benzofurans and ailanthoidol

2-Aryl/alkylbenzofurans, which constitute an important subclass of naturally occurring lignans and neolignans, have attracted extensive synthetic efforts due to their useful biological activities and significant pharmacological potential. Herein, we report a general and efficient approach to divergent 2-arylbenzofurans through a one-pot synthesis of versatile 2-bromobenzofurans as key intermediates. Using this approach, the first total synthesis of a series of trisubstituted and tetrasubstituted benzofurans bearing the hydroxyethyl unit, including the natural compounds isolated from

Topics: Anisoles; Benzofurans; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Survival; Cyclization; Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; Humans; Lavandula; Oxidation-Reduction; Spectrum Analysis

Ailanthoidol is a benzofuran-type neolignan containing an alcoholic and a phenolic hydroxyl groups and can be synthesized following the description in a previous report. In this work, its antioxidant effect was estimated in the experimental system of 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane hydrochloride) (AAPH)-induced oxidation of DNA. It was found that ailanthoidol can scavenge 1.5 radicals in protecting DNA against AAPH-induced oxidation. Moreover, a benzyl group was used to etherize the phenolic hydroxyl group of ailanthoidol, resulting in the formation of (E)-2-(4'-benzyloxy-3'-methoxyphenyl)-5-(3″-hydroxypropenyl)-7-methoxybenzofuran (BBF). However, BBF cannot protect DNA against AAPH-induced oxidation. This result demonstrated that the alcoholic hydroxyl group cannot play the antioxidative role in protecting DNA. Furthermore, a ferrocenyl group was used to substitute the alcoholic hydroxyl group, leading to the formation of (E)-1-ferrocenyl-3-(2'-(4″-hydroxy-3″-methoxyphenyl)-7'-methoxybenzofuran-5'-yl)prop-2-en-1-one (FBF). FBF can scavenge 2.0 radicals in protecting DNA against AAPH-induced oxidation. This result indicated that the antioxidant ability of FBF was higher than that of ailanthoidol. Finally, FBF and ailanthoidol were applied to trap 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) cationic radical (ABTS(+.)). It was found that FBF can trap 1.92 ABTS(+.), while ailanthoidol can trap 1.58 ABTS(+.). Therefore, the modification of ailanthoidol by ferrocenyl group enhanced radical-scavenging and antioxidative ability of ailanthoidol.

Topics: Amidines; Antioxidants; Benzofurans; DNA; Ferrous Compounds; Free Radical Scavengers; Kinetics; Metallocenes; Oxidation-Reduction

The biological properties of ailanthoidol, a neolignan from Zanthoxylum ailanthoides or Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, which is used in Chinese traditional herbal medicine, have not been evaluated. Here, we report that ailanthoidol inhibits inflammatory reactions in macrophages and protects mice from endotoxin shock. Our in vitro experiments showed that ailanthoidol suppressed the generation of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E(2) , as well as the expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in RAW264.7 cells. Similarly, ailanthoidol inhibited the production of inflammatory cytokines induced by LPS in RAW264.7 cells, including interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6. In an animal model, ailanthoidol protected BALB/c mice from LPS-induced endotoxin shock, possibly through inhibition of the production of inflammatory cytokines and NO. Collectively, ailanthoidol inhibited the production of inflammatory mediators and may be a potential target for treatment of various inflammatory diseases.

Topics: Animals; Benzofurans; Cell Line; Flow Cytometry; Inflammation; Inflammation Mediators; Lipopolysaccharides; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Microscopy, Fluorescence; NF-kappa B; Shock, Septic

Many components derived from dietary or medicinal plants showing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential have been found to possess chemopreventive properties. In our previous study, we achieved the total synthesis of ailanthoidol (AT), a neolignan from Zanthoxylum ailanthoides or Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, which are used in Chinese traditional herbal medicine. In the present study, preliminarily, AT exhibited a radical quenching property by DPPH assay. Following this, we assessed the effect of AT on 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced oxidative stress and inflammation in female CD-1 mouse skin which was closely linked to tumor promotion. The topical application of AT (0.5-2.5 mM; 200 microl) reduced the formation of hydrogen peroxide and inhibited the myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in the mouse skin when compared with that of the TPA-treated alone group. In addition, AT presented a suppression effect on the TPA-induced hyperplasia and leukocyte infiltration in the epidermis and edema of mouse ears. Furthermore, it showed that AT inhibited the TPA-induced expression of COX-2 protein and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity in epidermis. Finally, AT was evaluated for its ability to inhibit the TPA-induced promotion in skin tumors of female CD-1 mice. Topical application of AT 5 min prior to TPA (5 nmol) three times weekly for 12 weeks to mice which were initiated with benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) inhibited the incidence of skin tumors in mice and the average number of tumors per mice as compared to TPA-treated alone. These results indicate that AT possesses potential as a chemopreventive agent against tumor promotion.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Antineoplastic Agents; Benzo(a)pyrene; Benzofurans; Carcinogens; Female; Mice; Mice, Inbred ICR; Neoplasms; Peroxidase; Skin; Skin Neoplasms; Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; Time Factors

Ailanthoidol 1, which can be isolated from Chinese herbal medicine, is achieved in which the longest linear sequence is only six steps in 48% overall yield from commercially available 5-bromo-2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde. The key transformations in the synthesis are the Stille coupling reactions of benzofuranyl bromide with stannanyl compounds. This synthetic strategy can be modified to give access to a variety of different ailanthoidol and XH14 analogues.

Topics: Benzaldehydes; Benzofurans; Catalysis; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Guaiacol; Indicators and Reagents; Molecular Structure; Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular; Stereoisomerism; Zanthoxylum

Bioassay-guided fractionation of the neutral extract of the bark of Sarcomelicope megistophylla resulted in the isolation of the new nor-neolignan sarcomeginal ( 1), together with the known ailanthoidol ( 2) and (+/-)-seco-isolariciresinol ( 3). The structure of 1 was determined by spectroscopic means. Estrogenic activity of the isolated compounds was tested using estrogen receptor-positive MCF7 and estrogen receptor-negative MDA-MB-231 human mammary adenocarcinoma cell lines. Compound 3 displayed significant estrogenic activity.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; Benzofurans; Breast Neoplasms; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Female; Humans; Inhibitory Concentration 50; Lignans; Lignin; Naphthols; Phytotherapy; Plant Bark; Plant Extracts; Receptors, Estrogen; Rutaceae; Tumor Cells, Cultured