history of Chinese herb research can be traced back to thousands of years ago, and the abundant knowledge accumulated for these herbs makes them good candidates for developing new natural drugs. Isatis tinctoria is probably the most well-studied Chinese herb, which has been identified to be effective against dengue fever. However, the underlying biological mechanisms are still unclear. In this study, we adopt combined methods of bioactive trace technology and phytochemical extraction and separation, to guide the isolation and purification of the effective chemical constituents on the water-soluble components of aerial parts of Isatis tinctoria . In addition, we apply polarimetry and 1D or 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to identify their structures, which lay a foundation for further study on the biological mechanisms underlying medicinal effects of Isatis tinctoria using in vitro and in vivo experiments. Specifically, we identify and infer the structures of 27 types of chemical compounds named GB-1, GB-2, …, GB-27, respectively, among which GB-7 is a novel compound. Further study of these compounds is critical to reveal the secrets behind the medicinal effects of Isatis tinctoria .

  6. Structure Analysis of Effective Chemical Compounds against Dengue Viruses Isolated from Isatis tinctoria

    PubMed Central

    Gao, Bo; Zhang, Jianming

    2018-01-01

    The history of Chinese herb research can be traced back to thousands of years ago, and the abundant knowledge accumulated for these herbs makes them good candidates for developing new natural drugs. Isatis tinctoria is probably the most well-studied Chinese herb, which has been identified to be effective against dengue fever. However, the underlying biological mechanisms are still unclear. In this study, we adopt combined methods of bioactive trace technology and phytochemical extraction and separation, to guide the isolation and purification of the effective chemical constituents on the water-soluble components of aerial parts of Isatis tinctoria. In addition, we apply polarimetry and 1D or 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to identify their structures, which lay a foundation for further study on the biological mechanisms underlying medicinal effects of Isatis tinctoria using in vitro and in vivo experiments. Specifically, we identify and infer the structures of 27 types of chemical compounds named GB-1, GB-2, …, GB-27, respectively, among which GB-7 is a novel compound. Further study of these compounds is critical to reveal the secrets behind the medicinal effects of Isatis tinctoria. PMID:29808104

  7. Chemical Composition and in Vitro Antifungal Activity Screening of the Allium ursinum L. (Liliaceae)

    PubMed Central

    Bagiu, Radu Vasile; Vlaicu, Brigitha; Butnariu, Monica

    2012-01-01

    The objective of the study was to summarize the methods for isolating and identifying natural sulfur compounds from Allium ursinum (ramson) and to discuss the active constituents with regard to antifungal action. Using chromatographic techniques, the active constituents were isolated and subsequently identified. Analyses by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) suggested that these compounds were sulfur constituents, with a characteristic absorbance at 250 nm. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses allowed the chemical structures of the isolated constituents to be postulated. We adopted the same methods to identify the health-giving profiling of ramsons and the effects are thought to be primarily derived from the presence and breakdown of the alk(en)ylcysteine sulphoxide, alliin and its subsequent breakdown to allicin (sulfur-compounds of ramson) in connection with antifungal action. The aim of the study was the characterization of the chemical composition of ramsons and the testing of the action of the in vitro extracts, on different strains of Candida albicans. The main goal was to highlight the most efficient extracts of Allium ursinum that can provide long-term antifungal activity without remissions. The extracts from Allium ursinum plants, inhibited growth of Candida spp. cells at concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 4.0 mg/mL, while that of adherent cells at concentrations ranging from 1.0 to > 4.0 mg/mL, depending on the yeast and plant species. PMID:22408399

  8. Drug-like annotation and duplicate analysis of a 23-supplier chemical database totalling 2.7 million compounds.

    PubMed

    Baurin, N; Baker, R; Richardson, C; Chen, I; Foloppe, N; Potter, A; Jordan, A; Roughley, S; Parratt, M; Greaney, P; Morley, D; Hubbard, R E

    2004-01-01

    We have implemented five drug-like filters, based on 1D and 2D molecular descriptors, and applied them to characterize the drug-like properties of commercially available chemical compounds. In addition to previously published filters (Lipinski and Veber), we implemented a filter for medicinal chemistry tractability based on lists of chemical features drawn up by a panel of medicinal chemists. A filter based on the modeling of aqueous solubility (>1 microM) was derived in-house, as well as another based on the modeling of Caco-2 passive membrane permeability (>10 nm/s). A library of 2.7 million compounds was collated from the 23 compound suppliers and analyzed with these filters, highlighting a tendency toward highly lipophilic compounds. The library contains 1.6 M unique structures, of which 37% (607,223) passed all five drug-like filters. None of the 23 suppliers provides all the members of the drug-like subset, emphasizing the benefit of considering compounds from various compound suppliers as a source of diversity for drug discovery.

  9. QSTR of the toxicity of some organophosphorus compounds by using the quantum chemical and topological descriptors.

    PubMed

    Senior, Samir A; Madbouly, Magdy D; El massry, Abdel-Moneim

    2011-09-01

    Quantum chemical and topological descriptors of some organophosphorus compounds (OP) were correlated with their toxicity LD(50) as a dermal. The quantum chemical parameters were obtained using B3LYP/LANL2DZdp-ECP optimization. Using linear regression analysis, equations were derived to calculate the theoretical LD(50) of the studied compounds. The inclusion of quantum parameters, having both charge indices and topological indices, affects the toxicity of the studied compounds resulting in high correlation coefficient factors for the obtained equations. Two of the new four firstly supposed descriptors give higher correlation coefficients namely the Heteroatom Corrected Extended Connectivity Randic index ((1)X(HCEC)) and the Density Randic index ((1)X(Den)). The obtained linear equations were applied to predict the toxicity of some related structures. It was found that the sulfur atoms in these compounds must be replaced by oxygen atoms to achieve improved toxicity. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Identification of Lilial as a fragrance sensitizer in a perfume by bioassay-guided chemical fractionation and structure-activity relationships.

    PubMed

    Arnau, E G; Andersen, K E; Bruze, M; Frosch, P J; Johansen, J D; Menné, T; Rastogi, S C; White, I R; Lepoittevin, J P

    2000-12-01

    Fragrance materials are among the most common causes of allergic contact dermatitis. The aim of this study was to identify in a perfume fragrance allergens not included in the fragrance mix, by use of bioassay-guided chemical fractionation and chemical analysis/structure-activity relationships (SARs). The basis for the investigation was a 45-year-old woman allergic to her own perfume. She had a negative patch test to the fragrance mix and agreed to participate in the study. Chemical fractionation of the perfume concentrate was used for repeated patch testing and/or repeated open application test on the pre-sensitized patient. The chemical composition of the fractions giving a positive patch-test response and repeated open application test reactions was obtained by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. From the compounds identified, those that contained a "structural alert" in their chemical structure, indicating an ability to modify skin proteins and thus behave as a skin sensitizer, were tested on the patient. The patient reacted positively to the synthetic fragrance p-t-butyl-alpha-methylhydrocinnamic aldehyde (Lilial), a widely used fragrance compound not present in the fragrance mix. The combination of bioassay-guided chemical fractionation and chemical analysis/structure-activity relationships seems to be a valuable tool for the investigation of contact allergy to fragrance materials.

  11. Identification of new candidate drugs for lung cancer using chemical-chemical interactions, chemical-protein interactions and a K-means clustering algorithm.

    PubMed

    Lu, Jing; Chen, Lei; Yin, Jun; Huang, Tao; Bi, Yi; Kong, Xiangyin; Zheng, Mingyue; Cai, Yu-Dong

    2016-01-01

    Lung cancer, characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in the lung tissue, is the leading cause of global cancer deaths. Until now, effective treatment of this disease is limited. Many synthetic compounds have emerged with the advancement of combinatorial chemistry. Identification of effective lung cancer candidate drug compounds among them is a great challenge. Thus, it is necessary to build effective computational methods that can assist us in selecting for potential lung cancer drug compounds. In this study, a computational method was proposed to tackle this problem. The chemical-chemical interactions and chemical-protein interactions were utilized to select candidate drug compounds that have close associations with approved lung cancer drugs and lung cancer-related genes. A permutation test and K-means clustering algorithm were employed to exclude candidate drugs with low possibilities to treat lung cancer. The final analysis suggests that the remaining drug compounds have potential anti-lung cancer activities and most of them have structural dissimilarity with approved drugs for lung cancer.

  12. Detection of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) in surface water, soil, and groundwater in a chemical industrial park in Eastern China.

    PubMed

    Liu, Benhua; Li, Yuehua; Ma, Jianfeng; Huang, Linxian; Chen, Liang

    2016-01-01

    China is suffering from serious water and soil pollution, especially in the North China Plain. This work investigated semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) in surface water, groundwater and soil within a chemical industrial park in Eastern China, for which the volatile organic compound (VOC) results have been previously reported. A total of 20 samples were collected from the field, and analyzed in the laboratory. A 100% detection frequency of SVOCs in samples from this chemical industrial park was observed (same as VOCs). Moreover, the detection frequency of 113 SVOCs in each sample reached 15.93, 12.39 and 20.35% for surface water, groundwater and soil, respectively. The most detected SVOCs in the park included N-containing SVOCs, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, phthalates, organic pesticides and polychlorodiphenyls. The elevated detecting frequencies and concentration levels of SVOCs identified in the groundwater were attributed to the intensive chemical production activities in the park. In addition, the agricultural activities in the area might also have contributed to the SVOCs to the groundwater. The results of VOCs and SVOCs from this and previous studies suggest that the groundwater in this industrial park has been severely contaminated, and the contamination likely spreads beyond the park. Imminent hydrogeological assessments and remedial actions are warranted to eliminate the source and mitigate the potential plume expansion beyond the park boundary.

  13. Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of essential oils from the Tunisian Allium nigrum L.

    PubMed Central

    Rouis-Soussi, Lamia Sakka; Ayeb-Zakhama, Asma El; Mahjoub, Aouni; Flamini, Guido; Jannet, Hichem Ben; Harzallah-Skhiri, Fethia

    2014-01-01

    The chemical composition of the essential oils of different Allium nigrum L. organs and the antibacterial activity were evaluated. The study is particularly interesting because hitherto there are no reports on the antibacterial screening of this species with specific chemical composition. Therefore, essential oils from different organs (flowers, stems, leaves and bulbs) obtained separately by hydrodistillation were analyzed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The antibacterial activity was evaluated using the disc and microdilution assays. In total, 39 compounds, representing 90.8-96.9 % of the total oil composition, were identified. The major component was hexadecanoic acid (synonym: palmitic acid) in all the A. nigrum organs oils (39.1-77.2 %). We also noted the presence of some sesquiterpenes, mainly germacrene D (12.8 %) in leaves oil) and some aliphatic compounds such as n-octadecane (30.5 %) in bulbs oil. Isopentyl isovalerate, 14-oxy-α-muurolene and germacrene D were identified for the first time in the genus Allium L. All the essential oils exhibited antimicrobial activity, especially against Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus. The oil obtained from the leaves exhibited an interesting antibacterial activity, with a Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of 62.50 µg/mL against these two latter strains. The findings showed that the studied oils have antibacterial activity, and thus great potential for their application in food preservation and natural health products. PMID:26417280

  14. Isolation, identification, and antibacterial activity of chemical compounds from ethanolic extract of suji leaf (Pleomele angusifolia NE Brown)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Faridah; Natalia; Lina, Maria; W, Hendig

    2014-03-01

    Suji (Pleomele angustifolia NE Brown) is one of the medicinal plants of the tribe of Liliaceae, empirically useful to treat coughs and respiratory diseases such as tuberculosis (TB) and pneumonia. In this study, ethanolic extract of suji leaves was tested its activity against bacteria that attacks the respiratory organs, namely Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Streptococcus pneumoniae, using a paper disc diffusion and dilution agar method. These extracts have activity in inhibiting the growth of M. tuberculosis at a concentration of 8 mg and against S. pneumoniae at a concentration of 4 mg. The fractions were tested their antibacterial activity against Streptococcus pneumoniae using paper disc diffusion method. The most active fraction was chosen based on the inhibition diameter. The fractions contained flavonoids, steroids, and essential oils. The precipitate isolated from the extraction process shows needle-shaped, white, cold and tasteless crystals. Moreover, the HPLC analysis of isolate revealed a single peak with a retention time of 7.183 minutes. The exact compounds in the isolate could not be determined but it was known the compounds contained the functional groups of alkene, alkane, C=O, -OH. Test results obtained from UV-Vis spectrophotometer provides maximum absorption at a wavelength of 203.0 nm.

  15. Coupling FT Raman and FT SERS microscopy with TLC plates for in situ identification of chemical compounds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Caudin, J. P.; Beljebbar, A.; Sockalingum, G. D.; Angiboust, J. F.; Manfait, M.

    1995-11-01

    Direct analysis of sub-femtogram quantities of chemical compounds on thin layer chromatography plates has been made possible by associating Fourier transform Raman microspectroscopy with SERS spectroscopy. The interfacing elements of the FT Raman microscope system are discussed and optimised such that a lateral resolution on the micron scale is achieved in the sample plane. Micro-FT SERS results obtained from a model biological molecule indicate preservation of molecular conformation upon adsorption at the SERS active surface. With NIR radiation it is thus possible to analyse plates with or without fluorescence indicators.

  16. Chemical Resistance of Ornamental Compound Stone Produced with Marble Waste and Unsaturated Polyester

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ribeiro, Carlos E. Gomes; Rodriguez, Rubén J. Sánchez; Vieira, Carlos M. Fontes

    Ornamental compound stone are produced by industry for decades, however, few published studies describe these materials. Brazil has many deposits of stone wastes and a big potential to produce these materials. This work aims to evaluate the chemical resistance of ornamental compound stones produced with marble waste and unsaturated polyester. An adaptation of Annex H of ABNT NBR 13818:97 standard, with reagents commonly used in household products, was used. The results were compared with those obtained for natural stone used in composite production.

  17. Changes of the phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities in germinated adlay seeds.

    PubMed

    Xu, Lei; Wang, Pei; Ali, Barkat; Yang, Na; Chen, Yisheng; Wu, Fengfeng; Xu, Xueming

    2017-09-01

    Over the years, germinated adlay products have been used as both food source and folk medicine. This study investigated the changes of total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), antioxidant activities, and phenolic acid profiles of adlay seed during germination. Results revealed that phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities varied with the germination stages. Germination significantly increased the free form phenolic and flavonoid contents by 112.5% and 168.3%, respectively. However, both of the bound form phenolic and flavonoid contents significantly decreased after germination. Phenolic acid compositions were quantified via HPLC analysis, and the levels of vanillic, p-coumaric, caffeic, hydroxybenzoic and protocatechuic acids in the free phenolic extracts were found to be significantly increased. The improvement of the free and total phenolic and flavonoid contents by the germination process led to a significant enhancement of the antioxidant activities (evaluated by the ABTS, FRAP and ORAC assays). The TPC showed the highest correlation with ORAC values (r = 0.9979). Germinated adlay had higher free and total phenolic and flavonoid contents, and antioxidant activities than ungerminated adlay. This study indicates that germinated adlay could be a promising functional food, more suitable for human consumption. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  18. Enhanced formulations for neutralization of chemical, biological and industrial toxants

    DOEpatents

    Tucker, Mark D [Albuqueque, NM

    2008-06-24

    An enhanced formulation and method of making that neutralizes the adverse health effects of both chemical and biological compounds, especially chemical warfare (CW) and biological warfare (BW) agents, and toxic industrial chemicals. The enhanced formulation according to the present invention is non-toxic and non-corrosive and can be delivered by a variety of means and in different phases. The formulation provides solubilizing compounds that serve to effectively render the chemical and biological compounds, particularly CW and BW compounds, susceptible to attack, and at least one reactive compound that serves to attack (and detoxify or kill) the compound. The formulation includes at least one solubilizing agent, a reactive compound, a bleaching activator and water.

  19. Gene expression profiling in Ishikawa cells: A fingerprint for estrogen active compounds

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Boehme, Kathleen; Simon, Stephanie; Mueller, Stefan O.

    2009-04-01

    Several anthropogenous and naturally occurring substances, referred to as estrogen active compounds (EACs), are able to interfere with hormone and in particular estrogen receptor signaling. EACs can either cause adverse health effects in humans and wildlife populations or have beneficial effects on estrogen-dependent diseases. The aim of this study was to examine global gene expression profiles in estrogen receptor (ER)-proficient Ishikawa plus and ER-deficient Ishikawa minus endometrial cancer cells treated with selected well-known EACs (Diethylstilbestrol, Genistein, Zearalenone, Resveratrol, Bisphenol A and o,p'-DDT). We also investigated the effect of the pure antiestrogen ICI 182,780 (ICI) on the expression patterns caused bymore » these compounds. Transcript levels were quantified 24 h after compound treatment using Illumina BeadChip Arrays. We identified 87 genes with similar expression changes in response to all EAC treatments in Ishikawa plus. ICI lowered the magnitude or reversed the expression of these genes, indicating ER dependent regulation. Apart from estrogenic gene regulation, Bisphenol A, o,p'-DDT, Zearalenone, Genistein and Resveratrol displayed similarities to ICI in their expression patterns, suggesting mixed estrogenic/antiestrogenic properties. In particular, the predominant antiestrogenic expression response of Resveratrol could be clearly distinguished from the other test compounds, indicating a distinct mechanism of action. Divergent gene expression patterns of the phytoestrogens, as well as weaker estrogenic gene expression regulation determined for the anthropogenous chemicals Bisphenol A and o,p'-DDT, warrants a careful assessment of potential detrimental and/or beneficial effects of EACs. The characteristic expression fingerprints and the identified subset of putative marker genes can be used for screening chemicals with an unknown mode of action and for predicting their potential to exert endocrine disrupting effects.« less

  20. Compound Structure-Independent Activity Prediction in High-Dimensional Target Space.

    PubMed

    Balfer, Jenny; Hu, Ye; Bajorath, Jürgen

    2014-08-01

    Profiling of compound libraries against arrays of targets has become an important approach in pharmaceutical research. The prediction of multi-target compound activities also represents an attractive task for machine learning with potential for drug discovery applications. Herein, we have explored activity prediction in high-dimensional target space. Different types of models were derived to predict multi-target activities. The models included naïve Bayesian (NB) and support vector machine (SVM) classifiers based upon compound structure information and NB models derived on the basis of activity profiles, without considering compound structure. Because the latter approach can be applied to incomplete training data and principally depends on the feature independence assumption, SVM modeling was not applicable in this case. Furthermore, iterative hybrid NB models making use of both activity profiles and compound structure information were built. In high-dimensional target space, NB models utilizing activity profile data were found to yield more accurate activity predictions than structure-based NB and SVM models or hybrid models. An in-depth analysis of activity profile-based models revealed the presence of correlation effects across different targets and rationalized prediction accuracy. Taken together, the results indicate that activity profile information can be effectively used to predict the activity of test compounds against novel targets. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  1. Antioxidant activity and bioactive compound contents before and after in vitro digestion of new tomato hybrids.

    PubMed

    Tommonaro, Giuseppina; Speranza, Giovanna; De Prisco, Rocco; Iodice, Carmine; Crudele, Egle; Abbamondi, Gennaro Roberto; Nicolaus, Barbara

    2017-12-01

    The antioxidant properties and bioactive compound contents of fresh new tomato hybrids before and after in vitro digestion were investigated. To this aim, the antioxidant activities of lipophilic, hydrophilic and polyphenolic extracts of tomato hybrids were determined by ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)), DMPD (N,N-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine dihydrochloride) and DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) methods respectively, while the bioactive compound contents were estimated via Folin-Ciocalteu (polyphenols), pH differential (anthocyanins) and high-performance liquid chromatography (lycopene and β-carotene) methods. After the digestion process, a marked loss (ranging from 37 to 77%) of antioxidant capacity linked to the hydrophilic fraction was observed. In contrast, the lipophilic and methanolic fractions showed an increase in antioxidant activity (ranging from 9 to 40%) after gastric digestion, and a rapid decrease was observed after total digestion. Moreover, the presence of anthocyanins and carotenoids after simulated digestion was a notable result. The bioavailability of bioactive metabolites from nutraceutical food and their healthful properties in humans are strictly dependent on the digestion process. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  2. Identification of compounds in heavy fuel oil that are chronically toxic to rainbow trout embryos by effects-driven chemical fractionation.

    PubMed

    Adams, Julie; Bornstein, Jason M; Munno, Keenan; Hollebone, Bruce; King, Thomas; Brown, R Stephen; Hodson, Peter V

    2014-04-01

    The present study isolated and identified compounds in heavy fuel oil 7102 (HFO 7102) that are bioavailable and chronically toxic to rainbow trout embryos (Oncorhynchus mykiss). An effects-driven chemical fractionation combined the chemical separation of oil with toxicity testing and chemical analyses of each fraction to identify the major classes of compounds associated with embryo toxicity. Toxicity was assessed with 2 exposure methods, a high-energy chemical dispersion of oil in water, which included oil droplets in test solutions, and water accommodated fractions which were produced by oiled gravel desorption columns, and which did not contain visible oil droplets. Fractions of HFO with high concentrations of naphthalenes, alkanes, asphaltenes, and resins were nontoxic to embryos over the range of concentrations tested. In contrast, fractions enriched with 3- to 4-ringed alkyl polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were embryotoxic, consistent with published studies of crude oils and individual alkyl PAHs. The rank order of fraction toxicity did not vary between the exposure methods and was consistent with their PAH content; fractions with higher-molecular weight alkyl PAHs were the most toxic. Exposure of juvenile trout to most fractions of HFO induced higher activities of cytochrome P450 enzymes, with a rank order of potency that varied with exposure method and differed somewhat from that of embryotoxicity. Induction reflected the bioavailability of PAHs but did not accurately predict embryotoxicity. © 2013 SETAC.

  3. BitterSweetForest: A Random Forest Based Binary Classifier to Predict Bitterness and Sweetness of Chemical Compounds

    PubMed Central

    Banerjee, Priyanka; Preissner, Robert

    2018-01-01

    Taste of a chemical compound present in food stimulates us to take in nutrients and avoid poisons. However, the perception of taste greatly depends on the genetic as well as evolutionary perspectives. The aim of this work was the development and validation of a machine learning model based on molecular fingerprints to discriminate between sweet and bitter taste of molecules. BitterSweetForest is the first open access model based on KNIME workflow that provides platform for prediction of bitter and sweet taste of chemical compounds using molecular fingerprints and Random Forest based classifier. The constructed model yielded an accuracy of 95% and an AUC of 0.98 in cross-validation. In independent test set, BitterSweetForest achieved an accuracy of 96% and an AUC of 0.98 for bitter and sweet taste prediction. The constructed model was further applied to predict the bitter and sweet taste of natural compounds, approved drugs as well as on an acute toxicity compound data set. BitterSweetForest suggests 70% of the natural product space, as bitter and 10% of the natural product space as sweet with confidence score of 0.60 and above. 77% of the approved drug set was predicted as bitter and 2% as sweet with a confidence score of 0.75 and above. Similarly, 75% of the total compounds from acute oral toxicity class were predicted only as bitter with a minimum confidence score of 0.75, revealing toxic compounds are mostly bitter. Furthermore, we applied a Bayesian based feature analysis method to discriminate the most occurring chemical features between sweet and bitter compounds using the feature space of a circular fingerprint. PMID:29696137

  4. BitterSweetForest: A random forest based binary classifier to predict bitterness and sweetness of chemical compounds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Banerjee, Priyanka; Preissner, Robert

    2018-04-01

    Taste of a chemical compounds present in food stimulates us to take in nutrients and avoid poisons. However, the perception of taste greatly depends on the genetic as well as evolutionary perspectives. The aim of this work was the development and validation of a machine learning model based on molecular fingerprints to discriminate between sweet and bitter taste of molecules. BitterSweetForest is the first open access model based on KNIME workflow that provides platform for prediction of bitter and sweet taste of chemical compounds using molecular fingerprints and Random Forest based classifier. The constructed model yielded an accuracy of 95% and an AUC of 0.98 in cross-validation. In independent test set, BitterSweetForest achieved an accuracy of 96 % and an AUC of 0.98 for bitter and sweet taste prediction. The constructed model was further applied to predict the bitter and sweet taste of natural compounds, approved drugs as well as on an acute toxicity compound data set. BitterSweetForest suggests 70% of the natural product space, as bitter and 10 % of the natural product space as sweet with confidence score of 0.60 and above. 77 % of the approved drug set was predicted as bitter and 2% as sweet with a confidence scores of 0.75 and above. Similarly, 75% of the total compounds from acute oral toxicity class were predicted only as bitter with a minimum confidence score of 0.75, revealing toxic compounds are mostly bitter. Furthermore, we applied a Bayesian based feature analysis method to discriminate the most occurring chemical features between sweet and bitter compounds from the feature space of a circular fingerprint.

  5. Chemical composition and evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of the essential oil from leaves of Eugenia platysema.

    PubMed

    Tenfen, Adrielli; Siebert, Diogo Alexandre; Yamanaka, Celina Noriko; Mendes de Córdova, Caio Maurício; Scharf, Dilamara Riva; Simionatto, Edésio Luiz; Alberton, Michele Debiasi

    2016-09-01

    This study describes the qualitative and quantitative chemical composition and evaluates the antibacterial activity of essential oil from Eugenia platysema leaves. Analysis by GC-FID and GC-MS allowed the identification of 22 compounds. Different from the other species of the Eugenia genus, the major compound found in the essential oil was the diterpene phytol (66.05%), being this the first report of the presence of this compound in the essential oils from Eugenia genus. The sesquiterpene elixene was the second most concentrated compound in the studied essential oil (9.16%). The essential oil from E. platysema was tested for its antibacterial activity against cell-walled bacteria and mollicute strains of clinical interest using the microdilution broth assay. The results showed that the essential oil of E. platysema was inactive until 1000 μg mL(-1) against tested bacteria.

  6. Cyanobacterium sp. host cell and vector for production of chemical compounds in cyanobacterial cultures

    DOEpatents

    Piven, Irina; Friedrich, Alexandra; Duhring, Ulf; Uliczka, Frank; Baier, Kerstin; Inaba, Masami; Shi, Tuo; Wang, Kui; Enke, Heike; Kramer, Dan

    2014-09-30

    A cyanobacterial host cell, Cyanobacterium sp., that harbors at least one recombinant gene for the production of a chemical compounds is provided, as well as vectors derived from an endogenous plasmid isolated from the cell.

  7. Cyanobacterium sp. host cell and vector for production of chemical compounds in Cyanobacterial cultures

    DOEpatents

    Piven, Irina; Friedrich, Alexandra; Duhring, Ulf; Uliczka, Frank; Baier, Kerstin; Inaba, Masami; Shi, Tuo; Wang, Kui; Enke, Heike; Kramer, Dan

    2016-04-19

    A cyanobacterial host cell, Cyanobacterium sp., that harbors at least one recombinant gene for the production of a chemical compounds is provided, as well as vectors derived from an endogenous plasmid isolated from the cell.

  8. Exploring sources of biogenic secondary organic aerosol compounds using chemical analysis and the FLEXPART model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Martinsson, Johan; Monteil, Guillaume; Sporre, Moa K.; Kaldal Hansen, Anne Maria; Kristensson, Adam; Eriksson Stenström, Kristina; Swietlicki, Erik; Glasius, Marianne

    2017-09-01

    Molecular tracers in secondary organic aerosols (SOAs) can provide information on origin of SOA, as well as regional scale processes involved in their formation. In this study 9 carboxylic acids, 11 organosulfates (OSs) and 2 nitrooxy organosulfates (NOSs) were determined in daily aerosol particle filter samples from Vavihill measurement station in southern Sweden during June and July 2012. Several of the observed compounds are photo-oxidation products from biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs). Highest average mass concentrations were observed for carboxylic acids derived from fatty acids and monoterpenes (12. 3 ± 15. 6 and 13. 8 ± 11. 6 ng m-3, respectively). The FLEXPART model was used to link nine specific surface types to single measured compounds. It was found that the surface category sea and ocean was dominating the air mass exposure (56 %) but contributed to low mass concentration of observed chemical compounds. A principal component (PC) analysis identified four components, where the one with highest explanatory power (49 %) displayed clear impact of coniferous forest on measured mass concentration of a majority of the compounds. The three remaining PCs were more difficult to interpret, although azelaic, suberic, and pimelic acid were closely related to each other but not to any clear surface category. Hence, future studies should aim to deduce the biogenic sources and surface category of these compounds. This study bridges micro-level chemical speciation to air mass surface exposure at the macro level.

  9. Detection of Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Activation by Some Chemicals in Food Using a Reporter Gene Assay

    PubMed Central

    Amakura, Yoshiaki; Tsutsumi, Tomoaki; Yoshimura, Morio; Nakamura, Masafumi; Handa, Hiroshi; Matsuda, Rieko; Teshima, Reiko; Watanabe, Takahiro

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine whether a simple bioassay used for the detection of dioxins (DXNs) could be applied to detect trace amounts of harmful DXN-like substances in food products. To identify substances with possible DXN-like activity, we assessed the ability of various compounds in the environment to bind the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) that binds specifically to DXNs. The compounds tested included 19 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 20 PAH derivatives (nitrated, halogenated, and aminated derivatives), 23 pesticides, six amino acids, and eight amino acid metabolites. The AhR binding activities (AhR activity) of these compounds were measured using the chemical activated luciferase gene expression (CALUX) reporter gene assay system. The majority of the PAHs exhibited marked AhR activity that increased in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, there was a positive link between AhR activity and the number of aromatic rings in the PAH derivatives. Conversely, there appeared to be a negative correlation between AhR activity and the number of chlorine residues present on halogenated PAH derivatives. However, there was no correlation between AhR activity and the number and position of substituents among nitrated and aminated derivatives. Among the pesticides tested, the indole-type compounds carbendazim and thiabendazole showed high levels of activity. Similarly, the indole compound tryptamine was the only amino acid metabolite to induce AhR activity. The results are useful in understanding the identification and characterization of AhR ligands in the CALUX assay. PMID:28231110

  10. Analysis of essential oils from Voacanga africana seeds at different hydrodistillation extraction stages: chemical composition, antioxidant activity and antimicrobial activity.

    PubMed

    Liu, Xiong; Yang, Dongliang; Liu, Jiajia; Ren, Na

    2015-01-01

    In this study, essential oils from Voacanga africana seeds at different extraction stages were investigated. In the chemical composition analysis, 27 compounds representing 86.69-95.03% of the total essential oils were identified and quantified. The main constituents in essential oils were terpenoids, alcohols and fatty acids accounting for 15.03-24.36%, 21.57-34.43% and 33.06-57.37%, respectively. Moreover, the analysis also revealed that essential oils from different extraction stages possessed different chemical compositions. In the antioxidant evaluation, all analysed oils showed similar antioxidant behaviours, and the concentrations of essential oils providing 50% inhibition of DPPH-scavenging activity (IC50) were about 25 mg/mL. In the antimicrobial experiments, essential oils from different extraction stages exhibited different antimicrobial activities. The antimicrobial activity of oils was affected by extraction stages. By controlling extraction stages, it is promising to obtain essential oils with desired antimicrobial activities.

  11. Systems and methods for solar energy storage, transportation, and conversion utilizing photochemically active organometallic isomeric compounds and solid-state catalysts

    DOEpatents

    Vollhardt, K. Peter C.; Segalman, Rachel A; Majumdar, Arunava; Meier, Steven

    2015-02-10

    A system for converting solar energy to chemical energy, and, subsequently, to thermal energy includes a light-harvesting station, a storage station, and a thermal energy release station. The system may include additional stations for converting the released thermal energy to other energy forms, e.g., to electrical energy and mechanical work. At the light-harvesting station, a photochemically active first organometallic compound, e.g., a fulvalenyl diruthenium complex, is exposed to light and is photochemically converted to a second, higher-energy organometallic compound, which is then transported to a storage station. At the storage station, the high-energy organometallic compound is stored for a desired time and/or is transported to a desired location for thermal energy release. At the thermal energy release station, the high-energy organometallic compound is catalytically converted back to the photochemically active organometallic compound by an exothermic process, while the released thermal energy is captured for subsequent use.

  12. Bactericidal activity of glutaraldehyde-like compounds from olive products.

    PubMed

    Medina, Eduardo; Brenes, Manuel; García, Aranzazu; Romero, Concepción; de Castro, Antonio

    2009-12-01

    The bactericidal effects of several olive compounds (nonenal, oleuropein, tyrosol, the dialdehydic form of decarboxymethyl elenolic acid either free [EDA] or linked to tyrosol [TyEDA] or to hydroxytyrosol [HyEDA]), other food phenolic compounds (catechin, epicatechin, eugenol, thymol, carvacrol, and carnosic acid), and commercial disinfectants (glutaraldehyde [GTA] and ortho-phthalaldehyde [OPA]), were tested against strains of Pseudomonas fluorescens, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, and Escherichia coli. It was found that the bactericidal activities of olive GTA-like compounds (EDA, HyEDA, and TyEDA) were greater than those exerted by several food phenolic substances. Surprisingly, these olive antimicrobials were as active as the synthetic biocides GTA and OPA against the four bacteria studied. Thus, it has been proposed that the bactericidal activity of the main olive antimicrobials is primarily due to their dialdehydic structure, which is similar to that of the commercial biocides GTA and OPA. Our results clearly reveal that olive GTA-like compounds possess a strong bactericidal activity even greater than that of other food phenolic compounds or synthetic biocides.

  13. Characterizing the Smell of Marijuana by Odor Impact of Volatile Compounds: An Application of Simultaneous Chemical and Sensory Analysis

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    Recent US legislation permitting recreational use of marijuana in certain states brings the use of marijuana odor as probable cause for search and seizure to the forefront of forensic science, once again. This study showed the use of solid-phase microextraction with multidimensional gas chromatography—mass spectrometry and simultaneous human olfaction to characterize the total aroma of marijuana. The application of odor activity analysis offers an explanation as to why high volatile chemical concentration does not equate to most potent odor impact of a certain compound. This suggests that more attention should be focused on highly odorous compounds typically present in low concentrations, such as nonanal, decanol, o-cymene, benzaldehyde, which have more potent odor impact than previously reported marijuana headspace volatiles. PMID:26657499

  14. Antioxidative activities and active compounds of extracts from Catalpa plant leaves.

    PubMed

    Xu, Hongyu; Hu, Gege; Dong, Juane; Wei, Qin; Shao, Hongbo; Lei, Ming

    2014-01-01

    In order to screen the Catalpa plant with high antioxidant activity and confirm the corresponding active fractions from Catalpa ovata G. Don, C. fargesii Bur., and C. bungei C. A. Mey., total flavonoid contents and antioxidant activities of the extracts/fractions of Catalpa plant leaves were determined. The determined total flavonoid content and antioxidant activity were used as assessment criteria. Those compounds with antioxidant activity were isolated with silica gel column chromatography and ODS column chromatography. Our results showed that the total flavonoid content in C. bungei C. A. Mey. (30.07 mg/g · DW) was the highest, followed by those in C. fargesii Bur. (25.55 mg/g · DW) and C. ovata G. Don (24.96 mg/g · DW). According to the determination results of total flavonoid content and antioxidant activity in 3 clones of leaves of C. bungei C. A. Mey., the total flavonoid content and antioxidant activity in crude extracts from C. bungei C. A. Mey. 6 (CA6) leaves were the highest. Moreover, the results showed that the total flavonoid content and antioxidant activities of ethyl acetate (EA) fraction in ethanol crude extracts in CA6 leaves were the highest, followed by n-butanol, petroleum ether (PE), and water fractions. Two flavonoid compounds with antioxidant activity were firstly isolated based on EA fraction. The two compounds were luteolin (1) and apigenin (2), respectively.

  15. Toxicity challenges in environmental chemicals: Prediction of human plasma protein binding through quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models

    EPA Science Inventory

    The present study explores the merit of utilizing available pharmaceutical data to construct a quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) for prediction of the fraction of a chemical unbound to plasma protein (Fub) in environmentally relevant compounds. Independent model...

  16. Chemical Genetics Reveals an RGS/G-Protein Role in the Action of a Compound

    PubMed Central

    Fitzgerald, Kevin; Tertyshnikova, Svetlana; Moore, Lisa; Bjerke, Lynn; Burley, Ben; Cao, Jian; Carroll, Pamela; Choy, Robert; Doberstein, Steve; Dubaquie, Yves; Franke, Yvonne; Kopczynski, Jenny; Korswagen, Hendrik; Krystek, Stanley R; Lodge, Nicholas J; Plasterk, Ronald; Starrett, John; Stouch, Terry; Thalody, George; Wayne, Honey; van der Linden, Alexander; Zhang, Yongmei; Walker, Stephen G; Cockett, Mark; Wardwell-Swanson, Judi; Ross-Macdonald, Petra; Kindt, Rachel M

    2006-01-01

    We report here on a chemical genetic screen designed to address the mechanism of action of a small molecule. Small molecules that were active in models of urinary incontinence were tested on the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, and the resulting phenotypes were used as readouts in a genetic screen to identify possible molecular targets. The mutations giving resistance to compound were found to affect members of the RGS protein/G-protein complex. Studies in mammalian systems confirmed that the small molecules inhibit muscarinic G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling involving G-αq (G-protein alpha subunit). Our studies suggest that the small molecules act at the level of the RGS/G-αq signaling complex, and define new mutations in both RGS and G-αq, including a unique hypo-adapation allele of G-αq. These findings suggest that therapeutics targeted to downstream components of GPCR signaling may be effective for treatment of diseases involving inappropriate receptor activation. PMID:16683034

  17. Chemical reaction networks as a model to describe UVC- and radiolytically-induced reactions of simple compounds.

    PubMed

    Dondi, Daniele; Merli, Daniele; Albini, Angelo; Zeffiro, Alberto; Serpone, Nick

    2012-05-01

    When a chemical system is submitted to high energy sources (UV, ionizing radiation, plasma sparks, etc.), as is expected to be the case of prebiotic chemistry studies, a plethora of reactive intermediates could form. If oxygen is present in excess, carbon dioxide and water are the major products. More interesting is the case of reducing conditions where synthetic pathways are also possible. This article examines the theoretical modeling of such systems with random-generated chemical networks. Four types of random-generated chemical networks were considered that originated from a combination of two connection topologies (viz., Poisson and scale-free) with reversible and irreversible chemical reactions. The results were analyzed taking into account the number of the most abundant products required for reaching 50% of the total number of moles of compounds at equilibrium, as this may be related to an actual problem of complex mixture analysis. The model accounts for multi-component reaction systems with no a priori knowledge of reacting species and the intermediates involved if system components are sufficiently interconnected. The approach taken is relevant to an earlier study on reactions that may have occurred in prebiotic systems where only a few compounds were detected. A validation of the model was attained on the basis of results of UVC and radiolytic reactions of prebiotic mixtures of low molecular weight compounds likely present on the primeval Earth.

  18. Chemical Diversity, Biological Activity, and Genetic Aspects of Three Ocotea Species from the Amazon

    PubMed Central

    da Silva, Joyce Kelly; da Trindade, Rafaela; Moreira, Edith Cibelle; Maia, José Guilherme S.; Dosoky, Noura S.; Miller, Rebecca S.; Cseke, Leland J.; Setzer, William N.

    2017-01-01

    Ocotea species present economic importance and biological activities attributed to their essential oils (EOs) and extracts. For this reason, various strategies have been developed for their conservation. The chemical compositions of the essential oils and matK DNA sequences of O. caudata, O. cujumary, and O. caniculata were subjected to comparison with data from O. floribunda, O. veraguensis, and O. whitei, previously reported. The multivariate analysis of chemical composition classified the EOs into two main clusters. Group I was characterized by the presence of α-pinene (9.8–22.5%) and β-pinene (9.7–21.3%) and it includes O. caudata, O. whitei, and O. floribunda. In group II, the oils of O. cujumary and O. caniculata showed high similarity due amounts of β-caryophyllene (22.2% and 18.9%, respectively). The EO of O. veraguensis, rich in p-cymene (19.8%), showed minor similarity among all samples. The oils displayed promising antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities against Escherichia coli (minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) < 19.5 µg·mL−1) and MCF-7 cells (median inhibitory concentration (IC50) ≅ 65.0 µg·mL−1), respectively. The analysis of matK gene displayed a good correlation with the main class of chemical compounds present in the EOs. However, the matK gene data did not show correlation with specific compounds. PMID:28524091

  19. New compounds from acid hydrolyzed products of the fruits of Momordica charantia L. and their inhibitory activity against protein tyrosine phosphatas 1B.

    PubMed

    Zeng, Ke; He, Yan-Ni; Yang, Di; Cao, Jia-Qing; Xia, Xi-Chun; Zhang, Shi-Jun; Bi, Xiu-Li; Zhao, Yu-Qing

    2014-06-23

    Four new cucurbitane-type triterpene sapogenins, compounds 1-4, together with other eight known compounds were isolated from the acid-hydrolyzed fruits extract of Momordica charantia L. Their chemical structures were established by NMR, mass spectrometry and X-ray crystallography. Compounds 1-7 and 9-12 were evaluated for their inhibitory activities toward protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B), a tyrosine phosphatase that has been implicated as a key target for therapy against type II diabetes. Compounds 1, 2, 4, 7 and 9 were shown inhibitory activities of 77%, 62%, 62% 60% and 68% against PTP1B, respectively. All of these tested compounds were exhibited higher PTP1B inhibition activities than that of the Na3VO4, a known PTP1B inhibitor used as positive control in present study. Structure activity relationship (SAR) analysis indicated that the inhibition activity of PTP1B was associated with the presence and number of -OH groups. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  20. Comparative Analysis of Chemical Composition, Antioxidant Activity and Quantitative Characterization of Some Phenolic Compounds in Selected Herbs and Spices in Different Solvent Extraction Systems.

    PubMed

    Sepahpour, Shabnam; Selamat, Jinap; Abdul Manap, Mohd Yazid; Khatib, Alfi; Abdull Razis, Ahmad Faizal

    2018-02-13

    This study evaluated the efficacy of various organic solvents (80% acetone, 80% ethanol, 80% methanol) and distilled water for extracting antioxidant phenolic compounds from turmeric, curry leaf, torch ginger and lemon grass extracts. They were analyzed regarding the total phenol and flavonoid contents, antioxidant activity and concentration of some phenolic compounds. Antioxidant activity was determined by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay and the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. Quantification of phenolic compounds was carried out using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). All the extracts possessed antioxidant activity, however, the different solvents showed different efficiencies in the extraction of phenolic compounds. Turmeric showed the highest DPPH values (67.83-13.78%) and FRAP (84.9-2.3 mg quercetin/g freeze-dried crude extract), followed by curry leaf, torch ginger and lemon grass. While 80% acetone was shown to be the most efficient solvent for the extraction of total phenolic compounds from turmeric, torch ginger and lemon grass (221.68, 98.10 and 28.19 mg GA/g freeze dried crude extract, respectively), for the recovery of phenolic compounds from curry leaf (92.23 mg GA/g freeze-dried crude extract), 80% ethanol was the most appropriate solvent. Results of HPLC revealed that the amount of phenolic compounds varied depending on the types of solvents used.

  1. Synthesis of Hydroxide-TiO2 Compounds with Photocatalytic Activity for Degradation of Phenol

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Contreras-Ruiz, J. C.; Martínez-Gallegos, S.; Ordoñez, E.; González-Juárez, J. C.; García-Rivas, J. L.

    2017-03-01

    Photocatalytic degradation of phenol using titanium dioxide (TiO2), either alone or in combination with other materials, has been tested. Mg/Al hydrotalcites prepared by two methods using inorganic (HC) or organic (HS) chemical reagents, along with mixed oxides produced by calcination of these products (HCC and HSC), were mixed with titanium isopropoxide to obtain hydroxide-TiO2 compounds (HCC-TiO2 and HSC-TiO2) and their photocatalytic activity tested in solutions of 10 mg/L phenol at 120 min under illumination at λ UV = 254 nm with power of 4 W or 8 W. The obtained materials were characterized by various techniques, revealing that TiO2 was incorporated into the mixed oxides of the calcined hydrotalcite to form the above-mentioned compounds. The photocatalytic test results indicate that the activity of HCC-TiO2 can be attributed to increased phenol adsorption by hydrotalcite for transfer to the active photocatalytic phase of the impregnated TiO2 particles, while the better results obtained for HSC-TiO2 are due to greater catalyst impregnation on the surface of the calcined hydrotalcite, reducing the screening phenomenon and achieving HSC-TiO2 degradation of up to 21.0% at 8 W. Reuse of both compounds indicated tight combination of HCC or HSC with TiO2, since in four successive separation cycles there was little reduction of activity, being associated primarily with material loss during recovery.

  2. Managing, profiling and analyzing a library of 2.6 million compounds gathered from 32 chemical providers.

    PubMed

    Monge, Aurélien; Arrault, Alban; Marot, Christophe; Morin-Allory, Luc

    2006-08-01

    The data for 3.8 million compounds from structural databases of 32 providers were gathered and stored in a single chemical database. Duplicates are removed using the IUPAC International Chemical Identifier. After this, 2.6 million compounds remain. Each database and the final one were studied in term of uniqueness, diversity, frameworks, 'drug-like' and 'lead-like' properties. This study also shows that there are more than 87 000 frameworks in the database. It contains 2.1 million 'drug-like' molecules among which, more than one million are 'lead-like'. This study has been carried out using 'ScreeningAssistant', a software dedicated to chemical databases management and screening sets generation. Compounds are stored in a MySQL database and all the operations on this database are carried out by Java code. The druglikeness and leadlikeness are estimated with 'in-house' scores using functions to estimate convenience to properties; unicity using the InChI code and diversity using molecular frameworks and fingerprints. The software has been conceived in order to facilitate the update of the database. 'ScreeningAssistant' is freely available under the GPL license.

  3. The relationship between the chemical structure and neurotoxicity of alkyl organophosphorus compounds

    PubMed Central

    Davies, D. R.; Holland, P.; Rumens, M. J.

    1960-01-01

    Thirty-six alkyl organophosphorus compounds have been tested for neurotoxicity in the chicken. The individual compounds were chosen to enable the importance of each portion of the molecule to be assessed in relation to the property of neurotoxicity. Seventeen substances were found to be neurotoxic, fifteen for the first time. All of these contained fluorine. On the basis of the results reported, certain predictions have been made about the chemical structure of compounds which would be expected to be neurotoxic. The importance of fluorine suggests that it plays a direct role in the development of the biochemical lesion, and this may occur as the result of its being carried by the molecule as a whole to specific areas in the nervous system. By the action of cholinesterase, the P-F bond may be ruptured and ionic fluorine liberated where it blocks some metabolic cycle. PMID:13814387

  4. Essential Oil Composition of Phagnalon sordidum (L.) from Corsica, Chemical Variability and Antimicrobial Activity.

    PubMed

    Brunel, Marion; Vitrac, Caroline; Costa, Jean; Mzali, Fatima; Vitrac, Xavier; Muselli, Alain

    2016-03-01

    The chemical composition of Phagnalon sordidum (L.) essential oil was investigated for the first time using gas chromatography and chromatography/mass spectrometry. Seventy-six compounds, which accounted for 87.9% of the total amount, were identified in a collective essential oil of P. sordidum from Corsica. The main essential oil components were (E)-β-caryophyllene (14.4%), β-pinene (11.0%), thymol (9.0%), and hexadecanoic acid (5.3%). The chemical compositions of essential oils from 19 Corsican locations were investigated. The study of the chemical variability using statistical analysis allowed identifying direct correlation between the three populations of P. sordidum widespread in Corsica and the essential oil compositions they produce. The in vitro antimicrobial activity of P. sordidum essential oil was evaluated and it exhibited a notable activity on a large panel of clinically significant microorganisms. © 2016 Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta AG, Zürich.

  5. Antioxidant Activity of Phenolic Compounds from Fava Bean Sprouts.

    PubMed

    Okumura, Koharu; Hosoya, Takahiro; Kawarazaki, Kai; Izawa, Norihiko; Kumazawa, Shigenori

    2016-06-01

    Fava beans are eaten all over the world and recently, marketing for their sprouts began in Japan. Fava bean sprouts contain more polyphenols and l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (l-DOPA) than the bean itself. Our antioxidant screening program has shown that fava bean sprouts also possess a higher antioxidant activity than other commercially available sprouts and mature beans. However, the individual constituents of fava bean sprouts are not entirely known. In the present study, we investigated the phenolic compounds of fava bean sprouts and their antioxidant activity. Air-dried fava bean sprouts were treated with 80% methanol and the extract was partitioned in water with chloroform and ethyl acetate. HPLC analysis had shown that the ethyl acetate-soluble parts contained phenolic compounds, separated by preparative HPLC to yield 5 compounds (1-5). Structural analysis using NMR and MS revealed that the compounds isolated were kaempferol glycosides. All isolated compounds had an α-rhamnose at the C-7 position with different sugars attached at the C-3 position. Compounds 1-5 had β-galactose, β-glucose, α-rhamnose, 6-acetyl-β-galactose and 6-acetyl-β-glucose, respectively, at the C-3 position. The amount of l-DOPA in fava bean sprouts was determined by the quantitative (1) H NMR technique. The l-DOPA content was 550.45 mg ± 11.34 /100 g of the raw sprouts. The antioxidant activities of compounds 2-5 and l-DOPA were evaluated using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging assay. l-DOPA showed high antioxidant activity, but the isolated kaempferol glycosides showed weak activity. Therefore, it can be suggested that l-DOPA contributed to the antioxidant activity of fava bean sprouts. © 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®

  6. Antimicrobial and Antiradical Activity of Extracts Obtained from Leaves of Five Species of the Genus Bergenia: Identification of Antimicrobial Compounds.

    PubMed

    Żbikowska, Beata; Franiczek, Roman; Sowa, Alina; Połukord, Grażyna; Krzyżanowska, Barbara; Sroka, Zbigniew

    2017-09-01

    An important focus of modern medicine is the search for new substances and strategies to combat infectious diseases, which present an increasing threat due to the growth of bacterial resistance to antibiotics. Another problem concerns free radicals, which in excess can cause several serious diseases. An alternative to chemical synthesis of antimicrobial and antiradical compounds is to find active substances in plant raw materials. We prepared extracts from leaves of five species of the genus Bergenia: B. purpurascens, B. cordifolia, B. ligulata, B. crassifolia, and B. ciliata. Antimicrobial and antiradical features of extracts and raw materials were assessed, and the quantities of phenolic compounds were determined. We also evaluated, using high-performance liquid chromatography, the amounts of arbutin and hydroquinone, compounds related to antimicrobial activity of these raw materials. The strongest antiradical properties were shown by leaves of B. crassifolia and B. cordifolia, the lowest by leaves of B. ciliata. The antiradical activity of extracts showed a strong positive correlation with the amount of phenols. All raw materials have significant antimicrobial properties. Among them, the ethyl acetate extracts were the most active. Antimicrobial activity very weakly correlated with the amount of arbutin, but correlated very strongly with the contents of both hydroquinone and phenolic compounds. Additional experiments using artificially prepared mixtures of phenolic compounds and hydroquinone allowed us to conclude that the most active antimicrobial substance is hydroquinone.

  7. Metal organic chemical vapor deposition of 111-v compounds on silicon

    DOEpatents

    Vernon, Stanley M.

    1986-01-01

    Expitaxial composite comprising thin films of a Group III-V compound semiconductor such as gallium arsenide (GaAs) or gallium aluminum arsenide (GaAlAs) on single crystal silicon substrates are disclosed. Also disclosed is a process for manufacturing, by chemical deposition from the vapor phase, epitaxial composites as above described, and to semiconductor devices based on such epitaxial composites. The composites have particular utility for use in making light sensitive solid state solar cells.

  8. Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of Pinus halepensis Miller growing in West Northern of Algeria

    PubMed Central

    Fekih, Nadia; Allali, Hocine; Merghache, Salima; Chaïb, Faïza; Merghache, Djamila; El Amine, Mohamed; Djabou, Nassim; Muselli, Alain; Tabti, Boufeldja; Costa, Jean

    2014-01-01

    Objective To find new bioactive natural products, the chemical composition and to sudy the antibacterial activity of essential oil components extracted from the aerial parts of the Algerian aromatic plant Pinus halepensis Miller (P. halepensis) (needles, twigs and buds). Methods The essential oil used in this study was isolated by hydrodistillation using a Clevenger-type apparatus according to the European Pharmacopoeia. The chemical composition was investigated using GC-retention indices (RI) and GC-MS. Results Forty-nine compounds, representing 97.9% of the total collective oil, were identified. Essential oil was dominated by hydrocarbon compounds (80.6%) especially monoterpenes (65.5%). The major compounds from ten oils stations were: myrcene (15.2%-32.0%), α-pinene (12.2%-24.5%), E-β-caryophyllene (7.0%-17.1%), terpinolene (1.8%-13.3%), 2-phenyl ethyl isovalerate (4.8%-10.9%), terpinene-4-ol (1.0%-8.2 %) and sabinene (1.5%-6.3%). The intra-species variations of the chemical compositions of P. halepensis aerial parts essential oils from ten Algerian sample locations were investigated using statistical analysis. Essential oil samples were clustered in 2 groups by hierarchical cluster analysis, according to their chemical composition. The essential oil revealed an interesting antimicrobial effect against Lysteria monocytogenes, Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumanii, Citrobacter freundii and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Conclusions These results suggest that the essential oil from P. halepensis may be a new potential source as natural antimicrobial applied in pharmaceutical and food industries.

  9. Charting Biologically Relevant Spirocyclic Compound Space.

    PubMed

    Müller, Gerhard; Berkenbosch, Tim; Benningshof, Jorg C J; Stumpfe, Dagmar; Bajorath, Jürgen

    2017-01-12

    Spirocycles frequently occur in natural products and experience increasing interest in drug discovery, given their richness in sp 3 centers and distinct three-dimensionality. We have systematically explored chemical space populated with currently available bioactive spirocycles. Compounds containing spiro systems were classified and their scaffolds and spirocyclic ring combinations analyzed. Nearly 47 000 compounds were identified that contained spirocycles in different structural contexts and were active against roughly 200 targets, among which several pharmaceutically relevant members of the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family were identified. Spirocycles and corresponding compounds displayed notable scaffold diversity but contained only limited numbers of combinations of differently sized rings. These observations indicate that there should be significant potential to further expand spirocyclic chemical space for drug discovery, exploiting the privileged substructure concept. Inspired by those findings, we embarked on the design and chemical synthesis of three distinct novel spirocyclic scaffolds that qualify for downstream library synthesis, thus exploring principally new chemical space with high potential for pharmaceutical research. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. Antioxidant activity and chemical composition of oleoresin from leaves and flowers of Brunfelsia uniflora.

    PubMed

    Jorge, L F; Meniqueti, A B; Silva, R F; Santos, K A; Da Silva, E A; Gonçalves, J E; De Rezende, C M; Colauto, N B; Gazim, Z C; Linde, G A

    2017-08-17

    In this study, the temperature and pressure of supercritical CO 2 extraction were evaluated to obtain oleoresin of Brunfelsia uniflora leaves and flowers. The oleoresin compounds were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by three different methods. The highest oleoresin yields were 3.32% at 40°C and 200 bar for the leaves, and 1.03% at 60°C and 200 bar for the flowers. The main extracted compounds from leaves were phytol varying from 11.95 to 36.42% and α-tocopherol from 15.53 to 43.10%, and from flowers were geranyl linalool from 11.05 to 21.42% and α-amyrin from 9.66 to 22.12%. Oleoresin obtained at 60°C and 150 bar from leaves presented high antioxidant activity by DPPH (IC 50 1.90 mg/mL) and by FRAP (1.8 µmol Fe 2+ /mg). β-carotene/linoleic acid co-oxidation oleoresin from leaves at 0.25 mg/mL presented higher antioxidant activity than Trolox. The total phenolic content of the oleoresin from leaves ranged from 66.20 to 83.33 µg/mg and from flowers it was just up to 12.46 µg/mg. The extraction conditions affected yield, chemical composition, and antioxidant activity of oleoresin from leaves and flowers. This is the first report on the antioxidant activity of B. uniflora oleoresin from leaves and flowers and provides subsidies for potential applications in chemical, pharmaceutical, and food industries.

  11. Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of Opuntia ficus-indica f. inermis (cactus pear) flowers.

    PubMed

    Ennouri, Monia; Ammar, Imene; Khemakhem, Bassem; Attia, Hamadi

    2014-08-01

    Opuntia ficus-indica f. inermis (cactus pear) flowers have wide application in folk medicine. However, there are few reports focusing on their biological activity and were no reports on their chemical composition. The nutrient composition and hexane extracts of Opuntia flowers at 4 flowering stages and their antibacterial and antifungal activities were investigated. The chemical composition showed considerable amounts of fiber, protein, and minerals. Potassium (K) was the predominant mineral followed by calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn). The main compounds in the various hexane extracts were 9.12-octadecadienoic acid (29-44%) and hexadecanoic acid (8.6-32%). The antibacterial activity tests showed that O. inermis hexane extracts have high effectiveness against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, making this botanical source a potential contender as a food preservative or food control additive.

  12. Spectral imaging of chemical compounds using multivariate optically enhanced filters integrated with InGaAs VGA cameras

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Priore, Ryan J.; Jacksen, Niels

    2016-05-01

    Infrared hyperspectral imagers (HSI) have been fielded for the detection of hazardous chemical and biological compounds, tag detection (friend versus foe detection) and other defense critical sensing missions over the last two decades. Low Size/Weight/Power/Cost (SWaPc) methods of identification of chemical compounds spectroscopy has been a long term goal for hand held applications. We describe a new HSI concept for low cost / high performance InGaAs SWIR camera chemical identification for military, security, industrial and commercial end user applications. Multivariate Optical Elements (MOEs) are thin-film devices that encode a broadband, spectroscopic pattern allowing a simple broadband detector to generate a highly sensitive and specific detection for a target analyte. MOEs can be matched 1:1 to a discrete analyte or class prediction. Additionally, MOE filter sets are capable of sensing an orthogonal projection of the original sparse spectroscopic space enabling a small set of MOEs to discriminate a multitude of target analytes. This paper identifies algorithms and broadband optical filter designs that have been demonstrated to identify chemical compounds using high performance InGaAs VGA detectors. It shows how some of the initial models have been reduced to simple spectral designs and tested to produce positive identification of such chemicals. We also are developing pixilated MOE compressed detection sensors for the detection of a multitude of chemical targets in challenging backgrounds/environments for both commercial and defense/security applications. This MOE based, real-time HSI sensor will exhibit superior sensitivity and specificity as compared to currently fielded HSI systems.

  13. Stereoregularity of poly (lactic acid) and their model compounds as studied by NMR and quantum chemical calculations

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    In order to understand the origin of the tacticity splitting in the NMR spectrum of poly(lactic acid), monomer model compound and dimer model compounds (both isotactic and syndiotactic) were synthesized and their 1H and 13C NMR chemical shifts observed. Two energetically stable conformations were o...

  14. Antioxidative Activities and Active Compounds of Extracts from Catalpa Plant Leaves

    PubMed Central

    Xu, Hongyu; Hu, Gege; Dong, Juane; Wei, Qin; Shao, Hongbo; Lei, Ming

    2014-01-01

    In order to screen the Catalpa plant with high antioxidant activity and confirm the corresponding active fractions from Catalpa ovata G. Don, C. fargesii Bur., and C. bungei C. A. Mey., total flavonoid contents and antioxidant activities of the extracts/fractions of Catalpa plant leaves were determined. The determined total flavonoid content and antioxidant activity were used as assessment criteria. Those compounds with antioxidant activity were isolated with silica gel column chromatography and ODS column chromatography. Our results showed that the total flavonoid content in C. bungei C. A. Mey. (30.07 mg/g·DW) was the highest, followed by those in C. fargesii Bur. (25.55 mg/g·DW) and C. ovata G. Don (24.96 mg/g·DW). According to the determination results of total flavonoid content and antioxidant activity in 3 clones of leaves of C. bungei C. A. Mey., the total flavonoid content and antioxidant activity in crude extracts from C. bungei C. A. Mey. 6 (CA6) leaves were the highest. Moreover, the results showed that the total flavonoid content and antioxidant activities of ethyl acetate (EA) fraction in ethanol crude extracts in CA6 leaves were the highest, followed by n-butanol, petroleum ether (PE), and water fractions. Two flavonoid compounds with antioxidant activity were firstly isolated based on EA fraction. The two compounds were luteolin (1) and apigenin (2), respectively. PMID:25431795

  15. Electrolytic photodissociation of chemical compounds by iron oxide photochemical diodes

    DOEpatents

    Somorjai, Gabor A.; Leygraf, Christofer H.

    1985-01-01

    Chemical compounds can be dissociated by contacting the same with a p/n type semi-conductor photochemical diode having visible light as its sole source of energy. The photochemical diode consists of low cost, readily available materials, specifically polycrystalline iron oxide doped with silicon in the case of the n-type semi-conductor electrode, and polycrystalline iron oxide doped with magnesium in the case of the p-type electrode. So long as the light source has an energy greater than 2.2 electron volts, no added energy source is needed to achieve dissociation.

  16. Identification of New Compounds from Sage Flowers (Salvia officinalis L.) as Markers for Quality Control and the Influence of the Manufacturing Technology on the Chemical Composition and Antibacterial Activity of Sage Flower Extracts.

    PubMed

    Gericke, Sebastian; Lübken, Tilo; Wolf, Diana; Kaiser, Martin; Hannig, Christian; Speer, Karl

    2018-02-28

    Parts of Salvia species such as its flowers and leaves are currently used as a culinary herb and for some medicinal applications. To distinguish the different sage extracts it is necessary to analyze their individual chemical compositions. Their characteristic compounds might be established as markers to differentiate between sage flowers and leaf extracts or to determine the manufacturing technology and storage conditions. Tri-p-coumaroylspermidine can be detected only in flowers and has been described here for Salvia and Lavandula species for the first time. Markers for oxidation processes are the novel compounds salviquinone A and B, which were generated from carnosol by exposure to oxygen. Caffeic acid ethyl ester was established as an indirect marker for the usage of ethanol as extraction solvent. The compounds were identified by LC-QTOF-HRESIMS, LC-MS, NMR, IR, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction after isolation by semipreparative HPLC. Furthermore, sage flower resin showed interesting antibacterial in vitro activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

  17. Single, competitive, and dynamic adsorption on activated carbon of compounds used as plasticizers and herbicides.

    PubMed

    Abdel daiem, Mahmoud M; Rivera-Utrilla, José; Sánchez-Polo, Manuel; Ocampo-Pérez, Raúl

    2015-12-15

    The main aim of this study was to investigate the single, competitive, and dynamic adsorption of phthalic acid (PA), bisphenol A (BPA), diphenolic acid (DPA), 2,4-dichlorophenoxy-acetic acid (2,4-D), and 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid (MCPA) on two activated carbons with different chemical natures and similar textural characteristics. The adsorption mechanism was also elucidated by analyzing the influence of solution pH and ionic strength. The activated carbons demonstrated high adsorption capacity to remove all micropollutants due to the presence of active sites on their surfaces, which increase dispersive interactions between the activated carbon graphene layers and the aromatic ring of pollutants. The adsorption capacity of the activated carbons increased in the order: DPAchemical structure of pollutants, and iii) chemical properties of adsorbents. In most cases, the adsorption of contaminants is favored at acid pH (pH<5) due to the establishment of attractive electrostatic interactions. In dynamic regime, the amount of pollutant adsorbed was much higher for PA, followed by DPA, and was approximately similar for BPA, 2,4-D, and MCPA. Finally, the amount of BPA and DPA adsorbed on activated carbon decreased by around 50% and 70% in the presence of DPA and BPA, respectively, indicating that both compounds are adsorbed on the same adsorption sites of the activated carbon. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Quantifying variability in removal efficiencies of chemicals in activated sludge wastewater treatment plants - a meta-analytical approach.

    PubMed

    Douziech, Mélanie; Conesa, Irene Rosique; Benítez-López, Ana; Franco, Antonio; Huijbregts, Mark; van Zelm, Rosalie

    2018-01-24

    Large variations in removal efficiencies (REs) of chemicals have been reported for monitoring studies of activated sludge wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). In this work, we conducted a meta-analysis on REs (1539 data points) for a set of 209 chemicals consisting of fragrances, surfactants, and pharmaceuticals in order to assess the drivers of the variability relating to inherent properties of the chemicals and operational parameters of activated sludge WWTPs. For a reduced dataset (n = 542), we developed a mixed-effect model (meta-regression) to explore the observed variability in REs for the chemicals using three chemical specific factors and four WWTP-related parameters. The overall removal efficiency of the set of chemicals was 82.1% (95% CI 75.2-87.1%, N = 1539). Our model accounted for 17% of the total variability in REs, while the process-based model SimpleTreat did not perform better than the average of the measured REs. We identified that, after accounting for other factors potentially influencing RE, readily biodegradable compounds were better removed than non-readily biodegradable ones. Further, we showed that REs increased with increasing sludge retention times (SRTs), especially for non-readily biodegradable compounds. Finally, our model highlighted a decrease in RE with increasing K OC . The counterintuitive relationship to K OC stresses the need for a better understanding of electrochemical interactions influencing the RE of ionisable chemicals. In addition, we highlighted the need to improve the modelling of chemicals that undergo deconjugation when predicting RE. Our meta-analysis represents a first step in better explaining the observed variability in measured REs of chemicals. It can be of particular help to prioritize the improvements required in existing process-based models to predict removal efficiencies of chemicals in WWTPs.

  19. The Mast Cell Degranulator Compound 48/80 Directly Activates Neurons

    PubMed Central

    Schemann, Michael; Kugler, Eva Maria; Buhner, Sabine; Eastwood, Christopher; Donovan, Jemma; Jiang, Wen; Grundy, David

    2012-01-01

    Background Compound 48/80 is widely used in animal and tissue models as a “selective” mast cell activator. With this study we demonstrate that compound 48/80 also directly activates enteric neurons and visceral afferents. Methodology/Principal Findings We used in vivo recordings from extrinsic intestinal afferents together with Ca++ imaging from primary cultures of DRG and nodose neurons. Enteric neuronal activation was examined by Ca++ and voltage sensitive dye imaging in isolated gut preparations and primary cultures of enteric neurons. Intraluminal application of compound 48/80 evoked marked afferent firing which desensitized on subsequent administration. In egg albumen-sensitized animals, intraluminal antigen evoked a similar pattern of afferent activation which also desensitized on subsequent exposure to antigen. In cross-desensitization experiments prior administration of compound 48/80 failed to influence the mast cell mediated response. Application of 1 and 10 µg/ml compound 48/80 evoked spike discharge and Ca++ transients in enteric neurons. The same nerve activating effect was observed in primary cultures of DRG and nodose ganglion cells. Enteric neuron cultures were devoid of mast cells confirmed by negative staining for c-kit or toluidine blue. In addition, in cultured enteric neurons the excitatory action of compound 48/80 was preserved in the presence of histamine H1 and H2 antagonists. The mast cell stabilizer cromolyn attenuated compound 48/80 and nicotine evoked Ca++ transients in mast cell-free enteric neuron cultures. Conclusions/Significance The results showed direct excitatory action of compound 48/80 on enteric neurons and visceral afferents. Therefore, functional changes measured in tissue or animal models may involve a mast cell independent effect of compound 48/80 and cromolyn. PMID:23272218

  20. Targeting the epigenome: Screening bioactive compounds that regulate histone deacetylase activity

    PubMed Central

    Godoy, Luis D.; Lucas, Julianna E.; Bender, Abigail J.; Romanick, Samantha S.; Ferguson, Bradley S.

    2017-01-01

    Scope Nutrigenomics is a rapidly expanding field that elucidates the link between diet-genome interactions. Recent evidence demonstrates that regulation of the epigenome, and in particular inhibition of HDACs, impact pathogenetic mechanisms involved in chronic disease. Few studies, to date, have screened libraries of bioactive compounds that act as epigenetic modifiers. This study screened a library of 131 natural compounds to determine bioactive compounds that inhibit Zn-dependent HDAC activity. Methods and results Using class-specific HDAC substrates, we screened 131 natural compounds for HDAC activity in bovine cardiac tissue. From this screen, we identified 18 bioactive compound HDAC inhibitors. Using our class-specific HDAC substrates, we next screened these 18 bioactive compounds against recombinant HDAC proteins. Consistent with inhibition of HDAC activity, these compounds were capable of inhibiting activity of individual HDAC isoforms. Lastly, we report that treatment of H9c2 cardiac myoblasts with bioactive HDAC inhibitors was sufficient to increase lysine acetylation as assessed via immunoblot. Conclusion This study provided the first step in identifying multiple bioactive compound HDAC inhibitors. Taken together, this report sets the stage for future exploration of these bioactive compounds as epigenetic regulators to potentially ameliorate chronic disease. PMID:27981795

  1. Enhancing of chemical compound and drug name recognition using representative tag scheme and fine-grained tokenization.

    PubMed

    Dai, Hong-Jie; Lai, Po-Ting; Chang, Yung-Chun; Tsai, Richard Tzong-Han

    2015-01-01

    The functions of chemical compounds and drugs that affect biological processes and their particular effect on the onset and treatment of diseases have attracted increasing interest with the advancement of research in the life sciences. To extract knowledge from the extensive literatures on such compounds and drugs, the organizers of BioCreative IV administered the CHEMical Compound and Drug Named Entity Recognition (CHEMDNER) task to establish a standard dataset for evaluating state-of-the-art chemical entity recognition methods. This study introduces the approach of our CHEMDNER system. Instead of emphasizing the development of novel feature sets for machine learning, this study investigates the effect of various tag schemes on the recognition of the names of chemicals and drugs by using conditional random fields. Experiments were conducted using combinations of different tokenization strategies and tag schemes to investigate the effects of tag set selection and tokenization method on the CHEMDNER task. This study presents the performance of CHEMDNER of three more representative tag schemes-IOBE, IOBES, and IOB12E-when applied to a widely utilized IOB tag set and combined with the coarse-/fine-grained tokenization methods. The experimental results thus reveal that the fine-grained tokenization strategy performance best in terms of precision, recall and F-scores when the IOBES tag set was utilized. The IOBES model with fine-grained tokenization yielded the best-F-scores in the six chemical entity categories other than the "Multiple" entity category. Nonetheless, no significant improvement was observed when a more representative tag schemes was used with the coarse or fine-grained tokenization rules. The best F-scores that were achieved using the developed system on the test dataset of the CHEMDNER task were 0.833 and 0.815 for the chemical documents indexing and the chemical entity mention recognition tasks, respectively. The results herein highlight the importance

  2. [Transformation of natural products into more potent compounds: chemical modification of monensin].

    PubMed

    Nagatsu, A; Sakakibara, J

    1997-09-01

    Monensin (1) is a representative compound of polyether ionophore antibiotics, which selectively transport Na+ ions. In order to obtain potent Na+ ionophores, the modification of the carboxyl group of monensin was carried out to yield monensylamino acids (2) and monensylamino acid-1,29-lactones (3). The Na+ permeability of ion through the erythrocyte membrane of 2 and 3 was evaluated by the 23Na-NMR method. Compound 2 showed less Na+ ion transport activity than monensin, probably due to the lower lipophilicity caused by the conformational change of the chain moiety of the molecules. Although 3 showed higher lipophilisity than 1, 3 had no Na+ ion permeability, probably due to loss of the carboxyl group. As more lipophilic compounds possessing a carboxyl group was supposed to have more ion transport activity, 7-O-acylmonensins (8) and 7-O-alkylmonensins (11) were synthesized. Among these compounds, the value of Na+ ion permeability of 7-O-benzylmonensin (11c) was 1.4 time that of 1. Further investigation was carried out by preparing various 7-O-(substituted benzyl)monensins (13), and 7-O-(p-ethylbenzyl)monensin (13b) exhibited the largest Na+ ion permeability, about twice the value of 1. In order to convert monensin (1) to Ca2+ ionophore, 7-carboxylmethylmonensin (18) via protected 7-oxomonensin (15), and 25-carboxylmonensin (26) were prepared. In the course of the synthesis, 15 was clarified as a useful intermediate to give 7-amino and 7-alkyl derivatives. Ca2+ ion transport activities of 18 and 26 were determined by a CHCl3 liquid membrane system. 25-carboxylmonensin (26) showed 70% of the activity of Ca2+ ionophore, lasalocid A, and compound 26 could be the lead compound for the preparation of a new Ca2+ ionophore.

  3. Volatile Compounds in Honey: A Review on Their Involvement in Aroma, Botanical Origin Determination and Potential Biomedical Activities

    PubMed Central

    Manyi-Loh, Christy E.; Ndip, Roland N.; Clarke, Anna M.

    2011-01-01

    Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in honey are obtained from diverse biosynthetic pathways and extracted by using various methods associated with varying degrees of selectivity and effectiveness. These compounds are grouped into chemical categories such as aldehyde, ketone, acid, alcohol, hydrocarbon, norisoprenoids, terpenes and benzene compounds and their derivatives, furan and pyran derivatives. They represent a fingerprint of a specific honey and therefore could be used to differentiate between monofloral honeys from different floral sources, thus providing valuable information concerning the honey’s botanical and geographical origin. However, only plant derived compounds and their metabolites (terpenes, norisoprenoids and benzene compounds and their derivatives) must be employed to discriminate among floral origins of honey. Notwithstanding, many authors have reported different floral markers for honey of the same floral origin, consequently sensory analysis, in conjunction with analysis of VOCs could help to clear this ambiguity. Furthermore, VOCs influence honey’s aroma described as sweet, citrus, floral, almond, rancid, etc. Clearly, the contribution of a volatile compound to honey aroma is determined by its odor activity value. Elucidation of the aroma compounds along with floral origins of a particular honey can help to standardize its quality and avoid fraudulent labeling of the product. Although only present in low concentrations, VOCS could contribute to biomedical activities of honey, especially the antioxidant effect due to their natural radical scavenging potential. PMID:22272147

  4. Experimental Demonstrations in Teaching Chemical Reactions.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hugerat, Muhamad; Basheer, Sobhi

    2001-01-01

    Presents demonstrations of chemical reactions by employing different features of various compounds that can be altered after a chemical change occurs. Experimental activities include para- and dia-magnetism in chemical reactions, aluminum reaction with base, reaction of acid with carbonates, use of electrochemical cells for demonstrating chemical…

  5. The effect of seasons on Brazilian red propolis and its botanical source: chemical composition and antibacterial activity.

    PubMed

    Bueno-Silva, Bruno; Marsola, Alexandre; Ikegaki, Masaharu; Alencar, Severino M; Rosalen, Pedro L

    2017-06-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of seasons on the chemical composition and antibacterial activity of Brazilian red propolis (BRP) and its plant source. BRP was collected from Maceio, Alagoas state, north-east of Brazil, during one year. Chemical composition was determined by physicochemical analyses and HPLC while antimicrobial activity was assessed against Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sobrinus, Staphylococcus aureus and Actinomyces naeslundii by determining the minimal inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations (MIC and MBC, respectively). The comparative chemical profiles varied quantitatively according to the collection period. Formononetin was the most abundant compound in both propolis and resin, while isoliquiritigenin, (3S)-neovestitol, (3S)-vestitol are suggested to be responsible for antimicrobial activity of Brazilian red propolis. MIC varied from 15.6 to 125 μg/mL, whereas MBC varied from 31.2 to 500 μg/mL. Therefore, season in which propolis and its botanical source are collected indeed influences their chemical compositions, resulting in variations in their antibacterial activity.

  6. Antimicrobial activity and chemical composition of the essential oils of Portuguese Foeniculum vulgare fruits.

    PubMed

    Mota, Ana S; Martins, M Rosário; Arantes, Sílvia; Lopes, Violeta R; Bettencourt, Eliseu; Pombal, Sofia; Gomes, Arlindo C; Silva, Lúcia A

    2015-04-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation from fruits of six fennel accessions collected from wild populations occurring in the centre and south of Portugal. Composition of essential oils was established by Gas Chromatography-Flame Ionization Detector (GC-FID) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. The obtained yields of the essential oils were found to vary greatly in the range of 1.1 to 2.9% (v/w) and the chemical composition varied with the region of collection. A total of 16 compounds were identified. The main compounds were fenchone (16.9 - 34.7%), estragole (2.5 - 66.0%) and trans-anethole (7.9 - 77.7%). The percentages of these three main compounds were used to determine the relationship between the different oil samples and to group them into four different chemotypes: anethole/fenchone; anethole; estragole and anethole/estragole. Antifungal activity of essential oils was evaluated against six food spoilage fungi: Aspergillus niger, A. japonicus, A. oryzae, Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizophus oryzae and R. stolonifer. Antibacterial activity was assessed against three Gram-positive strains: Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 12228 and S. aureus ATCC 28213; and against six Gram-negative strains: Escherichia coli ATCC 25922; Morganella morganii LFG 08; Proteus mirabilis LFG 04; Salmonella enteritidis LFG 05; S. entiritidis serovar typhimurium LFG 06 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 by the disc diffusion agar method; the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined using the broth macro-dilution method. The MIC values varied from 62.5 (E. coli ATCC 25922) to 2000 µmL (P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853).

  7. Estimating air chemical emissions from research activities using stack measurement data.

    PubMed

    Ballinger, Marcel Y; Duchsherer, Cheryl J; Woodruff, Rodger K; Larson, Timothy V

    2013-03-01

    Current methods of estimating air emissions from research and development (R&D) activities use a wide range of release fractions or emission factors with bases ranging from empirical to semi-empirical. Although considered conservative, the uncertainties and confidence levels of the existing methods have not been reported. Chemical emissions were estimated from sampling data taken from four research facilities over 10 years. The approach was to use a Monte Carlo technique to create distributions of annual emission estimates for target compounds detected in source test samples. Distributions were created for each year and building sampled for compounds with sufficient detection frequency to qualify for the analysis. The results using the Monte Carlo technique without applying a filter to remove negative emission values showed almost all distributions spanning zero, and 40% of the distributions having a negative mean. This indicates that emissions are so low as to be indistinguishable from building background. Application of a filter to allow only positive values in the distribution provided a more realistic value for emissions and increased the distribution mean by an average of 16%. Release fractions were calculated by dividing the emission estimates by a building chemical inventory quantity. Two variations were used for this quantity: chemical usage, and chemical usage plus one-half standing inventory. Filters were applied so that only release fraction values from zero to one were included in the resulting distributions. Release fractions had a wide range among chemicals and among data sets for different buildings and/or years for a given chemical. Regressions of release fractions to molecular weight and vapor pressure showed weak correlations. Similarly, regressions of mean emissions to chemical usage, chemical inventory, molecular weight, and vapor pressure also gave weak correlations. These results highlight the difficulties in estimating emissions from R

  8. Comparison of the applicability domain of a quantitative structure-activity relationship for estrogenicity with a large chemical inventory.

    PubMed

    Netzeva, Tatiana I; Gallegos Saliner, Ana; Worth, Andrew P

    2006-05-01

    The aim of the present study was to illustrate that it is possible and relatively straightforward to compare the domain of applicability of a quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) model in terms of its physicochemical descriptors with a large inventory of chemicals. A training set of 105 chemicals with data for relative estrogenic gene activation, obtained in a recombinant yeast assay, was used to develop the QSAR. A binary classification model for predicting active versus inactive chemicals was developed using classification tree analysis and two descriptors with a clear physicochemical meaning (octanol-water partition coefficient, or log Kow, and the number of hydrogen bond donors, or n(Hdon)). The model demonstrated a high overall accuracy (90.5%), with a sensitivity of 95.9% and a specificity of 78.1%. The robustness of the model was evaluated using the leave-many-out cross-validation technique, whereas the predictivity was assessed using an artificial external test set composed of 12 compounds. The domain of the QSAR training set was compared with the chemical space covered by the European Inventory of Existing Commercial Chemical Substances (EINECS), as incorporated in the CDB-EC software, in the log Kow / n(Hdon) plane. The results showed that the training set and, therefore, the applicability domain of the QSAR model covers a small part of the physicochemical domain of the inventory, even though a simple method for defining the applicability domain (ranges in the descriptor space) was used. However, a large number of compounds are located within the narrow descriptor window.

  9. PINS chemical identification software

    DOEpatents

    Caffrey, Augustine J.; Krebs, Kennth M.

    2004-09-14

    An apparatus and method for identifying a chemical compound. A neutron source delivers neutrons into the chemical compound. The nuclei of chemical elements constituting the chemical compound emit gamma rays upon interaction with the neutrons. The gamma rays are characteristic of the chemical elements constituting the chemical compound. A spectrum of the gamma rays is generated having a detection count and an energy scale. The energy scale is calibrated by comparing peaks in the spectrum to energies of pre-selected chemical elements in the spectrum. A least-squares fit completes the calibration. The chemical elements constituting the chemical compound can be readily determined, which then allows for identification of the chemical compound.

  10. Chemical composition and biological activities of extracts and essential oil of Boswellia dalzielii leaves.

    PubMed

    Kohoude, Midéko Justin; Gbaguidi, Fernand; Agbani, Pierre; Ayedoun, Marc-Abel; Cazaux, Sylvie; Bouajila, Jalloul

    2017-12-01

    Boswellia dalzielii Hutch. (Burseraceae) is an aromatic plant. The leaves are used for beverage flavouring. This study investigates the chemical composition and biological activities of various extracts. The essential oil was prepared via hydrodistillation. Identification and quantification were realized via GC-MS and GC-FID. Consecutive extractions (cyclohexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and methanol) were carried out and various chemical groups (phenolics, flavonoids, tannins, antocyanins and sugar) were quantified. The volatile compounds of organic extracts were identified before and after derivatization. Antioxidant, antihyperuricemia, anti-Alzheimer, anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities were evaluated. In the essential oil, 50 compounds were identified, including 3-carene (27.72%) and α-pinene (15.18%). 2,5-Dihydroxy acetophenone and β-d-xylopyranose were identified in the methanol extract. Higher phenolic (315.97 g GAE/kg dry mass) and flavonoid (37.19 g QE/kg dry mass) contents were observed in the methanol extract. The methanol extract has presented remarkable IC 50  =   6.10 mg/L for antiDPPH, 35.10 mg/L for antixanthine oxidase and 28.01 mg/L for anti-5-lipoxygenase. For acetylcholinesterase inhibition, the best IC 50 (76.20 and 67.10 mg/L) were observed, respectively, with an ethyl acetate extract and the essential oil. At 50 mg/L, the dichloromethane extract inhibited OVCAR-3 cell lines by 65.10%, while cyclohexane extract inhibited IGROV-1 cell lines by 92.60%. Biological activities were fully correlated with the chemical groups of the extracts. The ethyl acetate and methanol extracts could be considered as potential alternatives for use in dietary supplements for the prevention or treatment of diseases because of these extracts natural antioxidant, antihyperuricemic and anti-inflammatory activities.

  11. Targeting the epigenome: Screening bioactive compounds that regulate histone deacetylase activity.

    PubMed

    Godoy, Luis D; Lucas, Julianna E; Bender, Abigail J; Romanick, Samantha S; Ferguson, Bradley S

    2017-04-01

    Nutrigenomics is a rapidly expanding field that elucidates the link between diet-genome interactions. Recent evidence demonstrates that regulation of the epigenome, and in particular inhibition of histone deacetylases (HDACs), impact pathogenetic mechanisms involved in chronic disease. Few studies, to date, have screened libraries of bioactive compounds that act as epigenetic modifiers. This study screened a library of 131 natural compounds to determine bioactive compounds that inhibit Zn-dependent HDAC activity. Using class-specific HDAC substrates, we screened 131 natural compounds for HDAC activity in bovine cardiac tissue. From this screen, we identified 18 bioactive compound HDAC inhibitors. Using our class-specific HDAC substrates, we next screened these 18 bioactive compounds against recombinant HDAC proteins. Consistent with inhibition of HDAC activity, these compounds were capable of inhibiting activity of individual HDAC isoforms. Lastly, we report that treatment of H9c2 cardiac myoblasts with bioactive HDAC inhibitors was sufficient to increase lysine acetylation as assessed via immunoblot. This study provided the first step in identifying multiple bioactive compound HDAC inhibitors. Taken together, this report sets the stage for future exploration of these bioactive compounds as epigenetic regulators to potentially ameliorate chronic disease. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. [Chemical constituents of Rauvolfia verticillata].

    PubMed

    Hong, Bo; Li, Wen-Jing; Zhao, Chun-Jie

    2012-06-01

    The study on the Rauvolfia verticillata (Lour.) Baill., which belongs to Apocynaceae, was carried out to look for its chemical constituents and pharmacological activity. The isolation and purification were performed by chromatography on silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and ODS (octadecyl silane) open column. The structures of obtained compounds were elucidated on the basis of physicochemical properties and spectral analysis. Three indole alkaloids and one acridone alkaloid were isolated from chloroform layer extract and identified as ajmalicine B (1), sandwicine (2), raunescine (3) and 7-hydroxynoracronycine (4) separately. Ajmalicine B (1) is a new compound belonging to indole alkaloid. Compound 4 as an acridone alkaloid was a new type compound isolated from Rauvolfia genus for the first time. We also did some biological activity research on the new type compound (4) to explore other pharmacological activities in addition to antihypertensive activity.

  13. Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of propolis collected by three different races of honeybees in the same region.

    PubMed

    Silici, Sibel; Kutluca, Semiramis

    2005-05-13

    The chemical analysis and antibacterial activity of three types of propolis collected three different races of Apis mellifera bee in the same apiary were investigated. Propolis samples were investigated by GC/MS, 48 compounds were identified 32 being new for propolis. The compounds identified indicated that the main plant sources of propolis were Populus alba, Populus tremuloides and Salix alba. The antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans was evaluated. Ethanolic extracts of propolis samples showed high antibacterial activity against Gram-positive cocci (Staphylococcus aureus), but had a weak activity against Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and yeast (Candida albicans). Propolis sample collected by Apis mellifera caucasica showed a higher antibacterial activity than collected by Apis mellifera anatolica and Apis mellifera carnica.

  14. Chemical composition and biological activity of ripe pumpkin fruits (Cucurbita pepo L.) cultivated in Egyptian habitats.

    PubMed

    Badr, Sherif E A; Shaaban, Mohamed; Elkholy, Yehya M; Helal, Maher H; Hamza, Akila S; Masoud, Mohamed S; El Safty, Mounir M

    2011-09-01

    The chemical composition and biological activity of three parts (rind, flesh and seeds) of pumpkin fruits (Cucurbita pepo L.) cultivated in Egypt were studied. Chemical analysis of fibre, protein, β-carotene, carbohydrates, minerals and fatty acids present in the rind, flesh, seeds and defatted seeds meal was conducted. Chemical, GC-MS and biological assays of organic extracts of the main fruit parts, rind and flesh established their unique constituents. Chromatographic purification of the extracts afforded triglyceride fatty acid mixture (1), tetrahydro-thiophene (2), linoleic acid (3), calotropoleanly ester (4), cholesterol (5) and 13(18)-oleanen-3-ol (6). GC-MS analysis of the extract's unpolar fraction revealed the existence of dodecane and tetradecane. Structures of the isolated compounds (1-6) were confirmed by NMR and EI-MS spectrometry. Antimicrobial, antiviral and antitumour activities of the fruit parts were discussed. The promising combined extract of rind and flesh was biologically studied for microbial and cytotoxic activities in comparison with the whole isolated components.

  15. Drugs as habitable planets in the space of dark chemical matter.

    PubMed

    Siramshetty, Vishal B; Preissner, Robert

    2018-03-01

    A recent study demonstrated antifungal activity of dark chemical matter (DCM) compounds that were otherwise inactive in more than 100 HTS assays. These compounds were proposed to possess unique activity and 'clean' safety profiles. Here, we present an outlook of the promiscuity and safety of these compounds by retrospectively comparing their chemical and biological spaces with those of drugs. Significant amounts of marketed drugs (16%), withdrawn drugs (16.5%) and natural compounds (3.5%) share structural identity with DCM. Compound promiscuity assessment indicates that dark matter compounds could potentially interact with multiple biological targets. Further, thousands of DCM compounds showed presence of frequent-hitting pan-assay interference compound (PAINS) substructures. In light of these observations, filtering these compounds from screening libraries can be an irrevocable loss. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Data on changes in red wine phenolic compounds, headspace aroma compounds and sensory profile after treatment of red wines with activated carbons with different physicochemical characteristics.

    PubMed

    Filipe-Ribeiro, Luís; Milheiro, Juliana; Matos, Carlos C; Cosme, Fernanda; Nunes, Fernando M

    2017-06-01

    Data in this article presents the changes on phenolic compounds, headspace aroma composition and sensory profile of a red wine spiked with 4-ethylphenol and 4-ethylguaiacol and treated with seven activated carbons with different physicochemical characteristics, namely surface area, micropore volume and mesopore volume ("Reduction of 4-ethylphenol and 4-ethylguaiacol in red wine by activated carbons with different physicochemical characteristics: impact on wine quality" Filipe-Ribeiro et al. (2017) [1]). Data on the physicochemical characteristics of the activated carbons are shown. Statistical data on the sensory expert panel consistency by General Procrustes Analysis is shown. Statistical data is also shown, which correlates the changes in chemical composition of red wines with the physicochemical characteristics of activated carbons used.

  17. A combined Fisher and Laplacian score for feature selection in QSAR based drug design using compounds with known and unknown activities.

    PubMed

    Valizade Hasanloei, Mohammad Amin; Sheikhpour, Razieh; Sarram, Mehdi Agha; Sheikhpour, Elnaz; Sharifi, Hamdollah

    2018-02-01

    Quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) is an effective computational technique for drug design that relates the chemical structures of compounds to their biological activities. Feature selection is an important step in QSAR based drug design to select the most relevant descriptors. One of the most popular feature selection methods for classification problems is Fisher score which aim is to minimize the within-class distance and maximize the between-class distance. In this study, the properties of Fisher criterion were extended for QSAR models to define the new distance metrics based on the continuous activity values of compounds with known activities. Then, a semi-supervised feature selection method was proposed based on the combination of Fisher and Laplacian criteria which exploits both compounds with known and unknown activities to select the relevant descriptors. To demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed semi-supervised feature selection method in selecting the relevant descriptors, we applied the method and other feature selection methods on three QSAR data sets such as serine/threonine-protein kinase PLK3 inhibitors, ROCK inhibitors and phenol compounds. The results demonstrated that the QSAR models built on the selected descriptors by the proposed semi-supervised method have better performance than other models. This indicates the efficiency of the proposed method in selecting the relevant descriptors using the compounds with known and unknown activities. The results of this study showed that the compounds with known and unknown activities can be helpful to improve the performance of the combined Fisher and Laplacian based feature selection methods.

  18. A combined Fisher and Laplacian score for feature selection in QSAR based drug design using compounds with known and unknown activities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Valizade Hasanloei, Mohammad Amin; Sheikhpour, Razieh; Sarram, Mehdi Agha; Sheikhpour, Elnaz; Sharifi, Hamdollah

    2018-02-01

    Quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) is an effective computational technique for drug design that relates the chemical structures of compounds to their biological activities. Feature selection is an important step in QSAR based drug design to select the most relevant descriptors. One of the most popular feature selection methods for classification problems is Fisher score which aim is to minimize the within-class distance and maximize the between-class distance. In this study, the properties of Fisher criterion were extended for QSAR models to define the new distance metrics based on the continuous activity values of compounds with known activities. Then, a semi-supervised feature selection method was proposed based on the combination of Fisher and Laplacian criteria which exploits both compounds with known and unknown activities to select the relevant descriptors. To demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed semi-supervised feature selection method in selecting the relevant descriptors, we applied the method and other feature selection methods on three QSAR data sets such as serine/threonine-protein kinase PLK3 inhibitors, ROCK inhibitors and phenol compounds. The results demonstrated that the QSAR models built on the selected descriptors by the proposed semi-supervised method have better performance than other models. This indicates the efficiency of the proposed method in selecting the relevant descriptors using the compounds with known and unknown activities. The results of this study showed that the compounds with known and unknown activities can be helpful to improve the performance of the combined Fisher and Laplacian based feature selection methods.

  19. Chemical components and tyrosinase inhibitors from the twigs of Artocarpus heterophyllus.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Zong-Ping; Chen, Sibao; Wang, Shiyun; Wang, Xia-Chang; Cheng, Ka-Wing; Wu, Jia-Jun; Yang, Dajiang; Wang, Mingfu

    2009-08-12

    An HPLC method was developed and validated to compare the chemical profiles and tyrosinase inhibitors in the woods, twigs, roots, and leaves of Artocarpus heterophyllus . Five active tyrosinase inhibitors including dihydromorin, steppogenin, norartocarpetin, artocarpanone, and artocarpesin were used as marker compounds in this HPLC method. It was discovered that the chemical profiles of A. heterophyllus twigs and woods are quite different. Systematic chromatographic methods were further applied to purify the chemicals in the twigs of A. heterophyllus. Four new phenolic compounds, including one isoprenylated 2-arylbenzofuran derivative, artoheterophyllin A (1), and three isoprenylated flavonoids, artoheterophyllin B (2), artoheterophyllin C (3), and artoheterophyllin D (4), together with 16 known compounds, were isolated from the ethanol extract of the twigs of A. heterophyllus. The structures of compounds 1-4 were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis. However, the four new compounds did not show significant inhibitory activities against mushroom tyrosinase compared to kojic acid. It was found that similar compounds, such as norartocarpetin and artocarpesin in the twigs and woods of A. heterophyllus, contributed to their tyrosinase inhibitory activity.

  20. Soft antimicrobial agents: synthesis and activity of labile environmentally friendly long chain quaternary ammonium compounds.

    PubMed

    Thorsteinsson, Thorsteinn; Másson, Már; Kristinsson, Karl G; Hjálmarsdóttir, Martha A; Hilmarsson, Hilmar; Loftsson, Thorsteinn

    2003-09-11

    A series of soft quaternary ammonium antimicrobial agents, which are analogues to currently used quaternary ammonium preservatives such as cetyl pyridinium chloride and benzalkonium chloride, were synthesized. These soft analogues consist of long alkyl chain connected to a polar headgroup via chemically labile spacer group. They are characterized by facile nonenzymatic and enzymatic degradation to form their original nontoxic building blocks. However, their chemical stability has to be adequate in order for them to have antimicrobial effects. Stability studies and antibacterial and antiviral activity measurements revealed relationship between activity, lipophilicity, and stability. Their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was as low as 1 microg/mL, and their viral reduction was in some cases greater than 6.7 log. The structure-activity studies demonstrate that the bioactive compounds (i.e., MIC for Gram-positive bacteria of <10 microg/mL) have an alkyl chain length between 12 and 18 carbon atoms, with a polar headgroup preferably of a small quaternary ammonium group, and their acquired inactivation half-life must be greater than 3 h at 60 degrees C.

  1. Morus alba and active compound oxyresveratrol exert anti-inflammatory activity via inhibition of leukocyte migration involving MEK/ERK signaling.

    PubMed

    Chen, Yi-Ching; Tien, Yin-Jing; Chen, Chun-Houh; Beltran, Francesca N; Amor, Evangeline C; Wang, Ran-Juh; Wu, Den-Jen; Mettling, Clément; Lin, Yea-Lih; Yang, Wen-Chin

    2013-02-23

    Morus alba has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat inflammatory diseases; however, the scientific basis for such usage and the mechanism of action are not well understood. This study investigated the action of M. alba on leukocyte migration, one key step in inflammation. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and cluster analyses of supercritical CO2 extracts of three Morus species were performed for chemotaxonomy-aided plant authentication. Phytochemistry and CXCR4-mediated chemotaxis assays were used to characterize the chemical and biological properties of M. alba and its active compound, oxyresveratrol. fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and Western blot analyses were conducted to determine the mode of action of oxyresveratrol. Chemotaxonomy was used to help authenticate M. alba. Chemotaxis-based isolation identified oxyresveratrol as an active component in M. alba. Phytochemical and chemotaxis assays showed that the crude extract, ethyl acetate fraction and oxyresveratrol from M. alba suppressed cell migration of Jurkat T cells in response to SDF-1. Mechanistic study indicated that oxyresveratrol diminished CXCR4-mediated T-cell migration via inhibition of the MEK/ERK signaling cascade. A combination of GC-MS and cluster analysis techniques are applicable for authentication of the Morus species. Anti-inflammatory benefits of M. alba and its active compound, oxyresveratrol, may involve the inhibition of CXCR-4-mediated chemotaxis and MEK/ERK pathway in T and other immune cells.

  2. Progress in the field of physiologically active lanosterol compounds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reshetova, I. G.; Tkhaper, R. K.; Kamernitskii, Alexey V.

    1992-08-01

    This review correlates the studies (up to 1991) on the isolation, structural determination, biological activity, and synthesis of physiologically active polyoxidised lanosterol derivatives of vegetable (inotodiol, ganoderic acids) and animal (seychellogenin) origin. The cytotoxic, cardiovascular, and other forms of activity of compounds of this type are of considerable interest in relation to their medical use. It is noted that the functionalised side chain (in an open form or containing lactones, lactols, etc.) is generally responsible for the activity exhibited by lanosterol derivatives. Two basic approaches to the derivation of these structures are defined: either by complete reconstruction of the side chain of lanosterol (degradation and rebuilding with oxygen-containing residues) or by progressive functionalisation of the Δ24-side chain of lanosterol. The synthesis of the known anticancer compound "inotodiol", seychellogenins, ganoderic acids, and other compounds are described. The bibliography includes 105 references.

  3. Synergistic activation of human pregnane X receptor by binary cocktails of pharmaceutical and environmental compounds.

    PubMed

    Delfosse, Vanessa; Dendele, Béatrice; Huet, Tiphaine; Grimaldi, Marina; Boulahtouf, Abdelhay; Gerbal-Chaloin, Sabine; Beucher, Bertrand; Roecklin, Dominique; Muller, Christina; Rahmani, Roger; Cavaillès, Vincent; Daujat-Chavanieu, Martine; Vivat, Valérie; Pascussi, Jean-Marc; Balaguer, Patrick; Bourguet, William

    2015-09-03

    Humans are chronically exposed to multiple exogenous substances, including environmental pollutants, drugs and dietary components. Many of these compounds are suspected to impact human health, and their combination in complex mixtures could exacerbate their harmful effects. Here we demonstrate that a pharmaceutical oestrogen and a persistent organochlorine pesticide, both exhibiting low efficacy when studied separately, cooperatively bind to the pregnane X receptor, leading to synergistic activation. Biophysical analysis shows that each ligand enhances the binding affinity of the other, so the binary mixture induces a substantial biological response at doses at which each chemical individually is inactive. High-resolution crystal structures reveal the structural basis for the observed cooperativity. Our results suggest that the formation of 'supramolecular ligands' within the ligand-binding pocket of nuclear receptors contributes to the synergistic toxic effect of chemical mixtures, which may have broad implications for the fields of endocrine disruption, toxicology and chemical risk assessment.

  4. Pseudo Jahn-Teller effect in control and rationalization of chemical transformations in two-dimensional compounds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gorinchoy, N. N.; Bersuker, I. B.

    2017-05-01

    We show that the pseudo Jahn-Teller effect (PJTE) is instrumental in predicting and rationalizing structural changes in chemical transformations of two-dimensional (2D) molecular systems by means of analyzing the symmetries and electron occupation of the ground and lowest excited electronic states and the energy gap between them, subject to their PJT coupling along the main distortion coordinates. Special attention is paid to rationalizing the PJTE origin of non-planarity of 2D compounds and to the restoration of their planar configurations. Examples of two series of 1,2- and 1,4-dithiin containing tricyclic compounds (carbon sulfide, thianthrene, and antracene and their derivatives) are used to demonstrate in detail the mechanism of (1) enhancement and suppression of the PJTE distortions (puckering) in redox processes, and (2) PJTE induced symmetry breaking and restoration of the planar configuration by chemical substitutions.

  5. Honey: Chemical composition, stability and authenticity.

    PubMed

    da Silva, Priscila Missio; Gauche, Cony; Gonzaga, Luciano Valdemiro; Costa, Ana Carolina Oliveira; Fett, Roseane

    2016-04-01

    The aim of this review is to describe the chemical characteristics of compounds present in honey, their stability when heated or stored for long periods of time and the parameters of identity and quality. Therefore, the chemical characteristics of these compounds were examined, such as sugars, proteins, amino acids, enzymes, organic acids, vitamins, minerals, phenolic and volatile compounds present in honey. The stability of these compounds in relation to the chemical reactions that occur by heating or prolonged storage were also discussed, with increased understanding of the behavior regarding the common processing of honey that may compromise its quality. In addition, the identity and quality standards were described, such as sugars, moisture, acidity, ash and electrical conductivity, color, 5-HMF and diastase activity, along with the minimum and maximum limits established by the Codex Alimentarius. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Different phenolic compounds activate distinct human bitter taste receptors.

    PubMed

    Soares, Susana; Kohl, Susann; Thalmann, Sophie; Mateus, Nuno; Meyerhof, Wolfgang; De Freitas, Victor

    2013-02-20

    Bitterness is a major sensory attribute of several common foods and beverages rich in polyphenol compounds. These compounds are reported as very important for health as chemopreventive compounds, but they are also known to taste bitter. In this work, the activation of the human bitter taste receptors, TAS2Rs, by six polyphenol compounds was analyzed. The compounds chosen are present in a wide range of plant-derived foods and beverages, namely, red wine, beer, tea, and chocolate. Pentagalloylglucose (PGG) is a hydrolyzable tannin, (-)-epicatechin is a precursor of condensed tannins, procyanidin dimer B3 and trimer C2 belong to the condensed tannins, and malvidin-3-glucoside and cyanidin-3-glucoside are anthocyanins. The results show that the different compounds activate different combinations of the ~25 TAS2Rs. (-)-Epicatechin activated three receptors, TAS2R4, TAS2R5, and TAS2R39, whereas only two receptors, TAS2R5 and TAS2R39, responded to PGG. In contrast, malvidin-3-glucoside and procyanidin trimer stimulated only one receptor, TAS2R7 and TAS2R5, respectively. Notably, tannins are the first natural agonists found for TAS2R5 that display high potency only toward this receptor. The catechol and/or galloyl groups appear to be important structural determinants that mediate the interaction of these polyphenolic compounds with TAS2R5. Overall, the EC(50) values obtained for the different compounds vary 100-fold, with the lowest values for PGG and malvidin-3-glucoside compounds, suggesting that they could be significant polyphenols responsible for the bitterness of fruits, vegetables, and derived products even if they are present in very low concentrations.

  7. Chemical constituents of Phragmanthera austroarabica A. G. Mill and J. A. Nyberg with potent antioxidant activity

    PubMed Central

    Badr, Jihan M.

    2015-01-01

    Background: Phragmanthera austroarabica A.G. Mill. and J. A. Nyberg is a semi parasitic plant belonging to family Loranthaceae. It was collected from Saudi Arabia. It is widely used in folk medicine among the kingdom in treatment of various diseases including diabetes mellitus. Objective: The total alcoholic extract of P. austroarabica collected from Saudi Arabia was investigated for the chemical structure and prominent biological activity of the main constituents. Materials and Methods: Isolation of the active constituents was performed using different chromatographic techniques including column chromatography packed with silica or sephadex and preparative thin layer chromatography. The structures of the isolated compounds were established based on different spectroscopic data as mass spectrum, one-dimensional and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (correlation spectroscopy, heteronuclear single quantum coherence, and heteronuclear multiple-bond correlation). Results: Phytochemical investigation of the plant resulted in isolation of 12 compounds. The isolated compounds were identified as chrysophanic acid, emodin, chrysophanic acid-8-O-glucoside, emodin-8-O-glucoside, pectolinarigenin, quercetin, dillenetin-3-O-glucoside, catechin, catechin-4’-O-gallate, methyl gallate, lupeol and ursolic acid. All the isolated phenolic compounds revealed significant free radical scavenging activities when tested using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl reagent. Conclusion: The antioxidant activities of the isolated compounds can justify the use of P. austroarabica in traditional medicine for treatment of diabetes and verify its possible application as an antihyperglycemic drug. PMID:26692747

  8. Thermal luminescence spectroscopy chemical imaging sensor.

    PubMed

    Carrieri, Arthur H; Buican, Tudor N; Roese, Erik S; Sutter, James; Samuels, Alan C

    2012-10-01

    The authors present a pseudo-active chemical imaging sensor model embodying irradiative transient heating, temperature nonequilibrium thermal luminescence spectroscopy, differential hyperspectral imaging, and artificial neural network technologies integrated together. We elaborate on various optimizations, simulations, and animations of the integrated sensor design and apply it to the terrestrial chemical contamination problem, where the interstitial contaminant compounds of detection interest (analytes) comprise liquid chemical warfare agents, their various derivative condensed phase compounds, and other material of a life-threatening nature. The sensor must measure and process a dynamic pattern of absorptive-emissive middle infrared molecular signature spectra of subject analytes to perform its chemical imaging and standoff detection functions successfully.

  9. Nuisance Compounds, PAINS Filters, and Dark Chemical Matter in the GSK HTS Collection.

    PubMed

    Chakravorty, Subhas J; Chan, James; Greenwood, Marie Nicole; Popa-Burke, Ioana; Remlinger, Katja S; Pickett, Stephen D; Green, Darren V S; Fillmore, Martin C; Dean, Tony W; Luengo, Juan I; Macarrón, Ricardo

    2018-07-01

    High-throughput screening (HTS) hits include compounds with undesirable properties. Many filters have been described to identify such hits. Notably, pan-assay interference compounds (PAINS) has been adopted by the community as the standard term to refer to such filters, and very useful guidelines have been adopted by the American Chemical Society (ACS) and subsequently triggered a healthy scientific debate about the pitfalls of draconian use of filters. Using an inhibitory frequency index, we have analyzed in detail the promiscuity profile of the whole GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) HTS collection comprising more than 2 million unique compounds that have been tested in hundreds of screening assays. We provide a comprehensive analysis of many previously published filters and newly described classes of nuisance structures that may serve as a useful source of empirical information to guide the design or growth of HTS collections and hit triaging strategies.

  10. [Measurement of Chemical Compounds in Indoor and Outdoor Air in Chiba City Using Diffusive Sampling Devices].

    PubMed

    Sakamoto, Hironari; Uchiyama, Shigehisa; Kihara, Akiko; Tsutake, Toyoshige; Bekki, Kanae; Inaba, Yohei; Nakagome, Hideki; Kunugita, Naoki

    2015-01-01

    Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a major concern, because people on average spend the vast majority of their time indoors and they are repeatedly exposed to indoor air pollutants. In this study, to assess indoor air quality in Chiba City, gaseous chemical compounds were surveyed using four types of diffusive sampler. Gaseous chemical compounds such as carbonyls, volatile organic compounds (VOC), acid gases, basic gases, and ozone were measured in indoor and outdoor air of 50 houses throughout Chiba City in winter and summer. Four types of diffusive sampler were used in this study: DSD-BPE/DNPH packed with 2,4-dinitrophenyl hydrazine and trans-1,2-bis(2-pyridyl)ethylene-coated silica for ozone and carbonyls; VOC-SD packed with Carboxen 564 particles for volatile organic compounds; DSD-TEA packed with triethanolamine-impregnated silica for acid gases; and DSD-NH3 packed with phosphoric acid-impregnated silica for basic gases. Almost all compounds in indoor air were detected at higher concentrations in summer than in winter. However, the nitrogen dioxide concentration in indoor air particularly increased only in winter, which well correlated with the formic acid concentration (correlation coefficient=0.974). The compound with the highest concentrations in indoor air was p-dichlorobenzene, with recorded levels of 13,000 μg m(-3) in summer and 1,100 μg m(-3) in winter in indoor air. p-Dichlorobenzene in summer and nitrogen dioxide in winter are detected at markedly high concentrations. Pollution control and continuous monitoring of IAQ are indispensable for human health.

  11. Toxins and pharmacologically active compounds from species of the family Bufonidae (Amphibia, Anura).

    PubMed

    Rodríguez, Candelario; Rollins-Smith, Louise; Ibáñez, Roberto; Durant-Archibold, Armando A; Gutiérrez, Marcelino

    2017-02-23

    Among amphibians, 15 of the 47 species reported to be used in traditional medicines belong to the family Bufonidae, which demonstrates their potential in pharmacological and natural products research. For example, Asian and American tribes use the skin and the parotoid gland secretions of some common toads in the treatment of hemorrhages, bites and stings from venomous animals, skin and stomach disorders, as well as several types of cancers. In addition to reviewing the occurrence of chemical constituents present in the family Bufonidae, the cytotoxic and biomedical potential of the active compounds produced by different taxa are presented. Available information on bioactive compounds isolated from species of the family Bufonidae was obtained from ACS Publications, Google, Google Scholar, Pubmed, Sciendirect and Springer. Papers written in Chinese, English, German and Spanish were considered. Recent reports show more than 30% of amphibians are in decline and some of bufonid species are considered to be extinct. For centuries, bufonids have been used as traditional folk remedies to treat allergies, inflammation, cancer, infections and other ailments, highlighting their importance as a prolific source for novel drugs and therapies. Toxins and bioactive chemical constituents from skin and parotid gland secretions of bufonid species can be grouped in five families, the guanidine alkaloids isolated and characterized from Atelopus, the lipophilic alkaloids isolated from Melanophryniscus, the indole alkaloids and bufadienolides known to be synthesized by species of bufonids, and peptides and proteins isolated from the skin and gastrointestinal extracts of some common toads. Overall, the bioactive secretions of this family of anurans may have antimicrobial, protease inhibitor and anticancer properties, as well as being active at the neuromuscular level. In this article, the traditional uses, toxicity and pharmacological potential of chemical compounds from bufonids have

  12. Predicting physical properties of emerging compounds with limited physical and chemical data: QSAR model uncertainty and applicability to military munitions.

    PubMed

    Bennett, Erin R; Clausen, Jay; Linkov, Eugene; Linkov, Igor

    2009-11-01

    Reliable, up-front information on physical and biological properties of emerging materials is essential before making a decision and investment to formulate, synthesize, scale-up, test, and manufacture a new material for use in both military and civilian applications. Multiple quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs) software tools are available for predicting a material's physical/chemical properties and environmental effects. Even though information on emerging materials is often limited, QSAR software output is treated without sufficient uncertainty analysis. We hypothesize that uncertainty and variability in material properties and uncertainty in model prediction can be too large to provide meaningful results. To test this hypothesis, we predicted octanol water partitioning coefficients (logP) for multiple, similar compounds with limited physical-chemical properties using six different commercial logP calculators (KOWWIN, MarvinSketch, ACD/Labs, ALogP, CLogP, SPARC). Analysis was done for materials with largely uncertain properties that were similar, based on molecular formula, to military compounds (RDX, BTTN, TNT) and pharmaceuticals (Carbamazepine, Gemfibrizol). We have also compared QSAR modeling results for a well-studied pesticide and pesticide breakdown product (Atrazine, DDE). Our analysis shows variability due to structural variations of the emerging chemicals may be several orders of magnitude. The model uncertainty across six software packages was very high (10 orders of magnitude) for emerging materials while it was low for traditional chemicals (e.g. Atrazine). Thus the use of QSAR models for emerging materials screening requires extensive model validation and coupling QSAR output with available empirical data and other relevant information.

  13. Discovery of New Compounds Active against Plasmodium falciparum by High Throughput Screening of Microbial Natural Products.

    PubMed

    Pérez-Moreno, Guiomar; Cantizani, Juan; Sánchez-Carrasco, Paula; Ruiz-Pérez, Luis Miguel; Martín, Jesús; El Aouad, Noureddine; Pérez-Victoria, Ignacio; Tormo, José Rubén; González-Menendez, Víctor; González, Ignacio; de Pedro, Nuria; Reyes, Fernando; Genilloud, Olga; Vicente, Francisca; González-Pacanowska, Dolores

    2016-01-01

    Due to the low structural diversity within the set of antimalarial drugs currently available in the clinic and the increasing number of cases of resistance, there is an urgent need to find new compounds with novel modes of action to treat the disease. Microbial natural products are characterized by their large diversity provided in terms of the chemical complexity of the compounds and the novelty of structures. Microbial natural products extracts have been underexplored in the search for new antiparasitic drugs and even more so in the discovery of new antimalarials. Our objective was to find new druggable natural products with antimalarial properties from the MEDINA natural products collection, one of the largest natural product libraries harboring more than 130,000 microbial extracts. In this work, we describe the optimization process and the results of a phenotypic high throughput screen (HTS) based on measurements of Plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase. A subset of more than 20,000 extracts from the MEDINA microbial products collection has been explored, leading to the discovery of 3 new compounds with antimalarial activity. In addition, we report on the novel antiplasmodial activity of 4 previously described natural products.

  14. Chemical composition of essential oils and in vitro antioxidant activity of fresh and dry leaves crude extracts of medicinal plant of Lactuca Sativa L. native to Sultanate of Oman.

    PubMed

    Al Nomaani, Rahma Said Salim; Hossain, Mohammad Amzad; Weli, Afaf Mohammed; Al-Riyami, Qasim; Al-Sabahi, Jamal Nasser

    2013-05-01

    To isolate and analyse the chemical composition in the essential oils and free radical scavenging activity of different crude extracts from the fresh and dry leaves of vegetable plants of Lactuca sativa L. (L. sativa). The essential oils and volatile chemical constituents were isolated from the fresh and dry leaves of L. sativa (lettuce) grown in Sultanate of Oman by hydro distillation method. The antioxidant activity of the crude extracts was carried out by well established free radical scavenging activity (DPPH) method. About 20 chemical compounds of different concentration representing 83.07% and 79.88% respectively were isolated and identified by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy in the essential oils isolated from the fresh and dry leaves as α-pinene (5.11% and 4.05%), γ-cymene (2.07% and 1.92%), thymol (11.55% and 10.73%), durenol (52.00% and 49.79%), α-terpinene (1.66% and 1.34%), thymol acetate (0.99% and 0.67%), caryophyllene (2.11% and 1.98%), spathulenol (3.09% and 2.98%), camphene (4.11% and 3.65%), limonene (1.28% and 1.11%) representing these major chemical compounds. However, some other minor chemical constituents were also isolated and identified from the essential oil of lettuce including β-pinene, α-terpinolene, linalool, 4-terpineol, α-terpineol, o-methylthymol, L-alloaromadendrene and viridiflorene. The chemical constituents in the essential oils from the locally grown lettuce were identified in the following classes or groups of chemical compounds such as monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes volatile organic compounds and their oxygenated hydrocarbons. Therefore, the essential oils and the crude extracts from Omani vegetable species of lettuce are active candidates which would be used as antioxidant, antifungal or antimicrobial agents in new drugs preparation for therapy of infectious diseases.

  15. Chemical composition of essential oils and in vitro antioxidant activity of fresh and dry leaves crude extracts of medicinal plant of Lactuca Sativa L. native to Sultanate of Oman

    PubMed Central

    Al Nomaani, Rahma Said Salim; Hossain, Mohammad Amzad; Weli, Afaf Mohammed; Al-Riyami, Qasim; Al-Sabahi, Jamal Nasser

    2013-01-01

    Objective To isolate and analyse the chemical composition in the essential oils and free radical scavenging activity of different crude extracts from the fresh and dry leaves of vegetable plants of Lactuca sativa L. (L. sativa). Methods The essential oils and volatile chemical constituents were isolated from the fresh and dry leaves of L. sativa (lettuce) grown in Sultanate of Oman by hydro distillation method. The antioxidant activity of the crude extracts was carried out by well established free radical scavenging activity (DPPH) method. Results About 20 chemical compounds of different concentration representing 83.07% and 79.88% respectively were isolated and identified by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy in the essential oils isolated from the fresh and dry leaves as α-pinene (5.11% and 4.05%), γ-cymene (2.07% and 1.92%), thymol (11.55% and 10.73%), durenol (52.00% and 49.79%), α-terpinene (1.66% and 1.34%), thymol acetate (0.99% and 0.67%), caryophyllene (2.11% and 1.98%), spathulenol (3.09% and 2.98%), camphene (4.11% and 3.65%), limonene (1.28% and 1.11%) representing these major chemical compounds. However, some other minor chemical constituents were also isolated and identified from the essential oil of lettuce including β-pinene, α-terpinolene, linalool, 4-terpineol, α-terpineol, o-methylthymol, L-alloaromadendrene and viridiflorene. Conclusions The chemical constituents in the essential oils from the locally grown lettuce were identified in the following classes or groups of chemical compounds such as monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes volatile organic compounds and their oxygenated hydrocarbons. Therefore, the essential oils and the crude extracts from Omani vegetable species of lettuce are active candidates which would be used as antioxidant, antifungal or antimicrobial agents in new drugs preparation for therapy of infectious diseases. PMID:23646297

  16. The acid properties of dodecasubstituted porphyrins with a chemically active NH bond

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Berezin, D. B.; Ivanova, Yu. B.; Sheinin, V. B.

    2007-12-01

    The NH acid properties of nonplanar dodecasubstituted porphyrins (H2P) were studied by the spectropotentiometric and spectrophotometric methods and by semiempirical quantum-chemical calculations. The reaction of H2P with a weak organic base DMSO proceeded with the formation of the H-associated form DMSO⋯H⋯PH or DMSO⋯H⋯P⋯H⋯DMSO. Strong bases KOH[222] and [NR4]OH reacted with the formation of mono-(HP-) or dianionic (P2-) forms. An increase in NH acidity along the series tetraphenylporphin < tetraphenyltetrabenzoporphin < β-octaethyltetraphenylporphin < dodecaphenylporphin < β-octabromotetraphenylporphin was to a great extent caused by the polarization of molecules, which accompanied saddle-nonplanar distortions of their structure, rather than β-substituent electronic effects. The quantitative characteristics obtained using the suggested system of criteria of the chemical activity of NH bonds (1H NMR spectral, kinetic, and quantum-chemical criteria) linearly correlated with H2P acid dissociation constants and could be used for alternative estimation of the acidity of tetrapyrrole compounds.

  17. Antileishmanial activities of dihydrochalcones from piper elongatum and synthetic related compounds. Structural requirements for activity.

    PubMed

    Hermoso, Alicia; Jiménez, Ignacio A; Mamani, Zulma A; Bazzocchi, Isabel L; Piñero, José E; Ravelo, Angel G; Valladares, Basilio

    2003-09-01

    Two dihydrochalcones (1 and 2) were isolated from Piper elongatum Vahl by activity-guided fractionation against extracellular promastigotes of Leishmania braziliensis in vitro. Their structures were elucidated by spectral analysis, including homonuclear and heteronuclear correlation NMR experiments. Derivatives 3-7 and 20 synthetic related compounds (8-27) were also assayed to establish the structural requirements for antileishmanial activity. Compounds 1-11 that proved to be more active that ketoconazol, used as positive control, were further assayed against promastigotes of Leishmania tropica and Leishmania infantum. Compounds 7 and 11, with a C(6)-C(3)-C(6) system, proved to be the most promising compounds, with IC(50) values of 2.98 and 3.65 microg/mL, respectively, and exhibited no toxic effect on macrophages (around 90% viability). Correlation between the molecular structures and antileishmanial activity is discussed in detail.

  18. Marine Rare Actinobacteria: Isolation, Characterization, and Strategies for Harnessing Bioactive Compounds

    PubMed Central

    Dhakal, Dipesh; Pokhrel, Anaya Raj; Shrestha, Biplav; Sohng, Jae Kyung

    2017-01-01

    Actinobacteria are prolific producers of thousands of biologically active natural compounds with diverse activities. More than half of these bioactive compounds have been isolated from members belonging to actinobacteria. Recently, rare actinobacteria existing at different environmental settings such as high altitudes, volcanic areas, and marine environment have attracted attention. It has been speculated that physiological or biochemical pressures under such harsh environmental conditions can lead to the production of diversified natural compounds. Hence, marine environment has been focused for the discovery of novel natural products with biological potency. Many novel and promising bioactive compounds with versatile medicinal, industrial, or agricultural uses have been isolated and characterized. The natural compounds cannot be directly used as drug or other purposes, so they are structurally modified and diversified to ameliorate their biological or chemical properties. Versatile synthetic biological tools, metabolic engineering techniques, and chemical synthesis platform can be used to assist such structural modification. This review summarizes the latest studies on marine rare actinobacteria and their natural products with focus on recent approaches for structural and functional diversification of such microbial chemicals for attaining better applications. PMID:28663748

  19. Synthesis and evaluation of curcumin-related compounds for anticancer activity.

    PubMed

    Wei, Xingchuan; Du, Zhi-Yun; Zheng, Xi; Cui, Xiao-Xing; Conney, Allan H; Zhang, Kun

    2012-07-01

    Sixty-one curcumin-related compounds were synthesized and evaluated for their anticancer activity toward cultured prostate cancer PC-3 cells, pancreas cancer Panc-1 cells and colon cancer HT-29 cells. Inhibitory effects of these compounds on the growth of PC-3, Panc-1 and HT-29 cells were determined by the MTT assay. Compounds E10, F10, FN1 and FN2 exhibited exceptionally potent inhibitory effects on the growth of cultured PC-3, Panc-1 and HT-29 cells. The IC(50) for these compounds was lower than 1 μM in all three cell lines. E10 was 72-, 46- and 117-fold more active than curcumin for inhibiting the growth of PC-3, Panc-1 and HT-29 cells, respectively. F10 was 69-, 34- and 72-fold more active than curcumin for inhibiting the growth of PC-3, Panc-1 and HT-29 cells, respectively. FN1 and FN2 had about the same inhibitory effect as E10 and F10 toward Panc-1 cells but were less active than E10 and F10 toward PC-3 and HT-29 cells. The active compounds were potent stimulators of apoptosis. The present study indicates that E10, F10, FN1 and FN2 may have useful anticancer activity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  20. Montmorillonite Functionalized with Pralidoxime as a Material for Chemical Protection against Organophosphorous Compounds

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-03-25

    implied is via iondipole forces.5,6 It is well-known that clays such as montmorillonite and kaolinite accelerate the degradation of insecticides such...REPORT Montmorillonite Functionalized with Pralidoxime As a Material for Chemical Protection against Organophosphorous Compounds 14. ABSTRACT 16...SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: Montmorillonite K-10 functionalized with ?-nucleophilic 2-pralidoxime (PAM) and its zwitterionic oximate form (PAMNa) is

  1. Chemical composition and seasonal variations in the amount of secondary compounds in Gentiana lutea leaves and flowers.

    PubMed

    Menković, N; Savikin-Fodulović, K; Savin, K

    2000-03-01

    The chemical investigation of MeOH extracts of Gentiana lutea leaves and flowers showed that xanthones were one of the dominant class of compounds. Secoiridoids and flavonoids were also recorded. The amount of secondary metabolites varied depending on development stage. In the phase of flowering, leaves are rich with compounds possessing C-glycoside structures while O-glycoside structures accumulate mainly before flowering.

  2. Chemical composition and antioxidant activity of dried powder formulations of Agaricus blazei and Lentinus edodes.

    PubMed

    Carneiro, Andreia A J; Ferreira, Isabel C F R; Dueñas, Montserrat; Barros, Lillian; da Silva, Roberto; Gomes, Eleni; Santos-Buelga, Celestino

    2013-06-15

    Several mushroom species have been pointed out as sources of antioxidant compounds, in addition to their important nutritional value. Agaricus blazei and Lentinus edodes are among the most studied species all over the world, but those studies focused on their fruiting bodies instead of other presentations, such as powdered preparations, used as supplements. In the present work the chemical composition (nutrients and bioactive compounds) and antioxidant activity (free radical scavenging activity, reducing power and lipid peroxidation inhibition) of dried powder formulations of the mentioned mushroom species (APF and LPF, respectively) were evaluated. Powder formulations of both species revealed the presence of essential nutrients, such as proteins, carbohydrates and unsaturated fatty acids. Furthermore, they present a low fat content (<2g/100g) and can be used in low-calorie diets, just like the mushrooms fruiting bodies. APF showed higher antioxidant activity and higher content of tocopherols and phenolic compounds (124 and 770 μg/100g, respectively) than LPF (32 and 690 μg/100g). Both formulations could be used as antioxidant sources to prevent diseases related to oxidative stress. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Effects of twenty-five compounds on four species of aquatic fungi (Saprolegniales) pathogenic to fish

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bailey, T.A.

    1984-01-01

    Four species of aquatic fungi (Achlya flagellata, A. racemosa, Saprolegnia hypogyna, and S. megasperma) were exposed to 25 chemicals representing seven classes of compounds for 15 and 60 min, in an effort to identify potential fungicidal agents for use in fish culture. The antifungal activity of each chemical was compared with that of malachite green, a reference compound with known fungicidal properties but not registered for fishery use. Six compounds which inhibited fungal growth on artificial media at concentrations of < 100 mg/l (listed in order of decreasing antifungal activity) were the cationics Du-terA? and copper oxychloride sulfate, the amine LesanA?, the amide BAS-389-O1F and the cationics CuprimyxinA? and RoccalA? II. Certain chemicals from these classes of compounds may have promise as aquatic fungicides.

  4. Chemical composition, in vitro antitumor and pro-oxidant activities of Glandora rosmarinifolia (Boraginaceae) essential oil.

    PubMed

    Poma, Paola; Labbozzetta, Manuela; Notarbartolo, Monica; Bruno, Maurizio; Maggio, Antonella; Rosselli, Sergio; Sajeva, Maurizio; Zito, Pietro

    2018-01-01

    The biological properties of essential oils have been demonstrated in the treatment of several diseases and to enhance the bioavailability of other drugs. In natural habitats the essential oils compounds may play important roles in the protection of the plants as antibacterials, antivirals, antifungals, insecticides and also against herbivores by reducing their appetite for such plants or by repelling undesirable others. We analyzed by gas-chromatography mass spectrometry the chemical composition of the essential oil of aerial parts of Glandora rosmarinifolia (Ten.) D.C. Thomas obtained by hydrodistillation and verified some biological activities on a panel of hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines (HA22T/VGH, HepG2, Hep3B) and triple negative breast cancer cell lines (SUM 149, MDA-MB-231). In the essential oil we detected 35 compounds. The results of the biological assays indicate that essential oil of G. rosmarinifolia induces cell growth inhibition at concentration-dependent way in all cell line models. This oil does not seem to possess antioxidant activity, while the cytotoxicity of G. rosmarinifolia essential oil appeared to involve, at least in part, a pro-oxidant mechanism. Our results show for the first time the antitumoral and pro-oxidant activities of G. rosmarinifolia essential oil and suggest that it may represent a resource of pharmacologically active compounds.

  5. Occurrence of pharmaceutically active and non-steroidal estrogenic compounds in three different wastewater recycling schemes in Australia.

    PubMed

    Al-Rifai, Jawad H; Gabelish, Candace L; Schäfer, Andrea I

    2007-10-01

    The discovery that natural and synthetic chemicals, in the form of excreted hormones and pharmaceuticals, as well as a vast array of compounds with domestic and industrial applications, can enter the environment via wastewater treatment plants and cause a wide variety of environmental and health problems even at very low concentrations, suggests the need for improvement of water recycling. Three Australian wastewater recycling schemes, two of which employ reverse osmosis (RO) technology, the other applying ozonation and biological activated carbon filtration, have been studied for their ability to remove trace organic contaminants including 11 pharmaceutically active compounds and two non-steroidal estrogenic compounds. Contaminant concentrations were determined using a sensitive analytical method comprising solid phase extraction, derivatization and GC with MS using selected ion monitoring. In raw wastewater, concentrations of analgesics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications were comparable to those found in wastewaters around the world. Remarkably, removal efficiencies for the three schemes were superior to literature values and RO was responsible for the greatest proportion of contaminant removal. The ability of RO membranes to concentrate many of the compounds was demonstrated and highlights the need for continued research into monitoring wastewater treatment, concentrate disposal, improved water recycling schemes and ultimately, safer water and a cleaner environment.

  6. Treatment of perfluoroalkyl acids by heat-activated persulfate under conditions representative of in situ chemical oxidation.

    PubMed

    Bruton, Thomas A; Sedlak, David L

    2018-04-21

    Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are a class of organic contaminants notable for their extreme persistence. The unique chemical properties of these compounds make them difficult to remove from water using most standard water treatment techniques. To gain insight into the possibility of remediating contaminated groundwater by in situ chemical oxidation with heat-activated persulfate, PFAA removal and the generation of transformation products were evaluated under laboratory conditions. Solution pH had a strong influence on the removal of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), resulting in its transformation into shorter-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) at pH values below 3. The presence of chloride and aquifer sediments decreased the efficiency of the process by less than 25% under conditions likely to be encountered in drinking water aquifers. Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) was not transformed by heat-activated persulfate under any of the conditions tested. Despite challenges related to the need to manipulate aquifer pH, the possible generation of undesirable short-chain PFCAs and chlorate, and metals mobilization, heat-activated persulfate may be a useful treatment technology for sites contaminated with PFCAs and fluorotelomer-based compounds, including those used in current-generation aqueous film-forming foams. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Characterization of Novel Antimalarial Compound ACT-451840: Preclinical Assessment of Activity and Dose-Efficacy Modeling.

    PubMed

    Le Bihan, Amélie; de Kanter, Ruben; Angulo-Barturen, Iñigo; Binkert, Christoph; Boss, Christoph; Brun, Reto; Brunner, Ralf; Buchmann, Stephan; Burrows, Jeremy; Dechering, Koen J; Delves, Michael; Ewerling, Sonja; Ferrer, Santiago; Fischli, Christoph; Gamo-Benito, Francisco Javier; Gnädig, Nina F; Heidmann, Bibia; Jiménez-Díaz, María Belén; Leroy, Didier; Martínez, Maria Santos; Meyer, Solange; Moehrle, Joerg J; Ng, Caroline L; Noviyanti, Rintis; Ruecker, Andrea; Sanz, Laura María; Sauerwein, Robert W; Scheurer, Christian; Schleiferboeck, Sarah; Sinden, Robert; Snyder, Christopher; Straimer, Judith; Wirjanata, Grennady; Marfurt, Jutta; Price, Ric N; Weller, Thomas; Fischli, Walter; Fidock, David A; Clozel, Martine; Wittlin, Sergio

    2016-10-01

    Artemisinin resistance observed in Southeast Asia threatens the continued use of artemisinin-based combination therapy in endemic countries. Additionally, the diversity of chemical mode of action in the global portfolio of marketed antimalarials is extremely limited. Addressing the urgent need for the development of new antimalarials, a chemical class of potent antimalarial compounds with a novel mode of action was recently identified. Herein, the preclinical characterization of one of these compounds, ACT-451840, conducted in partnership with academic and industrial groups is presented. The properties of ACT-451840 are described, including its spectrum of activities against multiple life cycle stages of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum (asexual and sexual) and Plasmodium vivax (asexual) as well as oral in vivo efficacies in two murine malaria models that permit infection with the human and the rodent parasites P. falciparum and Plasmodium berghei, respectively. In vitro, ACT-451840 showed a 50% inhibition concentration of 0.4 nM (standard deviation [SD]: ± 0.0 nM) against the drug-sensitive P. falciparum NF54 strain. The 90% effective doses in the in vivo efficacy models were 3.7 mg/kg against P. falciparum (95% confidence interval: 3.3-4.9 mg/kg) and 13 mg/kg against P. berghei (95% confidence interval: 11-16 mg/kg). ACT-451840 potently prevented male gamete formation from the gametocyte stage with a 50% inhibition concentration of 5.89 nM (SD: ± 1.80 nM) and dose-dependently blocked oocyst development in the mosquito with a 50% inhibitory concentration of 30 nM (range: 23-39). The compound's preclinical safety profile is presented and is in line with the published results of the first-in-man study in healthy male participants, in whom ACT-451840 was well tolerated. Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) modeling was applied using efficacy in the murine models (defined either as antimalarial activity or as survival) in relation to area under

  8. Development of a New De Novo Design Algorithm for Exploring Chemical Space.

    PubMed

    Mishima, Kazuaki; Kaneko, Hiromasa; Funatsu, Kimito

    2014-12-01

    In the first stage of development of new drugs, various lead compounds with high activity are required. To design such compounds, we focus on chemical space defined by structural descriptors. New compounds close to areas where highly active compounds exist will show the same degree of activity. We have developed a new de novo design system to search a target area in chemical space. First, highly active compounds are manually selected as initial seeds. Then, the seeds are entered into our system, and structures slightly different from the seeds are generated and pooled. Next, seeds are selected from the new structure pool based on the distance from target coordinates on the map. To test the algorithm, we used two datasets of ligand binding affinity and showed that the proposed generator could produce diverse virtual compounds that had high activity in docking simulations. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. Chemical Variability, Antioxidant and Antifungal Activities of Essential Oils and Hydrosol Extract of Calendula arvensis L. from Western Algeria.

    PubMed

    Belabbes, Rania; Dib, Mohammed El Amine; Djabou, Nassim; Ilias, Faiza; Tabti, Boufeldja; Costa, Jean; Muselli, Alain

    2017-05-01

    The chemical composition of the essential oils and hydrosol extract from aerial parts of Calendula arvensis L. was investigated using GC-FID and GC/MS. Intra-species variations of the chemical compositions of essential oils from 18 Algerian sample locations were investigated using statistical analysis. Chemical analysis allowed the identification of 53 compounds amounting to 92.3 - 98.5% with yields varied of 0.09 - 0.36% and the main compounds were zingiberenol 1 (8.7 - 29.8%), eremoligenol (4.2 - 12.5%), β-curcumene (2.1 - 12.5%), zingiberenol 2 (4.6 - 19.8%) and (E,Z)-farnesol (3.5 - 23.4%). The study of the chemical variability of essential oils allowed the discrimination of two main clusters confirming that there is a relation between the essential oil compositions and the harvest locations. Different concentrations of essential oil and hydrosol extract were prepared and their antioxidant activity were assessed using three methods (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, Ferric-Reducing Antioxidant Power Assay and β-carotene). The results showed that hydrosol extract presented an interesting antioxidant activity. The in vitro antifungal activity of hydrosol extract produced the best antifungal inhibition against Penicillium expansum and Aspergillus niger, while, essential oil was inhibitory at relatively higher concentrations. Results showed that the treatments of pear fruits with essential oil and hydrosol extract presented a very interesting protective activity on disease severity of pears caused by P. expansum. © 2017 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.

  10. [Evaluation of therapeutic-prophylactic effectiveness of chemical compound NIOC-14 against ectromelia virus in vivo].

    PubMed

    Kabanov, A S; Shishkina, L N; Mazurkov, O Iu; Skarnovich, M O; Bormotov, N I; Serova, O A; Sergeev, Al A; Sergeev, Ar A; Selivanov, B A; Tikhonov, A Iu; Agafonov, A P; Sergeev, A N

    2015-01-01

    Study pharmacodynamic parameters of anti-viral effectiveness of a chemical compound NIOC-14 in experiments in mice infected with ectromelia virus (EV). EV (K-1 strain) was obtained from the State Collection of Viral Infections and Rickettsioses Causative Agents of the State Scientific Centre of Virology and Biotechnology "Vector". Outbred ICR mice were intranasally infected with EV at a dose of 10 LD50 per animal (10 x 50% lethal doses/animal) and per orally received NIOC-14 or ST-246 as a positive control. Chemical compound NIOC-14 (7-[N'-(4-trifluoromethylbenzoyl)-hidrazincarbonyl]-tricyclo[3.2.2.0(2,4)]non-8-en-6-carbonic acid) was synthesized in Novosibirsk Institute of Organic Chemistry (NIOC). Anti-pox preparation ST-246, developed by SIGA Technologies Inc. (USA), was synthesized in NIOC using the technique described by the authors. 50% effective doses against EV in vivo were shown not to differ significantly between the preparations NIOC-14 (3.59 μg/g mouse mass) and ST-246 (5.08 μg/g mouse mass). During determination of therapeutic window, administration of NIOC-14 to mice 1 day or 1 hour before EV infection, as well as 1, 2 and 4 days after EV infection and then for 9 days was found to ensure 100% animal survival. Administration of NIOC-14 as well as ST-246 resulted in the decrease relative to control of EV titers in lungs, nasal cavity, brains, liver, spleen, kidneys and pancreas. Anti-viral effectiveness of NIOC-14 against EV in vivo was thus comparable by all the studied pharmacodynamic parameters with anti-viral activity of anti-pox-virus preparation ST-246.

  11. Taste-active compounds in a traditional Italian food: 'lampascioni'.

    PubMed

    Borgonovo, Gigliola; Caimi, Sara; Morini, Gabriella; Scaglioni, Leonardo; Bassoli, Angela

    2008-06-01

    Nature is a rich source of taste-active compounds, in particular of plant origin, many of which have unusual tastes. Many of these are found in traditional food, where spontaneous plants are used as ingredients. Some taste-active compounds were identified in the bulbs of Muscari comosum, a spontaneous plant belonging to the family of the Liliaceae, very common in the Mediterranean area, and used in traditional gastronomy (called 'lampascioni' in South Italy). The bulbs were extracted with a series of solvents of different polarity. The different fractions were submitted to a preliminary sensory evaluation, and the most interesting ones, characterized by a strong bitter taste and some chemestetic properties, were submitted to further purification and structural analysis. From the ethereal extract, several 3-benzyl-4-chromanones and one stilbene derivative were isolated. Pure compounds were examined for their taste activity by means of sensory evaluation, and proved to be responsible for the characteristic taste of this food. Some of these compounds have been synthesized de novo to confirm their structure.

  12. Using information from historical high-throughput screens to predict active compounds.

    PubMed

    Riniker, Sereina; Wang, Yuan; Jenkins, Jeremy L; Landrum, Gregory A

    2014-07-28

    Modern high-throughput screening (HTS) is a well-established approach for hit finding in drug discovery that is routinely employed in the pharmaceutical industry to screen more than a million compounds within a few weeks. However, as the industry shifts to more disease-relevant but more complex phenotypic screens, the focus has moved to piloting smaller but smarter chemically/biologically diverse subsets followed by an expansion around hit compounds. One standard method for doing this is to train a machine-learning (ML) model with the chemical fingerprints of the tested subset of molecules and then select the next compounds based on the predictions of this model. An alternative approach would be to take advantage of the wealth of bioactivity information contained in older (full-deck) screens using so-called HTS fingerprints, where each element of the fingerprint corresponds to the outcome of a particular assay, as input to machine-learning algorithms. We constructed HTS fingerprints using two collections of data: 93 in-house assays and 95 publicly available assays from PubChem. For each source, an additional set of 51 and 46 assays, respectively, was collected for testing. Three different ML methods, random forest (RF), logistic regression (LR), and naïve Bayes (NB), were investigated for both the HTS fingerprint and a chemical fingerprint, Morgan2. RF was found to be best suited for learning from HTS fingerprints yielding area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) values >0.8 for 78% of the internal assays and enrichment factors at 5% (EF(5%)) >10 for 55% of the assays. The RF(HTS-fp) generally outperformed the LR trained with Morgan2, which was the best ML method for the chemical fingerprint, for the majority of assays. In addition, HTS fingerprints were found to retrieve more diverse chemotypes. Combining the two models through heterogeneous classifier fusion led to a similar or better performance than the best individual model for all assays

  13. Identification of phenolic compounds by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in seventeen species of wild mushrooms in Central Mexico and determination of their antioxidant activity and bioactive compounds.

    PubMed

    Yahia, Elhadi M; Gutiérrez-Orozco, Fabiola; Moreno-Pérez, Marco A

    2017-07-01

    Wild mushrooms are important for the diet of some communities in Mexico. However, limited information exists on their chemical composition, contribution to the diet, and health effects. We characterized seventeen wild mushroom species growing in the state of Queretaro in Central Mexico. Most species analyzed were edible, but also included nonedible, medicinal, poisonous and toxic specimens. Whole mushrooms (caps and stipes) were characterized for water content, color, and total content of phenolic compounds, flavonoids and anthocyanins. In vitro antioxidant capacity was measured by FRAP and DPPH assays. Phenolic compounds were identified and quantified by HPLC-mass spectrometry. All species analyzed were found to possess antioxidant activity in vitro and a wide range of phenolic and organic compounds were identified. Our results add to the limited information available on the composition and potential nutritional and health value of wild mushrooms. Further analyses of their bioactivities are warranted. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Treatment with activated carbon and other adsorbents as an effective method for the removal of volatile compounds in agricultural distillates.

    PubMed

    Balcerek, Maria; Pielech-Przybylska, Katarzyna; Patelski, Piotr; Dziekońska-Kubczak, Urszula; Jusel, Tomaš

    2017-05-01

    This study investigates the effect of treatment with activated carbon and other adsorbents on the chemical composition and organoleptics of a barley malt-based agricultural distillate. Contact with activated carbon is one of the methods by which the quality of raw distillates and spirit beverages can be improved. Samples placed in contact with 1 g activated carbon (SpiritFerm) per 100 ml distillate with ethanol content of 50% v/v for 1 h showed the largest reductions in the concentrations of most volatile compounds (aldehydes, alcohols, esters). Increasing the dose of adsorbent to over 1 g 100 ml -1 did not improve the purity of the agricultural distillate significantly. Of the tested compounds, acetaldehyde and methanol showed the lowest adsorption on activated carbon. The lowest concentrations of these congeners (expressed in mg l -1 alcohol 100% v/v) were measured in solutions with ethanol contents of 70-80% v/v, while solutions with an alcoholic strength by volume of 40% did not show statistically significant decreases in these compounds in relation the control sample. The reductions in volatile compounds were compared with those for other adsorbents based on silica or activated carbon and silica. An interesting alternative to activated carbon was found to be an adsorbent prepared from activated carbon and silica (Spiricol). Treatment with this adsorbent produced distillate with the lowest concentrations of acetaldehyde and isovaleraldehyde, and led to the greatest improvement in its organoleptics.

  15. Chemistry and biology of ω-3 PUFA peroxidation-derived compounds.

    PubMed

    Wang, Weicang; Yang, Haixia; Johnson, David; Gensler, Catherine; Decker, Eric; Zhang, Guodong

    2017-09-01

    The ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are among the most popular dietary supplements in the US, but they are chemically unstable and highly prone to lipid peroxidation. Many studies performed in different countries demonstrate that the majority of ω-3 PUFA products on the market are oxidized, suggesting that the resulting ω-3 PUFA peroxidation-derived compounds could be widely consumed by the general public. Therefore, it is of practical importance to understand the effects of these oxidized lipid compounds on human health. In this review, we summarize and discuss the chemical structures and biological activities of ω-3 PUFA peroxidation-derived compounds, and emphasize the importance to better understand the role of lipid peroxidation in biological activities of ω-3 PUFAs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Synergistic activation of human pregnane X receptor by binary cocktails of pharmaceutical and environmental compounds

    PubMed Central

    Delfosse, Vanessa; Dendele, Béatrice; Huet, Tiphaine; Grimaldi, Marina; Boulahtouf, Abdelhay; Gerbal-Chaloin, Sabine; Beucher, Bertrand; Roecklin, Dominique; Muller, Christina; Rahmani, Roger; Cavaillès, Vincent; Daujat-Chavanieu, Martine; Vivat, Valérie; Pascussi, Jean-Marc; Balaguer, Patrick; Bourguet, William

    2015-01-01

    Humans are chronically exposed to multiple exogenous substances, including environmental pollutants, drugs and dietary components. Many of these compounds are suspected to impact human health, and their combination in complex mixtures could exacerbate their harmful effects. Here we demonstrate that a pharmaceutical oestrogen and a persistent organochlorine pesticide, both exhibiting low efficacy when studied separately, cooperatively bind to the pregnane X receptor, leading to synergistic activation. Biophysical analysis shows that each ligand enhances the binding affinity of the other, so the binary mixture induces a substantial biological response at doses at which each chemical individually is inactive. High-resolution crystal structures reveal the structural basis for the observed cooperativity. Our results suggest that the formation of ‘supramolecular ligands' within the ligand-binding pocket of nuclear receptors contributes to the synergistic toxic effect of chemical mixtures, which may have broad implications for the fields of endocrine disruption, toxicology and chemical risk assessment. PMID:26333997

  17. Change in chemical constituents and free radical-scavenging activity during Pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) cultivar fruit development.

    PubMed

    Cho, Jeong-Yong; Lee, Sang-Hyun; Kim, Eun Hee; Yun, Hae Rim; Jeong, Hang Yeon; Lee, Yu Geon; Kim, Wol-Soo; Moon, Jae-Hak

    2015-01-01

    Changes in chemical constituent contents and DPPH radical-scavenging activity in fruits of pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) cultivars during the development were investigated. The fruits of seven cultivars (cv. Niitaka, Chuhwangbae, Wonhwang, Hwangkeumbae, Hwasan, Manpungbae, and Imamuraaki) were collected at 15-day intervals after day 20 of florescence. Vitamins (ascorbic acid and α-tocopherol), arbutin, chlorogenic acid, malaxinic acid, total caffeic acid, total flavonoids, and total phenolics were the highest in immature pear fruit on day 20 after florescence among samples at different growth stages. All of these compounds decreased gradually in the fruit during the development. Immature pear fruit on day 35 or 50 after florescence exhibited higher free radical-scavenging activity than that at other times, although activities were slightly different among cultivars. The chemical constituent contents and free radical-scavenging activity were largely different among immature fruits of the pear cultivars, but small differences were observed when they matured.

  18. Glucosidase inhibitory activity and antioxidant activity of flavonoid compound and triterpenoid compound from Agrimonia Pilosa Ledeb

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background In Chinese traditional medicine, Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb (APL) exhibits great effect on treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), however its mechanism is still unknown. Considering that T2DM are correlated with postprandial hyperglycemia and oxidative stress, we investigated the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity and the antioxidant activity of flavonoid compound (FC) and triterpenoid compound (TC) from APL. Methods Entire plants of APL were extracted using 95% ethanol and 50% ethanol successively. The resulting extracts were partitioned and isolated by applying liquid chromatography using silica gel column and Sephadex LH 20 column to give FC and TC. The content of total flavonoids in FC and the content of total triterpenoids in TC were determined by using UV spectrophotometry. HPLC analysis was used to identify and quantify the monomeric compound in FC and TC. The α-glucosidase inhibitory activities were determined using the chromogenic method with p-nitrophenyl-α-D-glucopyranoside as substrate. Antioxidant activities were assessed through three kinds of radical scavenging assays (DPPH radical, ABTS radical and hydroxyl radical) & β-carotene-linoleic acid assay. Results The results indicate FC is abundant of quercitrin, and hyperoside, and TC is abundant of 1β, 2β, 3β, 19α-tetrahydroxy-12-en-28-oic acid (265.2 mg/g) and corosolic acid (100.9 mg/g). The FC & the TC have strong α-glucosidase inhibitory activities with IC50 of 8.72 μg/mL and 3.67 μg/mL, respectively. We find that FC show competitive inhibition against α-glucosidase, while the TC exhibits noncompetitive inhibition. Furthermore, The FC exhibits significant radical scavenging activity with the EC50 values of 7.73 μg/mL, 3.64 μg/mL and 5.90 μg/mL on DPPH radical, hydroxyl radical and ABTS radical, respectively. The FC also shows moderate anti-lipid peroxidation activity with the IC50 values of 41.77 μg/mL on inhibiting β-carotene bleaching. Conclusion These results

  19. Glucosidase inhibitory activity and antioxidant activity of flavonoid compound and triterpenoid compound from Agrimonia Pilosa Ledeb.

    PubMed

    Liu, Xi; Zhu, Liancai; Tan, Jun; Zhou, Xuemei; Xiao, Ling; Yang, Xian; Wang, Bochu

    2014-01-10

    In Chinese traditional medicine, Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb (APL) exhibits great effect on treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), however its mechanism is still unknown. Considering that T2DM are correlated with postprandial hyperglycemia and oxidative stress, we investigated the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity and the antioxidant activity of flavonoid compound (FC) and triterpenoid compound (TC) from APL. Entire plants of APL were extracted using 95% ethanol and 50% ethanol successively. The resulting extracts were partitioned and isolated by applying liquid chromatography using silica gel column and Sephadex LH 20 column to give FC and TC. The content of total flavonoids in FC and the content of total triterpenoids in TC were determined by using UV spectrophotometry. HPLC analysis was used to identify and quantify the monomeric compound in FC and TC. The α-glucosidase inhibitory activities were determined using the chromogenic method with p-nitrophenyl-α-D-glucopyranoside as substrate. Antioxidant activities were assessed through three kinds of radical scavenging assays (DPPH radical, ABTS radical and hydroxyl radical) & β-carotene-linoleic acid assay. The results indicate FC is abundant of quercitrin, and hyperoside, and TC is abundant of 1β, 2β, 3β, 19α-tetrahydroxy-12-en-28-oic acid (265.2 mg/g) and corosolic acid (100.9 mg/g). The FC & the TC have strong α-glucosidase inhibitory activities with IC50 of 8.72 μg/mL and 3.67 μg/mL, respectively. We find that FC show competitive inhibition against α-glucosidase, while the TC exhibits noncompetitive inhibition. Furthermore, The FC exhibits significant radical scavenging activity with the EC50 values of 7.73 μg/mL, 3.64 μg/mL and 5.90 μg/mL on DPPH radical, hydroxyl radical and ABTS radical, respectively. The FC also shows moderate anti-lipid peroxidation activity with the IC50 values of 41.77 μg/mL on inhibiting β-carotene bleaching. These results imply that the FC and the TC could be

  20. Chemical Characterization and Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of South Brazilian Organic Propolis.

    PubMed

    Tiveron, Ana Paula; Rosalen, Pedro Luiz; Franchin, Marcelo; Lacerda, Risia Cristina Coelho; Bueno-Silva, Bruno; Benso, Bruna; Denny, Carina; Ikegaki, Masaharu; Alencar, Severino Matias de

    2016-01-01

    South Brazilian organic propolis (OP), which has never been studied before, was assessed and its chemical composition, scavenging potential of reactive oxygen species, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities are herein presented. Based on the chemical profile obtained using HPLC, OP was grouped into seven variants (OP1-OP7) and all of them exhibited high scavenging activity, mainly against superoxide and hypochlorous acid species. OP1, OP2, and OP3 had the smallest minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) against Gram-positive bacteria Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus oralis, and Streptococcus aureus (12.5-100 μg/mL). OP1, OP2, OP3, and OP4 were more effective against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Gram-negative), with MIC values ranging from 100 to 200 μg/mL. OP6 showed anti-inflammatory activity by decreasing NF-kB activation and TNF-α release in RAW 264.7 macrophages, and expressing the NF-κB-luciferase reporter stable gene. Therefore, south Brazilian OP can be considered an excellent source of bioactive compounds with great potential of application in the pharmaceutical and food industry.

  1. Optical methods for creating delivery systems of chemical compounds to plant roots

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kuznetsov, Pavel E.; Rogacheva, Svetlana M.; Arefeva, Oksana A.; Minin, Dmitryi V.; Tolmachev, Sergey A.; Kupadze, Machammad S.

    2004-08-01

    Spectrophotometric and fluorescence methods have been used for creation and investigation of various systems of target delivery of chemical compounds to roots of plants. The possibility of using liposomes, incrusted by polysaccharides of the external surface of nitrogen-fixing rizospheric bacteria Azospirillum brasilense SP 245, and nanoparticles incrusted by polysaccharides of wheat roots, as the named systems has been shown. The important role of polysaccharide-polysaccharide interaction in the adsorption processes of bacteria on wheat roots has been demonstrated.

  2. Chemical constituents of the root of Jasminum giraldii.

    PubMed

    Yue, Zhenggang; Qin, Hui; Li, Yuhua; Sun, Yang; Wang, Zhipeng; Yang, Tiehong; Liu, Li; Wang, Minchang; Feng, Feng; Mei, Qibing

    2013-04-22

    Two new compounds, ethylconiferin and (-)-lariciresinol 4-(6'''-O-cinnamyl-β-D-glucopyranoside), along with the three known compounds (+)-pinoresinol, (+)-cycloolivil, nobiletin, were isolated from the root of Jasminum girialdii. All these compounds were isolated for the first time from this source. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis and chemical methods. In addition, the in vitro cytotoxic activity of these compounds was evaluated. The results showed that none of the compounds had any significant inhibitory activities on the proliferation of HCT-116 and SW-620 cells.

  3. PREDICTION OF CHEMICAL REACTIVITY PARAMETERS AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS FROM MOLECULAR STRUCTURE USING SPARC

    EPA Science Inventory

    The computer program SPARC (SPARC Performs Automated Reasoning in Chemistry) has been under development for several years to estimate physical properties and chemical reactivity parameters of organic compounds strictly from molecular structure. SPARC uses computational algorithms...

  4. Chamomile and marigold tea: chemical characterization and evaluation of anticancer activity.

    PubMed

    Matić, Ivana Z; Juranić, Zorica; Savikin, Katarina; Zdunić, Gordana; Nađvinski, Neva; Gođevac, Dejan

    2013-06-01

    With the aim to evaluate the selectivity in the antitumor action, the cytotoxic activity of chamomile and marigold tea was tested against various malignant cell lines and against healthy immunocompetent peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Chemical profiles of chamomile and marigold infusions and decoctions were analyzed by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry; their total phenolic content and radical scavenging activity were determined, too. Results from present research demonstrate that chamomile and marigold tea exert selective dose-dependent cytotoxic action against target cancer cells. It is noteworthy that cytotoxicity of tea prepared from Calendula officinalis is remarkably higher in comparison to that from Matricaria recutita tea. The cytotoxic effect of chamomile tea is very weak to healthy PBMC, while the effect of marigold tea on PBMC is more pronounced. Marigold tea exerts highly selective antitumor effect especially to melanoma Fem-x cells in comparison to the action to normal healthy PBMC. Chemical analyses show that dominant phenolic compounds in examined infusions and decoctions are flavonoid glycosides and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives. There are no considerable differences in total phenolic content and antioxidant activity between examined infusions. Antitumor potential of chamomile and marigold tea should be further investigated. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  5. Chemical constituents of Hericium erinaceum associated with the inhibitory activity against cellular senescence in human umbilical vascular endothelial cells.

    PubMed

    Noh, Hyung Jun; Yang, Hyo Hyun; Kim, Geum Soog; Lee, Seung Eun; Lee, Dae Young; Choi, Je Hun; Kim, Seung Yu; Lee, Eun Suk; Ji, Seung Heon; Kang, Ki Sung; Park, Hye-Jin; Kim, Jae-Ryong; Kim, Ki Hyun

    2015-12-01

    Hericium erinaceum is an edible and medicinal mushroom widely used in Korea, Japan, and China. On the search for biologically active compounds supporting the medicinal usage, the MeOH extract of the fruiting bodies of H. erinaceum was investigated for its chemical constituents. Six compounds were isolated and identified as hericenone D (1), (22E,24R)-5α,8α-epidioxyergosta-6,22-dien-3β-ol (2), erinacerin B (3), hericenone E (4), hericenone F (5) and isohericerin (6) by comparing their spectroscopic data with previously reported values. The inhibitory effects on adriamycin-induced cellular senescence in human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) of the isolates (1-6) were studied. Among the isolated compounds, ergosterol peroxide (2) reduced senescence associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) activity increased in HUVECs treated with adriamycin. According to experimental data obtained, the active compound may inspire the development of a new pharmacologically useful substance to be used in the treatment and prevention of age-related diseases.

  6. Mapping Asian anthropogenic emissions of non-methane volatile organic compounds to multiple chemical mechanisms

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, M.; Zhang, Q.; Streets, D. G.; He, K. B.; Cheng, Y. F.; Emmons, L. K.; Huo, H.; Kang, S. C.; Lu, Z.; Shao, M.; Su, H.; Yu, X.; Zhang, Y.

    2014-06-01

    An accurate speciation mapping of non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC) emissions has an important impact on the performance of chemical transport models (CTMs) in simulating ozone mixing ratios and secondary organic aerosols. Taking the INTEX-B Asian NMVOC emission inventory as the case, we developed an improved speciation framework to generate model-ready anthropogenic NMVOC emissions for various gas-phase chemical mechanisms commonly used in CTMs in this work, by using an explicit assignment approach and updated NMVOC profiles. NMVOC profiles were selected and aggregated from a wide range of new measurements and the SPECIATE database v.4.2. To reduce potential uncertainty from individual measurements, composite profiles were developed by grouping and averaging source profiles from the same category. The fractions of oxygenated volatile organic compounds (OVOC) were corrected during the compositing process for those profiles which used improper sampling and analyzing methods. Emissions of individual species were then lumped into species in different chemical mechanisms used in CTMs by applying mechanism-dependent species mapping tables, which overcomes the weakness of inaccurate mapping in previous studies. Emission estimates for individual NMVOC species differ between one and three orders of magnitude for some species when different sets of profiles are used, indicating that source profile is the most important source of uncertainties of individual species emissions. However, those differences are diminished in lumped species as a result of the lumping in the chemical mechanisms. Gridded emissions for eight chemical mechanisms at 30 min × 30 min resolution as well as the auxiliary data are available at http://mic.greenresource.cn/intex-b2006. The framework proposed in this work can be also used to develop speciated NMVOC emissions for other regions.

  7. Mapping Asian anthropogenic emissions of non-methane volatile organic compounds to multiple chemical mechanisms

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, M.; Zhang, Q.; Streets, D. G.; He, K. B.; Cheng, Y. F.; Emmons, L. K.; Huo, H.; Kang, S. C.; Lu, Z.; Shao, M.; Su, H.; Yu, X.; Zhang, Y.

    2013-12-01

    An accurate speciation mapping of non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC) emissions has an important impact on the performance of chemical transport models (CTMs) in simulating ozone mixing ratios and secondary organic aerosols. In this work, we developed an improved speciation framework to generate model-ready anthropogenic Asian NMVOC emissions for various gas-phase chemical mechanisms commonly used in CTMs by using an explicit assignment approach and updated NMVOC profiles, based on the total NMVOC emissions in the INTEX-B Asian inventory for the year 2006. NMVOC profiles were selected and aggregated from a wide range of new measurements and the SPECIATE database. To reduce potential uncertainty from individual measurements, composite profiles were developed by grouping and averaging source profiles from the same category. The fractions of oxygenated volatile organic compounds (OVOC) were corrected during the compositing process for those profiles which used improper sampling and analyzing methods. Emissions of individual species were then lumped into species in different chemical mechanisms used in CTMs by applying mechanism-dependent species mapping tables, which overcomes the weakness of inaccurate mapping in previous studies. Gridded emissions for eight chemical mechanisms are developed at 30 min × 30 min resolution using various spatial proxies and are provided through the website: http://mic.greenresource.cn/intex-b2006. Emission estimates for individual NMVOC species differ between one and three orders of magnitude for some species when different sets of profiles are used, indicating that source profile is the most important source of uncertainties of individual species emissions. However, those differences are diminished in lumped species as a result of the lumping in the chemical mechanisms.

  8. Volatile organic compounds as breath biomarkers for active and passive smoking.

    PubMed

    Gordon, Sydney M; Wallace, Lance A; Brinkman, Marielle C; Callahan, Patrick J; Kenny, Donald V

    2002-07-01

    We used real-time breath measurement technology to investigate the suitability of some volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as breath biomarkers for active and passive smoking and to measure actual exposures and resulting breath concentrations for persons exposed to tobacco smoke. Experiments were conducted with five smoker/nonsmoker pairs. The target VOCs included benzene, 1,3-butadiene, and the cigarette smoke biomarker 2,5-dimethylfuran. This study includes what we believe to be the first measurements of 1,3-butadiene in smokers' and nonsmokers' breath. The 1,3-butadiene and 2,5-dimethylfuran peak levels in the smokers' breath were similar (360 and 376 microg/m(3), respectively); the average benzene peak level was 522 microg/m(3). We found higher peak values of the target chemicals and shorter residence times in the body than previously reported, probably because of the improved time resolution made possible by the continuous breath measurement method. The real-time breath analyzer also showed the presence of the chemicals after exposure in the breath of the nonsmokers, but at greatly reduced levels. Single breath samples collected in evacuated canisters and analyzed independently with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry confirmed the presence of the target compounds in the postexposure breath of the nonsmokers but indicated that there was some contamination of the breath analyzer measurements. This was likely caused by desorption of organics from condensed tar in the analyzer tubing and on the quartz fiber filter used to remove particles. We used the decay data from the smokers to estimate residence times for the target chemicals. A two-compartment exponential model generally gave a better fit to the experimental decay data from the smokers than a single-compartment model. Residence times for benzene, 1,3-butadiene, and 2,5-dimethylfuran ranged from 0.5 (1,3-butadiene) to 0.9 min (benzene) for tau1 and were essentially constant (14 min) for tau2. These findings

  9. The angular structure of ONC201, a TRAIL pathway-inducing compound, determines its potent anti-cancer activity

    PubMed Central

    Wagner, Jessica; Kline, Christina Leah; Pottorf, Richard S.; Nallaganchu, Bhaskara Rao; Olson, Gary L.; Dicker, David T.; Allen, Joshua E.; El-Deiry, Wafik S.

    2014-01-01

    We previously identified TRAIL-inducing compound 10 (TIC10), also known as NSC350625 or ONC201, from a NCI chemical library screen as a small molecule that has potent anti-tumor efficacy and a benign safety profile in preclinical cancer models. The chemical structure that was originally published by Stahle, et. al. in the patent literature was described as an imidazo[1,2-a]pyrido[4,3-d]pyrimidine derivative. The NCI and others generally accepted this as the correct structure, which was consistent with the mass spectrometry analysis outlined in the publication by Allen et. al. that first reported the molecule's anticancer properties. A recent publication demonstrated that the chemical structure of ONC201 material from the NCI is an angular [3,4-e] isomer of the originally disclosed, linear [4,3-d] structure. Here we confirm by NMR and X-ray structural analysis of the dihydrochloride salt form that the ONC201 material produced by Oncoceutics is the angular [3,4-e] structure and not the linear structure originally depicted in the patent literature and by the NCI. Similarly, in accordance with our biological evaluation, the previously disclosed anti-cancer activity is associated with the angular structure and not the linear isomer. Together these studies confirm that ONC201, produced by Oncoceutics or obtained from the NCI, possesses an angular [3,4-e] structure that represents the highly active anti-cancer compound utilized in prior preclinical studies and now entering clinical trials in advanced cancers. PMID:25587031

  10. The angular structure of ONC201, a TRAIL pathway-inducing compound, determines its potent anti-cancer activity.

    PubMed

    Wagner, Jessica; Kline, Christina Leah; Pottorf, Richard S; Nallaganchu, Bhaskara Rao; Olson, Gary L; Dicker, David T; Allen, Joshua E; El-Deiry, Wafik S

    2014-12-30

    We previously identified TRAIL-inducing compound 10 (TIC10), also known as NSC350625 or ONC201, from a NCI chemical library screen as a small molecule that has potent anti-tumor efficacy and a benign safety profile in preclinical cancer models. The chemical structure that was originally published by Stahle, et. al. in the patent literature was described as an imidazo[1,2-a]pyrido[4,3-d]pyrimidine derivative. The NCI and others generally accepted this as the correct structure, which was consistent with the mass spectrometry analysis outlined in the publication by Allen et. al. that first reported the molecule's anticancer properties. A recent publication demonstrated that the chemical structure of ONC201 material from the NCI is an angular [3,4-e] isomer of the originally disclosed, linear [4,3-d] structure. Here we confirm by NMR and X-ray structural analysis of the dihydrochloride salt form that the ONC201 material produced by Oncoceutics is the angular [3,4-e] structure and not the linear structure originally depicted in the patent literature and by the NCI. Similarly, in accordance with our biological evaluation, the previously disclosed anti-cancer activity is associated with the angular structure and not the linear isomer. Together these studies confirm that ONC201, produced by Oncoceutics or obtained from the NCI, possesses an angular [3,4-e] structure that represents the highly active anti-cancer compound utilized in prior preclinical studies and now entering clinical trials in advanced cancers.

  11. Inclusion compound of vitamin B6 in β-CD. Physico-chemical and structural investigations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Borodi, Gheorghe; Kacso, Irina; Farcaş, Sorin I.; Bratu, Ioan

    2009-08-01

    Structural and physico-chemical characterization of supramolecular assembly of vitamin B6 with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) prepared by different methods (kneading, co-precipitation and freeze-drying) has been performed by using several spectroscopic techniques (FTIR, 1H NMR, UV-Vis), powder X-ray diffraction and DSC in order to evidence the inclusion compound formation. An analysis of the chemical shifts observed in the 1H-NMR spectra and of the vibrational frequency shifts led to the tentative conclusion that the vitamin B6 probably enters the cyclodextrin torus when forming the β-CD-vitamin B6 inclusion complex.

  12. Medicinal plants and their isolated compounds showing anti-Trichomonas vaginalis- activity.

    PubMed

    Mehriardestani, Mozhgan; Aliahmadi, Atousa; Toliat, Tayebeh; Rahimi, Roja

    2017-04-01

    Trichomonas vaginalis is a major of non-viral sexually-transmitted infection and an important cause of serious obstetrical and gynecological complications. Treatment options for trichomoniasis are limited to nitroimidazole compounds. The increasing resistance and allergic reactions to nitroimidazole and recurrent trichomoniasis make it essential to identify and develop new drugs against trichomoniasis. Medicinal plants are an important source for discovery of new medications. This review discusses the anti-trichomonas effects of medicinal plants and their chemical constituents to find better options against this pathogenic protozoon. Electronic databases were searched to collect all data from the year 2000 through September 2015 for in vitro, in vivo and clinical studies on the effect of medicinal plants on T. vaginalis. A total of 95 in vitro and clinical studies were identified. Only four human studies were found in this review. The Asteracea, Lamiaceae and Myrtaceae families contained the greatest number of plants with anti-trichomonas activity. Persea americana, Ocimum basilicum and Verbascum thapsus were the most efficacious against T. vaginalis. Plant metabolites containing alkaloids, isoflavonoid glucosides, essential oils, lipids, saponins and sesquiterpene lactones were found to possess anti-trichomonas properties. Assessing the structure-activity of highly-potent anti-trichomonas phytochemicals is suggested for finding natural, semisynthetic and synthetic anti-trichomonas compounds. Further clinical studies are necessary for confirmation of natural anti-trichomonas substances and completion of their safety profiles. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  13. Nitroaromatic Compounds, from Synthesis to Biodegradation

    PubMed Central

    Ju, Kou-San; Parales, Rebecca E.

    2010-01-01

    Summary: Nitroaromatic compounds are relatively rare in nature and have been introduced into the environment mainly by human activities. This important class of industrial chemicals is widely used in the synthesis of many diverse products, including dyes, polymers, pesticides, and explosives. Unfortunately, their extensive use has led to environmental contamination of soil and groundwater. The nitro group, which provides chemical and functional diversity in these molecules, also contributes to the recalcitrance of these compounds to biodegradation. The electron-withdrawing nature of the nitro group, in concert with the stability of the benzene ring, makes nitroaromatic compounds resistant to oxidative degradation. Recalcitrance is further compounded by their acute toxicity, mutagenicity, and easy reduction into carcinogenic aromatic amines. Nitroaromatic compounds are hazardous to human health and are registered on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's list of priority pollutants for environmental remediation. Although the majority of these compounds are synthetic in nature, microorganisms in contaminated environments have rapidly adapted to their presence by evolving new biodegradation pathways that take advantage of them as sources of carbon, nitrogen, and energy. This review provides an overview of the synthesis of both man-made and biogenic nitroaromatic compounds, the bacteria that have been identified to grow on and completely mineralize nitroaromatic compounds, and the pathways that are present in these strains. The possible evolutionary origins of the newly evolved pathways are also discussed. PMID:20508249

  14. Polyphenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Cold-Pressed Seed Oil from Finola Cultivar of Cannabis sativa L.

    PubMed

    Smeriglio, Antonella; Galati, Enza M; Monforte, Maria T; Lanuzza, Francesco; D'Angelo, Valeria; Circosta, Clara

    2016-08-01

    The aim of this study was to characterize the polyphenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of cold-pressed seed oil from Finola cultivar of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.). Several methodologies have been employed to evaluate the in vitro antioxidant activity of Finola hempseed oil (FHSO) and both lipophilic (LF) and hydrophilic fractions (HF). The qualitative and quantitative composition of the phenolic fraction of FHSO was performed by HPLC analyses. From the results is evident that FHSO has high antioxidative activity, as measured by DPPH radical (146.76 mmol of TE/100 g oil), inhibited β-carotene bleaching, quenched a chemically generated peroxyl radical in vitro and showed high ferrous ion chelating activity. Reactivity towards 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical cation and ferric-reducing antioxidant power values were 695.2 µmol of TE/100g oil and 3690.6 µmol of TE/100 g oil respectively. FHSO contains a significant amount of phenolic compounds of which 2780.4 mg of quercetin equivalent/100 g of total flavonoids. The whole oil showed higher antioxidant activity compared with LF and HF. Our findings indicate that the significant antioxidant properties shown from Finola seed oil might generally depend on the phenolic compounds, especially flavonoids, such as flavanones, flavonols, flavanols and isoflavones. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  15. Structure-activity relationship of chemical penetration enhancers in transdermal drug delivery.

    PubMed

    Kanikkannan, N; Kandimalla, K; Lamba, S S; Singh, M

    2000-06-01

    Transdermal drug delivery (TDD) is the administration of therapeutic agents through intact skin for systemic effect. TDD offers several advantages over the conventional dosage forms such as tablets, capsules and injections. Currently there are about eight drugs marketed as transdermal patches. Examples of such products include nitroglycerin (angina pectoris), clonidine (hypertension), scopolamine (motion sickness), nicotine (smoking cessation), fentanil (pain) and estradiol (estrogen deficiency). Since skin is an excellent barrier for drug transport, only potent drugs with appropriate physicochemical properties (low molecular weight, adequate solubility in aqueous and non-aqueous solvents, etc) are suitable candidates for transdermal delivery. Penetration enhancement technology is a challenging development that would increase significantly the number of drugs available for transdermal administration. The permeation of drugs through skin can be enhanced by physical methods such as iontophoresis (application of low level electric current) and phonophoresis (use of ultra sound energy) and by chemical penetration enhancers (CPE). In this review, we have discussed about the CPE which have been investigated for TDD. CPE are compounds that enhance the permeation of drugs across the skin. The CPE increase skin permeability by reversibly altering the physicochemical nature of the stratum corneum, the outer most layer of skin, to reduce its diffusional resistance. These compounds increase skin permeability also by increasing the partition coefficient of the drug into the skin and by increasing the thermodynamic activity of the drug in the vehicle. This review compiles the various CPE used for the enhancement of TDD, the mechanism of action of different chemical enhancers and the structure-activity relationship of selected and extensively studied enhancers such as fatty acids, fatty alcohols and terpenes. Based on the chemical structure of penetration enhancers (such as chain

  16. Morus alba and active compound oxyresveratrol exert anti-inflammatory activity via inhibition of leukocyte migration involving MEK/ERK signaling

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Morus alba has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat inflammatory diseases; however, the scientific basis for such usage and the mechanism of action are not well understood. This study investigated the action of M. alba on leukocyte migration, one key step in inflammation. Methods Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and cluster analyses of supercritical CO2 extracts of three Morus species were performed for chemotaxonomy-aided plant authentication. Phytochemistry and CXCR4-mediated chemotaxis assays were used to characterize the chemical and biological properties of M. alba and its active compound, oxyresveratrol. fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and Western blot analyses were conducted to determine the mode of action of oxyresveratrol. Results Chemotaxonomy was used to help authenticate M. alba. Chemotaxis-based isolation identified oxyresveratrol as an active component in M. alba. Phytochemical and chemotaxis assays showed that the crude extract, ethyl acetate fraction and oxyresveratrol from M. alba suppressed cell migration of Jurkat T cells in response to SDF-1. Mechanistic study indicated that oxyresveratrol diminished CXCR4-mediated T-cell migration via inhibition of the MEK/ERK signaling cascade. Conclusions A combination of GC-MS and cluster analysis techniques are applicable for authentication of the Morus species. Anti-inflammatory benefits of M. alba and its active compound, oxyresveratrol, may involve the inhibition of CXCR-4-mediated chemotaxis and MEK/ERK pathway in T and other immune cells. PMID:23433072

  17. Synthesis of reference compounds related to Chemical Weapons Convention for verification and drug development purposes – a Brazilian endeavour

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cavalcante, S. F. A.; de Paula, R. L.; Kitagawa, D. A. S.; Barcellos, M. C.; Simas, A. B. C.; Granjeiro, J. M.

    2018-03-01

    This paper deals with challenges that Brazilian Army Organic Synthesis Laboratory has been going through to access reference compounds related to the Chemical Weapons Convention in order to support verification analysis and for research of novel antidotes. Some synthetic procedures to produce the chemicals, as well as Quality Assurance issues and a brief introduction of international agreements banning chemical weapons are also presented.

  18. Chemical compounds of the foraging recruitment pheromone in bumblebees.

    PubMed

    Granero, Angeles Mena; Sanz, José M Guerra; Gonzalez, Francisco J Egea; Vidal, José L Martinez; Dornhaus, Anna; Ghani, Junaid; Serrano, Ana Roldán; Chittka, Lars

    2005-08-01

    When the frenzied and irregular food-recruitment dances of bumblebees were first discovered, it was thought that they might represent an evolutionary prototype to the honeybee waggle dance. It later emerged that the primary function of the bumblebee dance was the distribution of an alerting pheromone. Here, we identify the chemical compounds of the bumblebee recruitment pheromone and their behaviour effects. The presence of two monoterpenes and one sesquiterpene (eucalyptol, ocimene and farnesol) in the nest airspace and in the tergal glands increases strongly during foraging. Of these, eucalyptol has the strongest recruitment effect when a bee nest is experimentally exposed to it. Since honeybees use terpenes for marking food sources rather than recruiting foragers inside the nest, this suggests independent evolutionary roots of food recruitment in these two groups of bees.

  19. Chemical compounds of the foraging recruitment pheromone in bumblebees

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Granero, Angeles Mena; Sanz, José M. Guerra; Gonzalez, Francisco J. Egea; Vidal, José L. Martinez; Dornhaus, Anna; Ghani, Junaid; Serrano, Ana Roldán; Chittka, Lars

    2005-08-01

    When the frenzied and irregular food-recruitment dances of bumblebees were first discovered, it was thought that they might represent an evolutionary prototype to the honeybee waggle dance. It later emerged that the primary function of the bumblebee dance was the distribution of an alerting pheromone. Here, we identify the chemical compounds of the bumblebee recruitment pheromone and their behaviour effects. The presence of two monoterpenes and one sesquiterpene (eucalyptol, ocimene and farnesol) in the nest airspace and in the tergal glands increases strongly during foraging. Of these, eucalyptol has the strongest recruitment effect when a bee nest is experimentally exposed to it. Since honeybees use terpenes for marking food sources rather than recruiting foragers inside the nest, this suggests independent evolutionary roots of food recruitment in these two groups of bees.

  20. Antibacterial activities of the methanol extracts, fractions and compounds from Fagara tessmannii.

    PubMed

    Tankeo, Simplice B; Damen, Francois; Awouafack, Maurice D; Mpetga, James; Tane, Pierre; Eloff, Jacobus N; Kuete, Victor

    2015-07-01

    Fagara tessmannii is a shrub of the African rainforests used to treat bacterial infections, cancers, swellings and inflammation. In the present study, the methanol extract from the leaves (FTL), bark (FTB), and roots (FTR) of this plant as well as fractions (FTR1-5) and compounds isolated from FTR namely β-sitosterol-3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (1), nitidine chloride (2) and buesgenine (3), were tested for their antimicrobial activities against a panel of Gram-negative bacteria including multidrug resistant (MDR) phenotypes. The broth microdilution method was used to determine the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the above samples; Column chromatography was used for the fractionation and purification of the roots extract whilst the chemical structures of compounds were determined using spectroscopic techniques. Results of the MIC determinations indicated that the crude extracts from the roots as well as fraction FTRa4 were active on all the 26 tested bacterial strains. MIC values below 100µg/mL were obtained with roots, leaves and bark extract respectively against 30.8%, 15.4% and 11.5% tested bacteria. The lowest MIC value below of 8µg/mL was obtained with extract from the roots against Escherichia coli MC100 strain. The lowest MIC value of 4µg/mL was also obtained with compound 3 against E. coli AG102 and Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC11296 CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrates that F. tessmannii is a potential source of antimicrobial drugs to fight against MDR bacteria. Benzophenanthrine alkaloids 2 and 3 are the main antibacterial consituents of the roots of the plant. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Conversion of Fibroblasts to Parvalbumin Neurons by One Transcription Factor, Ascl1, and the Chemical Compound Forskolin*

    PubMed Central

    Shi, Zixiao; Zhang, Juan; Chen, Shuangquan; Li, Yanxin; Lei, Xuepei; Qiao, Huimin; Zhu, Qianwen; Hu, Baoyang; Zhou, Qi; Jiao, Jianwei

    2016-01-01

    Abnormalities in parvalbumin (PV)-expressing interneurons cause neurodevelopmental disorders such as epilepsy, autism, and schizophrenia. Unlike other types of neurons that can be efficiently differentiated from pluripotent stem cells, PV neurons were minimally generated using a conventional differentiation strategy. In this study we developed an adenovirus-based transdifferentiation strategy that incorporates an additional chemical compound for the efficient generation of induced PV (iPV) neurons. The chemical compound forskolin combined with Ascl1 induced ∼80% of mouse fibroblasts to iPV neurons. The iPV neurons generated by this procedure matured 5–7 days post infection and were characterized by electrophysiological properties and known neuronal markers, such as PV and GABA. Our studies, therefore, identified an efficient approach for generating PV neurons. PMID:27137935

  2. Chemical Composition and Biological Activities of Mono- and Heterofloral Bee Pollen of Different Geographical Origins

    PubMed Central

    Araújo, Jucilene Silva; Chambó, Emerson Dechechi; Costa, Maria Angélica Pereira de Carvalho; Cavalcante da Silva, Samira Maria Peixoto; Lopes de Carvalho, Carlos Alfredo; M. Estevinho, Leticia

    2017-01-01

    Recent research shows variations in pollen chemical constituents and, consequently, in their therapeutic properties. Mono and multifloral bee pollen extracts were investigated for antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory activity properties, phenolic compounds and fatty acid composition. Generally, Eucalyptus spp. and multifloral extracts exhibited potent inhibitory activity against α-amylase, acetylcholinesterase, tyrosinase, lipoxygenase, lipase and hyaluronidase. On the other hand, Miconia spp. demonstrated higher antihemolytic activity. Cocos nucifera and Miconia spp. extracts exhibited important antioxidant properties in the different assays (ABTS, DPPH, β-carotene/linoleic acid and reducing power). Moreover, these extracts had greater amounts of total phenols and flavonoids in comparison to others. The increase in antioxidant activity (decrease in EC50 values) was accompanied by an increase in the amount of total phenols in the extracts. The pollen extracts contained linoleic acid and α-linolenic acid as major fatty acids, followed by palmitic acid, and oleic acid. In this study, differences were observed in both chemical constituents and biological activities of the samples related to the geographical and botanical origin of bee pollen. PMID:28448467

  3. Fingerprint profiles of flavonoid compounds from different Psidium guajava leaves and their antioxidant activities.

    PubMed

    Wang, Lu; Wu, Yanan; Bei, Qi; Shi, Kan; Wu, Zhenqiang

    2017-10-01

    Flavonoids are the main active components in Psidium guajava leaves and have many multi-physiological functions. In this study, the flavonoid compositions were identified in the Psidium guajava leaves samples using a high-performance liquid chromatography with time-of-flight electrospray ionization mass spectrometry method. A high-performance liquid chromatography fingerprint method, combined with chemometrics, was used to perform a quality assessment of the Psidium guajava leaves samples. The eight identified flavonoid compounds including rutin, isoquercitrin, quercetin-3-O-β-d-xylopyranoside, quercetin-3-O-α-l-arabinopyranoside, avicularin, quercitrin, quercetin, and kaempferol were used as the chemical markers. The antioxidant activity of 15 batches of samples was examined using three different methods, and the results revealed the Psidium guajava leaves samples that had higher contents of the flavonoid compounds, glycoside and aglycone, possessed the highest antioxidant capacities. Consequently, a combination of chromatographic fingerprints and chemometric analyses was used for a quality assessment of Psidium guajava leaf tea and its derived products, which can lay the foundation for the development of plant tea resources or other herbs. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. Isolation and Antimicrobial Activity of Flavonoid Compounds from Mahagony Seeds (Swietenia macrophylla, King)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mursiti, S.; Supartono

    2017-02-01

    Flavonoid is one of the secondary metabolites compounds in mahogany seeds. Mahogany seeds can be used as an antimicrobial. This study aims to determine the antimicrobial activity of flavonoid compounds from mahogany seeds against Escherichia coli (E.coli) and Bacillus cereus (B.cereus). Isolation of flavonoid compounds done step by step. First, the maceration using n-hexane, then with methanol. The methanol extract was dissolved in ethyl acetate and aquadest, then separated. Ethyl acetate extract evaporated Flavonoid compounds were. The testing of antimicrobial activity of flavonoid compounds using the absorption method. The results showed that the antimicrobial activity of flavonoid compounds from mahogany seeds shows the inhibitory activity and provide clear zone against bacteria E.coli with value Inhibitory Regional Diameter 18.50 mm respectively, and 14.50 mm to the bacteria. Based on the results of the study, it can be concluded that flavonoid compounds from mahogany seeds have antimicrobial activity against E.coli and B.cereus.

  5. Enrichment of refined olive oil with phenolic compounds: evaluation of their antioxidant activity and their effect on the bitter index.

    PubMed

    Artajo, Luz S; Romero, María P; Morelló, José R; Motilva, María J

    2006-08-09

    The study of the antioxidant effects of biophenolic compounds is supported by the current interest in natural products and the ongoing replacement of synthetic antioxidants by natural antioxidants from plant sources. Olives and olive oil, especially extra virgin olive oil, contain a variety of bioactive compounds (phytochemicals) widely considered to be potentially beneficial for health. This research was focused on evaluating the antioxidant activity of the enriched refined olive oil to discover a possible functional food application. Different concentrations of individual and combined phenolic compounds were added to the refined olive oil as lipid matrix, and the antioxidant activity expressed as oxidative stability in hours was determined by using the Rancimat method. Additionally, the bitter index was evaluated to assess the effect of the enrichment in relation to the organoleptic quality. The results showed that the antioxidant activity depends on the concentration of the phenol used for the assay and the chemical structure. In general, the most positive effects were observed in 3,4-dihydroxy and 3,4,5-trihydroxy structures linked to an aromatic ring that conferred to the moiety a higher proton dislocation, thus facilitating the scavenging activity.

  6. Alkaline phosphatase activity-guided isolation of active compounds and new dammarane-type triterpenes from Cissus quadrangularis hexane extract.

    PubMed

    Pathomwichaiwat, Thanika; Ochareon, Pannee; Soonthornchareonnon, Noppamas; Ali, Zulfiqar; Khan, Ikhlas A; Prathanturarug, Sompop

    2015-02-03

    The stem of Cissus quadrangularis L. (CQ) is used in traditional medicine to treat bone fractures and swelling. Anti-osteoporotic activity of CQ hexane extract has been reported, but the active compounds in this extract remain unknown. Thus, we aimed to identify the active compounds in CQ hexane extract using bioassay-guided isolation. The CQ hexane extract was fractionated sequentially with benzene, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and methanol. The examination of CQ extract and its fractions was guided by bioassays for alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity during the differentiation of MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells. The cells were treated with or without the CQ extract and its fractions for a period of time, and then the stimulatory effect of the alkaline phosphatase enzyme, a bone differentiation marker, was investigated. The compounds obtained were structurally elucidated using spectroscopic techniques and re-evaluated for activity during bone differentiation. A total of 29 compounds were isolated, viz., triterpenes, fatty acid methyl esters, glycerolipids, steroids, phytols, and cerebrosides. Four new dammarane-type triterpenes were isolated for the first time from nature, and this report is the first to identify this group of compounds from the Vitaceae family. Seven compounds, viz., glycerolipids and squalene, stimulated ALP activity at a dose of 10μg/mL. Moreover, the synergistic effect of these compounds on bone formation was demonstrated. This report describes, for the first time, the isolation of active compounds from CQ hexane extract; these active compounds will be useful for the quality control of extracts from this plant used to treat osteoporosis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Helichrysum gymnocephalum essential oil: chemical composition and cytotoxic, antimalarial and antioxidant activities, attribution of the activity origin by correlations.

    PubMed

    Afoulous, Samia; Ferhout, Hicham; Raoelison, Emmanuel Guy; Valentin, Alexis; Moukarzel, Béatrice; Couderc, François; Bouajila, Jalloul

    2011-09-29

    Helichrysum gymnocephalum essential oil (EO) was prepared by hydrodistillation of its leaves and characterized by GC-MS and quantified by GC-FID. Twenty three compounds were identified. 1,8-Cineole (47.4%), bicyclosesquiphellandrene (5.6%), γ-curcumene (5.6%), α-amorphene (5.1%) and bicyclogermacrene (5%) were the main components. Our results confirmed the important chemical variability of H. gymnocephalum. The essential oil was tested in vitro for cytotoxic (on human breast cancer cells MCF-7), antimalarial (Plasmodium falciparum: FcB1-Columbia strain, chloroquine-resistant) and antioxidant (ABTS and DPPH assays) activities. H. gymnocephalum EO was found to be active against MCF-7 cells, with an IC(50) of 16 ± 2 mg/L. The essential oil was active against P. falciparum (IC(50) = 25 ± 1 mg/L). However, the essential oil exhibited a poor antioxidant activity in the DPPH (IC(50) value > 1,000 mg/L) and ABTS (IC(50) value = 1,487.67 ± 47.70 mg/L) assays. We have reviewed the existing results on the anticancer activity of essential oils on MCF-7 cell line and on their antiplasmodial activity against the P. falciparum. The aim was to establish correlations between the identified compounds and their biological activities (antiplasmodial and anticancer). β-Selinene (R² = 0.76), α-terpinolene (R² = 0.88) and aromadendrene (R² = 0.90) presented a higher relationship with the anti-cancer activity. However, only calamenene (R² = 0.70) showed a significant correlation for the antiplasmodial activity.

  8. Analysis of air-, moisture- and solvent-sensitive chemical compounds by mass spectrometry using an inert atmospheric pressure solids analysis probe.

    PubMed

    Mosely, Jackie A; Stokes, Peter; Parker, David; Dyer, Philip W; Messinis, Antonis M

    2018-02-01

    A novel method has been developed that enables chemical compounds to be transferred from an inert atmosphere glove box and into the atmospheric pressure ion source of a mass spectrometer whilst retaining a controlled chemical environment. This innovative method is simple and cheap to implement on some commercially available mass spectrometers. We have termed this approach inert atmospheric pressure solids analysis probe ( iASAP) and demonstrate the benefit of this methodology for two air-/moisture-sensitive chemical compounds whose characterisation by mass spectrometry is now possible and easily achieved. The simplicity of the design means that moving between iASAP and standard ASAP is straightforward and quick, providing a highly flexible platform with rapid sample turnaround.

  9. Adjusted active carbon fibers for solid phase microextraction.

    PubMed

    Jia, Jinping; Feng, Xue; Fang, Nenghu; Wang, Yalin; Chen, Hongjin; Dan, Wu

    2002-01-01

    Adjusted active carbon fiber (AACF) was evaluated for Solid Phase Microextraction (SPME), which showed higher sensitivity and stability than traditional coating fibers. The characteristics of AACF result from two different activation methods (chemical and water vapor) and from variable activation conditions (temperature and time). The fiber treated by water vapor appears to have stronger affinity to polar compounds, while that treated by chemical activation appears to have stronger affinity to non-polar compounds. For different target compounds ranged from non-polar to polar, AACF design could be effective with specific selections and sensitivities. As applications in this paper, benzoic acid in soy sauce was extracted onto water-vapor-activated-fiber, then analyzed using gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS). The chemical-activated-fiber SPME was applied in the analysis of benzene series compounds (BTEX) in water matrix. Compared with standard carbon disulfide extraction method, chemical-activated-fiber SPME is more convenient due to its simple process and turns to be of relative low detection limits.

  10. Aqua mediated synthesis of bio-active compounds.

    PubMed

    Panda, Siva S

    2013-05-01

    Recently the aqueous medium has attracted the interest of organic chemists, and many. Moreover, in the past 20 years, the drug-discovery process has undergone extraordinary changes, and high-throughput biological screening of potential drug candidates has led to an ever-increasing demand for novel drug-like compounds. Noteworthy advantages were observed during the course of study on aqua mediated synthesis of compounds of medicinal importance. The established advantages of water as a solvent for reactions are, water is the most abundant and available resource on the planet and many biochemical processes occur in aqueous medium. This review will focus on describing new developments in the application of water in medicinal chemistry for the synthesis of bio-active compounds possessing various biological properties.

  11. DEPENDENCY OF POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYL AND POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBON BIOACCUMULATION IN MYA ARENARIA ON BOTH WATER COLUMN AND SEDIMENT BED CHEMICAL ACTIVITIES

    EPA Science Inventory

    The bioaccumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) by the filter-feeding soft-shell clam Mya arenaria was evaluated at three sites near Boston (MA, USA) by assessing the chemical activities of those hydrophobic organic compounds (H...

  12. Evaluation of fruit quality, bioactive compounds and total antioxidant activity of flat peach cultivars.

    PubMed

    Di Vaio, Claudio; Marallo, Nadia; Graziani, Giulia; Ritieni, Alberto; Di Matteo, Antonio

    2015-08-15

    Fruit quality traits (fresh weight, dry weight, soluble solids content, titratable acidity and firmness) as well as the content of bioactive compounds (phenolic compounds) and total antioxidant activity were evaluated in four commercial cultivars of peach (Greta, Ufo 4, Rome Star and Ufo 6) and four of nectarine (Neve, Planet 1, Maria Carla and Mesembrina) differing in fruit shape (standard or flat) and flesh colour (white or yellow), important cultivars of the Italian and foreign market. The higher fruit organoleptic quality and nutritional profile of flat peach and nectarine cultivars make them candidates for exploiting new market opportunities and the chance to improve profits of farmers. The results showed that assayed quality parameters differed greatly among cultivars. In particular, flesh color and fruit shape accounted for most of the variation in traits underlying organoleptic and nutritional quality. Overall data suggested that the flat white-fleshed nectarine Planet 1, the yellow-fleshed nectarine Mesembrina and the yellow-fleshed peach Ufo 6, because of their profiles in terms of soluble solids content, titratable acidity and bioactive compounds, have the greatest potential to meet current consumer requirements. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

  13. Concentration evolution of pharmaceutically active compounds in raw urban and industrial wastewater.

    PubMed

    Camacho-Muñoz, Dolores; Martín, Julia; Santos, Juan Luis; Aparicio, Irene; Alonso, Esteban

    2014-09-01

    The distribution of pharmaceutically active compounds in the environment has been reported in several works in which wastewater treatment plants have been identified as the main source of these compounds to the environment. The concentrations of these compounds in influent wastewater can vary widely not only during the day but also along the year, because of the seasonal-consumption patterns of some pharmaceuticals. However, only few studies have attempted to assess the hourly variability of the concentrations of pharmaceutically active compounds in wastewater. In this work, the distribution and seasonal and hourly variability of twenty-one pharmaceuticals, belonging to seven therapeutic groups, have been investigated in urban and industrial wastewater. The highest concentrations of pharmaceutically active compounds, except salicylic acid, were found in urban wastewater, especially in the case of anti-inflammatory drugs and caffeine. The highest concentrations of salicylic acid were measured in industrial wastewater, reaching concentration levels up to 3295μgL(-)(1). The studied pharmaceutically active compounds showed different distribution patterns during winter and summer periods. Temporal variability of pharmaceutically active compounds during a 24-h period showed a distribution in concordance with their consumption and excretion patterns, in the case of urban wastewater, and with the schedule of industrial activities, in the case of industrial wastewater. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Expanding the biomass derived chemical space

    PubMed Central

    Brun, Nicolas; Hesemann, Peter

    2017-01-01

    Biorefinery aims at the conversion of biomass and renewable feedstocks into fuels and platform chemicals, in analogy to conventional oil refinery. In the past years, the scientific community has defined a number of primary building blocks that can be obtained by direct biomass decomposition. However, the large potential of this “renewable chemical space” to contribute to the generation of value added bio-active compounds and materials still remains unexplored. In general, biomass derived building blocks feature a diverse range of chemical functionalities. In order to be integrated into value-added compounds, they require additional functionalization and/or covalent modification thereby generating secondary building blocks. The latter can be thus regarded as functional components of bio-active molecules or materials and represent an expansion of the renewable chemical space. This perspective highlights the most recent developments and opportunities for the synthesis of secondary biomass derived building blocks and their application to the preparation of value added products. PMID:28959397

  15. Optimization and application of atmospheric pressure chemical and photoionization hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry for speciation of oxygen-containing compounds.

    PubMed

    Acter, Thamina; Kim, Donghwi; Ahmed, Arif; Jin, Jang Mi; Yim, Un Hyuk; Shim, Won Joon; Kim, Young Hwan; Kim, Sunghwan

    2016-05-01

    This paper presents a detailed investigation of the feasibility of optimized positive and negative atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) mass spectrometry (MS) and atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI) MS coupled to hydrogen-deuterium exchange (HDX) for structural assignment of diverse oxygen-containing compounds. The important parameters for optimization of HDX MS were characterized. The optimized techniques employed in the positive and negative modes showed satisfactory HDX product ions for the model compounds when dichloromethane and toluene were employed as a co-solvent in APCI- and APPI-HDX, respectively. The evaluation of the mass spectra obtained from 38 oxygen-containing compounds demonstrated that the extent of the HDX of the ions was structure-dependent. The combination of information provided by different ionization techniques could be used for better speciation of oxygen-containing compounds. For example, (+) APPI-HDX is sensitive to compounds with alcohol, ketone, or aldehyde substituents, while (-) APPI-HDX is sensitive to compounds with carboxylic functional groups. In addition, the compounds with alcohol can be distinguished from other compounds by the presence of exchanged peaks. The combined information was applied to study chemical compositions of degraded oils. The HDX pattern, double bond equivalent (DBE) distribution, and previously reported oxidation products were combined to predict structures of the compounds produced from oxidation of oil. Overall, this study shows that APCI- and APPI-HDX MS are useful experimental techniques that can be applied for the structural analysis of oxygen-containing compounds.

  16. Electrocatalytic processing of renewable biomass-derived compounds for production of chemicals, fuels and electricity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xin, Le

    The dual problems of sustaining the fast growth of human society and preserving the environment for future generations urge us to shift our focus from exploiting fossil oils to researching and developing more affordable, reliable and clean energy sources. Human beings had a long history that depended on meeting our energy demands with plant biomass, and the modern biorefinery technologies realize the effective conversion of biomass to production of transportation fuels, bulk and fine chemicals so to alleviate our reliance on fossil fuel resources of declining supply. With the aim of replacing as much non-renewable carbon from fossil oils with renewable carbon from biomass as possible, innovative R&D activities must strive to enhance the current biorefinery process and secure our energy future. Much of my Ph.D. research effort is centered on the study of electrocatalytic conversion of biomass-derived compounds to produce value-added chemicals, biofuels and electrical energy on model electrocatalysts in AEM/PEM-based continuous flow electrolysis cell and fuel cell reactors. High electricity generation performance was obtained when glycerol or crude glycerol was employed as fuels in AEMFCs. The study on selective electrocatalytic oxidation of glycerol shows an electrode potential-regulated product distribution where tartronate and mesoxalate can be selectively produced with electrode potential switch. This finding then led to the development of AEMFCs with selective production of valuable tartronate or mesoxalate with high selectivity and yield and cogeneration of electricity. Reaction mechanisms of electrocatalytic oxidation of ethylene glycol and 1,2-propanediol were further elucidated by means of an on-line sample collection technique and DFT modeling. Besides electro-oxidation of biorenewable alcohols to chemicals and electricity, electrocatalytic reduction of keto acids (e.g. levulinic acid) was also studied for upgrading biomass-based feedstock to biofuels while

  17. C15078. Essential oil composition of Phagnalon sordidum (L.) from Corsica, chemical variability and antimicrobial activity.

    PubMed

    Brunel, Marion; Vitrac, Caroline; Costa, Jean; Mzali, Fatima; Vitrac, Xavier; Muselli, Alain

    2016-02-10

    The chemical composition of Phagnalon sordidum (L.) essential oil was investigated for the first time using gas chromatography and chromatography-mass spectrometry. Seventy-six compounds, which accounted for 87.9% of the total amount, were identified in a collective essential oil of P. sordidum from Corsica. The main essential oil components were (E)-β-caryophyllene (14.4%), β-pinene (11.0%), thymol (9.0%), and hexadecanoic acid (5.3%). The chemical compositions of essential oils from 19 Corsican locations were investigated. The study of the chemical variability using statistical analysis allowed identifying direct correlation between the three populations of P. sordidum widespread in Corsica and the essential oil compositions they produce. The in vitro antimicrobial activity of P. sordidum essential oil was evaluated and exhibited a notable activity on a large panel of clinically significant microorganisms. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  18. USE OF BIOASSAY-DIRECTED CHEMICAL ANALYSIS FOR IDENTIFYING MUTAGENIC COMPOUNDS IN URBAN AIR AND COMBUSTION EMISSIONS

    EPA Science Inventory

    Bioassay-directed chemical analysis fractionation has been used for 30 years to identify mutagenic classes of compounds in complex mixtures. Most studies have used the Salmonella (Ames) mutagenicity assay, and we have recently applied this methodology to two standard reference sa...

  19. FAF-Drugs3: a web server for compound property calculation and chemical library design

    PubMed Central

    Lagorce, David; Sperandio, Olivier; Baell, Jonathan B.; Miteva, Maria A.; Villoutreix, Bruno O.

    2015-01-01

    Drug attrition late in preclinical or clinical development is a serious economic problem in the field of drug discovery. These problems can be linked, in part, to the quality of the compound collections used during the hit generation stage and to the selection of compounds undergoing optimization. Here, we present FAF-Drugs3, a web server that can be used for drug discovery and chemical biology projects to help in preparing compound libraries and to assist decision-making during the hit selection/lead optimization phase. Since it was first described in 2006, FAF-Drugs has been significantly modified. The tool now applies an enhanced structure curation procedure, can filter or analyze molecules with user-defined or eight predefined physicochemical filters as well as with several simple ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity) rules. In addition, compounds can be filtered using an updated list of 154 hand-curated structural alerts while Pan Assay Interference compounds (PAINS) and other, generally unwanted groups are also investigated. FAF-Drugs3 offers access to user-friendly html result pages and the possibility to download all computed data. The server requires as input an SDF file of the compounds; it is open to all users and can be accessed without registration at http://fafdrugs3.mti.univ-paris-diderot.fr. PMID:25883137

  20. Abatement of chlorinated compounds in groundwater contaminated by HCH wastes using ISCO with alkali activated persulfate.

    PubMed

    Santos, A; Fernandez, J; Rodriguez, S; Dominguez, C M; Lominchar, M A; Lorenzo, D; Romero, A

    2018-02-15

    In this work, in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) with alkali activated persulfate has been tested for the elimination of HCH isomers and other chlorinated compounds in groundwater from Sabiñanigo (Sardas landfill), which was contaminated by solid and liquid wastes illegally dumped in the area by a company producing lindane. Due to the site lithology and the type of pollutants found in groundwater (HCHs and chlorobenzenes) alkali (NaOH) activated persulfate (PS) was selected as oxidant. The influence of variables such as PS concentration (42-200mM) and NaOH:PS molar ratio (2:1 to 4:1) on chlorinated compound abatement has been studied and a kinetic model to predict the composition of all chlorinated organic compounds (COCs) in the aqueous phase with time was obtained. It was found that a fast initial hydrodechlorination reaction took place in which HCH isomers reacted to trichlorobenzenes (mainly 1,2,4 TCB) at pH≥12. Mono-, di-, tri and tetrachlorobenzenes remaining were oxidized without producing aromatic intermediates. At the condition tested a first order kinetic model for COCs and PS concentration was obtained. Zero order alkali concentration was obtained while pH was being kept at 12 for the whole reaction time. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. First principles view on chemical compound space: Gaining rigorous atomistic control of molecular properties

    DOE PAGES

    von Lilienfeld, O. Anatole

    2013-02-26

    A well-defined notion of chemical compound space (CCS) is essential for gaining rigorous control of properties through variation of elemental composition and atomic configurations. Here, we give an introduction to an atomistic first principles perspective on CCS. First, CCS is discussed in terms of variational nuclear charges in the context of conceptual density functional and molecular grand-canonical ensemble theory. Thereafter, we revisit the notion of compound pairs, related to each other via “alchemical” interpolations involving fractional nuclear charges in the electronic Hamiltonian. We address Taylor expansions in CCS, property nonlinearity, improved predictions using reference compound pairs, and the ounce-of-gold prizemore » challenge to linearize CCS. Finally, we turn to machine learning of analytical structure property relationships in CCS. Here, these relationships correspond to inferred, rather than derived through variational principle, solutions of the electronic Schrödinger equation.« less

  2. Cinnamoyl compounds as simple molecules that inhibit p300 histone acetyltransferase.

    PubMed

    Costi, Roberta; Di Santo, Roberto; Artico, Marino; Miele, Gaetano; Valentini, Paola; Novellino, Ettore; Cereseto, Anna

    2007-04-19

    Cinnamoly compounds 1a-c and 2a-d were designed, synthesized, and in vitro tested as p300 inhibitors. At different degrees, all tested compounds were proven to inactivate p300, particularly, derivative 2c was the most active inhibitor, also showing high specificity for p300 as compared to other histone acetyltransferases. Most notably, 2c showed anti-acetylase activity in mammalian cells. These compounds represent a new class of synthetic inhibitors of p300, characterized by simple chemical structures.

  3. Use of an ion mobility spectrometer for detecting uranium compounds

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    McLain, Derek R.; Steeb, Jennifer L.; Smith, Nicholas A.

    The safeguards community currently lacks a method to rapidly determine the chemical form of radioactive and non-radioactive compounds in real time during inspection activities. Chemical speciation identification can provide important information on both the types of materials that are collected during environmental sampling and can inform inspectors as to where to focus efforts during inspections or complementary access visits. Ion Mobility Spectrometry (IMS) is an established field technique for the detection of explosives, narcotics, and other organic compounds. More recently, electrospray ionization (ESI) has been used to introduce inorganic compounds to IMS instruments for analysis. These techniques have shown themore » ability to supply chemical information about the compounds being analyzed. Although these laboratory based instruments use a liquid-based injection system, there is evidence in the literature of unaltered and intact pharmaceutical tablets being volatilized and ionized in open atmosphere using heat and a Ni-63 source. Lastly, this work determined that a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) IMS could be used for the identification of solid uranium compounds directly after sampling using a COTS sample swipe.« less

  4. Use of an ion mobility spectrometer for detecting uranium compounds

    DOE PAGES

    McLain, Derek R.; Steeb, Jennifer L.; Smith, Nicholas A.

    2018-03-09

    The safeguards community currently lacks a method to rapidly determine the chemical form of radioactive and non-radioactive compounds in real time during inspection activities. Chemical speciation identification can provide important information on both the types of materials that are collected during environmental sampling and can inform inspectors as to where to focus efforts during inspections or complementary access visits. Ion Mobility Spectrometry (IMS) is an established field technique for the detection of explosives, narcotics, and other organic compounds. More recently, electrospray ionization (ESI) has been used to introduce inorganic compounds to IMS instruments for analysis. These techniques have shown themore » ability to supply chemical information about the compounds being analyzed. Although these laboratory based instruments use a liquid-based injection system, there is evidence in the literature of unaltered and intact pharmaceutical tablets being volatilized and ionized in open atmosphere using heat and a Ni-63 source. Lastly, this work determined that a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) IMS could be used for the identification of solid uranium compounds directly after sampling using a COTS sample swipe.« less

  5. A Novel Two-Step Hierarchical Quantitative Structure–Activity Relationship Modeling Work Flow for Predicting Acute Toxicity of Chemicals in Rodents

    PubMed Central

    Zhu, Hao; Ye, Lin; Richard, Ann; Golbraikh, Alexander; Wright, Fred A.; Rusyn, Ivan; Tropsha, Alexander

    2009-01-01

    Background Accurate prediction of in vivo toxicity from in vitro testing is a challenging problem. Large public–private consortia have been formed with the goal of improving chemical safety assessment by the means of high-throughput screening. Objective A wealth of available biological data requires new computational approaches to link chemical structure, in vitro data, and potential adverse health effects. Methods and results A database containing experimental cytotoxicity values for in vitro half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) and in vivo rodent median lethal dose (LD50) for more than 300 chemicals was compiled by Zentralstelle zur Erfassung und Bewertung von Ersatz- und Ergaenzungsmethoden zum Tierversuch (ZEBET; National Center for Documentation and Evaluation of Alternative Methods to Animal Experiments). The application of conventional quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR) modeling approaches to predict mouse or rat acute LD50 values from chemical descriptors of ZEBET compounds yielded no statistically significant models. The analysis of these data showed no significant correlation between IC50 and LD50. However, a linear IC50 versus LD50 correlation could be established for a fraction of compounds. To capitalize on this observation, we developed a novel two-step modeling approach as follows. First, all chemicals are partitioned into two groups based on the relationship between IC50 and LD50 values: One group comprises compounds with linear IC50 versus LD50 relationships, and another group comprises the remaining compounds. Second, we built conventional binary classification QSAR models to predict the group affiliation based on chemical descriptors only. Third, we developed k-nearest neighbor continuous QSAR models for each subclass to predict LD50 values from chemical descriptors. All models were extensively validated using special protocols. Conclusions The novelty of this modeling approach is that it uses the relationships

  6. A novel two-step hierarchical quantitative structure-activity relationship modeling work flow for predicting acute toxicity of chemicals in rodents.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Hao; Ye, Lin; Richard, Ann; Golbraikh, Alexander; Wright, Fred A; Rusyn, Ivan; Tropsha, Alexander

    2009-08-01

    Accurate prediction of in vivo toxicity from in vitro testing is a challenging problem. Large public-private consortia have been formed with the goal of improving chemical safety assessment by the means of high-throughput screening. A wealth of available biological data requires new computational approaches to link chemical structure, in vitro data, and potential adverse health effects. A database containing experimental cytotoxicity values for in vitro half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) and in vivo rodent median lethal dose (LD(50)) for more than 300 chemicals was compiled by Zentralstelle zur Erfassung und Bewertung von Ersatz- und Ergaenzungsmethoden zum Tierversuch (ZEBET; National Center for Documentation and Evaluation of Alternative Methods to Animal Experiments). The application of conventional quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) modeling approaches to predict mouse or rat acute LD(50) values from chemical descriptors of ZEBET compounds yielded no statistically significant models. The analysis of these data showed no significant correlation between IC(50) and LD(50). However, a linear IC(50) versus LD(50) correlation could be established for a fraction of compounds. To capitalize on this observation, we developed a novel two-step modeling approach as follows. First, all chemicals are partitioned into two groups based on the relationship between IC(50) and LD(50) values: One group comprises compounds with linear IC(50) versus LD(50) relationships, and another group comprises the remaining compounds. Second, we built conventional binary classification QSAR models to predict the group affiliation based on chemical descriptors only. Third, we developed k-nearest neighbor continuous QSAR models for each subclass to predict LD(50) values from chemical descriptors. All models were extensively validated using special protocols. The novelty of this modeling approach is that it uses the relationships between in vivo and in vitro data only

  7. Chemical constituents and anti-inflammatory activities of Maqian (Zanthoxylum myriacanthum var. pubescens) bark extracts

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Huan-li; Gan, Xiao-qing; Fan, Qing-fei; Yang, Jing-jing; Zhang, Ping; Hu, Hua-bin; Song, Qi-shi

    2017-01-01

    In this study, 44 compounds in the petroleum ether extract of Maqian (Zanthoxylum myriacanthum var. pubescens) bark, a traditional Dai herbal medicine, were identified by GC-MS. Major components included 3(2H)-benzofuranone, asarinin and (dimethoxymethyl)-3-methoxy-benzene. A total of 18 compounds were isolated from the ethyl acetate extracts of Maqian bark by column chromatography and identified by chemical and spectral analyses. Rhoifoline B, zanthoxyline dimethoxy derivative, N-nortidine, nitidine, decarine are the major alkaloids. Both the petroleum ether and ethyl acetate extracts showed significant inhibition on NO production, which imply anti-inflammatory activity, in lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW 264.7 cells without cell toxicity. Decarine is the major anti-inflammatory constituent with NO IC50 values of 48.43 μM on RAW264.7 cells. The petroleum ether extract, the ethyl acetate extract and decarine showed anti-inflammatory activities through inhibiting TNF-α and IL-1β production in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated THP-1 cells without cell toxicity too. Decarine showed anti-inflammatory activity on human colon cells by reducing IL-6 and IL-8 production in TNF-α+IL-1β-induced Caco-2 cells. These results support the use of Maqian bark as a remedy for enteritis and colitis recorded by Dai medicine in China, and elucidate the major pharmacological compounds in Maqian bark. PMID:28383530

  8. High Content Screening of a Kinase-Focused Library Reveals Compounds Broadly-Active against Dengue Viruses

    PubMed Central

    Li, Xiaolan; Milan Bonotto, Rafaela; No, Joo Hwan; Kim, Keum Hyun; Baek, Sungmin; Kim, Hee Young; Windisch, Marc Peter; Pamplona Mosimann, Ana Luiza; de Borba, Luana; Liuzzi, Michel; Hansen, Michael Adsetts Edberg; Nunes Duarte dos Santos, Claudia; Freitas-Junior, Lucio Holanda

    2013-01-01

    Dengue virus is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that has a large impact in global health. It is considered as one of the medically important arboviruses, and developing a preventive or therapeutic solution remains a top priority in the medical and scientific community. Drug discovery programs for potential dengue antivirals have increased dramatically over the last decade, largely in part to the introduction of high-throughput assays. In this study, we have developed an image-based dengue high-throughput/high-content assay (HT/HCA) using an innovative computer vision approach to screen a kinase-focused library for anti-dengue compounds. Using this dengue HT/HCA, we identified a group of compounds with a 4-(1-aminoethyl)-N-methylthiazol-2-amine as a common core structure that inhibits dengue viral infection in a human liver-derived cell line (Huh-7.5 cells). Compounds CND1201, CND1203 and CND1243 exhibited strong antiviral activities against all four dengue serotypes. Plaque reduction and time-of-addition assays suggests that these compounds interfere with the late stage of viral infection cycle. These findings demonstrate that our image-based dengue HT/HCA is a reliable tool that can be used to screen various chemical libraries for potential dengue antiviral candidates. PMID:23437413

  9. Improved Chemical Stability and Antiproliferative Activities of Curcumin-Loaded Nanoparticles with a Chitosan Chlorogenic Acid Conjugate.

    PubMed

    Fan, Yuting; Yi, Jiang; Zhang, Yuzhu; Yokoyama, Wallace

    2017-12-13

    A chitosan (CS)-chlorogenic acid (CA) conjugate was successfully prepared through free-radical-induced protocols with a substitution of CA on CS of 103.5 mg/g. ATR-FTIR and 1 H NMR results validated the covalent conjugation of CA onto CS. XRD results indicated the decrease of crystallinity after CA conjugation. DPPH-scavenging activity and reducing-power studies indicated that the CS-CA conjugate had stronger antioxidant activity than chitosan. The particle diameters of curcumin-loaded CS and CS-CA nanoparticles simultaneously formed by ionic gelling in the presence of tripolyphosphate (TPP) were less than 300 nm (243.6 and 256.5 nm, respectively), and zeta-potential values between 25 and 30 mV were obtained. TEM results showed that the nanoparticles were spherically shaped and homogeneously dispersed. Curcumin with the CS-CA conjugate showed better heat stability than with CA at both temperatures (25 and 95 °C) (p <0.05). Curcumin release was inhibited by the CS-CA conjugate. The total release amount of curcumin from CS and CS-CA-conjugate nanoparticles were 70.5 and 61.7%, respectively (p <0.05). A methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay showed that the antiproliferative activity of curcumin in CS-CA nanoparticles was remarkably higher than that in CS nanoparticles because of the higher chemical stability. The results suggest that CS-CA-based nanoparticles are promising candidates for the encapsulation and controlled release of hydrophobic, bioactive compounds and can improve these compounds' chemical stabilities and anticancer activities.

  10. Active machine learning-driven experimentation to determine compound effects on protein patterns.

    PubMed

    Naik, Armaghan W; Kangas, Joshua D; Sullivan, Devin P; Murphy, Robert F

    2016-02-03

    High throughput screening determines the effects of many conditions on a given biological target. Currently, to estimate the effects of those conditions on other targets requires either strong modeling assumptions (e.g. similarities among targets) or separate screens. Ideally, data-driven experimentation could be used to learn accurate models for many conditions and targets without doing all possible experiments. We have previously described an active machine learning algorithm that can iteratively choose small sets of experiments to learn models of multiple effects. We now show that, with no prior knowledge and with liquid handling robotics and automated microscopy under its control, this learner accurately learned the effects of 48 chemical compounds on the subcellular localization of 48 proteins while performing only 29% of all possible experiments. The results represent the first practical demonstration of the utility of active learning-driven biological experimentation in which the set of possible phenotypes is unknown in advance.

  11. Active machine learning-driven experimentation to determine compound effects on protein patterns

    PubMed Central

    Naik, Armaghan W; Kangas, Joshua D; Sullivan, Devin P; Murphy, Robert F

    2016-01-01

    High throughput screening determines the effects of many conditions on a given biological target. Currently, to estimate the effects of those conditions on other targets requires either strong modeling assumptions (e.g. similarities among targets) or separate screens. Ideally, data-driven experimentation could be used to learn accurate models for many conditions and targets without doing all possible experiments. We have previously described an active machine learning algorithm that can iteratively choose small sets of experiments to learn models of multiple effects. We now show that, with no prior knowledge and with liquid handling robotics and automated microscopy under its control, this learner accurately learned the effects of 48 chemical compounds on the subcellular localization of 48 proteins while performing only 29% of all possible experiments. The results represent the first practical demonstration of the utility of active learning-driven biological experimentation in which the set of possible phenotypes is unknown in advance. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.10047.001 PMID:26840049

  12. Use of nuclear receptor luciferase-based bioassays to detect endocrine active chemicals in a biosolids-biochar amended soil.

    PubMed

    Anderson, Carolyn G; Joshi, Geetika; Bair, Daniel A; Oriol, Charlotte; He, Guochun; Parikh, Sanjai J; Denison, Michael S; Scow, Kate M

    2017-08-01

    Biosolids are a potentially valuable source of carbon and nutrients for agricultural soils; however, potential unintended impacts on human health and the environment must be considered. Virtually all biosolids contain trace amounts endocrine-disrupting chemicals derived from human use of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs). One potential way to reduce the bioavailability of PPCPs is to co-apply biosolids with biochar to soil, because biochar's chemical (e.g., aromaticity) and physical properties (e.g., surface area) give it a high affinity to bind many organic chemicals in the environment. We developed a soil-specific extraction method and utilized a luciferase-based bioassay (CALUX) to detect endocrine active chemicals in a biosolids-biochar co-amendment soil greenhouse study. Both biochar (walnut shell, 900 °C) and biosolids had positive impacts on carrot and lettuce biomass accumulation over our study period. However, the walnut shell biochar stimulated aryl hydrocarbon receptor activity, suggesting the presence of potential endocrine active chemicals in the biochar. Since the biochar rate tested (100 t ha -1 ) is above the average agronomic rate (10-20 t ha -1 ), endocrine effects would not be expected in most environmental applications. The effect of high temperature biochars on endocrine system pathways must be explored further, using both quantitative analytical tools to identify potential endocrine active chemicals and highly sensitive bioanalytical assays such as CALUX to measure the resulting biological activity of such compounds. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. QSAR-Driven Design and Discovery of Novel Compounds With Antiplasmodial and Transmission Blocking Activities.

    PubMed

    Lima, Marilia N N; Melo-Filho, Cleber C; Cassiano, Gustavo C; Neves, Bruno J; Alves, Vinicius M; Braga, Rodolpho C; Cravo, Pedro V L; Muratov, Eugene N; Calit, Juliana; Bargieri, Daniel Y; Costa, Fabio T M; Andrade, Carolina H

    2018-01-01

    Malaria is a life-threatening infectious disease caused by parasites of the genus Plasmodium , affecting more than 200 million people worldwide every year and leading to about a half million deaths. Malaria parasites of humans have evolved resistance to all current antimalarial drugs, urging for the discovery of new effective compounds. Given that the inhibition of deoxyuridine triphosphatase of Plasmodium falciparum ( Pf dUTPase) induces wrong insertions in plasmodial DNA and consequently leading the parasite to death, this enzyme is considered an attractive antimalarial drug target. Using a combi-QSAR (quantitative structure-activity relationship) approach followed by virtual screening and in vitro experimental evaluation, we report herein the discovery of novel chemical scaffolds with in vitro potency against asexual blood stages of both P. falciparum multidrug-resistant and sensitive strains and against sporogonic development of P. berghei . We developed 2D- and 3D-QSAR models using a series of nucleosides reported in the literature as Pf dUTPase inhibitors. The best models were combined in a consensus approach and used for virtual screening of the ChemBridge database, leading to the identification of five new virtual Pf dUTPase inhibitors. Further in vitro testing on P. falciparum multidrug-resistant (W2) and sensitive (3D7) parasites showed that compounds LabMol-144 and LabMol-146 demonstrated fair activity against both strains and presented good selectivity versus mammalian cells. In addition, LabMol-144 showed good in vitro inhibition of P. berghei ookinete formation, demonstrating that hit-to-lead optimization based on this compound may also lead to new antimalarials with transmission blocking activity.

  14. Conversion of Fibroblasts to Parvalbumin Neurons by One Transcription Factor, Ascl1, and the Chemical Compound Forskolin.

    PubMed

    Shi, Zixiao; Zhang, Juan; Chen, Shuangquan; Li, Yanxin; Lei, Xuepei; Qiao, Huimin; Zhu, Qianwen; Hu, Baoyang; Zhou, Qi; Jiao, Jianwei

    2016-06-24

    Abnormalities in parvalbumin (PV)-expressing interneurons cause neurodevelopmental disorders such as epilepsy, autism, and schizophrenia. Unlike other types of neurons that can be efficiently differentiated from pluripotent stem cells, PV neurons were minimally generated using a conventional differentiation strategy. In this study we developed an adenovirus-based transdifferentiation strategy that incorporates an additional chemical compound for the efficient generation of induced PV (iPV) neurons. The chemical compound forskolin combined with Ascl1 induced ∼80% of mouse fibroblasts to iPV neurons. The iPV neurons generated by this procedure matured 5-7 days post infection and were characterized by electrophysiological properties and known neuronal markers, such as PV and GABA. Our studies, therefore, identified an efficient approach for generating PV neurons. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  15. Phenolic compound concentration and antioxidant activities of edible and medicinal mushrooms from Korea.

    PubMed

    Kim, Min-Young; Seguin, Philippe; Ahn, Joung-Kuk; Kim, Jong-Jin; Chun, Se-Chul; Kim, Eun-Hye; Seo, Su-Hyun; Kang, Eun-Young; Kim, Sun-Lim; Park, Yool-Jin; Ro, Hee-Myong; Chung, Ill-Min

    2008-08-27

    A study was conducted to determine the content of phenolic compounds and the antioxidative activity of five edible and five medicinal mushrooms commonly cultivated in Korea. Phenolic compounds were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography, and antioxidant activity was evaluated by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity and superoxide dismutase activity. A total of 28 phenolic compounds were detected in the mushrooms studied. The average total concentration of phenolic compounds was 326 microg/g, the average being of 174 microg/g in edible mushrooms and 477 microg/g in medicinal mushrooms. The average total flavonoids concentration was 49 microg/g, with averages of 22 and 76 microg/g in edible and medicinal mushrooms, respectively. The DPPH radical scavenging activities ranged between 15 (Pleurotus eryngii) and 70% (Ganoderma lucidum) when reaction time was for 1 min. When reaction time was 30 min, the values ranged between 5 (Pleurotus eryngii) and 78% (Agaricus bisporus). The SOD activity averaged 28% among the 10 mushroom species, averages for edible and medicinal mushrooms being comparable. DPPH activities was significantly correlated (p < 0.01) with total content of phenolic compounds in edible mushrooms, while in medicinal mushrooms there was a significant correlation (p < 0.01) between SOD activity and total concentration of phenolic compounds. Numerous significant positive correlations were observed between phenolic compounds detected and antioxidative potential.

  16. The Occurrence of Flavonoids and Related Compounds in Cedrus brevifolia A. Henry ex Elwes & A. Henry Needles. Inhibitory Potencies on Lipoxygenase, Linoleic Acid Lipid Peroxidation and Antioxidant Activity

    PubMed Central

    Douros, Andreas; Nikolaou, Konstantinos; Skaltsa, Helen

    2017-01-01

    The phytochemical analysis of the polar extracts of Cedrus brevifolia needles yielded 20 compounds, namely from the methanol extract we isolated three flavonoids (1–3), one hydrolysable tannin (4), eleven phenolic derivatives (5–15) and one apocarotenoid (16), while from the methanol: water (5:1) extract we isolated four flavonoids (17–20). Chemical structures of all isolated compounds were determined by 1D, 2D-NMR (1 Dimension, 2 Dimensions Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) and UV-Vis (Ultraviolet-Visible) spectroscopy. Furthermore, the antioxidant potentials and the anti-inflammatory activities of both crude extracts and isolates were evaluated through DPPH radical scavenging capability, linoleic acid lipid peroxidation inhibition, and soybean LOX inhibition assays. This is the first report on the chemical profile of C. brevifolia needles. Catechin was the main compound derived from the methanol extract. According to our results, 4-O-β-d-glucopyranyl trans-p-coumaric acid and taxifolin were the most active ingredients. PMID:29280942

  17. Separation of Biologically Active Compounds by Membrane Operations.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Xiaoying; Bai, Renbi

    2017-01-01

    biomolecules with similar molecular weights but different surface electrical properties. In contrast, the affinity membrane technology is shown to have the advantages of increasing the separation efficiency at low operational pressures through selectively adsorbing bioactive compounds during the filtration process. Individual membranes or membrane arrays are effectively used to separate bioactive compounds or achieve multiple fractionation of them with different molecule weights or sizes. Pressure driven membrane processes are highly efficient and widely used. Membrane fouling, especially irreversible organic and biological fouling, is the inevitable problem. Multifunctional membranes and affinity membranes provide the possibility of effectively separating bioactive compounds that are similar in sizes but different in other physical and chemical properties. Surface modification methods are of great potential to increase membrane separation efficiency as well as reduce the problem of membrane fouling. Developing membranes and optimizing the operational parameters specifically for the applications of separation of various bioactive compounds should be taken as an important part of ongoing or future membrane research in this field. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  18. Chemical Composition and Antibacterial Activity of the Essential Oil of Vitex agnus-castus L. (Lamiaceae).

    PubMed

    Gonçalves, Regiane; Ayres, Vanessa F S; Carvalho, Carlos E; Souza, Maria G M; Guimarães, Anderson C; Corrêa, Geone M; Martins, Carlos H G; Takeara, Renata; Silva, Eliane O; Crotti, Antônio E M

    2017-01-01

    Abnormal multiplication of oral bacteria causes dental caries and dental plaque. These diseases continue to be major public health concerns worldwide, mainly in developing countries. In this study, the chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Vitex agnus-castus leaves (VAC‒EO) collected in the North of Brazil against a representative panel of cariogenic bacteria were investigated. The antimicrobial activity of VAC-EO was evaluated in terms of its minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values by using the broth microdilution method in 96-well microplates. The chemical constituents of VAC-EO were identified by gas chromatography (GC‒FID) and gas chromatography‒mass spectrometry (GC‒MS). VAC‒EO displayed some activity against all the investigated oral pathogens; MIC values ranged from 15.6 to 200 μg/mL. VAC-EO had promising activity against Streptococcus mutans (MIC= 15.6 μg/mL), Lactobacillus casei (MIC= 15.6 μg/mL), and Streptococcus mitis (MIC= 31.2 μg/mL). The compounds 1,8-cineole (23.8%), (E)-β-farnesene (14.6%), (E)-caryophyllene (12.5%), sabinene (11.4%), and α-terpinyl acetate (7.7%) were the major chemical constituents of VAC‒EO. VAC-EO displays antimicrobial activity against cariogenic bacteria. The efficacy of VAC-EO against S. mutans is noteworthy and should be further investigated.

  19. Chemical composition and in vitro cytotoxic and antileishmanial activities of extract and essential oil from leaves of Piper cernuum.

    PubMed

    Capello, Tabata M; Martins, Euder G A; de Farias, Camyla F; Figueiredo, Carlos R; Matsuo, Alisson L; Passero, Luiz Felipe D; Oliveira-Silva, Diogo; Sartorelli, Patricia; Lago, João Henrique G

    2015-02-01

    Fractionation of the MeOH extract from leaves of Piper cernuum Vell. (Piperaceae) afforded six phenylpropanoid derivatives: 3',4'-dimethoxydihydrocinnamic acid (1), piplaroxide (2), methyl 4'-hydroxy-3',5'-dimethoxy cinnamate (3), 3',4',5'-trimethoxydihydrocinnamic acid (3), dihydropiplartine (5), and piplartine (6). The structures of isolated metabolites were characterized by NMR and MS spectral data analysis. The chemical composition of essential oil from the leaves was determined using GC/LREIMS followed by the determination of Kovats indexes. This procedure allowed the identification of nineteen terpenoids, with β-elemene (7), bicyclogermacrene (8), germacrene D (9), and (E)-caryophyllene (10) as the main compounds. Compounds 1 and 3-6 displayed no in vitro cytotoxicity against cancer cell lineages B16F10-Nex2, U87, HeLa, HL-60, HCT, and A2058 while 2 showed moderate activity against B16F10-Nex2 and HL-60 lines. Otherwise, compounds 7-10 displayed high cytotoxic activity. Evaluation against non-tumorigenic HFF cells indicated a reduced selectivity of compounds 7-10 to tumoral cells. No antileishmanial activity on macrophages infected with L. (L.) amnazonensis was found for the crude MeOH extract and compounds 1-6. The crude essential oil and compounds 7-10 reduced parasitism and eliminated the majority of infected and non-infected cells at 50 μg/mL.

  20. Chemical constituents and biological activities from branches of Colubrina asiatica.

    PubMed

    Sangsopha, Watchara; Kanokmedhakul, Kwanjai; Lekphrom, Ratsami; Kanokmedhakul, Somdej

    2018-05-01

    Sixteen compounds were isolated from a Thai medicinal plant, Colubrina asiatica. The isolated compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic methods (IR, 1D and 2D NMR) as six triterpene acids (1-6), five steroids (7-11), one benzoic acid derivative (12), two peptides (13 and 14), one sesquiterpenoid (15) and one jujubogenin (16). Compounds 3 and 10 showed antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum. Compound 5 showed antimycobacterial activity. Moreover, compounds 3, 5, 6, 10 and 14 exhibited weak cytotoxicity against cancer cell lines. Compounds 1-15 have been isolated for the first time from this plant.

  1. Chemical constituents and potential cytotoxic activity of n-hexane fraction from Myristica fatua Houtt leaves

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fajriah, S.; Megawati, Hudiyono, S.; Kosela, S.; Hanafi, M.

    2017-07-01

    The aims of this research were to determine the chemical constituents of n- hexane fraction from Myristica fatua Houtt leaves by Gas Chromatograpy/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) and their cytotoxic activities against MCF-7 cell lines. The results indicated that sesquiterpenes and fatty acids were major compounds of this fraction, there were trans-calamenene (17.75 %), hexadecanoic acid (11.14 %), caryophyllene (7.49 %), α-muurolene (6.99 %), and γ-muurolene (6.60 %). In vitro anticancer activity test against breast cancer MCF-7 cell lines showed potential cytotoxic at IC50 2.19 μg/mL.

  2. Method for halogenating or radiohalogenating a chemical compound

    DOEpatents

    Kabalka, George W.

    2006-05-09

    A method for obtaining a halogenated organic compound, whereby an organotrifluoroborate compound is reacted with a halide ion in the presence of an oxidizing agent to produce the corresponding halogenated organic compound. The method may be used for producing radiohalogenated organic compounds.

  3. Identification of benzopyrone as a common structural feature in compounds with anti-inflammatory activity in a zebrafish phenotypic screen

    PubMed Central

    Robertson, Anne L.; Ogryzko, Nikolay V.; Henry, Katherine M.; Loynes, Catherine A.; Foulkes, Matthew J.; Meloni, Marco M.; Wang, Xingang; Ford, Christopher; Jackson, Malcolm; Ingham, Philip W.; Wilson, Heather L.; Farrow, Stuart N.; Solari, Roberto; Flower, Roderick J.; Jones, Simon; Whyte, Moira K. B.

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT Neutrophils are essential for host defence and are recruited to sites of inflammation in response to tissue injury or infection. For inflammation to resolve, these cells must be cleared efficiently and in a controlled manner, either by apoptosis or reverse migration. If the inflammatory response is not well-regulated, persistent neutrophils can cause damage to host tissues and contribute to the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory diseases, which respond poorly to current treatments. It is therefore important to develop drug discovery strategies that can identify new therapeutics specifically targeting neutrophils, either by promoting their clearance or by preventing their recruitment. Our recent in vivo chemical genetic screen for accelerators of inflammation resolution identified a subset of compounds sharing a common chemical signature, the bicyclic benzopyrone rings. Here, we further investigate the mechanisms of action of the most active of this chemical series, isopimpinellin, in our zebrafish model of neutrophilic inflammation. We found that this compound targets both the recruitment and resolution phases of the inflammatory response. Neutrophil migration towards a site of injury is reduced by isopimpinellin and this occurs as a result of PI3K inhibition. We also show that isopimpinellin induces neutrophil apoptosis to drive inflammation resolution in vivo using a new zebrafish reporter line detecting in vivo neutrophil caspase-3 activity and allowing quantification of flux through the apoptotic pathway in real time. Finally, our studies reveal that clinically available ‘cromones’ are structurally related to isopimpinellin and have previously undescribed pro-resolution activity in vivo. These findings could have implications for the therapeutic use of benzopyrones in inflammatory disease. PMID:27079522

  4. Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activities of the Essential Oil From Salvia mirzayanii Leaves.

    PubMed

    Zomorodian, Kamiar; Moein, Mahmoodreza; Pakshir, Keyvan; Karami, Forough; Sabahi, Zahra

    2017-10-01

    Resistance of many pathogens to available drugs is a global challenge and is leading to growing interest in natural alternative products. In this study, chemical composition and in vitro antibacterial and antifungal activities of the essential oil from Salvia mirzayanii were investigated. The chemical constituents of essential oil from S mirzayanii were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The antimicrobial activity was determined by broth microdilution. The main identified compounds were 1,8-cineole (41.2 ± 1.3%), linalool acetate (11.0 ± 0.5%), and α-terpinyl acetate (6.0 ± 0.4%) (mL of essential oil/g of plant material). The MIC 95 were 0.03 to 0.5 µL/mL and 16 to 128 µL/mL for gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, respectively. These results indicated that Salvia mirzayanii essential oil significantly inhibited the growth of standard and clinically isolated tested yeasts by MIC 50 0.03 to 1 µL/mL. Potent antibacterial and antifungal activities of Salvia mirzayanii essential oil may be considered in future study, particularly against antibiotic-resistant cases.

  5. Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activities of the Essential Oil From Salvia mirzayanii Leaves

    PubMed Central

    Zomorodian, Kamiar; Moein, Mahmoodreza; Pakshir, Keyvan; Karami, Forough; Sabahi, Zahra

    2017-01-01

    Resistance of many pathogens to available drugs is a global challenge and is leading to growing interest in natural alternative products. In this study, chemical composition and in vitro antibacterial and antifungal activities of the essential oil from Salvia mirzayanii were investigated. The chemical constituents of essential oil from S mirzayanii were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The antimicrobial activity was determined by broth microdilution. The main identified compounds were 1,8-cineole (41.2 ± 1.3%), linalool acetate (11.0 ± 0.5%), and α-terpinyl acetate (6.0 ± 0.4%) (mL of essential oil/g of plant material). The MIC95 were 0.03 to 0.5 µL/mL and 16 to 128 µL/mL for gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, respectively. These results indicated that Salvia mirzayanii essential oil significantly inhibited the growth of standard and clinically isolated tested yeasts by MIC50 0.03 to 1 µL/mL. Potent antibacterial and antifungal activities of Salvia mirzayanii essential oil may be considered in future study, particularly against antibiotic-resistant cases. PMID:28689440

  6. A Diverging DOS Strategy Using an Allene-Containing Tryptophan Scaffold and a Library Design that Maximizes Biologically Relevant Chemical Space While Minimizing the Number of Compounds

    PubMed Central

    Painter, Thomas O.; Wang, Lirong; Majumder, Supriyo; Xie, Xiang-Qun; Brummond, Kay M.

    2011-01-01

    A diverging diversity-oriented synthesis (DOS) strategy using an allene-containing tryptophan as a key starting material was investigated. An allene-yne substituted derivative of tryptophan 12 gave indolylmethylazabicyclooctadiene 17 when subjected to a microwave-assisted allenic [2 + 2] cycloaddition reaction. This same tryptophan-derived precursor afforded an indolylmethyldihydrocyclopentapyridinone 14 when subjected to a rhodium(I)-catalyzed cyclocarbonylation reaction and an indolylmethylpyrrolidinocyclopentenones 16 when reacted with molybdenum hexacarbonyl. Construction of allenic tetrahydro-β-carboline scaffolds via a Pictet-Spengler reaction and subsequent silver(I)-catalyzed cycloisomerization afforded tetrahydroindolizinoindoles (21). Attachment of allene and alkyne groups to the tetrahydro-β-carboline followed by a microwave-assisted allenic [2 + 2] cycloaddition reaction provided tetrahydrocyclobutaindoloquinolizinones 24 and the tetrahydrocyclopentenone indolizinoindolone 26 when reacted with molybdenum hexacarbonyl. These six scaffolds were used as a template for the construction of a virtual library of 11,748 compounds employing 44 indoles, 12 aldehydes, and 51 alkynes. Diversity analyses using a combination of cell-based chemistry space computations using BCUT (Burden (B) CAS (C) Pearlman at the University of Texas (UT)) metrics and Tanimoto coefficient (Tc) similarity calculations using two-dimensional (2D) fingerprints showed that the compounds in the virtual library occupied new chemical space when compared to the 327,000 compounds in the molecular libraries small molecule repository (MLSMR). A subset of fifty-three compounds was identified from the virtual library using the DVS package of Sybyl 8.0; this subset represents the most diverse compounds within the chemical space defined by these compounds and will be synthesized and screened for biological activity. PMID:21332123

  7. Chemical Characterization and Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of South Brazilian Organic Propolis

    PubMed Central

    Tiveron, Ana Paula; Rosalen, Pedro Luiz; Franchin, Marcelo; Lacerda, Risia Cristina Coelho; Bueno-Silva, Bruno; Benso, Bruna; Denny, Carina; Ikegaki, Masaharu; de Alencar, Severino Matias

    2016-01-01

    South Brazilian organic propolis (OP), which has never been studied before, was assessed and its chemical composition, scavenging potential of reactive oxygen species, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities are herein presented. Based on the chemical profile obtained using HPLC, OP was grouped into seven variants (OP1–OP7) and all of them exhibited high scavenging activity, mainly against superoxide and hypochlorous acid species. OP1, OP2, and OP3 had the smallest minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) against Gram-positive bacteria Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus oralis, and Streptococcus aureus (12.5–100 μg/mL). OP1, OP2, OP3, and OP4 were more effective against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Gram-negative), with MIC values ranging from 100 to 200 μg/mL. OP6 showed anti-inflammatory activity by decreasing NF-kB activation and TNF-α release in RAW 264.7 macrophages, and expressing the NF-κB-luciferase reporter stable gene. Therefore, south Brazilian OP can be considered an excellent source of bioactive compounds with great potential of application in the pharmaceutical and food industry. PMID:27802316

  8. Structure-Activity Correlations with Compounds Related to Abscisic Acid 1

    PubMed Central

    Sondheimer, Ernest; Walton, Daniel C.

    1970-01-01

    Inhibition of cell expansion of excised embryonic axes of Phaseolus vulgaris was used to evaluate the growth-inhibiting activity of abscisic acid and related compounds. None of the 13 compounds tested was as active as abscisic acid. 4-Hydroxyisophorone, a substance representative of the abscisic acid ring system was essentially inactive; cis, trans-3-methylsorbic acid, a compound resembling the side chain of abscisic acid, had low activity; and cis, trans-β-ionylideneacetic acid was one-sixth as active. Loss of the ring double bond results in a drastic decrease in biological activity. Comparison of our results with those reported previously leads to the suggestion that the double bond of the cyclohexyl moiety may have an important function in determining the degree of activity of cis, trans-ionylideneacetic acids. Two modes of action are discussed. It seems possible that the ring double bond is involved in covalent bonding in binding of the abscisic acid analogue to macromolecules. This may require formation of an intermediate epoxide. It can also be argued that stereochemical differences between cyclohexane derivatives are important factors in determining the degree of biological activity. PMID:5423465

  9. Algicidal activity of marine Alteromonas sp. KNS-16 and isolation of active compounds.

    PubMed

    Cho, Ji Young

    2012-01-01

    The KNS-16 algicidal strain was isolated from a harmful alga bloom (HAB) area and identified as Alteromonas sp. based on 16S rDNA sequencing. The KNS-16 strain was found to control HABs by producing algicidal compounds in an indirect interaction. Four active compounds were isolated from KNS-16 culture, and their structures were analyzed by interpreting nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectroscopy data. The structures were identified as 2-undecen-1'-yl-4-quinolone (1), 2-undecyl-4-quinolone (2), 3-hexyl-6-pentyl-4-hydroxyl-2H-pyran-2-one (3), and 6-heptyl-3-hexyl-4-hydroxyl-2H-pyran-2-one (4). Compound 1 was most active against HABs such as Heterosigma akashiwo, Cochlodinium polykrikoides, and Alexandrium tamarense with LC(50) values of 0.5-1.1 µg/mL. The four compounds exhibited high LC(50) values against aquaculture algae such as Tetaselmis suecica, Isochrysis galbana, and Pavlova lutheri at 39-66 µg/mL. Based on toxicity tests on the brine shrimp Artemia salina and the rotifer Brachionus rotundiformis, the four compounds showed ranges of 409-608 and 189-224 µg/mL of LC(50) for the two organisms, respectively. The LC(50) values for juvenile fish of Sebastes schlegelii were 284-304 µg/mL.

  10. Pinus Roxburghii essential oil anticancer activity and chemical composition evaluation

    PubMed Central

    Sajid, Arfaa; Manzoor, Qaisar; Iqbal, Munawar; Tyagi, Amit Kumar; Sarfraz, Raja Adil; Sajid, Anam

    2018-01-01

    The present study was conducted to appraise the anticancer activity of Pinus roxburghii essential oil along with chemical composition evaluation. MTT assay revealed cytotoxicity induction in colon, leukemia, multiple myeloma, pancreatic, head and neck and lung cancer cells exposed to essential oil. Cancer cell death was also observed through live/dead cell viability assay and FACS analysis. Apoptosis induced by essential oil was confirmed by cleavage of PARP and caspase-3 that suppressed the colony-forming ability of tumor cells and 50 % inhibition occurred at a dose of 25 μg/mL. Moreover, essential oil inhibited the activation of inflammatory transcription factor NF-κB and inhibited expression of NF-κB regulated gene products linked to cell survival (survivin, c-FLIP, Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, c-Myc, c-IAP2), proliferation (Cyclin D1) and metastasis (MMP-9). P. roxburghii essential oil has considerable anticancer activity and could be used as anticancer agent, which needs further investigation to identify and purify the bioactive compounds followed by in vivo studies. PMID:29743861

  11. Pinus Roxburghii essential oil anticancer activity and chemical composition evaluation.

    PubMed

    Sajid, Arfaa; Manzoor, Qaisar; Iqbal, Munawar; Tyagi, Amit Kumar; Sarfraz, Raja Adil; Sajid, Anam

    2018-01-01

    The present study was conducted to appraise the anticancer activity of Pinus roxburghii essential oil along with chemical composition evaluation. MTT assay revealed cytotoxicity induction in colon, leukemia, multiple myeloma, pancreatic, head and neck and lung cancer cells exposed to essential oil. Cancer cell death was also observed through live/dead cell viability assay and FACS analysis. Apoptosis induced by essential oil was confirmed by cleavage of PARP and caspase-3 that suppressed the colony-forming ability of tumor cells and 50 % inhibition occurred at a dose of 25 μg/mL. Moreover, essential oil inhibited the activation of inflammatory transcription factor NF-κB and inhibited expression of NF-κB regulated gene products linked to cell survival (survivin, c-FLIP, Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, c-Myc, c-IAP2), proliferation (Cyclin D1) and metastasis (MMP-9). P. roxburghii essential oil has considerable anticancer activity and could be used as anticancer agent, which needs further investigation to identify and purify the bioactive compounds followed by in vivo studies.

  12. Creating an Adaptive Technology Using a Cheminformatics System to Read Aloud Chemical Compound Names for People with Visual Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kamijo, Haruo; Morii, Shingo; Yamaguchi, Wataru; Toyooka, Naoki; Tada-Umezaki, Masahito; Hirobayashi, Shigeki

    2016-01-01

    Various tactile methods, such as Braille, have been employed to enhance the recognition ability of chemical structures by individuals with visual disabilities. However, it is unknown whether reading aloud the names of chemical compounds would be effective in this regard. There are no systems currently available using an audio component to assist…

  13. Contribution of sulfur-containing compounds to the colour-inhibiting effect and improved antioxidant activity of Maillard reaction products of soybean protein hydrolysates.

    PubMed

    Huang, Meigui; Liu, Ping; Song, Shiqing; Zhang, Xiaoming; Hayat, Khizar; Xia, Shuqin; Jia, Chengsheng; Gu, Fenglin

    2011-03-15

    Light-coloured and savoury-tasting flavour enhancers are attractive to both consumers and food producers. The aim of this study was to investigate the colour-inhibiting effect of L-cysteine and thiamine during the Maillard reaction of soybean peptide and D-xylose. The correlation between volatile compounds and antioxidant activity of the corresponding products was also studied. Colour formation was markedly suppressed by cysteine. Compared with peptide/xylose (PX), the taste profile of Maillard reaction products (MRPs) derived from peptide/xylose/cysteine (PXC) and peptide/xylose/cysteine/thiamine (PXCT) was stronger, including umami, mouthfulness, continuity, meaty and overall acceptance. PXC and PXCT also exihibited distinctly higher antioxidant activity. Principal component analysis was applied to investigate the correlation between antioxidant activity and volatile compounds. Of 88 volatile compounds identified, 55 were significantly correlated with antioxidant activity by two principal components (accounting for 85.05% of the total variance). Effective colour control of the Maillard reaction by L-cysteine may allow the production of healthier (higher antioxidant activity) and tastier foods to satisfy consumers' and food producers' demands. Light-coloured products might be used as functional flavour enhancers in various food systems. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry.

  14. Identification of compounds inhibiting the C-S lyase activity of a cell extract from a Staphylococcus sp. isolated from human skin.

    PubMed

    Egert, M; Höhne, H-M; Weber, T; Simmering, R; Banowski, B; Breves, R

    2013-12-01

    The C-S lyase activity of bacteria in the human armpit releases highly malodorous, volatile sulfur compounds from nonvolatile precursor molecules. Such compounds significantly contribute to human body odour. Hence, C-S lyase represents an attractive target for anti-body-odour cosmetic products. Here, aiming at a final use in an ethanol-based deodorant formulation, 267 compounds and compound mixtures were screened for their ability to inhibit the C-S lyase activity of a Stapyhlococcus sp. crude extract. Staphylococcus sp. Isolate 128, closely related to Staphylococcus hominis, was chosen as the test bacterium, as it showed a reproducibly high specific C-S lyase activity on three different culturing media. Using a photometric assay and benzylcysteine as substrate, six rather complex, plant-derived compound mixtures and five well defined chemical compounds or compound mixtures were identified as inhibitors, leading to an inhibition of ≥70% at concentrations of ≤0·5% in the assay. The inhibition data have demonstrated that compounds with two vicinal hydroxyl groups or one hydroxyl and one keto group bound to an aryl residue are characteristic for the inhibition. The substances identified as C-S lyase inhibitors have the potential to improve the performance of anti-body-odour cosmetic products, for example, ethanol-based deodorants. Bacterial C-S lyase represents one of the key enzymes involved in human body odour formation. The aim of this study was to identify compounds inhibiting the C-S lyase activity of a Staphylococcus sp. isolate from the human skin. The compounds identified as the best inhibitors are characterized by the following features: two vicinal hydroxyl groups or one hydroxyl and one keto group bound to an aryl residue. They might be used to improve the performance of cosmetic products aiming to prevent the formation of microbially caused human body odour, for example, ethanol-based deodorants. © 2013 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  15. [Studies on chemical constituents of Illicium simonsii].

    PubMed

    Shang, Xiao-Ya; Guo, Miao-Ru; Zhao, Cong-Wei; Li, Shuai

    2008-11-01

    To study the chemical constituents from the active fractions against HIV in vitro, a crude ethanolic extract of Illicium simonsii. The compounds were isolated with column chromatography methods. MS and NMR spectroscopic methods were used to determine the structures of the compounds. Seven compounds were isolated from the active fractions against HIV in vitro of the 90% ethanol extract and their structures were elucidated as (+)-catechin (1), (-)-epicatechin (2), (+)-catechin 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (3), kaempferol 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (4), quercetin 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (5), erigeside C (6) and daucosterol (7). Seven compounds were isolated from this plant for the first time, but none of them exhibited active against HIV in vitro. Compounds 3 and 6 were isolated from this genus for the first time.

  16. Advances in the development of AMPK-activating compounds.

    PubMed

    Sriwijitkamol, Apiradee; Musi, Nicolas

    2008-10-01

    AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is an energy sensing enzyme that controls glucose and lipid metabolism. This review summarizes the present data on AMPK as a pharmacologic target for the treatment of metabolic disorders. The mechanisms governing AMPK activity and how this enzyme controls different metabolic pathways are reviewed briefly, and details about the effect that AMPK activators have on glucose metabolism are provided. Evidence obtained using the AMPK-activating compound 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-β-d-ribofuranoside (AICAR) suggests that AMPK promotes glucose transport into skeletal muscles and that this enzyme inhibits hepatic glucose production. AICAR also induces fatty acid oxidation in muscle and inhibits cholesterol synthesis in the liver. The metabolic effects of AICAR on glucose and lipid metabolism indicate that AMPK may be a good pharmacologic target for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and hypercholesterolemia. Novel AMPK-specific compounds are allowing researchers to examine whether this enzyme is a useful pharmacologic target for the treatment of human disease and whether chronic activation of AMPK will be safe.

  17. Chemical composition of Propolis Extract ACF® and activity against herpes simplex virus.

    PubMed

    Bankova, V; Galabov, A S; Antonova, D; Vilhelmova, N; Di Perri, B

    2014-09-25

    Propolis Extract ACF(®) (PPE) is a purified extract manufactured from propolis collected in a Canadian region rich in poplar trees, and it is the active substance of a topical ointment used against herpes labialis (cold sores or fever blisters). Aim of this study was to analyze the chemical composition of PPE in order to understand the plant origin and possible relations between compounds and antiviral activity, and to characterize the antiviral activity of the extract against herpes simplex virus in vitro. The analysis of the propolis extract samples was conducted by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The antiviral activity was tested against herpes simplex viruses type 1 and type 2 in MDBK cell cultures by treating the cells with PPE at the time of virus adsorption, and by incubating the virus with the extract before infection (virucidal assay). Results from the GC-MS analyses revealed a dual plant origin of PPE, with components derived from resins of two different species of poplar. The chemical composition appeared standardized between extract samples and was also reproduced in the sample of topical ointment. The antiviral studies showed that PPE had a pronounced virucidal effect against herpes simplex viruses type 1 and type 2, and also interfered with virus adsorption. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  18. Antibacterial activities of naturally occurring compounds against Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis.

    PubMed

    Wong, Stella Y Y; Grant, Irene R; Friedman, Mendel; Elliott, Christopher T; Situ, Chen

    2008-10-01

    The antibacterial activities of 18 naturally occurring compounds (including essential oils and some of their isolated constituents, apple and green tea polyphenols, and other plant extracts) against three strains of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (a bovine isolate [NCTC 8578], a raw-milk isolate [806R], and a human isolate [ATCC 43015]) were evaluated using a macrobroth susceptibility testing method. M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis was grown in 4 ml Middlebrook 7H9 broth containing 10% oleic acid-albumin-dextrose-catalase, 0.05% Tween 80 (or 0.2% glycerol), and 2 microg/ml mycobactin J supplemented with five concentrations of each test compound. The changes in the optical densities of the cultures at 600 nm as a measure of CFU were recorded at intervals over an incubation period of 42 days at 37 degrees C. Six of the compounds were found to inhibit the growth of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis. The most effective compound was trans-cinnamaldehyde, with a MIC of 25.9 microg/ml, followed by cinnamon oil (26.2 microg/ml), oregano oil (68.2 microg/ml), carvacrol (72.2 microg/ml), 2,5-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (74 microg/ml), and 2-hydroxy-5-methoxybenzaldehyde (90.4 microg/ml). With the exception of carvacrol, a phenolic compound, three of the four most active compounds are aldehydes, suggesting that the structure of the phenolic group or the aldehyde group may be important to the antibacterial activity. No difference in compound activity was observed between the three M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis strains studied. Possible mechanisms of the antimicrobial effects are discussed.

  19. Chemical microsensors

    DOEpatents

    Li, DeQuan; Swanson, Basil I.

    1995-01-01

    An article of manufacture is provided including a substrate having an oxide surface layer and a selective thin film of a cyclodextrin derivative chemically bound upon said substrate, said film is adapted for the inclusion of a selected organic compound therewith. Such an article can be either a chemical sensor capable of detecting a resultant mass change from inclusion of the selected organic compound or a chemical separator capable of reversibly selectively separating a selected organic compound.

  20. Chemical study, antioxidant, anti-hypertensive, and cytotoxic/cytoprotective activities of Centaurea cyanus L. petals aqueous extract.

    PubMed

    Escher, Graziela Bragueto; Santos, Jânio Sousa; Rosso, Neiva Deliberali; Marques, Mariza Boscacci; Azevedo, Luciana; do Carmo, Mariana Araújo Vieira; Daguer, Heitor; Molognoni, Luciano; Prado-Silva, Leonardo do; Sant'Ana, Anderson S; da Silva, Marcia Cristina; Granato, Daniel

    2018-05-19

    This study aimed to optimise the experimental conditions of extraction of the phytochemical compounds and functional properties of Centaurea cyanus petals. The following parameters were determined: the chemical composition (LC-ESI-MS/MS), the effects of pH on the stability and antioxidant activity of anthocyanins, the inhibition of lipid peroxidation, antioxidant activity, anti-hemolytic activity, antimicrobial, anti-hypertensive, and cytotoxic/cytoprotective effect, and the measurements of intracellular reactive oxygen species. Results showed that the temperature and time influenced (p ≤ 0.05) the content of flavonoids, anthocyanins, and FRAP. Only the temperature influenced the total phenolic content, non-anthocyanin flavonoids, and antioxidant activity (DPPH). The statistical approach made it possible to obtain the optimised experimental extraction conditions to increase the level of bioactive compounds. Chlorogenic, caffeic, ferulic, and p-coumaric acids, isoquercitrin, and coumarin were identified as the major compounds in the optimised extract. The optimised extract presented anti-hemolytic and anti-hypertensive activity in vitro, in addition to showing stability and reversibility of anthocyanins and antioxidant activity with pH variation. The C. cyanus petals aqueous extract exhibited high IC 50 and GI 50 (>900 μg/mL) values for all cell lines, meaning low cytotoxicity. Based on the stress oxidative assay, the extract exhibited pro-oxidant action (10-100 μg/mL) but did not cause damage or cell death. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Predicted Biological Activity of Purchasable Chemical Space

    PubMed Central

    2017-01-01

    Whereas 400 million distinct compounds are now purchasable within the span of a few weeks, the biological activities of most are unknown. To facilitate access to new chemistry for biology, we have combined the Similarity Ensemble Approach (SEA) with the maximum Tanimoto similarity to the nearest bioactive to predict activity for every commercially available molecule in ZINC. This method, which we label SEA+TC, outperforms both SEA and a naïve-Bayesian classifier via predictive performance on a 5-fold cross-validation of ChEMBL’s bioactivity data set (version 21). Using this method, predictions for over 40% of compounds (>160 million) have either high significance (pSEA ≥ 40), high similarity (ECFP4MaxTc ≥ 0.4), or both, for one or more of 1382 targets well described by ligands in the literature. Using a further 1347 less-well-described targets, we predict activities for an additional 11 million compounds. To gauge whether these predictions are sensible, we investigate 75 predictions for 50 drugs lacking a binding affinity annotation in ChEMBL. The 535 million predictions for over 171 million compounds at 2629 targets are linked to purchasing information and evidence to support each prediction and are freely available via https://zinc15.docking.org and https://files.docking.org. PMID:29193970

  2. Isolation, purification and chemical characterization of a new angucyclinone compound produced by a new halotolerant Nocardiopsis sp. HR-4 strain.

    PubMed

    Hadj Rabia-Boukhalfa, Yamina; Eveno, Yannick; Karama, Solange; Selama, Okba; Lauga, Béatrice; Duran, Robert; Hacène, Hocine; Eparvier, Véronique

    2017-06-01

    A halotolerant Actinobacteria strain HR-4 was isolated from a salt lake soil sample in Algerian Sahara. Analysis of 16S rDNA gene sequence showed that strain HR-4 belonged to the genus Nocardiopsis. The similarity level ranges between 97.45 and 99.20% with Nocardiopsis species and Nocardiopsis rosea being the most closely related one. Morphological, physiological and phylogenetic characteristics comparisons showed significant differences with the nearest species. These data strongly suggest that strain HR-4 represents novel species. The antimicrobial activity of strain HR-4 showed an antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria as well as an antifungal one. Two major natural products including a new one were isolated from the culture broth using various separation and purification procedures. The chemical structure established on the basis of spectroscopic studies NMR and by comparing with spectroscopic data from the literature of the two compounds affirm that they are classified in the group of Angucyclinones. This is the first report of a production of this type of molecules by the genus Nocardiopsis. The new natural compound was established as (-)-7-deoxy-8-O-methyltetrangomycin with a new configuration.

  3. Comparative proteomics and protein profile related to phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity in germinated Oryza sativa 'KDML105' and Thai brown rice 'Mali Daeng' for better nutritional value.

    PubMed

    Maksup, Sarunyaporn; Pongpakpian, Sarintip; Roytrakul, Sittiruk; Cha-Um, Suriyan; Supaibulwatana, Kanyaratt

    2018-01-01

    Brown rice (BR) and germinated brown rice (GBR) are considered as prime sources of carbohydrate and bioactive compounds for more than half of the populations worldwide. Several studies have reported on the proteomics of BR and GBR; however, the proteomic profiles related to the synthesis of bioactive compounds are less well documented. In the present study, BR and GBR were used in a comparative analysis of the proteomic and bioactive compound profiles for two famous Thai rice varieties: Khao Dawk Mali 105 (KDML) and Mali Daeng (MD). The proteomes of KDML and MD revealed differences in the expression patterns of proteins after germination. Total phenolic compound content, anthocyanin contents and antioxidant activity of red rice MD was approximately 2.6-, 2.2- and 9.2-fold higher, respectively, compared to that of the white rice KDML. Moreover, GBR of MD showed higher total anthocyanin content and greater antioxidant activity, which is consistent with the increase expression of several proteins involved in the biosynthesis of phenolic compounds and protection against oxidative stress. Red rice MD exhibits higher nutrient values compared to white rice KDML and the appropriate germination of brown rice could represent a method for improving health-related benefits. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  4. Phytotoxic Activity and Chemical Composition of Aqueous Volatile Fractions from Eucalyptus Species

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Jinbiao; An, Min; Wu, Hanwen; Liu, De Li; Stanton, Rex

    2014-01-01

    The essential oils from four Eucalyptus species (E. spathulata, E. salubris, E. brockwayii and E. dundasii) have been previously confirmed to have stronger inhibitory effects on germination and seedling growth of silverleaf nightshade (Solanum elaeagnifolium Cav.). The aqueous volatile fractions (AVFs) were the water soluble volatile fractions produced together with the essential oils (water insoluble fractions) during the steam distillation process. The aim of this study was to further assess the phytotoxicity of AVFs from the four Eucalyptus species and their chemical composition. The fresh leaves of the four Eucalyptus species were used for the extraction of AVFs. The AVFs were tested for their phytotoxic effects on the perennial weed, silverleaf nightshade under laboratory conditions. The chemical compositions of the AVFs were determined by gas chromatograph–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Our results showed that the AVFs had strong inhibition on the germination and seedling growth of silverleaf nightshade. The inhibition index increased with the increasing concentrations of AVFs. The inhibitory effects of the AVFs varied between different Eucalyptus species. The AVF from E. salubris demonstrated the highest inhibitory activity on the weed tested, with complete inhibition on germination and seedling growth at a concentration of 75%. The GC-MS analysis revealed that 1,8-cineole, isopentyl isovalerate, isomenthol, pinocarvone, trans-pinocarveol, alpha-terpineol and globulol were the main compounds in the AVFs. These results indicated that all AVFs tested had differential inhibition on the germination and seedling growth of silverleaf nightshade, which could be due to the joint effects of compounds present in the AVFs as these compounds were present in different quantities and ratio between Eucalyptus species. PMID:24681490

  5. Characterization and Quantification of Compounds in the Hydroalcoholic Extract of the Leaves from Terminalia catappa Linn. (Combretaceae) and Their Mutagenic Activity

    PubMed Central

    Mininel, Francisco José; Leonardo Junior, Carlos Sérgio; Espanha, Lívia Greghi; Resende, Flávia Aparecida; Varanda, Eliana Aparecida; Leite, Clarice Queico Fujimura; Vilegas, Wagner; dos Santos, Lourdes Campaner

    2014-01-01

    Terminalia is a genus of Combretaceous plants widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. Thus, the aim of this study was to quantify the majority compounds of the hydroalcoholic extract (7 : 3, v/v) of the leaves from T. catappa by HPLC-PDA, chemically characterize by hyphenated techniques (HPLC-ESI-IT-MSn) and NMR, and evaluate its mutagenic activity by the Salmonella/microsome assay on S. typhimurium strains TA98, TA97a, TA100, and TA102. The quantification of analytes was performed using an external calibration standard. Punicalagin is the most abundant polyphenol found in the leaves. The presence of this compound as a mixture of anomers was confirmed using HPLC-PDA and 1H and 13C NMR. Mutagenic activity was observed in strains TA100 and TA97a. As the extract is a complex mixture of punicalagin, its derivatives, and several other compounds, the observed mutagenicity may be explained in part by possible synergistic interaction between the compounds present in the extract. These studies show that mutagenic activity of T. catappa in the Ames test can only be observed when measured at high concentrations. However, considering the mutagenic effects observed for T. catappa, this plant should be used cautiously for medicinal purposes. PMID:24734110

  6. Universal cements: dual activated and chemically activated

    PubMed Central

    de Lima, Eliane; Santos, Ricardo; Durão, Márcia; Nascimento, Armiliana; Braz, Rodivan

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Objective: The aim of the present study was to assess the bond strength of universal cements cured either dually or chemically only. Methods: Three cements were assessed using different types of application: dual activated (DA) or chemically activated (CA). In total 80 dentin blocks were used, obtained through the enamel wear of the lingual and buccal surfaces of bovine incisors. Standard cone-shaped cavity preparations were created using diamond burs. Subsequently, indirect restoration blocks were designed with Filtek Z350 (3M ESPE) composite resin. The teeth were divided into two groups (DA and CA) and then subdivided into four subgroups (n = 10) prior to cementation with the respective products: Duo-Link (Bisco); RelyX Ultimate (3M ESPE); Nexus 3 (Kerr) and conventional RelyX ARC (3M ESPE) as the control. The cementation in the PA group was applied following the manufacturer’s instructions. The CA group was cemented in a darkroom to avoid exposure to light. They were stored in distilled water at 37 °C for 24 h and submitted to the push-out test. Data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA and Tukey’s post-hoc test (p < .05). Results: The greatest bond strength results were obtained for photoactivated universal cements. Conclusion: Chemical activation is not sufficient to ensure acceptable bond strength. PMID:28642922

  7. Identification of Trypanocidal Activity for Known Clinical Compounds Using a New Trypanosoma cruzi Hit-Discovery Screening Cascade.

    PubMed

    De Rycker, Manu; Thomas, John; Riley, Jennifer; Brough, Stephen J; Miles, Tim J; Gray, David W

    2016-04-01

    Chagas disease is a significant health problem in Latin America and the available treatments have significant issues in terms of toxicity and efficacy. There is thus an urgent need to develop new treatments either via a repurposing strategy or through the development of new chemical entities. A key first step is the identification of compounds with anti-Trypanosoma cruzi activity from compound libraries. Here we describe a hit discovery screening cascade designed to specifically identify hits that have the appropriate anti-parasitic properties to warrant further development. The cascade consists of a primary imaging-based assay followed by newly developed and appropriately scaled secondary assays to predict the cidality and rate-of-kill of the compounds. Finally, we incorporated a cytochrome P450 CYP51 biochemical assay to remove compounds that owe their phenotypic response to inhibition of this enzyme. We report the use of the cascade in profiling two small libraries containing clinically tested compounds and identify Clemastine, Azelastine, Ifenprodil, Ziprasidone and Clofibrate as molecules having appropriate profiles. Analysis of clinical derived pharmacokinetic and toxicity data indicates that none of these are appropriate for repurposing but they may represent suitable start points for further optimisation for the treatment of Chagas disease.

  8. Supercritical CO2 extract of Cinnamomum zeylanicum: chemical characterization and antityrosinase activity.

    PubMed

    Marongiu, Bruno; Piras, Alessandra; Porcedda, Silvia; Tuveri, Enrica; Sanjust, Enrico; Meli, Massimo; Sollai, Francesca; Zucca, Paolo; Rescigno, Antonio

    2007-11-28

    The volatile oil of the bark of Cinnamomum zeylanicum was extracted by means of supercritical CO2 fluid extraction in different conditions of pressure and temperature. Its chemical composition was characterized by GC-MS analysis. Nineteen compounds, which in the supercritical extract represented >95% of the oil, were identified. (E)-Cinnamaldehyde (77.1%), (E)-beta-caryophyllene (6.0%), alpha-terpineol (4.4%), and eugenol (3.0%) were found to be the major constituents. The SFE oil of cinnamon was screened for its biological activity about the formation of melanin in vitro. The extract showed antityrosinase activity and was able to reduce the formation of insoluble flakes of melanin from tyrosine. The oil also delayed the browning effect in apple homogenate. (E)-Cinnamaldehyde and eugenol were found to be mainly responsible of this inhibition effect.

  9. Chemical characterization of oak heartwood from Spanish forests of Quercus pyrenaica (Wild.). Ellagitannins, low molecular weight phenolic, and volatile compounds.

    PubMed

    Fernandez de Simón, Brígida; Sanz, Miriam; Cadahía, Estrella; Poveda, Pilar; Broto, Miguel

    2006-10-18

    The need for new sources of quality wood supply for cooperage has led to looking into the possibility of utilizing Quercus pyrenaica Wild. oak, a species native to the Iberian peninsula, as an alternative to other European (Quercus robur and Qurecus petraea) and American (Quercus alba) oaks. The low molecular weight phenolic composition, ellagitannins, and volatile compounds (including a wide range of compound families such as volatile phenols, furanic compounds, lactones, phenyl ketones, other lignin-derived compounds, and volatile compounds related to off-flavors) of green heartwood from Spanish forest regions were studied by HPLC and GC, in order to know its enological characteristics. The chemical composition of Q. pyrenaica is similar to that of other species commonly used in cooperage to make barrels, showing only quantitative differences that were more significant with respect to American than to French species. The four provenance regions studied showed similar chemical composition, with high variability among individuals, often higher than the variability among regions of provenance, but in line with that described in other European and American oak woods. Therefore, this species must be considered to be suitable for aging wine.

  10. A systematic study of mitochondrial toxicity of environmental chemicals using quantitative high throughput screening

    PubMed Central

    Attene-Ramos, Matias S.; Huang, Ruili; Sakamuru, Srilatha; Witt, Kristine L.; Beeson, Gyda C.; Shou, Louie; Schnellmann, Rick G.; Beeson, Craig C.; Tice, Raymond R.; Austin, Christopher P.; Xia, Menghang

    2014-01-01

    A goal of the Tox21 program is to transit toxicity testing from traditional in vivo models to in vitro assays that assess how chemicals affect cellular responses and toxicity pathways. A critical contribution of the NIH Chemical Genomics center (NCGC) to the Tox21 program is the implementation of a quantitative high throughput screening (qHTS) approach, using cell- and biochemical-based assays to generate toxicological profiles for thousands of environmental compounds. Here, we evaluated the effect of chemical compounds on mitochondrial membrane potential in HepG2 cells by screening a library of 1,408 compounds provided by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) in a qHTS platform. Compounds were screened over 14 concentrations, and results showed that 91 and 88 compounds disrupted mitochondrial membrane potential after treatment for one or five h, respectively. Seventy-six compounds active at both time points were clustered by structural similarity, producing 11 clusters and 23 singletons. Thirty-eight compounds covering most of the active chemical space were more extensively evaluated. Thirty-six of the 38 compounds were confirmed to disrupt mitochondrial membrane potential using a fluorescence plate reader and 35 were confirmed using a high content imaging approach. Among the 38 compounds, 4 and 6 induced LDH release, a measure of cytotoxicity, at 1 or 5 h, respectively. Compounds were further assessed for mechanism of action (MOA) by measuring changes in oxygen consumption rate, which enabled identification of 20 compounds as uncouplers. This comprehensive approach allows for evaluation of thousands of environmental chemicals for mitochondrial toxicity and identification of possible MOAs. PMID:23895456

  11. BitterDB: a database of bitter compounds

    PubMed Central

    Wiener, Ayana; Shudler, Marina; Levit, Anat; Niv, Masha Y.

    2012-01-01

    Basic taste qualities like sour, salty, sweet, bitter and umami serve specific functions in identifying food components found in the diet of humans and animals, and are recognized by proteins in the oral cavity. Recognition of bitter taste and aversion to it are thought to protect the organism against the ingestion of poisonous food compounds, which are often bitter. Interestingly, bitter taste receptors are expressed not only in the mouth but also in extraoral tissues, such as the gastrointestinal tract, indicating that they may play a role in digestive and metabolic processes. BitterDB database, available at http://bitterdb.agri.huji.ac.il/bitterdb/, includes over 550 compounds that were reported to taste bitter to humans. The compounds can be searched by name, chemical structure, similarity to other bitter compounds, association with a particular human bitter taste receptor, and so on. The database also contains information on mutations in bitter taste receptors that were shown to influence receptor activation by bitter compounds. The aim of BitterDB is to facilitate studying the chemical features associated with bitterness. These studies may contribute to predicting bitterness of unknown compounds, predicting ligands for bitter receptors from different species and rational design of bitterness modulators. PMID:21940398

  12. Combining non selective gas sensors on a mobile robot for identification and mapping of multiple chemical compounds.

    PubMed

    Bennetts, Victor Hernandez; Schaffernicht, Erik; Pomareda, Victor; Lilienthal, Achim J; Marco, Santiago; Trincavelli, Marco

    2014-09-17

    In this paper, we address the task of gas distribution modeling in scenarios where multiple heterogeneous compounds are present. Gas distribution modeling is particularly useful in emission monitoring applications where spatial representations of the gaseous patches can be used to identify emission hot spots. In realistic environments, the presence of multiple chemicals is expected and therefore, gas discrimination has to be incorporated in the modeling process. The approach presented in this work addresses the task of gas distribution modeling by combining different non selective gas sensors. Gas discrimination is addressed with an open sampling system, composed by an array of metal oxide sensors and a probabilistic algorithm tailored to uncontrolled environments. For each of the identified compounds, the mapping algorithm generates a calibrated gas distribution model using the classification uncertainty and the concentration readings acquired with a photo ionization detector. The meta parameters of the proposed modeling algorithm are automatically learned from the data. The approach was validated with a gas sensitive robot patrolling outdoor and indoor scenarios, where two different chemicals were released simultaneously. The experimental results show that the generated multi compound maps can be used to accurately predict the location of emitting gas sources.

  13. Cryptic antifungal compounds active by synergism with polyene antibiotics.

    PubMed

    Kinoshita, Hiroshi; Yoshioka, Mariko; Ihara, Fumio; Nihira, Takuya

    2016-04-01

    The majority of antifungal compounds reported so far target the cell wall or cell membrane of fungi, suggesting that other types of antibiotics cannot exert their activity because they cannot penetrate into the cells. Therefore, if the permeability of the cell membrane could be enhanced, many antibiotics might be found to have antifungal activity. We here used the polyene antibiotic nystatin, which binds to ergosterol and forms pores at the cell membrane, to enhance the cellular permeability. In the presence of nystatin, many culture extracts from entomopathogenic fungi displayed antifungal activity. Among all the active extracts, two active components were purified and identified as helvolic acid and terramide A. Because the minimum inhibitory concentration of either compound was reduced four-fold in the presence of nystatin, it can be concluded that this screening method is useful for detecting novel antifungal activity. Copyright © 2015 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Statistical molecular design of balanced compound libraries for QSAR modeling.

    PubMed

    Linusson, A; Elofsson, M; Andersson, I E; Dahlgren, M K

    2010-01-01

    A fundamental step in preclinical drug development is the computation of quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models, i.e. models that link chemical features of compounds with activities towards a target macromolecule associated with the initiation or progression of a disease. QSAR models are computed by combining information on the physicochemical and structural features of a library of congeneric compounds, typically assembled from two or more building blocks, and biological data from one or more in vitro assays. Since the models provide information on features affecting the compounds' biological activity they can be used as guides for further optimization. However, in order for a QSAR model to be relevant to the targeted disease, and drug development in general, the compound library used must contain molecules with balanced variation of the features spanning the chemical space believed to be important for interaction with the biological target. In addition, the assays used must be robust and deliver high quality data that are directly related to the function of the biological target and the associated disease state. In this review, we discuss and exemplify the concept of statistical molecular design (SMD) in the selection of building blocks and final synthetic targets (i.e. compounds to synthesize) to generate information-rich, balanced libraries for biological testing and computation of QSAR models.

  15. The biological activities and chemical composition of Pereskia species (Cactaceae)--a review.

    PubMed

    Pinto, Nícolas de Castro Campos; Scio, Elita

    2014-09-01

    The exploration of nature as a source of sustainable, novel bioactive substances continues to grow as natural products play a significant role in the search for new therapeutic and agricultural agents. In this context, plants of the genus Pereskia (Cactaceae) have been studied for their biological activities, and are evolving as an interesting subject in the search for new, bioactive compounds. These species are commonly used as human foodstuffs and in traditional medicine to treat a variety of diseases. This review focuses on the bioactivity and chemical composition of the genus Pereskia, and aims to stimulate further studies on the chemistry and biological potential of the genus.

  16. Occurrence of Endocrine Active Compounds and Biological Responses in the Mississippi River - Study Design and Data, June through August 2006

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lee, Kathy E.; Yaeger, Christine S.; Jahns, Nathan D.; Schoenfuss, Heiko L.

    2008-01-01

    Concern that selected chemicals in the environment may act as endocrine active compounds in aquatic ecosystems is widespread; however, few studies have examined the occurrence of endocrine active compounds and identified biological markers of endocrine disruption such as intersex occurrence in fish longitudinally in a river system. This report presents environmental data collected and analyzed by the U.S. Geological Survey, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and St. Cloud State University as part of an integrated biological and chemical study of endocrine disruption in fish in the Mississippi River. Data were collected from water, bed sediment, and fish at 43 sites along the river from the headwaters at Lake Itasca to 14 miles downstream from Brownsville, Minnesota during June through August 2006. Twenty-four individual compounds were detected in water samples, with cholesterol, atrazine, N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide, metolachlor, and hexahydrohexamethylcyclopentabenzopyran detected most frequently (in at least 10 percent of the samples). The number of compounds detected in water per site ranged from 0 to 8. Forty individual compounds were detected in bed-sediment samples. The most commonly detected compounds (in at least 50 percent of the samples) were indole, beta-sitosterol, cholesterol, beta-stigmastanol, 3-methyl-1H-indole, p-cresol, pyrene, phenol, fluoranthene, 3-beta coprostanol, benzo[a]pyrene, acetophenone, and 2,6-dimethylnaphthalene. The total number of detections in bed sediment (at a site) ranged from 3 to 31. The compounds NP1EO, NP2EO, and 4-nonylphenol were detected in greater than 10 percent of the samples. Most (80 percent) female fish collected had measurable concentrations of vitellogenin. Vitellogenin also was detected in 62, 63, and 33 percent of male carp, smallmouth bass, and redhorse, respectively. The one male walleye sample plasma sample analyzed had a vitellogenin detection. Vitellogenin concentrations were lower in male fish (not

  17. [Chemical constituents of Carya cathayensis and their antitumor bioactivity].

    PubMed

    Wu, De-lin; Chen, Shi-yun; Liu, Jing-song; Jin, Chuan-shan; Xu, Feng-qing

    2011-07-01

    To investigate the chemical constituents of Carya cathayensis and their antitumor bioactivity. The compounds were isolated by Sephadex LH-20 and silica gel column chromatography. Their structures were identified by physicochemical properties and spectroscopic analysis. Then their cytotoxic activity was studied. Five compounds were elucidated as chrysophanol (1), physcion (2), beta-sitosterol (3), pinostrobin(4), 4,8-dihydroxy-1-tetralone (5). Compounds 2 and 5 are isolated from Carya cathayensis for the first time. In the MTT antitumor experiments, the compounds 1,4 and 5 have the cytotoxic activity to KB cell.

  18. [Biological activity of selenorganic compounds at heavy metal salts intoxication].

    PubMed

    Rusetskaya, N Y; Borodulin, V B

    2015-01-01

    Possible mechanisms of the antitoxic action of organoselenium compounds in heavy metal poisoning have been considered. Heavy metal toxicity associated with intensification of free radical oxidation, suppression of the antioxidant system, damage to macromolecules, mitochondria and the genetic material can cause apoptotic cell death or the development of carcinogenesis. Organic selenium compounds are effective antioxidants during heavy metal poisoning; they exhibit higher bioavailability in mammals than inorganic ones and they are able to activate antioxidant defense, bind heavy metal ions and reactive oxygen species formed during metal-induced oxidative stress. One of promising organoselenium compounds is diacetophenonyl selenide (DAPS-25), which is characterized by antioxidant and antitoxic activity, under conditions including heavy metal intoxication.

  19. In situ Analysis of Organic Compounds on Mars using Chemical Derivatization and Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Glavin, D. P.; Buch, A.; Cabane, M.; Coll, P.; Navarro-Gonzalez, R.; Mahaffy, P. R.

    2005-01-01

    One of the core science objectives of NASA's 2009 Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission is to determine the past or present habitability of Mars. The search for key organic compounds relevant to terrestrial life will be an important part of that assessment. We have developed a protocol for the analysis of amino acids and carboxylic acids in Mars analogue materials using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMS). As shown, a variety of carboxylic acids were readily identified in soil collected from the Atacama Desert in Chile at part-per-billion levels by GCMS after extraction and chemical derivatization using the reagent N,N-tert.-butyl (dimethylsilyl) trifluoroacetamide (MTBSTFA). Several derivatized amino acids including glycine and alanine were also detected by GCMS in the Atacama soil at lower concentrations (chromatogram not shown). Lacking derivatization capability, the Viking pyrolysis GCMS instruments could not have detected amino acids and carboxylic acids, since these non-volatile compounds require chemical transformation into volatile species that are stable in a GC column. We are currently optimizing the chemical extraction and derivatization technique for in situ GCMS analysis on Mars. Laboratory results of analyses of Atacama Desert samples and other Mars analogue materials using this protocol will be presented.

  20. Antibacterial Activities of Naturally Occurring Compounds against Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis▿

    PubMed Central

    Wong, Stella Y. Y.; Grant, Irene R.; Friedman, Mendel; Elliott, Christopher T.; Situ, Chen

    2008-01-01

    The antibacterial activities of 18 naturally occurring compounds (including essential oils and some of their isolated constituents, apple and green tea polyphenols, and other plant extracts) against three strains of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (a bovine isolate [NCTC 8578], a raw-milk isolate [806R], and a human isolate [ATCC 43015]) were evaluated using a macrobroth susceptibility testing method. M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis was grown in 4 ml Middlebrook 7H9 broth containing 10% oleic acid-albumin-dextrose-catalase, 0.05% Tween 80 (or 0.2% glycerol), and 2 μg/ml mycobactin J supplemented with five concentrations of each test compound. The changes in the optical densities of the cultures at 600 nm as a measure of CFU were recorded at intervals over an incubation period of 42 days at 37°C. Six of the compounds were found to inhibit the growth of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis. The most effective compound was trans-cinnamaldehyde, with a MIC of 25.9 μg/ml, followed by cinnamon oil (26.2 μg/ml), oregano oil (68.2 μg/ml), carvacrol (72.2 μg/ml), 2,5-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (74 μg/ml), and 2-hydroxy-5-methoxybenzaldehyde (90.4 μg/ml). With the exception of carvacrol, a phenolic compound, three of the four most active compounds are aldehydes, suggesting that the structure of the phenolic group or the aldehyde group may be important to the antibacterial activity. No difference in compound activity was observed between the three M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis strains studied. Possible mechanisms of the antimicrobial effects are discussed. PMID:18676709

  1. Activating AMP-activated protein kinase by an α1 selective activator compound 13 attenuates dexamethasone-induced osteoblast cell death

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Guo, Shiguang; Mao, Li; Ji, Feng, E-mail: huaiaifengjidr@163.com

    Excessive glucocorticoid (GC) usage may lead to non-traumatic femoral head osteonecrosis. Dexamethasone (Dex) exerts cytotoxic effect to cultured osteoblasts. Here, we investigated the potential activity of Compound 13 (C13), a novel α1 selective AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activator, against the process. Our data revealed that C13 pretreatment significantly attenuated Dex-induced apoptosis and necrosis in both osteoblastic-like MC3T3-E1 cells and primary murine osteoblasts. AMPK activation mediated C13′ cytoprotective effect in osteoblasts. The AMPK inhibitor Compound C, shRNA-mediated knockdown of AMPKα1, or dominant negative mutation of AMPKα1 (T172A) almost abolished C13-induced AMPK activation and its pro-survival effect in osteoblasts. On the othermore » hand, forced AMPK activation by adding AMPK activator A-769662 or exogenous expression a constitutively-active (ca) AMPKα1 (T172D) mimicked C13's actions and inhibited Dex-induced osteoblast cell death. Meanwhile, A-769662 or ca-AMPKα1 almost nullified C13's activity in osteoblast. Further studies showed that C13 activated AMPK-dependent nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) pathway to inhibit Dex-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in MC3T3-E1 cells and primary murine osteoblasts. Such effects by C13 were almost reversed by Compound C or AMPKα1 depletion/mutation. Together, these results suggest that C13 alleviates Dex-induced osteoblast cell death via activating AMPK signaling pathway. - Highlights: • Compound 13 (C13) attenuates dexamethasone (Dex)-induced osteoblast cell death. • C13-induced cytoprotective effect against Dex in osteoblasts requires AMPK activation. • Forced AMPK activation protects osteoblasts from Dex, nullifying C13's activities. • C13 increases NADPH activity and inhibits Dex-induced oxidative stress in osteoblasts.« less

  2. Adsorption of volatile organic compounds by pecan shell- and almond shell-based granular activated carbons.

    PubMed

    Bansode, R R; Losso, J N; Marshall, W E; Rao, R M; Portier, R J

    2003-11-01

    The objective of this research was to determine the effectiveness of using pecan and almond shell-based granular activated carbons (GACs) in the adsorption of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of health concern and known toxic compounds (such as bromo-dichloromethane, benzene, carbon tetrachloride, 1,1,1-trichloromethane, chloroform, and 1,1-dichloromethane) compared to the adsorption efficiency of commercially used carbons (such as Filtrasorb 200, Calgon GRC-20, and Waterlinks 206C AW) in simulated test medium. The pecan shell-based GACs were activated using steam, carbon dioxide or phosphoric acid. An almond shell-based GAC was activated with phosphoric acid. Our results indicated that steam- or carbon dioxide-activated pecan shell carbons were superior in total VOC adsorption to phosphoric acid-activated pecan shell or almond shell carbons, inferring that the method of activation selected for the preparation of activated carbons affected the adsorption of VOCs and hence are factors to be considered in any adsorption process. The steam-activated, pecan shell carbon adsorbed more total VOCs than the other experimental carbons and had an adsorption profile similar to the two coconut shell-based commercial carbons, but had greater adsorption than the coal-based commercial carbon. All the carbons studied adsorbed benzene more effectively than the other organics. Pecan shell, steam-activated and acid-activated GACs showed higher adsorption of 1,1,1-trichloroethane than the other carbons studied. Multivariate analysis was conducted to group experimental carbons and commercial carbons based on their physical, chemical, and adsorptive properties. The results of the analysis conclude that steam-activated and acid-activated pecan shell carbons clustered together with coal-based and coconut shell-based commercial carbons, thus inferring that these experimental carbons could potentially be used as alternative sources for VOC adsorption in an aqueous environment.

  3. In silico screening of small molecule libraries using the dengue virus envelope E protein has identified compounds with antiviral activity against multiple flaviviruses.

    PubMed

    Kampmann, Thorsten; Yennamalli, Ragothaman; Campbell, Phillipa; Stoermer, Martin J; Fairlie, David P; Kobe, Bostjan; Young, Paul R

    2009-12-01

    The flaviviruses comprise a large group of related viruses, many of which pose a significant global human health threat, most notably the dengue viruses (DENV), West Nile virus (WNV) and yellow fever virus (YFV). Flaviviruses enter host cells via fusion of the viral and cellular membranes, a process mediated by the major viral envelope protein E as it undergoes a low pH induced conformational change in the endosomal compartment of the host cell. This essential entry stage in the flavivirus life cycle provides an attractive target for the development of antiviral agents. We performed an in silico docking screen of the Maybridge chemical database within a previously described ligand binding pocket in the dengue E protein structure that is thought to play a key role in the conformational transitions that lead to membrane fusion. The biological activity of selected compounds identified from this screen revealed low micromolar antiviral potency against dengue virus for two of the compounds. Our results also provide the first evidence that compounds selected to bind to this ligand binding site on the flavivirus E protein abrogate fusion activity. Interestingly, one of these compounds also has antiviral activity against both WNV (kunjin strain) and YFV.

  4. A Chemical Activity Approach to Exposure and Risk Assessment of Chemicals

    EPA Science Inventory

    To support the goals articulated in the vision for exposure and risk assessment in the twenty-first century, we highlight the application of a thermodynamic chemical activity approach for the exposure and risk assessment of chemicals in the environment. The present article descri...

  5. Analysis of additivity and synergism in the anti-plasmodial effect of purified compounds from plant extracts.

    PubMed

    Deharo, Eric; Ginsburg, Hagai

    2011-03-15

    In the search for antimalarials from ethnobotanical origin, plant extracts are chemically fractionated and biological tests guide the isolation of pure active compounds. To establish the responsibility of isolated active compound(s) to the whole antiplasmodial activity of a crude extract, the literature in this field was scanned and results were analysed quantitatively to find the contribution of the pure compound to the activity of the whole extract. It was found that, generally, the activity of isolated molecules could not account on their own for the activity of the crude extract. It is suggested that future research should take into account the "drugs beside the drug", looking for those products (otherwise discarded along the fractionation process) able to boost the activity of isolated active compounds.

  6. Chemical Sniffing Instrumentation for Security Applications.

    PubMed

    Giannoukos, Stamatios; Brkić, Boris; Taylor, Stephen; Marshall, Alan; Verbeck, Guido F

    2016-07-27

    Border control for homeland security faces major challenges worldwide due to chemical threats from national and/or international terrorism as well as organized crime. A wide range of technologies and systems with threat detection and monitoring capabilities has emerged to identify the chemical footprint associated with these illegal activities. This review paper investigates artificial sniffing technologies used as chemical sensors for point-of-use chemical analysis, especially during border security applications. This article presents an overview of (a) the existing available technologies reported in the scientific literature for threat screening, (b) commercially available, portable (hand-held and stand-off) chemical detection systems, and (c) their underlying functional and operational principles. Emphasis is given to technologies that have been developed for in-field security operations, but laboratory developed techniques are also summarized as emerging technologies. The chemical analytes of interest in this review are (a) volatile organic compounds (VOCs) associated with security applications (e.g., illegal, hazardous, and terrorist events), (b) chemical "signatures" associated with human presence, and (c) threat compounds (drugs, explosives, and chemical warfare agents).

  7. Using Weighted Entropy to Rank Chemicals in Quantitative High Throughput Screening Experiments

    PubMed Central

    Shockley, Keith R.

    2014-01-01

    Quantitative high throughput screening (qHTS) experiments can simultaneously produce concentration-response profiles for thousands of chemicals. In a typical qHTS study, a large chemical library is subjected to a primary screen in order to identify candidate hits for secondary screening, validation studies or prediction modeling. Different algorithms, usually based on the Hill equation logistic model, have been used to classify compounds as active or inactive (or inconclusive). However, observed concentration-response activity relationships may not adequately fit a sigmoidal curve. Furthermore, it is unclear how to prioritize chemicals for follow-up studies given the large uncertainties that often accompany parameter estimates from nonlinear models. Weighted Shannon entropy can address these concerns by ranking compounds according to profile-specific statistics derived from estimates of the probability mass distribution of response at the tested concentration levels. This strategy can be used to rank all tested chemicals in the absence of a pre-specified model structure or the approach can complement existing activity call algorithms by ranking the returned candidate hits. The weighted entropy approach was evaluated here using data simulated from the Hill equation model. The procedure was then applied to a chemical genomics profiling data set interrogating compounds for androgen receptor agonist activity. PMID:24056003

  8. Removal of pharmaceutically active compounds in nitrifying-denitrifying plants.

    PubMed

    Suárez, S; Ramil, M; Omil, F; Lema, J M

    2005-01-01

    The behaviour of nine pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) of different diagnostic groups is studied during a nitrifying-denitrifying process in an activated sludge system. The compounds selected cover a wide range of frequently used substances such as anti-epileptics (carbamazepine), tranquillisers (diazepam), anti-depressants (fluoxetine and citalopram), anti-inflammatories (ibuprofen, naproxen and diclofenac) and estrogens (estradiol and ethinylestradiol). The main objective of this research is to investigate the effect of acclimation of biomass on the removal rates of these compounds, either by maintaining a high sludge retention time or at long-term operation. The removal rates achieved for nitrogen and carbon in the experimental unit exceed 90% and were not affected by the addition of PhACs. Carbamazepine, diazepam and diclofenac were only removed to a small extent. On the other hand, higher removal rates have been observed for naproxen and ibuprofen (68% and 82%), respectively.

  9. Selectivity on-target of bromodomain chemical probes by structure-guided medicinal chemistry and chemical biology

    PubMed Central

    Galdeano, Carles; Ciulli, Alessio

    2017-01-01

    Targeting epigenetic proteins is a rapidly growing area for medicinal chemistry and drug discovery. Recent years have seen an explosion of interest in developing small molecules binding to bromodomains, the readers of acetyl-lysine modifications. A plethora of co-crystal structures has motivated focused fragment-based design and optimization programs within both industry and academia. These efforts have yielded several compounds entering the clinic, and many more are increasingly being used as chemical probes to interrogate bromodomain biology. High selectivity of chemical probes is necessary to ensure biological activity is due to an on-target effect. Here, we review the state-of-the-art of bromodomain-targeting compounds, focusing on the structural basis for their on-target selectivity or lack thereof. We also highlight chemical biology approaches to enhance on-target selectivity. PMID:27193077

  10. Pollen source effects on growth of kernel structures and embryo chemical compounds in maize.

    PubMed

    Tanaka, W; Mantese, A I; Maddonni, G A

    2009-08-01

    Previous studies have reported effects of pollen source on the oil concentration of maize (Zea mays) kernels through modifications to both the embryo/kernel ratio and embryo oil concentration. The present study expands upon previous analyses by addressing pollen source effects on the growth of kernel structures (i.e. pericarp, endosperm and embryo), allocation of embryo chemical constituents (i.e. oil, protein, starch and soluble sugars), and the anatomy and histology of the embryos. Maize kernels with different oil concentration were obtained from pollinations with two parental genotypes of contrasting oil concentration. The dynamics of the growth of kernel structures and allocation of embryo chemical constituents were analysed during the post-flowering period. Mature kernels were dissected to study the anatomy (embryonic axis and scutellum) and histology [cell number and cell size of the scutellums, presence of sub-cellular structures in scutellum tissue (starch granules, oil and protein bodies)] of the embryos. Plants of all crosses exhibited a similar kernel number and kernel weight. Pollen source modified neither the growth period of kernel structures, nor pericarp growth rate. By contrast, pollen source determined a trade-off between embryo and endosperm growth rates, which impacted on the embryo/kernel ratio of mature kernels. Modifications to the embryo size were mediated by scutellum cell number. Pollen source also affected (P < 0.01) allocation of embryo chemical compounds. Negative correlations among embryo oil concentration and those of starch (r = 0.98, P < 0.01) and soluble sugars (r = 0.95, P < 0.05) were found. Coincidently, embryos with low oil concentration had an increased (P < 0.05-0.10) scutellum cell area occupied by starch granules and fewer oil bodies. The effects of pollen source on both embryo/kernel ratio and allocation of embryo chemicals seems to be related to the early established sink strength (i.e. sink size and sink activity) of the

  11. Chemical Variability and Biological Activities of Brassica rapa var. rapifera Parts Essential Oils Depending on Geographic Variation and Extraction Technique.

    PubMed

    Saka, Boualem; Djouahri, Abderrahmane; Djerrad, Zineb; Terfi, Souhila; Aberrane, Sihem; Sabaou, Nasserdine; Baaliouamer, Aoumeur; Boudarene, Lynda

    2017-06-01

    In the present work, the Brassica rapa var. rapifera parts essential oils and their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities were investigated for the first time depending on geographic origin and extraction technique. Gas-chromatography (GC) and GC/mass spectrometry (MS) analyses showed several constituents, including alcohols, aldehydes, esters, ketones, norisoprenoids, terpenic, nitrogen and sulphur compounds, totalizing 38 and 41 compounds in leaves and root essential oils, respectively. Nitrogen compounds were the main volatiles in leaves essential oils and sulphur compounds were the main volatiles in root essential oils. Qualitative and quantitative differences were found among B. rapa var. rapifera parts essential oils collected from different locations and extracted by hydrodistillation and microwave-assisted hydrodistillation techniques. Furthermore, our findings showed a high variability for both antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. The highlighted variability reflects the high impact of plant part, geographic variation and extraction technique on chemical composition and biological activities, which led to conclude that we should select essential oils to be investigated carefully depending on these factors, in order to isolate the bioactive components or to have the best quality of essential oil in terms of biological activities and preventive effects in food. © 2017 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.

  12. Antimicrobial activity of fractions and compounds from Calophyllumbrasiliense (Clusiaceae/Guttiferae).

    PubMed

    Pretto, Juliana B; Cechinel-Filho, Valdir; Noldin, Vânia F; Sartori, Mara R K; Isaias, Daniela E B; Cruz, Alexandre Bella

    2004-01-01

    Calophyllum brasiliense (Clusiaceae/Guttiferae) is a native Brazilian medicinal plant traditionally used against several diseases, including infectious pathologies. Crude methanolic extracts (CME) and two fractions, denoted non-polar (soluble in chloroform) and polar (nonsoluble in chloroform), were prepared from different parts of the plant (roots, stems, leaves, flowers and fruits) and studied. The following compounds were isolated and tested against pathogenic bacteria and yeasts by determination of the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC): brasiliensic acid (1), gallic acid (2), epicatechin (3), protocatechuic acid (4), friedelin (5) and 1,5-dihydroxyxanthone (6). The results indicated that all the parts of the plant exhibited antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, which are selectively inhibited by components of C. brasiliense. No activity was observed against Gram-negative bacteria and yeasts tested. Regarding the isolated compounds, substance 4 showed antimicrobial activity against all the tested microorganisms, whereas compound 6 exhibited antimicrobial activity only against Gram-positive bacteria. The results from the current study confirm and justify the popular use of this plant to treat infectious processes.

  13. Oxygen transfer rate identifies priming compounds in parsley cells.

    PubMed

    Schilling, Jana Viola; Schillheim, Britta; Mahr, Stefan; Reufer, Yannik; Sanjoyo, Sandi; Conrath, Uwe; Büchs, Jochen

    2015-11-25

    In modern agriculture, the call for an alternative crop protection strategy increases because of the desired reduction of fungicide and pesticide use and the continuously evolving resistance of pathogens and pests to agrochemicals. The direct activation of the plant immune system does not provide a promising plant protection measure because of high fitness costs. However, upon treatment with certain natural or synthetic compounds, plant cells can promote to a fitness cost-saving, primed state of enhanced defense. In the primed state, plants respond to biotic and abiotic stress with faster and stronger activation of defense, and this is often associated with immunity and abiotic stress tolerance. Until now, the identification of chemical compounds with priming-inducing activity (so-called plant activators) relied on tedious and invasive approaches, or required the late detection of secreted furanocoumarin phytoalexins in parsley cell cultures. Thus, simple, fast, straightforward, and noninvasive techniques for identifying priming-inducing compounds for plant protection are very welcome. This report demonstrates that a respiration activity-monitoring system (RAMOS) can identify compounds with defense priming-inducing activity in parsley cell suspension in culture. RAMOS relies on the quasi-continuous, noninvasive online determination of the oxygen transfer rate (OTR). Treatment of parsley culture cells with the known plant activator salicylic acid (SA), a natural plant defense signal, resulted in an OTR increase. Addition of the defense elicitor Pep13, a cell wall peptide of Phythophthora sojae, induced two distinctive OTR peaks that were higher in SA-primed cells than in unprimed cells upon Pep13 challenge. Both, the OTR increase after priming with SA and the Pep13 challenge were dose-dependent. Furthermore, there was a close correlation of a compound's activity to enhance the oxygen consumption in parsley cells and its capacity to prime Pep13-induced furanocoumarin

  14. Isolation, Separation, and Preconcentration of Biologically Active Compounds from Plant Matrices by Extraction Techniques.

    PubMed

    Raks, Victoria; Al-Suod, Hossam; Buszewski, Bogusław

    2018-01-01

    Development of efficient methods for isolation and separation of biologically active compounds remains an important challenge for researchers. Designing systems such as organomineral composite materials that allow extraction of a wide range of biologically active compounds, acting as broad-utility solid-phase extraction agents, remains an important and necessary task. Selective sorbents can be easily used for highly selective and reliable extraction of specific components present in complex matrices. Herein, state-of-the-art approaches for selective isolation, preconcentration, and separation of biologically active compounds from a range of matrices are discussed. Primary focus is given to novel extraction methods for some biologically active compounds including cyclic polyols, flavonoids, and oligosaccharides from plants. In addition, application of silica-, carbon-, and polymer-based solid-phase extraction adsorbents and membrane extraction for selective separation of these compounds is discussed. Potential separation process interactions are recommended; their understanding is of utmost importance for the creation of optimal conditions to extract biologically active compounds including those with estrogenic properties.

  15. Magnesium compounds

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kramer, D.A.

    2007-01-01

    Seawater and natural brines accounted for about 52 percent of U.S. magnesium compounds production in 2006. Dead-burned magnesia was produced by Martin Marietta Magnesia Specialties from well brines in Michigan. Caustic-calcined magnesia was recovered from sea-water by Premier Chemicals in Florida; from well brines in Michigan by Martin Marietta and Rohm and Haas; and from magnesite in Nevada by Premier Chemicals. Intrepid Potash-Wendover and Great Salt Lake Minerals recovered magnesium chloride brines from the Great Salt Lake in Utah. Magnesium hydroxide was produced from brucite by Applied Chemical Magnesias in Texas, from seawater by SPI Pharma in Delaware and Premier Chemicals in Florida, and by Martin Marietta and Rohm and Haas from their operations mentioned above. About 59 percent of the magnesium compounds consumed in the United States was used for refractories that are used mainly to line steelmaking furnaces. The remaining 41 percent was consumed in agricultural, chemical, construction, environmental and industrial applications.

  16. Chemomics-based marker compounds mining and mimetic processing for exploring chemical mechanisms in traditional processing of herbal medicines, a continuous study on Rehmanniae Radix.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Li; Xu, Jin-Di; Zhou, Shan-Shan; Shen, Hong; Mao, Qian; Kong, Ming; Zou, Ye-Ting; Xu, Ya-Yun; Xu, Jun; Li, Song-Lin

    2017-12-29

    Exploring processing chemistry, in particular the chemical transformation mechanisms involved, is a key step to elucidate the scientific basis in traditional processing of herbal medicines. Previously, taking Rehmanniae Radix (RR) as a case study, the holistic chemome (secondary metabolome and glycome) difference between raw and processed RR was revealed by integrating hyphenated chromatographic techniques-based targeted glycomics and untargeted metabolomics. Nevertheless, the complex chemical transformation mechanisms underpinning the holistic chemome variation in RR processing remain to be extensively clarified. As a continuous study, here a novel strategy by combining chemomics-based marker compounds mining and mimetic processing is proposed for further exploring the chemical mechanisms involved in herbal processing. First, the differential marker compounds between raw and processed herbs were rapidly discovered by untargeted chemomics-based mining approach through multivariate statistical analysis of the chemome data obtained by integrated metabolomics and glycomics analysis. Second, the marker compounds were mimetically processed under the simulated physicochemical conditions as in the herb processing, and the final reaction products were chemically characterized by targeted chemomics-based mining approach. Third, the main chemical transformation mechanisms involved were clarified by linking up the original marker compounds and their mimetic processing products. Using this strategy, a set of differential marker compounds including saccharides, glycosides and furfurals in raw and processed RR was rapidly found, and the major chemical mechanisms involved in RR processing were elucidated as stepwise transformations of saccharides (polysaccharides, oligosaccharides and monosaccharides) and glycosides (iridoid glycosides and phenethylalcohol glycosides) into furfurals (glycosylated/non-glycosylated hydroxymethylfurfurals) by deglycosylation and/or dehydration. The

  17. Chemical and thermal modulation of molecular motor activities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hong, Weili

    Molecular motors of kinesin and dynein families are responsible for various intracellular activities, from long distance movement of organelles, vesicles, protein complexes, and mRNAs to powering mitotic processes. They can take nanometer steps using chemical energy from the hydrolysis of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), and their dysfunction is involved in many neurodegenerative diseases that require long distance transport of cargos. Here I report on the study of the properties of molecular motors at a single-molecule level using optical trappings. I first studied the inhibition properties of kinesin motors by marine natural compound adociasulfates. I showed that adociasulfates compete with microtubules for binding to kinesins and thus inhibit kinesins' activity. Although adociasulfates are a strong inhibitor for all kinesin members, they show a much higher inhibition effect for conventional kinesins than for mitotic kinesins. Thus adociasulfates can be used to specifically inhibit conventional kinesins. By comparing the inhibition of kinesins by two structurally similar adociasulfates, one can see that the negatively charged sulfate residue of adociasulfates can be replaced by other negative residues and thus make it possible for adociasulfate-derived compounds to be more cell permeable. Kinesins and dyneins move cargos towards opposite directions along a microtubule. Cargos with both kinesins and dyneins attached often move bidirectionally due to undergoing a tug-of-war between the oppositely moving kinesin and dynein motors. Here I studied the effect of temperature on microtubule-based kinesin and dynein motor transport. While kinesins' and dyneins' velocities are closely matched above 15 °C, below this temperature the dyneins' velocity decreases much faster than the kinesins'. The kinesins' and dyneins' forces do not measurably change with temperature. The results suggest that temperature has significant effects on bidirectional transport and can be used to

  18. Chemical Constituents of Plants from the Genus Psychotria.

    PubMed

    Yang, Hongmei; Zhang, Hongmei; Yang, Caiqiong; Chen, Yegao

    2016-07-01

    Psychotria is a genus of ca. 1500 species in the family Rubiaceae. Up to now, 41 species of the Psychotria genus have been chemically investigated, and 159 compounds, including alkaloids of indole, quinoline and benzoquinolizidine type, terpenoids, steroids, phenolics and aliphatic compounds have been isolated. These compounds show potent bioactivities, such as antimicrobial, antiviral, and antiparasitic activities. © 2016 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zürich.

  19. The Antimicrobial Activities of Extract and Compounds Isolated from Brillantaisia lamium

    PubMed Central

    Tamokou, Jean De Dieu; Kuiate, Jules Roger; Tene, Mathieu; Kenla Nwemeguela, Timothée Julbelin; Tane, Pierre

    2011-01-01

    Background: Brillantaisia lamium is an erect branched herb, which grows to a height of 1.50 m in moist tropical areas, both in full sun and partial shade. In , the aerial part of this plant is used in the treatment of various microbial infections such as skin diseases and infections of urinary tract. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activities of CH2Cl2: MeOH (1:1) extract, fractions and compounds from the aerial part of B. lamium. Methods: The plant was dried and extracted by maceration in CH2Cl2: MeOH (1:1 v/v). Structures of the compounds from the CH2Cl2: MeOH (1:1) soluble fraction were determined by spectroscopic methods and compared with published data. The broth micro dilution method was used to evaluate the antimicrobial activities against bacteria and fungal species. Results: Four known compounds: aurantiamide acetate (1), lupeol (2), lespedin (3), sitosterol 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (4) and a mixture of sterols: campesterol (5), stigmasterol (6) and β-sitosterol (7) were isolated from CH2Cl2: MeOH (1:1) extract of B. lamium aerial parts. The crude extract, fractions and isolated compounds exhibited both antibacterial and antifungal activities that varied with microorganism (MIC=6.25 – 1000 µg/ml). Compound 3 was the most active (MIC=6.25 – 100 µg/ml) while Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Candida tropicalis and Cryptococcus neoformans were the most sensitive to all the tested compounds. Conclusion: The overall results of this study indicate that the CH2Cl2: MeOH (1:1) extract and some of isolated compounds have interesting antimicrobial properties and can be used for the treatment of fungal and bacterial infections. PMID:23365474

  20. Quantum chemical determination of young?s modulus of lignin. Calculations on ß-O-4' model compound

    Treesearch

    Thomas Elder

    2007-01-01

    The calculation of Young?s modulus of lignin has been examined by subjecting a dimeric model compound to strain, coupled with the determination of energy and stress. The computational results, derived from quantum chemical calculations, are in agreement with available experimental results. Changes in geometry indicate that modifications in dihedral angles occur in...

  1. The organotin compounds trimethyltin (TMT) and triethyltin (TET) but not tributyltin (TBT) induce activation of microglia co-cultivated with astrocytes.

    PubMed

    Röhl, C; Grell, M; Maser, E

    2009-12-01

    The organotin compounds trimethyltin (TMT), triethyltin (TET) and tributyltin (TBT) show different organotoxicities in vivo. While TMT and TET induce a strong neurotoxicity accompanied by microglial and astroglial activation, TBT rather effects the immune system. Previously, we have shown in an in vitro co-culture model that microglial cells can be activated by TMT in the presence of astrocytes. In this study, we wanted to investigate (a) if the neurotoxic organotin compound TET can also activate microglial cells in vitro similar to TMT and (b) if differences between the neurotoxicants TMT and TET on the one side and TBT on the other exist concerning microglial activation. Therefore, purified microglial and astroglial cell cultures from neonatal rat brains were treated either alone or in co-cultures for 24h with different concentrations of TMT, TET or TBT and the basal cytotoxicity and nitric oxide formation was determined. Furthermore, morphological changes of astrocytes were examined. Our results show that microglial activation can be increased in subcytolethal concentrations, but only in the presence of astrocytes and not in microglial cell cultures alone. This increase was induced by the neurotoxicants TMT and TET but not by TBT. Taken together, the differing microglia activating effect of the organotin compounds may contribute to the differing neurotoxic potential of this group of chemicals in vivo. In addition, our results emphasize the need for co-culture systems when studying interactions between different cell types for toxicity assessment.

  2. Stochastic voyages into uncharted chemical space produce a representative library of all possible drug-like compounds

    PubMed Central

    Virshup, Aaron M.; Contreras-García, Julia; Wipf, Peter; Yang, Weitao; Beratan, David N.

    2013-01-01

    The “small molecule universe” (SMU), the set of all synthetically feasible organic molecules of 500 Daltons molecular weight or less, is estimated to contain over 1060 structures, making exhaustive searches for structures of interest impractical. Here, we describe the construction of a “representative universal library” spanning the SMU that samples the full extent of feasible small molecule chemistries. This library was generated using the newly developed Algorithm for Chemical Space Exploration with Stochastic Search (ACSESS). ACSESS makes two important contributions to chemical space exploration: it allows the systematic search of the unexplored regions of the small molecule universe, and it facilitates the mining of chemical libraries that do not yet exist, providing a near-infinite source of diverse novel compounds. PMID:23548177

  3. Identification of Aroma-active Compounds in Essential Oil from Uncaria Hook by Gas Chromatography- Mass Spectrometry and Gas Chromatography-Olfactometry.

    PubMed

    Iwasa, Megumi; Nakaya, Satoshi; Maki, Yusuke; Marumoto, Shinsuke; Usami, Atsushi; Miyazawa, Mitsuo

    2015-01-01

    The chemical composition of essential oil extracted from Uncaria Hook ("Chotoko" in Japanese), the branch with curved hook of the herbal medicine Uncaria rhynchophylla has been investigated by GC and GC-MS analyses. Eighty-four compounds, representing 90.8% of the total content was identified in oil obtained from Uncaria Hook. The main components i were (E)-cinnamaldehyde (13.4%), α-copaene (8.0%), methyl eugenol (6.8%), δ-cadinene (5.3%), and curcumene (3.6%). The important key aroma-active compounds in the oil were detected by gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O) and aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA), using the flavor dilution (FD) factor to express the odor potency of each compounds. Furthermore, the odor activity value (OAV) has been used as a measure of the relative contribution of each compound to the aroma of the Uncaria Hook oil. The GC-O and AEDA results showed that α-copaene (FD = 4, OAV = 4376), (E)-linalool oxide (FD = 64, OAV = 9.1), and methyl eugenol (FD = 64, OAV = 29) contributed to the woody and spicy odor of Uncaria Hook oil, whereas furfural (FD = 8, OAV = 4808) contributed to its sweet odor. These results warrant further investigations of the application of essential oil from Uncaria Hook in the phytochemical and medicinal fields.

  4. Structure-activity relationship and docking studies of thiazolidinedione-type compounds with monoamine oxidase B.

    PubMed

    Carroll, Richard T; Dluzen, Dean E; Stinnett, Hilary; Awale, Prabha S; Funk, Max O; Geldenhuys, Werner J

    2011-08-15

    The neuroprotective activity of pioglitazone and rosiglitazone in the MPTP parkinsonian mouse prompted us to evaluate a set of thiazolidinedione (TZD) type compounds for monoamine oxidase A and B inhibition activity. These compounds were able to inhibit MAO-B over several log units of magnitude (82 nM to 600 μM). Initial structure-activity relationship studies identified key areas to modify the aromatic substituted TZD compounds. Primarily, substitutions on the aromatic group and the TZD nitrogen were key areas where activity was enhanced within this group of compounds. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Electrochemical and spectroscopic characteristics of p-acryloyloxybenzoyl chloride and p-acryloyloxybenzoic acid and antimicrobial activity of organic compounds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cakir, I.; Soykan, U.; Cetin, S.; Karaboga, F.; Zalaoglu, Y.; Dogruer, M.; Terzioglu, C.; Yildirim, G.

    2014-11-01

    The purpose of this multidisciplinary work is to characterize title compounds, p-acryloyloxybenzoyl chloride (ABC) and p-acryloyloxybenzoic acid (ABA) by means of experimental and theoretical evidences. As experimental research, Fourier transformation-infrared spectra (in the region 400-4000 cm-1) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) chemical shifts (with a frequency of 400 MHz) are examined for spectroscopic properties belonging to the new synthesized compounds. Moreover, the compounds are investigated for antimicrobial activity against various microorganisms (Gram-positive and Gram-negative) by means of the visual inhibition zone technique on the agar media. The experimental results observed indicate that ABA exhibits more powerful inhibitors of microorganisms due to the presence of the hydroxyl group leading to higher reactive system, one of the most striking features of the paper. As for the theoretical studies, the optimized molecular structures, vibrational frequencies, corresponding vibrational spectra interpreted with the aid of normal coordinate analysis based on scaled density functional force field, atomic charges, thermodynamic properties at different temperature, 1H NMR chemical shifts by way of density functional theory (DFT) with the standard (B3LYP) methods at 6-311G++(d,p) basis set combination for the first time. According to findings, the 1H NMR chemical shifts and vibrational frequencies are obtained to be in good agreement with the suitable experimental results. Thus, it would be more precise to say that the calculation level chosen is powerful approach for understanding in the identification of the molecules investigated. At the same time, we determine the electrochemical characteristics belonging to the samples via the simulation of translation energy (HOMO-LUMO), molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) and electrostatic potential (ESP) investigations. It is observed that the strong intra-molecular charge transfer (ICT) appears between the

  6. Electrochemical and spectroscopic characteristics of p-acryloyloxybenzoyl chloride and p-acryloyloxybenzoic acid and antimicrobial activity of organic compounds.

    PubMed

    Cakir, I; Soykan, U; Cetin, S; Karaboga, F; Zalaoglu, Y; Dogruer, M; Terzioglu, C; Yildirim, G

    2014-11-11

    The purpose of this multidisciplinary work is to characterize title compounds, p-acryloyloxybenzoyl chloride (ABC) and p-acryloyloxybenzoic acid (ABA) by means of experimental and theoretical evidences. As experimental research, Fourier transformation-infrared spectra (in the region 400-4000 cm(-1)) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) chemical shifts (with a frequency of 400 MHz) are examined for spectroscopic properties belonging to the new synthesized compounds. Moreover, the compounds are investigated for antimicrobial activity against various microorganisms (Gram-positive and Gram-negative) by means of the visual inhibition zone technique on the agar media. The experimental results observed indicate that ABA exhibits more powerful inhibitors of microorganisms due to the presence of the hydroxyl group leading to higher reactive system, one of the most striking features of the paper. As for the theoretical studies, the optimized molecular structures, vibrational frequencies, corresponding vibrational spectra interpreted with the aid of normal coordinate analysis based on scaled density functional force field, atomic charges, thermodynamic properties at different temperature, 1H NMR chemical shifts by way of density functional theory (DFT) with the standard (B3LYP) methods at 6-311G++(d,p) basis set combination for the first time. According to findings, the 1H NMR chemical shifts and vibrational frequencies are obtained to be in good agreement with the suitable experimental results. Thus, it would be more precise to say that the calculation level chosen is powerful approach for understanding in the identification of the molecules investigated. At the same time, we determine the electrochemical characteristics belonging to the samples via the simulation of translation energy (HOMO-LUMO), molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) and electrostatic potential (ESP) investigations. It is observed that the strong intra-molecular charge transfer (ICT) appears between the

  7. Perfluorinated Compounds

    EPA Science Inventory

    Perfluorinated compounds such as the perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) and their derivatives are important man-made chemicals that have wide consumer and industrial applications. They are relatively contemporary chemicals, being in use only since the 1950s, and until recently, have be...

  8. Human aldo-keto reductases 1B1 and 1B10: a comparative study on their enzyme activity toward electrophilic carbonyl compounds.

    PubMed

    Shen, Yi; Zhong, Linlin; Johnson, Stephen; Cao, Deliang

    2011-05-30

    Aldo-keto reductase family 1 member B1 (AKR1B1, 1B1 in brief) and aldo-keto reductase family 1 member B10 (AKR1B10, 1B10 in brief) are two proteins with high similarities in their amino acid sequences, stereo structures, and substrate specificity. However, these two proteins exhibit distinct tissue distributions; 1B10 is primarily expressed in the gastrointestinal tract and adrenal gland, whereas 1B1 is ubiquitously present in all tissues/organs, suggesting their difference in biological functions. This study evaluated in parallel the enzyme activity of 1B1 and 1B10 toward alpha, beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds with cellular and dietary origins, including acrolein, crotonaldehyde, 4-hydroxynonenal, trans-2-hexenal, and trans-2,4-hexadienal. Our results showed that 1B10 had much better enzyme activity and turnover rates toward these chemicals than 1B1. By detecting the enzymatic products using high-performance liquid chromatography, we measured their activity to carbonyl compounds at low concentrations. Our data showed that 1B10 efficiently reduced the tested carbonyl compounds at physiological levels, but 1B1 was less effective. Ectopically expressed 1B10 in 293T cells effectively eliminated 4-hydroxynonenal at 5 μM by reducing to 1,4-dihydroxynonene, whereas endogenously expressed 1B1 did not. The 1B1 and 1B10 both showed enzyme activity to glutathione-conjugated carbonyl compounds, but 1B1 appeared more active in general. Together our data suggests that 1B10 is more effectual in eliminating free electrophilic carbonyl compounds, but 1B1 seems more important in the further detoxification of glutathione-conjugated carbonyl compounds. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Activated persulfate for organic chemical degradation: A review.

    PubMed

    Matzek, Laura W; Carter, Kimberly E

    2016-05-01

    Activated persulfate reactions have widespread application for groundwater and environmental remediation, as many of these reactions involve destruction of environmental contaminants. Within the last five years, knowledge of activated persulfate degradation reactions has grown to include novel means of activating persulfate for enhanced removal of organic species. These current studies cover a long list of organic analytes, including pharmaceuticals, pesticides, halogenated compounds and dyes. An extensive review of recently published experimental parameters and results for the destruction of organic compounds via activated persulfate is presented. Focus is placed on emerging methodologies and manipulation of traditional activation techniques. Knowledge gaps are identified and discussed, as despite the number of publications on this subject, more broad-reaching guidelines are needed for optimizing applications of activated persulfate in water treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. [Formation mechanism and chemical safety of nonintentional chemical substances present in chlorinated drinking water and wastewater].

    PubMed

    Onodera, Sukeo

    2010-09-01

    This paper reviews the formation mechanism and chemical safety of nonintentional chemical substances (NICS) present in chlorine-treated water containing organic contaminants. Undesirable compounds, i.e., NICS, may be formed under certain conditions when chlorine reacts with organic matter. The rate and extent of chlorine consumption with organics are strongly dependent on their chemical structures, particularly whether double bonds or sulfur and nitrogen atoms occur in the molecules. Organothiophosphorus pesticides (P=S type) are easily oxidized to their phosphorus compounds (P=O type) in chlorinated water containing HOCl as little as 0.5 mg/l, resulting in an increase in cholinesterase-inhibitory activity. Chlorination of phenols in water also produces a series of highly chlorinated compounds, including chlorophenols, chloroquinones, chlorinated carboxylic acids, and polychlorinated phenoxyphenols (PCPPs). In some of these chloroquinones, 2,6-dichloroalkylsemiquinones exhibit a strong mutagenic response as do positive controls used in the Ames test. 2-phenoxyphenols in these PCPPs are particularly interesting, as they are present in the chlorine-treated phenol solution and they are also precursors (predioxins) of the highly toxic chlorinated dioxins. Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were found to undergo chemical changes due to hypochlorite reactions to give chloro-substituted PAHs, oxygenated (quinones) and hydroxylated (phenols) compounds, but they exhibit a lower mutagenic response. In addition, field work was performed in river water and drinking water to obtain information on chemical distribution and their safety, and the results are compared with those obtained in the model chlorination experiments.

  11. Novel Chemical Space Exploration via Natural Products

    PubMed Central

    Rosén, Josefin; Gottfries, Johan; Muresan, Sorel; Backlund, Anders; Oprea, Tudor I.

    2009-01-01

    Natural products (NPs) are a rich source of novel compound classes and new drugs. In the present study we have used the chemical space navigation tool ChemGPS-NP to evaluate the chemical space occupancy by NPs and bioactive medicinal chemistry compounds from the database WOMBAT. The two sets differ notable in coverage of chemical space, and tangible lead-like NPs were found to cover regions of chemical space that lack representation in WOMBAT. Property based similarity calculations were performed to identify NP neighbours of approved drugs. Several of the NPs revealed by this method, were confirmed to exhibit the same activity as their drug neighbours. The identification of leads from a NP starting point may prove a useful strategy for drug discovery, in the search for novel leads with unique properties. PMID:19265440

  12. Chemical Constituents of Supercritical Extracts from Alpinia officinarum and the Feeding Deterrent Activity against Tribolium castaneum.

    PubMed

    Xin, Mintong; Guo, Shanshan; Zhang, Wenjuan; Geng, Zhufeng; Liang, Junyu; Du, Shushan; Deng, Zhiwei; Wang, Yongyan

    2017-04-18

    Alpinia officinarum has been confirmed to possess bioactivities against some pests. In this work, a sample was obtained from A. officinarum rhizomes by supercritical fluid CO₂ extraction (SFE). According to GC-MS analysis, the main chemical components for SFE-sample included benzylacetone (26.77%), 1,7-diphenyl-5-hydroxy-3-heptanone (17.78%), guaiacylacetone (10.03%) and benzenepropanal (7.42%). The essential oil of A. officinarum rhizomes (LD 50 = 20.71 μg/adult) exhibited more contact toxicity than SFE extract (LD 50 = 82.72 μg/adult) against Tribolium castaneum . From SFE extracts, one new compound, 1-phenyl-4-(16,17-dimethyl-9,13-octadiene)-5-isopentenyl-7-(4"-methoxyl-3"-hydroxyl-phenyl)-3-heptanone ( 3 ), together with five known compounds identified as 5-hydroxy-1,7-diphenyl-3-heptanone ( 1 ), 1,7-diphenyl-4-hepten-3-one ( 2 ), galangin ( 4 ), galangin-3-methyl ether ( 5 ) and pinocembrin ( 6 ), were isolated and their feeding deterrent activities against T. castaneum adults were assessed. It was found that compounds 1 - 6 had feeding deterrent activities against T. castaneum with feeding deterrent indices of 18.21%, 18.94%, 19.79%, 26.99%, 20.34%, and 35.81%, respectively, at the concentration of 1500 ppm. Hence, the essential oil and SFE extracts/compounds of A. officinarum rhizomes represent promising alternatives in the control of T. castaneum adults.

  13. Effect of ultrasound-assisted freezing on the physico-chemical properties and volatile compounds of red radish.

    PubMed

    Xu, Bao-Guo; Zhang, Min; Bhandari, Bhesh; Cheng, Xin-Feng; Islam, Md Nahidul

    2015-11-01

    Power ultrasound, which can enhance nucleation rate and crystal growth rate, can also affect the physico-chemical properties of immersion frozen products. In this study, the influence of slow freezing (SF), immersion freezing (IF) and ultrasound-assisted freezing (UAF) on physico-chemical properties and volatile compounds of red radish was investigated. Results showed that ultrasound application significantly improved the freezing rate; the freezing time of ultrasound application at 0.26 W/cm(2) was shorten by 14% and 90%, compared to IF and SF, respectively. UAF products showed significant (p<0.05) reduction in drip loss and phytonutrients (anthocyanins, vitamin C and phenolics) loss. Compared to SF products, IF and UAF products showed better textural preservation and higher calcium content. The radish tissues exhibited better cellular structures under ultrasonic power intensities of 0.17 and 0.26 W/cm(2) with less cell separation and disruption. Volatile compound data revealed that radish aromatic profile was also affected in the freezing process. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Role of ozone and granular activated carbon in the removal of mutagenic compounds.

    PubMed Central

    Bourbigot, M M; Hascoet, M C; Levi, Y; Erb, F; Pommery, N

    1986-01-01

    The identification of certain organic compounds in drinking water has led water treatment specialists to be increasingly concerned about the eventual risks of such pollutants to the health of consumers. Our experiments focused on the role of ozone and granular activated carbon in removing mutagenic compounds and precursors that become toxic after chlorination. We found that if a sufficient dose of ozone is applied, its use does not lead to the creation of mutagenic compounds in drinking water and can even eliminate the initial mutagenicity of the water. The formation of new mutagenic compounds seems to be induced by ozonation that is too weak, although these mutagens can be removed by GAC filtration. Ozone used with activated carbon can be one of the best means for eliminating the compounds contributing to the mutagenicity of water. A combined treatment of ozone and activated carbon also decreases the chlorine consumption of the treated water and consequently reduces the formation of chlorinated organic compounds. PMID:3816720

  15. Antifungal and antibacterial activity and chemical composition of polar and non-polar extracts of Athrixia phylicoides determined using bioautography and HPLC

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Athrixia phylicoides DC. (Asteraceae) is used medicinally in South Africa to treat a plethora of ailments, including heart problems, diabetes, diarrhoea, sores and infected wounds. It is also prepared in the form of a tea (hot decoction) taken as a refreshing, pleasant-tasting beverage with commercialization potential. Methods Extracts of the dried ground aerial parts were prepared using organic solvents (diethyl ether, dichloromethane/methanol, ethyl acetate and ethanol) and water. These extracts were subjected to HPLC, TLC and bioautography analysis with the aim of linking a range of peaks visualized in HPLC chromatography profiles to antibacterial and antifungal activity of the same extracts. Results HPLC revealed a group of compounds extracted by more than one solvent. Compounds identified include inositol, caffeic acid, quercetin, kaempferol, apigenin, hymenoxin and oleanolic acid. The organic extracts displayed similar TLC profiles, and bioautography indicated approximately five antibacterial compounds, but only two antifungal compounds in these extracts. Bioautography indicated that cold water extracted the least antimicrobial compounds. Conclusions Several previously unknown compounds were identified in Athrixia phylicoides extracts, and bioautography indicated a number of antibacterial and antifungal compounds. There were notable differences in chemical composition and bioactivity between the organic and aqueous extracts. Further research is necessary to fully characterize the active components of the extracts. PMID:24330447

  16. Immobilization of Bacillus sp. in mesoporous activated carbon for degradation of sulphonated phenolic compound in wastewater.

    PubMed

    Sekaran, G; Karthikeyan, S; Gupta, V K; Boopathy, R; Maharaja, P

    2013-03-01

    Xenobiotic compounds are used in considerable quantities in leather industries besides natural organic and inorganic compounds. These compounds resist biological degradation and thus they remain in the treated wastewater in the unaltered molecular configurations. Immobilization of organisms in carrier matrices protects them from shock load application and from the toxicity of chemicals in bulk liquid phase. Mesoporous activated carbon (MAC) has been considered in the present study as the carrier matrix for the immobilization of Bacillus sp. isolated from Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) employed for the treatment of wastewater containing sulphonated phenolic (SP) compounds. Temperature, pH, concentration, particle size and mass of MAC were observed to influence the immobilization behavior of Bacillus sp. The percentage immobilization of Bacillus sp. was the maximum at pH 7.0, temperature 20 °C and at particle size 300 μm. Enthalpy, free energy and entropy of immobilization were -46.9 kJ mol(-1), -1.19 kJ mol(-1) and -161.36 JK(-1)mol(-1) respectively at pH 7.0, temperature 20 °C and particle size 300 μm. Higher values of ΔH(0) indicate the firm bonding of the Bacillus sp. in MAC. Degradation of aqueous sulphonated phenolic compound by Bacillus sp. immobilized in MAC followed pseudo first order rate kinetics with rate constant 1.12 × 10(-2) min(-1). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. TTI-237: a novel microtubule-active compound with in vivo antitumor activity.

    PubMed

    Beyer, Carl F; Zhang, Nan; Hernandez, Richard; Vitale, Danielle; Lucas, Judy; Nguyen, Thai; Discafani, Carolyn; Ayral-Kaloustian, Semiramis; Gibbons, James J

    2008-04-01

    5-Chloro-6-[2,6-difluoro-4-[3-(methylamino)propoxy]phenyl]-N-[(1S)-2,2,2-trifluoro-1-methylethyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-amine butanedioate (TTI-237) is a microtubule-active compound of novel structure and function. Structurally, it is one of a class of compounds, triazolo[1,5a]pyrimidines, previously not known to bind to tubulin. Functionally, TTI-237 inhibited the binding of [(3)H]vinblastine to tubulin, but it caused a marked increase in turbidity development that more closely resembled the effect observed with docetaxel than that observed with vincristine. The morphologic character of the presumptive polymer is unknown at present. When applied to cultured human tumor cells at concentrations near its IC(50) value for cytotoxicity (34 nmol/L), TTI-237 induced multiple spindle poles and multinuclear cells, as did paclitaxel, but not vincristine or colchicine. Flow cytometry experiments revealed that, at low concentrations (20-40 nmol/L), TTI-237 produced sub-G(1) nuclei and, at concentrations above 50 nmol/L, it caused a strong G(2)-M block. The compound was a weak substrate of multidrug resistance 1 (multidrug resistance transporter or P-glycoprotein). In a cell line expressing a high level of P-glycoprotein, the IC(50) of TTI-237 increased 25-fold whereas those of paclitaxel and vincristine increased 806-fold and 925-fold, respectively. TTI-237 was not recognized by the MRP or MXR transporters. TTI-237 was active in vivo in several nude mouse xenograft models of human cancer, including LoVo human colon carcinoma and U87-MG human glioblastoma, when dosed i.v. or p.o. Thus, TTI-237 has a set of properties that distinguish it from other classes of microtubule-active compounds.

  18. Active foraging for toxic prey during gestation in a snake with maternal provisioning of sequestered chemical defences

    PubMed Central

    Kojima, Yosuke; Mori, Akira

    2015-01-01

    Many animals sequester dietary defensive compounds and incorporate them into the offspring, which protects the young against predation. One possible but poorly investigated question is whether females of such species actively prey upon toxic diets. The snake Rhabdophis tigrinus sequesters defensive steroids from toads consumed as prey; it also feeds on other amphibians. Females produce chemically armed offspring in direct proportion to their own level of toad-derived toxins by provisioning the toxins to their eggs. Our field observations of movements and stomach contents of radio-tracked R. tigrinus showed that gravid snakes preyed upon toads by actively foraging in the habitat of toads, even though toads were a scarce resource and toad-searching may incur potential costs. Our Y-maze experiments demonstrated that gravid females were more likely to trail the chemical cues of toads than were males or non-gravid females. These results showed behavioural switching in females and active foraging for scarce, toxic prey during gestation. Because exploitation of toads by gravid females results in their offspring being more richly endowed with prey-derived toxins, active foraging for toxic prey is expected to be an adaptive antipredator trait, which may enhance chemical defence in offspring. PMID:25392472

  19. Active foraging for toxic prey during gestation in a snake with maternal provisioning of sequestered chemical defences.

    PubMed

    Kojima, Yosuke; Mori, Akira

    2015-01-07

    Many animals sequester dietary defensive compounds and incorporate them into the offspring, which protects the young against predation. One possible but poorly investigated question is whether females of such species actively prey upon toxic diets. The snake Rhabdophis tigrinus sequesters defensive steroids from toads consumed as prey; it also feeds on other amphibians. Females produce chemically armed offspring in direct proportion to their own level of toad-derived toxins by provisioning the toxins to their eggs. Our field observations of movements and stomach contents of radio-tracked R. tigrinus showed that gravid snakes preyed upon toads by actively foraging in the habitat of toads, even though toads were a scarce resource and toad-searching may incur potential costs. Our Y-maze experiments demonstrated that gravid females were more likely to trail the chemical cues of toads than were males or non-gravid females. These results showed behavioural switching in females and active foraging for scarce, toxic prey during gestation. Because exploitation of toads by gravid females results in their offspring being more richly endowed with prey-derived toxins, active foraging for toxic prey is expected to be an adaptive antipredator trait, which may enhance chemical defence in offspring. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

  20. Bio-antioxidants - a chemical base of their antioxidant activity and beneficial effect on human health.

    PubMed

    Kancheva, V D; Kasaikina, O T

    2013-01-01

    The paradox of aerobic life is that higher eukaryotic organisms cannot exist without oxygen, yet oxygen is inherently dangerous to their existence. Autoxidation of organic substances frequently occurs via free radical mechanism which generates different active radicals and peroxides OH(•), O2 (•-), LO2 (•), HOOH, LOOH, so called reactive oxygen species (ROS), which appear to be responsible for oxygen toxicity. To survive in such an unfriendly oxygen environment, living organisms generate - or obtain from food - a variety of water- and lipid-soluble antioxidant compounds. Biologically active compounds with antioxidant potential, i.e. bio-antioxidants (natural and their synthetic analogues) have a wide range of applications. They are important drugs, antibiotics, agrochemical substitutes, and food preservatives. Many of the drugs today are synthetic modifications of naturally obtained substances. This review presents information about the chemical base of antioxidant activities and beneficial effects on human health of known and new bio-antioxidants. There is abundant literature on the phenolic antioxidants and tocopherols in particular. In this review the following bio-antioxidants are considered: A) Carotenoids, B) Cathecholamines, C) Phospholipids, D) Chalcones, E) Coumarins, F) Phenolic acids, G) Flavonoids, H) Lignans, and I) Tannins.

  1. Quantification of selected aroma-active compounds in strawberries by headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography and correlation with sensory descriptive analysis.

    PubMed

    Jetti, R R; Yang, E; Kurnianta, A; Finn, C; Qian, M C

    2007-09-01

    Selected aroma-active compounds in strawberries were quantified using headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography. Ten strawberry cultivars grown in California and Oregon were studied. The standard curves were built in a synthetic matrix and quantification was achieved using multiple internal standards. Odor activity values (OAVs) of the aroma compounds were calculated to understand their contribution to the overall aroma. Although the concentrations of the aroma compounds varied depending on the cultivars, in general, ethyl butanoate, mesifurane, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl 3-methylbutanoate, hexyl acetate, and gamma-dodecalactone had the highest OAVs. Descriptive sensory analysis was performed by a trained panel of 10 members. A PCA plot was built to understand the aroma contribution of principal components. The chemical results were compared with sensory data. The OAV of esters correlated well with the floral, pineapple, and banana notes. The green notes did not correlate with the concentration or OAVs of aldehydes or C6 alcohols. It is assumed that the higher amounts of green, sulfur, musty, and waxy notes in some cultivars were due to the lack of fruity notes.

  2. Interrogating Protein Phosphatases with Chemical Activity Probes.

    PubMed

    Casey, Garrett R; Stains, Cliff I

    2018-06-04

    Protein phosphatases, while long overlooked, have recently become appreciated as drivers of both normal- and disease-associated signaling events. As a result, the spotlight is now turning torwards this enzyme family and efforts geared towards the development of modern chemical tools for studying these enzymes are well underway. This Minireview focuses on the evolution of chemical activity probes, both optical and covalent, for the study of protein phosphatases. Small-molecule probes, global monitoring of phosphatase activity through the use of covalent modifiers, and targeted fluorescence-based activity probes are discussed. We conclude with an overview of open questions in the field and highlight the potential impact of chemical tools for studying protein phosphatases. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  3. Screening Active Compounds from Garcinia Species Native to China Reveals Novel Compounds Targeting the STAT/JAK Signaling Pathway

    PubMed Central

    Xu, Linfeng; Lao, Yuanzhi; Zhao, Yanhui; Qin, Jian; Fu, Wenwei; Zhang, Yingjia; Xu, Hongxi

    2015-01-01

    Natural compounds from medicinal plants are important resources for drug development. In a panel of human tumor cells, we screened a library of the natural products from Garcinia species which have anticancer potential to identify new potential therapeutic leads and discovered that caged xanthones were highly effective at suppressing multiple cancer cell lines. Their anticancer activities mainly depended on apoptosis pathways. For compounds in sensitive cancer line, their mechanisms of mode of action were evaluated. 33-Hydroxyepigambogic acid and 35-hydroxyepigambogic acid exhibited about 1 μM IC50 values against JAK2/JAK3 kinases and less than 1 μM IC50 values against NCI-H1650 cell which autocrined IL-6. Thus these two compounds provided a new antitumor molecular scaffold. Our report describes 33-hydroxyepigambogic acid and 35-hydroxyepigambogic acid that inhibited NCI-H1650 cell growth by suppressing constitutive STAT3 activation via direct inhibition of JAK kinase activity. PMID:26090459

  4. An iterative approach for compound detection in an unknown pharmaceutical drug product: Application on Raman microscopy.

    PubMed

    Boiret, Mathieu; Gorretta, Nathalie; Ginot, Yves-Michel; Roger, Jean-Michel

    2016-02-20

    Raman chemical imaging provides both spectral and spatial information on a pharmaceutical drug product. Even if the main objective of chemical imaging is to obtain distribution maps of each formulation compound, identification of pure signals in a mixture dataset remains of huge interest. In this work, an iterative approach is proposed to identify the compounds in a pharmaceutical drug product, assuming that the chemical composition of the product is not known by the analyst and that a low dose compound can be present in the studied medicine. The proposed approach uses a spectral library, spectral distances and orthogonal projections to iteratively detect pure compounds of a tablet. Since the proposed method is not based on variance decomposition, it should be well adapted for a drug product which contains a low dose product, interpreted as a compound located in few pixels and with low spectral contributions. The method is tested on a tablet specifically manufactured for this study with one active pharmaceutical ingredient and five excipients. A spectral library, constituted of 24 pure pharmaceutical compounds, is used as a reference spectral database. Pure spectra of active and excipients, including a modification of the crystalline form and a low dose compound, are iteratively detected. Once the pure spectra are identified, multivariate curve resolution-alternating least squares process is performed on the data to provide distribution maps of each compound in the studied sample. Distributions of the two crystalline forms of active and the five excipients were in accordance with the theoretical formulation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Caged Garcinia Xanthones, a Novel Chemical Scaffold with Potent Antimalarial Activity.

    PubMed

    Ke, Hangjun; Morrisey, Joanne M; Qu, Shiwei; Chantarasriwong, Oraphin; Mather, Michael W; Theodorakis, Emmanuel A; Vaidya, Akhil B

    2017-01-01

    Caged Garcinia xanthones (CGXs) constitute a family of natural products that are produced by tropical/subtropical trees of the genus Garcinia CGXs have a unique chemical architecture, defined by the presence of a caged scaffold at the C ring of a xanthone moiety, and exhibit a broad range of biological activities. Here we show that synthetic CGXs exhibit antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum, the causative parasite of human malaria, at the intraerythrocytic stages. Their activity can be substantially improved by attaching a triphenylphosphonium group at the A ring of the caged xanthone. Specifically, CR135 and CR142 were found to be highly effective antimalarial inhibitors, with 50% effective concentrations as low as ∼10 nM. CGXs affect malaria parasites at multiple intraerythrocytic stages, with mature stages (trophozoites and schizonts) being more vulnerable than immature rings. Within hours of CGX treatment, malaria parasites display distinct morphological changes, significant reduction of parasitemia (the percentage of infected red blood cells), and aberrant mitochondrial fragmentation. CGXs do not, however, target the mitochondrial electron transport chain, the target of the drug atovaquone and several preclinical candidates. CGXs are cytotoxic to human HEK293 cells at the low micromolar level, which results in a therapeutic window of around 150-fold for the lead compounds. In summary, we show that CGXs are potent antimalarial compounds with structures distinct from those of previously reported antimalarial inhibitors. Our results highlight the potential to further develop Garcinia natural product derivatives as novel antimalarial agents. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Microbiology.

  6. ChemMaps: Towards an approach for visualizing the chemical space based on adaptive satellite compounds

    PubMed Central

    Naveja, J. Jesús; Medina-Franco, José L.

    2017-01-01

    We present a novel approach called ChemMaps for visualizing chemical space based on the similarity matrix of compound datasets generated with molecular fingerprints’ similarity. The method uses a ‘satellites’ approach, where satellites are, in principle, molecules whose similarity to the rest of the molecules in the database provides sufficient information for generating a visualization of the chemical space. Such an approach could help make chemical space visualizations more efficient. We hereby describe a proof-of-principle application of the method to various databases that have different diversity measures. Unsurprisingly, we found the method works better with databases that have low 2D diversity. 3D diversity played a secondary role, although it seems to be more relevant as 2D diversity increases. For less diverse datasets, taking as few as 25% satellites seems to be sufficient for a fair depiction of the chemical space. We propose to iteratively increase the satellites number by a factor of 5% relative to the whole database, and stop when the new and the prior chemical space correlate highly. This Research Note represents a first exploratory step, prior to the full application of this method for several datasets. PMID:28794856

  7. ChemMaps: Towards an approach for visualizing the chemical space based on adaptive satellite compounds.

    PubMed

    Naveja, J Jesús; Medina-Franco, José L

    2017-01-01

    We present a novel approach called ChemMaps for visualizing chemical space based on the similarity matrix of compound datasets generated with molecular fingerprints' similarity. The method uses a 'satellites' approach, where satellites are, in principle, molecules whose similarity to the rest of the molecules in the database provides sufficient information for generating a visualization of the chemical space. Such an approach could help make chemical space visualizations more efficient. We hereby describe a proof-of-principle application of the method to various databases that have different diversity measures. Unsurprisingly, we found the method works better with databases that have low 2D diversity. 3D diversity played a secondary role, although it seems to be more relevant as 2D diversity increases. For less diverse datasets, taking as few as 25% satellites seems to be sufficient for a fair depiction of the chemical space. We propose to iteratively increase the satellites number by a factor of 5% relative to the whole database, and stop when the new and the prior chemical space correlate highly. This Research Note represents a first exploratory step, prior to the full application of this method for several datasets.

  8. Marine pharmacology in 2005–6: Marine Compounds with Anthelmintic, Antibacterial, Anticoagulant, Antifungal, Anti-inflammatory, Antimalarial, Antiprotozoal, Antituberculosis, and Antiviral Activities; affecting the Cardiovascular, Immune and Nervous Systems, and other Miscellaneous Mechanisms of Action

    PubMed Central

    Mayer, Alejandro M. S.; Rodriguez, Abimael D.; Berlinck, Roberto G. S.; Hamann, Mark T.

    2009-01-01

    BACKGROUND The review presents the 2005–2006 peer-reviewed marine pharmacology literature, and follows a similar format to the authors’ 1998–2004 reviews. The preclinical pharmacology of chemically characterized marine compounds isolated from marine animals, algae, fungi and bacteria is systematically presented. RESULTS Anthelminthic, antibacterial, anticoagulant, antifungal, antimalarial, antiprotozoal, antituberculosis and antiviral activities were reported for 78 marine chemicals. Additionally 47 marine compounds were reported to affect the cardiovascular, immune and nervous system as well as possess anti-inflammatory effects. Finally, 58 marine compounds were shown to bind to a variety of molecular targets, and thus could potentially contribute to several pharmacological classes. CONCLUSIONS Marine pharmacology research during 2005–2006 was truly global in nature, involving investigators from 32 countries, and the United States, and contributed 183 marine chemical leads to the research pipeline aimed at the discovery of novel therapeutic agents. SIGNIFICANCE Continued preclinical and clinical research with marine natural products demonstrating a broad spectrum of pharmacological activity and will probably result in novel therapeutic agents for the treatment of multiple disease categories. PMID:19303911

  9. Antimalarial naphthoquinones. Synthesis via click chemistry, in vitro activity, docking to PfDHODH and SAR of lapachol-based compounds.

    PubMed

    Brandão, Geraldo Célio; Rocha Missias, Franciele C; Arantes, Lucas Miquéias; Soares, Luciana Ferreira; Roy, Kuldeep K; Doerksen, Robert J; Braga de Oliveira, Alaide; Pereira, Guilherme Rocha

    2018-02-10

    Lapachol is an abundant prenyl naphthoquinone occurring in Brazilian Bignoniaceae that was clinically used, in former times, as an antimalarial drug, despite its moderate effect. Aiming to search for potentially better antimalarials, a series of 1,2,3-triazole derivatives was synthesized by chemical modification of lapachol. Alkylation of the hydroxyl group gave its propargyl ether which, via copper-catalyzed cycloaddition (CuAAC) click chemistry with different organic azides, afforded 17 naphthoquinonolyl triazole derivatives. All the synthetic compounds were evaluated for their in vitro activity against chloroquine resistant Plasmodium falciparum (W2) and for cytotoxicity to HepG2 cells. Compounds containing the naphthoquinolyl triazole moieties showed higher antimalarial activity than lapachol (IC 50 123.5 μM) and selectivity index (SI) values in the range of 4.5-197.7. Molecular docking simulations of lapachol, atovaquone and all the newly synthesized compounds were carried out for interactions with PfDHODH, a mitochondrial enzyme of the parasite respiratory chain that is essential for de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis. Docking of the naphthoquinonolyl triazole derivatives to PfDHODH yielded scores between -9.375 and -14.55 units, compared to -9.137 for lapachol and -12.95 for atovaquone and disclosed the derivative 17 as a lead compound. Therefore, the study results show the enhancement of DHODH binding affinity correlated with improvement of SI values and in vitro activities of the lapachol derivatives. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  10. Formation of contact active antimicrobial surfaces by covalent grafting of quaternary ammonium compounds.

    PubMed

    Elena, Poverenov; Miri, Klein

    2018-05-16

    Different synthetic strategies for the formation of contact active antimicrobial materials utilizing covalent linkage of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) were reviewed. There is a demand to find methods that will prevent bacterial fouling without the release of antimicrobial agents, because biocides cause environment pollution and promote the development of bacteria resistance mechanisms. The contact active antimicrobial surfaces may provide a useful tool for this purpose. The covalent surface grafting of QACs seems to be a feasible and promising approach for the formation of safe and effective antimicrobial materials that could be utilized for medical devices, food industry, water treatment systems and other applications. This manuscript reviews covalent attachment of QACs to form contact active antimicrobial materials based on glass, metals, synthetic and natural polymers. The review emphasizes the description of different synthetic methods that are used for the covalent linkage. Direct covalent linkage of QACs to the material surfaces, a linkage via auxiliary nanoparticles (NPs), or spacers, controlled radical polymerization techniques and a linkage to pre-activated surfaces are discussed. The physico-chemical properties and biological activity of the modified surfaces are also described. This review does not cover non-covalent grafting of QACs and incorporation of QACs into a bulk material. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Reactions of molybdenum-sulphur compounds with cyanide: chemical evolution and deactivation of molybdoenzymes.

    PubMed

    Mitchell, P C; Pygall, C F

    1979-08-01

    Reactions of molybdenum-sulphur compounds with cyanide are reported which may be relevant to (1) the chemical evolution of molybdoenzymes and (2) deactivation of molybdoenzymes by cyanide. (1) With aqueous cyanide MoS2 gave thio-bridged complex anions [(Mo(CN)6)2(mu-S)]6- and [(Mo(CN)4(mu-S))2]6-. Under prebiotic conditions such complexes could have been formed similarly from molybdenite and may have been precursors of molybdoenzymes. (2) Only those compounds which contained terminal sulphur bound to molybdenum (i.e., Mo = S groups), viz. oxothiomolybdates and the complex [(Mo(mu-S)(S)(Et2NCS2))2], reacted with cyanide; thiocyanate was formed and the molybdenum underwent two-electron reduction. That the cyanolysable sulphur of xanthine oxidase reacts in the same way with cyanide suggests the presence of a Mo = S group which could be a structural feature of the enzyme or could have been formed by initial cyanolysis of a bound persulphide or cysteine residue.

  12. Design of an activity landscape view taking compound-based feature probabilities into account.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Bijun; Vogt, Martin; Bajorath, Jürgen

    2014-09-01

    Activity landscapes (ALs) of compound data sets are rationalized as graphical representations that integrate similarity and potency relationships between active compounds. ALs enable the visualization of structure-activity relationship (SAR) information and are thus computational tools of interest for medicinal chemistry. For AL generation, similarity and potency relationships are typically evaluated in a pairwise manner and major AL features are assessed at the level of compound pairs. In this study, we add a conditional probability formalism to AL design that makes it possible to quantify the probability of individual compounds to contribute to characteristic AL features. Making this information graphically accessible in a molecular network-based AL representation is shown to further increase AL information content and helps to quickly focus on SAR-informative compound subsets. This feature probability-based AL variant extends the current spectrum of AL representations for medicinal chemistry applications.

  13. Peanut flavor compounds from amino acid precursors

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Investigations to determine the chemical compounds responsible for peanut flavor have traditionally depended on the analysis of volatile compounds. The more recent field of the study of metabolomics provides new tools and approaches for the determination of chemical compounds that are lost, created...

  14. Chemical composition and bioactive compounds of garlic (Allium sativum L.) as affected by pre- and post-harvest conditions: A review.

    PubMed

    Martins, Natália; Petropoulos, Spyridon; Ferreira, Isabel C F R

    2016-11-15

    Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is considered one of the twenty most important vegetables, with various uses throughout the world, either as a raw vegetable for culinary purposes, or as an ingredient of traditional and modern medicine. Furthermore, it has also been proposed as one of the richest sources of total phenolic compounds, among the usually consumed vegetables, and has been highly ranked regarding its contribution of phenolic compounds to human diet. This review aims to examine all the aspects related with garlic chemical composition and quality, focusing on its bioactive properties. A particular emphasis is given on the organosulfur compounds content, since they highly contribute to the effective bioactive properties of garlic, including its derived products. The important effects of pre-harvest (genotype and various cultivation practices) and post-harvest conditions (storage conditions and processing treatments) on chemical composition and, consequently, bioactive potency of garlic are also discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. The Influence of Different Air-Drying Conditions on Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Berries.

    PubMed

    Bustos, Mariela C; Rocha-Parra, Diego; Sampedro, Ines; de Pascual-Teresa, Sonia; León, Alberto E

    2018-03-21

    The aim of the present research was to study the effect of convective drying on color, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant activity of berry fruits and to chemically characterize the polyphenolic composition of raspberry, boysenberry, redcurrants, and blackcurrants fruit. Drying berries at 65 °C provoked the best conservations of color, particularly for boysenberry and blackcurrant. Drying at 65 °C was also the condition that showed higher level of polyphenols, while drying at 50 or 130 °C showed above % degradation of them due to the long time or high temperature drying. Radical scavenging activity was the predominant antioxidant mechanism in all samples, with 65 °C dried berries being the most active ones possibly because of polyphenol depolymerization. The anthocyanin profile showed that delphinidin and cyanidin derivatives were the most abundant anthocyanidins with different predominance between berry genera. Degradation of anthocyanins was increased with drying temperature been Cy 3-glucoside and Cy 3-rutinoside the most abundant.

  16. Chemical composition and antibacterial activities of Illicium verum against antibiotic-resistant pathogens.

    PubMed

    Yang, Jyh-Ferng; Yang, Cheng-Hong; Chang, Hsueh-Wei; Yang, Cheng-San; Wang, Shao-Ming; Hsieh, Ming-Che; Chuang, Li-Yeh

    2010-10-01

    In recent years, human pathogenic microorganisms have developed multiple drug resistance and caused serious nosocomial infections. In this study, we identified four new antimicrobial compounds from the Chinese herbal medicine Illicium verum and assessed their antibacterial efficacies. The supercritical CO₂ and ethanol extracts of Illicium verum showed substantial antibacterial activity against 67 clinical drug-resistant isolates, including 27 Acinetobacter baumannii, 20 Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and 20 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The diethyl ether (EE) fraction obtained from partition extraction and supercritical CO₂ extracts revealed an antibacterial activity with a minimum inhibitory concentration value of 0.15-0.70 mg/mL and 0.11 mg/mL, respectively. The EE fraction of I. verum showed synergetic effects with some commercial antibiotics. The antimicrobial mechanism was investigated with killing curves and scanning electron microscopy observation. The chemical components of the extracts were analyzed by spectrophotometry; (E)-anethole, anisyl acetone, anisyl alcohol, and anisyl aldehyde exhibited antibacterial activity against different clinical isolates. These extracts from I. verum can be further developed into antibiotic medicines due to their proven antibacterial activity.

  17. Magnesium compounds

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kramer, D.A.

    2003-01-01

    Seawater and natural brines accounted for about 60 percent of U.S. magnesium compounds production during 2002. Dead-burned and caustic-calcined magnesias were recovered from seawater by Premier Chemicals in Florida. They were also recovered from well brines in Michigan by Dow Chemical, Martin Marietta Magnesia Specialties and Rohm & Haas. And they were recovered from magnesite in Nevada by Premier Chemicals.

  18. Chemical Modification of the Multi-Target Neuroprotective Compound Fisetin

    PubMed Central

    Chiruta, Chandramouli; Schubert, David; Dargusch, Richard; Maher, Pamela

    2012-01-01

    Many factors are implicated in age-related CNS disorders making it unlikely that modulating only a single factor will provide effective treatment. Perhaps a better approach is to identify small molecules that have multiple biological activities relevant to the maintenance of brain function. Recently, we identified an orally active, neuroprotective and cognition-enhancing molecule, the flavonoid fisetin, that is effective in several animal models of CNS disorders. Fisetin has direct antioxidant activity and can also increase the intracellular levels of glutathione (GSH), the major endogenous antioxidant. In addition, fisetin has both neurotrophic and anti-inflammatory activity. However, its relatively high EC50 in cell based assays, low lipophilicity, high tPSA and poor bioavailability suggest that there is room for medicinal chemical improvement. Here we describe a multi-tiered approach to screening that has allowed us to identify fisetin derivatives with significantly enhanced activity in an in vitro neuroprotection model while at the same time maintaining other key activities. PMID:22192055

  19. Sulfur compounds in coal

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Attar, A.; Corcoran, W. H.

    1977-01-01

    The literature on the chemical structure of the organic sulfur compounds (or functional groups) in coal is reviewed. Four methods were applied in the literature to study the sulfur compounds in coal: direct spectrometric and chemical analysis, depolymerization in drastic conditions, depolymerization in mild conditions, and studies on simulated coal. The data suggest that most of the organic sulfur in coal is in the form of thiophenic structures and aromatic and aliphatic sulfides. The relative abundance of the sulfur groups in bituminous coal is estimated as 50:30:20%, respectively. The ratio changes during processing and during the chemical analysis. The main effects are the transformation during processing of sulfides to the more stable thiophenic compounds and the elimination of hydrogen sulfide.

  20. Lipids and Fatty Acids of Nudibranch Mollusks: Potential Sources of Bioactive Compounds

    PubMed Central

    Zhukova, Natalia V.

    2014-01-01

    The molecular diversity of chemical compounds found in marine animals offers a good chance for the discovery of novel bioactive compounds of unique structures and diverse biological activities. Nudibranch mollusks, which are not protected by a shell and produce chemicals for various ecological uses, including defense against predators, have attracted great interest for their lipid composition. Lipid analysis of eight nudibranch species revealed dominant phospholipids, sterols and monoalkyldiacylglycerols. Among polar lipids, 1-alkenyl-2-acyl glycerophospholipids (plasmalogens) and ceramide-aminoethyl phosphonates were found in the mollusks. The fatty acid compositions of the nudibranchs differed greatly from those of other marine gastropods and exhibited a wide diversity: very long chain fatty acids known as demospongic acids, a series of non-methylene-interrupted fatty acids, including unusual 21:2∆7,13, and an abundance of various odd and branched fatty acids typical of bacteria. Symbiotic bacteria revealed in some species of nudibranchs participate presumably in the production of some compounds serving as a chemical defense for the mollusks. The unique fatty acid composition of the nudibranchs is determined by food supply, inherent biosynthetic activities and intracellular symbiotic microorganisms. The potential of nudibranchs as a source of biologically active lipids and fatty acids is also discussed. PMID:25196731