Palmatine: A review of pharmacological properties and pharmacokinetics

The aim of this review is to collect together the results of the numerous studies over the last two decades on the pharmacological properties of palmatine published in scientific databases like Scopus and PubMed, which are scattered across different publications. Palmatine, an isoquinoline alkaloid from the class of protoberberines, is a yellow compound present in the extracts from different representatives of Berberidaceae, Papaveraceae, Ranunculaceae, and Menispermaceae. It has been extensively used in traditional medicine of Asia in the treatment of jaundice, liver‐related diseases, hypertension, inflammation, and dysentery. New findings describe its possible applications in the treatment of civilization diseases like central nervous system‐related problems. This review intends to let this alkaloid come out from the shade of a more frequently described alkaloid: berberine. The toxicity, pharmacokinetics, and biological activities of this protoberberine alkaloid will be developed in this work.     

异喹啉类生物碱抑菌活性及抑菌机制研究进展

该文综述了异喹啉类生物碱中原小檗碱型、普托品型、苯并菲啶型、阿朴菲型、双苄基异喹啉型的抗菌活性和部分构效关系,并从菌体细胞壁、细胞膜的破坏及膜通透性的改变、相关酶和外排泵的抑制、影响菌体DNA和相关蛋白合成等多个方面详细阐述生物碱抑菌作用的分子机制。此外,该文还对当前异喹啉类生物碱构效关系的研究进行总结,指出应充分发挥靶标数据库筛选和组合化学在天然产物开发中的互补作用,以此提高药物靶标的筛选效率。该文将为以异喹啉类生物碱为先导物的新型抗菌剂研发提供理论参考。     

The effect of 1-(4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-yl) isoquinoline on monoamine release and turnover in the rat frontal cortex

Imidazoline-(2) binding sites (I(2)-BS) are widely distributed in rat brain and our studies have shown that drugs selective for these sites regulate central extrasynaptic monoamine concentrations. Radioligand binding studies have recently shown that BU98008 (1-[4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-yl] isoquinoline) displays high affinity at I(2)-binding sites. The aim of this study was set to assess the pharmacological actions of BU98008 in a functional in vivo model using the technique of in vivo brain microdialysis. Systemic injection of 20 mg/kg BU98008 produced an 85% rise in extracellular noradrenaline levels compared with basal values in the rat frontal cortex. Further experiments demonstrated that peripheral administration of 10 and 20 mg/kg BU98008 elicited a transient 25% elevation in dopamine overflow compared with basal values and simultaneously produced an 18% decrease in extracellular DOPAC (3-4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid) levels compared to basal values. In addition, BU98008 did not appear to affect serotonergic neurotransmission in the frontal cortex. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that BU98008 shares some functional similarities with known selective I(2)-BS ligands.     

天然产物中抗HIV生物碱类化合物的研究进展

近年来,从天然产物中寻找高效低毒的先导化合物已成筛选抗HIV药物的重要研究方向。生物碱类化合物作为一类重要的天然产物,数量众多,结构类型复杂,其中有多种抑制和阻断HIV感染的有效成分,通过实验室研究工作和临床用药观察,有望从中获得抗HIV的有效药物。以生物碱类化合物的化学结构为基础,将生物碱类化合物分为异喹啉类、喹啉类、大环类、哌啶类、莨菪烷类、吲哚类、咔唑类、海洋多环胍类、萜类、manzamine型生物碱等10类,对其抗HIV活性进行综述。     

萘甲异喹对心肌收缩张力和耗氧量的影响

采用离体猫右心室乳头肌及豚鼠左房肌条,比较了萘甲异喹和维拉帕米对其收缩张力和耗氧量的影响。结果表明:萘甲异喹和维拉帕米对钙离子所致收缩张力和耗氧量的增加均有显著的抑制作用,且依剂量呈线性下降关系,其作用可被提高外钙离子浓度所逆转。提示萘甲异喹和维拉帕米相似与钙离子之间有拮抗作用。     

5种黄连生物碱大鼠体外肝代谢特征比较

目的 探讨黄连中5种结构相似异喹啉生物碱大鼠体外肝代谢的选择性。方法 采用大鼠体外肝微粒体温孵方法,通过考察温孵时间、微粒体蛋白浓度以及底物浓度对小檗碱、巴马汀、黄连碱、表小檗碱和药根碱代谢的影响,求得代谢反应动力学参数K_m、V_max和CL_int。结果 5种黄连生物碱成分的体外肝代谢动力学参数K_m和CL_int间差异明显（P＜0.05）。结论 黄连中5种异喹啉生物碱大鼠体外肝代谢存在显著选择性。     

Localization of the peripheral-type benzodiazepine binding site to mitochondria of human glioma cells

Subcellular fractionation was performed on human U251 glioblastoma cultures. In all subcellular fractions, the binding of the peripheral benzodiazepine ligand, [³H]PK 11195, correlated with the specific activity of monoamine oxidase (r = 0.95, p < 0.001) and succinate dehydrogenase (r = 0.93, p < 0.001), two mitochondrial enzymes. The specific activity of plasma membrane and nuclear markers correlated poorly with the presence of PK 11195 binding sites. These data support the mitochondrion as the primary location of peripheral-type benzodiazepine binding sites (PBBS) in human glioma cells.Mitochondria-rich preparations were then assayed for [³H]Ro5-4964 binding. Six nM [³H]Ro5-4964 failed to specifically bind to human U251 mitochondria, but bound vigorously to mitochondria from rat C6 glioma. These data indicate that the low affinity of Ro5-4864 for PBBS in human glioma cells compared to those in rat is due to interspecies receptor variation rather than impaired drug transport into human cells.     

Induction of cell death by a novel naphthoquinone containing a modified anthracycline ring system

The novel naphthoquinone adduct 12,13-Dihydro-N-methyl-6,11,13-trioxo-5H-benzo[4,5]cyclohepta[1,2-b]naphthalen-5,12-imine (hereafter called TU100) was synthesized as a potential chemotherapeutic agent. TU100 arrests tissue culture cells in S and G2/M phases of the cell cycle, followed by rapid induction of apoptosis. Evaluation by the Developmental Therapeutics Program at the National Cancer Institute revealed TU100 differentially inhibits growth of tissue-specific human cancer cell lines and has in vivo efficacy in a hollow fiber assay. These data were evaluated against previously analyzed compounds using the COMPARE algorithm and predicted that TU100 has a unique mechanism of action. Further analysis revealed TU100 does not intercalate into DNA despite structural similarity to anthracyclines. Cells treated with the drug do exhibit DNA damage, however, as indicated by phosphorylation of histone H2A.X. This damage and effects on cell viability are likely mediated in part by TU100-induced reactive oxygen species. Based on these results, TU100 shows promise as a chemotherapeutic drug owing to its unique structure, cellular targets, and efficacy against selected panels of tissue-specific cancer cell lines.     

异喹啉类生物碱的生物活性和构效关系研究进展

异喹啉类生物碱在自然界中分布广泛。由于其结构多样因此具有广泛的生理活性,包括抗菌、抗肿瘤、镇痛、抗心律失常、抗血小板聚集、降压、调节免疫等功能。此类生物碱的药理活性以及构效关系研究一直广为科研人员所关注。主要综述了近10年来异喹啉类生物碱在抗菌、抗氧化、抗疟、抗肿瘤、抗HIV方面的生理活性以及构效关系等研究的新进展,旨在发掘新的特征性基团或结构,为寻找活性先导化合物、合理设计药物分子提供依据。     

Tetrandrine and related bis—benzylisoquinoline alkaloids from medicinal herbs：cardiovascular effects and mechanisms of action

Tetrandrine(TET),a bis-benzylisoquinoline alkaloid purified and identified an active ingredient in a Chinese medicinal herb,Radix Stephanae tetrandrae,has been used traditionally for the treatment of congestive circulatory disorder and inflammatory diseases.TET,together with a few of its structural analogues,has long been demonstrated to have antihypertensive action in clinical as well as animal studies.Presumably,the primary anti-hypertensive action of TET is due to its vasodilatory properties.TET prevents or inhibits vascular contraction induced by membrane depolarization with KCl or α-adrenoceptor activation with phenylephrine (PE).TET(30μmol/L) also inhibits the release of endothelium-derived nitric oxide(NO) as well as NO production by inducible NO synthase.TET apparently inhibits multiple Ca^2 entry pathways as demonstrated in cell types lacking the L-type Ca^2 channels.In cardiac muscle cells,TET inhibits both L-and T-type Ca^2 channels.In addition to its actions on cardiovascular tissues,TET may also exert its anti-hypertensive action via a Ca^2 -dependent manner on other tissues intimately involved in the modulation of blood pressure control,such as adrenal grands.In adrenal glomerulosa cells,KCl-or angiotensin II-induced aldosterone synthesis is highly dependent on extracellular Ca^2 .Steroidogenesis and Ca^2 -influx in bovine adrenal glomerulosa cells have been shown to be potently inhibited by TET.In bovine adrenal chromaffin cells,TET inhibits Ca^2 currents via L-and N-type channels as well as other unidentified channels with IC50 of 10μmol/L.Other than the Ca^2 antagonistic effects.TET also interacts with the α-adrenergic receptors and muscarinic receptors based on functional as well as radioligand binding studies.Apart from its functional effects,TET and related compounds also exert effects on tissue structures,such as remodelling of hypertrophied heart and inhibition of angiogenesis,probably by causing apoptotic responses.TET is also known for its anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrogenic actions,which make TET and related compound potentially useful in the treatment of lung silicosis,liver cirrhosis,and rheumatoid arthritis.