This work is an account of the extractives from one member of the Meliaceae and one member of the Ptaeroxylaceae. In all, thirteen compounds have been isolated, of which four have not been described previously. Neobeguea mahafalensis belongs to the Neobeguea genus and has been classified into the Swietenieae subfamily of the Meliaceae. Neobeguea mahafalensis seeds obtained from Madagascar were investigated for the presence of limonoids. This is the first time extracts of the seeds were investigated. Previous work was done on the stem bark of this species. An andirobin-type limonoid, methyl angolensate (5), two mexicanolide-type limonoids, mexicanolide (6), khayasin (7), and three protolimonoids, sapelin E acetate (8), sapelin C (9) and grandifoliolenone (10), have been isolated in this work. One of these was novel. Cedrelopsis grevei belongs to the Cedrelopsis genus and has been classified into the Ptaeroxylaceae family. Extracts from the stem bark of Cedrelopsis grevei obtained from Madagascar yielded seven compounds, a triterpenoid, β-amyrin (15), a coumarin, scoparone (16), a limonoid, cedmiline (14), a triterpenoid derivative, cedashnine (17), a quassinoid, cedphiline (19), a lignan, cedpetine (18) as well as sitosteryl β-D-glucopyranoside (20). Three of these were novel. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2001.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1991.

This dissertation illustrates an efficient purification method for citrus limonoids and flavonoids, while examining their effects on cytochrome P450 inhibition and apoptotic induction on human neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) and colonic adenocarcinoma (Caco-2) cells. The first study developed a bulk purification method for limonoids, from seeds and molasses of citrus fruits, using a combination of chromatographic techniques. This also resulted in an efficient purification method for naringin and hesperidin from citrus byproducts. The second study investigated the inhibitory effects of purified limonoids and flavonoids on the enzymatic activities of different isoforms of human cytochrome P450. O-Dealkylase and hydroxylase activities of CYP1A2, CYP1B1, CYP3A4 and CYP19, using specific substrates such as ethoxyresorufin (ethoxyresorufin O-dealkylase, EROD), methoxyresorufin (methoxyresorufin O-dealkylase, MROD), and dibenzylfluorescein (DBF), were found to be significantly (P < 0.001) reduced at micromolar levels. A kinetic analysis showed competitive and non-competitive modes of inhibition by limonoids, on CYP19 hydroxylase activity. The results corroborate the active role of limonoids in the redox cycling mechanisms. The third study examined the antioxidant and apoptotic inducing ability of limonoid glucosides on human neuroblastoma cells. Four limonoid glucosides, LG (17beta-D glucopyranoside limonin), OG (obacunone 17beta-D glucopyranoside), NAG (nomilinic acid 17beta-D glucopyranoside), and DNAG (deacetylnomilinic acid 17beta-D glucopyranoside), have shown superoxide scavenging at millimolar levels. Micromolar amounts of LG and OG induced rapid necrosis of SH-SY5Y cells. Cytotoxicity was correlated (P = 0.046) to a concentration and timedependent increase in caspase 3/7 activity. Analyses of DNA content during the S phase of the cell cycle indicated reductions of 86.6% for LG and 82.3% for OG as compared to untreated. The results validate the antineoplastic distinctiveness of limonoid glucosides. In the fourth study, cytotoxic effects of limonoid aglycones and glucosides were assessed on human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma and colon carcinoma (CaCo-2) cell lines and compared with the non-cancerous Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Significant (P < 0.001) cytotoxic effects were observed only on cancerous cells, over 24 to 36 h. The study revealed a marked increase in the DNA content of aneuploidic cells, which results in cell cycle arrest. The results confirm that glycosides are the most active apoptotic inducing form.

This dissertation investigates the role of limonoids in inflammation to reduce risk of breast cancer and cardiovascular disease. Radical scavenging activity and apoptotic effects of extracts from lemon seeds were investigated in human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) cells and non-malignant breast (MCF-12F) cells. The MeOH:water (80:20) extract showed the highest (29.1%, P < 0.01) inhibition of MCF-7 cells without affecting the non-malignant breast cells. Further, the purified and modified limonoids were screened for their cytotoxicity on estrogen receptor (ER)-positive (MCF-7) or ER-negative (MDA-MB-231) human breast cancer cells. The MCF-7 cell was more susceptible to tested limonoids. Although most of limonoids induced anti-aromatase activity, the inhibition of proliferation was not related to the anti-aromatase activity. On the other hand, the anti-proliferative activity was significantly correlated with the level of caspase-7 activation by limonoids. The next study investigated the mechanism of anti-breast cancer and anti-aromatase activities of obacunone through inhibition of MCF-7 cell proliferation without affecting non-malignant breast cells. Treatment with obacunone resulted in an increased G1 cell cycle arrest and induction of apoptosis. Exposure of MCF-7 breast cancer cells to obacunone down-regulated expression of inflammatory molecules including nuclear factor-kappa B (NF--2 (COX-2). Furthermore, potential of obacunone on inhibition of COX-2 and NF-the p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase was also investigated. In the final study, nomilin was the most potent natural inhibitor for p38 MAP kinase activity in human aortic smooth muscle cells indicating that a seven-membered A ring with acetoxy group, present in nomilin, seems to be essential for its inhibitory activity on p38 MAP kinase. The possible mechanism of nomilin for prevention of cardiovascular disease was determined. Pre-treatment with nomilin resulted in significant inhibition of TNF- induced HASMCs proliferation. The anti-proliferative activity of nomilin is due to apoptosis through mitochondrial dependent pathway.

The wood, leaf and seed extracts of Apodytes dimidiata, Turraea floribunda and Turraea obtusifolia were examined. Two new limonoids belonging to the Toonafolin group were isolated from the seeds, two known havanensin-type limonoids were isolated from the leaves and both stigmasterol and sitosterol were isolated from the wood of Turraeafloribunda. Sitosterol as well as a limonoid which could not be characterised were isolated from the seeds, phytol, melianone and a protolimonoid similar to sapelin-F were isolated from the leaves and three protolimonoids: melianodiol, melianotriol and 7,8-dihydroturraeanthin 3-acetate were isolated from the wood of Turraea obtusifolia. An ester was isolated from the seeds of Apodytes dimidiata. Appropriate reactions were performed, where possible, on the compounds isolated. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1990.

Four in vitro models were used to measure the antioxidant activity of 11 citrus phytochemicals. The citrus limonoids and bergapten showed very weak antioxidant activity. The flavonoids demonstrated mild, to moderate, to strong antioxidant activity. In addition to some other commonly accepted structural features our data indicated that the hydroxyl group in position 6 of ring A could also increase the antioxidant activity of flavonoids. Compared with the active flavonoids, limonoids are highly oxygenated triterpenoids, with fewer hydroxyl groups to stabilize unpaired electrons (or scavenge free radicals). Bergapten lacks a hydroxyl group. This is the first report on the antioxidant activity of limonoids and neoeriocitrin. A feeding study using Syrian hamsters was followed to determine the effect of citrus limonoids and flavonoids on plasma cholesterol. Hamsters fed with limonin, limonin 17-Beta-D-glucopyranoside and grapefruit pulp significantly inhibited the increase of LDL/HDL-cholesterol (36.6%, 52.9% and 57% respectively) compared with the basal control (65.8%) and the pectin control (70%). Furthermore, hamsters fed with limonin had significantly larger LDL particle size (21.21 nm) compared with the control group (19.96 nm). Further studies demonstrated that LDLs from hamsters fed with limonin and limonin 17-Beta-D-glucopyranoside were less susceptible to oxidation. These data suggest that limonin, limonin 17-Beta-D-glucopyranoside and grapefruit pulp have potential inhibitory effects against atherogenesis. Supercritical CO2 (SC-CO2) was attempted to extract limonoids from grapefruit seeds and molasses. Limonin aglycone was successfully extracted with SC-CO2 directly from grapefruit seeds with the yield of 6.3 mg/g seeds at 48.3 MPa, 50&#730;C and 60 min with CO2 top feeding; and the limonin glucoside was extracted using SC-CO2 and ethanol as co-solvent from the defatted seeds with the yield of 0.73 mg/g seeds at 42 MPa, 52&#730;C, 45% ethanol (XEth=0.45) and 40 min with CO2 top feeding; and limonin glucoside also was extracted using SC-CO2 and ethanol with the yield of 0.61mg/g grapefruit molasses at 48.3 MPa, 50&#730;C and 10% ethanol (XEth=0.1), 40 min with CO2 top feeding. CO2 flow rate was around~5 l/min in experiments. The results demonstrated SC-CO2 extraction of limonoids from citrus juice industry byproducts has practical significance for future commercial production.

A colorimetric method was developed to determine the quantity of total azadirachtin related limonoids (AZRL) in neem extracts. A mathematical model was also developed to aid in the multivariate calibration technique for the analysis of the spectra. With this model and the multivariate calibration technique, the colorimetric method can be used directly to analyse the purified neem seed kernel extracts and to eliminate interferences from other absorbing species. The AZRL and simple terpenoids (ST) content in the neem seed kernel, the seed shell, the leaf and the leaf stem was determined with conventional extraction method and the newly developed quantification technique. The results showed that the AZRL content in these parts of neem decreases in the order of seed kernel > leaf > seed shell > leaf stem. With the HPLC quantification technique, the content of azadirachtin in the neem seed kernel was determined, and the comparison of the azadirachtin content and the AZRL content suggested that azadirachtin accounts for around 58% of the total AZRL. Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) of AZRL and ST from various parts of neem was also investigated. Various parameters affecting the extraction such as the power and the microwave irradiation time were studied. The comparison of the MAE with two conventional extraction methods, viz., room temperature extraction (RTE) and reflux temperature extraction (RFX) revealed that the property of sample matrix affected the special accelerating effect of the MAE. The study on the influence of solvents on the MAE showed that the solubility of the solvent to the target components and the ability of the solvent to absorb microwave energy played an important role in MAE.

No description available.

The secondary metabolites of citrus such as limonoids and flavonoids constitute an important part of human diet. The present work was undertaken to elucidate the effect of citrus limonoids and flavonoids on the bacterial cell-cell signaling in Vibrio harveyi, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium LT2. The first experiment was focused on purification of limonoids from grapefruit and sour orange seeds. The limonoids were extracted using organic solvents and purified by chromatographic techniques. A total of ten limonoids (7 aglycones and 3 glucosides) were purified. Currently, simultaneous measurement of aglycones and glucosides of limonoids is not available. To address this limitation, an analytical method using high performance liquid chromatography was developed with the capability of measuring both aglycones and glucosides in a single run. Furthermore, its applicability in the fruit and juice samples was demonstrated. The third study investigated the V. harveyi cell-cell signaling inhibitory potential of purified limonoids. Isolimonic acid, ichangin, obacunone and nomilin were showed potent inhibitory activity. Furthermore, isolimonic acid and ichangin inhibit the signal transduction pathway by up-regulating the response regulator luxO. Isolimonic acid was also found to be a potent inhibitor of Escherichia coli O157:H7 cell-cell signaling in the fourth study. The results demonstrated that isolimonic acid inhibits the autoinducer/epinephrine mediated cell-cell signaling, biofilm and virulence in QseBC and QseA dependent fashion. Further investigations using limonin analogues, in the fifth study, demonstrated that the analogue limonin-7-methoxime inhibited the E. coli biofilm in type 1 pili and antigen 43 dependent-fashion, by preventing the binding of the adhesins to plastic surfaces. Another limonoid, obacunone was demonstrated to attenuate the Salmonella virulence by repressing Salmonella Pathogenicity Island 1 (SPI-1) in EnvZ/OmpR dependent mecahnism. The seventh study showed that naringenin, among the flavonoids, was the most potent inhibitor of V. harveyi and E. coli O157:H7 cell-cell signaling. Furthermore, naringenin was found to repress the (SPI-1) in PstS-HilD dependent fashion in the eighth study. In conclusion, the current project identified several limonoids and flavonoids with cell-cell signaling inhibitory property in three bacterial species.

o presente trabalho teve como objetivo realizar o estudo químico das sementes de Trichilia elegans ssp. Elegans A. Juss. (coletadas no município de Corumbá, MS), visando o isolamento e identificação ou elucidação estrutural dos seus metabólitos secundários, particularmente limonóides. Da fase diclorometânica, obtida de uma partição efetuada com o extrato etanólico das sementes, foram isoladas, através de técnicas cromatográficas de separação (cromatografia em colunas de sílica gel, de Sephadex LH 20 e CLAE em fase reversa), dezoito substâncias, compreendendo: dois protolimonóides, onze limonóides com esqueleto do tipo obacunol (abertura dos anéis A e D), quatro com esqueleto do tipo ivorensato de metila (abertura dos anéis A, B e D) e 3&#946;-O-&#946;-D-glicopiranosilsitosterol. Todas as substâncias são inéditas, com exceção do esteróide glicosilado e de dois limonóides com esqueleto do tipo obacunol (kihadaninas A e B). As determinações estruturais foram efetuadas com base em dados espectroscópicos de RMN 1H e 13C, incluindo experimentos bidimensionais (COSY 1H-1H, COSY 1H-13C, HMQC, NOESY e HMBC); a partir de informações obtidas dos espectros de massas e na região do IV e através de dados de difração de raios-X. Quatro dos limonóides obtidos foram submetidos a um ensaio biológico de atividade antitumoral, utilizando-se linhagens mutantes de Saccharomyces cerevisiae, porém, mostraram-se inativos. / The present work describes the isolation and identification or structural elucidation of the chemical constituents of the seeds of Trichilia elegans ssp. Elegans A. Juss., collected in Corumbá, MS. From the dichloromethane solubles, obtained from partition of the ethanolic extract from the seeds, eighteen substances have been isolated, after a combination of column and flash chromatography on silica gel, gel filtration and reversed phase HPLC separations. The isolated substances have been characterized as two new protolimonoids, nine new obacunol- and four new methyl ivorensate-type limonoids, in addition to two known limonoids belonging to the obacunol group (kihadanins A and B) and 3-O-&#946-D-glucopyranosyl-sitosterol. The structures of these compounds have been established on the basis of 1D (1H, 13C) and 2D (1H-1H and 1H-13C COSY, HMQC, HMBC and NOESY) NMR spectroscopic techniques, IR and mass spectral data and X-ray crystallographic analyses. Four of the isolated limonoids have been tested against DNA reparr deficient mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae but, nevertheless, shown to be inactive.