€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA***** Hu M Konoki K Tachibana K Cholesterol-independent membrane disruption caused by triterpenoid saponins. In: Biochim Biophys Acta (1996 Jan 19) 1299(2):252-8 ISSN: 0006-3002 The membrane-disrupting activity of 15 triterpenoid saponins, obtained from Chinese plants of the genus Aralia, was investigated using phosphatidylcholine liposomes with and without cholesterol. The permeability of the membrane was examined by monitoring the induced fluorescent dye release from the liposome. On the basis of the obtained results, the structure-activity relationship among glucuronides of oleanolic acid was discussed. This takes into account particularly the variation in the carboxyl function. Namely, the saponins could induce a permeability change on liposomal membrane without cholesterol when they are glycosylated at both C-3 and C-28 of the oleanolic acid. There also exists a great similarity in the time-course curves for dye-release within such saponins, reflecting their similar action with the lipid bilayer membrane. The saponins glycosylated only at C-3 could also exhibit the same activity with somewhat different action profiles when the glucuronic acid is esterified, while those with the free glucuronic acid required cholesterol in the liposomes to induce permeability change thereof. Registry Numbers: 1461-15-0 (fluorexon) 57-88-5 (Cholesterol) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****BIOFIZIKA***** Bol'shakova IV Lozovskaia EL Sapezhinskii II [Antioxidant properties of a series of extracts from medicinal plants] Antioksidantnye svoistva riada ekstraktov lekarstvennykh rastenii. In: Biofizika (1997 Mar-Apr) 42(2):480-3 ISSN: 0006-3029 (Published in Russian) Investigation of antioxidant properties of some plants was carried out. A group of plants affected human central nervous system was studied in detail. Efficiency of plants as antioxidants was tested by the influence of their extracts on the yield of photochemiluminescence of Gly-Trp solutions. Antioxidant properties were examined under conditions when their own absorption was minimized. Riboflavin as additional sensitizer was used in this experiment for superoxide generation. The antioxidant effect was evaluated with regard to single dose of plant extracts and their concentration in human organism. The effect decreases in the following consequence: Hypericum > Eleutherococcus > Rhodiola > Leonurus > Aralia > Valeriana > Echinopanax > Schizandra > Panax ginseng. Registry Numbers: 83-88-5 (Riboflavin) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Malenkov AG Kolotygina IM [Cell surface RNA--a possible molecular receptor of adaptogens] RNK poverkhnosti kletok--vozmozhnyi molekuliarnyi retseptor adaptogenov. In: Biofizika (1984 Sep-Oct) 29(5):814-5 ISSN: 0006-3029 (Published in Russian) When RNA of the cell surface is destroyed with RNAase, the effect of adaptogenes is removed. Such effect is produced by introduction of actinomycin D 30 minutes before intake of adaptogene. Destruction of surface RNA stimulates protein synthesis. Comparison of these facts permits a hypothesis to be advanced saying that surface RNA is a receptor of adaptogenes obtained from plants of Aralia family. Registry Numbers: 63231-63-0 (RNA) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****CHEMICAL AND PHARMACEUTICAL BULLETIN***** Okuyama E Nishimura S Yamazaki M Analgesic principles from Aralia cordata Thunb. In: Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) (1991 Feb) 39(2):405-7 ISSN: 0009-2363 The analgesic principles from Aralia cordata Thunb, were identified with (ent)-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid (KA) and (ent)-pimara-8(14),15-dien- 19-oic acid (PA), respectively. Both compounds were significantly effective regarding analgesics, hypothermia, duration of pentobarbital-induced anesthesia, and depression of locomotor activity enhanced by methamphetamine at doses of 300 mg/kg (KA) and 500 mg/kg (PA) by oral administration. Registry Numbers: 127-27-5 (pimaric acid) 20316-84-1 (argyrophilic acid) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Yoshikawa M Murakami T Harada E Murakami N Yamahara J Matsuda H Bioactive saponins and glycosides. VII. On the hypoglycemic principles from the root cortex of Aralia elata Seem.: structure related hypoglycemic activity of oleanolic acid oligoglycoside. In: Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) (1996 Oct) 44(10):1923-7 ISSN: 0009-2363 The hypoglycemic component, elatoside E, was isolated from the root cortex of Aralia elata SEEM. (Araliaceae) together with elatoside F and eight known oleanolic acid glycosides, elatosides A and C, oleanolic acid 3-O-[alpha-L-arabinofuranosyl (1-->4)]-beta-D- glucopyranosiduronic acid, oleanolic acid 3-O-beta-D- glucopyranosiduronic acid, stipuleanosides R1 and R2, and chikusetsusaponins IV and IVa. The structures of elatosides E and F were determined on the basis of chemical and physicochemical evidence as oleanolic acid 3-O-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl (1-->2)][beta-D- glucopyranosyl (1-->3)]-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside and its 28-O-beta-D- glucopyranosyl ester, respectively. The hypoglycemic activity of oleanolic acid and nine oleanolic acid oligoglycosides from the root cortex of Aralia elata was determined by monitoring inhibition effect on the elevation of plasma glucose level by oral sucrose tolerance test in rats, and some structure-activity relationships of oleanolic acid glycoside were obtained. Registry Numbers: 144118-18-3 (elatoside F) 156980-30-2 (elatoside E) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Yoshikawa M Murakami T Harada E Murakami N Yamahara J Matsuda H Bioactive saponins and glycosides. VI. Elatosides A and B, potent inhibitors of ethanol absorption, from the bark of Aralia elata SEEM. (Araliaceae): the structure-requirement in oleanolic acid glucuronide- saponins for the inhibitory activity. In: Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) (1996 Oct) 44(10):1915-22 ISSN: 0009-2363 Potent inhibitors of ethanol absorption, elatosides A and B, were isolated from the bark of Aralia elata SEEM, through bioassay-guided separation together with elatosides C and D and four known oleanolic acid glucuronide-saponins, spinasaponin A, spinasaponin A 28-O- glucoside, and stipuleanosides R1 and R2. The structures of elatosides A, B, C, and D were determined on the basis of chemical and physicochemical evidence as oleanolic acid 3-O-{[beta-D- xylopyranosyl (1-->2)] [beta-D-galactopyranosyl (1-->3)]}-beta-D- glucopyranosiduronic acid, oleanolic acid 3-O-{[beta-D- galactopyranosyl (1-->2)] [beta-D-galactopyranosyl (1-->3)]}-beta-D- glucopyranosiduronic acid, and their 28-O-glucopyranosyl esters, respectively. The inhibitory effect of various oleanolic acid 3, 28-O- bisdesmosides, oleanolic acid 3-O-monodesmosides, and oleanolic acid on ethanol absorption was examined and it was found that the 3-O- glucuronide moiety and the 28-carboxyl group in oleanolic acid glucuronide-saponin were required to exert the inhibitory activity. Registry Numbers: 508-02-1 (Oleanolic Acid) 64-17-5 (Alcohol, Ethyl) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Yoshikawa M Matsuda H Harada E Murakami T Wariishi N Yamahara J Murakami N Elatoside E, a new hypoglycemic principle from the root cortex of Aralia elata Seem.: structure-related hypoglycemic activity of oleanolic acid glycosides. In: Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) (1994 Jun) 42(6):1354-6 ISSN: 0009-2363 A new inhibitor named elatosides E (which was shown to affect the elevation of plasma glucose level by oral sugar tolerance test in rats) was isolated from the root cortex of Aralia elata Seem. together with elatoside F. The structures of elatosides E and F were elucidated on the basis of chemical and physicochemical evidence. The hypoglycemic activities of oleanolic acid and nine oleanolic acid glycosides obtained from the root cortex of Aralia elata have been examined, and some structure-activity relationships have been found. Registry Numbers: 156980-30-2 (elatoside E) 508-02-1 (Oleanolic Acid) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Yoshikawa M Yoshizumi S Ueno T Matsuda H Murakami T Yamahara J Murakami N Medicinal foodstuffs. I. Hypoglycemic constituents from a garnish foodstuff "taranome," the young shoot of Aralia elata SEEM.: elatosides G, H, I, J, and K. In: Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) (1995 Nov) 43(11):1878-82 ISSN: 0009-2363 Five new saponins named elatosides G, H, I, J, and K were isolated from a garnish foodstuff "Taranome," the young shoot of Aralia elata SEEM., together with hederagenin-3-O-glucuronopyranoside and elatoside C. Their chemical structures were elucidated on the basis of chemical and physicochemical evidence. Elatosides G, H, and I were found to exhibit potent hypoglycemic activity in the oral glucose tolerance test in rats. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Kuang HX Sun H Zhang N Okada Y Okuyama T Two new saponins, congmuyenosides A and B, from the leaves of Aralia elata collected in Heilongjiang, China. In: Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) (1996 Nov) 44(11):2183-5 ISSN: 0009-2363 Two new triterpenoidal saponins, congmuyenosides A and B, were isolated from the leaves of Aralia elata collected in Heilongjiang Province, China, and established as 3-O-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-- >2)][beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)]- beta-D-glucopyranosyl hederagenin and 3-O-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->2))] [beta-D- glucopyranosyl(1-->3)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->3 )]-beta-D- glucopyranosyl hederagenin, respectively, on the basis of chemical and spectral evidence. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Yoshikawa M Harada E Matsuda H Murakami T Yamahara J Murakami N Elatosides A and B, potent inhibitors of ethanol absorption in rats from the bark of Aralia elata Seem: the structure-activity relationships of oleanolic acid oligoglycosides. In: Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) (1993 Nov) 41(11):2069-71 ISSN: 0009-2363 By monitoring the inhibitory effect on ethanol absorption in rats, new active saponins named elatosides A and B were isolated from the bark of Aralia elata Seem. together with elatosides C and D. The structures of elatosides A, B, C, and D were elucidated on the basis of chemical and physicochemical evidence. The inhibitory effects of several oleanolic acid oligoglycosides on ethanol absorption have been examined and some structure-activity relationships have been found. Registry Numbers: 508-02-1 (Oleanolic Acid) 64-17-5 (Alcohol, Ethyl) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Saito S Ebashi J Sumita S Furumoto T Nagamura Y Nishida K Isiguro I Comparison of cytoprotective effects of saponins isolated from leaves of Aralia elata Seem. (Araliaceae) with synthesized bisdesmosides of oleanoic acid and hederagenin on carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic injury. In: Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) (1993 Aug) 41(8):1395-401 ISSN: 0009-2363 Glycosylations of 3-O-(2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-- >2)- 3,4-di-O-acetyl-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl)-23-O-acetylhederageni n (15) with mono- (16), di- (17) and trisaccharide bromide (18) gave the bisdesmoside peracetates 19, 20 and 22, respectively, which were treated with 5% KOH in MeOH to give the bisdesmosides 25-27. Hydrolysis of the glycosides 6 and 9 having beta-D-glucopyranose as a terminal sugar component with beta-glucosidase in acetate buffer (pH 4.7) gave compounds 28 and 29, respectively. Cytoprotective effects of the synthesized triterpenoidal saponins against CCl4-induced hepatic injury were compared with those of saponins isolated from the leaves of Aralia elata Seem. (Araliaceae) using isolated hepatocytes from rat liver. Although the monodesmosides 1-4 having neutral sugar components only at the O-3 position on the aglycones showed no cytoprotective effect, bisdesmosides having sugar components at both the O-3 and O-28 positions on the aglycones had potent effects, even when the species of the sugar components were different. The bisdesmosides 10, 11, and 27 having five monosaccharides in the molecules exhibited the most potent cytoprotective effects. Registry Numbers: 465-99-6 (hederagenin) 508-02-1 (Oleanolic Acid) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Okuyama E Nishimura S Ohmori S Ozaki Y Satake M Yamazaki M Analgesic component of Notopterygium incisum Ting. In: Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) (1993 May) 41(5):926-9 ISSN: 0009-2363 Notopterol was identified as the analgesic component of Notopterygium incisum TING by using the acetic acid-induced writhing method. Notopterol also indicated an anti-inflammatory activity by its inhibitory effect in the vascular permeability test. The intensive prolongation of pentobarbital-induced hypnosis was possibly caused by its inhibitory effect on the drug metabolism in liver. Pharmacological differences between the analgesic components of N. incisum, Aralia cordata and Angelica pubescens were also discussed. Registry Numbers: 88206-46-6 (notopterol) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ **CHUNG-KUO CHUNG YAO TSA CHIH CHINA JOURNAL OF CHINESE MATERIA MEDICA* Wang GS Shao CJ Xu JD [Studies on the chemical constituents of the roots of Aralia continentalis Kitag] In: Chung Kuo Chung Yao Tsa Chih (1989 Jul) 14(7):422-4, 447 ISSN: 1001-5302 (Published in Chinese) Seven compounds were isolated from the roots of Aralia continentalis. Four of these compounds were identified as ent-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid, beta-sitosterol glucoside (daucosterol), beta-sitosterol and 16 alpha-hydroxy-(-)-kauran-19-oic acid. It is the first time that 16 alpha-hydroxy-(-)-karan-19-oic acid and beta-sitosterol glucoside were isolated from this plant. Registry Numbers: 20316-84-1 (argyrophilic acid) 22376-06-3 (16-hydroxykauran-19-oic acid) 474-58-8 (lyoniside) 5779-62-4 (sitosterol) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Wang ZZ Su ZW Li CG Zheng HC Tan MY Wang ZS [Pharmacognostical identification and investigation of commercial product of traditional Chinese drug jiuyanduhuo] In: Chung Kuo Chung Yao Tsa Chih (1994 Dec) 19(12):707-9, 761 ISSN: 1001-5302 (Published in Chinese) Through investigation on original plants and commercial products of the traditional Chinese drug Jiuyanduhuo, the authors have ascertained its botanical origin and present medicinal usage, and found out that Aralia cordata is the main species of Jiuyanduhuo, and A. fargesii is another species that has come into use due to short supply of the main species, and A. henyri is used only in Sichuan and Hubei Provinces. Principal identification features of the original plants and crude drugs with 2 keys have been given, and TLC identification for 3 kinds of Jiuyanduhuo have also been carried out. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Zeng XY Zhou YX Fang ZP [Chemical constituents of Aralia decaisneana Hance] In: Chung Kuo Chung Yao Tsa Chih (1994 Sep) 19(9):550-1, 575 ISSN: 1001-5302 (Published in Chinese) Six compounds were isolated from the root bark of Aralia decaisneana and elucidated by spectral and chemical analyses as 3-O-[beta-D- galactopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-D-galactopyranosyl- (1-->3)-beta-D- glucuronopyranosyl]-oleanolic acid (Ad-V), chikusetsusaponin IVa (Ad- IX), deglucose chikusetsusaponin IVa (Ad-X), palmitic acid (Ad-VI), beta-sitosterol (Ad-VII) and oleanolic acid (Ad-VIII). Ad-V was obtained from nature for the first time, and the rest were all obtained from this plant for the first time. Registry Numbers: 508-02-1 (Oleanolic Acid) 5779-62-4 (sitosterol) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Wang ZZ Zeng HC Su ZW Li CH [Chemical analysis of main medicinal species of genus Aralia] In: Chung Kuo Chung Yao Tsa Chih (1994 Jan) 19(1):6-8, 61 ISSN: 1001-5302 (Published in Chinese) This paper deals with the preliminary chemical analysis, thin layer chromotographic test and oleanolic acid assay of the main medicinal species of Aralia. It has been established that both herbaceous and woody species of Aralia contain saponin and beta-sitosterol. Therefore the idea "Chemical taxonomy of herbaceous taxon and woody taxon of Aralia can be based on the presence or absence of saponin and beta-sitosterol" is incorrect. An assay of different species has shown that certain species have high content of oleanolic acid and thus higher economic value. Based on the assay of samples of the same species collected in different stages of growth rational collecting periods are suggested. Registry Numbers: 508-02-1 (Oleanolic Acid) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS***** Yu SS Yu DQ Liang XT Triterpenoid saponins from the roots of Aralia spinifolia. In: J Nat Prod (1994 Jul) 57(7):978-82 ISSN: 0163-3864 Two new triterpenoid saponins named aralosides H[1] and J [2], along with four known triterpenoid saponins 3-6 were isolated from the roots of Aralia spinifolia. Their structures were determined as 3-O- beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->2)-[beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl (1-->3)]-beta- D-glucopyranosyl-oleanolic acid [1], 3-O-alpha-L-arabinofuranosyl-(1-- >4)-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl- oleanolic acid 28-O-beta-D- galactopyranosyl ester [2], araloside A methyl ester [3], chikusetusaponin Ib [4], chikusetusaponin IV [5], and araloside A [6] on the basis of spectral and chemical data. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****JAPANESE JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY***** Martinez B Staba EJ The physiological effects of Aralia, Panax and Eleutherococcus on exercised rats. In: Jpn J Pharmacol (1984 Jun) 35(2):79-85 ISSN: 0021-5198 Relative and total amount of saponins in Panax ginseng, Panax quinquefolius, Aralia mandshurica and Eleutherococcus senticosus were determined by thin-layer chromatography and by a spectrophotometric method. The ginsenoside Rg1 was present in American ginseng. Aralia and Eleutherococcus did not contain diol- and triol-type ginsenosides. Low concentrations of ginsenosides were found in Oriental red ginsengs (1.4-2.7%). Orally administered Araliaceae saponin extracts did not affect plasma lactic acid, glucagon, insulin or liver glycogen levels in exercised rats and did not prolong their swimming time. Plasma glucose levels in resting rats were decreased by saponin extracts of Canadian white, American red, Sanchi, Aralia, Eleutherococcus, Korean red and Shiu-Chi ginsengs. Registry Numbers: 11061-68-0 (Insulin) 50-21-5 (Lactic Acid) 9007-92-5 (Glucagon) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION***** Wen J Zimmer EA Phylogeny and biogeography of Panax L. (the ginseng genus, araliaceae): inferences from ITS sequences of nuclear ribosomal DNA. In: Mol Phylogenet Evol (1996 Oct) 6(2):167-77 ISSN: 1055-7903 Panax, the ginseng genus, is one of the most medicinally important genera in the Orient and demonstrates a classical eastern Asian and eastern North American disjunct distributional pattern. Sequences of the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) and the 5.8S coding region of the nuclear ribosomal DNA repeat were obtained for the 12 species of Panax to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships. Of the 2 eastern North American species, P. quinquefolius and P. trifolius, P. quinquefolius was suggested to be more closely related to the eastern Asian species in the ITS tree, while P. trifolius was phylogenetically isolated. Monophyly of the three medicinally most important species, P. ginseng, P. notoginseng, and P. quinquefolius, suggested by previous workers, was not supported by the ITS data. A close phylogenetic relationship between Panax and Aralia was supported. Several biogeographical implications were inferred: (1) two divergence events have produced the eastern Asian and eastern North American disjunct distribution in Panax, (2) no intercontinental species pairs are found in Panax; (3) a discrepancy between the sequence divergence pattern and the phylogenetic pattern was observed in Panax, suggesting the need for caution in using sequence divergence data alone in inferring biogeographical patterns; (4) the Himalayas and central and western China are the current centers of diversity of the ginseng genus; and (5) the low ITS sequence divergence and a close relationship among species in that region suggest that rapid evolutionary radiation may have created such a diversity of Panax in the Himalayas and in central and western China. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Downie SR Katz-Downie DS Cho KJ Phylogenetic analysis of apiaceae subfamily apioideae using nucleotide sequences from the chloroplast rpoC1 intron. In: Mol Phylogenet Evol (1996 Aug) 6(1):1-18 ISSN: 1055-7903 Phylogenetic relationships among 25 members of Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) subfamily Apioideae, representing 7 of the 8 tribes and 8 of the 10 subtribes traditionally recognized in the subfamily, and 5 outgroups from Apiaceae subfamilies Hydrocotyloideae and Saniculoideae and allied families Araliaceae and Pittosporaceae have been inferred from nucleotide sequence variation in the intron of the chloroplast gene RNA polymerase C1 (rpoC1). Sequence divergence values in pairwise comparisons of unambiguous positions among all taxa ranged from 0 to 11.3% of nucleotides and averaged 3.8%. Trees derived from rpoC1 intron sequences estimated using maximum parsimony or maximum likelihood methods are of essentially similar topology, and indicate that (1) subfamily Apioideae, with Heteromorpha as its most basal element, is monophyletic and is a sister-group to Eryngium, the only representative examined of Apiaceae subfamily Saniculoideae, (2) Aralia (Araliaceae) arises from within a paraphyletic Apiaceae subfamily Hydrocotyloideae (represented by Centella and Hydrocotyle) and this clade is a sister-group to Apioideae+Saniculoideae, (3) there is a major phylogenetic division within Apioideae (excluding the basal Heteromorpha), with one clade comprising the genus Smyrnium and those taxa traditionally grouped in tribes Dauceae, Scandiceae, and Laserpitieae, and the other clade comprising all other examined taxa, and (4) relationships within each of these 2 major clades of Apioideae are largely equivocal owing to the low levels of nucleotide sequence divergence observed. Although rpoC1 intron sequences can provide valuable characters for addressing phylogenetic relationships among the outgroups and distantly related members of Apioideae, they have little power for resolving relationships among closely related taxa. Registry Numbers: EC 2.7.7.- (RNA Polymerase III) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****PHYTOCHEMISTRY***** Sakai S Katsumata M Satoh Y Nagasao M Miyakoshi M Ida Y Shoji J Oleanolic acid saponins from root bark of Aralia elata. In: Phytochemistry (1994 Mar 30) 35(5):1319-24 ISSN: 0031-9422 Three new oleanolic acid glycosides, tarasaponins I-III, were isolated as their methyl esters from the root bark of Aralia elata together with four known glycosides, the methyl esters of chikusetsusaponins IVa, IV, 28-desglucosyl-chikusetsusaponin IV and pseudoginsenoside RT1. Tarasaponins I-III were characterized as oleanolic acid 3-O-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->3)][alpha-L- arabinofuranosyl(1-->4)[- beta-D-glucuronopyranoside, oleanolic acid 3-O-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1-->2)][beta-D-galactopyranosyl(1-->3)]- beta- D-glucuronopyranoside and beta-D-glucopyranosyl oleanolate 3-O- beta-D-galactopyranosyl(1-->3)-beta-D-glucuronopyranoside, respectively. Registry Numbers: 508-02-1 (Oleanolic Acid) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Satoh Y Sakai S Katsumata M Nagasao M Miyakoshi M Ida Y Shoji J Oleanolic acid saponins from root-bark of Aralia elata [published erratum appears in Phytochemistry 1994 Dec;37(6):1779] In: Phytochemistry (1994 May) 36(1):147-52 ISSN: 0031-9422 Five new oleanolic acid glycosides, tarasaponins III-VII, were isolated from the dried root-bark of Aralia elata together with stipuleanoside R2, in addition to eight saponins previously reported. They were characterized as oleanolic acid 3-O-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1- ->2)] [beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->3)]-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside, beta- D-glucopyranosyl oleanolate 3-O-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->2)][alpha- L-arabinofuranosyl (1-->4)]-beta-D-glucuronopyranoside, beta-D- glucopyranosyl oleanolate 3-O-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1-->2)][beta-D- galactopyranosyl (1-->3)]-beta-D-glucuronopyranoside, beta-D- glucopyranosyl oleanolate 3-O-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1-->2)][beta-D- glucopyranosyl (1-->3)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside, respectively. Registry Numbers: 508-02-1 (Oleanolic Acid) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Hibino T Shibata D Umezawa T Higuchi T Purification and partial sequences of Aralia cordata cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase. In: Phytochemistry (1993 Feb) 32(3):565-7 ISSN: 0031-9422 Cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD) (EC 1.1.1.195) from a dicot, Aralia cordata, was purified to homogeneity and its properties were characterized. The enzyme shows a preference for cinnamyl alcohols and cinnamyl aldehydes as substrates. The M(r) is estimated at 72,000. The enzyme is composed of two heterogeneous subunits of slightly different sizes, and it differs from the bean enzyme in the size of subunits. Partial amino acid sequencing of the purified enzyme was carried out both from the N-terminus and using selected peptides obtained by cyanogen bromide cleavage. Registry Numbers: EC 1.1 (Alcohol Oxidoreductases) EC 1.1.1.195 (cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Miyase T Shiokawa KI Zhang DM Ueno A Araliasaponins I-XI, triterpene saponins from the roots of Aralia decaisneana. In: Phytochemistry (1996 Mar) 41(5):1411-8 ISSN: 0031-9422 Seven new oleanane-type and four new ursane-type triterpene saponins, named araliasaponins I-XI were isolated from the roots of Aralia decaisneana, together with four known triterpene saponins. On the basis of the chemical and spectroscopic evidence, the structures of these new saponins were elucidated as follows: 3-O-beta-D- xylopyranosyl-(1-->3)-beta-D- glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)-[beta-D- xylopyranosyl-(1-->2)]-alpha-L- arabinopyranosyl oleanolic acid 28-O- beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester, 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)-alpha- L- arabinopyranosyl oleanolic acid 28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->6)- beta-D- glucopyranosyl ester, 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)-[beta- D- xylopyranosyl-(1-->2)]-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl oleanolic acid 28- O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester, 3-O-beta- D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->2)]-beta-D- glucopyranosyl oleanolic acid 28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester, 3-O- beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->2)]-beta-D- galactopyranosyl oleanolic acid, 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)- [beta-D- xylopyranosyl-(1-->2)]-beta-D-galactopyranosyl oleanolic acid 28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester, 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-- >3)-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->2)]-beta-D- galactopyranosyl oleanolic acid 28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester, 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->2)]- alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl ursolic acid 28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester, 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-- >2)]-alpha-L - arabinopyranosyl ursolic acid, 3-O-beta-D- glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl ursolic acid 28- O- beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester and 3-O- beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->2)]- beta-D- glucopyranosyl ursolic acid 28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Miyase T Sutoh N Zhang DM Ueno A Araliasaponins XII-XVIII, triterpene saponins from the roots of Aralia chinensis. In: Phytochemistry (1996 Jul) 42(4):1123-30 ISSN: 0031-9422 Seven new oleanane-type saponins, named araliasaponins XII-XVIII, were isolated from the roots of Aralia chinensis, together with 14 known triterpene saponins. On the basis of the chemical and spectroscopic evidence, the structures of these new saponins were elucidated as follows: 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->3)-[beta-D - glucopyranosyl(1-->2)]-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl oleanolic acid 28-O- beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester, 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->3)-[beta-D- xylopyranosyl (1-->2)]-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl oleanolic acid 28-O- alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->4)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl (1-->6)-beta-D- glucopyranosyl ester, 3-O-beta-D -glucopyranosyl(1-->3)-[beta-D- galactopyranosyl(1-->2)] -beta-D-glucopyranosyl oleanolic acid 28-O- beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester, 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->3)-[beta-D -xylopyranosyl(1-->2)]-beta-D-glucopyranosyl oleanolic acid 28-O-beta- D-glucopyranosyl (1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester, 3-O-beta-D - glucopyranosyl(1-->3)-[beta-D-galactopyranosyl (1-->2)]-beta-D- galactopyranosyl oleanolic acid 28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester, 3-O- alpha-L -arabinofuranosyl(1-->4)-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl (1-->2)]-beta- D-glucuronopyranosyl oleanolic acid dimethyl ester and 3-O-alpha-L- arabinofuranosyl (1-->4)-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->2)]-beta-D - glucuronopyranosyl oleanolic acid 28-O-beta-D -glucopyranosyl(1-->6)- beta-D-glucopyranosyl methyl ester, respectively. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****PLANTA MEDICA***** Lee GI Ha JY Min KR Nakagawa H Tsurufuji S Chang IM Kim Y Inhibitory effects of Oriental herbal medicines on IL-8 induction in lipopolysaccharide-activated rat macrophages. In: Planta Med (1995 Feb) 61(1):26-30 ISSN: 0032-0943 Cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant (CINC), a rat interleukin- 8 (IL-8), was quantitated by using a sensitive ELISA. The CINC was induced up to 20 ng/ml from basal 1-2 ng/ml in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated peritoneal macrophages. This CINC induction was significantly inhibited by steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs including dexamethasone, but not by non-steroidal drugs including indomethacin at all. Nine out of 59 herbal medicines which are frequently used in Korean traditional prescriptions for inflammatory diseases exhibited more than 50% of inhibition on the CINC induction by their total methanol extracts with 0.1 mg/ml as a final concentration. The active 9 total extracts were prepared from radix of Aralia continentalis, rhizoma of Cnidium officinale, rhizoma of Coptis chinensis, tuber of Fritillaria verticillata, radix of Saussurea lappa, tuber of Sparganium stoloniferum, flower of Syzygium aromaticum, semen of Trichosanthes kirilowii, and herba of Tripterygium regelii. These total extracts were sequentially fractionated with dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, butanol, and water. Among the solvent-fractionated extracts with 0.05 mg/ml as a final concentration, more than 50% of inhibition on the CINC induction was exhibited by the dichloromethane fraction of Aralia continentalis; the water fraction of Fritillaria verticillata; the dichloromethane fraction of Saussurea lappa; the dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and butanol fractions of Syzygium aromaticum; the dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and water fractions of Trichosanthes kirilowii; and the dichloromethane and ethyl acetate fractions of Tripterygium regelii. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Sakamoto K Iida K Koyano T Asada Y Furuya T Method for selecting anthocyanin-producing cells by a cell sorter. In: Planta Med (1994 Jun) 60(3):253-9 ISSN: 0032-0943 We found a novel method to select anthocyanin-producing cells by a new means of cell staining. After staining with 0.2 ppm fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), the protoplasts from Aralia cordata cultured cells, which were composed of high anthocyanin-producing cells and non-producing cells, were observed to be distinguishable under a fluorescence microscope. The green fluorescence of FITC from the non- producing cells was clearly ascertained by the naked eye. On the other hand, the fluorescence of the anthocyanin-producing cells was completely missing. This phenomenon resulted from compensation of the green fluorescence (lambda max 525 nm) of FITC and the green light absorption (lambda max 530 nm) of anthocyanin. Although investigations of the flow cytometric method were developed on the basis of this phenomenon, the histograms of these protoplasts expressed the distinction between the anthocyanin-producing cells and the non-producing cells. In order to prove the technique, a highly productive cell line was selected from the heterogeneous populations of anthocyanin-producing or non-producing protoplasts from A. cordata cultured cells. The number of the sorted protoplasts containing anthocyanin was counted by the naked eye, the anthocyanin-producing protoplasts were approximately 90% in the whole protoplasts and the viability was 60-70%. Anthocyanin concentration the sorted protoplasts was 3-fold higher as compared with the protoplasts before sorting. The anthocyanin content of the cell line selected by this method was 7.7 +/- 0.6%/g dw.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Registry Numbers: 7228-78-6 (malvidin-3-glucoside) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****PROBLEMY ENDOKRINOLOGII***** Molokovskii DS Davydov VV Tiulenev VV [The action of adaptogenic plant preparations in experimental alloxan diabetes] Deistvie adaptogennykh fitopreparatov pri eksperimental'nom alloksanovom diabete. In: Probl Endokrinol (Mosk) (1989 Nov-Dec) 35(6):82-7 ISSN: 0375-9660 (Published in Russian) Experiments on mice and rats with alloxan diabetes were conducted for comparative assessment of the effectiveness of therapeutic use of adaptogenic plant pharmaceuticals as well as some other commonly used plant drugs. Of marked antidiabetic properties were root and leaf ginseng tincture (LGT), Echinopanax tincture, extracts of Eleutherococcus, Rhodiola (ER) and Leuzia which decreased the blood level of glucose in a CTT (5 g h of glucose per I kg of the animal body mass) from 17.15 to 11.19, 11.50, 12.72, 11.69, 13.47 mmol/l and increased the alloxan-reduced level of liver glycogen by 50-80% (P less than 0.05). Aralia and Schizandra tinctures for this diabetic model were ineffective. Yarrow, everlastings and birch leaf tea also possessed marked hypoglycemic and glycogen sparing properties. The most effective experimentally plant adaptogens LGT and ER increased the blood level of insulin in alloxan diabetic rats in a GTT from 16.75 up to 44.42, 35.31 microU/ml and decreased the level of glucagon from 495 to 195 and 138 pg/ml, respectively. The authors discussed mechanisms of antidiabetic, insulinotropic and hypoglucagonemic action of the effective plant pharmaceuticals and the prospects of their use in multimodality therapy of diabetes mellitus of type I. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****YAO HSUEH HSUEH PAO [ACTA PHARMACEUTICA SINICA]***** Sun WJ Zhang DK Sha ZF Zhang HL Zhang XL [Studies on the saponins from the root bark of Aralia chinensis L.] In: Yao Hsueh Hsueh Pao (1991) 26(3):197-202 ISSN: 0513-4870 (Published in Chinese) Six saponins were isolated from the root bark of Aralia chinensis L.. The three saponins I, II and III were identified as araloside A (I), narcissiflorine (II) and oleanolic acid 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1- 2)-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-2)-alpha-L- arabinopyranoside (III). Saponin III was found to be a new compound and was named as araloside D. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Jiang YT Xu SX Gu XH Ren L Chen YJ Yao XS Miao ZC [Studies on the chemical constituents from Aralia elata] In: Yao Hsueh Hsueh Pao (1992) 27(7):528-32 ISSN: 0513-4870 (Published in Chinese) Eight compounds have been isolated from the root bark of Aralia elata. Their structures have been identified by means of physico- chemical and spectral analysis. They are (6'-O-palmitoyl)-beta- sitosterol-3-O-beta-D-glucoside (A5), silphiosideA (A9), chikusetusaponin Ib (A11), araloside A (A12), araloside C (A15), acanthoside D (B1). Compound A10 is a new natural product, named as araloside A methyl-ester. 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl (1----3)[beta-D- glucopyranosy (1----4)]-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-oleanolic acid-28-O- beta-D-glucopyranoside (A16) is a new compound, named as araloside G. Compounds A5, A9, A10, A11, A16, and B1 were isolated for the first time from the plant. 13C-NMR chemical shifts of compounds A9 and A15 were assigned for the first time. Registry Numbers: 144077-05-4 (araloside G) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€