Two new glycerides, didemnacerides A (1) and B (2), together with three known sterols, 24-ethyl-25-hydroxycholesterol (3), cholest-6-en-3,5,8-triol (4) and cholestane-3,5,6-26-tetrol (5), were isolated from the Red Sea ascidian Didemnum sp. Their structures were elucidated by using extensive 1D (1H, 13C) and 2D (1H–1H COSY, HSQC and HMBC) NMR studies and mass spectroscopic data (GC-MS and HR-MS) as well as alkaline hydrolysis followed by GC–MS and NMR spectral analyses of the fatty acid methyl esters. This is the first report of compounds 3–5 from the Red Sea ascidian Didemnum species.

Re-investigation of the MeOH extract of the seeds of Cucumis melo L. var. reticulatus (Cucurbitaceae) led to the isolation of a new chromone derivative (5,7-dihydroxy-2-[2-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl]chromone (5) and a triglyceride (1,3-di-(6Z,9Z)-docosa-6,9-dienoyl-2-(6Z) hexacos-6-enoylglycerol (1), together with three known compounds; -spinasterol (2), stigmasta-7,22,25-trien-3-ol (3), and D:B-friedoolean-5-ene-3--ol (4), are reported from this species for the first time. Their structures were determined by extensive 1D (1H, 13C, and DEPT) and 2D (1H-1H COSY, HMQC, and HMBC) NMR and mass spectral measurements. Compound 5 displayed significant cytotoxic activity against L5178Y cells, with an ED50 of 5 µM. The MeOH extract and 5 showed antioxidant activity using the DPPH assay.

Three new flavonoids; kaempferol-4'-phenoxy-3,3',5'-trimethylether (3), rhamnocitrin-4'-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxy)phenoxy-3-methyl ether (4), and rhamnocitrin-3-O-neohesperoside-4'-O-rhamnoside (6), along with three known compounds; 4-methoxy-benzyldehyde (1), kaempferol-3-methylether (2), and stachydrine (5) were isolated from the aerial parts of Cadaba glandulosa Forssk. Their chemical structures were established by physical, chemical, and spectral methods, as well as comparison with literature data. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of the isolated compounds were determined. Compounds 2–4, and 6 exhibited potent anti-inflammatory activity comparable with indomethacin and moderate antioxidant activity.

Re-investigation of the methanolic extract of Anisotes trisulcus (Forssk.) Nees aerial parts led to the isolation of two new tricyclic quinazoline alkaloids, 8-amino-7,8,9,11-tetrahydro-6H-pyrido[2,1-b]quinazoline-2,6-diol (4) and 8-amino-3,6-dihydroxy-7,8,9-trihydro-6H-pyrido[2,1-b]quinazoline-11-one (5), and two quaternary ammonium compounds, (dimethylamino)-N-(hydroxymethyl)-N,N-dimethyl methanaminium chloride (6) and N-[(carboxyamino)methyl]-N,N-dimethyl ethanaminium chloride (7), together with three known compounds, peganine (1), vasicinone (2), and anisotine (3). The structures of these compounds were established on the basis of physical, chemical, and spectral data (UV, IR, MS, 1D and 2D NMR), as well as by comparison with authentic samples. GC-MS analysis of the fatty acid methyl esters and unsaponifiable matter revealed the presence of 46 fatty acids, 53 hydrocarbons, and 18 sterols. The different extracts were evaluated for their antihyperglycaemic activities. The MeOH, n-hexane, and EtOAc extracts exhibited a significant hypoglycaemic effect.

Re-investigation of the methanolic extract of Anisotes trisulcus (Forssk.) Nees aerial parts led to the isolation of two new tricyclic quinazoline alkaloids, 8-amino-7,8,9,11-tetrahydro-6H-pyrido[2,1-b]quinazoline-2,6-diol (4) and 8-amino-3,6-dihydroxy-7,8,9-trihydro-6H-pyrido[2,1-b]quinazoline-11-one (5), and two quaternary ammonium compounds, (dimethylamino)-N-(hydroxymethyl)-N,N-dimethyl methanaminium chloride (6) and N-[(carboxyamino)methyl]-N,N-dimethyl ethanaminium chloride (7), together with three known compounds, peganine (1), vasicinone (2), and anisotine (3). The structures of these compounds were established on the basis of physical, chemical, and spectral data (UV, IR, MS, 1D and 2D NMR), as well as by comparison with authentic samples. GC-MS analysis of the fatty acid methyl esters and unsaponifiable matter revealed the presence of 46 fatty acids, 53 hydrocarbons, and 18 sterols. The different extracts were evaluated for their antihyperglycaemic activities. The MeOH, n-hexane, and EtOAc extracts exhibited a significant hypoglycaemic effect.

Re-investigation of the methanolic extract of Anisotes trisulcus (Forssk.) Nees aerial parts led to the isolation of two new tricyclic quinazoline alkaloids, 8-amino-7,8,9,11-tetrahydro-6H-pyrido[2,1-b]quinazoline-2,6-diol (4) and 8-amino-3,6-dihydroxy-7,8,9-trihydro-6H-pyrido[2,1-b]quinazoline-11-one (5), and two quaternary ammonium compounds, (dimethylamino)-N-(hydroxymethyl)-N,N-dimethyl methanaminium chloride (6) and N-[(carboxyamino)methyl]-N,N-dimethyl ethanaminium chloride (7), together with three known compounds, peganine (1), vasicinone (2), and anisotine (3). The structures of these compounds were established on the basis of physical, chemical, and spectral data (UV, IR, MS, 1D and 2D NMR), as well as by comparison with authentic samples. GC-MS analysis of the fatty acid methyl esters and unsaponifiable matter revealed the presence of 46 fatty acids, 53 hydrocarbons, and 18 sterols. The different extracts were evaluated for their antihyperglycaemic activities. The MeOH, n-hexane, and EtOAc extracts exhibited a significant hypoglycaemic effect.

Extensive chromatographic investigation of the ethanolic extract of Alnus japonica Steud stem bark led to the isolation of a new diarylheptanoid named alnuheptanoid A [(5S)-7-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-5-methoxyheptan-3-one] (8), together with seven known diarylheptanoid derivatives: platyphyllenone (5), (5S)-1,7-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-5-methoxyheptan-3-one (6), 1-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-7-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-4-hepten-3-one (7), hirsutenone (9), (5R)-O-methylhirsutanonol (10), hirsutanonol (11) and oregonin (13), three triterpenes: -amyrin (1), betulinaldehyde (3) and betulinic acid (4), and two sterols: -sitosterol (2) and daucosterol (12). Compound 6 was isolated for the first time from natural source. The structures of the isolated compounds were determined on the basis of spectroscopic measurements (UV, IR, HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR).

As a part of ongoing search efforts for the discovery of anticancer lead entities from natural sources, bulbs and flowers of the amaryllidaceous plant Pancratium maritimum have been investigated. Fractionation of the extracts of the fresh flowers and bulbs of P. maritimum led to the isolation of four new alkaloids, namely pancrimatines A (1) and B (2), norismine (3), and pancrimatine C (4), together with the previously reported N-methyl-8,9-methylenedioxy-6-phenanthridone (5), trispheridine (6), and N-methyl-8,9-methylenedioxy-phenanthridine (7). The structures of these alkaloids were established on the basis of extensive 1D and 2D NMR and high-resolution mass spectral analyses as well as comparison with the literature. Compounds 2 and 7 showed antiproliferative and antimigratory activity against the highly metastatic human prostate cancer cell line PC-3 cells without cytotoxicity. The phenanthridine alkaloid class was identified as having potential for use to control prostate cancer proliferation and migration.

The use of herbal or natural medicines for the treatment of various disorders has a long and extensive history. Many of these herbal medicines are finding their way onto the world market as alternatives to prescribed drugs currently available to treat various disorders/ailments. Hyperlipidemia contributes significantly in the manifestation and development of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease (CHD). Hyperlipidemia prevalence continued to increase annually, requiring the development of drugs capable of lowering blood lipids to reduce mortality and morbidity due to cardiovascular complications. Although synthetic lipid-lowering drugs are useful in treating hyperlipidemia, there are number of adverse effects. So, the current interest has stimulated the search for new lipid-lowering agents with minimal side effects from natural sources. The purpose of this review is to highlight the current antihyperlipidemic drugs and their targets, the natural hypolipidemic agents and their mechanisms of action as well as experimental models of assessments.

Fifteen compounds were isolated from Euphorbia peplus L.. Their structures were established by physical, chemical, and spectral data (UV, IR, MS, and 1D NMR), as well as comparison with authentic samples. The preliminary phytochemical screening of the alcoholic extract was done. GC-MS study of the fatty acid methyl esters of the n-hexane fraction was carried out. The antimicrobial, pharmacological, and cytotoxic activities of the different extracts were evaluated. The anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated by using yeast-induced paw edema method at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg of the extracts. The MeOH and EtOAc extracts give potent anti-inflammatory activity compared with indomethacin. All the extracts exhibited significant analgesic activity in the acetic acid-induced writhing method at dose 400 mg/kg. The tested extracts showed antipyretic activity at doses 200 and 400 mg/kg for each extract. They control the hyperthermia for 4 hr without decrease in activity.