Chiral bipyridine/phenanthroline ligands have been applied as a class of unique ligands due to their rich coordination chemistry in catalysis. Herein, we synthesize 13 new C₂-symmetric chiral phenanthroline-bipyrroloimidazolone ligands (Phen-BPI) and 5 new C₂-symmetric chiral bipyridine-bipyrroloimidazolone ligands (BPy-BPI). These Bpy/Phen-BPI pincer ligands performed successfully in nickel-catalyzed asymmetric Friedel–Crafts alkylation of indoles with 2-enoylpyridine-1-oxides, affording the chiral products with up to 93% yield and 99% ee. The control experiment and metal complex L1–Ni crystal supported the dual activation manner, in which the tridentate Bpy/Phen-BPI ligand contained two nitrogen atoms of the pyridine unit and one tertiary amine group of the pyrroloimidazolone moiety coordinating with Ni(II) to activate the 2-enoylpyridine-1-oxides, and the tertiary amine group of the additional pyrroloimidazolone moiety as the H-bond acceptor activated the indoles through a NH-bonding interaction, resulting in the asymmetric transformation. This represented the first example showing that the Bpy/Phen ligand contained three nitrogen atoms coordinating with the metal, and the additional nitrogen atom acted as the H-bond acceptor.

Two new monoterpenoid indole alkaloids, gelselegandines F (1) and G (2), were isolated from the aerial parts of Gelsemium elegans. Their structures were elucidated by means of spectroscopic techniques and quantum chemical calculations. The ECD calculations were conducted at the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level and NMR calculations were carried out using the Gauge-Including Atomic Orbitals (GIAO) method. Structurally, the two new compounds possessed rare, cage-like, monoterpenoid indole skeletons. All isolated compounds and the total alkaloids extract were tested for cytotoxicity against four different tumor cell lines. The total alkaloids extract of G. elegans exhibited significant antitumor activity with IC₅₀ values ranging from 32.63 to 82.24 ug/mL. In order to discover anticancer leads from the active extraction, both new indole compounds (1–2) were then screened for cytotoxicity. Interestingly, compound 2 showed moderate cytotoxicity against K562 leukemia cells with an IC₅₀ value of 57.02 uM.

Bacterial wound infections remain a significant clinical challenge, requiring dressings that simultaneously provide durable antibacterial activity and controlled drug release. In this study, Blumea balsamifera (L.) DC. residue was upcycled into a cellulose-based hydrogel (BBR-CH), and its potential as a drug delivery platform was assessed using total flavonoids (BFTs) derived from the same plant as a model drug. The resulting BFT@BBR-CH hydrogel exhibited pH-responsive, first-order sustained drug release kinetics, potent antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, strong antioxidant capacity (IC₅₀ = 0.056 mg/mL), and cytocompatibility exceeding 90%. In infected full-thickness rat wounds, BFT@BBR-CH achieved more than 94% wound closure by day 14, accompanied by enhanced collagen deposition and reduced inflammation. Mechanistically, BFT@BBR-CH downregulated TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β, while modulating EGFR/AKT1/HIF-1α/VEGF-A signaling and inhibiting FOXO3/Caspase-3-mediated apoptosis. Collectively, this work establishes BBR-CH as a sustainable and versatile drug delivery platform, providing a waste-to-wealth strategy for the development of advanced wound care materials.

The BMP2-Smad signaling pathway serves as a central regulator of osteoblast differentiation and bone formation, rendering it a promising target for the discovery of osteogenic agents from natural sources. Nonetheless, direct BMP2-binding ligands derived from complex herbal extracts remain poorly characterized. In the present study, surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based target fishing against BMP2, in conjunction with UPLC-Q-TOF-MS identification, was employed to screen for bioactive ligands from Periploca forrestii, a traditional Miao medicinal plant used for bone-related conditions. Six caffeoylquinic acid derivatives, namely neochlorogenic acid (NCA), 3-O-caffeoyl-4-O-sinapoylquinic acid, chlorogenic acid (CA), cryptochlorogenic acid (CCA), isochlorogenic acid B (IB), and isochlorogenic acid C (IC), were captured as direct BMP2-binding ligands. All six compounds promoted osteoblast differentiation and mineralization in MC3T3-E1 Subclone 14 cells, with IB displaying the strongest binding affinity and bioactivity. Mechanistically, IB failed to rescue the osteogenic suppression induced by the BMP type I receptor inhibitor LDN-193189, indicating its dependence on BMP signaling. In an LPS-induced inflammatory model, IB significantly reversed the downregulation of key proteins in the BMP2-Smad pathway (p-Smad1, Smad4, and Runx2) and osteogenic marker genes (Osterix, COL1A1, and OCN), demonstrating its capacity to restore osteogenic function under compromised conditions. Collectively, these findings establish that caffeoylquinic acid derivatives, particularly IB, function as BMP2-targeting osteogenic constituents of P. forrestii that activate BMP2-Smad signaling to promote osteoblast differentiation, thereby offering a pharmacological basis for the development of natural product-derived osteogenic agents.