Diterpene alkaloids and diterpenes from Spiraea japonica and their anti-tobacco mosaic virus activity.[Pubmed: 26625838]

Five new naturally occurring natural products, including two atisine-type diterpene alkaloids (1 and 2), two atisane-type diterpenes (3 and 4), and a new natural product spiramine C2 (5), along with nine known ones (6-14), were isolated from the ethanolic extracts of the whole plant of Spiraea japonica var. acuminata Franch. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis. The anti-tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) activities of all the compounds were evaluated by the conventional half-leaf method. Six compounds (2, 3, 6, 7, 11, and 12) exhibited moderate activities at 100 μg/mL with inhibition rates in the range of 69.4-92.9%, which were higher than that of the positive control, ningnanmycin. Their preliminary structure-activity relationships were also discussed.

Spiramine derivatives induce apoptosis of Bax(-/-)/Bak(-/-) cell and cancer cells.[Pubmed: 24684844]

Spiramine C-D, the atisine-type diterpenoid alkaloids isolated from the Chinese herbal medicine Spiraea japonica complex, are shown to have anti-inflammatory effects in vitro. In this study, we report that spiramine derivatives of spiramine C-D bearing α,β-unsaturated ketone induce apoptosis of Bax(-/-)/Bak(-/-) MEFs cell, which is positively corresponding their cytotoxicity of tumor cell lines including multidrug resistance MCF-7/ADR. The results indicated that oxazolidine ring is necessary, and derivatives bearing double 'Michael reaction acceptor' group would significantly increased activities both of inducing apoptosis of Bax(-/-)/Bak(-/-) cells and cytotoxicity of tumor cells. The result indicated that spiramine derivative with α,β-unsaturated ketone group is a new anti-cancer agent with a capability of inducing apoptosis of cancer cells in Bax/Bak-independent manner.

Particulate matter on foliage of 13 woody species: deposition on surfaces and phytostabilisation in waxes--a 3-year study.[Pubmed: 23488010]

Particulate matter (PM) as an air pollutant can be harmful for human health through allergic, mutagenic and carcinogenic effects. Although the main focus is on decreasing air pollution, after PM has been emitted to the atmosphere, one ofthe realistic options to decrease it's concentrations in urbanized area will be phytoremediation. This study compared the capacity to capture PM from air of seven tree species commonly cultivated in Poland (Catalpa bignonioides Walter, Corylus colurna L., Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marsh., Ginkgo biloba L., Platanus x hispanica Mill. ex Muenchh., Quercus rubra L., Tilia tomentosa Moench 'Brabant') and six shrub species (Acer tataricum subsp, ginnala (Maxim.) Wesm., Sambucus nigra L., Sorbaria sorbifolia (L) A.Br., Spiraea japonica L.f., Syringe meyeri C.K. Schneid. 'Palibin', Viburnum lantana L.). Significant differences were found between species in mass of total PM accumulation for two PM categories and three size fractions determined and in amount of waxes. A positive correlation was found between in-wax PM of diameter 2.5-10 microm and amount of waxes, but not between amount of waxes and amount of total PM or of any size fraction.

Deposition of particulate matter of different size fractions on leaf surfaces and in waxes of urban forest species.[Pubmed: 21972570]

Particulate matter (PM) is an air contaminant in urban and industrial areas that often exceeds limit values, creating serious problems due to its harmful effects on health. Planting trees and shrubs as air filters is a way to improve air quality in these areas. However,further knowledge on species effectiveness in air purification is essential This study compared four species of tree (Acer campestre L, Fraxinus excelsior L, Platanus x hispanica Mill. ex Muenchh. 'Acerifolia', Tilia cordata Mill.), three species of shrub (Forsythia x intermedia Zabel, Physocarpus opulifolius (L.) Maxim., Spiraea japonica L.), and one climber species (Hedera helix L) that are commonly cultivated along streets in Poland to capture fine, coarse and larger particles from air. Separate gravimetric analyses were performed to quantify PM deposited on surfaces and trapped in waxes. Significant differences were found between the plant species tested. The distribution of different particle size fractions differed between and within species and also between leaf surfaces and in waxes.

Spiraeosides A and B, two new diterpenoid glucosides from Spiraea japonica var. ovalifolia.[Pubmed: 19350486]

Two new atisane-type diterpenoid glucosides, spiraeosides A (1) and B (2), were isolated from the aerial parts of Spiraea japonica L. f. var. ovalifolia. Their structures were characterized based on spectral analysis, and the structure of 1 was further confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction.

Alkaloid polymorphism and ITS sequence variation in the Spiraea japonica complex (Rosaceae) in China: traces of the biological effects of the Himalaya-Tibet Plateau uplift.[Pubmed: 21642139]

Spiraea japonica, a diverse, perennial shrubby species complex widespread across E Asia, was a useful model in a first attempt to link specific phylogeny, floristic evolution, and historical environmental changes in E Asia. DNA-based phylogenetic reconstruction served as a framework to investigate whether the patterns of variation in alkaloids and nrITS from varieties of S. japonica reflect the geological history of China and the uplifting of the Himalaya-Tibet plateau, the most significant geological event in E Asia since the late Paleocene. The high geographical structure found in the phylogenetic trees was corroborated by the distribution of alkaloids. All populations from E China, with mainly hetisine-type alkaloids, formed a single clade, sister to a clade of all populations from SW China, with mainly atisine-type alkaloids. The distribution boundary between the two clades roughly matched the floristic division between the Sino-Japanese Forest and the Sino-Himalayan Forest subkingdoms, as well as the environmental division between SW and E China, suggesting a close link between specific phylogeny, floristic evolution, and geographical changes in E Asia. The divergence between lineages at variety and population level within the eastern clade was slightly older than those within the southwestern clade, supporting the hypothesis of a northeast-southwest migration of Spiraea since the Eocene. The uplift of the Himalaya-Tibet plateau and subsequent increase in geographical complexity in SW China, could facilitate divergence maintenance, thus accelerating the evolutionary rate.