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Baggieri M, Gioacchini S, Borgonovo G, Catinella G, Marchi A, Picone P, Vasto S, Fioravanti R, Bucci P, Kojouri M, Giuseppetti R, D'Ugo E, Ubaldi F, Dallavalle S, Nuzzo D, Pinto A, Magurano F. Antiviral, virucidal and antioxidant properties of Artemisia annua against SARS-CoV-2. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 168:115682. [PMID: 37832410 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural products are a rich source of bioactive molecules that have potential pharmacotherapeutic applications. In this study, we focused on Artemisia annua (A. annua) and its enriched extracts which were biologically evaluated in vitro as virucidal, antiviral, and antioxidant agents, with a potential application against the COVID-19 infection. The crude extract showed virucidal, antiviral and antioxidant effects in concentrations that did not affect cell viability. Scopoletin, arteannuin B and artemisinic acid (single fractions isolated from A. annua) exerted a considerable virucidal and antiviral effect in vitro starting from a concentration of 50 µg/mL. Data from Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) showed that the inhibition of the viral infection was due to the interaction of these compounds with the 3CLpro and Spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2, suggesting that the main interaction of compounds may interfere with the viral pathways during the insertion and the replication process. The present study suggests that natural extract of A. annua and its components could have a key role as antioxidants and antiviral agents and support the fight against SARS-CoV-2 variants and other possible emerging Coronaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Baggieri
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Roma, Italy
| | - Silvia Gioacchini
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Roma, Italy
| | - Gigliola Borgonovo
- Dipartimento di Scienze per gli Alimenti, la Nutrizione e l'Ambiente, DeFENS, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Giorgia Catinella
- Dipartimento di Scienze per gli Alimenti, la Nutrizione e l'Ambiente, DeFENS, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Antonella Marchi
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Roma, Italy
| | - Pasquale Picone
- Istituto per la Ricerca e l'Innovazione Biomedica, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via U. La Malfa 153, 0146 Palermo, Italy
| | - Sonya Vasto
- Istituto per la Ricerca e l'Innovazione Biomedica, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via U. La Malfa 153, 0146 Palermo, Italy; Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Chimiche, Farmaceutiche e Tecnologiche, STEBICEF, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, 90128 Palermo, Italy
| | - Raoul Fioravanti
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Roma, Italy
| | - Paola Bucci
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Roma, Italy
| | - Maedeh Kojouri
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Roma, Italy
| | - Roberto Giuseppetti
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Roma, Italy
| | - Emilio D'Ugo
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Roma, Italy
| | | | - Sabrina Dallavalle
- Dipartimento di Scienze per gli Alimenti, la Nutrizione e l'Ambiente, DeFENS, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Domenico Nuzzo
- Istituto per la Ricerca e l'Innovazione Biomedica, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via U. La Malfa 153, 0146 Palermo, Italy
| | - Andrea Pinto
- Dipartimento di Scienze per gli Alimenti, la Nutrizione e l'Ambiente, DeFENS, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Fabio Magurano
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Roma, Italy.
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Wang X, Zheng Y, Chai Z, Li J, Zhu C, Peng Y, Qiu J, Xu J, Liu C. Dihydroartemisinin synergistically enhances the cytotoxic effects of oxaliplatin in colon cancer by targeting the PHB2-RCHY1 mediated signaling pathway. Mol Carcinog 2023; 62:293-302. [PMID: 36342357 DOI: 10.1002/mc.23486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Dihydroartemisinin (DHA) has recently attracted increasing attention for its low toxicity and high antitumor activity. DHA has been reported to have synergistic anticancer effects with a variety of drugs in the clinic; however, the molecular mechanism by which DHA inhibits tumorigenesis and improves oxaliplatin cytotoxicity in colon cancer cells is still not well understood. In this study, we found that DHA can inhibit cell proliferation and colony formation in a dose-dependent manner. Prohibitin 2 (PHB2) is a potential target by which DHA exerts its antitumor and cytotoxic effects. The function and molecular mechanism of PHB2 in colon cancer tumorigenesis were fully studied to determine the regulatory mechanism between DHA and PHB2. We found that PHB2, a mitochondrial inner membrane scaffold protein, has a higher expression level in colon cancer tissues than in adjacent nontumor tissues and is mainly localized in mitochondria. Overexpression of PHB2 can promote cell proliferation and colony formation in vitro and accelerate tumor growth in vivo. We also found that the expression level of PHB2 was inversely related to the cytotoxicity of DHA and oxaliplatin in colon cancer cells. The molecular mechanism of PHB2 in tumorigenesis and cancer therapy was further studied. The results showed that 20 μM DHA can downregulate PHB2 expression in a ubiquitylation-dependent manner and subsequently block PHB2-induced RCHY1 upregulation and p53 and p21 downregulation. In this process, RCHY1 is necessary for PHB2 to play a tumor-promoting role. Thus, PHB2 and RCHY1 are effective targets for colon cancer therapy, and DHA has synergistic anticancer effects with oxaliplatin via promoting PHB2 degradation in colon cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiwei Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yingying Zheng
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory for Rheumatic Disease and Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, People's Republic of China.,Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhengbin Chai
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Shandong Public Health Clinical Center, Jinan, People's Republic of China
| | - Ji Li
- Department of AIDS Control and Prevention, Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Jining, Jining, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Changhui Zhu
- School of Basic Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong, China
| | - Yanling Peng
- Shandong First Medical University & Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, People's Republic of China
| | - Juanjuan Qiu
- Shandong First Medical University & Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiajun Xu
- Shandong First Medical University & Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, People's Republic of China
| | - Chunyan Liu
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, People's Republic of China
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Hua L, Liang S, Zhou Y, Wu X, Cai H, Liu Z, Ou Y, Chen Y, Chen X, Yan Y, Wu D, Sun P, Hu W, Yang Z. Artemisinin-derived artemisitene blocks ROS-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome and alleviates ulcerative colitis. Int Immunopharmacol 2022; 113:109431. [DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2022.109431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Zhang J, Li Y, Wan J, Zhang M, Li C, Lin J. Artesunate: A review of its therapeutic insights in respiratory diseases. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2022; 104:154259. [PMID: 35849970 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2022.154259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2021] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Artesunate, as a semi-synthetic artemisinin derivative of sesquiterpene lactone, is widely used in clinical antimalarial treatment due to its endoperoxide group. Recent studies have found that artesunate may have multiple pharmacological effects, indicating its significant therapeutic potential in multiple respiratory diseases. PURPOSE This review aims to summarize proven and potential therapeutic effects of artesunate in common respiratory disorders. STUDY DESIGN This review summarizes the pharmacological properties of artesunate and then interprets the function of artesunate in various respiratory diseases in detail, such as bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung injury, lung cancer, pulmonary fibrosis, coronavirus disease 2019, etc., on different target cells and receptors according to completed and ongoing in silico, in vitro, and in vivo studies (including clinical trials). METHODS Literature was searched in electronic databases, including Pubmed, Web of Science and CNKI with the primary keywords of 'artesunate', 'pharmacology', 'pharmacokinetics', 'respiratory disorders', 'lung', 'pulmonary', and secondary search terms of 'Artemisia annua L.', 'artemisinin', 'asthma', 'chronic obstructive lung disease', 'lung injury', 'lung cancer', 'pulmonary fibrosis', 'COVID-19' and 'virus' in English and Chinese. All experiments were included. Reviews and irrelevant studies to the therapeutic effects of artesunate on respiratory diseases were excluded. Information was sort out according to study design, subject, intervention, and outcome. RESULTS Artesunate is promising to treat multiple common respiratory disorders via various mechanisms, such as anti-inflammation, anti-oxidative stress, anti-hyperresponsiveness, anti-proliferation, airway remodeling reverse, induction of cell death, cell cycle arrest, etc. CONCLUSION: Artesunate has great potential to treat various respiratory diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyuan Zhang
- Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences/Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100-730, China; Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Center of Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing 100-029, China
| | - Yun Li
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Center of Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing 100-029, China; Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100-029, China
| | - Jingxuan Wan
- Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences/Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100-730, China; Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Center of Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing 100-029, China
| | - Mengyuan Zhang
- Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences/Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100-730, China; Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Center of Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing 100-029, China
| | - Chunxiao Li
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Center of Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing 100-029, China; Peking University China‑Japan Friendship School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing 100-029, China
| | - Jiangtao Lin
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Center of Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing 100-029, China.
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5
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Agrawal PK, Agrawal C, Blunden G. Artemisia Extracts and Artemisinin-Based Antimalarials for COVID-19 Management: Could These Be Effective Antivirals for COVID-19 Treatment? Molecules 2022; 27:3828. [PMID: 35744958 PMCID: PMC9231170 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27123828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
As the world desperately searches for ways to treat the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a growing number of people are turning to herbal remedies. The Artemisia species, such as A. annua and A. afra, in particular, exhibit positive effects against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and COVID-19 related symptoms. A. annua is a source of artemisinin, which is active against malaria, and also exhibits potential for other diseases. This has increased interest in artemisinin's potential for drug repurposing. Artemisinin-based combination therapies, so-called ACTs, have already been recognized as first-line treatments against malaria. Artemisia extract, as well as ACTs, have demonstrated inhibition of SARS-CoV-2. Artemisinin and its derivatives have also shown anti-inflammatory effects, including inhibition of interleukin-6 (IL-6) that plays a key role in the development of severe COVID-19. There is now sufficient evidence in the literature to suggest the effectiveness of Artemisia, its constituents and/or artemisinin derivatives, to fight against the SARS-CoV-2 infection by inhibiting its invasion, and replication, as well as reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, and mitigating lung damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pawan K. Agrawal
- Natural Product Inc., 7963 Anderson Park Lane, Westerville, OH 43081, USA;
| | - Chandan Agrawal
- Natural Product Inc., 7963 Anderson Park Lane, Westerville, OH 43081, USA;
| | - Gerald Blunden
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Science, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 2DT, UK;
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Synthesis, Evaluation of Anti-Toxoplasma gondii Activity in vitro and Molecular Docking of Dihydroartemisinin Derivatives. Pharm Chem J 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11094-021-02529-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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7
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Andouard D, Gueye R, Hantz S, Fagnère C, Liagre B, Bernardaud L, Pouget C, Duroux JL, Alain S. Impact of new cyclooxygenase 2 inhibitors on human cytomegalovirus replication in vitro. Antivir Ther 2021; 26:117-125. [DOI: 10.1177/13596535211064078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Background Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is involved in complications on immunocompromised patients. Current therapeutics are associated with several drawbacks, such as nephrotoxicity. Purpose: As HCMV infection affects inflammation pathways, especially prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production via cyclooxygenase 2 enzyme (COX-2), we designed 2'-hydroxychalcone compounds to inhibit human cytomegalovirus. Study design We first selected the most efficient new synthetic chalcones for their effect against COX-2-catalyzed PGE2. Study sample Among the selected compounds, we assessed the antiviral efficacy against different HCMV strains, such as the laboratory strain AD169 and clinical strains (naïve or multi-resistant to conventional drugs) and toxicity on human cells. Results The most efficient and less toxic compound (chalcone 7) was tested against HCMV in combination with other antiviral molecules: artesunate (ART), baicalein (BAI), maribavir (MBV), ganciclovir (GCV), and quercetin (QUER) using Compusyn software. Association of chalcone 7 with MBV and BAI is synergistic, antagonistic with QUER, and additive with GCV and ART. Conclusion These results provide a promising search path for potential bitherapies against HCMV.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Andouard
- INSERM, CHU Limoges, RESINFIT, U1092, University Limoges, Limoges, France
- National Reference Center for Herpesviruses, Laboratoire de Bactériologie-Virologie-Hygiène, CHU Limoges, Limoges, France
| | - R Gueye
- PEIRENE EA 7500, University Limoges, Limoges, France
- Faculté de Médecine, de Pharmacie et d'Odontologie, Université Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar, Sénégal
| | - S Hantz
- INSERM, CHU Limoges, RESINFIT, U1092, University Limoges, Limoges, France
- National Reference Center for Herpesviruses, Laboratoire de Bactériologie-Virologie-Hygiène, CHU Limoges, Limoges, France
| | - C Fagnère
- PEIRENE EA 7500, University Limoges, Limoges, France
| | - B Liagre
- PEIRENE EA 7500, University Limoges, Limoges, France
| | - L Bernardaud
- INSERM, CHU Limoges, RESINFIT, U1092, University Limoges, Limoges, France
- National Reference Center for Herpesviruses, Laboratoire de Bactériologie-Virologie-Hygiène, CHU Limoges, Limoges, France
| | - C Pouget
- PEIRENE EA 7500, University Limoges, Limoges, France
| | - JL Duroux
- PEIRENE EA 7500, University Limoges, Limoges, France
| | - S Alain
- INSERM, CHU Limoges, RESINFIT, U1092, University Limoges, Limoges, France
- National Reference Center for Herpesviruses, Laboratoire de Bactériologie-Virologie-Hygiène, CHU Limoges, Limoges, France
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Du J, Wang X, Li Y, Ren X, Zhou Y, Hu W, Zhou C, Jing Q, Yang C, Wang L, Li H, Fang L, Zhou Y, Tong X, Wang Y. DHA exhibits synergistic therapeutic efficacy with cisplatin to induce ferroptosis in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma via modulation of iron metabolism. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:705. [PMID: 34262021 PMCID: PMC8280115 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-03996-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an extremely lethal cancer with limited treatment options. Cisplatin (DDP) is used as a mainstay of chemotherapeutic agents in combination with other drugs or radiotherapy for PDAC therapy. However, DDP exhibits severe side-effects that can lead to discontinuation of therapy, and the acquired drug resistance of tumor cells presents serious clinical obstacles. Therefore, it is imperative to develop a more effective and less toxic therapeutic strategy. We and others have previously discovered that dihydroartemisinin (DHA) represents a safe and promising therapeutic agent to preferentially induce cancer cell ferroptosis. In the present study, we find that DHA could intensively strengthen the cytotoxicity of DDP and significantly reduce its effective concentrations both in vitro and in vivo. Combination of DHA and DDP synergistically inhibits the proliferation and induces DNA damage of PDAC cells. Mechanically, the combinative treatment impairs mitochondrial homeostasis, characterized by destroyed mitochondrial morphology, decreased respiratory capacity, reduced ATP production, and accumulated mitochondria-derived ROS. Further studies show that ferroptosis contributes to the cytotoxic effects in PDAC cells under the challenge of DHA and DDP, together with catastrophic accumulation of free iron and unrestricted lipid peroxidation. Moreover, pharmacologic depleting of the free iron reservoir or reconstituted expression of FTH contributes to the tolerance of DHA/DDP-induced ferroptosis, while iron addition accelerates the ferroptotic cell death. In summary, these results provide experimental evidence that DHA acts synergistically with DDP and renders PDAC cells vulnerable to ferroptosis, which may act as a promising therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Du
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China
| | - Xu Wang
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China
| | - Yanchun Li
- Department of Central Laboratory, Affiliated Hangzhou first people's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310006, China
| | - Xueying Ren
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China
| | - Yi Zhou
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China
| | - Wanye Hu
- Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, 233000, China
| | - Chaoting Zhou
- Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China
| | - Qiangan Jing
- Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China
| | - Chen Yang
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China
| | - Luyang Wang
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China
| | - Huanjuan Li
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China
| | - Lijuan Fang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hangzhou Ninth People's Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China
| | - Yonglie Zhou
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China.
| | - Xiangmin Tong
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China.
- Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, 233000, China.
- Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China.
- Phase I Clinical Research Center, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China.
| | - Ying Wang
- Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, 233000, China.
- Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China.
- Phase I Clinical Research Center, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China.
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9
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Meng Y, Ma N, Lyu H, Wong YK, Zhang X, Zhu Y, Gao P, Sun P, Song Y, Lin L, Wang J. Recent pharmacological advances in the repurposing of artemisinin drugs. Med Res Rev 2021; 41:3156-3181. [PMID: 34148245 DOI: 10.1002/med.21837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 02/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Artemisinins are a family of sesquiterpene lactones originally derived from the sweet wormwood (Artemisia annua). Beyond their well-characterized role as frontline antimalarial drugs, artemisinins have also received increased attention for other potential pharmaceutical effects, which include antiviral, antiparsitic, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities. With concerted efforts in further preclinical and clinical studies, artemisinin-based drugs have the potential to be viable treatments for a great variety of human diseases. Here, we provide a comprehensive update on recent reports of pharmacological actions and applications of artemisinins outside of their better-known antimalarial role and highlight their potential therapeutic viability for various diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqing Meng
- Artemisinin Research Center and the Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Nan Ma
- Artemisinin Research Center and the Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Haining Lyu
- Artemisinin Research Center and the Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yin Kwan Wong
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Xing Zhang
- Artemisinin Research Center and the Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yongping Zhu
- Artemisinin Research Center and the Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Peng Gao
- Artemisinin Research Center and the Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Peng Sun
- Artemisinin Research Center and the Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yali Song
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Dongguan Maternal And Child Health Care Hospital, Southern Medical University, Dongguan, China
| | - Lizhu Lin
- Oncology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jigang Wang
- Artemisinin Research Center and the Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.,Oncology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Central People's Hospital of Zhanjiang, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases, Ministry of Education, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China
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10
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Khanal P. Antimalarial and anticancer properties of artesunate and other artemisinins: current development. MONATSHEFTE FUR CHEMIE 2021; 152:387-400. [PMID: 33814617 PMCID: PMC8008344 DOI: 10.1007/s00706-021-02759-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
This review provides a recent perspective of artesunate and other artemisinins as antimalarial drugs and their uses in cancer therapy. Artesunate is an artemisinin derivative. Artemisinin is extracted from the plant Artemisia annua. Artemisinin and its derivatives have been the most useful drug for malarial treatment in human history. The artesunate has an advantage of a hydrophilic group over other artemisinins which makes it a more potent drug. On the industrial scale, artemisinins are synthesized in semisynthetic ways. The 1,2,4-endoperoxide bridge of artemisinins is responsible for the drug's antimalarial activity. There is the emergence of artemisinin resistance on Plasmodium falciparum and pieces of evidence suggest that it is mainly due to the mutation at Kelch13 protein of P. falciparum. Clinical trial data show that the artesunate is more favorable than quinine and other artemisinins to treat patients with severe malaria. Pieces of evidence indicate that artemisinins can be developed as anticancer drugs. The mechanism of actions on how artemisinins act as an anticancer drug involves oxidative stress, DNA damage and repair, and various types of cell deaths. GRAPHIC ABSTRACT
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Affiliation(s)
- Pitambar Khanal
- Nagarik College, Tribhuvan University, Gaidakot-2, Nawalparasi Purva, Gandaki, Nepal
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11
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Rakedzon S, Neuberger A, Domb AJ, Petersiel N, Schwartz E. From hydroxychloroquine to ivermectin: what are the anti-viral properties of anti-parasitic drugs to combat SARS-CoV-2? J Travel Med 2021; 28:taab005. [PMID: 33480414 PMCID: PMC7928734 DOI: 10.1093/jtm/taab005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Revised: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nearly a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, we still lack effective anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs with substantial impact on mortality rates except for dexamethasone. As the search for effective antiviral agents continues, we aimed to review data on the potential of repurposing antiparasitic drugs against viruses in general, with an emphasis on coronaviruses. METHODS We performed a review by screening in vitro and in vivo studies that assessed the antiviral activity of several antiparasitic agents: chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), mefloquine, artemisinins, ivermectin, nitazoxanide (NTZ), niclosamide, atovaquone and albendazole. RESULTS For HCQ and chloroquine we found ample in vitro evidence of antiviral activity. Cohort studies that assessed the use of HCQ for COVID-19 reported conflicting results, but randomized controlled trials (RCTs) demonstrated no effect on mortality rates and no substantial clinical benefits of HCQ used either for prevention or treatment of COVID-19. We found two clinical studies of artemisinins and two studies of NTZ for treatment of viruses other than COVID-19, all of which showed mixed results. Ivermectin was evaluated in one RCT and few observational studies, demonstrating conflicting results. As the level of evidence of these data is low, the efficacy of ivermectin against COVID-19 remains to be proven. For chloroquine, HCQ, mefloquine, artemisinins, ivermectin, NTZ and niclosamide, we found in vitro studies showing some effects against a wide array of viruses. We found no relevant studies for atovaquone and albendazole. CONCLUSIONS As the search for an effective drug active against SARS-CoV-2 continues, we argue that pre-clinical research of possible antiviral effects of compounds that could have antiviral activity should be conducted. Clinical studies should be conducted when sufficient in vitro evidence exists, and drugs should be introduced into widespread clinical use only after being rigorously tested in RCTs. Such a search may prove beneficial in this pandemic or in outbreaks yet to come.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Rakedzon
- Division of Internal Medicine, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel
| | - A Neuberger
- Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel
- Division of Internal Medicine, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel
- Division of Internal Medicine, Unit of Infectious Diseases, Rambam Healthcare Campus, Haifa, Israel
| | - A J Domb
- Institute of Drug Research, School of Pharmacy-Faculty of Medicine & Institute of Criminology - Faculty of Law. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - N Petersiel
- Division of Internal Medicine, Unit of Infectious Diseases, Rambam Healthcare Campus, Haifa, Israel
| | - E Schwartz
- Sheba Medical Center, Geographic Medicine and Tropical Diseases, Ramat Gan, Israel
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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12
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Liang R, Chen W, Chen XY, Fan HN, Zhang J, Zhu JS. Dihydroartemisinin inhibits the tumorigenesis and invasion of gastric cancer by regulating STAT1/KDR/MMP9 and P53/BCL2L1/CASP3/7 pathways. Pathol Res Pract 2021; 218:153318. [PMID: 33370709 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2020.153318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Revised: 11/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Dihydroartemisinin (DHA), an effective antimalarial drug, has been widely investigated as an anti-tumor agent. Although previous studies have indicated the potential therapeutic effects of DHA on multiple malignancies, its detailed molecular mechanisms in gastric cancer (GC) are still undocumented. In the present study, we applied network pharmacology and bioinformatics (gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses) to obtain the collective targets of DHA and GC and analyzed their involvement in constructing a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. The top 10% hub targets in this network were identified, and TCGA database was utilized for the single gene analysis of their correlation with the prognosis of GC. CCK8, EdU, Transwell, and flow cytometry analyses were conducted, and subcutaneous xenograft tumor models were constructed to assess the effects of DHA on the tumorigenesis and invasion of GC. Furthermore, the targets of DHA were verified by molecular docking, quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and western blot analyses in GC cells. The results indicated that the common targets of DHA and GC were enriched in multiple cancer-related pathways including KDR, STAT1 and apoptosis signaling pathways, where the core genes included KDR, MMP9, STAT1, TP53, CASP3/7 and BCL2L1. The lowered expression of KDR and increased expression of TP53 and CASP7 harbored a favorable survival for patients with GC patients. CASP7 showed a positive correlation with CASP3 but a negative correlation with KDR and could be regarded as an independent protective factor for overall survival in GC. Moreover, DHA treatment induced cell apoptosis and suppressed the cell proliferation, DNA synthesis, cycle progression and invasive capabilities both in vitro and in vivo. DHA also upregulated p53, CASP3, and cleaved-CASP3 and downregulated BCL2L1, MMP9, KDR, p-KDR, STAT1 and p-STAT1 in GC cell lines. In conclusion, DHA could suppress the tumorigenesis and invasion of GC by regulating STAT1/KDR/MMP9 and p53/BCL2L1/CASP3/7 pathways. Our findings might provide a novel approach for the treatment of GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Liang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao-Yu Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Hui-Ning Fan
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China.
| | - Jin-Shui Zhu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China.
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13
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Cao R, Hu H, Li Y, Wang X, Xu M, Liu J, Zhang H, Yan Y, Zhao L, Li W, Zhang T, Xiao D, Guo X, Li Y, Yang J, Hu Z, Wang M, Zhong W. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Potential of Artemisinins In Vitro. ACS Infect Dis 2020; 6:2524-2531. [PMID: 32786284 PMCID: PMC7437450 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.0c00522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The discovery of novel drug candidates with anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) potential is critical for the control of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Artemisinin, an old antimalarial drug derived from Chinese herbs, has saved millions of lives. Artemisinins are a cluster of artemisinin-related drugs developed for the treatment of malaria and have been reported to have multiple pharmacological activities, including anticancer, antiviral, and immune modulation. Considering the reported broad-spectrum antiviral potential of artemisinins, researchers are interested in whether they could be used to combat COVID-19. We systematically evaluated the anti-SARS-CoV-2 activities of nine artemisinin-related compounds in vitro and carried out a time-of-drug-addition assay to explore their antiviral mode of action. Finally, a pharmacokinetic prediction model was established to predict the therapeutic potential of selected compounds against COVID-19. Arteannuin B showed the highest anti-SARS-CoV-2 potential with an EC50 of 10.28 ± 1.12 μM. Artesunate and dihydroartemisinin showed similar EC50 values of 12.98 ± 5.30 μM and 13.31 ± 1.24 μM, respectively, which could be clinically achieved in plasma after intravenous administration. Interestingly, although an EC50 of 23.17 ± 3.22 μM was not prominent among the tested compounds, lumefantrine showed therapeutic promise due to high plasma and lung drug concentrations after multiple dosing. Further mode of action analysis revealed that arteannuin B and lumefantrine acted at the post-entry step of SARS-CoV-2 infection. This research highlights the anti-SARS-CoV-2 potential of artemisinins and provides leading candidates for anti-SARS-CoV-2 drug research and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiyuan Cao
- National Engineering Research Center
for the Emergency Drug, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology
and Toxicology, Beijing 100850,
China
| | - Hengrui Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology,
Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan
430071, P. R. China
- University of the Chinese
Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P.
R. China
| | - Yufeng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Virology,
Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan
430071, P. R. China
- University of the Chinese
Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P.
R. China
| | - Xi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology,
Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan
430071, P. R. China
| | - Mingyue Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology,
Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan
430071, P. R. China
- University of the Chinese
Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P.
R. China
| | - Jia Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology,
Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan
430071, P. R. China
| | - Huanyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology,
Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan
430071, P. R. China
- University of the Chinese
Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P.
R. China
| | - Yunzheng Yan
- National Engineering Research Center
for the Emergency Drug, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology
and Toxicology, Beijing 100850,
China
| | - Lei Zhao
- National Engineering Research Center
for the Emergency Drug, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology
and Toxicology, Beijing 100850,
China
| | - Wei Li
- National Engineering Research Center
for the Emergency Drug, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology
and Toxicology, Beijing 100850,
China
| | - Tianhong Zhang
- National Engineering Research Center
for the Emergency Drug, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology
and Toxicology, Beijing 100850,
China
- Guoke Excellence
(Beijing) Medicine Technology Research Co., Ltd.,
Beijing 100176, P. R. China
| | - Dian Xiao
- National Engineering Research Center
for the Emergency Drug, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology
and Toxicology, Beijing 100850,
China
| | - Xiaojia Guo
- National Engineering Research Center
for the Emergency Drug, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology
and Toxicology, Beijing 100850,
China
| | - Yuexiang Li
- National Engineering Research Center
for the Emergency Drug, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology
and Toxicology, Beijing 100850,
China
| | - Jingjing Yang
- National Engineering Research Center
for the Emergency Drug, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology
and Toxicology, Beijing 100850,
China
| | - Zhihong Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology,
Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan
430071, P. R. China
| | - Manli Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology,
Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan
430071, P. R. China
| | - Wu Zhong
- National Engineering Research Center
for the Emergency Drug, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology
and Toxicology, Beijing 100850,
China
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14
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Oladele JO, Ajayi EI, Oyeleke OM, Oladele OT, Olowookere BD, Adeniyi BM, Oyewole OI, Oladiji AT. A systematic review on COVID-19 pandemic with special emphasis on curative potentials of Nigeria based medicinal plants. Heliyon 2020; 6:e04897. [PMID: 32929412 PMCID: PMC7480258 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e04897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the frightening mortality rate associated with COVID-19, there is no known approved drug to effectively combat the pandemic. COVID-19 clinical manifestations include fever, fatigue, cough, shortness of breath, and other complications. At present, there is no known effective treatment or vaccine that can mitigate/inhibit SARS-CoV-2. Available clinical intervention for COVID-19 is only palliative and limited to support. Thus, there is an exigent need for effective and non-invasive treatment. This article evaluates the possible mechanism of actions of SARS-CoV-2 and present Nigeria based medicinal plants which have pharmacological and biological activities that can mitigate the hallmarks of the pathogenesis of COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 mode of actions includes hyper-inflammation characterized by a severe and fatal hyper-cytokinaemia with multi-organ failure; immunosuppression; reduction of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) to enhance pulmonary vascular permeability causing damage to the alveoli; and further activated by open reading frame (ORF)3a, ORF3b, and ORF7a via c-Jun N- terminal kinase (JNK) pathway which induces lung damage. These mechanisms of action of SARS-CoV-2 can be mitigated by a combination therapy of medicinal herbs based on their pharmacological activities. Since the clinical manifestations of COVID-19 are multifactorial with co-morbidities, we strongly recommend the use of combined therapy such that two or more herbs with specific therapeutic actions are administered to combat the mediators of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johnson O. Oladele
- Biochemistry Unit, Department of Chemical Sciences, Kings University, Ode-Omu, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Ebenezer I. Ajayi
- Membrane Biophysics and Nanotechnology Laboratories, Mercedes and Martin Ferreyra Institute of Medicine, IMMF-INIMEC-CONICET-UNC, Cordoba, Argentina
- Diabesity Complications & Other Neglected Infectious Diseases Group, Department of Biochemistry, Osun State University, Osogbo, Nigeria
| | - Oyedotun M. Oyeleke
- Biochemistry Unit, Department of Chemical Sciences, Kings University, Ode-Omu, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Oluwaseun T. Oladele
- Phytomedicine and Molecular Toxicology Research Laboratories, Department of Biochemistry, Osun State University, Osogbo, Nigeria
| | - Boyede D. Olowookere
- Biochemistry Unit, Department of Chemical Sciences, Kings University, Ode-Omu, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Boluwaji M. Adeniyi
- Centre of Excellence for Food Technology and Research -Benue State University, Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Olu I. Oyewole
- Phytomedicine and Molecular Toxicology Research Laboratories, Department of Biochemistry, Osun State University, Osogbo, Nigeria
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15
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The Artemisinin-Derived Autofluorescent Compound BG95 Exerts Strong Anticytomegaloviral Activity Based on a Mitochondrial Targeting Mechanism. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21155578. [PMID: 32759737 PMCID: PMC7432203 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21155578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Revised: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a major human pathogen associated with severe pathology. Current options of antiviral therapy only partly satisfy the needs of a well-tolerated long-term treatment/prophylaxis free from drug-induced viral resistance. Recently, we reported the strong antiviral properties in vitro and in vivo of the broad-spectrum anti-infective drug artesunate and its optimized derivatives. NF-κB signaling was described as a targeting mechanism and additional target proteins have recently been identified. Here, we analyzed the autofluorescent hybrid compound BG95, which could be utilized for intracellular visualization by confocal imaging and a tracking analysis in virus-infected primary human fibroblasts. As an important finding, BG95 accumulated in mitochondria visualized by anti-prohibitin and MitoTracker staining, and induced statistically significant changes of mitochondrial morphology, distinct from those induced by HCMV infection. Notably, mitochondrial membrane potential was found substantially reduced by BG95, an effect apparently counteracting efficient HCMV replication, which requires active mitochondria and upregulated energy levels. This finding was consistent with binding properties of artesunate-like compounds to mitochondrial proteins and thereby suggested a new mechanistic aspect. Combined, the present study underlines an important role of mitochondria in the multifaceted, host-directed antiviral mechanism of this drug class, postulating a new mitochondria-specific mode of protein targeting.
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16
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Septembre-Malaterre A, Lalarizo Rakoto M, Marodon C, Bedoui Y, Nakab J, Simon E, Hoarau L, Savriama S, Strasberg D, Guiraud P, Selambarom J, Gasque P. Artemisia annua, a Traditional Plant Brought to Light. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E4986. [PMID: 32679734 PMCID: PMC7404215 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21144986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Traditional remedies have been used for thousand years for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, particularly in developing countries. Of growing interest, the plant Artemisia annua, known for its malarial properties, has been studied for its numerous biological activities including metabolic, anti-tumor, anti-microbial and immunomodulatory properties. Artemisia annua is very rich in secondary metabolites such as monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and phenolic compounds, of which the biological properties have been extensively studied. The purpose of this review is to gather and describe the data concerning the main chemical components produced by Artemisia annua and to describe the state of the art about the biological activities reported for this plant and its compounds beyond malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axelle Septembre-Malaterre
- Unité de recherche Etudes Pharmaco-Immunologie (EPI), Université de La Réunion, CHU La Réunion site Félix Guyon, Allée des Topazes, CS11021, 97400 Saint Denis de La Réunion, France; (P.G.); (J.S.); (P.G.)
| | - Mahary Lalarizo Rakoto
- Faculté de Médecine, Université d’Antananarivo, Campus Universitaire Ambohitsaina, BP 375, Antananarivo 101, Madagascar;
| | - Claude Marodon
- APLAMEDOM Réunion, 1, rue Emile Hugot, Batiment B, Parc Technologique de Saint Denis, 97490 Sainte Clotilde, La Réunion, France; (C.M.); (J.N.); (E.S.); (L.H.)
| | - Yosra Bedoui
- INSERM, UMR 1188 Diabète athérothrombose Thérapies Réunion Océan Indien (DéTROI), Université de La Réunion, 97400 Saint Denis de La Réunion, France;
| | - Jessica Nakab
- APLAMEDOM Réunion, 1, rue Emile Hugot, Batiment B, Parc Technologique de Saint Denis, 97490 Sainte Clotilde, La Réunion, France; (C.M.); (J.N.); (E.S.); (L.H.)
| | - Elisabeth Simon
- APLAMEDOM Réunion, 1, rue Emile Hugot, Batiment B, Parc Technologique de Saint Denis, 97490 Sainte Clotilde, La Réunion, France; (C.M.); (J.N.); (E.S.); (L.H.)
| | - Ludovic Hoarau
- APLAMEDOM Réunion, 1, rue Emile Hugot, Batiment B, Parc Technologique de Saint Denis, 97490 Sainte Clotilde, La Réunion, France; (C.M.); (J.N.); (E.S.); (L.H.)
| | - Stephane Savriama
- EA929 Archéologie Industrielle, Histoire, Patrimoine/Géographie-Développement Environnement de la Caraïbe (AIHP-GEODE), Université des Antilles, Campus Schoelcher, BP7207, 97275 Schoelcher Cedex Martinique, France;
| | - Dominique Strasberg
- Unité Mixte de Recherche Peuplements Végétaux et Bio-agresseurs en Milieu Tropical (PVBMT), Pôle de Protection des Plantes, Université de La Réunion, 7 Chemin de l’IRAT, 97410 Saint-Pierre, La Réunion, France;
| | - Pascale Guiraud
- Unité de recherche Etudes Pharmaco-Immunologie (EPI), Université de La Réunion, CHU La Réunion site Félix Guyon, Allée des Topazes, CS11021, 97400 Saint Denis de La Réunion, France; (P.G.); (J.S.); (P.G.)
| | - Jimmy Selambarom
- Unité de recherche Etudes Pharmaco-Immunologie (EPI), Université de La Réunion, CHU La Réunion site Félix Guyon, Allée des Topazes, CS11021, 97400 Saint Denis de La Réunion, France; (P.G.); (J.S.); (P.G.)
| | - Philippe Gasque
- Unité de recherche Etudes Pharmaco-Immunologie (EPI), Université de La Réunion, CHU La Réunion site Félix Guyon, Allée des Topazes, CS11021, 97400 Saint Denis de La Réunion, France; (P.G.); (J.S.); (P.G.)
- Laboratoire d’immunologie clinique et expérimentale de la zone de l’océan indien (LICE-OI) CHU La Réunion site Félix Guyon, Allée des Topazes, CS11021, 97400 Saint Denis de La Réunion, France
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17
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Wang X, Zheng B, Ashraf U, Zhang H, Cao C, Li Q, Chen Z, Imran M, Chen H, Cao S, Ye J. Artemisinin inhibits the replication of flaviviruses by promoting the type I interferon production. Antiviral Res 2020; 179:104810. [PMID: 32360948 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2020.104810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Flaviviruses are considered to be major emerging human pathogens globally. Currently available anti-flavivirus approaches are ineffective, thus there is a desperate need for broad-spectrum drugs that can be active against existing and emerging flaviviruses. Artemisinin has been found to cause an antiviral effect against several viruses; however, its antiviral effect against flaviviruses remains unexplored. Here the antiviral activity of artemisinin against flaviviruses such as JEV, DENV, and ZIKV was evaluated by measuring the hallmark features of virus replication both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, the artemisinin-induced antiviral effect was associated with enhanced host type I interferon response. The blocking of interferon signaling inhibited the artemisinin-induced interferon-stimulated genes expression and rescued the artemisinin-suppressed virus replication. This study demonstrated for the first time the antiviral activity of artemisinin against flaviviruses with a novel antiviral mechanism. The therapeutic application of artemisinin may constitute a broad-spectrum approach to cure infections caused by flaviviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xugang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China; Laboratory of Animal Virology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China; The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China
| | - Bohan Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China; Laboratory of Animal Virology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China; The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China
| | - Usama Ashraf
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China; Laboratory of Animal Virology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China
| | - Hao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China; Laboratory of Animal Virology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China; The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China
| | - Chen Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China; Laboratory of Animal Virology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China; The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China
| | - Qi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China; Laboratory of Animal Virology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China; The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China
| | - Zheng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China; Laboratory of Animal Virology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China; The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China
| | - Muhammad Imran
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China; Laboratory of Animal Virology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China; The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China
| | - Huanchun Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China; Laboratory of Animal Virology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China; The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China
| | - Shengbo Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China; Laboratory of Animal Virology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China; The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China
| | - Jing Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China; Laboratory of Animal Virology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China; The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China.
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18
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D’Alessandro S, Scaccabarozzi D, Signorini L, Perego F, Ilboudo DP, Ferrante P, Delbue S. The Use of Antimalarial Drugs against Viral Infection. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8010085. [PMID: 31936284 PMCID: PMC7022795 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8010085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Revised: 12/31/2019] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent decades, drugs used to treat malaria infection have been shown to be beneficial for many other diseases, including viral infections. In particular, they have received special attention due to the lack of effective antiviral drugs against new emerging viruses (i.e., HIV, dengue virus, chikungunya virus, Ebola virus, etc.) or against classic infections due to drug-resistant viral strains (i.e., human cytomegalovirus). Here, we reviewed the in vitro/in vivo and clinical studies conducted to evaluate the antiviral activities of four classes of antimalarial drugs: Artemisinin derivatives, aryl-aminoalcohols, aminoquinolines, and antimicrobial drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah D’Alessandro
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy; (S.D.); (L.S.); (F.P.); (P.F.)
| | - Diletta Scaccabarozzi
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy;
| | - Lucia Signorini
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy; (S.D.); (L.S.); (F.P.); (P.F.)
| | - Federica Perego
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy; (S.D.); (L.S.); (F.P.); (P.F.)
| | - Denise P. Ilboudo
- Département des Sciences de la Vie, University of Fada N’Gourma (UFDG), Fada N’Gourma BP 54, Burkina Faso;
| | - Pasquale Ferrante
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy; (S.D.); (L.S.); (F.P.); (P.F.)
| | - Serena Delbue
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy; (S.D.); (L.S.); (F.P.); (P.F.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-02-50315070
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19
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Deng H, Huang X, Jin C, Jin CM, Quan ZS. Synthesis, in vitro and in vivo biological evaluation of dihydroartemisinin derivatives with potential anti-Toxoplasma gondii agents. Bioorg Chem 2019; 94:103467. [PMID: 31791681 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2019.103467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2019] [Revised: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
In this study, four series of dihydroartemisinin derivatives were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for anti-toxoplasma gondii activity, and calculated the selectivity index (SI). It was the higher the SI, the better the effect of this compound against Toxoplasma gondii. Our goal was to filter out compounds that were bigger SI than the lead compound. The compound with the highest SI was selected for the anti-toxoplasmosis test in mice in vivo. Among the synthesized compounds, the (3R,5aS,6R,8aS,9R,12R,12aR)-3,6,9-trimethyl-decahydro-12H-3,12-epoxy[1,2]di-oxepino[4,3 -i]isochromen-10-yl-(te-rt-butoxycarbonyl)-l-alaninate (A2) exhibited the most potent anti-T. gondii activity and low cytotoxicity (SI: 6.44), yielding better results than the lead compound DHA (SI: 1.00) and the clinically used positive-control drug spiramycin (SI: 0.72) in vitro. Furthermore, compound A2 had better growth inhibitory effects on T. gondii in vivo than spiramycin did and significantly reduced the number of tachyzoites in the peritoneal cavity of mice (P < 0.01). The evaluation of the data generated in the T. gondii mouse infection model indicates that compound A2 treatment was a good inhibitor of T. gondii in vivo and that it was effective in relieving the liver damage induced by T. gondii. In addition, the results of a docking study revealed that A2 could become a better T. gondii calcium-dependent protein kinase1 (TgCDPK1) inhibitor. For this reason, compound A2 has potential as an anti-parasitic drug. Further studies are required to elucidate the mechanism of the action of compound A2, as well as to develop drug delivery systems for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Deng
- Key Laboratory of Natural Resources and Functional Molecules of the Changbai Mountain, Affiliated Ministry of Education, College of Pharmacy, Yanbian University, Yanji, Jilin, China
| | - Xing Huang
- Key Laboratory of Natural Resources and Functional Molecules of the Changbai Mountain, Affiliated Ministry of Education, College of Pharmacy, Yanbian University, Yanji, Jilin, China
| | - Chunmei Jin
- Key Laboratory of Natural Resources and Functional Molecules of the Changbai Mountain, Affiliated Ministry of Education, College of Pharmacy, Yanbian University, Yanji, Jilin, China
| | - Chun-Mei Jin
- Key Laboratory of Natural Resources and Functional Molecules of the Changbai Mountain, Affiliated Ministry of Education, College of Pharmacy, Yanbian University, Yanji, Jilin, China.
| | - Zhe-Shan Quan
- Key Laboratory of Natural Resources and Functional Molecules of the Changbai Mountain, Affiliated Ministry of Education, College of Pharmacy, Yanbian University, Yanji, Jilin, China.
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20
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Oiknine-Djian E, Bar-On S, Laskov I, Lantsberg D, Haynes RK, Panet A, Wolf DG. Artemisone demonstrates synergistic antiviral activity in combination with approved and experimental drugs active against human cytomegalovirus. Antiviral Res 2019; 172:104639. [PMID: 31654672 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2019.104639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Revised: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
We have recently shown that the artemisinin derivative artemisone, which was screened against malaria in human clinical studies, is a potent inhibitor of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). Here we evaluated the antiviral effect of artemisone when employed in 2-drug combinations with approved and experimental anti-HCMV agents. Using the Chou-Talalay method, we found that in-vitro combination of artemisone with cidofovir, brincidofovir, or with the HCMV UL97 inhibitor maribavir resulted in antiviral synergism and the combination of artemisone with ganciclovir or with the viral terminase inhibitors letermovir and BDCRB resulted in moderate synergism. Importantly, the combination of artemisone with maribavir demonstrated synergistic antiviral activity ex-vivo, in a clinically-relevant multicellular model of human placental tissues maintained in organ culture. Our findings provide the basis for the use of artemisone in synergistically acting drug combinations, to enhance viral control and reduce antiviral drug toxicities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Oiknine-Djian
- Clinical Virology Unit, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel; Department of Biochemistry and the Chanock Center for Virology, IMRIC, The Hebrew University Faculty of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel; The Lautenberg Center for General and Tumor Immunology, IMRIC, The Hebrew University, Israel
| | - Shikma Bar-On
- Lis Maternity Hospital, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, The Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Ido Laskov
- Lis Maternity Hospital, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, The Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Daniel Lantsberg
- Lis Maternity Hospital, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, The Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Richard K Haynes
- Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Amos Panet
- Department of Biochemistry and the Chanock Center for Virology, IMRIC, The Hebrew University Faculty of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Dana G Wolf
- Clinical Virology Unit, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel; The Lautenberg Center for General and Tumor Immunology, IMRIC, The Hebrew University, Israel.
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21
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Gouveia MJ, Brindley PJ, Rinaldi G, Gärtner F, Correia da Costa JM, Vale N. Combination Anthelmintic/Antioxidant Activity Against Schistosoma Mansoni. Biomolecules 2019; 9:E54. [PMID: 30764562 PMCID: PMC6406910 DOI: 10.3390/biom9020054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Revised: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a major neglected tropical disease. Treatment for schistosomiasis with praziquantel (PZQ), which is effective against the parasite, by itself is not capable to counteract infection-associated disease lesions including hepatic fibrosis. There is a pressing need for novel therapies. Due to their biological properties, antioxidant biomolecules might be useful in treating and reverting associated pathological sequelae. Here, we investigated a novel therapy approach based on a combination of anthelmintic drugs with antioxidant biomolecules. We used a host-parasite model involving Bioamphalaria glabrata and newly transformed schistosomula (NTS) of Schistosoma mansoni. For in vitro drug screening assays, was selected several antioxidants and evaluated not only antischistosomal activity but also ability to enhance activity of the anthelmintic drugs praziquantel (PZQ) and artesunate (AS). The morphological alterations induced by compounds alone/combined were assessed on daily basis using an inverted and automated microscope to quantify NTS viability by a fluorometric-based method. The findings indicated that not only do some antioxidants improve antischistosomal activity of the two anthelmintics, but they exhibit activity per se, leading to high mortality of NTS post-exposure. The combination index (CI) of PZQ + Mel (CI = 0.80), PZQ + Resv (CI = 0.74), AS + Resv (CI = 0.34), AS + NAC (CI = 0.89), VDT + Flav (CI = 1.03) and VDT + Resv (CI = 1.06) reveal that they display moderate to strong synergism. The combination of compounds with discrete mechanisms of action might provide a valuable adjunct to contribution for treatment of schistosomiasis-associated disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria João Gouveia
- Center for the Study in Animal Science, University of Porto, (CECA/ICETA), Rua de D. Manuel II, Apt 55142, 4051-401 Porto, Portugal.
- Department of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal.
- Department of Drug Sciences, Laboratory of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal.
| | - Paul J Brindley
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Tropical Medicine, Research Center for Neglected Diseases of Poverty, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20037, USA.
| | - Gabriel Rinaldi
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Tropical Medicine, Research Center for Neglected Diseases of Poverty, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20037, USA.
| | - Fátima Gärtner
- Department of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal.
- Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP), Rua Júlio Amaral de Carvalho 45, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal.
- University of Porto, i3S, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal.
| | - José Manuel Correia da Costa
- Center for the Study in Animal Science, University of Porto, (CECA/ICETA), Rua de D. Manuel II, Apt 55142, 4051-401 Porto, Portugal.
- Department of Infectious Diseases, INSA-National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge, Rua Alexandre Herculano 321, 4000-055 Porto, Portugal.
| | - Nuno Vale
- Department of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal.
- Department of Drug Sciences, Laboratory of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal.
- Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP), Rua Júlio Amaral de Carvalho 45, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal.
- University of Porto, i3S, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal.
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22
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Efferth T. Beyond malaria: The inhibition of viruses by artemisinin-type compounds. Biotechnol Adv 2018; 36:1730-1737. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2018.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2017] [Revised: 12/29/2017] [Accepted: 01/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Nanostructured Dihydroartemisinin Plus Epirubicin Liposomes Enhance Treatment Efficacy of Breast Cancer by Inducing Autophagy and Apoptosis. NANOMATERIALS 2018; 8:nano8100804. [PMID: 30304783 PMCID: PMC6215314 DOI: 10.3390/nano8100804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2018] [Revised: 10/04/2018] [Accepted: 10/05/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The heterogeneity of breast cancer and the development of drug resistance are the relapse reasons of disease after chemotherapy. To address this issue, a combined therapeutic strategy was developed by building the nanostructured dihydroartemisinin plus epirubicin liposomes. Investigations were performed on human breast cancer cells in vitro and xenografts in nude mice. The results indicated that dihydroartemisinin could significantly enhance the efficacy of epirubicin in killing different breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. We found that the combined use of dihydroartemisinin with epirubicin could efficiently inhibit the activity of Bcl-2, facilitate release of Beclin 1, and further activate Bax. Besides, Bax activated apoptosis which led to the type I programmed death of breast cancer cells while Beclin 1 initiated the excessive autophagy that resulted in the type II programmed death of breast cancer cells. In addition, the nanostructured dihydroartemisinin plus epirubicin liposomes prolonged circulation of drugs, and were beneficial for simultaneously delivering drugs into breast cancer tissues. Hence, the nanostructured dihydroartemisinin plus epirubicin liposomes could provide a new therapeutic strategy for treatment of breast cancer.
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Chan WC, Wai Chan DH, Lee KW, Tin WS, Wong HN, Haynes RK. Evaluation and optimization of synthetic routes from dihydroartemisinin to the alkylamino-artemisinins artemiside and artemisone: A test of N-glycosylation methodologies on a lipophilic peroxide. Tetrahedron 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tet.2018.04.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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25
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The Artemisinin Derivative Artemisone Is a Potent Inhibitor of Human Cytomegalovirus Replication. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2018; 62:AAC.00288-18. [PMID: 29712656 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00288-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2018] [Accepted: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a major cause of disease in immunocompromised individuals and the most common cause of congenital infection and neurosensorial disease. The expanding target populations for HCMV antiviral treatment along with the limitations of the currently available HCMV DNA polymerase inhibitors underscore the need for new antiviral agents with alternative modes of action. The antimalarial artemisinin derivative artesunate was shown to inhibit HCMV in vitro yet has demonstrated limited antiviral efficacy in vivo, prompting our search for more potent anti-HCMV artemisinin derivatives. Here we show that the innovative artemisinin derivative artemisone, which has been screened for its activity against malaria parasites in human clinical studies, is a potent and noncytotoxic inhibitor of HCMV. Artemisone exhibited an antiviral efficacy comparable to that of ganciclovir (50% effective concentration, 1.20 ± 0.46 μM) in human foreskin fibroblasts, with enhanced relative potency in lung fibroblasts and epithelial cells. Significantly, the antiviral efficacy of artemisone was consistently ≥10-fold superior to that of artesunate in all cells. Artemisone effectively inhibited both laboratory-adapted and low-passage-number clinical strains, as well as drug-resistant HCMV strains. By using quantitative viral kinetics and gene expression studies, we show that artemisone is a reversible inhibitor targeting an earlier phase of the viral replication cycle than ganciclovir. Importantly, artemisone most effectively inhibited HCMV infection ex vivo in a clinically relevant multicellular model of integral human placental tissues maintained in organ culture. Our promising findings encourage preclinical and clinical studies of artemisone as a new inhibitor against HCMV.
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26
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Fröhlich T, Hahn F, Belmudes L, Leidenberger M, Friedrich O, Kappes B, Couté Y, Marschall M, Tsogoeva SB. Synthesis of Artemisinin-Derived Dimers, Trimers and Dendrimers: Investigation of Their Antimalarial and Antiviral Activities Including Putative Mechanisms of Action. Chemistry 2018; 24:8103-8113. [PMID: 29570874 DOI: 10.1002/chem.201800729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Generation of dimers, trimers and dendrimers of bioactive compounds is an approach that has recently been developed for the discovery of new potent drug candidates. Herein, we present the synthesis of new artemisinin-derived dimers and dendrimers and investigate their action against malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 strain and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). Dimer 7 was the most active compound (EC50 1.4 nm) in terms of antimalarial efficacy and was even more effective than the standard drugs dihydroartemisinin (EC50 2.4 nm), artesunic acid (EC50 8.9 nm) and chloroquine (EC50 9.8 nm). Trimer 4 stood out as the most active agent against HCMV in vitro replication and exerted an EC50 value of 0.026 μm, representing an even higher activity than the two reference drugs ganciclovir (EC50 2.60 μm) and artesunic acid (EC50 5.41 μm). In addition, artemisinin-derived dimer 13 and trimer 15 were for the first time both immobilized on TOYOPEARL AF-Amino-650M beads and used for mass spectrometry-based target identification experiments using total lysates of HCMV-infected primary human fibroblasts. Two major groups of novel target candidates, namely cytoskeletal and mitochondrial proteins were obtained. Two putatively compound-binding viral proteins, namely major capsid protein (MCP) and envelope glycoprotein pUL132, which are both essential for HCMV replication, were identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tony Fröhlich
- Organic Chemistry Chair I and Interdisciplinary Center for Molecular, Materials (ICMM), Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058, Germany
| | - Friedrich Hahn
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Schlossgarten 4, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Lucid Belmudes
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CEA, INSERM, BIG-BGE, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Maria Leidenberger
- Institute of Medical Biotechnology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Paul-Gordon-Straße 3, 91052, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Oliver Friedrich
- Institute of Medical Biotechnology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Paul-Gordon-Straße 3, 91052, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Barbara Kappes
- Institute of Medical Biotechnology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Paul-Gordon-Straße 3, 91052, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Yohann Couté
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CEA, INSERM, BIG-BGE, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Manfred Marschall
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Schlossgarten 4, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Svetlana B Tsogoeva
- Organic Chemistry Chair I and Interdisciplinary Center for Molecular, Materials (ICMM), Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße 10, 91058, Germany
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27
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Hahn F, Fröhlich T, Frank T, Bertzbach LD, Kohrt S, Kaufer BB, Stamminger T, Tsogoeva SB, Marschall M. Artesunate-derived monomeric, dimeric and trimeric experimental drugs - Their unique mechanistic basis and pronounced antiherpesviral activity. Antiviral Res 2018; 152:104-110. [PMID: 29458133 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2018.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2017] [Revised: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a major human pathogen and is associated with severe pathology, such as life-threatening courses of infection in immunocompromised individuals and neonates. Currently, antiviral therapy is still hampered by a considerable toxicity of the available drugs and induction of viral resistance. Recently, we and others reported the very potent antiviral activity of the broad antiinfective drug artesunate in vitro and in vivo. Here, we investigated further optimized analogs including monomeric, dimeric and trimeric derivatives belonging to this highly interesting chemical group of experimental drugs (sesquiterpenes/trioxanes) and compared these to the previously identified trimeric artesunate compound TF27. We could demonstrate that (i) seven of the eight investigated monomeric, dimeric and trimeric artesunate derivatives, i.e. TF79, TF85, TF87, TF93.2.4, TF111, TF57a and TF57ab, exerted a strong anti-HCMV activity in primary human fibroblasts, (ii) the EC50 values ranged in the low to sub-micromolar concentrations and indicated a higher antiviral potency than the recently described artesunate analogs, (iii) one trimeric compound, TF79, showed a very promising EC50 of 0.03 ± 0.00 μM, which even exceled the antiviral potency of TF27 (EC50 0.04 ± 0.01 μM), (iv) levels of cytotoxicity (quantitative measurement of lactate dehydrogenase release) were low in a range between 100 and 30 μM and thus different from antiviral concentrations, (v) an analysis of protein expression levels indicated a potent block of viral protein expression, and (vi) data from a NF-κB reporter cell system strongly suggested that these compounds share the same antiviral mechanism. Taken together, our data on these novel compounds strongly encourages our earlier concept on the oligomerization and hybridization of artesunate analogs, providing an excellent platform for the generation of antiherpesviral drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Friedrich Hahn
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Tony Fröhlich
- Institute of Organic Chemistry I, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Str. 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Theresa Frank
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Luca D Bertzbach
- Institute of Virology, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert Von Ostertag-Str. 7 - 13, 14163 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Stephan Kohrt
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Benedikt B Kaufer
- Institute of Virology, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert Von Ostertag-Str. 7 - 13, 14163 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Thomas Stamminger
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Svetlana B Tsogoeva
- Institute of Organic Chemistry I, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Str. 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Manfred Marschall
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
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Vil' VA, Yaremenko IA, Ilovaisky AI, Terent'ev AO. Peroxides with Anthelmintic, Antiprotozoal, Fungicidal and Antiviral Bioactivity: Properties, Synthesis and Reactions. Molecules 2017; 22:E1881. [PMID: 29099089 PMCID: PMC6150334 DOI: 10.3390/molecules22111881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Accepted: 10/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The biological activity of organic peroxides is usually associated with the antimalarial properties of artemisinin and its derivatives. However, the analysis of published data indicates that organic peroxides exhibit a variety of biological activity, which is still being given insufficient attention. In the present review, we deal with natural, semi-synthetic and synthetic peroxides exhibiting anthelmintic, antiprotozoal, fungicidal, antiviral and other activities that have not been described in detail earlier. The review is mainly concerned with the development of methods for the synthesis of biologically active natural peroxides, as well as its isolation from natural sources and the modification of natural peroxides. In addition, much attention is paid to the substantially cheaper biologically active synthetic peroxides. The present review summarizes 217 publications mainly from 2000 onwards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera A Vil'
- N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 47 Leninsky Prospekt, 119991 Moscow, Russia.
- Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Technology and Biomedical Products, D. I. Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia, 9 Miusskaya Square, 125047 Moscow, Russia.
- All-Russian Research Institute for Phytopathology, B. Vyazyomy, 143050 Moscow, Russia.
| | - Ivan A Yaremenko
- N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 47 Leninsky Prospekt, 119991 Moscow, Russia.
- Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Technology and Biomedical Products, D. I. Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia, 9 Miusskaya Square, 125047 Moscow, Russia.
- All-Russian Research Institute for Phytopathology, B. Vyazyomy, 143050 Moscow, Russia.
| | - Alexey I Ilovaisky
- N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 47 Leninsky Prospekt, 119991 Moscow, Russia.
| | - Alexander O Terent'ev
- N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 47 Leninsky Prospekt, 119991 Moscow, Russia.
- Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Technology and Biomedical Products, D. I. Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia, 9 Miusskaya Square, 125047 Moscow, Russia.
- All-Russian Research Institute for Phytopathology, B. Vyazyomy, 143050 Moscow, Russia.
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29
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Zhong T, Zhang LY, Wang ZY, Wang Y, Song FM, Zhang YH, Yu JH. Rheum emodin inhibits enterovirus 71 viral replication and affects the host cell cycle environment. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2017; 38:392-401. [PMID: 27840410 PMCID: PMC5342659 DOI: 10.1038/aps.2016.110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2016] [Accepted: 09/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Human enterovirus 71 (EV71) is the primary causative agent of recent large-scale outbreaks of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) in Asia. Currently, there are no drugs available for the prevention and treatment of HFMD. In this study, we compared the anti-EV71 activities of three natural compounds, rheum emodin, artemisinin and astragaloside extracted from Chinese herbs Chinese rhubarb, Artemisia carvifolia and Astragalus, respectively, which have been traditionally used for the treatment and prevention of epidemic diseases. Human lung fibroblast cell line MRC5 was mock-infected or infected with EV71, and treated with drugs. The cytotoxicity of the drugs was detected with MTT assay. The cytopathic effects such as cell death and condensed nuclei were morphologically observed. The VP1-coding sequence required for EV71 genome replication was assayed with qRT-PCR. Viral protein expression was analyzed with Western blotting. Viral TCID50 was determined to evaluate EV71 virulence. Flow cytometry analysis of propidium iodide staining was performed to analyze the cell cycle distribution of MRC5 cells. Rheum emodin (29.6 μmol/L) effectively protected MRC5 cells from EV71-induced cytopathic effects, which resulted from the inhibiting viral replication: rheum emodin treatment decreased viral genomic levels by 5.34-fold, viral protein expression by less than 30-fold and EV71 virulence by 0.33107-fold. The fact that inhibition of rheum emodin on viral virulence was much stronger than its effects on genomic levels and viral protein expression suggested that rheum emodin inhibited viral maturation. Furthermore, rheum emodin treatment markedly diminished cell cycle arrest at S phase in MRC5 cells, which was induced by EV71 infection and favored the viral replication. In contrast, neither astragaloside (50 μmol/L) nor artemisinin (50 μmol/L) showed similar anti-EV71 activities. Among the three natural compounds tested, rheum emodin effectively suppressed EV71 viral replication, thus is a candidate anti-HFMD drug.
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Jana S, Iram S, Thomas J, Hayat MQ, Pannecouque C, Dehaen W. Application of the Triazolization Reaction to Afford Dihydroartemisinin Derivatives with Anti-HIV Activity. Molecules 2017; 22:molecules22020303. [PMID: 28218680 PMCID: PMC6155659 DOI: 10.3390/molecules22020303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2017] [Revised: 02/10/2017] [Accepted: 02/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Artemisinin and synthetic derivatives of dihydroartemisinin are known to possess various biological activities. Post-functionalization of dihydroartemisinin with triazole heterocycles has been proven to lead to enhanced therapeutic potential. By using our newly developed triazolization strategy, a library of unexplored fused and 1,5-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazole derivatives of dihydroartemisinin were synthesized in a single step. All these newly synthesized compounds were characterized and evaluated for their anti-HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) potential in MT-4 cells. Interestingly; three of the synthesized triazole derivatives of dihydroartemisinin showed activities with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values ranging from 1.34 to 2.65 µM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sampad Jana
- Molecular Design and Synthesis, Department of Chemistry, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Shabina Iram
- Department of Plant Biotechnology, Atta-Ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences (ASAB), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), H-12 Islamabad, Pakistan.
| | - Joice Thomas
- Molecular Design and Synthesis, Department of Chemistry, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Muhammad Qasim Hayat
- Department of Plant Biotechnology, Atta-Ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences (ASAB), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), H-12 Islamabad, Pakistan.
| | - Christophe Pannecouque
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Wim Dehaen
- Molecular Design and Synthesis, Department of Chemistry, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
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Lin R, Zhang Z, Chen L, Zhou Y, Zou P, Feng C, Wang L, Liang G. Dihydroartemisinin (DHA) induces ferroptosis and causes cell cycle arrest in head and neck carcinoma cells. Cancer Lett 2016; 381:165-75. [DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2016.07.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 157] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2016] [Revised: 07/11/2016] [Accepted: 07/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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Zhang S, Shi L, Ma H, Li H, Li Y, Lu Y, Wang Q, Li W. Dihydroartemisinin induces apoptosis in human gastric cancer cell line BGC-823 through activation of JNK1/2 and p38 MAPK signaling pathways. J Recept Signal Transduct Res 2016; 37:174-180. [DOI: 10.1080/10799893.2016.1203942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shuyi Zhang
- Endoscopy Center, Tianjin Union Medicine Center, Tianjin, China
| | - Lei Shi
- Endoscopy Center, Tianjin Union Medicine Center, Tianjin, China
| | - Hongwen Ma
- Endoscopy Center, Tianjin Union Medicine Center, Tianjin, China
| | - Hongzhou Li
- Endoscopy Center, Tianjin Union Medicine Center, Tianjin, China
| | - Yanru Li
- Endoscopy Center, Tianjin Union Medicine Center, Tianjin, China
| | - Ying Lu
- Endoscopy Center, Tianjin Union Medicine Center, Tianjin, China
| | - Qiaoping Wang
- Endoscopy Center, Tianjin Union Medicine Center, Tianjin, China
| | - Wen Li
- Endoscopy Center, Tianjin Union Medicine Center, Tianjin, China
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Jia L, Song Q, Zhou C, Li X, Pi L, Ma X, Li H, Lu X, Shen Y. Dihydroartemisinin as a Putative STAT3 Inhibitor, Suppresses the Growth of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma by Targeting Jak2/STAT3 Signaling. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0147157. [PMID: 26784960 PMCID: PMC4718674 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0147157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2015] [Accepted: 12/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Developing drugs that can effectively block STAT3 activation may serve as one of the most promising strategy for cancer treatment. Currently, there is no putative STAT3 inhibitor that can be safely and effectively used in clinic. In the present study, we investigated the potential of dihydroartemisinin (DHA) as a putative STAT3 inhibitor and its antitumor activities in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The inhibitory effects of DHA on STAT3 activation along with its underlying mechanisms were studied in HNSCC cells. The antitumor effects of DHA against HNSCC cells were explored both in vitro and in vivo. An investigation on cooperative effects of DHA with cisplatin in killing HNSCC cells was also implemented. DHA exhibited remarkable and specific inhibitory effects on STAT3 activation via selectively blocking Jak2/STAT3 signaling. Besides, DHA significantly inhibited HNSCC growth both in vitro and in vivo possibly through induction of apoptosis and attenuation of cell migration. DHA also synergized with cisplatin in tumor inhibition in HNSCC cells. Our findings demonstrate that DHA is a putative STAT3 inhibitor that may represent a new and effective drug for cancer treatment and therapeutic sensitization in HNSCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lifeng Jia
- Postgraduate School, The Third Medical Military University, Chongqing, 400038, China
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Bethune International Peace Hospital, Shijiazhuang, 050081, Hebei Province, China
| | - Qi Song
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Bethune International Peace Hospital, Shijiazhuang, 050081, Hebei Province, China
- Postgraduate School, Medical College of PLA, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Chenyang Zhou
- Postgraduate School, The Third Medical Military University, Chongqing, 400038, China
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Bethune International Peace Hospital, Shijiazhuang, 050081, Hebei Province, China
| | - Xiaoming Li
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Bethune International Peace Hospital, Shijiazhuang, 050081, Hebei Province, China
- * E-mail:
| | - Lihong Pi
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hebei General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, 050051, Hebei Province, China
| | - Xiuru Ma
- Department of Basic Sciences, Hebei College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, 050061, Hebei Province, China
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Pathology, Bethune International Peace Hospital, Shijiazhuang, 050081, Hebei, Province, China
| | - Xiuying Lu
- Postgraduate School, The Third Medical Military University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Yupeng Shen
- Postgraduate School, The Third Medical Military University, Chongqing, 400038, China
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Hutterer C, Niemann I, Milbradt J, Fröhlich T, Reiter C, Kadioglu O, Bahsi H, Zeitträger I, Wagner S, Einsiedel J, Gmeiner P, Vogel N, Wandinger S, Godl K, Stamminger T, Efferth T, Tsogoeva SB, Marschall M. The broad-spectrum antiinfective drug artesunate interferes with the canonical nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathway by targeting RelA/p65. Antiviral Res 2015; 124:101-9. [PMID: 26546752 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2015.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2015] [Revised: 10/02/2015] [Accepted: 10/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Infection with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a serious medical problem, particularly in immunocompromised individuals and neonates. The success of standard antiviral therapy is hampered by low drug compatibility and induction of viral resistance. A novel strategy is based on the exploitation of cell-directed signaling inhibitors. The broad antiinfective drug artesunate (ART) offers additional therapeutic options such as oral bioavailability and low levels of toxic side-effects. Here, novel ART-derived compounds including dimers and trimers were synthesized showing further improvements over the parental drug. Antiviral activity and mechanistic aspects were determined leading to the following statements: (i) ART exerts antiviral activity towards human and animal herpesviruses, (ii) no induction of ART-resistant HCMV mutants occurred in vitro, (iii) chemically modified derivatives of ART showed strongly enhanced anti-HCMV efficacy, (iv) NF-κB reporter constructs, upregulated during HCMV replication, could be partially blocked by ART treatment, (v) ART activity analyzed in stable reporter cell clones indicated an inhibition of stimulated NF-κB but not CREB pathway, (vi) solid-phase immobilized ART was able to bind to NF-κB RelA/p65, and (vii) peptides within NF-κB RelA/p65 represent candidates of ART binding as analyzed by in silico docking and mass spectrometry. These novel findings open new prospects for the future medical use of ART and ART-related drug candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corina Hutterer
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Ina Niemann
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jens Milbradt
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Tony Fröhlich
- Institute of Organic Chemistry I, FAU, Erlangen, Germany
| | | | - Onat Kadioglu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Hanife Bahsi
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Isabel Zeitträger
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Sabrina Wagner
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jürgen Einsiedel
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Emil Fischer Center, FAU, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Peter Gmeiner
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Emil Fischer Center, FAU, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Nico Vogel
- Institute for Biochemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Emil Fischer Center, FAU, Erlangen, Germany
| | | | | | - Thomas Stamminger
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Thomas Efferth
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | | | - Manfred Marschall
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany.
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Martkoplishvili I, Kvavadze E. Some popular medicinal plants and diseases of the Upper Palaeolithic in Western Georgia. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2015; 166:42-52. [PMID: 25769538 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2015.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2014] [Revised: 03/02/2015] [Accepted: 03/02/2015] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Palynological studies of cultural layers of cave sediments have been used in order to better understand traditional practices. The Upper Palaeolithic in Georgia (36,000-11,000 cal. BP) provides a rich source of such material. However, up to day from such sediments the identification of medicinal plants has hardly been achieved. Large quantities of pollen most notably from entomophilous taxa in fossil spectra can serve as a tool to identify traditionally important species. As these plants are used in modern popular medicine on the territory of Georgia (like Achillea millefolium L., Artemisia annua L., Artemisia absinthium L., Centaurea jacea L., Urtica dioica L.) can be served as an indirect evidence for their medicinal relevance from the Palaeolithic Period up to days. Their modern uses may point that the main diseases during the Upper Palaeolithic were the same as today. MATERIALS AND METHODS The Upper Palaeolithic sediments were studied palynologically come from four caves: Dzudzuana, Satsurblia, Kotias Klde and Bondi. Modern sediments were investigated from 6 caves. Fossil and modern samples were taken according to the standard procedure in palynology. The laboratory treatment was carried out as follows: first, 50g of the sample was boiled in 10% KOH. At the second stage, centrifuging of the material in cadmium liquid was performed. At the final stage, acetolysis treatment was used. RESULTS Pollen of A. absinthium L. (Asteraceae), A. annua L. (Asteraceae), A. millefolium L. (Asteraceae), C. jacea L. (Asteraceae), and U. dioica L. (Urticaceae) are identified to species level. This species are not edible and are popular in present-day folk medicine. In the Upper Palaeolithic layers, significant amounts of studies species pollen were recorded in the cave, likely due to their flowering branches being brought in by humans for use. Detailed consideration of the pharmacological characteristics of the examined species showed that almost all of them have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antimicrobial and antipyretic activity. CONCLUSION The fossil pollen complex of medicinal herbs, dominated by A. millefolium and Artemisia (A. annua and A. absinthium), suggests that the ancient population living in the studied caves could have been prone to malaria, rheumatism and gastrointestinal diseases. In the Upper Palaeolithic, the population inhabiting cave sites might have suffered from gout and callouses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inga Martkoplishvili
- Ilia State University, 3/5 Cholokashvili Street, Tbilisi 0162, Georgia; Institute of Palaeobiology of Georgian National Museum, 3, Purtseladze Street, Tbilisi 0105, Georgia.
| | - Eliso Kvavadze
- Institute of Palaeobiology of Georgian National Museum, 3, Purtseladze Street, Tbilisi 0105, Georgia.
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Inhibition of human cytomegalovirus replication by artemisinins: effects mediated through cell cycle modulation. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2015; 59:3870-9. [PMID: 25870074 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00262-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2015] [Accepted: 04/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Artemisinin-derived monomers and dimers inhibit human cytomegalovirus (CMV) replication in human foreskin fibroblasts (HFFs). The monomer artesunate (AS) inhibits CMV at micromolar concentrations, while dimers inhibit CMV replication at nanomolar concentrations, without increased toxicity in HFFs. We report on the variable anti-CMV activity of AS compared to the consistent and reproducible CMV inhibition by dimer 606 and ganciclovir (GCV). Investigation of this phenomenon revealed that the anti-CMV activity of AS correlated with HFFs synchronized to the G0/G1 stage of the cell cycle. In contact-inhibited serum-starved HFFs or cells arrested at early/late G1 with specific checkpoint regulators, AS and dimer 606 efficiently inhibited CMV replication. However, in cycling HFFs, in which CMV replication was productive, virus inhibition by AS was significantly reduced, but inhibition by dimer 606 and GCV was maintained. Cell cycle analysis in noninfected HFFs revealed that AS induced early G1 arrest, while dimer 606 partially blocked cell cycle progression. In infected HFFs, AS and dimer 606 prevented the progression of cell cycle toward the G1/S checkpoint. AS reduced the expression of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK) 2, 4, and 6 in noninfected cycling HFFs, while the effect of dimer 606 on these CDKs was moderate. Neither compound affected CDK expression in noninfected contact-inhibited HFFs. In CMV-infected cells, AS activity correlated with reduced CDK2 levels. CMV inhibition by AS and dimer 606 also correlated with hypophosphorylation (activity) of the retinoblastoma protein (pRb). AS activity was strongly associated with pRb hypophosphorylation, while its reduced anti-CMV activity was marked by pRb phosphorylation. Roscovitine, a CDK2 inhibitor, antagonized the anti-CMV activities of AS and dimer 606. These data suggest that cell cycle modulation through CDKs and pRb might play a role in the anti-CMV activities of artemisinins. Proteins involved in this modulation may be identified and targeted for CMV inhibition.
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Hamilton ST, Hutterer C, Marschall M. Therapeutics to prevent congenital cytomegalovirus during pregnancy: what is available now and in the future? MICROBIOLOGY AUSTRALIA 2015. [DOI: 10.1071/ma15057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the leading non-genetic cause of fetal malformation in developed countries. Congenital CMV infection can cause serious clinical sequelae, and in severe cases result in fetal or neonatal death. Despite the clinical and social importance of congenital CMV there is currently no standardised management strategy to prevent or treat maternal/fetal CMV infection during pregnancy and no evidence-based therapeutic for prenatally diagnosed CMV infection or disease. For pregnant women with a primary CMV infection during pregnancy, standard medical practise remains to offer no treatment at all or the option to terminate pregnancy. If intervention is requested, pregnant women may be offered a narrow range of medical therapies with limited evidence for efficacy and some with high risks of toxicity. However, there are several experimental and novel anti-CMV therapeutics currently being investigated that may provide a safe and effective therapeutic for use during pregnancy to prevent both fetal infection and reduce the risk of congenital CMV disease developing in the fetus once infected in utero.
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Synthesis, characterization, and in vitro evaluation of artesunate-β-cyclodextrin conjugates as novel anti-cancer prodrugs. Carbohydr Res 2014; 400:19-25. [PMID: 25457606 DOI: 10.1016/j.carres.2014.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2014] [Revised: 08/06/2014] [Accepted: 08/28/2014] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
A novel series of artesunate-β-cyclodextrin (ATS-β-CD) conjugates, in which artesunate (ATS) was coupled covalently to one of the primary hydroxyl groups of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) through amino bond formation, were synthesized and characterized by (1)H NMR, HRMS, 2D NMR (ROESY), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The results showed that the aqueous solubility of ATS-β-CD conjugates was 26-45 times better than that of free ATS. The cytotoxicity of the ATS-β-CD conjugates was evaluated on human colon cancer cell lines HCT116, LOVO, SW480, and HT-29, and the results indicated that ATS-2NβCD exhibited a very high cytotoxicity against HCT116, LOVO, and HT-29 with IC50 values of 0.58, 1.62, and 5.18μmol/L, respectively. In addition, the supposition of better cytotoxicity was further supported by the control experiment of fluorescent cyclodextrin.
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Antiviral effects of artesunate on JC polyomavirus replication in COS-7 cells. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2014; 58:6724-34. [PMID: 25155602 DOI: 10.1128/aac.03714-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The human JC polyomavirus (JCPyV) causes the fatal demyelinating disease progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). A growing number of patients with induced or acquired immunosuppression are at risk for infection, and no effective antiviral therapy is presently available. The widely used antimalarial drug artesunate has shown broad antiviral activity in vitro but limited clinical success. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of artesunate on JCPyV replication in vitro. The permissivity for JCPyV MAD-4 was first compared in four cell lines, and the monkey kidney cell line COS-7 was selected. Artesunate caused a concentration-dependent decrease in the extracellular JCPyV DNA load 96 h postinfection, with a 50% effective concentration (EC50) of 2.9 μM. This effect correlated with a decreased expression of capsid protein VP1 and a reduced release of infectious viral progeny. For concentrations of <20 μM, transient reductions in cellular DNA replication and proliferation were seen, while for higher concentrations, some cytotoxicity was detected. A selective index of 16.6 was found when cytotoxicity was calculated based on cellular DNA replication in the mock-infected cells, but interestingly, cellular DNA replication in the JCPyV-infected cells was more strongly affected. In conclusion, artesunate is efficacious in inhibiting JCPyV replication at micromolar concentrations, which are achievable in plasma. The inhibition at EC50 probably reflects an effect on cellular proteins and involves transient cytostatic effects. Our results, together with the favorable distribution of the active metabolite dihydroartemisinin to the central nervous system, suggest a potential use for artesunate in patients with PML.
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