Plant-Derived Toxin Inhibitors as Potential Candidates to Complement Antivenom Treatment in Snakebite Envenomations

Snakebite envenomations (SBEs) are a neglected medical condition of global importance that mainly affect the tropical and subtropical regions. Clinical manifestations include pain, edema, hemorrhage, tissue necrosis, and neurotoxic signs, and may evolve to functional loss of the affected limb, acute renal and/or respiratory failure, and even death. The standard treatment for snake envenomations is antivenom, which is produced from the hyperimmunization of animals with snake toxins. The inhibition of the effects of SBEs using natural or synthetic compounds has been suggested as a complementary treatment particularly before admission to hospital for antivenom treatment, since these alternative molecules are also able to inhibit toxins. Biodiversity-derived molecules, namely those extracted from medicinal plants, are promising sources of toxin inhibitors that can minimize the deleterious consequences of SBEs. In this review, we systematically synthesize the literature on plant metabolites that can be used as toxin-inhibiting agents, as well as present the potential mechanisms of action of molecules derived from natural sources. These findings aim to further our understanding of the potential of natural products and provide new lead compounds as auxiliary therapies for SBEs.

Synthesis and Inhibition Evaluation of New Benzyltetrahydroprotoberberine Alkaloids Designed as Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors

Secondary metabolites from natural products are a potential source of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs), which is a key enzyme in the treatment of many neurodegenerative diseases. Inspired by the reported activities of isoquinoline-derivative alkaloids herein we report the design, one step synthesis and evaluation by capillary enzyme reactor (ICER) of benzyl analogs (1a–1e) of the tetrahydroprotoberberine alkaloid stepholidine, which is abundant in Onychopetalum amazonicum. Docking analysis based on the crystal structure of Torpedo californica AChE (TcAChE) indicated that π-π interactions were dominant in all planned derivatives and that the residues from esteratic, anionic and peripheral subsites of the enzyme played key interaction roles. Due to the similarities observed when compared with galantamine in the AChE complex, the results suggest that ligand-target interactions would increase, especially for the N-benzyl derivatives. From a series of synthesized compounds, the alkaloids (7R,13aS)-7-benzylstepholidine (1a), (7S,13aS)-7-benzylstepholidine (1b), and (S)-10-O-benzylstepholidine (1d) are reported here for the first time. The on flow bioaffinity chromatography inhibition assay, based on the quantification of choline, revealed the N-benzylated compound 1a and its epimer 1b to be the most active, with IC₅₀ of 40.6 ± 1 and 51.9 ± 1 μM, respectively, and a non-competitive mechanism. The proposed approach, which is based on molecular docking and bioaffinity chromatography, demonstrated the usefulness of stepholidine as a template for the design of rational AChEIs and showed how the target-alkaloid derivatives interact with AChE.

Quantitative oscillator strengths for ionic fragmentation of C 1s and O 1s excited CO

Ionic photofragmentation of carbon monoxide following carbon 1s and oxygen 1s excitation has been measured quantitatively with tuned synchrotron light and time-of-flight mass spectrometry using a Wiley–McLaren apparatus modified with an additional ion lens for improved quantitative performance. The sensitivity of the apparatus to kinetic energy and angular distribution effects has been characterized for selected lens settings through ion trajectory simulations and experimental measurements. Three distinct modes of the added lens have been identified (focus, defocus, and maximum). The focus mode has the least sensitivity to details of the angular and ion kinetic energy distribution and, therefore, is the best mode for measuring quantitative partial ion and ion-pair yields. The defocus mode has the most sensitivity to angular and kinetic energy distributions and, therefore, is the mode that provides the most information about the kinematics of photofragmentation. Branching ratios for ion and ion-pair production in all positive ion fragmentation channels were recorded from 280 to 330 eV (C 1s) and from 520 to 570 eV (O 1s) in the "focus" mode. Quantitative oscillator strengths were derived by combining these branching ratios with absolute total ion yield spectra. The results are compared to literature values.Key words: CO, time-of-flight mass spectrometry, inner-shell excitation, quantitative oscillator strengths, cross sections.