Dendrocrepidamine, a novel octahydroindolizine alkaloid from the roots of Dendrobium crepidatum

Effect of Dendrobine on Cardiac Dysfunction in Rats with Myocardial Infarction by Regulating Autophagy

Aim: To observe Dendrobine (Den) on rats with post-myocardial infarction cardiac dysfunction and mechanism. Materials: Dividing 27 rats as Sham, Model and Den groups, rats treated with two weeks of drug had their cardiac function and structure measured by ultrasound; their myocardial pathological changes observed by HE and Masson staining and observe apoptosis cell number by TUNEL staining; their serum activities of LDH and CK-MB detected by ELISA; myocardial autophagy protein expressions detected by WB and immunohistochemistry. Results: Model group displayed decreased cardiac function levels, enlarged area of myocardial fibrosis, more serum activities of LDH and CK-MB, increased myocardial tissue structural damage and apoptosis cell number, downregulated LAMP2 expression, and up-regulated expressions of Beclin1, LC3-II/LC3-I rate, and P62. To rat victims of myocardial infarction, Den improved cardiac function, reduced area of myocardial fibrosis, compromised activities of serum LDH and CK-MB, and relieved damage in myocardial structure, decreased apoptosis cell number in myocardial tissue, up-regulated the expressions of Beclin1, LAMP2 and LC3-II, and down-regulated P62 to promote the autophagy in myocardium damaged by myocardial infarction. Conclusion: Den alleviates post-myocardial infarction cardiac dysfunction through improvement of autophagosomes formation and autophagic flux via Beclin1/LAMP2 pathway.

Study on the Mechanism of Improving Mice with Atherosclerosis Using Dendrocrepine

Aim: To discuss Den on apoptosis and Nrf2/ARE in atherosclerotic vulnerable plaque of apolipoprotein in E (ApoE)-/- mice. Methods: Randomly dividing ApoE-/- mice as 5 groups including Normal, Model, Den-L (10 mg/kg), Den-M (20 mg/kg) and Den-H (40 mg/kg) groups. The atherosclerotic vulnerable plaque model was established by high-fat feeding and right common carotid artery catheterization (perivascular carotid collar placement, PCR), and Den was given by difference concentration Den, the pathological changes of right common carotid arery, apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle, Bax, Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 proteins expression using IHC and WB assay, Nrf2, ARE and MDA, 8-OHdG and TAC levels were detected. Results: Model group showed typical pathological changes of vulnerable plaque, the apoptosis cell number, Bax, Caspase-3 and MDA, 8-OHdG significantly increased, the Bcl-2, Nrf2, ARE and TAC levels significantly decreased (P < 0.001, respectively); Compared with model group, the plaque of Den groups were reduced and tended to be stable, the apoptosis cell number, Bax, Caspase3 and MDA, 8-OHdG levels significantly decreased, Bcl-2, Nrf2, ARE and TAC levels significantly increased (P<0.05, respectively). Conclusion: Den improves atherosclerotic vulnerable plaque of ApoE-/- mice, which is related to the inhibition of apoptosis and Nrf2/ARE pathway.

Recent Research Progress on Natural Stilbenes in Dendrobium Species

Dendrobium is the second biggest genus in the Orchidaceae family, and many of them have been utilized as a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for thousands of years in China. In the last few decades, constituents with great chemical diversity were isolated from Dendrobium, and a wide range of biological activities were detected, either for crude extracts or for pure compounds. Stilbene compound is one of the primary active constituents in the genus Dendrobium. At present, 267 stilbene compounds with clarified molecular structures have been extracted and isolated from 52 species of Dendrobium, including 124 phenanthrenes and 143 bibenzyls. At the same time, activity studies have indicated that 157 compounds have pharmaceutical activity. Among them, most of the compounds showed antitumor activity, followed by antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-α-glucosidase inhibitory activities. Additionally, 54 compounds have multiple pharmacological activities, such as confusarin (14), 2,4,7-trihydroxy-9,10-dihydro-phenanthrene (43), moscatilin (148), gigantol (150) and batatasin III (151). This review summarizes current knowledge about the chemical composition of stilbene, bioactivities and pharmacologic effects in 52 species of Dendrobium. We also expect to provide a reference for further research, development and utilization of stilbene constituents in the Dendrobium genus.

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A personal selection of 32 recent papers is presented covering various aspects of current developments in bioorganic chemistry and novel natural products such as anisotanol A from Anisodus tanguticus.