• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.352-356
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• 1997

To induce the phytoalexins in plant cell culture systems, we surveyed the antimicrobial activity following the feeding of five naphthoquinones in cell cultures of petunia. Among naphthoquinones treated, 2,5,7-trihydroxy-3-(5'-hydroxyhexyl)-1,4-naphthoquinone (3-OH NQ ) was most efficiently absorbed into the cells within 48 hr. The crude extracts of cells treated with 3-OH NQ showed a strong inhibition activity on spore germination of Aspergillus candidus $(MIC:\;32\;{\mu}g/ml)$, whereas the untreated cells showed no activity. The two active compounds, 4,2',4',${\beta}$-tetrahydroxychalcone and 4',7-dihydroxyflavone, were isolated from petunia cells treated with 3-OH NQ. The major phytoalexin, 4,2',4',${\beta}$-tetrahydroxychalcone, inhibited strongly the spore germination of A. candidus $(MIC:\;16\;{\mu}g/ml)$.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.9
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• pp.893-900
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• 2004

2- or 6-Substituted BZT-N derivatives were synthesized, and their cytotoxic activity against can-cer L1210 and SNU-1 cells was examined. The antitumor action was also assessed in mice bearing S-180 cells in peritoneal cavity. In a comparison, it was found that 6-substituted BZT-N derivatives exhibited higher potencies in both bioactivities than 2-substituted BZT-N derivatives against L1210 cells in in vitro and S-180 in vitro tests exception of compound 36. Interestingly, it was observed that 2-substituted compound 36, which has methyl group at RI position, exhib-ited a better antitumor activity than 6-substituted compounds against L1210 and SNU-1 in vitro. The EDso value of 2-substituted compound 36 against L1210 was found to be comparable to the EDso value of adriamycin and was even better against the solid cancer cell line SNU-1. It was also observed that 2-substituted compound 36 showed better antitumor activity in mice bearing S-180 cells in the peritoneal cavity. The T/C (％) value of 2-substituted compound 36 was simi-lar to that of adriamycin. Quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) tests reveal that the experimental E $D_{50}$ values against SNU-1 closely correlate with both the calculated HOMO ener-gies ( $E_{HOMO}$) and the measured H-NMR chemical shift of 3-H ($\delta$$_{H}$). The results suggests that a compound having higher $E_{HOMO}$ and $\delta$$_{H}$ values usually should have a lower E $D_{50}$ (SNU-1) value.lue.lue.lue.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.220-224
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• 2016

Anti-Helicobacter pylori activity guided fractionation led to the isolation of five anthraquinones, two stilbenes and one naphthoquinone from the EtOAc fraction of Polygonum cuspidatum, using silica gel column chromatography, Sephadex-LH20, MPLC and recrystallization. The chemical structures were identified to be physcion (1), emodin (2), anthraglycoside B (3), trans-resveratrol (4), anthraglycoside A (5), polydatin (6), 2-methoxy-6-acetyl-7-methyljuglone (7) and citreorosein (8) by UV, $^1H$-NMR, $^{13}C$-NMR and mass spectrometry. Anti-Helicobacter pylori activity including MIC values of each compound was evaluated. All of the isolates exhibited anti-H. pylori activity of which MIC values were lower than that of a positive control, quercetin. Compounds 2 and 7 showed potent growth inhibitory activity. Especially, a naphthoquinone, compound 7 displayed most potent antibacterial activity with $MIC_{50}$ value of $0.30{\mu}M$ and $MIC_{90}$ value of $0.39{\mu}M$. Although anti-H. pylori activity of this plant was previously reported, this is the first report on that of compounds isolated from this species. From these findings, P. cuspidatum roots or its isolates may be useful for H. pylori infection and further study is needed to elucidate mechanism of action.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.97-100
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• 1995

The pigments of acetylshikonin and isobutylshikonin isolated from the roots of Lithospermum erythrorhizon were determined over a period of storage for their stabilities influenced by temperatures and metal ions. In dark condition, both pigment solution were unstable at 488 and 560 nm; alcoholic solutions of acetylshikonin pigment were stable at $25^{\circ}C$ and $50^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour, but isobutylshikonin showed severe discoloration within 1 hour at $95^{\circ}C$ . Buffered solutions of acetylshikonin tended to be discolored with the addition of $Fe^{++}$, while those of isobutylshikonin with $Fe^{++}$ and $Cu^{++}$. These studies indicated that acetylshikonin and isobutylshikonin can be used in foods as the natural colorant under selected conditions in case of considering storage temperature and metal ions.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.157-161
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• 1994

The pigments of acetylshikonin and isobutylshikonin isolated from the roots of Lithospermum erythrorhizon were determined over a period of storage for their stabilities influenced by mono- and disaccharides and acids. In general. sugars and acids caused an increase in stability of acetylshikonin at the various concentrations. These studies indicated that acetylshikonin and isobutylshikonin can be used in foods as the natural colorant under selected conditions.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.26 no.12
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• pp.1047-1054
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• 2003

Molecular chaperones have a crucial role in the folding of nascent polypeptides in endoplasmic reticulum. Some of them are known to be sensitive to the modification by electrophilic metabolites of organic pro-toxicants. In order to identify chaperone proteins sensitive to alkyators, ER extract was subjected to alkylation by 4-acetamido-4 -maleimidyl-stilbene-2,2 -disulfonate (AMS), and subsequent SDS-PAGE analyses. Protein spots, with molecular mass of 160, 100, 57 and 36 kDa, were found to be sensitive to AMS alkylation, and one abundant chaperon protein was identified to be protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) in comparison with the purified PDI. To see the reactivity of PDI with cysteine alkylators, the reduced form ($PDI_{red}$) of PDI was incubated with various alkylators containing Michael acceptor structure for 30 min at $38^{\circ}C$ at pH 6.3, and the remaining activity was determined by the insulin reduction assay. Iodoacetamide or N-ethylmaleimide at 0.1 mM remarkably inactivated $PDI_{red}$ with N-ethylmaleimide being more potent than iodoacetamide. A partial inactivation of $PDI_{oxid}$ was expressed by iodoacetamide, but not N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) at pH 6.3. Of Michael acceptor compounds tested, 1,4-benzoquinone ($IC_{50}, 15 \mu$ M) was the most potent, followed by 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal and 1,4-naphthoquinone. In contrast, 1,2-naphthoquinone, devoid of a remarkable inactivation action, was effective to cause the oxidative conversion of $PDI_{red}$ to $PDI_{oxid}$. Thus, the action of Michael acceptor compounds differed greatly depending on their structure. Based on these, it is proposed that POI, one of chaperone proteins in ER, could be susceptible to endogenous or xenobiotic Michael acceptor compounds in vivo system.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.829-836
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• 1997

Studies on the effect of quinones on cardiac function has been conducted with normal hearts. But not with injured hearts, I.e. ischemia/reperfusion-injured heart. Quinone compounds are known to produce oxygen free radicals during metabolism, and for this reason, quinones are implicated in the aggravation of ischemia/reperfusion injury or cardioprotection, as in the case of ischemic preconditioning depending on the experimental conditions. The present study was carried out to examine the effect of 2-chloro-3-(4-cyanophenylamino)-1.4-naphthoquinone (NQ-Y15) on cardiac function of ischemic/reperfused and normal rat hearts. In isolated perfused hearts, various functional parameters such as left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP), left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (EDP) and maximum positive and negative dP/dt ($[\pm}dP/dt_{max}$), time to contracture, heart rate (HR) and coronary flow rate (CFR) were measured before and 30 min after dosing and following 25 min ischemia/30min reperfusion. NQ-Y15 increased LVDP, +dP/$d_{max}$and -dP/$dt_{min}$ by 18%. 30%, and 40%, respectively. There were no significant changes in other haemodynamic parameters. After ischemia/reperfusion injury, pretreatment with NQ-Y15 induced a significant decrease in LVDP and $[\pm}dP/dt_{max}$, but an increase in EDP. LDH-release was not significantly increased. These results suggested that NQ-Y15 may augment the ventricular contractility but it makes hearts more vulnerable to ischemia/reperfusion injury.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.1591-1596
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• 2006

Acaricidal effects of materials derived from Caesalpinia sappan heartwoods against Dermatophagoides farinae and D. pteronyssinus were assessed and compared with those evidenced by commercial benzyl benzoate and DEET. The observed responses varied according to dosage and mite species. The $LD_{50}$ values of the methanol extracts derived from C. sappan heartwoods were 6.13 and $5.44{\mu}g/cm^3$ against D. farinae and D. pteronyssinus, respectively. Furthermore, the ethyl acetate fraction derived from the methanol extract was approximately 8.71 more toxic than DEET against D. farinae, and 4.73 times more toxic against D. pteronyssinus. The biologically active constituent from the ethyl acetate fraction of C. sappan heartwood extract was purified via silica gel chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography. The structure of the acaricidal component was analyzed by $GC-MS,\;^1H-NMR,\;^{13}C-NMR,\;^1H-^{13}C\;COSY-NMR$, and DEPT-NMR spectroscopy, and identified as juglone (5-hydroxy-l,4-naphthoquinone). Based on the $LD_{50}$ values of juglone and its derivatives, the most toxic compound against D. farinae was juglone ($0.076{\mu}g/cm^3$), followed by benzyl benzoate ($9.143{\mu}g/cm^3$) and 2methyl-l,4-naphthoquinone ($40.0{\mu}g/cm^3$). These results indicate that the acaricidal activity of C. sappan heartwoods is likely to be the result of the effects of juglone. Additionally, juglone treatment was shown to effect a change in the color of the cuticles of house dust mites, from colorless-transparent to dark brownish-black. Accordingly, as a naturally occurring acaricidal agent, C. sappan heartwood-derived juglone should prove to be quite 'useful as a potential control agent, lead compound, and house dust mite indicator.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.141-148
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• 2000

A new synthetic method of 6-(1-oxyalkyl)-5,8-dimethoxy-1,4-naphthoquinones was developed, 2-formyl-1,4,5,8-tetramethoxynaphthalene was oxidized to form 6-formyl-5,8-dimethoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone(DMNQ). This was selectively reduced and benzylated to produce 6-formyl-5,8-dimethoxy-1,4-dibenzyloxynaphthalene, to which various alkylmagnesium halide were added, followed by debenzylation and oxidation in sequence, yielding 6-(1-hydroxyalkyl)-DMNQ derivatives. 6-(1-hydroxyalkyl)-5,8-diethoxy-1,4-naphthalene (DENQ) derivatives were synthesized by similar procedure. 1'-OH of the naphthoquinone derivatives was acylated with various alkanoic acids to give 6-(1-acyloxyalkyl)-DMNQ or DENQ derivatives. TOPO-I inhibitory activity and cytotoxicity of DENQs were less potent than that of DMNQs. Among the DMNQ and DENQ analogues, the ones with alkyl group being heptyl were most potent in TOPO-I inhibition $IC_{50}$/; 30.1, 36.4 $\mu$M). DUNQ derivatives with a longer side chain exhibited a weaker cytotoxicity. A correlation between size of the alkyl side chain and cytotoxicity was not observed for DENQ derivatives. Acylation of 1'-hydroxyl group, in general, decreased both TOPO-I inhibitory activity and cytotoxicity T/C (%) values of the DENQ derivatives on S-180 intraperitoneal tumor were larger than those of DMNQ derivatives. Among the compounds synthesized,6-(1-hydroxyheptyl)-DENQ and 6-(1-hex-anoyloxyoctyl)-DMNQ showed the highest T/C values of 183% and 182%, respectively.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.265-273
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• 2022

Resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs is a significant problem in the treatment of colorectal cancer, resulting in low response rates and decreased survival. Recent studies have shown that shikonin, a naphthoquinone derivative, promotes apoptosis in colon cancer cells and cisplatin-resistant ovarian cells, raising the possibility that this compound may be effective in drug-resistant colorectal cancer. The aim of this study was to characterize the molecular mechanisms underpinning shikonin-induced apoptosis, with a focus on endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, in a 5-fluorouracil-resistant colorectal cancer cell line, SNU-C5/5-FUR. Our results showed that shikonin significantly increased the proportion of sub-G₁ cells and DNA fragmentation and that shikonin-induced apoptosis is mediated by mitochondrial Ca²⁺ accumulation. Shikonin treatment also increased the expression of ER-related proteins, such as glucose regulatory protein 78 (GRP78), phospho-protein kinase RNA-like ER kinase (PERK), phospho-eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2α), phospho-phosphoinositol-requiring protein-1 (IRE1), spliced X-box-binding protein-1 (XBP-1), cleaved caspase-12, and C/EBP-homologous protein (CHOP). In addition, siRNA-mediated knockdown of CHOP attenuated shikonin-induced apoptosis, as did the ER stress inhibitor TUDCA. These data suggest that ER stress is a key factor mediating the cytotoxic effect of shikonin in SNU-C5/5-FUR cells. Our findings provide an evidence for a mechanism in which ER stress leads to apoptosis in shikonin-treated SNU-C5/5-FUR cells. Our study provides evidence to support further investigations on shikonin as a therapeutic option for 5-fluorouracil-resistant colorectal cancer.