Sophora alopecuroides L.: An ethnopharmacological, phytochemical, and pharmacological review

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Sophora alopecuroides L., which is called Kudouzi in China, is a medicinal plant distributed in Western and Central Asia, especially in China, and has been used for decades to treat fever, bacterial infection, heart disease, rheumatism, and gastrointestinal diseases.

AIM OF THE REVIEW

This review aims to provide up-to-date information on S. alopecuroides, including its botanical characterization, medicinal resources, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacological research, and toxicology, in exploring future therapeutic and scientific potentials.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The information related to this article was systematically collected from the scientific literature databases including PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Science Direct, Springer, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, published books, PhD and MS dissertations, and other web sources, such as the official website of Flora of China and Yao Zhi website (https://db.yaozh.com/).

RESULTS

A total of 128 compounds, such as alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, and polysaccharides, were isolated from S. alopecuroides. Among these compounds, the effects of alkaloids, such as matrine and oxymatrine, were extensively studied and developed into new drugs. S. alopecuroides and its active components had a wide range of pharmacological activities, such as anticancer, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, analgesic, and neuroprotective functions, as well as protective properties against pulmonary fibrosis and cardiac fibroblast proliferation.

CONCLUSIONS

As an important traditional Chinese medicine, modern pharmacological studies have demonstrated that S. alopecuroides has prominent bioactivities, especially on gynecological inflammation and hepatitis B, and anticancer activities. These activities provide prospects for novel drug development for cancer and some chronic diseases. Nevertheless, the comprehensive evaluation, quality control, understanding of the multitarget network pharmacology, long-term in vivo toxicity, and clinical efficacy of S. alopecuroides require further detailed research.

Investigation on the metabolic characteristics of isobavachin in Psoralea corylifolia L. (Bu-gu-zhi) and its potential inhibition against human cytochrome P450s and UDP-glucuronosyltransferases

OBJECTIVES

Isobavachin is a phenolic with anti-osteoporosis activity. This study aimed to explore its metabolic fates in vivo and in vitro, and to investigate the potential drug-drug interactions involving CYPs and UGTs.

METHODS

Metabolites of isobavachin in mice were first identified and characterized. Oxidation and glucuronidation study were performed using liver and intestine microsomes. Reaction phenotyping, activity correlation analysis and relative activity factor approaches were employed to identify the main CYPs and UGTs involved in isobavachin metabolism. Through kinetic modelling, inhibition mechanisms towards CYPs and UGTs were also explored.

KEY FINDINGS

Two glucuronides (G1 - G2) and three oxidated metabolites (M1 - M3) were identified in mice. Additionally, isobavachin underwent efficient oxidation and glucuronidation by human liver microsomes and HIM with CLint values from 5.53 to 148.79 μl/min per mg. CYP1A2, 2C19 contributed 11.3% and 17.1% to hepatic metabolism of isobavachin, respectively, with CLint values from 8.75 to 77.33 μl/min per mg. UGT1As displayed CLint values from 10.73 to 202.62 μl/min per mg for glucuronidation. Besides, significant correlation analysis also proved that CYP1A2, 2C19 and UGT1A1, 1A9 were main contributors for the metabolism of isobavachin. Furthermore, mice may be the appropriate animal model for predicting its metabolism in human. Moreover, isobavachin exhibited broad inhibition against CYP2B6, 2C9, 2C19, UGT1A1, 1A9, 2B7 with Ki values from 0.05 to 3.05 μm.

CONCLUSIONS

CYP1A2, 2C19 and UGT1As play an important role in isobavachin metabolism. Isobavachin demonstrated broad-spectrum inhibition of CYPs and UGTs.