Esters from Ferula samarcandica
In continuation of research on terpenoid plants of the Ferula L. genus (Apiaceae), we studied components of the roots of Samarkand ferula ( Ferula samarcandica Korov.) collected in Tashkent district. The terpenoid coumarins samarcandin and samarcandone were isolated previously from Samarkand ferula [1]. Later, a study of Samarkand ferula misidentified as mogoltav ferula ( F. mogoltavica Lipsky ex Korov.) isolated the terpenoid coumarins samarcandin, samarcandone, mogoltadone, gummosin, and farnesiferol A [2-4]. Air-dried ground roots were extracted with ethanol. The alcohol extract was evaporated, diluted with water (1:2), and treated with ethylacetate. The combined ethylacetate extract was distilled to produce a thick extract that was placed on a col umn of KSK silica gel (d = 3 cm, h = 80 cm) and eluted by benzine:ethylacetate (9:1) with a subsequent increase of ethylace tate concentration. Fractions of 100 mL were collected. The separation of the total terpenoids was monitored using TLC (hydrocarbons:ethylacetate, 4:1; developer, 1% vanillin in conc. H 2SO4). Four terpenoid esters were isolated: 1, C17H22O3, mp 155-156°C; 2, C18H24O4, mp 84-85°C; 3, C18H24O4, [α]D 22 -30 (c 0.5, ethanol); 4, C22H28O5, mp 129-130°C. Comparison of the PMR, UV, IR, and mass spectra of 1 and 2 with those in the literature identified them as tschimgin and tschimganin [5]. The IR spectrum (KBr, ν, cm) of 3 exhibited absorption bands typical of hydroxyl (3534), ester carbonyl (1693), and an aromatic ring (1598, 1514) [6]. The mass spectrum of 3 was similar to that of esters of monoterpene alcohols and had peaks for ions with m/z 304 [M]+, 168 (C8H8O4), 148, 123, 95, 93. The PMR spectrum (100 MHz, DMSO-d 6, δ, ppm, J/Hz) of 3 exhibited signals at 0.70, 0.80, and 1.02 (each 3H, s), 3.65 (3H, s, OCH 3), 7.10 (1H, d, J = 9.0, H-3 ′), 7.72 (1H, d, J = 2, H-6 ′), 7.75 (1H, q, J 1 = 9.0, J2 = 2, H-2′), 4.90 (1H, d, J1 = J2 = 7.5) and 5.15 (1H, br.d, J = 10). The two signals at 4.90 and 5.15 ppm in the range of geminal protons indicate that 3 is a natural mixture of tschimganin and iso-tschimganin. Similar mixtures of tschimgin/ iso-tschimgin and tschimganin/ isotschimganin were isolated from F. dshizakensis Korov. and F. angreni Korov. [7, 8]. The neutral part of the hydrolysate from base hydrolysis of 3 by aqueous KOH (5%) afforded a monoterpene alcohol of composition C10H18O with mp 201-202 °C that was identified as borneol [5]. Comparison of the PMR, IR, and mass spectra of 4 with those of known carotane esters showed that this compound was lancerodiol p-hydroxybenzoate, which was isolated earlier from F. lancerottensis [9]. Thus, it is found for the first time that Samarkand ferula contains esters of terpenoid alcohols in addition to terpenoid coumarins.
Carotane sesquiterpenes from Ferula lancerottensis
Abstract Six new carotane sesquiterpenes, the p -hydroxybenzoate of epoxyjaeschkeanadiol the p -methoxybenzoate and p -hydroxybenzoate of lancerodiol, lancerodiol, the p -hydroxybenzoate of lancerotriol and the p -methoxybenzoate of linkitriol, and the already known p -hydroxybenzoate of jaeschkeanadiol have been isolated from Ferula lancerottensis .
Neuronal uptake inhibitors, nisoxetine and fluoxetine on rat vascular contractions.
The importance of neuronal uptake processes in rat arteries and veins was compared using nisoxetine and fluoxetine, selective inhibitors for neuronal uptake of norepinephrine and serotonin, respectively. Nisoxetine (10(-7) - 10(-5) M) increased the sensitivity to exogenous norepinephrine in the portal and mesenteric veins (10-fold) and in the mesenteric artery (2.5-fold). Responses to field stimulation were also increased afternisoxetine in all three vessels. After nisoxetine, aortic responses to norepinephrine were unaltered and in all tissues, serotonin-induced contractions were reduced. Fluoxetine did not potentiate responses to norepinephrine or to field stimulation except in the mesenteric vein where sensitivity to norepinephrine was increased and the relaxation rate after field stimulation was prolonged. Although serotonin has been detected in blood vessels, fluoxetine did not increase vascular responses to serotonin. These studies suggest that rat mesenteric veins have a highly sensitive neuronal uptake mechanism of norepinephrine. Furthermore, these data provide indirect evidence against a functionally important serotonergic uptake process in rat blood vessels and suggest that neuronal uptake of serotonin does not exert a major role in terminating the vascular action of this biogenic amine.