Chemical characterization and urate-related activities of constituents of Paeonia lactiflora: 1,2,3,4,6-O-pentagalloylglucose inhibits xanthine oxidase and paeoniflorin modulates urate transporter expression in HK-2 cells.
Aug 2026· Food & Function· Vol 17, pp. 7834-7844· 0 citations
Medicine
TL;DR
Findings identify PGG and PF as two representative constituents of P. lactiflora with distinct urate-related activity profiles in enzymatic and cellular models, respectively.
Abstract
Hyperuricemia (HUA), a metabolic disorder associated with gout and cardiometabolic diseases, has become an important target for the development of food-derived functional ingredients. Paeonia lactiflora Pall, a widely consumed edible medicinal plant, has attracted attention as a potential source of urate-modulating compounds; however, its key active compounds and their urate-related activities remain unclear. In this study, through comprehensive phytochemical profiling, 20 compounds were isolated from P. lactiflora and systematically evaluated using xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibition and HK-2 cellular models. Among them, 1,2,3,4,6-O-pentagalloylglucose (PGG, 20) exhibited potent XO inhibitory activity, with an IC50 value of 8.11 μM. Molecular docking and 100 ns molecular dynamics simulations further supported the stable binding of PGG to the catalytic pocket of XO, suggesting its role in inhibiting UA production at the enzymatic level. To investigate the urate transport-related activity of the isolates, a UA-induced injury model was established in HK-2 cells. Paeoniflorin (PF, 1) showed the strongest protective effect, improving cell viability by 13.47%. Western blot analysis showed that PF modulated the expression of urate transport-related proteins in HK-2 cells by decreasing the levels of the reabsorption-associated transporters URAT1 and GLUT9 and increasing the levels of the secretion-associated transporters OAT1 and ABCG2. In conclusion, these findings identify PGG and PF as two representative constituents of P. lactiflora with distinct urate-related activity profiles in enzymatic and cellular models, respectively. This study provides a chemical and preliminary functional basis for the future development and quality evaluation of P. lactiflora-derived functional ingredients targeting urate metabolism.
Gyrinops vidalii (Thymelaeaceae), a critically endangered agarwood-producing species native to Thailand and Laos and remains phytochemically unexplored. In this study, the chemical constituents and biological activities of the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction of methanol extract of G. vidalii leaves were investigated. Phytochemical analysis led the isolation of mangiferin (1), iriflophenone 3-C-β-D-glucoside (2), aquilarinenside E (3), iriflophenone 2-O-α-L-rhamnoside (4), 5,7,4′-trimethoxyflavone (5), blumenol A (6), loliolide (7), 4-hydroxybenzoic acid methyl ester (8), and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (9). Compound 1 exhibited potent DPPH radical scavenging activity with an SC50 value of 19.35 μM), whereas iriflophenone (3a), obtained by acid hydrolysis of 3, and 5 showed promising α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with IC50 values 100.06 and 174.57 μM, respectively. Molecular docking demonstrated favorable binding of both compounds within the α-glucosidase active site through hydrogen bonding, aromatic, and hydrophobic interactions, with binding energies of −7.4 and −8.0 kcal/mol, respectively. Predicted ADMET properties further supported the drug-like potential of both compounds, indicating favorable aqueous solubility, high intestinal absorption, and no predicted hepatotoxicity, while differences were observed in their predicted blood–brain barrier permeability. This study represents the first phytochemical investigation of G. vidalii, provides scientific support for its traditional use, and expands the chemotaxonomic knowledge of the closely related genera Gyrinops and Aquilaria.
The Calophyllum genus, part of the Calophyllaceae family, produces xanthones as dominant secondary metabolites. Calophyllum biflorum M.R. Hend. & Wyatt-Sm. is an endemic plant of Kalimantan; however, the potential of its xanthone content and biological activity has never been explored. In this study, three known prenylated xanthones: gartanin (1), ananixanthone (2), and α-mangostin (3), were isolated from C. biflorum leaves. Their chemical structures were determined by HRMS and 1D/2D NMR. The antioxidant activities of xanthones 1–3 (via DPPH radical) and their cytotoxicity toward 4T1 breast cancer cells were assessed. Xanthones 1–2 showed strong DPPH activity (IC50: 4.40 and 34.34 µM, respectively). Gartanin (1) also exhibited moderate activity against 4T1 cells (IC50 =16.70 µM). These results indicate the prenylated xanthones from C. biflorum as antioxidant agents.
F. N. Sari, Harum Margasari, Leny Nur Fitriani et al.· Journal of Multidisciplinary...· 0 citations
In this study, a phytochemical investigation of Bauhinia brachycarpa led to the isolation of 23 compounds, including three new ones: bausesquitate C (1), 5-(benzofuran-2-yl)-2,3-dimethoxyphenol (2), and its β-D-glucoside (3). In addition, 14 known compounds were reported from this species for the first time. Compound 1 exhibited moderate α-glucosidase inhibitory activity (IC50 = 5.39 ± 0.30 μM) and acted as a mixed-type inhibitor (Ki = 0.29, Kis = 21.3), with stronger affinity for the free enzyme. Its binding mode and conformational stability were further elucidated by molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations. Among the known isolates, quercetin (8) and afzelin (12) showed moderate inhibitory activities against both α-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase. This work enriches the chemical and pharmacological knowledge of B. brachycarpa and underscores its potential as a source of multitarget enzyme inhibitors.
Comprehensive phytochemical study of the whole plants of Aerides odorata yielded 21 compounds, including two new phenanthrene derivatives (1–2), one new inseparable enantiomeric aurone glycoside (3) and 18 known compounds (4–21). The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analyses, encompassing NMR, MS, ultraviolet (UV), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), optical rotation, and CD data. The anti-inflammatory properties of some isolated compounds were evaluated in lipopolysaccharide activated BV2microglial cells. Among them, gigantol (5), nudol (6), coelonin (9), dihydrocorniferyl dihydro-p-coumarate (10), aerifalcatin (14), and 5-methoxy-9,10-dihydroxyphenanthrene-2,3,7-triol (20) exhibited potent inhibitory activity against nitric oxide production, with IC50 values of 1.82 ± 0.34, 4.88 ± 0.24, 2.42 ± 0.11, 4.67 ± 0.49, 1.37 ± 0.15, and 0.83 ± 0.15 μM, respectively. Furthermore, compounds 6, 10, and 20 significantly attenuated the release of proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 in a concentration-dependent manner. Notably, compound 20 appears to selectively modulate microglia-mediated neuroinflammation via regulation of NF-κB-dependent signaling pathways, leading to decreased production of key pro-inflammatory cytokines.
M. Thant, Virunh Kongkatitham, H. Khine et al.· ACS Omega· 0 citations
A phytochemical investigation of Manglietia chevalieri (Magnoliaceae), an ornamental species has remained largely unexplored for its chemical constituents and pharmacological potential, led to the isolation and identification of 51 structurally diverse compounds. These include 20 phenylpropanoids, 12 terpenoids, and 19 alkaloids. Among them, 14 previously undescribed structures, named manglianins A-N (1-11, 12b, 13, 14), were characterized. Notably, the 3,3'-biphenyl neolignans 1-3 feature unprecedented fusions with an additional C2 or C3 unit, leading to the formation of dioxane or benzofuran rings. Compound 13 is the first sesquiterpenoid featuring a rare 3-oxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane ring. The undescribed structures and their absolute configurations were determined by extensive spectroscopic data analysis, computational calculations, and the modified Mosher's method. Given the role of chronic inflammation in driving idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), all isolates were initially evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activity in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages by measuring the mRNA expression levels of CCL-2, IL-1β, and IL-6. At 1 μM, 17 isolates reduced expression of the three cytokines by more than 50%. Notably, compounds 14, 15, 28, and 40 retained significant anti-inflammatory effect at concentrations as low as 0.1 μM. Subsequent anti-fibrotic assays evaluating the expression of fibrosis markers (collagen I, fibronectin, and α-SMA) identified compounds 14, 28, 31, 33, and 40-43 as potential anti-IPF agents.
Zi-Jie Long, Mao-Mao Zheng, Yuhang He et al.· Phytochemistry· 0 citations
Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. is a rich source of bioactive compounds, and has been extensively investigated for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, despite its broad pharmacological potential, detailed molecular-level insights into the interactions of its phenolic and flavonoid constituents with key skin-aging-related enzymes remain limited. Therefore, this study employed an integrated in silico and in vitro approach to systematically evaluate the anti-aging potential of phenolic and flavonoid compounds derived from N. nucifera. Molecular docking was performed to investigate their binding interactions with tyrosinase, elastase, and collagenase. Compounds exhibiting the most promising inhibitory profiles were further subjected to molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for 100 ns and density functional theory (DFT) analyses at the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level of theory to elucidate their structural stability and electronic properties. The computational results revealed favorable binding affinities, stable complex formation, and electrostatic features supporting hydrogen bond interactions. In vitro enzyme inhibition assays demonstrated that hesperidin exhibited inhibitory activity against tyrosinase, collagenase, and elastase, with IC50 values of 3.43 mM, 2.26 mM, and 0.55 mM, respectively. Kojic acid was used as a positive control for tyrosinase, while epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) was used as a positive control for both collagenase and elastase. Additionally, hesperidin exhibited enzyme-inhibitory activity and preliminary intrinsic UV absorption. This compound warrants further investigation, specifically regarding its stability and performance within standardized cosmeceutical formulations.