Three New Polyynes from Codonopsis pilosula and Their Activities on Lipid Metabolism

Area of Science:

• Natural Products Chemistry
• Pharmacology
• Metabolomics

Background:

• Codonopsis pilosula is a traditional medicinal herb.
• Polyynes are a class of organic compounds with potential bioactivity.
• Lipid metabolism plays a crucial role in cellular function and disease.

Purpose of the Study:

• To isolate and characterize new polyyne compounds from Codonopsis pilosula.
• To investigate the effects of isolated compounds on squalene monooxygenase (SQLE) gene expression.
• To explore the potential role of these compounds in lipid metabolism.

Main Methods:

• Extraction and isolation of compounds from Codonopsis pilosula roots using 85% aqueous EtOH.
• Structure elucidation using spectroscopic analysis (e.g., NMR, MS).
• Determination of absolute configuration of glucose residues via gas chromatography (GC).
• Biological evaluation of SQLE gene expression inhibition in HepG2 cells.

Main Results:

• Three new polyynes, choushenpilosulynes A-C (1-3), were successfully isolated and identified.
• The structures and absolute configurations of the new compounds were determined.
• All isolated compounds demonstrated inhibition of squalene monooxygenase (SQLE) gene expression in HepG2 cells.

Conclusions:

• The study identified novel polyynes from Codonopsis pilosula with potential therapeutic applications.
• The findings suggest that choushenpilosulynes A-C may modulate lipid metabolism through SQLE inhibition.
• Further research is warranted to explore the pharmacological potential of these compounds.