Denudatine-type diterpenoid alkaloids from an aqueous extract of the lateral root of Aconitum carmichaelii

An overview of the research progress on Aconitum carmichaelii Debx.:active compounds, pharmacology, toxicity, detoxification, and applications

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Aconitum carmichaelii Debx. is the most widely distributed species of Aconitum plants in China and has a long history of medicinal use. Because of its toxicity, A. carmichaelii is classified as lower class in the Shennong Bencao Jing (Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica). According to the theory of Chinese medicine, the roots can be used to revive yang for resuscitation, dispel wind, remove dampness, and relieve pain.

AIMS OF THE REVIEW

This review focuses on summarizing the latest reports on the components, pharmacology, toxicity, detoxification mechanism and application of A. carmichaelii. It aims to provide ideas for in-depth research on activity mechanism of A. carmichaelii and expanding the value of exploitation and utilization.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Information was collected from the following online scientific databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Wiley Online Library, SciFinder, Scopus, PubChem, China National Knowledge Internet (CNKI), etc. Additional data were obtained from other Chinese medicine books.

RESULTS

In this review, 224 compounds were categorized and new compounds discovered in the last five years were highlighted. The main components of A. carmichaelii are C19-diterpene alkaloids(C19-DAs), among which diester-type aconitine is the most toxic and also the main active ingredient, while monoester diterpene alkaloids (MDAs) and aminol diterpene alkaloids (ADAs) are greatly toxicity reduced due to the loss of ester bond. Heating and compatibility are the means to increase the efficiency and reduce the toxicity of A. carmichaelii. In addition, it also contains abundant C20-diterpene alkaloids (C20-DAs). Like C19-DAs, these compounds also have cardiotonic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory and analgesic pharmacological effects, but their toxicity is weaker. The above-ground part contains not only a variety of MDAs and ADAs, but also contains abundant non-diterpenoid alkaloids and active polysaccharides. In addition to pharmacological effects, we further summarized the mechanisms of cardiotoxicity, neurotoxicity and other toxicity of A. carmichaelii. What's more, the application prospects are also discussed. Polysaccharides and diterpenoid alkaloids in A. carmichaelii and related traditional prescriptions have great promising prospects for the development of new drugs.

CONCLUSION

A. carmichaelii has rich alkaloids and polysaccharides, but the new compounds discovered in recent years are only in the activity screening stage. The toxic differences between C19- and C20- DAs and the dose that affect toxicity of A. carmichaelii are still not clear. The non-traditional medicinal parts, such as stems and leaves, show great potential for development and utilization. More extensive and in-depth exploration of low-toxic active compounds, as well as the mechanism of efficacy-enhancement and toxicity-attenuation, will help A. carmichaelii to be better and safer used for clinical.

Exploring the Biomedical Potential of Terpenoid Alkaloids: Sources, Structures, and Activities

Terpenoid alkaloids are recognized as a class of compounds with limited numbers but potent biological activities, primarily derived from plants, with a minor proportion originating from animals and microorganisms. These alkaloids are synthesized from the same prenyl unit that forms the terpene skeleton, with the nitrogen atom introduced through β-aminoethanol, ethylamine, or methylamine, leading to a range of complex and diverse structures. Based on their skeleton type, they can be categorized into monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, diterpenes, and triterpene alkaloids. To date, 289 natural terpenoid alkaloids, excluding triterpene alkaloids, have been identified in studies published between 2019 and 2024. These compounds demonstrate a spectrum of biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antibacterial, analgesic, and cardioprotective effects, making them promising candidates for further development. This review provides an overview of the sources, chemical structures, and biological activities of natural terpenoid alkaloids, serving as a reference for future research and applications in this area.

Diverse neolignans and lignans from an aqueous extract of the Angelica sinensis root head

Neolignans and lignans with diverse new chemical structures, including eleven pairs of separated chiral enantiomers [(+)-/(-)-1-(+)-/(-)-5, (+)-/(-)-8, (+)-/(-)-10, and (+)-/(-)-12-(+)-/(-)-15], two achiral compounds (6 and 9), and an unseparated racemate [(±)-11], together with a new natural product (7) and 21 known derivatives, were isolated from an aqueous extract of the Angelica sinensis root head (guitou). Among the chiral isolates, (+)-/(-)-13 and (+)-/(-)-15 were scalemic pairs with enantiomeric ratios of around 3:1 and 1.5:1, respectively, while others were enantiomeric equivalent pairs. This indicates that the diverse neolignans in A. sinensis are biosynthesized via different pathways with varying degrees of stereo-controlled manners.

Identification and quality evaluation of different processed products of Aconitum carmichaelii by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

Aconitum carmichaelii is widely used to treat chronic and intractable diseases due to its remarkable curative effect, but it is also a highly toxic herb with severe cardiac and neurotoxicity. It has been combined with honey for thousands of years to reduce toxicity and enhance efficacy, but there has been no study on the chemical constituent changes in the honey-processing so far. In this study, the chemical constituents of A. carmichaelii before and after honey-processing were characterized by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry. The results showed that a total of 118 compounds were identified, of which six compounds disappeared and five compounds were newly produced after honey-processing, and the cleavage pathway of main components was elucidated. At the same time, 25 compounds were found to have significant effects on different products, among which four compounds with the biggest difference were selected for quantitative analysis by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. This study not only explained the chemical differences between the different products, but also helped to control the quality of the honey-processed products more effectively, and laid a foundation for further elucidating the mechanism of chemical constituent change during the honey-processing of A. carmichaelii.

Chemical constituents, pharmacological effects, toxicology, processing and compatibility of Fuzi (lateral root of Aconitum carmichaelii Debx): A review

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The lateral root of Aconitum carmichaelii Debx is known as Fuzi in Chinese. It is traditionally valued and used for dispelling cold, relieving pain effects, restoring 'Yang,' and treating shock despite its high toxicity. This review aims to provide comprehensive information on the chemical composition, pharmacological research, preparation, and compatibility of Fuzi to help reduce its toxicity and increase its efficiency, based on the scientific literature. In addition, this review will establish a new foundation for further studies on Fuzi.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A systematic review of the literature on Fuzi was performed using several resources, namely classic books on Chinese herbal medicine and various scientific databases, such as PubMed, the Web of Science, and the China Knowledge Resource Integrated databases.

RESULTS

Fuzi extracts contain diester-type alkaloids, monoester-type alkaloids, other types of alkaloids, and non-alkaloids types, and have various pharmacological activities, such as strong heart effect, effect on blood vessels, and antidepressant, anti-diabetes, anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, antitumor, immunomodulatory, and other therapeutic effects. However, these extracts can also lead to various toxicities such as cardiotoxicity, neurotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, hepatotoxicity, and embryonic toxicity. In vivo and in vitro experiments have demonstrated that different processing methods and suitable compatibility with other herbs can effectively reduce the toxicities and increase the efficiency of Fuzi.

CONCLUSION

The therapeutic potential of Fuzi has been demonstrated in conditions, such as heart failure, various pains, inflammation, and tumors, which is attributed to the diester-type alkaloids, monoester-type alkaloids, other types of alkaloids, and non-alkaloid types. In contrast, they are also toxic components. Proper processing and suitable compatibility can effectively reduce toxicity and increase the efficiency of Fuzi. Thus more pharmacological and toxicological mechanisms on main active compounds are necessary to be explored.

Ethnopharmacological use, pharmacology, toxicology, phytochemistry, and progress in Chinese crude drug processing of the lateral root of Aconitum carmichaelii Debeaux. (Fuzi): A review

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The lateral root of Aconitum carmichaelii Debeaux. (also known as Fuzi in Chinese) is a toxic Chinese medicine but widely used in clinical practice with remarkable effects. It is specifically used to treat cardiovascular diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, and other diseases, in Korea, Japan, and India.

AIM OF THIS REVIEW

This study aimed to summarize and discuss the effects of drug processing on toxicity, chemical composition, and pharmacology of the lateral root of Aconitum carmichaelii Debeaux. This review could provide feasible insights for further studies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Relevant information on phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology of Fuzi was collected through published materials and electronic databases, including the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, Flora of China, Web of Science, PubMed, Baidu Scholar, Google Scholar, and CNKI.

RESULTS

More than 100 chemical compounds, including alkaloids, flavonoids, and polysaccharides were revealed. Modern pharmacological studies show that these chemical components have good effects on anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-aging, treatment of cardiovascular diseases, and improving immunity. Di-ester alkaloids are the main source of Fuzi toxicity. Increasing studies have shown that Fuzi can induce multiple organ damage, especially cardiotoxicity and neurotoxicity. At present, most of the Fuzi used in clinical practice are processed. The processing affects the chemical structure, pharmacology, and toxicology of Fuzi. Moreover, different processing methods have different effects on Fuzi.

CONCLUSIONS

This review analyzed the effects of Fuzi processing methods on its toxicity and efficiency. The lateral roots of aconite are the known medicinal part of Fuzi; however, the aerial parts of aconite are understudied and require further research to expand its medicinal potential. Processing and compatibility are the primary means to reduce Fuzi toxicity. Nevertheless, establishing a reasonable unified safe dose range requires further discussion.

Lignans and a neolignan from an aqueous extract of Isatis indigotica roots

Four new lignans (1-4) and one new neolignan (5), along with two known lignan derivatives (6 and 7), were isolated from an aqueous extract of the Isatis indigotica root (ban lan gen). Their structures were determined by spectroscopic data analysis, chemical method, and theoretical calculation, for which 1 was proved by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Compound 2 exhibited antiviral activity against influenza virus A/Hanfang/359/95 (H3N2) with an IC50 value of 11.1 µM and a selective index (SI) > 9, while 1 and 5 are the first examples of sulfonated lignan and neolignan from nature.

Sulfonated alkaloids from an aqueous extract of Isatis indigotica roots

Eleven new sulfonated alkaloids (1 - 11) having diverse structures were isolated from an aqueous extract of the Isatis indigotica root (ban lan gen). Their structures were determined by spectroscopic data analysis, chemical method, and theoretical calculation, of which (-)-4 was proved by single crystal X-ray diffraction.

Minor monoterpene derivatives from an aqueous extract of the hook-bearing stem of Uncaria rhynchophylla

Seven new minor monoterpene derivatives (1-7), together with six known analogues, were isolated from an aqueous decoction of the hook-bearing stems of Uncaria rhynchophylla (Gou-teng). Their structures were determined by spectroscopic data analysis and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations, of which 1 was confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction.