Starfish saponins VII. Structure of luzonicoside,a further steroidal cyclic glycoside from the pacific starfishEchinaster luzonicus

Summary On the basis of comparative chemical and spectral data, the structure of the major saponin, luzonicoside, from the starfishEchinaster luzonicus has been elucidated as2. This is a further example of a novel class of steroidal cyclic glycoside from starfish of the genusEchinaster. Its structure includes a ⁷, 3,6-dioxygenated-23-oxosteroidal moiety, already found in the saponins ofEchinaster sepositus, and a trisaccharide moiety, -D-galactopyranosyl-(12) -L-arabinopyranosyl-(12)--D-glucuronopyranosyl, bridging C-3 and C-6 of the steroid.This contribution is part of the Progetto Finalizzato Oceanografia e Fondi Marini del C.N.R., Roma.Acknowledgments. We wish to thank Mrs M. Pusset, Laboratoire des Plantes Médicinales du C.N.R.S., Nouméa, for the extraction of starfish and the divers of the Centre Q.R.S.T.O.M. de Nouméa for collection.     

Guggulsterol-like steroids from the Mediterranean gorgonianLeptogorgia sarmentosa

Summary Several polyoxygenated steroids (1, 2, 3) have been isolated from the marine gorgonianLeptogorgia sarmentosa. One of these (1) is the known guggulsterol III, previously found in the pharmacologically active resin from the treeCommiphora mukul; the others,2 and3, have not been found before in nature, and are closely related to1. During the structural work apparent anomalies in the CMR-spectra of1 were observed.The authors are grateful to Prof. Sukh Dev for the PMR-spectra of guggulsterol III. Thanks are also due to Zoological Station (Naples), for the collection of the gorgonian, to Centro Metodologie Chimico-Fisiche, Università di Napoli, for recording PMR-spectra on WH-270 Superconducting Spectrometer-Bruker, to Mr C. Di Pinto for the CMR-spectra and to Mr A. Milone for the MS spectral measurements.     

Chemical investigations ofAlangium lamarckii III. Isolation of steroids and terpenoids from the leaves

Zusammenfassung Es wird über die Isolierung und Charakterisierung von Inhaltsstoffen, vermutlich Steroide, aus einer indischen Pflanzenart,Alangium lamarckii, berichtet. Medizinische Zubereitungen aus dieser Pflanze werden für verschiedene Indikationen, z.B. auch antiinflammatorische, verwendet.     

C-18 hydroxy steroids from the Mediterranean gorgonianLeptogorgia sarmentosa

Summary Five new polyoxygenated steroids, 24-methylcholesta-1,4,22E-trien-16, 18,20-triol-3-one (1), cholest-1,4,22E-trien-16, 18,20-triol-3-one (2), 24-methylcholesta-4,22E-dien-16, 18, 20-triol-3-one (3), cholesta-4,22E-dien-16, 18,20-triol-3-one (4) and 27-nor-24-methylcholesta-4,22E-dien-16,18,20-triol-3-one (5), have been found in a marine organism, the gorgonianLeptogorgia sarmentosa.This work has been done with the financial support of Progetto Finalizzato der la Chimica Fine e Secondaria, C.N.R., Roma. The authors are grateful to Zoological Station of Naples for collecting the gorgonian. Thanks are also due to Mr A. Crispino and Mr G. Scognamiglio for their technical assistance.     

Studies in medicinal plants. Part III. Protoberberine alkaloids from the roots ofCissampelos pareira linn

Zusammenfassung Cissaminechlorid aus den Wurzeln vonCissampelos pareira Linn. ist als Protoberberin-Alkaloid erkannt und mit Cyclanolinechlorid ausStephania terandra identifiziert worden.

---

---

Communication No. 1270 from the Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow (India).     

Lucibufagins,IV. New defensive steroids and a pterin from the firefly,Photinus pyralis (coleoptera: Lampyridae)

Summary Two new defensive steroids (lucibufagins6 and7) and a fluorescent pterin (8) have been isolated and characterized from the fireflyPhotinus pyralis.Acknowledgment. We are grateful to the Fonds National Suisse de la Recherche Scientifique (bourse de relève to M.G.). Partial support of this work by the NIH (grants No. AI 12020 and AI 02908), the NSF (grant No. PCM-77-25807), and the American Heart Association is acknowledged with pleasure. Paper No. 66 of the series Defense Mechanism of Arthropods.     

Further sesterterpenes from the spongeSpongia nitens: 12-epi-scalaradial and 12,18-diepi-scalaradial

Summary 2 new tetracarbocyclic sesterterpenes, isomers of the previously² described scalaradial (1), have been isolated from the marine spongeSpongia nitens and their structures have been established to be2 and3; during the structural work, evidence on the stereochemistry of1,2 and3 has been obtained.This work is part of the Progetto Finalizzato per l'Oceanografia e i Fondi Marini, C.N.R., Roma. We thank the Zoological Station (Naples) for the collection of the sponge, A. Crispino, C. Di Pinto and A. Milone for their technical assistance and Prof. C. Santacroce for generous gifts of scalaradial.     

Further studies on hepatic acidic glycosaminoglycans in the Hurler syndrome.

Acid GAG were isolated from hepatic tissue from 3 patients with Hurler syndrome and 3 normal controls. Gross elevations in the uronic acid and hexosamine contents were found in Hurler livers compared with the normal ones. The total GAG concentration was significantly increased (about 25fold) in Hurler patients.     

Further studies pertaining to aB. pertussis factor inhibiting the tuberculin reaction

Zusammenfassung Pertussis Vaccine führt zu einer Hemmung der Tuberkulin-Reaktion bei Meerschweinchen. Der anti-inflammatorisch aktive Faktor wurde näher charakterisiert. Er wird von den Bakterien in das Suspensionsmedium abgegeben und ist filtrierbar, hitze-resistent und nicht dialysierbar. Er blieb widerstandsfähig gegenüber der Einwirkung von Papain, Trypsin, Desoxyribonuklease, Ribonuklease, Lysozym und Hyaluronidase.     

Further studies on the effect of 6-hydroxydopamine in retinal development.

Neonatal albino rats treated with 6-hydroxydopamine revealed depletion of rhodopsin and monoamine oxidase in their retinas.     

The relations between G-6-PD deficiency,thalassemia and malaria. Further analysis of data from Sardinia and the Po Valley

Summary Discriminant analysis carried out on a set of environmental and sociocultural variables in the Sardinian population suggests that G-6-PD deficiency and thalassemia move along 2 dimensions partially independent of each other. Partial correlation analysis also suggests that malaria, by itself, may exert opposite effects on thalassemia and G-6-PD selection. The present results support the hypothesis that thalassemia may be the primary genetic factor selected by malaria, whereas G-6-PD selection may be a secondary adaptation phenomenon strongly dependent on other genetic and environmental variables.     

Makisterone A and 24-methylenecholesterol from the ovaries of the honey bee,Apis mellifera L

Summary Makisterone A, a 28-carbon ecdysteroid (molting hormone) has been isolated from the ovaries of queen bees. Analysis by reversed-phase and silica high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in conjunction with a radioimmune assay (RIA) revealed about 11 ng of makisterone A present per gram of ovaries on a fresh weight basis. No C₂₇ ecdysteroids were detected. The predominant neutral sterol present was 24-methylenecholesterol.     

Infrared metaphysics: the elusive ontology of radiation. Part 1

Hardly any ontological result of modern science is more firmly established than the fact that infrared radiation differs from light only in wavelength; this is part of the modern conception of the continuous spectrum of electromagnetic radiation reaching from radio waves to gamma radiation. Yet, like many such evident truths, the light-infrared unity was an extremely difficult thing to establish. We examine the competing arguments in favour of the unified and pluralistic theories of radiation, as put forward in the first half of the nineteenth century by three of the most important early pioneers of the study of radiation: Herschel, Melloni and Draper. In this part of the paper, we conclude that there were no compelling reasons of observational adequacy to prefer the unified theory to the pluralistic theory. (Whether there were other conclusive reasons for that preference is the question addressed in Part 2 of the paper.)     

Further evidence for the dissociation of digoxin-like immunoreactivity from Na+, K+-ATPase inhibitory activity

Summary The effects of adrenalectomy or nephrectomy, carried out one hour previously, on the levels of endogenous digitalis-like factors were determined in rat plasma. Factors were assayed by digoxin-like immunoreactivity and direct Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase inhibitory activity. Digoxin-like immunoreactivity significantly decreased one hour after bilateral ablation of adrenals, while Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase inhibitory activity remained unaltered. There were no changes in either activity one hour after bilateral nephrectomy. These results suggest that digoxin-like immunoreactivity may be derived from the adrenal gland or under adrenal control and the major substances detected by digoxin-like immunoreactivity and direct Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase inhibitory activity may be different.