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Carullo G, Saponara S, Ahmed A, Gorelli B, Mazzotta S, Trezza A, Gianibbi B, Campiani G, Fusi F, Aiello F. Novel Labdane Diterpenes-Based Synthetic Derivatives: Identification of a Bifunctional Vasodilator That Inhibits Ca V1.2 and Stimulates K Ca1.1 Channels. Mar Drugs 2022; 20:md20080515. [PMID: 36005518 PMCID: PMC9410420 DOI: 10.3390/md20080515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2022] [Revised: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Sesquiterpenes such as leucodin and the labdane-type diterpene manool are natural compounds endowed with remarkably in vitro vasorelaxant and in vivo hypotensive activities. Given their structural similarity with the sesquiterpene lactone (+)-sclareolide, this molecule was selected as a scaffold to develop novel vasoactive agents. Functional, electrophysiology, and molecular dynamics studies were performed. The opening of the five-member lactone ring in the (+)-sclareolide provided a series of labdane-based small molecules, promoting a significant in vitro vasorelaxant effect. Electrophysiology data identified 7 as a CaV1.2 channel blocker and a KCa1.1 channel stimulator. These activities were also confirmed in the intact vascular tissue. The significant antagonism caused by the CaV1.2 channel agonist Bay K 8644 suggested that 7 might interact with the dihydropyridine binding site. Docking and molecular dynamic simulations provided the molecular basis of the CaV1.2 channel blockade and KCa1.1 channel stimulation produced by 7. Finally, 7 reduced coronary perfusion pressure and heart rate, while prolonging conduction and refractoriness of the atrioventricular node, likely because of its Ca2+ antagonism. Taken together, these data indicate that the labdane scaffold represents a valuable starting point for the development of new vasorelaxant agents endowed with negative chronotropic properties and targeting key pathways involved in the pathophysiology of hypertension and ischemic cardiomyopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Carullo
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Simona Saponara
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Amer Ahmed
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Beatrice Gorelli
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Sarah Mazzotta
- Department of Chemistry, University of Milan, Via Golgi 19, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Alfonso Trezza
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Beatrice Gianibbi
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Campiani
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Fabio Fusi
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
- Correspondence: (F.F.); (F.A.)
| | - Francesca Aiello
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Edif. Polifunzionale, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy
- Correspondence: (F.F.); (F.A.)
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In vitro and in silico studies of 8(17),12E,14-labdatrien-18-oic acid in airways smooth muscle relaxation: new molecular insights about its mechanism of action. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol 2020; 394:885-902. [PMID: 33205250 DOI: 10.1007/s00210-020-02010-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
In the field of experimental pharmacology, researchers continuously investigate new relaxant agents of the airway smooth muscle cells (ASMCs), since the pathophysiology of respiratory illnesses, such as asthma, involves hyperresponsiveness and changes in ASMC homeostasis. In this scenario, labdane-type diterpenes, like forskolin (FSK), are a class of compounds known for their relaxing action on smooth muscle cells (SMCs), being this phenomenon related to the direct activation of AC-cAMP-PKA pathway. Considering the continuous effort of our group to study the mechanism of action and prospecting for compounds isolated from natural sources, in this paper, we presented how the diterpene 8(17),12E,14-labdatrien-18-oic acid (LBD) promotes relaxant effect on ASMC, performing in vitro experiments using isolated guinea pig trachea and in silico molecular docking/dynamics simulations. In vitro experiments showed that in the presence of aminophylline, FSK and LBD had their relaxant effect potentiated (EC50 from 1.4 ± 0.2 × 10-5 M to 1.5 ± 0.3 × 10-6 M for LBD and from 2.0 ± 0.2 × 10-7 M to 6.4 ± 0.4 × 10-8 M for FSK) while in the presence of Rp-cAMPS this effect was attenuated (EC50 from 1.4 ± 0.2 × 10-5 M to 3 × 10-4 M for LBD and from 2.0 ± 0.2 × 10-7 to 3.1 ± 1.0 × 10-6 M for FSK). Additionally, in silico simulations evidenced that the lipophilic character of LBD is probably responsible for its stability on AC binding site. LBD presented two preferential orientations, where the double bonds of the isoprene moiety as well as the unique polar group (carboxylic acid) in this compound form important anchoring points. In this sense, we consider that the LBD can interact stabilizing the catalytic dimmer of AC as the FSK, although less efficiently.
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Loh YC, Chan SY, Tew WY, Oo CW, Yam MF. New flavonoid-based compound synthesis strategy for antihypertensive drug development. Life Sci 2020; 249:117512. [PMID: 32145305 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2020.117512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Hypertension is one of the leading causes of mortality in relation to the cardiovascular conditions and easily the most overlooked and poorly managed disease in mankind. With well over 200 drugs available in the market globally, there is still an urgency to search for antihypertensive alternatives due to the subpar efficacy and unwarranted side effects of the current choices. Present studies reported over 250 types of plant-derived compounds were being investigated for potential pharmacological effects on the vasculature in the last 3 decades. There were numerous literatures that claimed various compounds exhibiting vasorelaxant properties to a certain extent with low numbers of these compounds being successfully adapted into the current medicinal practice for treatment of hypertension. The issue is the scarcity of reviews that summarizes the discovery of this field and the lack of thorough comparison of these compounds to identify which of these vasodilators should be the next face of hypertension management. Thus, this review is aiming towards identifying the relationship between a major class of plant-derived compounds, flavonoid's activity as a vasodilator with their signalling pathways and their structural characteristics according to their vasorelaxant properties. Interestingly, we found that both nitric oxide and voltage-operated calcium channels pathways, and two of the flavonoid's structural characteristics play crucial roles in eliciting strong vasorelaxant effects. We have faith that the insights of this review will serve as a reference for those researching similar topics in the future and potentially lead to the development of more promising antihypertensive alternative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yean Chun Loh
- Department of Organic Chemistry, School of Chemical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Minden, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Sock Ying Chan
- Department of Organic Chemistry, School of Chemical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Minden, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Wan Yin Tew
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Minden, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Chuan Wei Oo
- Department of Organic Chemistry, School of Chemical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Minden, Penang, Malaysia.
| | - Mun Fei Yam
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Minden, Penang, Malaysia.
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Qiao Y, Zheng H, Li L, Zhang J, Li Y, Li S, Zhu R, Zhou J, Zhao S, Jiang Y, Lou H. Terpenoids with vasorelaxant effects from the Chinese liverwort Scapania carinthiaca. Bioorg Med Chem 2018; 26:4320-4328. [PMID: 30049584 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2018.07.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2018] [Revised: 07/18/2018] [Accepted: 07/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Four new diterpenoids scapanacins A-D (1-4) including one kaurane and three clerodane derivatives, along with eleven known compounds (9-15), were isolated from the Chinese liverwort Scapania carinthiaca J.B. Jack ex Lindb. Their structures were determined based on extensive spectroscopic analyses, and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. Vasorelaxant activity assays of the clerodane-type diterpenoids 2, and 4-8 revealed that they relaxed 3rd-order rat mesenteric arterioles pre-contracted with norepinephrine (NE). Further assays with scapanacin D (4) confirmed that the vasodilatation was mediated through inhibition of Ca2+ influx via voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels (VDCs), and this Ca2+ channel blocking effect was also confirmed by inhibiting the extracellular Ca2+ influx in MOVAS cells. Besides, very little decrease of the relaxant activity caused by 4 on endothelium-denuded mesenteric arterioles with NE also suggested the vasodilatation was mainly produced by inhibiting Ca2+-induced contraction of smooth muscle. In addition, cytotoxicity testing showed that compounds 1 and 9 with α,β-unsaturated ketone exhibited inhibitory activities against a small panel of human cancer cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanan Qiao
- Department of Natural Products Chemistry, Key Lab of Chemical Biology of the Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Hongbo Zheng
- Department of Natural Products Chemistry, Key Lab of Chemical Biology of the Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Lin Li
- Department of Natural Products Chemistry, Key Lab of Chemical Biology of the Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Jiaozhen Zhang
- Department of Natural Products Chemistry, Key Lab of Chemical Biology of the Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Yi Li
- Department of Natural Products Chemistry, Key Lab of Chemical Biology of the Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Siwen Li
- Department of Natural Products Chemistry, Key Lab of Chemical Biology of the Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Rongxiu Zhu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250010, China
| | - Jinchuan Zhou
- School of Pharmacy, Linyi University, Linyi 276000, China
| | - Shengtian Zhao
- Central Laboratory, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250014, China
| | - Yuehua Jiang
- Central Laboratory, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250014, China
| | - Hongxiang Lou
- Department of Natural Products Chemistry, Key Lab of Chemical Biology of the Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China.
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Anti-hypersensitivity effects of the phthalimide derivative N-(4methyl-phenyl)-4-methylphthalimide in different pain models in mice. Biomed Pharmacother 2017; 96:503-512. [PMID: 29032334 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2017.10.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2017] [Revised: 09/26/2017] [Accepted: 10/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The treatment of chronic pain remains a challenge for clinicians worldwide, independent of its pathogenesis. It motivates several studies attempting to discover strategies to treat the disease. The in silico analysis using molecular docking approach demonstrated that the phthalimide N-(4methyl-phenyl)-4-methylphthalimide (MPMPH-1) presented high affinity to adenylyl-cyclase enzyme (AC). It also prominently reduced the mechanical hypersensitivity of mice challenged by Forskolin, an AC activator. This effect lasted for up to 48h after Forskolin injection, presenting activity longer than MDL-12330A (AC inhibitor). MPMPH-1 was also effective in reducing the hypersensitivity induced by IL-1β, bradykinin, prostaglandin E2 or epinephrine, chemical mediators that have, among others, AC as pivotal protein in their signalling cascade to induce mechanical-pain behaviour. The compound presented marked inhibition in inflammatory-pain models induced by carrageenan, lipopolysaccharide or complete Freund's adjuvant, including neutrophil migration inhibition. Furthermore, it also seems to act in both peripheral and pain central-control pathways, being also effective in reducing the persistent cancer-pain behaviour induced by melanoma cells in mice. MPMPH-1 could represent a promising pharmacological tool to treat acute and chronic painful diseases, with good bioavailability, local activity, and lack of locomotor-activity interference. Further studies are necessary to determine the exact mechanism of action but it seems to involve AC enzyme as possible target.
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