Three new 3,4-seco-cycloartane triterpenes from <i>Gardenia sootepensis</i>

<p>The plants in the genus <i>Gardenia</i> (Rubiaceae) have long been used as traditional medicines in China. In this study, two new 3,4-seco-cycloartane triterpenes, sootepin J (<b>1</b>) and sootepin K (<b>2</b>), and a novel nor-3,4-seco-cycloartane triterpenes, sootepin L (<b>3</b>), together with two known compounds (<b>4</b>–<b>5</b>), were isolated from the methanolic extract of the leaves and twigs of <i>Gardenia sootepensis</i>. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by combinations of 1D, 2D NMR experiments and HR-MS data, while the known compounds were identified by comparison of the NMR data with previously published data.</p

New Cytotoxic Naphthohydroquinone Dimers from <i>Rubia alata</i>

Two novel naphthohydroquinone dimers with unprecedented skeletons, rubialatins A (<b>1</b>) and B (<b>2</b>), were isolated from the herbal plant <i>Rubia alata</i> together with their precursor, mollugin (<b>3</b>). The structures were elucidated on the basis of NMR spectra and crystal X-ray diffraction. Compound <b>1</b>, a racemate, was separated by chiral column chromatography, and the absolute configurations of the enantiomers were determined by the computational methods. Cytotoxicity of <b>1</b>–<b>3</b> was evaluated as well as the effect on the NF-κB pathway. Compound (+)-<b>1</b> showed cytotoxicity and could inhibit NF-κB pathway. Meanwhile, <b>2</b> showed cytotoxicity and a synergistic effect with TNF-α on NF-κB activation