• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.51-56
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• 2008

The content of two steroids-campesterol (1) and ${\beta}$-sitosterol (2), and four triterpenes-taraxetrone (5), ${\beta}$-amyrin (6), (-)-friedelin (7), glutinol (8) in the Orostachys japonicus A. Berger cultivated under various conditions was estimated and compared with those in wild one. The present investigation disclosed that there are no significant difference in their contents between cultivated Orostachys japonicus A. Berger and wild one. from viewpoint of the content of the steroids 1 and 2, and the triterpenes 5-8, the quality of cultivated Orostachys japonicus A. Berger is not inferior to the wild one.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.263-269
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• 2016

Rhynchophylline (RP) is a major tetracyclic oxindole alkaloid of Uncariae Ramulus et Uncus which has been used to treat hypertension, seizures, pain and anxiety in the oriental countries. A recent report revealed that RP attenuated ischemia-induced neuronal damage and kainite-induced convulsions in animals. This study was performed to investigate whether RP enhances pentobarbital-induced sleep behaviors and modulates sleep architecture in mice. Locomotor activity was significantly inhibited by RP at 0.25 and 0.5 mg/kg, similar to 2 mg/kg diazepam (a benzodiazepine agonist) in mice. RP shortened sleep latency and increased total sleep time in a dose-dependent manner when administrated with pentobarbital (42 mg/kg, i.p.). RP also increased the number of sleeping mice and total sleep time by concomitant administration with the sub-hypnotic dosage of pentobarbital (28 mg/kg, i.p.). On the other hand, RP (0.25 mg/kg, p.o.) itself significantly inhibited sleep-wake cycles, prolonged total sleep time, and rapid eye movement in rats. In addition, RP also increased chloride influx in the primary cultured hypothalamic neuronal cells. In addition, we found that glutamic acid decarboxylase ($GAD_{65/67}$) was activated by RP. In conclusion, RP augments pentobarbital-induced sleeping behaviors, and can be a candidate for treating insomnia.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.577-580
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• 1995

During the screening for the antimicrobial agents against multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, we isolated an active compound produced by strain CNU30122. The active compound was purified from culture broth by HP-20 column chromatography, ethylacetate extraction. silica gel column and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatographies and HPLC. Based on various NMR studies including $^1H-^1H\;COSY$, $^1H-^{13}C\;COSY$ and HMBC experiments. the active compound was identified as fusidic acid.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.10
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• pp.727-733
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• 2014

Spinosyns A and D are potent ingredient for insect control with exceptional safety to non-target organisms. It consists of a 21-carbon tetracyclic lactone with forosamine and tri-Omethylated rhamnose which are derived from S-adenosyl-methionine. Although previous studies have revealed the involvement of metK1 (S-adenosylmethionine synthetase), rmbA (glucose-1-phosphate thymidylyltransferase), and rmbB (TDP-D-glucose-4, 6-dehydratase) in the biosynthesis of spinosad, expression of these genes into rational screened Saccharopolyspora spinosa (S. spinosa MUV) has not been elucidated till date. In the present study, S. spinosa MUV was developed to utilize for metabolic engineering. The yield of spinosyns A and D in S. spinosa MUV was $244mgL^{-1}$ and $129mgL^{-1}$, which was 4.88-fold and 4.77-fold higher than that in the wild-type ($50mgL^{-1}$ and $27mgL^{-1}$), respectively. To achieve the better production; positive regulator metK1-sp, rmbA and rmbB genes from Streptomyces peucetius, were expressed and co-expressed in S. spinosa MUV under the control of strong $ermE^*$ promoter, using an integration vector pSET152 and expression vector pIBR25, respectively. Here-with, the genetically engineered strain of S. spinosa MUV, produce spinosyns A and D up to $372/217mgL^{-1}$ that is 7.44/8.03-fold greater than that of wild type. This result demonstrates the use of metabolic engineering on rationally developed high producing natural variants for the production.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.1485-1490
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• 2014

We have designed and developed a new ladder type tetrafused ${\pi}$-conjugated building block such as dihydroindolo[3,2-b]indole (DINI) and investigated its role as an electron rich unit. The photovoltaic properties of a new semiconducting ${\pi}$-conjugated polymer, poly[[5,10-bisoctyl-5,10-dihydroindolo[3,2-b]indole-[5,6- bis(octyloxy)-4,7-di(thiophen-2-yl)benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole]], represented by PDINI-OBTC8 are described. The new polymer PDINI-OBTC8 was synthesized in donor-acceptor (D-A) fashion, where fused ${\pi}$-conjugated tetracyclic DINI, and 5,6-bis(octyloxy)-4,7-di(thiophen-2-yl) benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole (OBTC8) were employed as electron rich (donor) and electron deficient (acceptor) moieties, respectively. The conventional bulk heterojunction (BHJ) device structure ITO/PEDOT:PSS/PDINI-OBTC8:PCB71M/LiF/Al was utilized to fabricate polymer solar cells (PSCs), which comprises the blend of PDINI-OBTC8 and [6,6]-phenyl-$C_{71}$-butyric acid methyl ester ($PC_{71}BM$) in BHJ network. A BHJ PSC that contain PDINI-OBTC8 delivered power conversion efficiency (PCE) value of 1.68% with 1 vol% of 1,8-diidooctane (DIO) under the illumination of A.M 1.5G 100 $mW/cm^2$.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.47-54
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• 2016

Background: The roots of Panax ginseng contain noble tetracyclic triterpenoid saponins derived from dammarenediol-II. Dammarene-type ginsenosides are classified into the protopanaxadiol (PPD) and protopanaxatriol (PPT) groups based on their triterpene aglycone structures. Two cytochrome P450 (CYP) genes (CYP716A47 and CYP716A53v2) are critical for the production of PPD and PPT aglycones, respectively. CYP716A53v2 is a protopanaxadiol 6-hydroxylase that catalyzes PPT production from PPD in P. ginseng. Methods: We constructed transgenic P. ginseng lines overexpressing or silencing (via RNA interference) the CYP716A53v2 gene and analyzed changes in their ginsenoside profiles. Result: Overexpression of CYP716A53v2 led to increased accumulation of CYP716A53v2 mRNA in all transgenic roots compared to nontransgenic roots. Conversely, silencing of CYP716A53v2 mRNA in RNAi transgenic roots resulted in reduced CYP716A53v2 transcription. HPLC analysis revealed that transgenic roots overexpressing CYP716A53v2 contained higher levels of PPT-group ginsenosides ($Rg_1$, Re, and Rf) but lower levels of PPD-group ginsenosides (Rb1, Rc, $Rb_2$, and Rd). By contrast, RNAi transgenic roots contained lower levels of PPT-group compounds and higher levels of PPD-group compounds. Conclusion: The production of PPD- and PPT-group ginsenosides can be altered by changing the expression of CYP716A53v2 in transgenic P. ginseng. The biological activities of PPD-group ginsenosides are known to differ from those of the PPT group. Thus, increasing or decreasing the levels of PPT-group ginsenosides in transgenic P. ginseng may yield new medicinal uses for transgenic P. ginseng.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 1990

Cholesteryl pentanoate $(C_{32}O_2H_{54})$ is orthorhombic, space group $P2_12_12_1$, with a = 21.930(3), b = 21.404(3), c = 6.419(5) $\AA$, Z = 4, V = 3012.8(5)$\AA$$^3$, $D_c$ = 1.04 g$cm^{-3}$, ${\lambda}(Mo\; K{\alpha}$ = 0.71069 $\AA$, $\mu$ = 0.58 $cm^{-1}$, F(000) = 1048, T = 298, R = 0.086 for 1502 unique observed reflections with I > 1.0 $\sigma$ (I). The structure was solved by direct methods and refined by cascade diagonal least-squares refinement. The C-H bond lengths and the methyl groups are fixed and refined as their ideal geometry. A comparison with other cholesteryl esters gives normal structure for the tetracyclic ring, while the tail regions of the side chain and the ester group which stands on end, show a variation from their normal values, presumably due to thermal effects. The molecules are stacked together by non-bonded van der Waals forces with the shortest intermolecular distance of 3.529 $\AA$.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.373-378
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• 2017

Ocotillol-type saponins are one kind of tetracyclic triterpenoids, sharing a tetrahydrofuran ring. Natural ocotillol-type saponins have been discovered in Panax quinquefolius L., Panax japonicus, Hana mina, and Vietnamese ginseng. In recent years, the semisynthesis of 20(S/R)-ocotillol-type saponins has been reported. The biological activities of ocotillol-type saponins include neuroprotective effect, antimyocardial ischemia, antiinflammatory, antibacterial, and antitumor activities. Owing to their chemical structure, pharmacological actions, and the stereoselective activity on antimyocardial ischemia, ocotillol-type saponins are subjected to extensive consideration. In this review, we sum up the discovery, semisynthesis, biological activities, and metabolism of ocotillol-type saponins.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.505-514
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• 2022

Background: The roots of Panax ginseng contain two types of tetracyclic triterpenoid saponins, namely, protopanaxadiol (PPD)-type saponins and protopanaxatiol (PPT)-type saponins. In P. ginseng, the protopanaxadiol 6-hydroxylase (PPT synthase) enzyme catalyses protopanaxatriol (PPT) production from protopanaxadiol (PPD). In this study, we constructed homozygous mutant lines of ginseng by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis of the PPT synthase gene and obtained the mutant ginseng root lines having complete depletion of the PPT-type ginsenosides. Methods: Two sgRNAs (single guide RNAs) were designed for target mutations in the exon sequences of the two PPT synthase genes (both PPTa and PPTg sequences) with the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Transgenic ginseng roots were generated through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The mutant lines were screened by ginsenoside analysis and DNA sequencing. Result: Ginsenoside analysis revealed the complete depletion of PPT-type ginsenosides in three putative mutant lines (Cr4, Cr7, and Cr14). The reduction of PPT-type ginsenosides in mutant lines led to increased accumulation of PPD-type ginsenosides. The gene editing in the selected mutant lines was confirmed by targeted deep sequencing. Conclusion: We have established the genome editing protocol by CRISPR/Cas9 system in P. ginseng and demonstrated the mutated roots producing only PPD-type ginsenosides by depleting PPT-type ginsenosides. Because the pharmacological activity of PPD-group ginsenosides is significantly different from that of PPT-group ginsenosides, the new type of ginseng mutant producing only PPD-group ginsenosides may have new pharmacological characteristics compared to wild-type ginseng. This is the first report to generate target-induced mutations for the modification of saponin biosynthesis in Panax species using CRISPR-Cas9 system.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.733-737
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• 2018

Cucurbitacin-I, a natural triterpenoid derived from Cucurbitaceae family plants, exhibits a number of potentially useful pharmacological and biological activities. Indeed, the previous study demonstrated that cucurbitacin-I reduced the proliferation of colon cancer cells by enhancing apoptosis and causing cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase. CD44, a type I transmembrane protein with the function of adhering to cells, mediates between the extracellular matrix and other cells through hyaluronic acid. Recent studies have demonstrated that an overexpression of the CD44 membrane receptor results in tumor initiation and growth, specific behaviors of cancer stem cells, the development of drug resistance, and metastasis. The aim was to examine the effect of cucurbitacin-I on CD44 expression human ovarian cancer cells because the effect of cucurbitacin-I on CD44 expression has not been reported. The expressions of CD44 mRNA and protein were detected using a quantitative real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and a Western blot analysis, respectively. Treatment with cucurbitacin-I inhibited the expression of CD44 mRNA and protein. A subsequent analysis revealed that cucurbitacin-I blocked the phosphorylation of activator protein-1 (AP-1) and nuclear factor kappa-B ($NF-{\kappa}B$), which are key regulators of CD44 expression. Taken together, the data demonstrate that cucurbitacin-I regulates the AP-1 and $NF-{\kappa}B$ signaling pathways, leading to decreased CD44 expression.