2012 Annual Report 1a.Objectives (from AD-416): 1. To analyze flavonoids in selected Scutellaria species. 2. To identify and isolate non-flavonoid anticancer compounds in selected Scutellaria species. 1b.Approach (from AD-416): Scutellaria species will be grown at Fort Valley State University. Principal Investigator will harvest, dry, and powder tissue samples and will send powdered materials to collaborator at USDA, ARS, NPURU in Oxford, MS. Powdered samples will be extracted with methanol. The extract will be analyzed for flavonoid content using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The extracts will also be tested for activity to inhibit glioma cells. The extract with the strongest inhibitory activity will be further fractionated until an active compound is isolated. The isolated compounds will be structurally characterized using various spectroscopic methods (such as UV, IR, mass spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry). 3.Progress Report: This multi-institutional research project is progressing well. At Fort Valley State University germplasm enrichment is continuing (total 19 species) and transverse Thin Layer Culture (tTCL) technique has been perfected for conservation of rare or endangered species. Plant material (leaf) is collected and processed for phytochemical analysis to be carried out at USDA, ARS, Natural Products Utilization Research Unit (NPURU). In another aspect of this collaborative research, isolation of the active principles from Scutellaria ocmulgee was continued. Collaborator at Wayne State University performed proliferation inhibition assays using three different nerve cancer cell lines in testing sub-fractions of leaf extracts of Scutellaria ocmulgee. To date, an active band (referred to as band E) has been identified, and further purification of compounds from this active band is on-going at USDA, ARS, NPURU. In yet another aspect of this project, collaborators at Arkansas State University are developing a hairy root culture system system to study the biosynthesis of flavonoids in Scutellaria. During this reporting period, we also have published two papers from this collaborative research. Additional information regarding these publications can be found on the report for the in-house project, 6408-41000-008-00D, "CHEMISTRY OF NATURAL PRODUCTS FOR NUTRACEUTICAL USE, PEST MANAGEMENT AND CROP DEVELOPMENT".