A method for preparing 2,2′,4,4′-Tetrahydroxy-3-(2″-hydroxy-3″-methylbutyl-3″-alkenyl)chalcone includes the following steps: subjecting a Morus alba leaf to extraction with an aqueous solution of methanol or ethanol having a volume fraction of 40%-100%, concentrating an extract to remove methanol or ethanol and dissolving in water, subjecting to extraction with petroleum ether and ethyl acetate successively, and concentrating an ethyl acetate extract to obtain a paste; chromatographing the paste over a silica gel column using chloroform-methanol, collecting an eluate where the volume ratio of chloroform-methanol is 95/5; chromatographing the eluate over a reversed-phase column using methanol-water, collecting an eluate where the volume ratio of methanol-water is 60/40, and thereby the compound is obtained.

A method for preparing 2,2′,4,4′-Tetrahydroxy-3-(2″-hydroxy-3″-methylbutyl-3″-alkenyl)chalcone includes the following steps: subjecting a Morus alba leaf to extraction with an aqueous solution of methanol or ethanol having a volume fraction of 40%-100%, concentrating an extract to remove methanol or ethanol and dissolving in water, subjecting to extraction with petroleum ether and ethyl acetate successively, and concentrating an ethyl acetate extract to obtain a paste; chromatographing the paste over a silica gel column using chloroform-methanol, collecting an eluate where the volume ratio of chloroform-methanol is 95/5; chromatographing the eluate over a reversed-phase column using methanol-water, collecting an eluate where the volume ratio of methanol-water is 60/40, and thereby the compound is obtained.

Compounds of formula (I) in the capacity of compounds with anti-tumor activity for the treatment of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL).

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Novel compounds, pharmaceutical compositions containing these compounds, and methods for their pharmaceutical use are disclosed. In certain embodiments, the compounds are agonists and/or ligands of cannabinoid receptors and may be useful, inter alia, for treating and/or preventing pain, gastrointestinal disorders, genitourinary disorders, inflammation, glaucoma, auto-immune diseases, ischemic conditions, immune-related disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases, for providing cardioprotection against ischemic and reperfusion effects, for inducing apoptosis in malignant cells, and as an appetite stimulant.

Methods, filters and compositions are disclosed for treating toxicity due to oxidative stress and toxic electrophiles.

Estrogenic compounds and compositions, and a method, are presented. The novel estrogenic compounds comprise novel chalcone derivatives and analogs that have little or no measurable estrogen (estradiol, E2) activity but potentiate E2 activity without binding an estrogen receptor (ER). The novel compositions comprise one or more of the novel estrogenic compounds and may optionally comprise one or more excipients. The one or more excipients may be pharmaceutically acceptable. The one or more excipients may comprise at least one compound that does not occur in nature with estrogenic compounds. The method comprises administering a pharmaceutical composition comprising an estrogenic compound described herein to a patient in need of treatment with an estrogenic compound or pharmaceutical composition.

2,2′,4,4′-Tetrahydroxy-3-(2″-hydroxy-3″-methylbutyl-3″-alkenyl)chalcone includes the following steps: subjecting a Morus alba leaf to extraction with an aqueous solution of methanol or ethanol having a volume fraction of 40%-100%, concentrating an extract to remove methanol or ethanol and dissolving in water, subjecting to extraction with petroleum ether and ethyl acetate successively, and concentrating an ethyl acetate extract to obtain a paste; chromatographing the paste over a silica gel column using chloroform-methanol, collecting an eluate where the volume ratio of chloroform-methanol is 95/5; chromatographing the eluate over a reversed-phase column using methanol-water, collecting an eluate where the volume ratio of methanol-water is 60/40, and thereby the compound is obtained.

2,2′,4,4′-Tetrahydroxy-3-(2″-hydroxy-3″-methylbutyl-3″-alkenyl)chalcone includes the following steps: subjecting a Morus alba leaf to extraction with an aqueous solution of methanol or ethanol having a volume fraction of 40%-100%, concentrating an extract to remove methanol or ethanol and dissolving in water, subjecting to extraction with petroleum ether and ethyl acetate successively, and concentrating an ethyl acetate extract to obtain a paste; chromatographing the paste over a silica gel column using chloroform-methanol, collecting an eluate where the volume ratio of chloroform-methanol is 95/5; chromatographing the eluate over a reversed-phase column using methanol-water, collecting an eluate where the volume ratio of methanol-water is 60/40, and thereby the compound is obtained.

2,2′,4,4′-Tetrahydroxy-3-(2″-hydroxy-3″-methylbutyl-3″-alkenyl)chalcone includes the following steps: subjecting a Morus alba leaf to extraction with an aqueous solution of methanol or ethanol having a volume fraction of 40%-100%, concentrating an extract to remove methanol or ethanol and dissolving in water, subjecting to extraction with petroleum ether and ethyl acetate successively, and concentrating an ethyl acetate extract to obtain a paste; chromatographing the paste over a silica gel column using chloroform-methanol, collecting an eluate where the volume ratio of chloroform-methanol is 95/5; chromatographing the eluate over a reversed-phase column using methanol-water, collecting an eluate where the volume ratio of methanol-water is 60/40, and thereby the compound is obtained.

Provided herein are means and methods for inhibiting processes and/or facilitating processes in cells by means of a compound of structural formula I

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wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 are each independently H, OH, CH3, OCH3, a monosaccharide, an oligosaccharide or Cl; with the proviso that at least two of R1-R6 are H; and at least one other of R1-R6 is OH. The compound can be used among others in the prophylactic or curative treatment of an elevated blood interleukin-1β level and/or the treatment of low grade inflammation in an animal subject in need thereof. Also provided is a method for increasing longevity or increasing the health span in a non-diseased animal subject, the method including administering to the animal subject an effective amount of a hydroxychalcone of formula I as indicated herein. Also provided are food and food supplements including a compound of formula I as indicated herein.