Pedicularis L. Genus. Systematics, botany, phytochemistry, chemotaxonomy, ethnopharmacology, and other

In this review, the relevance of the plant species belonging to the Pedicularis L. genus has been considered from different points of view. Particular emphasis was given to phytochemistry and ethnopharmacology, since several classes of natural compounds have been reported within this genus and many of its species are well known to be employed in the traditional medicines of many Asian countries. Some important conclusions on the chemotaxonomic and chemosystematic aspects of the genus have also been provided for the first time. Actually, this work represents the first total comprehensive review on this genus

Nor-lignans. Occurrence in plants and biological activities. A review

In this review article, the occurrence of nor-lignans and their biological activities are explored and described. Nor-lignans have proven to be present in several different families also belonging to chemosystematically distant orders as well as to have many different beneficial pharmacological activities. This review article represents the first one on this argument and is thought to give a first overview on these compounds with the hope that their study may continue and increase, after this

In vitro shoot regeneration of Centranthus ruber DC from hairy roots induced by Agrobacterium rhizogenes, and determination of valepotriate content

Hairy roots were induced by infection with Agrobacterium rhizogenes strain LBA 9402 containing the plasmid 1855 from the valepotriate-producing medicinal plant Centranthus Tuber. Plants were regenerated from callus derived from the hairy roots. The induction of shoot domes was obtained when hairy root calli, after a period of 3 months of dark incubation in MS (MURASHIGE & SKOOG, 1962) medium without growth regulators, were transferred for one week on the same medium under a 16-h light / 8-h dark photoperiod. Shoot regeneration increased with benzyladenine alone applied monthly at 2.5 muM concentration after the 3 months period of dark incubation. No bud formation was observed in untransformed tissues grown under the same light and hormonal conditions. Callus cultures of non-transformed plants was obtained by using leaves and roots as source material in the presence of 10.7 muM NAA and 1 muM kinetin as growth regulators, and 9 muM BA and 2.6 muM NAA for the next phase of shoot regeneration. BA and NAA together were not used for plant regeneration from transformed tissue. The morphological characteristics of the transgenic plants were analysed during two years of ex vitro growth. In the greenhouse; the transgenic plants showed pale pink flowers, heterostyly, leaves smaller than those of wild type plants, and a larger amount of roots. Roots of transgenic plants-continued to produce valepotriates

Two new non-glycosidic iridoids from Sambucus ebulus

Two new Valeriana-type' non-glycosidic iridoids were isolated from the aerial parts (leaves and young branches) of Sambucus ebulus L., a perennial herbaceous species widespread in Europe. The structures were elucidated, by spectroscopic means, as 7-O-acetylpatrinoside aglycone (1) and 10-O-acetylpatrinoside aglycone (2)

Iridoid glucosides from Viburnum macrocephalum

The phytochemical study of the aerial parts of Viburnum macrocephalum Fortune, an ornamental species of Chinese origin, led to the isolation, together with the phenolic glucoside triandrin, of three iridoid glucosides: the novel 7-cinnamoylpatrinoside (1), and the known 7-p-coumaroylpatrinoside (2) and patrinoside (3)

New acylated salicin bis-glucosides from Viburnum veitchii

The phytochemical study of aerial parts of Viburnum veitchii C.H. Wright, a deciduous species originary of Central China, led to the isolation of three salicin derivative bis-glucosides, i.e. henryoside (1), and the new structures 2b-acetyl-3b-(3-methylbutyryl)-henryoside (2) and 2b,6b-diacetyl-3b-(3-methylbutyryl)-henryoside (3). In addition, luteolin, lonicerin, robustaflavone and eugenyl--D-glucopyranoside were also isolated

Iridoid glycosides from Alonsoa meridionalis

A new iridoid glucoside has been isolated from the Chilean native Alonsoa meridionalis (L.f.) Kuntze. Its structure has been assigned as 6-O--d-glucopyranosyl-8-O-acetylharpagide (1) by using spectroscopic methods. Harpagoside (2), laterioside (3) and verbascoside (4) were also identified

A new iridoid diglucoside from Harpagophytum procumbens

New iridoid diglucoside has been isolated from an aqueous extract of Harpagophytum procumbens secondary roots, together with six known compounds. Its structure has been assigned as 6'-O-glucopyranosyl-8-O-trans-coumaroylharpagide by spectroscopic means

A new iridoid diglycoside from Sambucus ebulus L

The phytochemical examination of the polar constituents of Sambucus ebulus L. leaves led to the identification of patrinoside (1) and of a new diglycoside iridoid, patrinoside-aglycone-11-O-[b-D-glucopyranosyl-(1!6)-20-deoxy-b-D-glucopyranoside] (trivially named as sambuloside) (2). Both of these structures have been assigned by spectroscopic means (NMR and MS)