New floristic records from Central Europe 7 (reports 99-108)

The presented seventh part of the series includes ten new chorological records of vascular plants, two from Hungary, one from Poland and seven from Slovakia. In Hungary, locally introduced species Catalpa ovata spreading by seeds and the first occurrence of Carex depressa subsp. transsilvanica out of n the Zemplén Mts. was recorded. In Poland, the fifth record of Salvinia natans in the area of Kraków was found. In Slovakia, localities of four native species, Pilosella densiflora, P. leptophyton, Taraxacum bavaricum and Trifolium sarosiense were found as well as three alien species Phytolacca esculenta, Sorbus intermedia and the first record of garden escape of Euphorbia myrsinites. Distribution map of Taraxacum bavaricum in Slovakia is also presented.

Catalpa ovata G. Don. potential medicinal value of leaves

Catalpa ovata G. Don. has a certain degree of appreciation because of its unique tree shape and wide crown. It also has certain adaptability. This experiment uses organic materials such as Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS), learning content management system, thermal desorption - GC-MS, termal gravimetric analyzer and other modern techniques to extract organic reagents from Catalpa ovata G. Don?s Leaves. The original powder was tested differently and analyzed, investigated. To explored and developed its potential medicinal value, and better understood its use in biomedicine, as well as perfumery and chemical industries, providing some research for further and in-depth research basis.

Identification of Catalposide Metabolites in Human Liver and Intestinal Preparations and Characterization of the Relevant Sulfotransferase, UDP-glucuronosyltransferase, and Carboxylesterase Enzymes

Catalposide, an active component of Veronica species such as Catalpa ovata and Pseudolysimachion lingifolium, exhibits anti-inflammatory, antinociceptic, anti-oxidant, hepatoprotective, and cytostatic activities. We characterized the in vitro metabolic pathways of catalposide to predict its pharmacokinetics. Catalposide was metabolized to catalposide sulfate (M1), 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (M2), 4-hydroxybenzoic acid glucuronide (M3), and catalposide glucuronide (M4) by human hepatocytes, liver S9 fractions, and intestinal microsomes. M1 formation from catalposide was catalyzed by sulfotransferases (SULTs) 1C4, SULT1A1*1, SULT1A1*2, and SULT1E1. Catalposide glucuronidation to M4 was catalyzed by gastrointestine-specific UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) 1A8 and UGT1A10; M4 was not detected after incubation of catalposide with human liver preparations. Hydrolysis of catalposide to M2 was catalyzed by carboxylesterases (CESs) 1 and 2, and M2 was further metabolized to M3 by UGT1A6 and UGT1A9 enzymes. Catalposide was also metabolized in extrahepatic tissues; genetic polymorphisms of the carboxylesterase (CES), UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT), and sulfotransferase (SULT) enzymes responsible for catalposide metabolism may cause inter-individual variability in terms of catalposide pharmacokinetics.

Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Catalpalactone Isolated from Catalpa ovata in LPS-Induced RAW264.7 Cells

Catalpa ovata (Bignoniaceae) is widely distributed throughout Korea, China, and Japan. This study investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of catalpalactone isolated from C. ovata in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 cells. Catalpalactone significantly inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production and inducible NO synthase (iNOS) expression in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells. The levels of cytokines such as interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α were reduced under catalpalactone exposure in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells. Additionally, catalpalactone suppressed signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT-1) protein expression and interferon-β (IFN-β) production. Treatment with catalpalactone prevented interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation. Taken together, these results suggest that the anti-inflammatory effects of catalpalactone are associated with the suppression of NO production and iNOS expression through the inhibition of IRF3, NF-κB, and IFN-β/STAT-1 activation.