In a continuing program to discover new anticancer agents from plants, especially naphthoquinones from the Alkanna genus, Alkanna cappadocica was investigated. Bioassay-guided fractionation of a dichloromethane/methanol (1:1) extract of the roots led to the isolation of four new and four known naphthoquinones. The known compounds are 11-deoxyalkannin (1), , -dimethylacrylalkannin (2), 11-O-acet...

Tryptanthrin (1), indole-3-acetonitrile (2) and p-coumaric acid methylester (3) were isolated from the aerial parts of Isatis tinctoria L. The compounds show insecticidal and anti-feedant activity against termites (Reticulitermis santonensis), insect preventive and control activity against larvae of the house longhorn beetle (Hylotrupes bajulus) and fungicidal activity against the brown-rot fun...

Two new oxindole alkaloids isatinone A (1) and B (2) have been isolated from Isatis costata, along with the known trisindoline. Their structures have been assigned on the basis of spectroscopic techniques and chemical studies. Both new compounds showed significant antifungal activity.

As a complement to morphological research on the genus Isatis (Brassicaceae), an anatomical study was conducted on the fruit, leaf and stem of 18 species and four subspecies of this genus, as well as two species belonging to the genusPachypterygium. Inclusion of the members of the later genus in the study was to clarify the evidences that supported their affinity to the genus Isatis. As a resul...

This paper presents the findings of a research on the genus Isatis L.(Brassicaceae) in Iran. Isatis specimens kept in major herbaria of Iran were examined carefully. Fresh specimens were collected from Tehran, Mazandaran, Semnan, Hamedan, Kurdistan, W. Azarbaijan , E. Azarbaijan, Ardebil and Ghazvin provinces. Images of type or otherwise valid specimens kept in Viena, Munich, Montpollier and Ke...

Root and leaf tissue of Isatis indigotica shows notable anti-viral efficacy, and are widely used as "Banlangen" and "Daqingye" in traditional Chinese medicine. The plants' pharmacological activity is attributed to phenylpropanoids, especially a group of lignan metabolites. However, the biosynthesis of lignans in I. indigotica remains opaque. This study describes the discovery and analysis of bi...

Six new indole alkaloid sulfonic acids (1-6), together with two analogues (7 and 8) that were previously reported as synthetic products, were isolated from an aqueous extract of the Isatis indigotica root. Their structures including the absolute configurations were determined by spectroscopic data analysis, combined with enzyme hydrolysis and comparison of experimental circular dichroism and ca...