An Integrated Strategy of UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS Combined with Bioactivity-Based Molecular Networking for Identification of Antitumoral Withanolides from Athenaea fasciculata (Vell.) I.M.C. Rodrigues & Stehmann

BACKGROUND

Athenaea fasciculata, a Brazilian native species from the Solanaceae family, is recognized as a promising source of bioactive withanolides, particularly Aurelianolide A and B, which exhibit significant antitumoral activities. Despite its potential, research on the chemical constituents of this species remains limited. This study aimed to dereplicate extracts and partitions of A. fasciculata to streamline the discovery of bioactive withanolides.

METHODS

Using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS), various extracts-including n-hexane, methanol, and ethanol-were analyzed, and their mass spectrometry data were processed through the GNPS platform for the generation of molecular networking. The results indicated that crude extracts displayed comparable cytotoxicity against Jurkat cells, by treatment at 150 µg/mL, while alcoholic extracts achieved approximately 80% inhibition of K562 cells and K562-Lucena 1 at the same concentration. Notably, the dichloromethane partition exhibited the highest cytotoxicity across leukemia cell lines, particularly against Jurkat cells (IC50 = 14.34 µg/mL). A total of 22 compounds were annotated by manual inspection and different libraries, with six of them demonstrating significant cytotoxic effects.

CONCLUSIONS

This research underscores the therapeutic potential of A. fasciculata and highlights the effectiveness of integrating advanced analytical methods in drug discovery, paving the way for further exploration of its bioactive compounds.

Inositol Derivatives with Anti-Inflammatory Activity from Leaves of Solanum capsicoides Allioni

Eight new inositol derivatives, solsurinositols A-H (1-8), were isolated from the 70% EtOH extract of the leaves of Solanum capsicoides Allioni. Careful isolation by silica gel column chromatography followed by preparative high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) allowed us to obtain analytically pure compounds 1-8. They shared the same relative stereochemistry on the ring but have different acyl groups attached to various hydroxyl groups. This was the first time that inositol derivatives have been isolated from this plant. The chemical structures of compounds 1-8 were characterized by extensive 1D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and 2D NMR and mass analyses. Meanwhile, the in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of all compounds was determined using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced BV2 microglia, and among the isolates, compounds 5 (IC₅₀ = 11.21 ± 0.14 µM) and 7 (IC₅₀ = 14.5 ± 1.22 µM) were shown to have potential anti-inflammatory activity.

Withaferin A Inhibits Neutrophil Adhesion, Migration, and Respiratory Burst and Promotes Timely Neutrophil Apoptosis

Neutrophils play a major role in many equine conditions, including equine asthma, laminitis, and intestinal ischemia and reperfusion injury, and therefore represent an attractive target for innovative therapeutic approaches. Novel strategies for reducing neutrophilic inflammation include modulation of neutrophil functions and lifespan. Withaferin A (WFA) is a phytochemical with well-established in vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory properties, but its direct effects on neutrophils are largely unknown. We hypothesized that WFA would inhibit adhesion, migration, and respiratory burst by equine neutrophils and promote timely apoptosis of primed equine neutrophils. Consistent with this hypothesis, our data show that WFA causes a significant, concentration-dependent inhibition of equine neutrophil adhesion, migration, and respiratory burst in response to diverse stimuli. Further, WFA treatment increased apoptosis of equine neutrophils exposed to GM-CSF for 24 h. This pro-apoptotic effect of WFA was not observed in unprimed neutrophils, nor at the 2-h time point relevant to our functional neutrophil experiments. Our data demonstrate that WFA may reduce neutrophil-mediated inflammation through multiple mechanisms, including suppression of inflammatory responses and promotion of apoptosis. Additional research is needed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms for these effects and evaluate the potential clinical use of WFA in veterinary and human patients.

Natural withanolides, an update

Covering: March 2010 to December 2020. Previous review: Nat. Prod. Rep., 2011, 28, 705This review summarizes the latest progress and perspectives on the structural classification, biological activities and mechanisms, metabolism and pharmacokinetic investigations, biosynthesis, chemical synthesis and structural modifications, as well as future research directions of the promising natural withanolides. The literature from March 2010 to December 2020 is reviewed, and 287 references are cited.

Antidepressant-like effect and toxicological parameters of extract and withanolides isolated from aerial parts of Solanum capsicoides All. (Solanaceae)

The present work describes the evaluation of the antidepressant-like activity of the extract, fractions, and compounds obtained from the aerial parts of Solanum capsicoides. The methanolic extract (MESC) obtained by conventional maceration was partitioned with solvents of increasing polarities yielding the respective fractions of hexane (HE), dichloromethane (DCM), and ethyl acetate (EA). The dichloromethane and ethyl acetate fractions were submitted to chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques, leading to the isolation and identification of cilistadiol (1), astragalin (2), and cilistol A (3). In relation to the antidepressant activity, the extract was active against the forced swimming test (FST) at a concentration of 300 mg/kg an ED₅₀ (deffective dose that reduces 50% of immobility time) of 120.3 (117.3-123.4) mg/kg. Similar values were observed when evaluated in the tail suspension test (TST). In addition, the results showed no influence on motor behavior when evaluated in the open field test (OFT). Based on the observed profile of the MESC, dichloromethane fraction presenting the best profile, in both FST and TST test. Likewise, the fraction also did not present motor impairment when evaluated by the OFT test. Considering that the dichloromethane fraction was more effective, the isolated compounds cilistadiol and cilistol A were evaluated in the same experimental models. In FST, both compounds had a significant antidepressant-like effect, with ED₅₀ values of 0.22 (0.16-0.28) and 1.03 (0.89-1.18) μmol/kg, respectively. When evaluated in the TST, showed ED₅₀ values of 0.30 (0.18-0.52) and 1.49 (1.27-1.73) μmol/kg, respectively. The isolated compounds also did not present significant differences in the motor behavior when evaluated on OFT test in comparison with the control group. No toxicological parameters were observed until the highest dose of MESC (2000 mg/kg), demonstrating safety in the use of this plant.

The Genus Solanum: An Ethnopharmacological, Phytochemical and Biological Properties Review

Over the past 30 years, the genus Solanum has received considerable attention in chemical and biological studies. Solanum is the largest genus in the family Solanaceae, comprising of about 2000 species distributed in the subtropical and tropical regions of Africa, Australia, and parts of Asia, e.g., China, India and Japan. Many of them are economically significant species. Previous phytochemical investigations on Solanum species led to the identification of steroidal saponins, steroidal alkaloids, terpenes, flavonoids, lignans, sterols, phenolic comopunds, coumarins, amongst other compounds. Many species belonging to this genus present huge range of pharmacological activities such as cytotoxicity to different tumors as breast cancer (4T1 and EMT), colorectal cancer (HCT116, HT29, and SW480), and prostate cancer (DU145) cell lines. The biological activities have been attributed to a number of steroidal saponins, steroidal alkaloids and phenols. This review features 65 phytochemically studied species of Solanum between 1990 and 2018, fetched from SciFinder, Pubmed, ScienceDirect, Wikipedia and Baidu, using "Solanum" and the species' names as search terms ("all fields").

Bioactive new withanolides from the cultured soft coral Sinularia brassica

Continuing study of the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) extract of the cultured soft coral Sinularia brassica afforded five new withanolides, sinubrasolides H-L (1-5). The structures of the new compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis. The cytotoxicities of new compounds 1-5 and a known compound sinubrasolide A (6) against the proliferation of a limited panel of cancer cell lines were assayed. The anti-inflammatory activities of compounds 1-6 were evaluated by measuring their ability to suppress N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenyl-alanine/cytochalasin B (fMLP/CB)-induced superoxide anion generation and elastase release in human neutrophils.

Natural Withanolides in the Treatment of Chronic Diseases

Withanolides, and in particular extracts from Withania somnifera, have been used for over 3,000 years in traditional Ayurvedic and Unani Indian medical systems as well as within several other Asian countries. Traditionally, the extracts were ascribed a wide range of pharmacologic properties with corresponding medical uses, including adaptogenic, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, sedative/anxiolytic, cytotoxic, antitussive, and immunomodulatory. Since the discovery of the archetype withaferin A in 1965, approximately 900 of these naturally occurring, polyoxygenated steroidal lactones with 28-carbon ergostane skeletons have been discovered across 24 diverse structural types. Subsequently, extensive pharmacologic research has identified multiple mechanisms of action across key inflammatory pathways. In this chapter we identify and describe the major withanolides with anti-inflammatory properties, illustrate their role within essential and supportive inflammatory pathways (including NF-κB, JAK/STAT, AP-1, PPARγ, Hsp90 Nrf2, and HIF-1), and then discuss the clinical application of these withanolides in inflammation-mediated chronic diseases (including arthritis, autoimmune, cancer, neurodegenerative, and neurobehavioral). These naturally derived compounds exhibit remarkable biologic activity across these complex disease processes, while showing minimal adverse effects. As novel compounds and analogs continue to be discovered, characterized, and clinically evaluated, the interest in withanolides as a novel therapeutic only continues to grow.

New withanolides with TRAIL-sensitizing effect from Physalis pubescens L

Physalis pubescens L. plant produces nutritious and healthy fruits, called husk tomato or hairy ground cherry. However, its bioactive components are largely unknown. Four new withanolide steroids (1-4) together with one known withanolide (5) were isolated from the extract of P. pubescens L. and their chemical structures were established by extensive spectroscopic analyses. Compounds 1, 3 and 5 showed potent growth inhibitory effects against four human renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cell lines (i.e. 786-O, A-498, Caki-2 and ACHN). Among them, compound 1 was the most potent one with IC50s ranged from 0.30 to 0.77 μM. Further experiment showed that 1 sensitized human RCC cells 786-O to the tumor necrosis factor related apoptosis ligand (TRAIL)-induced apoptosis and increased the expression of C/EBP-homologous protein (CHOP) and death receptor-5 (DR5), leading to activation of the DR5 and caspase-8/3 mediated apoptosis pathway. Molecular docking analysis revealed that compound 1 could bind stably to the TRAIL/DR5 complex through hydrogen bonds. These results suggest that the new withanolide (1) is a lead anti-cancer compound existing in P. pubescens L. and deserves further investigation for RCC prevention and treatment.

New cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory steroids from the soft coral Klyxum flaccidum

Four new steroids, namely klyflaccisteroids G-J (1-4) were isolated from the Formosan soft coral Klyxum flaccidum. The structures of compounds 1-4 were established by spectral data analysis (IR, MS, 1D and 2D NMR) and comparison of spectral data with those of the related known compounds. Cytotoxicity assay revealed that 4 exhibited inhibition activity against the growth of HT-29, P388 and K562 cancer cell lines, whereas 2 showed selective cytotoxicity toward P388 cells. Compound 4 was also found to display significant anti-inflammatory activity for suppressing superoxide anion generation (O2(-)) and elastase release.