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Zhang K, Wang H. Development and validation of a highly sensitive UPLC-MS/MS method for the determination of Huperzine A in rat plasma. Biomed Chromatogr 2024:e6011. [PMID: 39300201 DOI: 10.1002/bmc.6011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2024] [Revised: 08/26/2024] [Accepted: 09/04/2024] [Indexed: 09/22/2024]
Abstract
Huperzine A is a reversible and selective cholinesterase inhibitor and has been approved for the treatment of Alzheimer's diseases. In this study, we developed a highly sensitive and specific ulta-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the determination of Huperzine A in rat plasma. An aliquot of 50 μL of rat plasma sample was pretreated with 200 μL of acetonitrile-methanol (v/v; 1:1) containing 0.2% formic acid followed by solid phase extraction. The resulting sample was separated on a Waters ACQUITY BEH C18 column using acetonitrile and water containing 0.2% formic acid as mobile phase, at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min. Multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM) mode was used for quantitative analysis of Huperzine A in positive electrospray ionization. In the concentration range of 0.01-10 ng/mL, Huperzine A showed excellent linearity with correlation coefficient > 0.998. The intra- and inter-day RSD% were less than 9.7%, while the RE% ranged from -6.7% to 10.0%. The mean recovery was >84.5%. The validated method was demonstrated to be selective, sensitive, and reliable, which has been successfully applied to pharmacokinetic study of Huperzine A in rat plasma. Huperzine A displayed a long half-life in rat plasma and high oral bioavailability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kejun Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Xuzhou New Health Geriatric Hospital, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Haizhou Wang
- Department of Neurology, Xuzhou New Health Geriatric Hospital, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
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Strzelecki A, Weafer J, Stoops WW. Human behavioral pharmacology of stimulant drugs: An update and narrative review. ADVANCES IN PHARMACOLOGY (SAN DIEGO, CALIF.) 2022; 93:77-103. [PMID: 35341574 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apha.2021.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Stimulant use disorders present an enduring public health concern. Chronic stimulant use is associated with a range of health problems, with notable increases in stimulant overdose that disproportionately affect marginalized populations. With these persistent problems, it is important to understand the behavioral and pharmacological factors that contribute to stimulant use in humans. The purpose of this chapter is to provide an update and narrative review on recent human laboratory research that has evaluated the behavioral pharmacology of stimulant drugs. We focus on two prototypic stimulants: cocaine as a prototype monoamine reuptake inhibitor and d-amphetamine as a prototype monoamine releaser. As such, placebo controlled human laboratory studies that involved administration of doses of cocaine or d-amphetamine and were published in peer reviewed journals within the last 10 years (i.e., since 2011) are reviewed. Primary outcomes from these studies are subjective effects, reinforcing effects, cognitive/behavioral effects, and discriminative stimulus effects. Both cocaine and d-amphetamine produce classical stimulant-like behavioral effects (e.g., increase positive subjective effects, function as reinforcers), but there are notable gaps in the literature including understanding sex differences in response to stimulant drugs, cognitive-behavioral effects of stimulants, and influence of use history (e.g., relatively drug naïve vs drug experienced) on stimulant effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Strzelecki
- University of Kentucky, Department of Psychology, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Jessica Weafer
- University of Kentucky, Department of Psychology, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - William W Stoops
- University of Kentucky, Department of Psychology, Lexington, KY, United States; University of Kentucky, Department of Behavioral Science, Lexington, KY, United States; University of Kentucky, Department of Psychiatry, Lexington, KY, United States; University of Kentucky, Center on Drug and Alcohol Research, Lexington, KY, United States.
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Hadizadeh H, Flores J, Nunes E, Mayerson T, Potenza MN, Angarita GA. Novel Pharmacological Agents for the Treatment of Cocaine Use Disorder. Curr Behav Neurosci Rep 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s40473-022-00246-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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A Synopsis of Multitarget Potential Therapeutic Effects of Huperzine A in Diverse Pathologies-Emphasis on Alzheimer's Disease Pathogenesis. Neurochem Res 2022; 47:1166-1182. [PMID: 35122609 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-022-03530-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/15/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Numerous challenges are confronted when it comes to the recognition of therapeutic agents for treating complex neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease (AD). The perplexing pathogenicity of AD embodies cholinergic dysfunction, amyloid beta (Aβ) aggregation, neurofibrillary tangle formation, neuroinflammation, mitochondrial disruption along with vicious production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generating oxidative stress. In this frame of reference, drugs with multi target components could prove more advantageous to counter complex pathological mechanisms that are responsible for AD progression. For as much as, medicinal plant based pharmaco-therapies are emerging as potential candidates for AD treatment keeping the efficacy and safety parameters in terms of toxicity and side effects into consideration. Huperzine A (Hup A) is a purified alkaloid compound extracted from a club moss called Huperzia serrata. Several studies have reported both cholinergic and non-cholinergic effects of this compound on AD with significant neuroprotective properties. The present review convenes cumulative demonstrations of neuroprotection provided by Hup A in in vitro, in vivo, and human studies in various pathologies. The underlying molecular mechanisms of its actions have also been discussed. However, more profound evidence would certainly promote the therapeutic implementation of this drug thus furnishing decisive insights into AD therapeutics and various other pathologies along with preventive and curative management.
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Huperzine A and Its Neuroprotective Molecular Signaling in Alzheimer's Disease. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26216531. [PMID: 34770940 PMCID: PMC8587556 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26216531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Huperzine A (HupA), an alkaloid found in the club moss Huperzia serrata, has been used for centuries in Chinese folk medicine to treat dementia. The effects of this alkaloid have been attributed to its ability to inhibit the cholinergic enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE), acting as an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor (AChEI). The biological functions of HupA have been studied both in vitro and in vivo, and its role in neuroprotection appears to be a good therapeutic candidate for Alzheimer´s disease (AD). Here, we summarize the neuroprotective effects of HupA on AD, with an emphasis on its interactions with different molecular signaling avenues, such as the Wnt signaling, the pre- and post-synaptic region mechanisms (synaptotagmin, neuroligins), the amyloid precursor protein (APP) processing, the amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) accumulation, and mitochondrial protection. Our goal is to provide an integrated overview of the molecular mechanisms through which HupA affects AD.
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Patel M, Verrico CD, De La Garza R. Rivastigmine does not alter cocaine-induced subjective effects or self-administration. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2019; 185:172758. [PMID: 31430484 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2019.172758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2018] [Revised: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 08/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Acetylcholinergic (ACh) neurons interface with the mesolimbic dopamine pathway implicated in addiction, and acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEis) have been shown to reduce the immediate effects of cocaine and amount used. Our study is the first to examine if the safe and low-interaction AChEi rivastigmine (riv) alters the subjective effects produced by cocaine administration. METHODS Cocaine-dependent subjects were randomized to daily placebo, riv 3 mg, or riv 6 mg, administered inpatient for 10 days. On day 1 (pre-dose) and day 9, subjects received both IV cocaine 40 mg or placebo in a randomized order with subsequent serial assessments of visual analog scale (VAS) subjective effects and pharmacokinetic measurements. On day 10 all participants received one baseline dose of cocaine 20 mg with assessment of subjective effects, and were then able to purchase additional doses at 15 min intervals with study earnings. RESULTS 40 subjects were randomized to placebo (n = 16), riv 3 mg (n = 13), or riv 6 mg (n = 12). All subjects completed the study and there were no demographic differences between treatment groups. Pre- and post- treatment, there were no significant pharmacokinetic differences (blood levels of cocaine, BE, EME) following cocaine administration. In a two-way ANOVA, IV cocaine significantly increased positive VAS category ratings compared to placebo, but rivastigmine treatment at either dose had no significant effect on any VAS category ratings. Similarly, there was no significant rivastigmine effect on any category in the day 10 cocaine administration, and no effect on number of subsequent doses participants purchased. CONCLUSION Rivastigmine 3 or 6 mg had no significant effect on the subjective effects of cocaine after 9 days of treatment. This is an important finding as other drugs in the AChEi class (donepezil, Huperzine A) have produced significant results, but differ in their receptor specificity and PK parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Patel
- Baylor College of Medicine, Menninger Department of Psychiatry, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - C D Verrico
- Baylor College of Medicine, Menninger Department of Psychiatry, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - R De La Garza
- Baylor College of Medicine, Menninger Department of Psychiatry, Houston, TX, United States of America.
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The α-1 adrenoceptor (ADRA1A) genotype moderates the magnitude of acute cocaine-induced subjective effects in cocaine-dependent individuals. Pharmacogenet Genomics 2017; 26:428-35. [PMID: 27379509 DOI: 10.1097/fpc.0000000000000234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We examined whether a functional variant of the ADRA1A gene moderated cocaine-induced subjective effects in a group of cocaine-dependent individuals. METHODS This study was a within-participant, double-blind, placebo-controlled inpatient human laboratory evaluation of 65 nontreatment-seeking, cocaine-dependent [Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed. (DSM-IV)] individuals aged 18-55 years. Participants received both placebo (saline, IV) and cocaine (40 mg, IV), and subjective responses were assessed 15 min before receiving an infusion and at 5 min intervals for the subsequent 20 min. The rs1048101 variant of the α1A-adrenoceptor (ADRA1A) gene was genotyped and it was evaluated whether the Cys to Arg substitution at codon 347 in exon 2 (Cys347Arg) moderated the magnitude of the subjective effects produced by cocaine. RESULTS Thirty (46%) participants were found to have the major allele CC genotype and 35 (44%) carried at least one minor T-allele of rs1048101 (TT or TC genotype). Individuals with the CC genotype showed greater responses for 'desire' (P<0.0001), 'high' (P<0.0001), 'any drug effect' (P<0.0001), 'like cocaine' (P<0.0001), and 'likely to use cocaine if given access' (P<0.05) with experiment-wise significance. CONCLUSION This study indicates that the ADRA1A genotype could be used to identify individuals for whom acute cocaine exposure may be more rewarding and by inference may result in greater difficulty in establishing and/or maintaining abstinence from cocaine.
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Mahoney JJ, Kalechstein AD, Newton TF, De La Garza R. The limited impact that cocaine use patterns have on neurocognitive functioning in individuals with cocaine use disorder. J Psychopharmacol 2017; 31:989-995. [PMID: 28695777 DOI: 10.1177/0269881117715606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
It is well-documented in the literature that cocaine use is associated with neurocognitive impairment. The manner in which patterns of cocaine use, such as years of use, recent use over the past month, and daily amount of cocaine use, moderate neurocognition has been studied in a relatively piecemeal manner. Hence, the purpose of the study was to evaluate whether cocaine use patterns modulate neurocognition in individuals with cocaine use disorder. Cocaine users who were cocaine-negative ( n=125) were divided into tertiles based on cocaine use patterns and the performances of the highest and lowest groups were compared on the following cognitive measures: Continuous Performance Task-II, n-back, and Hopkins Verbal Learning Task-Revised. Participants with cocaine use disorder who used for more years (25.2±0.6 versus 10.1±0.6 years; mean±standard error of the mean) and who had more recent cocaine use over the past month (26.3±0.5 versus 6.0±0.6 days) did not differ significantly on any of the neurocognitive variables when compared to those with use patterns of shorter duration and less frequency (all p's >0.05). Lastly, participants reporting the greatest amount daily cocaine use (1.8±0.0 g) demonstrated better performance on an auditory working memory task when compared to those with the lowest daily use (0.7±0.0 g; p=0.04). While one might expect that individuals who used greater amounts of cocaine over longer periods of time would demonstrate relatively poorer performance on measures of neurocognition, particularly in the initial phase of abstinence, our findings did not confirm this. While speculative, a potential explanation for these findings is that after an individual uses cocaine for a certain number of years, or uses a specific amount over time, then the deleterious effects of cocaine on neurocognition stabilizes, and increased duration of cocaine use does not further exacerbate those impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- James J Mahoney
- 1 Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, USA
| | - Ari D Kalechstein
- 2 Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA
| | - Thomas F Newton
- 2 Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA
| | - Richard De La Garza
- 2 Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA
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Mahoney JJ, Haile CN, De La Garza R, Thakkar H, Newton TF. Electrocardiographic characteristics in individuals with cocaine use disorder. Am J Addict 2017; 26:221-227. [DOI: 10.1111/ajad.12524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2016] [Revised: 02/09/2017] [Accepted: 02/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- James J. Mahoney
- Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry; West Virginia University School of Medicine; Morgantown West Virginia
| | - Colin N. Haile
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; Baylor College of Medicine; Houston Texas
| | - Richard De La Garza
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; Baylor College of Medicine; Houston Texas
| | - Harsh Thakkar
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; Baylor College of Medicine; Houston Texas
| | - Thomas F. Newton
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; Baylor College of Medicine; Houston Texas
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Wang ZY, Liu JG, Li H, Yang HM. Pharmacological Effects of Active Components of Chinese Herbal Medicine in the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease: A Review. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CHINESE MEDICINE 2016; 44:1525-1541. [PMID: 27848250 DOI: 10.1142/s0192415x16500853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common neurodegenerative disorder associated with dementia, not only severely decreases the quality of life for its victims, but also brings a heavy economic burden to the family and society. Unfortunately, few chemical drugs designed for clinical applications have reached the expected preventive or therapeutic effect so far, and combined with their significant side-effects, there is therefore an urgent need for new strategies to be developed for AD treatment. Traditional Chinese Medicine has accumulated many experiences in the treatment of dementia during thousands of years of practice; modern pharmacological studies have confirmed the therapeutic effects of many active components derived from Chinese herbal medicines (CHM). Ginsenoside Rg1, extracted from Radix Ginseng, exerts a [Formula: see text]-secretase inhibitor effect so as to decrease A[Formula: see text] aggregation. It can also inhibit the apoptosis of neuron cells. Tanshinone IIA, extracted from Radix Salviae miltiorrhizae, and baicalin, extracted from Radix Scutellariae[Formula: see text] can inhibit the oxidative stress injury in neuronal cells. Icariin, extracted from Epimedium brevicornum, can decrease A[Formula: see text] levels and the hyperphosphorylation of tau protein, and can also inhibit oxidative stress and apoptosis. Huperzine A, extracted from Huperzia serrata, exerts a cholinesterase inhibitor effect. Evodiamine, extracted from Fructus Evodiae, and curcumin, extracted from Rhizoma Curcumae Longae, exert anti-inflammatory actions. Curcumin can act on A[Formula: see text] and tau too. Due to the advantages of multi-target effects and fewer side effects, Chinese medicine is more appropriate for long-term use. In this present review, the pharmacological effects of commonly used active components derived from Chinese herbal medicines in the treatment of AD are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Yong Wang
- * Geriatric Department, Xiyuan Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China.,† Graduate School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Jian-Gang Liu
- * Geriatric Department, Xiyuan Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Hao Li
- * Geriatric Department, Xiyuan Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Hui-Ming Yang
- ‡ Geriatric Department, Dongzhimen Hospital Affiliated to Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, P.R. China
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