A Novel Trimeric Triterpene From Chisocheton ceramicusMiq.

A novel trimeric triterpene, bismoronic ceramicine (1), was isolated from the bark of Chisocheton ceramicus Miq. The structure was elucidated based on spectroscopic data and chemical correlations. Bismoronic ceramicine (1) showed moderate antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum strain 3D7.

The Species Diversity and Structure of The Limited Production Forest in Arui Watershed of Manokwari District of West Papua, Indonesia

The detailed causal factors of flood have not been established, whether because of the damage of upper watershed, sedimentation resulting in shallow river, forest conversion, the decrease in abundance and structure or high rainfall. The study aimed at finding out the species diversity and structure of the limited production forest (LPF) from the seedling to the tree stage of Arui watershed in Manokwari district. The species diversity was determined based on Shannon-Wiener index, while vegetation structure was determined based on Importance Value Index. There were totally 92 plots of samples drawn using systematic sampling. The results of vegetation analysis showed that there were 174 species of 43 families with the species diversity of 1.5-1.8 that was categorized as moderate. The four dominant species that were always found in seedling, sapling, pole and tree stages included: Pometia pinnata, Teijsmanniodendron bogoriense, Chisocheton ceramicus, and Horsfieldia irya. The conversion of the LPF into non-forestry sector for the purpose of accelerating development must be reviewed by considering hydrology, land, biodiversity, and social and regional aspects in order to prevent and to reduce flood in the coming days.

Ceramicines M–P from Chisocheton ceramicus: isolation and structure–activity relationship study

Ceramicines are a series of limonoids which were isolated from the bark of Malaysian Chisocheton ceramicus (Meliaceae) and show various biological activities. Ceramicine B, in particular, has been reported to show a strong lipid droplet accumulation (LDA) inhibitory activity on a mouse pre-adipocyte cell line (MC3T3-G2/PA6). With the purpose of discovering compounds with stronger activity than ceramicine B, we further investigated the constituents of C. ceramicus. As a result, from the bark of C. ceramicus four new ceramicines (ceramicines M–P, 1–4) were isolated, and their structures were determined on the basis of NMR and mass spectroscopic analyses in combination with NMR chemical shift calculations. LDA inhibitory activity of 1–4 was evaluated. Compounds 1–3 showed LDA inhibitory activity, and 3 showed better selectivity than ceramicine B while showing activity at the same order of magnitude as ceramicine B. Since 3, which possess a carbonyl group at C-7, showed better selectivity than 5, which possess a 7α-OH group, while showing activity at the same order of magnitude as 5, we also investigated the effect of the substituent at C-7 by synthesizing several derivatives and evaluating their LDA inhibitory activity. Accordingly, we confirmed the importance of the presence of a 7α-OH group to the LDA inhibitory activity.