Hazardous effects of sanguinarine on maturation of mouse oocytes,fertilization, and fetal development through apoptotic processes

Previously, we reported that sanguinarine, a phytoalexin with antimicrobial, anti‐oxidant, anti‐inflammatory and pro‐apoptotic effects, is a risk factor for normal embryonic development that triggers apoptotic processes in the inner cell mass of mouse blastocysts, causing decreased embryonic development and cell viability. In the current study, we investigated the deleterious effects of sanguinarine on mouse oocyte maturation, in vitro fertilization (IVF), and subsequent pre‐ and postimplantation development both in vitro and in vivo. Notably, sanguinarine significantly impaired mouse oocyte maturation, decreased IVF rates, and inhibited subsequent embryonic development in vitro. Preincubation of oocytes with sanguinarine during in vitro maturation induced an increase in postimplantation embryo resorption and a decrease in mouse fetal weight. In an in vivo animal model, 1 to 5 μM sanguinarine, provided in drinking water, caused a decrease in oocyte maturation and IVF, and led to deleterious effects on early embryonic development. Importantly, preincubation of oocytes with a caspase‐3‐specific inhibitor effectively blocked sanguinarine‐triggered deleterious effects, clearly implying that embryonic injury induced by sanguinarine is mediated by a caspase‐dependent apoptotic mechanism. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 30: 946–955, 2015.     

Assessing the risk of epidemic dropsy from black salve use

Epidemic dropsy is a potentially life‐threatening condition resulting from the ingestion of argemone oil derived from the seeds of Argemone mexicana Linn. Exposure to argemone oil is usually inadvertent, arising from mustard cooking oil adulteration. Sanguinarine, an alkaloid present in argemone oil, has been postulated as a causative agent with the severity of epidemic dropsy correlating with plasma sanguinarine levels. Cases of epidemic dropsy have also been reported following the topical application of argemone containing massage oil. Black salve, a topical skin cancer therapy also contains sanguinarine, but at significantly higher concentrations than that reported for contaminated massage oil. Although not reported to date, a theoretical risk therefore exists of black salve inducing epidemic dropsy. This literature review explores the presentation and pathophysiology of epidemic dropsy and assesses the risk of it being induced by black salve.     

Molecular aspects on the interaction of protoberberine, benzophenanthridine, and aristolochia group of alkaloids with nucleic acid structures and biological perspectives

Alkaloids occupy an important position in chemistry and pharmacology. Among the various alkaloids, berberine and coralyne of the protoberberine group, sanguinarine of the benzophenanthridine group, and aristololactam-beta-d-glucoside of the aristolochia group have potential to form molecular complexes with nucleic acid structures and have attracted recent attention for their prospective clinical and pharmacological utility. This review highlights (i) the physicochemical properties of these alkaloids under various environmental conditions, (ii) the structure and functional aspects of various forms of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) (B-form, Z-form, H(L)-form, protonated form, and triple helical form) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) (A-form, protonated form, and triple helical form), and (iii) the interaction of these alkaloids with various polymorphic DNA and RNA structures reported by several research groups employing various analytical techniques like absorbance, fluorescence, circular dichroism, and NMR spectroscopy; electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, thermal melting, viscosity, and DNase footprinting as well as molecular modeling and thermodynamic studies to provide detailed binding mechanism at the molecular level for structure-activity relationship. Nucleic acids binding properties of these alkaloids are interpreted in relation to their biological activity.     

血根碱、白屈菜红碱离子对化合物的体外抗菌活性研究

目的通过对血根碱离子对化合物、白屈菜红碱离子对化合物的体外抗菌活性研究,寻找具有潜在开发价值的抗菌药物。方法将血根碱、白屈菜红碱与多种有机酸制备成离子对化合物,采用试管稀释法和琼脂平板扩散法测定最低抑菌浓度(MIC)和最小杀菌浓度(MBC),结合抑菌圈实验,比较制备前后化合物的抗菌效果。结果血根碱与苯甲酸、乳酸、富马酸等有机酸形成离子对化合物之后抗菌活性增强,白屈菜红碱与乙酸、丙酸形成离子对化合物之后抗菌活性增强。结论一些结合小分子有机酸形成的离子对化合物显示出良好的抗菌效果,将生物碱制备为离子对化合物的方法为寻找新的抗菌药物提供了一种思路。     

血根碱对人类宫颈癌细胞生长和转移的抑制作用

目的利用宫颈癌细胞株探讨血根碱（SAN）的抗肿瘤作用。方法采用MTT、克隆形成及细胞划痕试验研究不同浓度SAN对体外培养的人类宫颈癌HeLa和Siha细胞的影响。结果经1.0μmol/L和5.0μmol/LSAN处理后,Siha细胞的存活率分别为对照组的72%和10%（P〈0.01）,HeLa细胞比Siha细胞更敏感。用1.0μmol/LSAN处理后,HeLa和Siha细胞的克隆形成数从33个降低到14个和16个（P〈0.05）。划痕试验显示培养48h后,HeLa细胞和Siha细胞的“细胞伤口”宽度对照组分别为（0.51±0.04）mm和（0.64±0.02）mm,而0.5μmol/LSAN处理组为（1.22±0.02）mm和（1.63±0.01）mm（分别P〈0.01和P〈0.05）。MTT、克隆形成及细胞划痕试验均呈剂量和时间依赖性。结论SAN可抑制宫颈癌细胞的生长和转移。该研究为SAN作为一种新药应用于宫颈癌的治疗提供了初步的实验依据和理论基础。     

血水草中血根碱和白屈菜红碱的分离制备研究

目的:从血水草中分离血根碱和白屈菜红碱。方法:用干燥的血水草粉末选用浸泡、超声、微波或渗漉提取,用大孔吸附树脂分离。比较不同提取方法,不同萃取剂、洗脱剂等因素对提取的影响。结果:浸渍提取和微波提取效率较高,但是渗漉提取所得的提取物中生物碱的含量较高,血根碱含量为:80.10±3.68 mg/g,白屈菜红碱含量为:44.31±0.28 mg/g。盐酸提取率明显高于其它酸。依次用20%、60%、90%的甲醇水溶液、100%的乙醇溶液洗脱分离效果最好。结论:渗漉提取是分离血水草中血根碱和白屈菜红碱的一种有效方法。     

血根碱致钉螺肝脏差异表达基因的鉴定

目的 鉴定血根碱致钉螺肝脏差异表达的基因。方法 浓度梯度法测定血根碱浸杀钉螺的半数致死浓度（LC50）;以80%LC50血根碱浸泡钉螺,分离血根碱组和清水组活钉螺肝脏;提取mRNA,逆转录为cDNA,进行抑制消减杂交;巢式PCR扩增差异cDNA,克隆至pMD-18T载体,PCR和测序鉴定,NCBI中blastx比对分析表达序列标签（expressed sequence tag,EST）。结果 血根碱浸杀钉螺LC50为7.5 mg/L。获得的EST序列大小在150⁴50 bp,经blastx比对,表达上调的基因有α-4（VI）胶原链、α-5（VI）胶原链、40 S核糖体蛋白S19、假定蛋白（WP₀09787 197.1）、kelch样蛋白、颗粒体样蛋白;表达下调的基因有β-微管蛋白、α-淀粉酶1、大亚基核糖体蛋白L23e、几丁质酶-1、捷蛋白-3、假定蛋白（EKC34 262.1）、线粒体乙醛脱氢酶、肽聚糖识别蛋白、真核转录延长因子1A、铁蛋白、去整合素金属蛋白酶、溶菌酶1、1,3（4）-β-葡聚糖酶1、血蓝蛋白α-4D亚基,这些基因编码蛋白的功能涉及物质转运、蛋白合成、增殖诱导、营养、抗氧化、抗炎、呼吸、信号转导等。结论 血根碱处理导致钉螺肝脏基因表达发生改变。     

血根碱对宫颈癌细胞增殖、凋亡、侵袭、迁移能力影响机制研究

目的 探讨血根碱对宫颈癌细胞增殖、凋亡、侵袭、迁移能力的影响机制.方法 分别用MTT法、流式细胞仪、细胞划痕实验、Transwell小室检测血根碱作用后的宫颈癌细胞增殖、凋亡、迁移、侵袭能力.Western blot检测经血根碱作用后宫颈癌细胞中E-Cadherin、PTEN、β-catenin、MMP2的蛋白表达水平.结果 0.6、0.8μmol/L血根碱对宫颈癌细胞增殖具有抑制作用.0.8 μmol/L血根碱作用48 h后宫颈癌细胞HeLa和Siha凋亡率高达(45.68±2.26)％和(31.89±3.80)％.0.8μmol/L血根碱作用3 h后宫颈癌细胞HeLa和Siha黏附率仅有(67.45士2.13)％和(73.59±2.61)％.0.8μmol/L血根碱作用16 h后宫颈癌细胞HeLa和Siha侵袭数目仅有(39.64±1.98)个和(43.87±2.83)个.经血根碱作用后的宫颈癌细胞中E-Cadherin和PTEN的表达量增加,β-catenin和MMP2的表达量减弱.结论 血根碱对宫颈癌细胞具有抑制增殖及促凋亡作用,其机制可能与黏附蛋白E-Cadherin、β-eatenin和PTEN、MMP2有关.