The aim of this review is to update current knowledge on the betulinic, ursolic and echinocystic acids and their natural and semisynthetic analogs, focussing on their cytotoxic and anti-HIV activities. Then, the last results of the authors' team on unusual semisynthetic derivatives of these triterpenoids will be presented in order to establish structure/activity relationships.

Dengue virus is the world's most prevalent human pathogenic arbovirus. There is currently no treatment or vaccine, and solutions are urgently needed. We previously demonstrated that biflavonoids from Dacrydium balansae, an endemic gymnosperm from New Caledonia, are potent inhibitors of the Dengue virus NS5 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. Herein we describe the structure-activity relationship study of 23 compounds: biflavonoids from D. balansae (1-4) and from D. araucarioides (5-10), hexamethyl-amentoflavone (11), cupressuflavone (12), and apigenin derivatives (13-23). We conclude that 1) over the four different biflavonoid skeletons tested, amentoflavone (1) and robustaflavone (5) are the most promising ones for antidengue drug development, 2) the number and position of methyl groups on the biflavonoid moiety modulate their inhibition of Dengue virus NS5 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, and 3) the degree of oxygenation of flavonoid monomers influences their antidengue potential. Sotetsuflavone (8), with an IC50 = 0.16 µM, is the most active compound of this series and is the strongest inhibitor of the Dengue virus NS5 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase described in the literature.

Background Calophyllum inophyllum L. (Calophyllaceae) is an evergreen tree ethno-medically used along the seashores and islands of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, especially in Polynesia. Oil extracted from the seeds is traditionally used topically to treat a wide range of skin injuries from burn, scar and infected wounds to skin diseases such as dermatosis, urticaria and eczema. However, very few scientific studies reported and quantified the therapeutic properties of Calophyllum inophyllum oil (CIO). In this work, five CIO from Indonesia (CIO1), Tahiti (CIO2, 3), Fiji islands (CIO4) and New Caledonia (CIO5) were studied and their cytotoxic, wound healing, and antibacterial properties were presented in order to provide a scientific support to their traditional use and verify their safety.MethodsThe safety of the five CIO was ascertained using the Alamar blue assay on human keratinocyte cells. CIO wound healing properties were determined using the scratch test assay on human keratinocyte cells. CIO-stimulated antibacterial innate immune response was evaluated using ELISA by measuring β defensin-2 release in human derivative macrophage cells. CIO antibacterial activity was tested using oilogramme against twenty aerobic Gram- bacteria species, twenty aerobic Gram+ bacteria species, including a multi-drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain and two anaerobic Gram+ bacteria species e.g. Propionibacterium acnes and Propionibacterium granulosum. To detect polarity profile of the components responsible of the antibacterial activity, we performed bioautography against a Staphylococcus aureus strain.ResultsBased on Alamar Blue assay, we showed that CIO can be safely used on keratinocyte cells between 2.7% and 11.2% depending on CIO origin. Concerning the healing activity, all the CIO tested accelerated in vitro wound closure, the healing factor being 1.3 to 2.1 higher compared to control when keratinocytes were incubated after scratch with CIO at 0.1%. Furthermore, our results showed that CIO exhibit two distinct antibacterial effects: one against Gram+ bacteria by direct inhibition of mitotic growth and another potent effect against Gram- bacteria due to increased release of β-defensin 2 peptide by macrophages. Interestingly, the needed concentrations of CIO to inhibit bacteria growth and to promote wound healing are lower than concentrations exhibiting cytotoxic effects on keratinocyte cells. Finally, we performed bioautography assay against Staphylococcus aureus to determine polarity profile of the components responsible for CIO antibacterial activity. Our results showed for the five tested CIO that components responsible of the bacterial growth inhibition are the more polar one on the TLC chromatographic profile and are contained in the resinous fraction of the oil.ConclusionsThis study was conducted to evaluate cytotoxicity, wound healing and antibacterial properties of five CIO traditionally used to treat infected wounds. Using cell and bacteria cultures, we confirmed the pharmacological effects of CIO as wound he...

Nine known compounds including three triterpenes, five flavonoids and (+) gallocatechin, as well as a new 3-O-(6-E-feruloyl)-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-[β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-]α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-quercetin, were isolated from A. neocaledonia fruits. The hydromethanolic extract possesses a potential cytotoxic activity due to the presence of triterpenes, and it can also be valuable as a cosmetic ingredient for its anti-oxidant and anti-tyrosinase activities.

Two of the main classes of oxyphytosterols (7-keto and epoxides) were synthesized from sitosterol and campesterol and given to mesenteric duct-cannulated adult male rats. Lymph was collected during 24 h and was analyzed for oxysterols. The results showed that the lymphatic recovery of the phytosterol oxides was low: 4.7% of the given dose for epoxy derivatives and 1.5% for 7-keto compounds. The campesterol oxides presented a better absorption than the sitosterol oxides. During the process of absorption, the epoxyphytostanols were also partly transformed in campestanetriol and stigmastanetriol.