Broccoli, PTEN deletion and prostate cancer: where is the link?

The concept that vegetables and fruits are relevant sources of cancer-preventive substances is strongly supported by population studies. Among others, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts are thought to affect the development of various types of cancers and especially prostate tumors. Yet, the identification of the molecular mechanisms by which the 'active' compounds contained in these vegetables mediate their anticancer activity has historically lagged behind. Accordingly, direct laboratory evidence of how individual nutrients affect cancer genes and the pathways they control remains the major obstacle to progress in this research field. Here we review a recent report investigating the interaction between sulforaphane, a dietary isothiocyanate derived from broccoli, and expression of the PTEN tumor suppressor gene in pre malignant prostate tissue

A Convenient Synthesis of 5′-Iodoresiniferatoxin (I-RTX)

Starting from resiniferonol orthophenylacetate (ROPA, 2) and commercial 5-iodovanillin (5a), a convenient synthesis of the ultrapotent vanilloid antagonist 5′-iodoresiniferatoxin (1a) was achieved, overcoming the problems involved in the direct iodination of either resiniferatoxin (1b) or homovanillic acid (3a)

Icilio Guareschi and his amazing “1897 reaction”

Organic chemistry honors Icilio Guareschi (1847–1918) with three eponymic reactions, the best known ones being the Guareschi synthesis of pyridones and the Guareschi–Lustgarten reaction. A third Guareschi reaction, the so-called “Guareschi 1897 reaction”, is one of the most unusual reactions in organic chemistry, involving the radical-mediated paradoxical aerobic generation of hydrocarbons in near-neutral water solution. A discussion of the mechanism of this amazing reaction, the only metal-free process that generates hydrocarbons, and the implications of the approach in biology and geosciences mirrors the multifaceted scientific personality of the discoverer. Thus, Guareschi’s eclectic range of activities spans a surprising variety of topics, overcoming the boundaries of the traditional partition of chemistry into organic, inorganic, and analytical branches and systematically crosses the divide between pure and applied science as well as between the history of chemistry and the personal contributions to its development

Crystal and Molecular Structure of Secoisolariciresinol

The R,R-2,3-bis[(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)methyl]-1,4-butandiol lignan secoisolariciresinol (1) is a constituent of Gymnosperms used in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasya. The results of crystallographic and ab initio theoretical studies are reported and discussed. In the crystal, the molecule of (1) assumes a clustered conformation, characterized by the facing of the two phenyl rings. This geometry is stabilized by the formation of a network of hydrogen bonds. Theoretical calculations indicate that: i) the intramolecular hydrogen bond O1−H1⋅⋅⋅O1\u27 is the major factor dictating the facing of the two phenyl groups, while intermolecular hydrogen bonds and crystal packing have smaller effects; ii) the 1−4O⋅⋅⋅O non-bonded interactions in the vanillyl groups are important in determining the most stable conformation; iii) calculations with two explicit water molecules in the model give a good simulation of the local effects of a water solvent and indicate that (1) probably assumes a clustered conformation also in polar solvents

Minor Phytocannabinoids: A Misleading Name but a Promising Opportunity for Biomedical Research

Despite the very large number of phytocannabinoids isolated from Cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.), bioactivity studies have long remained focused on the so called "Big Four" [Δ9-THC (1), CBD (2), CBG (3) and CBC (4)] because of their earlier characterization and relatively easy availability via isolation and/or synthesis. Bioactivity information on the chemical space associated with the remaining part of the cannabinome, a set of ca 150 compounds traditionally referred to as "minor phytocannabinoids", is scarce and patchy, yet promising in terms of pharmacological potential. According to their advancement stage, we sorted the bioactivity data available on these compounds, better referred to as the "dark cannabinome", into categories: discovery (in vitro phenotypical and biochemical assays), preclinical (animal models), and clinical. Strategies to overcome the availability issues associated with minor phytocannabinoids are discussed, as well as the still unmet challenges facing their development as mainstream drugs

Regiodivergent Synthesis of <i>ortho</i>- and <i>para</i>-Cannabinoquinones

Spurred by the remarkable biological profile of cannabinoquinoids, we have systematically investigated the periodinane oxidation of their resorcinolic precursors, discovering that the regiochemistry of oxidation, a critical maneuver for bioactivity, depends not only on the nature of the oxidant (\u3bb3- vs. \u3bb5-iodanes), but also on post-oxidative prototropic- and valence tautomeric equilibria that isomerize ortho-quinones to para-quinones. By complementary selection of the periodinane oxidant and by freezing prototropic equilibration with O-methylation, isomeric ortho- and para-quinones could be obtained from mono- and diphenolic cannabinoids, setting the stage for the exploration of novel areas of the biological space, and establishing a blueprint for the extension of this strategy to other classes of bioactive alkylresorcinols