Optimization of ultrasonic-assisted extraction and radical-scavenging capacity of phenols and flavonoids from Clerodendrum cyrtophyllum Turcz leaves.[Pubmed: 23874607]

Ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) was developed to extract phenolic and flavonoid antioxidants from Clerodendrum cyrtophyllum Turcz leaves. The optimal experimental parameters for antioxidant extraction from C. cyrtophyllum leaves were measured using single-factor experimentation combined with response surface methodology (RSM). Total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) assays were used to quantify antioxidant compounds. Next, antioxidant radical scavenging capacity was measured using 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2' -azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonicacid) (ABTS) radicals. Optimized extraction conditions for UAE from C. cyrtophyllum leaves were as follows: 60.9% ethanol, 85.4 min, and 63.3°C for maximal TPC extraction (16.8 ± 0.2 mg GAE/g DW); 67.7% ethanol, 82.9 min, and 63.0 °C for maximal TFC extraction (49.3 ± 0.4 mg RT/g DW); 48.8% ethanol, 85.1 min, and 63.9 °C for maximal DPPH radical-scavenging capacity (86.8 ± 0.2%); and 50.6% ethanol, 81.3 min, and 63.4 °C for maximal ABTS radical-scavenging capacity (92.9 ± 0.5%). Ethanol concentration was the most important factor in the extraction process. Our work offers optimal extraction conditions for C. cyrtophyllum as a potential source of natural antioxidants.

Identification of Daqingye and Banlangen including crude drugs and decoction dregs from three plant species by normal light and fluorescence microscopy.[Pubmed: 23681767]

Daqingye and Banlangen are commonly used Chinese medicinal materials derived from the leaves and roots of Isatis indigotica Fort., respectively, which clinical effects have been confirmed by many studies in recent years. However, many problems have arisen concerning the quality and identity of materials sold in the market under these two names. Thus, the identification of Daqingye and Banlangen has drawn public attention. In this work, transverse sections of Daqingye and Banlangen from I. indigotica Fort. and two easily confused species, namely Baphicacanthus cusia (Nees) Bremek. and Clerodendrum cyrtophyllum Turcz., were investigated with normal light and fluorescence microscopy. The distinguishing features were 7-9 vascular bundles, cystoliths and nonglandular hairs in the leaves of I. indigotica, B. cusia, and C. cyrtophyllum, respectively. The Banlangen could be distinguished according to the characteristics of parenchymous cells, cystoliths, and stone cells. Moreover, the fluorescence features of Daqingye and Banlangen investigated in this study can provide direct points for differentiating those samples. Importantly, whether the crude drugs were decocted could be easily identified by their different fluorescence features, which can ensure their quality in clinical application. This is the first report to distinguish the three species that are commonly found in the market sold as Daqingye and Banlangen by normal light and fluorescence microscopy. This work indicates that the combination of normal light and fluorescence microscopy could be powerful, convenient, and economical for authenticating Daqingye and Banlangen from the three species, including crude drugs and decoction dregs.

[Identification characters of leaf morphological and venation pattern of Baphicacanthus cusia with its confused herb Clerodendrum cyrtophyllum].[Pubmed: 22876676]

To study the identification characters of Baphicacanthus cusia and its confused herb Clerodendrum cyrtophyllum and establish an identification method.

Molecular characterization and experimental host-range of two begomoviruses infecting Clerodendrum cyrtophyllum in China.[Pubmed: 20532974]

Two begomovirus isolates (YX2-I and YX2-II) were identified from Clerodendrum cyrtophyllum showing yellow mosaic symptoms collected in Jiangsu province of China. Sequence analysis reveals that YX2-I is a distinct begomovirus species for which the name Clerodendrum golden mosaic Jiangsu virus (ClGMJSV-[CN:YX2:08]) is proposed. YX2-II is an isolate of bipartite begomovirus Clerodendrum golden mosaic China virus (ClGMCNV-[CN:YX2:08]). Infectious clones of the two viruses were constructed and agroinoculated into Nicotiana benthamiana, N. glutinosa, N. tabacum Samsun, Petunia hybrida, Solanum lycopersicum, Capsicum annuum, S. melongena, Glycine max and Gossypium hirsutum plants. ClGMJSV induced leaf curling and stunting symptoms in N. benthamiana, N. glutinosa, N. tabacum Samsun, and P. hybrida, and ClGMCNV infected N. benthamiana, N. glutinosa, and N. tabacum Samsun with severe symptoms and P. hybrida without obvious symptom. Latent infection in N. benthamiana, N. glutinosa, N. tabacum Samsun, and P. hybrida plants was observed when plants were inoculated with ClGMCNV DNA-A alone. In addition, we illustrated that ClGMCNV DNA-A was capable of interacting with the betasatellite associated with Tobacco curly shoot virus (TbCSB) to produce symptoms in N. benthamiana and N. glutinosa plants, and ClGMJSV could interact with TbCSB but not with ClGMCNV DNA-B in N. benthamiana plants.

Cytotoxic pheophorbide-related compounds from Clerodendrum calamitosum and C. cyrtophyllum.[Pubmed: 11473423]

Three pheophorbide-related compounds (1-3) were isolated from the leaves and stems of Clerodendrum calamitosum. The methyl ester of 3 (6) and the known (10S)-hydroxypheophytin a (7) also were isolated from leaves of the related plant Clerodendrum cyrtophyllum. Compounds 1 and 6 were isolated for the first time as naturally occurring products from a plant source. All structures were elucidated by detailed spectroscopic analysis. Biological evaluation showed that 1 and 2 exhibited strong cytotoxicity against human lung carcinoma (A549), ileocecal carcinoma (HCT-8), kidney carcinoma (CAKI-1), breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7), malignant melanoma (SK-MEL-2), ovarian carcinoma (1A9), and epidermoid carcinoma of the nasopharynx (KB), and its etoposide- (KB-7d), vincristine- (KB-VCR), and camptothecin-resistant (KB-CPT) subclones. Compound 3 was less cytotoxic than 1 and 2. Compounds 4-6, the methyl esters of 1-3, showed strongly increased cytotoxicity compared with the parent acids. Interestingly, 6 was the most active derivative among these compounds. Compound 7 was inactive.