166
Y. Liu et al. / Fitoterapia 113 (2016) 164–169
m/z 279.0522 (calcd for C13
H
11
O
7
, 279.0510) in the HRESI-TOF-MS
which gained from those of Gentiana genus were usually with 1,2,6,8-
substitution pattern. Moreover, the xanthone dimmers were only
found in the plants of Gentianella genus. The above mentioned evi-
dences indicated that we can facilitate classification of Gentianaceae
using phytochemical data. Which was confirmed by the structures of
xanthones (mainly with 1,3,5,8-, and 1,3,4,5,8-substitution) reported
in this paper and the literature reported by Urbain et al. [27].
spectrum. UV (λmax 229, 248, 254 sh and 292 nm) and IR spectra
−
1
−1
−1
(
1
3362 cm , OH; 1698 cm , COOH; 1663 cm , unsaturated CO;
622, 1591, 1455 cm−1, aromatic ring) were consistent with the pres-
1
ence of a chromone ring. The H NMR (500 MHz, DMSO-d
indicated the presence of 1,2,3,5-tetrasubstituted phenyl [δ 6.23 (1H,
br. s, H-6), 6.35 (1H, br. s, H-8)]; Meanwhile, a group carbon signals
6
) spectrum
[
δ
C
93.5 (C-8), 98.7 (C-6), 102.9 (C-10), 157.3 (C-9), 161.3 (C-5), 164.2
Our research suggested that xanthones were the active constituents
on intestinal motility, which indicated they may have potential as lead-
ing compounds for diarrhea in gastroenteritis new drug development.
Our preliminary results are encouraging, but further studies are needed
to clarify the activities in vivo and mechanism behind the inhibitory
effects on intestinal motility of these compounds.
13
(
C-7), 180.5 (C-4)] displayed in C NMR (125 MHz, DMSO-d
6
) furtherly
2.86 (2H, t,
3.78 (2H, t, J = 6.5 Hz) in the H H COSY experiment
suggested the presence of “\\CH \\CH \\O” moiety. Moreover, there
were a methene [δ 3.49 (2H, s, H -1″); δ 29.2 (C-1″)] and an ester
carbonyl [δ 171.9 (C-2″)] in 3. Finally, according to the long-range
correlations observed from δ 2.86 (H -1′) to δ 58.5 (C-2′), 114.5
C-3), 165.7 (C-2); δ 3.49 (H -1″) to δ 114.5 (C-3), 165.7 (C-2),
71.9 (C-2″), 180.5 (C-4); δ 6.23 (H-6) to δ 93.5 (C-8), 102.9 (C-10),
61.3 (C-5), 164.2 (C-7), 180.5 (C-4); δ 6.35 (H-8) to δ 98.7 (C-6),
02.9 (C-10), 157.3 (C-9), 164.2 (C-7), 180.5 (C-4) in the HMBC
(3) was identified as
-hydroxyethyl-3-carboxymethyl-5,7-dihydroxychromone.
Both of gentichromones A (4) and A (5) were also obtained as
white powder. The molecular formula, C14
proved it was a chromone. The correlation found between δ
H
1
1
J = 6.5 Hz) and δ
H
2
2
H
2
C
C
H
2
C
3. Experimental
(
H
2
C
1
1
1
H
C
3.1. General
H
C
UV and IR spectra were recorded on a Varian Cary 50 UV–Vis and
Varian 640-IR FT-IR spectrophotometer, respectively. Optical rotations
were determined on a Rudolph Autopol® IV automatic polarimeter.
NMR spectra were run on a Bruker 500 MHz NMR spectrometer at
spectrum, the structure of gentichromone A
1
2
2
3
1
13
H
14
O
7
of 4 and C19
H
22
O
12 of
500 MHz for H and 125 MHz for C NMR (internal standard: TMS).
Negative-ion HRESI-TOF-MS were made on an Agilent Technologies
6520 Accurate-Mass Q-Tof LC/MS spectrometer. Column chromatogra-
phies (CC) were performed on macroporous resin D101 (Haiguang
Chemical Co., Ltd., Tianjin, China), Silica gel (74–149 μm, Qingdao
Haiyang Chemical Co., Ltd., Qingdao, China), and Sephadex LH-20
(Ge Healthcare Bio-Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden). Preparative high
1
5
were determined based on the negative-ion HRESI-TOF-MS. The H
13
and C NMR (DMSO-d
had the same aglycon, 2-hydroxyethyl-3-carboxymethyl-5,7-
dihydroxychromone as 3. The major difference between 4 and 3 was
the presence of methoxy [δ 3.62 (3H, s, 2″-OCH )] in 4. On the other
hand, the difference between 5 and 3 was lie in the β-D-glucopyranosyl
δ 5.06 (1H, d, J = 7.5 Hz, H-1′)] presented in 5. Meanwhile, in the HMBC
spectrum, the long-rang correlations were observed from δ 3.62 (2″-
OCH ) to δ 170.7 (C-2″) in gentichromone A (4), and δ 5.06 (H-1′)
to δ 162.9 (C-7) in gentichromone A (5). Furthermore, treated 5
with 1 M HCl, D-glucose was identified [20]. Consequently, the
structures of gentichromones A (4) and A (5) were clarified.
6
, Table 4) spectra suggested that both of 4 and
5
3
[
performance liquid chromatography (PHPLC) column, Cosmosil 5C18-
MS-II (20 mm i.d. × 250 mm, Nakalai Tesque, Inc., Tokyo, Japan) were
used to isolate the compounds.
H
3
C
2
H
C
3
3.2. Plant material
2
3
As a continuing study of natural constituents on gastrointestinal
disorder [21,22], we screened the inhibitory of activities of compounds
isolated from G. acuta on intestine motility. Loperamide hydrochloride
is a piperidine derivative used to decrease the tension and frequency
of diarrhea in gastroenteritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and short
bowel syndrome [23]. In test on motility of mouse isolated intestine
tissue, loperamide hydrochloride showed significantly inhibitory effects
on intestinal tension and frequency at concentration of 10 μM.
The whole plants of Gentianella acuta (Michx.) Hulten were collected
from Alxa Youqi, Inner Mongolia Autonomous region, China, and identi-
fied by Dr. Li Tianxiang (Experiment Teaching Department, Tianjin
University of Traditional Chinese Medicine). The voucher specimen
was deposited at the Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine of
Tianjin University of TCM.
3.3. Extraction and isolation
All of test samples 1–18 showed no significant changing on isolated
intestinal tissue contraction frequency, but compounds 1, 2, 6, 7, 9, 10
and 14 showed significant reduce effect on contraction tension. Struc-
The whole plants of G. acuta (3.0 kg) were cut and refluxed with 70%
ethanol-water. Then the 70% EtOH extract (868.5 g) was partitioned in a
ture-activity relationship analysis revealed that R
is essential factor (strong activity of 1, 2, 6, 7, 9, 10), but the activity can
be quenched by R glucose moiety substitution (no activity of 8, 13, 16,
7). R methoxy substitution weaken the reduce activity on contraction
4
hydroxy substitution
CHCl
subjected to D101 macroporous resin CC (H
As a result, H O (332.4 g) 95% EtOH (294.9 g), and acetone (5.1 g)
3
-H
2
O mixture (1:1, v/v). Furthermore, the H
2
O layer (670.0 g) was
2
O → 95% EtOH → acetone).
1
2
1
3
eluates were obtained.
tension (no activity of 11, 12, 13, 15) (Chart 1, Table 5).
2
The 95% EtOH eluate (200.0 g) was isolated by SiO gel CC
In conclusion, we obtained three new xanthones, two new
chromones, together with thirteen known xanthones from the whole
plants of G. acuta collected from Alxa Youqi, Inner Mongolia Autono-
mous region, China. As one of the main constituents in the plants
belonging to Gentianaceae family, xanthones are widely distributed
among plants from two genera, Gentiana and Gentianella, which were
segregated into two subtribes, subtribes Gentianinae and Swertiinae
by Struwe et al. based on phylogenic and phenotypic considerations,
respectively [24]. Until 2014, about 400 species were found to belong
to Gentiana genus, and 57 kinds of xanthones were isolated from them
3 3 3 2
[CHCl → CHCl –MeOH (100:1 → 100:5, v/v) → CHCl –MeOH–H O
(10:3:1 → 7:3:1 → 6:4:1, v/v/v, lower layer)], and sixteen fractions (Fr.
1–16) were given. Fraction 7 (25.7 g) was separated by PHPLC
3 2
[CH CN–H O (18:82 → 35:65 → 42:58, v/v) + 1% HAc] to afford twenty
seven fractions (Fr. 7-2-1–7-2-27). Fraction 7-2-22 (54.4 mg) was
further purified by Sephadex LH-20 CC (MeOH), and 1,3,5-
trihydroxyxanthone (6, 25.6 mg) was yielded. Fraction 9 (15.0 g) was
subjected to Sephadex LH-20 CC [CHCl
seven fractions (Fr. 9-1–9-7). Fraction 9-4 (7.3 g) was isolated by
PHPLC [CH CN–H O (22:78 → 30:70 → 45:55, v/v) + 1% HAc], and
fourteen fractions (Fr. 9-4-1–9-4-14) were yielded. Fraction 9-4-8
(381.4 mg) was separated by [CH CN–H O (21:79, v/v) + 1% HAc] to af-
3
–MeOH (1:1, v/v)] to give
3
2
[25]; And 24 xanthones were obtained from 125 species belonging to
Gentianella genus [26]. Comparing the structure diversity of the
reported xanthones obtained from the above mentioned genera, we
found that the xanthones in plants of Gentianella genus were with
3
2
ford 1,8-dihydroxy-3,4-dimethoxyxanthone 5-O-β-D-glucopyranoside
(11, 27.1 mg), 3,8-dihydroxy-4,5-dimethoxyxanthone 1-O-β-D-
glucopyranoside (12, 39.6 mg), along with 1-hydroxy-3,4-
1,3,5,8-, 1,3,4,5,8-, and 1,3,4,7,8-substitution patterns mainly; meanwhile,