Ten secondary metabolites including flavonoids (1-8), caffeic (9) and chlorogenic (10) acids were structurally identified from the extract of Sakhalin bilberry Vaccinium smallii leaves and studied in vitro as potential cancer-preventive agents. The results showed that compounds 1-10 inhibited EGF-induced neoplastic transformation of mouse JB6 Cl 41 P+ cells in soft agar with an inhibition concentration (INCC50) of 20-80 µm. Moreover, all these natural products were non-toxic against JB6 Cl 41 P+ cells up to a concentration of 200 µm.

A new procedure has been developed for the quantitative determination of polyphenolic compounds in strawberry (Fragaria orientalis ) leaves by means of spectrophotometry in the visible spectral range. The procedure is based on the oxidation of phenolic compounds by the Folin -Denis reagent. The relative error of determination does not exceed 3.8% at a confidence probability of P = 95%. Optimum conditions for the Folin -Denis reaction have been established. 97 0091-150X/07/4102-0097

The intensity of free radical oxidation processes in vivo (a model of induced oxidative stress) was studied after a probe administration of the fruit extract of the axillary blueberry ( Vaccinium axillare Nakai). \ Four groups ( n = 40) of white CBA line male mice weighing 20–25 g were involved in the experiment: (1) intact control; (2) introduction of a 0.9% sodium-chloride solution orally for 10 days, a dose of 10 mL/kg per day; (3) “cisplatin” group (animals received 0.9% sodium-chloride solution similarly to group 2; on the fifth day of the experiment, cisplatin was administered one time by intraperitoneal injection at a dose of 7.5 mg/kg); and (4) “cisplatin + blueberry” group (mice received orally an extract of axillary-blueberry fruits at a dose of 10 mL/kg per day for 10 days; on the fifth day of the experiment, cisplatin was administered one time by intraperitoneal injection at a dose of 7.5 mg/kg). The antioxidant activity of the axillary blueberry was studied by a method of chemiluminescence. The analysis of kinetic parameters of chemiluminescence of mouse-kidney homogenate demonstrated that, against the background of a single intraperitoneal injection of cisplatin, oxidative stress develops in animals, with its severity decreasing under the action of axillary blueberry-fruit extract. The axillary blueberry-fruit extract has pronounced antioxidant properties and can play a role in the treatment and prevention of disease associated with oxidative stress.

Plants of the genus Vaccinium L. are well known as sources of valuable food and medicinal raw material. For example, compounds isolated from various parts of ordinary bilberry (V. myrtillus L.) possess antioxidant [1], vasoprotective, and antiinflammatory properties [2] and induce apoptosis in tumor cells [3]. Earlier pharmacological investigations of V. axillare Nakai showed promise for the use of its extracts in treating sugar diabetes [4]. Flavonoids are known to have a significant positive pharmacotherapeutic effect for this disease [5]. We isolated the flavonoid fractoin and identified its major components because the chemical composition of V. axillare has not previsouly been studied.Leaves of V. axillare were collected in Khabarovsk Krai and Sakhalin District in summer 2006. Ground air-dried leaves were successively extracted with 95 and 70% EtOH at 60-70°C. The combined extract was evaporated to an aqueous residue and filtered. The aqueous residue was successively treated with hexane and CHCl 3 . Then the total phenolic compounds were extracted with EtOAc from the aqueous layer. The EtOAc extract was chromatographed over polyamide (Woelm, Germany) in CHCl 3 with added MeOH (from 0 to 10%). The isolated compounds were recrystallized from MeOH and studied using UV, NMR ( 1 H and 13 C, DEPT, COSY, HSQC, HMBC), mass spectrometry, and chemical methods (acid hydrolysis). This identified quercetin [6], quercetin-3-O-β-D-galactopyranoside (hyperoside) [6], quercetin-3-O-α-L-arabinopyranoside [7], and quercetin-3-O-α-L-arabinofuranoside (avicularin) [8].The widely distributed flavonoids quercetin and hyperoside were previously observed in plants of the genus Vaccinium L. [9, 10]. However, quercetin-3-O-α-L-arabinopyranoside and quercetin-3-O-α-L-arabinofuranoside (avicularin) were found for the first time in plants of this genus. Quercetin-3-O-α-L-arabinopyranoside, mp 172-174°C, [α] D 28 −65.3° (c 0.075, MeOH), lit. [7] [α] D 20 −53.96°( c 1, MeOH). MALDI-TOF mass spectrum (+) (m/z): 457 [M + Na] + , 303 [algycon + H] + . UV spectrum (MeOH, λ max , nm): 257, 267sh, 305sh, 359; (AlCl 3 ) 275, 303sh, 430; (AlCl 3 + HCl) 270, 302sh, 346sh, 405; (CH 3 ONa) 273, 330sh, 408; (CH 3 COONa) 274, 323sh, 375; (H 3 BO 3 + CH 3 COONa) 262, 300sh, 378. IR spectrum (cm −1 ): 3400-3300 (OH), 1655 (γ-pyrone C=O), 1607, 1560, 1508 (arom. C=C). PMR spectrum (CD 3 OD, δ, ppm, J/Hz): 7.73 (d, J = 2.2, H-2′), 6.86 (d, J = 8.5, H-5′), 7.56 (dd, J = 8.5, 2.2, H-6′), 6.20 (d, J = 2.0, H-6), 6.39 (d, J = 2.0, H-8), 5.15 (d, J = 6.5, H-1Ara), 3.89 (dd, J = 6.6, 8.4, H-2Ara), 3.64 (dd, J = 8.4, 3.2, H-3Ara), 3.83 (m, H-4Ara), 3.80 (m, H-5Ara), 3.43 (dd, J = 13.4, 3.1, H-5′Ara) [5]. 13 C NMR spectrum (DMSO-d 6 , δ, ppm, δ DMSO-d 6 = 39.5 ppm): 122.