Network pharmacology, molecular docking and experimental study of CEP in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The Stephania cephalantha Hayata is an important traditional medicinal plant widely used in traditional medicine to treat cancer. Cepharanthine (CEP) was extracted from the roots of Stephania cephalantha Hayata. It has been found to exhibit anticancer activity in different types of cancer cells. Nevertheless, the activity of CEP against nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and its underlying mechanism warrant further investigation.

AIMS OF THE STUDY

NPC is an invasive and highly metastatic malignancy that affects the head and neck region. This research aimed to investigate the pharmacological properties and underlying mechanism of CEP against NPC, aiming to offer novel perspectives on treating NPC using CEP.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In vitro, the pharmacological activity of CEP against NPC was evaluated using the CCK-8 assay. To predict and elucidate the anticancer mechanism of CEP against NPC, we employed network pharmacology, conducted molecular docking analysis, and performed Western blot experiments. In vivo validation was performed through a nude mice xenograft model of human NPC, Western blot and immunohistochemical (IHC) assays to confirm pharmacological activity and the mechanism.

RESULTS

In a dose-dependent manner, the proliferation and clonogenic capacity of NPC cells were significantly inhibited by CEP. Additionally, NPC cell migration was suppressed by CEP. The results obtained from network pharmacology experiments revealed that anti-NPC effect of CEP was associated with 8 core targets, including EGFR, AKT1, PIK3CA, and mTOR. By performing molecular docking, the binding capacity of CEP to the candidate core proteins (EGFR, AKT1, PIK3CA, and mTOR) was predicted, resulting in docking energies of -10.0 kcal/mol for EGFR, -12.4 kcal/mol for PIK3CA, -10.8 kcal/mol for AKT1, and -8.6 kcal/mol for mTOR. The Western blot analysis showed that CEP effectively suppressed the expression of EGFR and the phosphorylation levels of downstream signaling proteins, including PI3K, AKT, mTOR, and ERK. After CEP intervention, a noteworthy decrease in tumor size, without inducing any toxicity, was observed in NPC xenograft nude mice undergoing in vivo treatment. Additionally, IHC analysis demonstrated a significant reduction in the expression levels of EGFR and Ki-67 following CEP treatment.

CONCLUSION

CEP exhibits significant pharmacological effects on NPC, and its mechanistic action involves restraining the activation of the EGFR/PI3K/AKT pathway. CEP represents a promising pharmaceutical agent for addressing and mitigating NPC.

The genome of Stephania japonica provides insights into the biosynthesis of cepharanthine

Stephania japonica is an early-diverging eudicotyledon plant with high levels of cepharanthine, proven to be effective in curing coronavirus infections. Here, we report a high-quality S. japonica genome. The genome size is 688.52 Mb, and 97.37% sequences anchor to 11 chromosomes. The genome comprises 67.46% repetitive sequences and 21,036 genes. It is closely related to two Ranunculaceae species, which diverged from their common ancestor 55.90-71.02 million years ago (Mya) with a whole-genome duplication 85.59-96.75 Mya. We further reconstruct ancestral karyotype of Ranunculales. Several cepharanthine biosynthesis genes are identified and verified by western blot. Two genes (Sja03G0243 and Sja03G0241) exhibit catalytic activity as shown by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Then, cepharanthine biosynthesis genes, transcription factors, and CYP450 family genes are used to construct a comprehensive network. Finally, we construct an early-diverging eudicotyledonous genome resources (EEGR) database. As the first genome of the Menispermaceae family to be released, this study provides rich resources for genomic studies.

Cepharanthine analogs mining and genomes of Stephania accelerate anti-coronavirus drug discovery

Cepharanthine is a secondary metabolite isolated from Stephania. It has been reported that it has anti-conronaviruses activities including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Here, we assemble three Stephania genomes (S. japonica, S. yunnanensis, and S. cepharantha), propose the cepharanthine biosynthetic pathway, and assess the antiviral potential of compounds involved in the pathway. Among the three genomes, S. japonica has a near telomere-to-telomere assembly with one remaining gap, and S. cepharantha and S. yunnanensis have chromosome-level assemblies. Following by biosynthetic gene mining and metabolomics analysis, we identify seven cepharanthine analogs that have broad-spectrum anti-coronavirus activities, including SARS-CoV-2, Guangxi pangolin-CoV (GX_P2V), swine acute diarrhoea syndrome coronavirus (SADS-CoV), and porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV). We also show that two other genera, Nelumbo and Thalictrum, can produce cepharanthine analogs, and thus have the potential for antiviral compound discovery. Results generated from this study could accelerate broad-spectrum anti-coronavirus drug discovery.

Alkaloids in genus stephania (Menispermaceae): A comprehensive review of its ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Approximately 60 species of the genus Stephania (Menispermaceae) are distributed worldwide. Among these, 39 species are located in South and Southwest China; in particular, these plants are rich in alkaloids and were used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) against numerous ailments.

AIM OF THIS REVIEW

The purpose of this study was to provide organized information on the ethnopharmacological uses as well as the phytochemical, pharmacological, and toxicological evaluation of the alkaloids derived from plant species included in the genus Stephania. In addition, we aimed to provide comprehensive basic knowledge on the medicinal properties of these plants and establish meaningful guidelines for further research.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Information related to the Stephania genus was collected from scientific databases, such as Web of Science, PubMed, Baidu Scholar, and China Academic Journals (CNKI), within the last 20 years on phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology of the plants in genus Stephania. Furthermore, information was obtained from the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China. Chinese Pharmacopoeia and Flora of China.

RESULTS

Plant species belonging to the genus Stephania have been mentioned as traditional remedies and various alkaloidal compounds have been identified and isolated, including aporphine, proaporphine, morphinane, hasubanane, protoberberine, benzylisoquinoline, and bisbenzylisoquinoline and among others. The isolated alkaloidal compounds reportedly exhibited promising pharmacological properties, such as antimicrobial, antiviral, antitumor, antioxidant, antihyperglycemic, anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, anti-multidrug resistance, neuroprotective, and cardioprotective activities.

CONCLUSIONS

The genus Stephania is widely used in TCM. The ethnopharmacological uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of the Stephania sp. Described in this review demonstrated that these plants contain numerous alkaloids and active constituents and display myriad pharmacological activities. Typically, research on the plants' pharmacological activity focuses on parts of the plants and the associated compounds. However, many Stephania species have rarely been studied, and the ethnomedicinal potential of those discovered has not been scientifically evaluated and needs to be further elucidated. Furthermore, quality control and toxicology studies are warranted in the future.

Evaluation of antinociceptive activity of methanolic extract of leaves of Stephania japonica Linn

ETHNAPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Stephania japonica is a common plant, widely distributed in all over Bangladesh. Traditionally, this plant is considered as one of the important ingredients in treatment of a variety of ailments including inflammation, pain, rheumatism, cancer, bone fracture, fever etc. However, the scientific reports regarding the antinociceptive effect of this plant are very limited. This study evaluated the antinociceptive effect of methanolic extract of S. japonica (MESJ) leaves.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The antinociceptive effect of MESJ was investigated using both heat- and chemical-induced nociceptive models such as hot plate, tail immersion, acetic acid-induced writhing, formalin and glutamate tests at the doses of 50, 100 and 200mg/kg. Morphine (5mg/kg) and diclofenac sodium (10mg/kg) were used as reference drugs in thermal and chemical models, respectively. Moreover, naloxone (2mg/kg) was used in the thermal models to justify the possible role of the opioid receptors.

RESULTS

MESJ produced a significant and dose-dependent increase in the hot plate and tail immersion latencies which were reversed by the treatment with naloxone, suggests the possible involvement of opioid receptors in this activity. Moreover, MESJ inhibited acetic acid-induced writhing, formalin and glutamate-induced lickings in a dose-dependent manner. In parallel, the reference drugs also produced desired antinociceptive effects in this study.

CONCLUSION

These results strongly support the antinociceptive activity of the leaves of Stephania japonica and rationalize the traditional use of the leaves in treatment of different painful conditions.

Endothelium nitric oxide-independent vasorelaxant effects of the aqueous extract from Stephania abyssinica on the isolated rat thoracic aorta

BACKGROUND

Stephania abyssinica (Dillon & A. Rich) Walp (Menispermaceae) is a medicinal plant used in the west region of Cameroon to treat arterial hypertension. The present study evaluated the vasorelaxant effects of the aqueous (AESA) and methanol (MESA) extracts from the fresh leaves of S. abyssinica on aorta rings isolated from Wistar rats.

METHODS

Aorta rings with intact endothelium were contracted with KCl (60 mM) or phenylephrine (10-5 M) and exposed to cumulative concentrations of each extract, ranging from 10 to 1,000 µg/mL. The vasorelaxant effects of AESA were further evaluated in presence of Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 10-4 M), tetraethylammonium (TEA, 5 µM), glibenclamide (5 µM), propranolol (5 µM), and the association glibenclamide-propranolol (AGP). In another set of experiments, the effect of AESA was evaluated on calcium-induced contraction in a hyperpotassic milieu.

RESULTS

AESA and MESA exhibited a concentration-dependent vasorelaxation on KCl-contracted aortic rings with respective EC50 of 160.10 and 346.50 µg/mL. AESA similarly relaxed aortic rings contracted with phenylephrine (EC50, 176.80 µg/mL). The vasorelaxant activity of AESA was not significantly affected by L-NAME but was markedly reduced by TEA, glibenclamide, propranolol, and AGP. AESA strongly inhibited the Ca2+-induced contraction by 95%.

CONCLUSIONS

These results support the use of S. abyssinica against arterial hypertension and suggest that the vasorelaxant effect of AESA is not mediated via the endothelium/nitric oxide pathway. AESA relaxant properties might be due to an inhibition of Ca2+ influx and/or the activation of ATP-sensitive K+ channels probably via the stimulation of β-adrenergic receptors.

A topoisomerase II poison screen of ethnomedicinal Thai plants using a yeast cell-based assay

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The plants used in this study had previously been identified and used by Thai folk practitioners, who had knowledge of Thai traditional medicine, as alternative treatments for cancer. Investigation into the mechanism of the Topoisomerase II (Top2) poison of these plants may give rise to new drug leads for cancer treatment.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study aimed to screen ethnomedicinal plants used in Thai traditional medicine for Top2 poison activity using a yeast cell-based assay and also to validate the traditional uses of these plants by examining the Top2 poison activity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty Thai medicinal plants were harvested and identified. Plant methanol extracts were prepared and screened in vitro using a yeast cell-based assay. Mutant yeast strains carrying the top2-1 allele, which encodes a temperature-sensitive topoisomerase, were used to establish the yeast spot test. Strains carrying this mutation grow normally at 25°C and generally have a wild-type drug sensitivity. These yeast strains are able to grow at 30°C, but the Top2 activity is greatly reduced at this temperature, which causes the strains to be highly drug resistant to anti-Top2 agents. Cell growth was measured by colony survival after exposure to various concentrations of extracts at different temperatures.

RESULTS

The extracts of six out of thirty ethnomedicinal plants, Curcuma longa, C. zedoaria, Derris scandens, Grangea maderaspatana, Stephania pierrei and S. suberosa, were found to have Top2 poison activity against the yeast cells.

CONCLUSIONS

The yeast screening system confirmed the proposed anti-cancer mechanisms of plants used in Thai traditional medicine by traditional doctors.

Levo-tetrahydropalmatine attenuates cocaine self-administration and cocaine-induced reinstatement in rats

RATIONALE

Levo-tetrahydropalmatine (l-THP) is an alkaloid constituent of plants from the botanical genera Corydalis and Stephania and is contained in many traditional Chinese herbal preparations. In addition to its low-affinity antagonism of D2 dopamine (DA) receptors, we report that l-THP functions as a higher-affinity antagonist at D1 DA receptors and interacts with D3 DA receptors, suggesting that it may be effective for the treatment of drug addiction. Accordingly, l-THP has been reported to reduce heroin craving and relapse in recovering addicts.

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated the effects of l-THP (3.75, 7.5, and 15.0 mg/kg, i.p.) on cocaine self-administration (SA) and cocaine-induced reinstatement.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Rats were trained to self-administer cocaine and food by pressing separate response levers during sessions consisting of a multiple schedule of alternating 30-min FR4 cocaine and 15-min FR4 food reinforcement. During the cocaine components of each session, the available cocaine dose varied such that rats had access to low and high dose ranges in varying sequence on alternating days. After SA, cocaine-reinforced responding was extinguished, and effects of l-THP on cocaine-induced reinstatement (10 mg/kg, i.p.) were examined.

RESULTS

l-THP produced a rightward and downward shift in the dose-response curve for cocaine SA and attenuated cocaine-induced reinstatement. l-THP also reduced food-reinforced responding and locomotor activity. However, reductions in cocaine SA were found at doses that failed to alter food-reinforced responding, and significant effects were not observed on food responding during reinstatement.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that l-THP is potentially useful for treating cocaine addiction.

Antimalarial activity of alkaloids isolated from Stephania rotunda

Stephania rotunda (Menispermaceae) is used in traditional medicine for the treatment of fever. Four major alkaloids: dehydroroemerine, tetrahydropalmatine, xylopinine, cepharanthine as well as aqueous extract (SA), dichloromethane extracts (SD1 and SD2) from this plant were tested against Plasmodium falciparum W2 in vitro. Dehydroroemerine, cepharanthine and SD1 were the most active against W2 with IC(50) of 0.36, 0.61microM and 0.7microg/mL, respectively. Their IC(50) on human monocytic THP1 cells were 10.8, 10.3microM and >250microg/mL, respectively. Cepharanthine, SD1 and SA were selected for in vivo antimalarial test against Plasmodium berghei in mice. The results of SD1 and SA at dose of 150mg/kg showed a decrease of 89 and 74% of parasitaemia by intra-peritoneal injection and 62.5 and 46.5% of parasitaemia by oral administration, respectively. The result of cepharanthine at dose of 10mg/kg showed a decrease of 47% of parasitaemia by intra-peritoneal injection and 50% of parasitaemia by oral administration. Drug interaction of chloroquine and major alkaloids indicates that cepharanthine-chloroquine and tetrahydropalmatine-xylopinine associations are synergistic. These results are in agreement with the use of this plant in the treatment of malaria. This is the first report on in vivo antimalarial investigation for Stephania rotunda.

In vitro determination of the contraceptive spermicidal activity of a composite extract of Achyranthes aspera and Stephania hernandifolia on human semen

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of a 50% ethanolic extract of the leaf of Stephania hernandifolia and the root of Achyranthes aspera on sperm motility and function in a ratio of 1:3 by weight at different concentrations.

RESULTS

Concentration of 0.08 g/mL of the extract affected the motility, and at a concentration of 0.16 g/mL, the sperm motility was reduced to 20% immediately (within 20 s). At a concentration of 0.32 g/mL, this composite extract showed the most promising results by complete sperm immobilization within 2 min after the application of the extract. The effects were spermicidal but not spermiostatic as sperm immobilization effect was found to be irreversible. Sperm viability was decreased significantly and was found to be nonviable after 30 min when treated with the composite extract at a concentration of 0.32 g/mL. The hypo-osmotic swelling of these sperm was reduced significantly at this highest concentration, indicating that the crude extract may probably cause injury to the sperm plasma membrane. A low concentration of 0.04 g/mL is ineffective.

CONCLUSION

The findings indicate that this composite plant extract possesses potential contraceptive spermicidal activity in vitro.

Cytotoxic and DNA damaging activity of some aporphine alkaloids from Stephania dinklagei

Six aporphine alkaloids, liriodenine, corydine, isocorydine, atherospermidine, stephalagine and dehydrostephalagine, were isolated by bioassay-guided fractionation of the EtOH extract of the stems of Stephania dinklagei. Liriodenine showed strong cytotoxic activity while corydine and atherospermidine showed DNA damaging activity. Dehydrostephalagine and atherospermidine were isolated from this plant for the first time.