Determination of pseudojujubogenin glycosides from Brahmi based on immunoassay using a monoclonal antibody against bacopaside I

Bacopa monnieri (L.) Wettst. (Brahmi) is an Ayurvedic medicinal plant used for centuries as a memory enhancer. Dammarane-type triterpenoid saponins classified as pseudojujubogenin and jujubogenin glycosides are reported as the active components in this plant. In this study, the monoclonal antibody (MAb) against bacopaside I, a major pseudojujubogenin glycoside found in Brahmi, was produced and characterised. Bacopaside I was conjugated with bovine albumin serum to prepare an immunogen. Hybridomas secreting a monoclonal antibody against bacopaside I was produced by fusing splenocytes from an immunised mouse and SP2/0-Ag14 myeloma cells. The results showed that the antibodies were raised specifically against pseudojujubonin glycosides. An enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) using anti-bacopaside I MAb was performed in the range of 1.95-62.5 ng/mL of bacopaside I, with a limit of detection of 0.5 ng/mL. The method was validated and the practical use of the ELISA for analysing saponin glycosides from Brahmi was demonstrated.

Preparation of a novel monoclonal antibody against the antimalarial drugs, artemisinin and artesunate

A monoclonal antibody (MAb) 1C1 against artemisinin was prepared by a cell fusion with splenocytes and aminopterin-sensitive myeloma cells, SP2/0. An artesunate-BSA conjugate was used as immunogen to raise antibodies specific to artemisinin. The prepared anti-artemisinin MAb-1C1 have a novel characteristic which shows a specificity to compounds that are structurally related to artemisinin such as artesunate (630%) and dihydroartemisinin (29.9%). By using MAb-1C1, a specific and reliable ELISA was developed for the detection of compounds structurally related to artemisinin. The system shows a full measuring range from 2 to 20 microg/mL in the case of artemisinin and from 4 to 125 ng/mL in the case of artesunate in the competitive ELISA, and was validated to be of use for surveying and breeding of Artemisia annua containing a high amount of artemisinin as well as for the characterization of the pharmacokinetics of artemisinin and its derivatives.

Improvement of artemisinin production by chitosan in hairy root cultures of Artemisia annua L

Artemisinin production by hairy roots of Artemisia annua L. was increased 6-fold to 1.8 microg mg(-1) dry wt over 6 days by adding 150 mg chitosan l(-1). The increase was dose-dependent. Similar treatment of hairy roots with methyl jasmonate (0.2 mM) or yeast extract (2 mg ml(-1)) increased artemisinin production to 1.5 and 0.9 microg mg(-1) dry wt, respectively.

An enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay using polyclonal antibodies against bacopaside I

Bacopa monnieri (L.) Wettst. (Brahmi) is a medicinal plant used as a memory enhancer in Ayurvedic medicines. Its active components are triterpenoid glycosides namely pseudojujubogenin and jujubogenin glycosides. In order to analyze these saponin glycosides, an enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) was developed using polyclonal antibodies against bacopaside I, one of the pseudojujubogenin glycosides found in the plant. Bacopaside I was conjugated with a bovine albumin serum (BSA) to prepare an immunogen. The bacopaside I-BSA conjugate was immunized to a rabbit for producing polyclonal antibodies (PAbs). The results showed that the antibodies were raised specifically against pseudojujubogenin glycosides. An ELISA using anti-bacopaside I PAbs was performed in the range of 1.95-62.5 ng mL(-1) of bacopaside I and the limit of detection was 0.1 ng mL(-1). The method was validated and the applicability of the ELISA for analyzing saponin glycosides from Brahmi was demonstrated.

Sennosides A and B production by hairy roots of Senna alata (L.) Roxb

Hairy roots of Senna alata transformed with Agrobacterium rhizogenes, strain ATCC 15834 were induced and grown in half-strength Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium. Effects of sucrose contents and hormones on the growth and sennosides A, B production were investigated. Hairy roots cultured on hormone-free half-strength MS medium containing 5% sucrose under dark condition mostly stimulated the growth of hairy roots and increased the content of sennosides A and B yielding (169 +/- 4) and (34 +/- 3) microg g(-1) dry wt, respectively.

Rapid detection of glycyrrhizin by immunochromatographic assay

An immunochromatographic assay was developed for detecting glycyrrhizin (1). The qualitative assay is based on a competitive immunoassay using anti-1 monoclonal antibody (MAb) and a detector reagent that contains colloidal gold particles coated with anti-1 MAb. The immunochromatographic strip test, which has a detection limit of 250 ng/mL, is useful as a rapid screening method for detecting glycyrrhizin in plants, biological fluids and food samples.

Solasodine glycoside production by hairy root cultures of Physalis minima Linn

Hairy root cultures of Physalis minima L. were developed using Agrobacterium rhizogenes, strain ATCC 15834 mediated transformation and grown in half strength of Murashige and Skoog medium containing 8% (w/v) sucrose. Media supplementation with 1 mg naphthalenacetic acid l(-1) and 1 mg benzyladenine increased solasodine glycoside up to 900 g dry wt, which was 20 times higher than that in the native root.

A one-step immunochromatographic assay for detecting ginsenosides Rb1 and Rg1

An immunochromatographic strip test has been developed for detecting ginsenosides Rb1 (G-Rb1) and Rg1 (G-Rg1). This qualitative assay system is useful as a rapid screening method for detecting G-Rb1 and G-Rg1 in plants and plant preparations. Our assay is a competitive immunoassay that uses anti-G-Rb1 and anti-G-Rg1 monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) and a detection reagent that contains colloidal gold particles coated with anti-G-Rb1 and anti-G-Rg1 MAbs. Detection limits are 2 microg mL(-1) for both G-Rb1 and G-Rg1.

Development of a one-step immunochromatographic strip test for the detection of sennosides A and B

An immunochromatographic strip test was developed to detect sennoside A (1) and sennoside B (2) using anti-1 and anti-2 monoclonal antibodies. The qualitative assay was based on a competitive immunoassay in which the detector reagent consisted of colloidal gold particles coated with the respective sennoside antibodies. The capture reagents were 1- and 2-human serum albumin (HSA) conjugates immobilised on a nitrocellulose membrane on the test strip. The sample containing 1 and 2, together with detector reagent, passed over the zone where the capture reagents had been immobilised. The analytes in the sample competed for binding to the limited amount of antibodies in the detector reagent with the immobilised 1- and 2-HSA conjugates on the membrane and hence positive samples showed no colour in the capture spot zone. Detection limits for the strip test were 125 ng/mL for both sennosides. The assay system is useful as a rapid and simple screening method for the detection of 1 and 2 in plants, drugs and body fluids.

Anti-solasodine glycoside single-chain Fv antibody stimulates biosynthesis of solasodine glycoside in plants

We constructed a recombinant antibody fragment--single chain fragment-variable (scFv) antibody--derived from hybridoma cell lines to control the concentration of solasodine glycosides in hairy root cultures of Solanum khasianum transformed by the anti-solamargine (As)-scFv gene. The properties of the As-scFv protein expressed in Escherichia coli were almost identical to those of the parent monoclonal antibody (MAb). Up to 220 ng recombinant As-scFv was expressed per milligram of soluble protein in transgenic hairy root cultures of S. khasianum. The concentration of solasodine glycosides was 2.3-fold higher in the transgenic than in the wild-type hairy root, as reflected by the soluble As-scFv level and antigen binding activities. These results suggested that the scFv antibody expressed in transgenic hairy roots controlled the antigen level, thus representing a novel plant breeding methodology that can produce secondary metabolites.

Determination of aculeatisides based on immunoassay using a polyclonal antibody against aculeatiside A

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for determination of aculeatisides. Aculeatiside A was conjugated with bovine serum albumin (BSA) for immunization. The ratio of hapten in an antigen conjugate was determined by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization TOF mass spectrometry. Polyclonal antibody was developed in rabbits against an aculeatiside A-BSA conjugate. The antibody was specific for aculeatiside A and aculeatiside B. The range of the immunoassay extended from 100 ng ml(-1) to 5 pg ml(-1) of aculeatisides. Good correlation between ELISA and HPLC methods was obtained when crude extracts of plant samples were analyzed. The optimized ELISA was found to be applicable to the determination of total aculeatisides in various plant samples.

Survey of solasodine-type glycoalkaloids by western blotting and ELISA using anti-solamargine monoclonal antibody

Solasodine glycosides were analyzed for the selection of higher-producing natural resources in the fruits of Solanum spp. by western blotting and ELISA using anti-solamargine monoclonal antibody (MAb). Western blotting of Solanum khasianum showed a correlation with the analysis by ELISA. The results indicated that the fruits of S. khasianum contained the highest level of solasodine glycosides, compared to other species having 53.43 +/- 3.90 microg/mg dry wt. The high level of solasodine glycosides in S. khasianum suggests that it may be suitable for commercial production.

Rapid separation of solasodine glycosides by an immunoaffinity column using anti-solamargine monoclonal antibody

Immunoaffinity column using anti-solamargine monoclonal antibody for separation of solasodine glycosides was established. This method was specific for solasodine glycosides which was detected by thin layer chromatography and the western blotting. Total solasodine glycosides have been separated directly from the crude extract of Solanum khasianum fruit by the newly established immunoaffinity column.

Solakhasoside, a novel steroidal saponin from Solanum khasianum

Solakhasoside (1), a novel steroidal saponin, was isolated from the fruit of Solanum khasianum. Its structure was determined as (23S, 25S)-spirot-5-en-3beta,17alpha, 23-triol-3-O-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)[beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 -->3)]-beta-D-galactopyranoside] (1) by spectroscopic analysis.

A simple determination of steroidal alkaloid glycosides by thin-layer chromatography immunostaining using monoclonal antibody against solamargine

A method of determination for solasodine glycosides by using thin-layer chromatography (TLC) immunostaining was investigated. Solasodine glycosides separated by silica gel TLC were transferred to a polyvinylidene difluoride membrane. The membrane was treated with sodium periodate solution followed by bovine serum albumin (BSA), resulting in a solasodine glycoside-BSA conjugate. Conjugation was confirmed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry. Individual spots were stained by monoclonal antibody against solamargine. Immunostaining of solasodine glycosides was more sensitive compared to other stainings. The newly established immunostaining method can be extended to analysis of the distribution of solasodine glycoside in the plant body.