S-Petasin is the main sesquiterpene of Petasites formosanus, a traditional folk medicine used to treat hypertension, tumors and asthma in Taiwan. The aim of the present study was to investigate its inhibitory effects on phosphodiesterase (PDE) 1-5, and on ovalbumin (OVA)-induced airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in a murine model of allergic asthma. S-Petasin concentration-dependently inhibited ...

Three new steroids, petasitosterones A and B (1 and 2) and a spirosteroid petasitosterone C (3), along with eight known steroids (4-11), were isolated from a Formosan marine soft coral Umbellulifera petasites. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis and comparison of spectroscopic data with those reported. Compound 3 is a marine steroid with a rarel...

The complete genome sequence of beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) from a fledgling red-capped parrot (Purpureicephalus spurius) was assembled and characterized. The genome consists of 1,995 nucleotides and encodes two major proteins in opposing directions. This is the first evidence of BFDV infectivity and a complete genome sequence for this novel host.