Dermacozines H–J Isolated from a Deep-Sea Strain of <i>Dermacoccus abyssi</i> from Mariana Trench Sediments

<i>Dermacoccus abyssi</i> sp. nov. strains MT1.1 and MT1.2 are actinomycetes isolated from a Mariana Trench sediment at a depth of 10 898 m. The fermentation process using complex media led to the production of three new pigmented heteroaromatic (oxidized and reduced) phenazine compounds, dermacozines H–J (<b>1</b>–<b>3</b>). Extensive use was made of 1D and 2D NMR experiments and high-resolution MS to determine the structures of the compounds. The new dermacozines showed radical scavenging activity, and the highest activity was observed for dermacozine H (<b>1</b>), with an IC₅₀ value of 18.8 μM

Caesanines A–D, New Cassane Diterpenes with Unprecedented N Bridge from <i>Caesalpinia sappan</i>

Serial antibacterial furanoditerpenes caesanines A–D (<b>1</b>–<b>4</b>), possessing a cassane-type diterpenoid skeleton with an unusual N bridge between C-19/C-20, were identified from a Chinese herb <i>Caesalpinia sappan</i> Linn. In addition, caesanine D (<b>4</b>) showed the first class of dicassane diterpenoid ethers. Their structures were determined by different spectroscopic methods and ECD calculation. Caesanines A and B exhibited strong activities against MRSA suggesting a promising entry point for the development of anti-infective drugs

Noncyanogenic Cyanoglucoside Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors from <i>Simmondsia chinensis</i>

Two new noncyanogenic cyanoglucoside dimers, simmonosides A and B (<b>1</b> and <b>2</b>), were identified from the aqueous extract of jojoba (<i>Simmondsia chinensis</i>) leaves. Compounds <b>1</b> and <b>2</b> are the first examples of noncyanogenic cyanoglucoside dimers containing a unique four-membered ring, representing novel dimerization patterns at α,β-unsaturated carbons of a nitrile group in <b>1</b> and γ,δ-unsaturated carbons in <b>2</b>. Their structures were elucidated based on spectroscopic evidence and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. Compounds <b>1</b> and <b>2</b> exhibit promising COX-2 inhibition activity, with IC₅₀ values of 13.5 and 11.4 μM, respectively