Ergosterol peroxide (EPO, 1) is a major antitumor sterol produced by edible or medicinal mushrooms. Following oral administration of 1 to rats or anaerobic in vitro incubation of 1 with rat fecal bacteria, three metabolites were detected and their structures were identified to be 5alpha,6alpha-epoxyergosta-8(14),22-diene-3beta,7alpha-diol (M1, 2), 5alpha,6alpha-epoxyergosta-8,22-diene-3beta,7al...

Two new triterpene glucosides, beta-D-glucopyranosyl 2alpha,3beta,24-trihydroxyolean- 12-en-28-oate and beta-D-glucopyranosyl 2alpha,3beta,23,24-tetrahydroxyurs-12-en-28-oate, in addition to nine known compounds belonging to three different triterpene classes (oleanane-, ursane- and lupane-type) have been isolated from the stems of a specimen of Combretum laxum growing in the "Pantanal" of the ...

Two new triterpenoids, 2alpha,3beta,11alpha,13beta-tetrahydroxy-12-ketooleanan-28-oic acid(1) and 3beta-hydroxy-12-keto-9(11)-ursen-28,13beta-olide (2) were isolated from the leaves ofPhotinia serrulata. Their structures were identified by spectral methods. Compounds 1 and2 were assessed for cytotoxic activity against three human tumor cell lines (A-549, HCT-8,and BEL-7402), and they showed no ...

Two new sulfated triterpenoid saponins, zygophylosides Q (1) and R (2), have been isolated from the barks of Zygophyllum fabago L. Their structures were elucidated as 3beta,24,28,30-tetrahydro-urs-20-ene-24-O-sulphonyl-3-O-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-30-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside and 3beta,24,28,30-tetrahydro-urs-20-ene-24-O-sulphonyl-3-O-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl]-30-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, respective...

Two novel lanostane-type triterpenes, Ganolactone B and Ganoderiol A triacetate, were isolated from the fruiting bodies of G. sinense, together with six known compounds. The structures of the two new triterpenes were determined as 3beta,7beta- dihydroxy-11,15-dioxo-lanosta-8-en-24-->20 lactone (1) and 3beta,24,26-triacetoxy-5alpha-lanosta-7,9(11)-dien-25-ol (2), respectively, by chemical and sp...

Two new cevanine steroidal alkaloids, impericine (1) and forticine (2) along with known bases delavine (3), persicanidine A (4), and imperialine (5) were isolated from the bulbs of Fritillaria imperialis. The structures of impericine (1) [(20R,22S,25S)-5alpha-cevanin-23-ene-3beta,6beta,16beta-triol] and forticine (2) [(20S,22S,25S)-5alpha-cevanine-3beta,6beta-diol] were determined with the help...

INTRODUCTION Evidence collected over the years has demonstrated that cryptorchidism is associated with a defect in spermatogenesis and, as a consequence, with either reduced fertility or infertility. However, the effect of cryptorchidism on Leydig cell function is less clear. The aim of our study therefore was to investigate the regulation of steroid hormone biosynthesis and, additionally, inte...

Adult hippocampal neurogenesis is decreased in rodent models for stress-related disorders partly through an elevated level of glucocorticoids (GCs). On the other hand, lithium (Li), a mood stabilizer and an inhibitor of GSK-3beta, increases adult hippocampal neurogenesis. However, it remains unclear whether GCs-induced decrease can be recovered by Li or not. Recently we established the culture ...