• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.119-124
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• 2017

The isolation of the MeOH extract from the flower bud of Magnolia biondii Pamp. using various column chromatographies and HPLC led to eleven neoglignan derivatives (1 - 11). Their structures were mainly determined by 1D and 2D NMR spectral data analysis and physiological methods. The isolated compounds (1 - 11) were tested for anti-allergic effects using IL-2 inhibitory assay in Jurkat T cells.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 1991

The crystal structure of licarin-B, a component of Myristicae Semen was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Crystal of the compound, which was recrystallized from the mixture of hexane and ether, is monoclinic with a=12.740(1), b=7.219(1), c=9.284(1) ${\AA}$, ${\beta}=94.75(1)^{\circ}$, $D_x=1.26$, $D_m=1.27\;g/cm^3$, space group P21, and Z=2. The structure was solved by direct method and refined by least-squares procedure to the final R value of 0.040 for 1532 independent reflections ${F{\ge}3{\sigma}(F)}$. The compound is a dimeric phenylpropanoid, and belongs to the neolignan analogues. The molecules are arranged along with the screw axis. The intermolecular contacts appear to be the normal van der Waals' forces.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.34-37
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• 2013

Honokiol and magnolol, the major bioactive neolignans of magnolia officinalis, are the most important constituents of the crude drug prescriptions that are used in the therapy of neuroses and various nervous disorders. There have been limited reports on the effects of neolignoid compounds on human cytochrome P450 activity. Therefore, the inhibitory effects of honokiol and magnolol on seven human cytochrome P450 s were evaluated in human liver microsomes. Honokiol and magnolol showed the most potent inhibition of CYP1A2-mediated phenacetin O-deethylase activity ($IC_{50}$ values of 3.5 and 5.4 mM, respectively) among the seven P450s tested. These in vitro data indicate that neolignan compounds can inhibit the activity of CYP1A2 and suggest that these compounds should be examined for potential pharmacokinetic drug interactions in vivo.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2023

A phytochemical investigation of the fruits extract of Melia toosendan afforded the isolation of two new nor-neolignans, meliasendanins E (1) and F (2), as well as twelve known compounds (3 - 14) using various separation technique such as Diaion HP20, silica, RP-18 gel column chromatography and semi-preparative HPLC. Their chemical structures were elucidated by extensive NMR spectroscopic data including 2D-NMR, and HR-ESI-MS as well as ECD data. Among the twelve known compounds, the absolute structures of 3 - 6 were determined first, and given the trivial names as meliasendanins G-J (3 - 6). Based on the evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity, compounds 7 - 8 exhibited inhibitory effects on LPS-induced nitric oxide production in RAW 264.7 macrophages with IC₅₀ values of 34.6 and 39.5 µM, respectively.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.155-159
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• 2013

Honokiol, a naturally occurring neolignan mainly found in Magnolia species, has exhibited a potential anti-proliferative activity in human cancer cells. However, the growth inhibitory activity against hepatocellular carcinoma cells and the underlying molecular mechanisms has been poorly determined. The present study was designed to examine the anti-proliferative effect of honokiol in SK-HEP-1 human hepatocellular cancer cells. Honokiol exerted anti-proliferative activity with cell-cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase and sequential induction of apoptotic cell death. The cell-cycle arrest was well correlated with the down-regulation of checkpoint proteins including cyclin D1, cyclin A, cyclin E, CDK4, PCNA, retinoblastoma protein (Rb), and c-Myc. The increase of sub-G1 peak by the higher concentration of honokiol ($75{\mu}M$) was closely related to the induction of apoptosis, which was evidenced by decreased expression of Bcl-2, Bid, and caspase-9. Hohokiol was also found to attenuate the activation of signaling proteins in the Akt/mTOR and ERK pathways. These findings suggest that the anti-proliferative effect of honokiol was associated in part with the induction of cell-cycle arrest, apoptosis, and dow-nregulation of Akt/mTOR signaling pathways in human hepatocellular cancer cells.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.179-181
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• 2013

Repeated $SiO_2$ and octadecyl silica gel (ODS) column chromatographies of the EtOAc fraction from Magnolia obovata fruits, 10 neolignans, named magnolol (1), honokiol (2), isoobovatol (3), isomagnolol (4), obovatol (5), obovatal (6), 9-methoxyobovatol (7), magnobovatol (8), obovaaldehyde (9), and 2-hydroxyobovaaldehyde (10) were isolated and identified. All isolated compounds were evaluated for in vitro cytotoxicity against seven human cancer cell lines.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.137-142
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• 1991

The structure of a $\beta$-allyl type phenylpropanoid was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The compound was recrystallized from a mixture of n-hexane and benzene in monoclinic crystal system with a = 24.782 (2), b = 10.537 (1), c = 7.871 (1) ${\AA}, \beta=95.74$ (1)$^\circ, $D_x$=1.216, $D_m$=1.22g/$cm^3$, space group $P2_1/a$, and Z=4. The structure was solved by direct method and refined by least-squares procedure to the final R value of 0.054 for 2824 observed reflections {$F{\geq}3\sigma(F)$}. The molecular geometry shows a most stable trans-form with respect to the bulky phenyls, and this conformation is settled by an intramolecular hydrogen bond. In the crystal, the molecules are arranged along with the screw axis, and stabilized by the $O{\cdot}H{\cdots}O$ type intermolecular hydrogen bonds. The other intermolecular contacts appear to be the normal van der Waals' interactions. The compound is a dimeric phenylpropanoid, and belongs to the neolignan analogues.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.62-69
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• 2014

Previous our study demonstrated that ailanthoidol (3-deformylated 2-arylbenzo[b]furan), a neolignan from Zanthoxylum ailanthoides or Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, is a novel anti-inflammatory agent. In this investigation, we examined the anti-adipogenic effect of ailanthoidol. Our data showed that ailanthoidol suppressed lipid droplet formation and adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells. Treatment of the 3T3-L1 adipocytes with ailanthoidol resulted in an attenuation of the releases of leptin and interleukin-6. The expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor $(PPAR){\gamma}$ and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein $(C/EBP){\alpha}$, the central transcriptional regulators of adipogenesis, was decreased by treatment with ailanthoidol. Additionally, ailanthoidol treatment increased the phosphorylation levels of 5' adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase. These results suggest that ailanthoidol effectively suppresses adipogenesis and that it exerts its role mainly through the significant down-regulation of $PPAR{\gamma}$ and $C/EBP{\alpha}$ expression. Our findings provide important insights into the mechanisms underlying the anti-adipogenic activity of ailanthoidol.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.217-222
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• 2013

We reported that ailanthoidol, a neolignan from Zanthoxylum ailanthoides and Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, inhibited inflammatory reactions by macrophages and protected mice from endotoxin shock. We examined the anti-inflammatory activity of six synthetic ailanthoidol derivatives (compounds 1-6). Among them, compound 4, 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-5-(3-hydroxypropenyl)-7-methoxybenzofuran, had the lowest $IC_{50}$ value concerning nitric oxide (NO) release from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Compound 4 suppressed the generation of prostaglandin (PG) $E_2$ and the expression of inducible NO synthase and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 induced by LPS, and inhibited the release of LPS-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines from RAW264.7 cells. The underlying mechanism of compound 4 on anti-inflammatory action was correlated with the down-regulation of mitogen-activated protein kinase and activator protein-1 activation. Compound 4 is potentially an effective functional chemical candidate for the prevention of inflammatory diseases.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.53-59
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• 2016

Anti-inflammatory effects of dihydrobenzofuran neolignans isolated from Euonymus alatus leaves and twigs were evaluated in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophage cells. Six neolignans, (+)-simulanol (1), (+)-dehydrodiconiferyl alcohol (2), (-)-simulanol (3), (-)-dehydrodiconiferyl alcohol (4), (+)-dihydrodehyrodiconiferyl alcohol (5), threo-buddlenol B (6) effectively inhibited the production of nitric oxide (NO) induced by LPS, and the activity of iNOS. (-)-dehydrodiconiferyl alcohol (4), which showed the most potent inhibitory activity, attenuated the activity of iNOS enzyme and also the expression of iNOS and COX-2 proteins. The subsequent production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, interleukin-$1{\beta}$, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ and prostaglandin E2 were also inhibited by the pretreatment of RAW264.7 cells with (-)-dehydrodiconiferyl alcohol (4). These neolignans are thought to contribute to anti-inflammatory effects of E. alatus, and expected to be potential candidates to prevent/treat inflammation-related diseases.