Discovery of Daphnane Diterpenoids in Daphne pontica

A research group led by Professor Wei Li from the Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toho University in collaboration with the Faculty of Pharmacy at Ankara University and Ankara Medipol University in Turkey revealed the presence of diverse daphnane diterpenoids in Daphne pontica (Thymelaeaceae). Daphnane diterpenoids possess anticancer, anti-HIV, and analgesic properties, suggesting that D. pontica is a potential novel plant resource for drug discovery. This research was published in the academic journal Phytochemical Analysis on November 7, 2024.

From left: Dr. Zhang Mi, Ms. Kouharu Otsuki, Dr. Wei Li, Dr. Takashi Kikuchi

Key Points

LC-MS/MS analysis revealed the presence of daphnane diterpenoids with diverse chemical structures in Daphne pontica.
Among the daphnane diterpenoids detected, six compounds were postulated to be previously unreported compounds based on MS/MS fragmentation elucidation.
A comparative analysis of diterpenoids in the stems, leaves, and fruits of D. pontica demonstrated that stems containing the most abundant daphnane diterpenoids.
This study highlighted the potential of D. pontica as a resource for novel drug development by further exploring the biological activities of daphnane diterpenoids.

Figure 1. Structure of the major daphnane diterpenoids detected from Daphne pontica.

Summary of the Research
The Thymelaeaceae family comprises 53 genera and over 800 species distributed all over the world, excluding in the arctic zone. Plants of this family are characterized by the presence of diterpenoids with potent biological activities, including anticancer, anti-HIV, and analgesic effects. Daphne pontica, an evergreen shrub of the genus Daphne, is native to northern Turkey, southeastern Bulgaria, northern Iran, and the Caucasus region. In traditional Turkish and Iranian medicines, it has been used as an anti-diarrheal and pain-relieving agent.
In this study, the research group analyzed the stems, leaves, and fruits of D. pontica using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a Q-Exactive hybrid quadrupole Orbitrap mass spectrometer (UHPLC-Q-Exactive-Orbitrap MS) and identified 33 daphnane diterpenoids in the three parts (Figure 1). This comprehensive analysis represents the first report of daphnane diterpenoids being thoroughly identified in D. pontica, including newly discovered compounds that have not been previously isolated from other plants.

Journal:
Phytochemical Analysis (November 7, 2024)

Title:
Qualitative Analysis of Daphnane Diterpenoids in Various Parts of Daphne pontica L. by UHPLC-Q-Exactive-Orbitrap MS

Authors:
Alev Onder, Kouharu Otsuki, Mi Zhang, Eda Avci, Takashi Kikuchi, Wei Li

DOI:
10.1002/pca.3469

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