Catechols

BACKGROUND: Extracts of Sasa senanensis Rehder are used in traditional Japanese medicine; however, little is known about the underlying mechanisms of their potential health benefits. METHODS: S. senanensis leaves were extracted with subcritical water. An active small-molecule was isolated using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and identified as 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (protocatechuic aldehyde or PA). The effects of PA on the activity of histone demethylase, the Drosophila melanogaster lifespan and gene expression in Drosophila S2 cells were investigated.

OBJECTIVE: To isolate and elucidate the constituents from stem of Chirita longgangensis var. hongyao. METHOD: The constituents were extracted with methanol and isolated by chromatography on silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and ODS. The structures were determined by NMR and MS spectral analysis.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) supplements are being promoted for arthritis treatment in western societies on the basis of ginger's traditional use as an anti-inflammatory in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. However, scientific evidence of ginger's antiarthritic effects is sparse, and its bioactive joint-protective components have not been identified.

The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is increasing rapidly in developed countries, which is already in use as traditional medicines in various Asian countries. The Indian system of medicine, named as Ayurveda has an edge in this field. Many plant products are in use as herbal medicine, as food supplement or as spices, in every day cooking. Some of them have been well studied in various experimental models of cancer, both in vivo and in vitro models. They have shown significant inhibition of cell proliferation.

The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is increasing rapidly in developed countries, which is already in use as traditional medicines in various Asian countries. The Indian system of medicine, named as Ayurveda has an edge in this field. Many plant products are in use as herbal medicine, as food supplement or as spices, in every day cooking. Some of them have been well studied in various experimental models of cancer, both in vivo and in vitro models. They have shown significant inhibition of cell proliferation.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) supplements are being promoted for arthritis treatment in western societies on the basis of ginger's traditional use as an anti-inflammatory in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. However, scientific evidence of ginger's antiarthritic effects is sparse, and its bioactive joint-protective components have not been identified.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The fruits and seeds of Semecarpus anacardium are used widely for the treatment of human cancers and other diseases in the Ayurvedic and Sidda systems of medicine in India. AIM OF THE STUDY: The principal aim of this investigation was to isolate and characterize the anticancer compound from the kernel of Semecarpus anacardium nut. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The bioactivity-tailored isolation and detailed chemical characterization were used to identify the active compound.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Zingiber officinale Rosc. (Zingiberaceae) has been traditionally used in Ayurvedic, Chinese and Tibb-Unani herbal medicines for the treatment of various illnesses that involve inflammation and which are caused by oxidative stress. Although gingerols and shogaols are the major bioactive compounds present in Zingiber officinale, their molecular mechanisms of actions and the relationship between their structural features and the activity have not been well studied.

Rubia cordifolia L. (Rubiaceae) is an important medicinal plant used in the Ayurvedic medicinal system. Its use as a traditional therapeutic has been related to the treatment of skin disorders and cancer. Besides its medicinal value, anthraquinones from this plant are used as natural food colourants and as natural hair dyes. Dyes derived from natural sources have emerged as important alternatives to synthetic dyes. Alizarin (1,2-dihydroxyanthraquinone) was isolated and characterized from R. cordifolia L. and evaluated for its antigenotoxic potential against a battery of mutagens viz.

The rhizomes of Zingiber officinale Roscoe (Zingiberaceae), commonly known as ginger, is one of the most widely used spice and condiment.