• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.113-118
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• 2017

A new tetracyclic triterpenoid [4,4,24-trimethylcholesta-${\Delta}^{8,9;14,5;24,28}$-trien-$3{\beta},11{\beta},12{\alpha}$-triol-12-acetate, 3-sulfate] sodium salt (1), together with eight known compounds including ergosterol $5{\alpha},8{\alpha}$-endoperoxide (2), 1,9-dihydroxy-3-methoxy-2-methylpterocarpan (3), 3-O-${\beta}$-D-2-acetyl-amino-2-deoxyglucopyranoxyloleanoic acid (4), hydnocarpin (5), derrone (6), isovitexin (7), erythrinin C (8), and 5,4'-dihydroxy-2"-hydroxyisopropyldihydrofurano [4,5:7,8]-isoflavone (9), were isolated from the EtOAc soluble fraction of the methanol extract of aerial part of Desmodium uncinatum collected in the western highland of Cameroon. The structures of these compounds were established by comprehensive interpretation of their spectral data mainly including 1D- ($^1H$ and $^{13}C$), 2D-NMR($^1H$-$^1H$ COSY, HMQC, HMBC) spectroscopic and ESI-TOF-MS mass spectrometric analysis. The isolation of an integracide-like compound from plant origin is a very unusual finding.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.167-172
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• 1973

Five crystalline substances, which are positive to$L_{IEBERMAN}-B_{URCHARD}$ reaction, were isolated from the unsaponifiable fraction of the fresh leaves of Betula latifolia $K_{OMAROV}$ (Betulaceae)by silica gel column chromatographic purification. Compound $A\;(C_{29}H_{50}O,\;mp\;136^{\circ}), \;B\;(C_{30}H_{52}O_3,\;mp\;165^{\circ}), \;C\;(C_{30}H_{52}O_4,\;mp\;237^{\circ}), \;D\;(C_{30}H_{52}O_3,\;mp\;196^{\circ})\;and\; E\;(C_{30}H_{52}O_4,\;mp\;121^{\circ})$ were isolated. Compound B was characterized as a new tetracyclic triterpenoid. Compounds A, C and D were identified as ${\beta}-sitosterol$, betulatriterpene C, and betulafolienetriol, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.55-59
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• 1979

Mass spectra of the dammarane triterpenes having open side chain and $C_{20}-C_{25}-epoxy$ side chain were measured. Principal fragment ions were assigned and plausible mechanisms for the formation of the fragment ions were proposed. In general, the triter-penoids of $C_{20}-C_{25}-epoxy$ side chain. produce $h_{1}-species$ fragment ions by the deletion of side chain at $C_{20}-C_{22}$ bond and open side chain triterpenoids produce $h_{2}$ species fragmentions whose mass numbers are higher by two mass unit than those of $h_{1}$ species. The mass number of h species fragment ions will serve as the diagnostic tool for the elucidation of side chain structure of tetracyclic triterpenoids.

• 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.

• 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 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.