Bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids fromCocculus pendulus

Chemistry and biology of ent-morphinan alkaloids

Morphinan alkaloids have attracted constant attention since the isolation of morphine by Sertürner in 1805. However, a group of 45 compounds possessing a complete ent-morphinan backbone can also be found in the literature. These compounds are related to the morphinandienone subgroup and display a substitution pattern which is different from the morphinans. In particular, these alkaloids could be substituted at position C-2 and C-8 either by a hydroxy function or a methoxy moiety. Four groups of ent-morphinan alkaloids can be proposed, the salutaridine, pallidine, cephasugine and erromangine series. Interestingly, the botanical distribution of the ent-morphinans is more widespread than for the morphinans and includes the Annonaceae, Berberidaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fumariaceae, Hernandiaceae, Lauraceae, Menispermaceae, Monimiaceae, Papaveraceae, and Ranunculaceae families. To date, their exact mode of production remains elusive and their interplay with the biosynthetic pathway of other classes of benzyltetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloids, in particular aporphines, should be confirmed. Exploration of the biological and therapeutic potential of these compounds is limited to some areas, namely central nervous system (CNS), inflammation, cancer, malaria and viruses. Further studies should be conducted to identify the cellular/molecular targets in view of promoting these compounds as new scaffolds in medicinal chemistry.

Evaluation of Cytotoxic Activity Alkaloid Fractions of Zanthoxylum acanthopodium DC. Fruits

AIM:

This study was carried out to investigate cytotoxic activity towards T47D, 4T1, MCF-7, HeLa, and Raji cells of alkaloid fractions of Zanthoxylum acanthopodium DC. fruits. Zanthoxylum acanthopodium DC.

METHODS:

The fruit was extracted by maceration. The ethanol extract was fractionated with liquid-liquid extraction using n-hexane, chloroform at pH 3, 7, and 9 to obtained alkaloid fractions. Cytotoxic activity for fraction chloroform at pH 7 and 9 was determined with MTT assay.

RESULTS:

The IC₅₀ of fraction chloroform at pH 7 and 9 was (92.67 ± 1.37; 71.87 ± 1.04; 159.87 ± 0.63; 123.39 ± 0.81; and 103.09 ± 0.58 µg/mLfor pH 7) and (451.29 ± 25.48; 247.18 ± 2.82; 318.46 ± 5.40; 303.96 ± 8.75; and 181.45 ± 1.35 µg/mL for pH 9) respectively.

CONCLUSION:

The results reveal that alkaloid fractions at pH 7 and 9 of Zanthoxylum acanthopodium DC. Fruits have cytotoxic activity. Our further study is to isolate and assesses anticancer activity from alkaloid compounds.

Natural sesquiterpen lactones as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors

Background and the purpose of the study: The amount of elder people who suffer from Alzheimer disease is continuously increasing every year. Cholinesterase inhibitors have shown to be effective in alleviating the symptoms of the disease, thus opening a field of research for these treatments. Herbal products, owning a reputation as effective agents in many biological studies are now drawing attention for inhibiting acetylcholinesterase, in other words, Alzheimer disease. In the present study, the ability of three sesquiterpene lactones from Inula oculus-christi and I. aucheriana to inhibit AChE has been evaluated through Ellman assay. Materials and Methods: Gaillardin and pulchellin C were obtained from I. oculus-christi and britannin from I. aucheriana by chromatographic methods. They were dissolved in methanol in concentration of 3 mg/mL and the AChEI activity of the compounds was determined by Ellman method using Acethylthiocholine iodide as the substrate and 5, 5'-dithiobis-2-nitrobenzoic acid as the reagent, in 96-well plates at 405 nm. Results: AChEI activity of the examined compounds was obtained as 67.0, 25.2 and 10.9% in concentration of 300 µg/L for gaillardin, britannin and pulchellin C, respectively. Conclusion: Among the three sesquiterpene lactones, gaillardin with 67% inhibition of AChE could be considered a good candidate for future Alzheimer studies.