• BMB Reports
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.68-71
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• 2008

Flavones are synthesized from flavanones through the action of flavone synthases (FNSs). There are two FNSs, FNS I and II. FNS I is a soluble dioxygenase present in members of the Apiaceae family and FNS II is a membrane bound cytochrome P450 enzyme that has been identified in numerous plant species. In this study, we cloned OsFNS I-1 from rice by RTPCR, expressed it in E. coli, and purified the recombinant protein. By NMR analysis, we found that OsFNS I-1 converted the flavanone (2S)-naringenin into the flavone, apigenin. Moreover, we found that the cofactors oxoglutarate, $FeSO_4$, ascorbate and catalase are required for this reaction. OsFNS I-1 encodes a flavone synthase I. This is the first type I FNS I found outside of the Apiaceae family.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.224-229
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• 1996

Floral flavonoids of Hibiscus syriacus L. six complex with 68 formac all in all were examined. Thirteen flavonoids appeared on the two dimensional chromatogtams. Spot 5, however, occupied more than 50% in total flavonoid contents, and other spots were invariably minor pigments in all samples examined. Ten spots among 13 spots showed the characteristics of flavones, having color of purple to dark purple under UV light and yellow under ammonia gas, while spots reagents suggests that 10 purple spots are 4', 5-OH aglycone type. Four spots out of 10 purple spots were possible to be identified: spot 5, saponarin, spot 7, vitexin, spot 9, xylovitexin, and spot 11, rhamnosylvitexin, respectively. It was suggested that spot 13 might be apigenin-7-O-diglycoside.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.269-275
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• 2010

P-gp plays a critical role in drug disposition and represents a mechanism for the development of multidrug resistance. Flavonoids, a major class of natural compounds widely present in foods and herbal products, have been shown to inhibit P-gp. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify new candidate chemosensitizers by screening various plant extracts. The ability of natural plant extracts to inhibit P-gp activity was assessed by measuring cellular accumulation of calcein AM, daunorubicin and vincristine in P-gp overexpressing MDCKII-MDR1 cells. Among more than 800 plant extracts, eight were found to inhibit P-gp activity. Curcuma aromatica extract produced greatest inhibition, followed by Curcuma longa and Dalbergia odorifera extracts. Extracts of Aloe ferox, Curcuma zedoariae rhizome, Zanthoxylum planispinum, and Ageratum conyzoides showed moderate inhibitory effects. Curcumin and quercetin exhibited similar inhibition of P-gpmediated efflux of daunorubicin and vincristine, and flavones had a lesser effect. When chemosensitizing effect was evaluated by measuring daunorubicin sensitivity to MDCKII-MDR1 cells in the presence of natural plant extracts, Curcuma aromatica showed the most potent chemosensitizing effect based on daunorubicin cytotoxicity. In conclusion, natural plant extracts such as Curcuma aromatica can potently inhibit P-gp activity and may have potential as a novel chemosensitizers.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.1237-1242
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• 2009

Polymethoxylated flavones (PMFs) extracted from Citrus sinensis 'Jincheng' peel were characterized by chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. Seven individual PMF were identified. 3, 3', 4', 5, 6, 7-hexamethoxyflavone (HEX), nobiletin (NOB), heptamethoxyflavone (HEP), 5-demethylnobiletin (DN), and tangeretin (TAN) were characterized through electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) in positive mode of protonated molecular ions $[M+H]^+$, the diagnostic fragment ions, together with the UV-Vis spectra and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) elution order from literature data. Sinensetin (SIN) and tetramethyl-O-scutellarein (SCU) were isolated and identified through their MS, $^1H$ nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and UV-Vis spectral studies. The levels of PMFs in peels from different cultivars of citrus fruits grown in China were determined for the first time. The results showed that C. aurantium 'Bitter orange' peel was the most promising variety for HEP. C. sinensis peel was a good source for SIN and SCU.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.507-511
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• 2004

From the flowers of Chromolaena odorata (Eupatorium odoratum) four flavanones, isosakuranetin (5,7-dihydroxy-4'-methoxyflavanone) (1), persicogenin (5,3'-dihydroxy-7,4'-dimethoxyflavanone) (2), 5,6,7,4'-tetramethoxyflavanone (3) and 4'-hydroxy-5,6,7-trimethoxyfla-vanone (4), two chalcones, 2'-hydroxy-4,4',5',6'-tetramethoxychalcone (5) and 4,2'-dihydroxy-4',5',6'-trimethoxychalcone (6), and two flavones, acacetin (5,7-dihydroxy-4'-methoxyflavone) (7) and luteolin (5,7,3',4'-tetrahydroxyflavone) (8) were isolated and identified. Compound 1 exhibited moderate antimycobacterial activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis with the MIC value of 174.8 $\mu$M, whereas compounds 4,7, and 8 exhibited weak activity with the MIC values of 606.0, 704.2 and 699.3 $\mu$M respectively. Compound 7 showed moderate cytotoxicity against human small cell lung cancer (NCI-H187) cells with the MIC value of 24.6 $\mu$M, whereas compound 8 exhibited moderate toxicity against NCI-H187 cells and week toxicity against human breast cancer (BC) cells with the MIC values of 19.2 and 38.4 $\mu$M respectively.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.11
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• pp.1293-1301
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• 2005

Flavonoids, a group of low molecular weight phenylbenzopyrones, have various pharmacological properties including antioxidant, anticancer, bactericidal, and anti-inflammatory. We carried out anti-herpetic assays on 18 flavonoids in five classes and a virus-induced cytopathic effect (CPE) inhibitory assay, plaque reduction assay, and yield reduction assay were performed. When flavonoids were applied at various concentrations to Vero cells infected by HSV-1 and 2, most of the f1avonoids showed inhibitory effects on virus-induced CPE. Among the flavonoids, EC, ECG (flavanols), genistein (isoflavone), naringenin (flavanone), and quercetin (flavonol) showed a high level of CPE inhibitory activity. The antiviral activity of flavonoids were also examined by a plaque reduction assay. EC, ECG, galangin, and kaempferol showed a strong antiviral activity, and catechin, EGC, EGCG, naringenin, chrysin, baicalin, fisetin, myricetin, quercetin, and genistein showed moderate inhibitory effects against HSV-1. In these experiments, flavanols and flavonols appeared to be more active than flavones. Furthermore, treatment of Vero cells with ECG and galangin (which previously showed strong antiviral activities) before virus adsorption led to a slight enhancement of inhibition as determined by a yield reduction assay, indicating that an intracellular effect may also be involved.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.77-81
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• 2004

Petroleum ether, benzene and alcohol extracts of seeds of C. juncea administered orally at the dose level of 25mg/100g body weight to adult female mice for 30 days, resulted in irregular estrous cycle with prolonged estrus and metaestrus and reduced diestrus and proestrus during the experimental period. Histological studies of the ovary indicate increases in the number of atretic follicles but decreases in the number of developing follicles, Graafian follicles and corpora lutea. The total cholesterol content of the ovary is increased, whereas ascorbic acid content is decreased. The weight of the uterus and its micrometric measurement in all experimental mice are increased significantly. The alcoholic extracts showed estrogenic activity in immature mice by early opening of the vagina, premature cornification of the vaginal epithilium and increases in uterine weight. However, alcohol extract of seeds of C. juncea was more effective in causing these changes compared to other extracts. After subjecting to preliminary phytochemical screenings alcohol extract showed positive; test for alkaloids, steroids, glycosides, flavones, phenols and tannins.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.30 no.8
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• pp.1835-1838
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• 2009

Inhibition of human phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (hPNMT) has been proposed as a method for the treatment of several mental processes which related on adrenaline metabolism. We performed in silico screening to identify flavonoid inhibitors of hPNMT using automated docking method and selected 9 inhibitor candidates based on ligand score (LigScore) and binding free energy (${\Delta}G_{bind}$) estimation. Among 9 flavonoid candidates, 7 flavonoids belong to flavones while the rest of them belong to flavanone. All candidates have common chemical features; two hydrogen bond interactions with side chain of Lys75 and backbone carbonyl oxygen of Asn39, and two hydrophobic interactions. One hydrophobic site is formed by Val53, Leu262, and Met258 and the other is made up of Phe182, Ala186, Tyr222, and Val269. This study can be helpful to understand the structural features for inhibition of PNMT and showed flavonoids as promising inhibitor candidates for hPNMT.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.40-47
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• 2005

This study was performed to determine the effect of three different concentrations of soy-isoflavones on calcium and phosphorus balance in either sham-operated or ovariectomized female rats. Seventy-two 16-week old Sprague-Dawley rats underwent sham operation or bilateral ovariectomy. They were provided diets containing different levels of soy iso-flavones for 6 weeks: 50 ppm (Jow isoflavone intake; LI) , 250 ppm (medium isoflavone intake; MI) and 500 ppm (high isoflavone intake; HI). The subsequent fecal and urinary excretions of calcium and phosphorus were then measured. In the sham-operated rats, body weight gains and food efficiency ratio of the MI and HI groups were significantly lower than the control group while food intake was not different. However, there was no significant difference in the ovariectomized rats. The fecal excretion of calcium was significantly lower in the LI, MI and HI groups than the control group in sham operated rats, and significantly lower in the HI group than the control group in ovariectomized rats. Also, apparent ab-sorption rate of calcium and phosphorus did not show any significant difference among groups. Urinary excretion of calcium and phosphorus was significantly lower in the HI group than the LI group in the sham-operated rats. Urinary excretion of calcium was significantly higher in the control ovariectomized rats than in the control sham-operated rats. Retention of calcium and phosphorus did not show any significant difference in both groups. From the above result, we see that isoflavone intake increases calcium retention through an increase in calcium absorption and also suppresses the increase of calcium excretion in urine in ovariectomy. Therefore, it is suggested that isoflavone intake is recommended for menopausal women who experience sharp bone loss due to the decrease in estrogen honnone.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.10-15
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• 2011

Fifteen populations comprising three taxa and a putative hybrid of Fallopia sect. Reynoutria in Korea were examined for their leaf flavonoid constituents. Nineteen flavonoid compounds were isolated and identified; they were glycosylated derivatives of the flavonols quercetin and kaempferol, and of the flavones apigenin and luteolin. Among them, quercetin 3-O-galactoside and quercetin 3-O-glucoside were major flavonoid constituents, and present in all taxa. The flavonoid data appear to be very useful for taxon delimitation, and all taxa examined are readily distinguished by their flavonoid profiles. In addition, the flavonoid data suggest that the Nonsan population may be of hybrid origin involving F. japonica var. japonica, F. forbesii, and F. sachalinensis. In F. japonica var. japonica, there is no apparent correlation between their levels of polyploidy and flavonoid chemistry, but geographical variation of the flavonoid profiles among some populations was detected.