benzofurans and angelicin

Coumarins are the main active components in Psoraleae Fructus. To study the multi-component pharmacokinetics of Psoraleae Fructus, this study established a sensitive and rapid ultra-pressure liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS) method for simultaneous determination of psoralen, isopsoralen, psoralenoside, and isopsoralenoside in rat plasma. After validation, the method was applied to the investigation of pharmacokinetics of psoralen, isopsoralen, psoralenoside, and isopso-ralenoside in rats after single and multiple administration of Psoraleae Fructus extract. The results revealed that the exposure of psoralen and isopsoralen in rat plasma was high after a single intragastric administration of Psoraleae Fructus extract, with an AUC_(0-∞) of 443 619-582 680 and 167 314-276 903 ng·mL~(-1)·h~(-1), respectively. Compared with these two compounds, the exposure of psoralenoside and isopsoralenoside was lower with marked gender difference. After 7-day administration of Psoraleae Fructus extract to rats, the AUC_(0-∞) of psoralen and isopsoralen was 29 701-81 783 and 39 234-89 914 ng·mL~(-1)·h~(-1), respectively, which was significantly lower than that at the first day(P<0.05), and that of psoralenoside and isopsoralenoside was 7 360-19 342 and 8 823-45 501 ng·mL~(-1)·h~(-1), respectively. There was no significant gender difference in exposure of psoralenoside and isopsoralenoside in male and female rats. However, the exposure of psoralenoside and isopsoralenoside in male rats was reduced(P<0.05), and the t_(1/2) and mean residence time(MRT) were shortened, suggesting that the removal of these two compounds from the body was accelerated.

Topics: Administration, Oral; Animals; Benzofurans; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Chromatography, Liquid; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Ficusin; Furocoumarins; Glycosides; Psoralea; Rats; Tandem Mass Spectrometry

A method for the simultaneous quantification of 13 bioactive compounds (psoralen, isopsoralen, isobavachin, bakuchalcone, neobabaisoflavone, bavachin, corylin, psoralidin, isobavachalcone, bavachinin, corylifol A, bavachalcone, and bakuchiol) by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry has been developed and validated in rat plasma. Osthol was used as an internal standard and plasma samples were pretreated with one-step liquid-liquid extraction. These analytes were separated using a gradient mobile phase system of water and acetonitrile at a flow rate of 0.2 mL/min on a reverse-phase C18 column and analyzed in the selected multiple reactions monitoring mode. All calibration curves were linear (r > 0.9952) over the tested ranges. The intra- and interday accuracy and precisions of these analytes at three different concentration levels were within the acceptable limits of <15% at all concentrations. The mean recoveries of these analytes at three concentrations were more than 60.2% and the matrix effects were in the range of 85-115%. Stability studies proved that the analytes were stable under the tested conditions. The developed method was applied to evaluating the pharmacokinetic study of 13 bioactive compounds after oral administration of Psoraleae Fructus in rat of different genders. Some active compounds in Psoraleae Fructus had sex-related pharmacokinetics.

Topics: Animals; Benzofurans; Chalcones; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Coumarins; Female; Ficusin; Flavones; Flavonoids; Furocoumarins; Male; Mass Spectrometry; Molecular Structure; Phenols; Psoralea; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Qing'e Pills is a Chinese traditional herbal product, which is often used to strengthen muscles and bones in TCM (traditional Chinese Medicine) practice. Its two main component herbs, namely,

Topics: Benzofurans; Caco-2 Cells; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Ficusin; Furocoumarins; Glycosides; Humans; Iridoids; Temperature

Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, an external fish parasite, often causes significant economic damage to the aquaculture industry. Since the use of malachite green was banned, the search of alternative substance to control I. multifiliis infections becomes stringent. In present study, in vitro and in vivo anti-ich efficacies of isopsoralen and psoralidin, two active compounds isolated from methanol extract of Psoralea corylifolia by bioassay-guided fractionation based on the efficacy of anti-ich encysted tomonts, were evaluated. In vitro antiprotozoal efficacy of psoralidin is much better than that of isopsoralen. Psoralidin can kill all theronts at concentrations of 0.8 mg/L or more during 4 h exposure; and terminate reproduction of I. multifiliis post 6 h exposure of protomonts to 0.9 mg/L and encysted tomonts to 1.2 mg/L. In vivo trials showed that 5 h exposure of infected fish to 2.5 mg/L of psoralidin significantly reduced the number of theronts released from tomonts. Furthermore, we observed that a part of protomonts, collected from infected fish post treatment, presented characteristic morphological changes of apoptosis after staining with Annexin V-EGFP/propidium iodide, indicating the possible mechanism of psoralidin against I. multifiliis trophont in situ. On the basis of these results, psoralidin can be used as a potential lead compound for the development of commercial drug against I. multifiliis.

Topics: Animals; Antiprotozoal Agents; Benzofurans; Ciliophora Infections; Coumarins; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Fish Diseases; Furocoumarins; Goldfish; Hymenostomatida; Molecular Structure; Psoralea

The dried fruit of Psoralea corylifolia L. has been used to prevent and treat vitiligo, osteoporosis, arthralgia and asthma in Traditional Chinese Medicine for some 1600 years. Psoralen (P), isopsoralen (IP), psoralenoside (PO) and isopsoralenoside (IPO) are the major coumarins and coumarin-related benzofuran glycosides in Psoraleae Fructus, which have been reported to show estrogen-like activity, osteoblastic proliferation accelerating activity, antitumor effects and antibacterial activity. The first aim of this study is to develop a rapid, sensitive and selective ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) approach for simultaneous determination of PO, IPO, P and IP in rat plasma and samples collected from in vitro incubation experiments. The second aim is to investigate the pharmacokinetic properties of PO, IPO, P and IP after oral administration of Psoralea corylifolia extract (PCE) to rats. The third aim is to confirm the biotransformation of PO to P or IPO to IP under gastrointestinal conditions.. A UPLC-MS/MS method with a C18 column and a mobile phase of methanol-0.1% aqueous formic acid was validated according to the criteria in FDA guidelines about bioanalytical method, which was developed to investigate the pharmacokinetic behavior of PO, IPO, P and IP from PCE and the metabolic pathways of PO to P or IPO to IP.. The criteria for establishment of a new UPLC-MS/MS method including selectivity, linearity, accuracy, precision, extraction recovery, matrix effect and stability were validated. This method was successfully applied to the quantitative determination of PO, IPO, P and IP in biological samples collected from both in vitro incubations and in vivo rat experiments. After oral administration of PCE to rat, pharmacokinetic parameters of these four compounds indicated that in vivo biotransformation may occur between PO and P or IPO and IP. Purified benzofuran glycosides fraction (PBGF), containing only PO and IPO, was orally administered to rats to further confirm the biotransformation of PO to P or IPO to IP under gastrointestinal conditions. An in vitro incubation study elucidated that PO and IPO were metabolized to P and IP by intestinal microflora through de-glucosylation.. This paper developed a rapid, sensitive and selective UPLC-MS/MS method for simultaneous determination of PO, IPO, P and IP from PCE in biological samples, and investigated on their comprehensive in vivo and in vitro pharmacokinetic studies. These obtained results showed that the metabolism by intestinal bacteria plays an important role in pharmacological effects of orally administered PCE.

Topics: Animals; Benzofurans; Chromatography, Liquid; Ficusin; Fruit; Furocoumarins; Glycosides; Male; Molecular Structure; Plant Extracts; Psoralea; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Intramolecular hydroarylation of 4-benzofuranyl alkynoates using Pd(OAc)(2) as catalyst took place selectively and efficiently, giving angular furocoumarin derivatives in high yields. The parent angelicin was obtained in 80% yield by this method. The starting 4-benzofuranyl alkynoates were easily accessible from readily available 4-hydroxybenzofurans and alkynoic acids.

Topics: Alkynes; Benzofurans; Catalysis; Furocoumarins; Molecular Structure; Palladium; Stereoisomerism

Fructus Psoraleae, a widely used traditional Chinese medicine, is well known as a health supplement ingredient. In our study, an improved and comprehensive HPLC fingerprint of Fructus Psoraleae was established. Two important new benzofuran glycosides, psoralenoside and isopsoralenoside, were identified as characteristic constituents for the first time. HPLC separation was performed on an RP-C8 column. The mobile phase was acetonitrile and 0.1% acetic acid solution with linear gradient change of acetonitrile from 10 to 82% in 40 min. The flow rate was 1.0 mL/min, and the detection wavelength was set at 310 nm. The HPLC chromatograms of twenty-six samples from different regions of China showed a similar pattern. Twelve peaks were selected as characteristic peaks and further identified as psoralenoside, isopsoralenoside, psoralen, isopsoralen, bavachromene, corylifolin, corylin, psoralidin, isobavachalcone, bavachinin, corylifol A, and bakuchiol, respectively. Nine of them were simultaneously quantitatively analyzed for the first time. A more comprehensive analytical method was established for the fingerprint of Fructus Psoraleae. It is very useful for authentication and quality assessment of the crude drug.

Topics: Benzofurans; Chalcones; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Coumarins; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Ficusin; Flavonoids; Fruit; Furocoumarins; Glycosides; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Mass Spectrometry; Molecular Structure; Phenols; Psoralea; Solvents

We have developed two practical one-step syntheses of 2,3-dihydro-3-hydroxy-2-hydroxyalkylbenzofurans from readily available optically pure alpha,beta-epoxy aldehydes. Electron-deficient resorcinols react with epoxy aldehydes using either Cs2CO3 in DMF or KOH/CaCl2 in MeOH to give adducts 13, 16, 18, 20, 21, and brosimacutin G (6t). Grignard reagents prepared by low-temperature halogen-metal exchange of acetoxy iodocoumarins 35d and 40 and acetoxy bromonaphthalene 41 add to epoxy aldehyde (S)-26 to complete the first syntheses of vaginidiol (7c), vaginol (7t), smyrindiol (8c), xanthoarnol (8t), and avicenol A (9t). Acid-catalyzed fragmentation of vaginidiol or vaginol provides angelicin, while that of smyrindiol or xanthoarnol affords psoralen. In both cases, the trans isomers fragment only twice as fast as the cis isomers, possibly through the intermediacy of a common benzylic cation. This may have implications for the biosynthesis of angelicin and psoralen.

Topics: Aldehydes; Benzofurans; Epoxy Compounds; Ficusin; Furocoumarins; Molecular Conformation; Molecular Mimicry

A coumestan derivative, psoralidin (1) was found to be a cytotoxic principle of the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia L. (Leguminosae) with the IC50 values of 0.3 and 0.4 microg/ml against the HT-29 (colon) and MCF-7 (breast) human cancer cell lines, respectively. A coumarin, angelicin (2) was also isolated as a marginally cytotoxic agent along with an inactive compound, psoralen (3) from the plant. The isolates 1-3 were not active against the A541 (lung) and HepG2 (liver hepatoma) cancer cell lines.

Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Benzofurans; Cell Survival; Chemical Phenomena; Chemistry, Physical; Coumarins; Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; Furocoumarins; Humans; Indicators and Reagents; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Plants, Medicinal; Psoralea; Rats; Seeds; Spectrophotometry, Infrared; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; Tumor Cells, Cultured