A novel pyrazolone, 4,4-dichloro-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone, as a potent catalytic inhibitor of human telomerase

A new derivative of 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone, 4,4-dichloro-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone, named TELIN, was chemically synthesized and identified as a potent inhibitor of human telomerase in the cell-free telomeric repeat amplification protocol. TELIN inhibited telomerase activity at submicromolar level with IC50 of approximately 0.3 microM. Kinetic studies revealed that TELIN does not bind to DNA but to telomerase protein, and the mode of inhibition by this substance was competitive-noncompetitive mixed-type with respect to the TS primer, whereas it was uncompetitive or noncompetitive-uncompetitive mixed-type with respect to the three deoxyribonucleosides. These results demonstrate that TELIN is a specific potent catalytic blocker of telomerase,and is considered to be a valuable substance for medical treatment of cancer and related diseases.     

Tyrosinase inhibitory effects and inhibition mechanisms of nobiletin and hesperidin from citrus peel crude extracts

The inhibitory effects of nobiletin and hesperidin from citrus peel crude extracts on tyrosinase diphenolase activity are evaluated. IC50 of nobiletin and hesperidin is 1.49 mM and 16.08mM, respectively and their inhibition mechanism is competitive type with Ki = 2.82 mM and noncompetitive with Ki = 9.16 mM, respectively. Crude extracts from citrus peel (C. unshiu Marc.) were extracted with 95% ethanol and fractionated by petroleum ether (PCPE). The ethanol phase (ECPE) was further desorbed from macroporous adsorption resin (FGRE). Their IC50 values were 8.09 mg/mL, 7.53 mg/mL and 4.80 mg/mL, respectively. Their inhibition on melanogenesis in B16 mouse melanoma cells was also evaluated. FGRE showed a significant inhibition (42.5% at 31.25 microg/mL, p < 0.01) while hesperidin showed almost no inhibition. Nobiletin and PCPE give efficacious antiproliferation effects on B16 mouse melanoma cell with IC50 values 88.6 microM and 62.96 microg/mL, respectively, by the MTT test. Hesperidin and other crude extracts showed very low cytotoxity to the B16 cell.     

Monoamine Oxidase-Inhibiting Properties of SR 95191, a New Pyridazine Derivative, in the Rat: Evidence for Selective and Reversible Inhibition of Monoamine Oxidase Type A In Vivo but Not In Vitro

In rodents, SR 95191 [3-(2-morpholinoethylamino)-4-cyano-6-phenylpyridazine] has been shown to be active in animal models of depression. The profile of activity of SR 95191 suggests that the compound is a selective and short-acting type A monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor (MAOI) in vivo. In the present study, the interaction of SR 95191 with MAO-A and MAO-B activity was further examined in vivo and in vitro. In brain, liver, and duodenum of pretreated rats, SR 95191 selectively inhibited MAO-A (ED50 = 3-5 mg/kg, p.o.), whereas MAO-B was only weakly inhibited for doses as high as 300 mg/kg, p.o. In vivo, SR 95191 (1-100 mg/kg, p.o.) antagonized, in a dose-dependent fashion, the irreversible inhibition of brain and liver MAO-A induced by phenelzine. Finally, dopamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine depleted from their striatal stores by tetrabenazine were able to displace SR 95191 from the active site of MAO-A. However, ex vivo, kinetic studies showed that the inhibitory effect of SR 95191 (1-10 mg/kg) towards MAO-A was noncompetitive and was unchanged after dilution or dialysis. In vitro, the inhibition of brain MAO-A, but not MAO-B, by SR 95191 was time dependent, with a 19-fold decrease in the IC50 values being observed over a 30-min incubation period (140 to 7.5 microM). At this time, the SR 95191-induced inhibition of MAO-A was not removed by repeated washings. When the reaction was started by adding the homogenate without prior preincubation with SR 95191, the inhibition of brain MAO-A was fully competitive (Ki = 68 microM).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Antileishmanial and trypanocidal activity of Brazilian Cerrado plants

The side effects and the emerging resistance to the available drugs against leishmaniasis and trypanosomiasis led to the urgent need for new therapeutic agents against these diseases. Thirty one extracts of thirteen medicinal plants from the Brazilian Cerrado were therefore evaluated in vitro for their antiprotozoal activity against promastigotes of Leishmania donovani, and amastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi. Among the selected plants, Casearia sylvestris var. lingua was the most active against both L. donovani and T. cruzi. Fifteen extracts were active against promastigotes of L. donovani with concentrations inhibiting 50% of parasite growth (IC50) between 0.1-10 microg/ml, particularly those of Annona crassiflora (Annonaceae), Himatanthus obovatus (Apocynaceae), Guarea kunthiana (Meliaceae), Cupania vernalis (Sapindaceae), and Serjania lethalis (Sapindaceae). With regard to amastigotes of T. cruzi, extracts of A. crassiflora, Duguetia furfuracea (Annonaceae), and C. sylvestris var. lingua were active with IC50 values between 0.3-10 microg/ml. Bioassay fractionations of the more active extracts are under progress to identify the active antiparasite compounds.     

Cytotoxic screening of medicinal and edible plants in Okinawa,Japan, and identification of the main toxic constituent of Rhodea japonica (Omoto)

The cytotoxic activity of ethanol extracts from 53 parts of 36 species of medicinal and edible plants cultivated in Okinawa was measured by using K562 human leukemia cells by a flow cytometric method. Two extracts from Rhodea japonica and Hypericum chinense were cytotoxic at a concentration of 10 microg/ml. The main cytotoxic constituent of Rhodea japonica was isolated and identified to be rhodexin A, which has been isolated as a cardetonic agent of the plant. The IC(50) value for rhodexin A against the growth of K562 cells was 19 nM, this activity being much stronger than that of ouabain (IC(50), 60 nM).     

Prostaglandin-H-synthase (PGHS)-1 and -2 microtiter assays for the testing of herbal drugs and in vitro inhibition of PGHS-isoenzyms by polyunsaturated fatty acids from Platycodi radix

In order to test inhibition of prostaglandin-H-synthase-1 and -2 (PGHS-1 and -2) by plant extracts, we have established two enzyme based in vitro assays with enzyme immunoassay (EIA) evaluation. The assays have been evaluated with known synthetic inhibitors and with plant extracts. In a screening of traditionally used Chinese herbs for anti-inflammatory activity, a series of n-hexane and dichloromethane extracts showed significant inhibitory effect in comparison with the known specific PGHS-2 inhibitors NS-398 (IC(50) = 2.6 microM) and nimesulide (IC(50) = 36 microM). The lipophilic extracts of the Chinese drug Jiengeng, the dried roots of Platycodon grandiflorum (Jacq.) A. DC. (Campanulaceae), showed good inhibitory activity against both PGHS isoenzymes. The directly prepared DCM-extract exhibited better activity against PGHS-2 (IC(50) = 4.0 microg/ml) than against PGHS-1 (IC(50) = 17.6 microg/ml). We identified fatty acids as main active constituents and quantified them. Linoleic acid showed the highest content (ca. 20% of the dried extract) and a high and preferential PGHS-2 inhibitory activity (IC(50) (PGHS-1) = 20 microM; IC(50) (PGHS-2) = 2 microM). The comparison of the concentration of linoleic acid and the inhibitory activity of the direct DCM-extract showed, that linoleic acid is mainly responsible for the in vitro activity of the extract on PGHS-2.     

Selective inhibition of NADH-CoQ oxidoreductase (complex I) of rat brain mitochondria by arachidonic acid

The effects of arachidonic acid on the enzyme complexes in the electron transport system were investigated using submitochondrial particles from rat brain. Arachidonic acid irreversibly inhibited NADH-CoQ oxidoreductase (complex I) activity, but had no effect on the activities of succinate-CoQ oxidoreductase (complex II), CoQH2-cytochrome c oxidoreductase (complex III), cytochrome c oxidase (complex IV), ATPase (complex V), glutamate dehydrogenase, and malate dehydrogenase up to 50 microM. The inhibition was dose-dependent with an IC50 value of 110 nmol/mg protein. The Lineweaver-Burk plot revealed that the inhibition by arachidonic acid was noncompetitive against CoQ with a Ki value of 33 microM and uncompetitive against NADH with a Ki value of 22 microM.     

Phytochemical analysis and in vitro evaluation of the biological activity against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) of Cedrus libani A. Rich.

Cedrus libani are widely used as traditional medicine in Lebanon for treatment of different infection diseases. In the present study we reported the phytochemical composition analyzed by GC-MS of wood essential oil and cones and leaves ethanol extracts. The main components of wood essential oil were himachalol (22.50%), beta-himachalene (21.90%), and alpha-himachalene (10.50%). Leaves ethanol extract was characterized by a high content of germacrene d (29.40%). The same extract obtained from cones essentially contained alpha-pinene (51.0%) and beta-myrcene (13.0%). Moreover, we investigated extracts, essential oil, and identified compounds for their in vitro antiviral activities against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). Cytotoxicity was evaluated by MTT assay in Vero cells. Cones and leaves ethanol extracts exhibited an interesting activity with IC50 of 0.50 and 0.66 mg/ml, respectively, at non-cytotoxic concentration. A comparable activity was found when essential oil was tested (IC50 of 0.44 mg/ml).     

干酪乳杆菌JH23代谢产物对单胺氧化酶的抑制作用

本文旨在分离干酪乳杆菌JH-23中具有抑制单胺氧化酶(MAO)活性的代谢产物.用乙酸乙酯对干酪乳杆菌JH23发酵液进行抽提,得到的脂溶性成分和水溶性成分在一定浓度范围内对MAO的抑制活性呈较好的量效关系.其中,脂溶性成分对MAO-A、MAO-B抑制作用的IC50分别为1.97和5.67 mg/mL;水溶性成分对MAO-A、MAO-B抑制作用的IC50分别为1.59和4.83 mg/mL.抑制特征曲线显示,两者对MAO-A与MAO-B的抑制作用均呈竞争性抑制.从水溶性成分中分离得到的活性组分W1对MAO-A、MAO-B抑制作用的IC50分别为0.33和1.13 mg/mL.通过进一步分离,以及红外和质谱分析,确定了组分W1中具有较强MAO抑制作用的物质为琥珀酸.     

In vitro kinetics of the rat brain succinate dehydrogenase inhibition by hexachlorophene.

Brain succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity was inhibited by in vitro hexachlorophene (HCP) with a half inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 0.65 x 10(-3) M. The HCP exerted noncompetitive inhibition at 0.5 mM (IC50) on SDH activity. The brain SDH demands more energy of activation (deltaE) in the presence of HCP. The ionizable groups of SDH such as the sulfhydral group of cysteine and alpha-amino groups of cysteine were not altered qualitatively in the presence of HCP.     

Calculation of inhibitor Ki and inhibitor type from the concentration of inhibitor for 50% inhibition for Michaelis-Menten enzymes

The use of I50 (concentration of inhibitor required for 50% inhibition) for enzyme or drug studies has the disadvantage of not allowing easy comparison among data from different laboratories or under different substrate conditions. Modifications of the Michaelis-Menten equation for treatment of inhibitors can allow both the determination of the type of inhibition (competitive, noncompetitive, and uncompetitive) and the Ki for the inhibitor. For competitive and uncompetitive inhibitors when the assay conditions are [S] = Km, then Ki = I50/2. For different conditions of [S] there is a divergence between competitive and uncompetitive inhibitors that may be used to identify the type of inhibitor. The equation for Ki also differs. For noncompetitive inhibitors the Ki = I50 and this relationship is valid with changing [S]. The equations developed require a single substrate, reversible-type inhibitors, and kinetics of the Michaelis-Menten type. Examples of the use of the equations are illustrated with experimental data from scientific publications.     

尿嘧啶对单胺氧化酶的抑制作用

给青年小鼠(1月龄)po尿嘧啶25—800mg/kg对脑和肝MAO-B活性抑制作用与剂量成明显量-效关系,而对MAO-A抑制较弱。多次po尿嘧啶300mg/kg对老年小鼠(18月龄)脑MAO活性抑制作用明显强于对青年小鼠,并能增加老年小鼠脑组织5-HT和DA含量。另外,随年龄增加,小鼠血、脑和肝组织MAO活性显著升高,而上述组织中尿嘧啶含量则明显降低。体外实经证明,尿嘧啶对MAO-B活性抑制程度明显强子对MAO-A,并且对MAO-B为竞争性抑制,对MAO-A为混合型抑制。     

ONO-4057, a novel, orally active leukotriene B4 antagonist: effects on LTB4-induced neutrophil functions.

ONO-4057(5-[2-(2-Carboxyethyl)-3-[6-(4-methoxyphenyl)-5E- hexenyl]oxyphenoxy]valeric acid), an orally active leukotriene B4(LTB4) antagonist, displaced the binding of [3H] LTB4 to the LTB4 receptor in human neutrophil (Ki = 3.7 +/- 0.9 nM). ONO-4057 inhibited the LTB4-induced rise in cytosolic free calcium (the concentration causing 50% inhibition (IC50) = 0.7 +/- 0.3 microM) and inhibited human neutrophil aggregation, chemotaxis or degranulation induced by LTB4 (IC50 = 3.0 +/- 0.1, 0.9 +/- 0.1 and 1.6 +/- 0.1 microM) without showing any agonist activity at concentration up to 30 microM. ONO-4057 did not inhibit fMLP or C5a-induced neutrophil activation at concentrations up to 30 microM. In the in vivo study, ONO-4057 given orally, prevented LTB4-induced transient neutropenia or intradermal neutrophil migration in guinea pig (the dose causing 50% efficacy (ED50) = 25.6mg/kg or 5.3mg/kg). Furthermore, ONO-4057 given topically, suppressed phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA)-induced neutrophil infiltration in guinea pig ear (the effective dose = 1 mg/ear). These results indicate that ONO-4057 is a selective and orally active LTB4 antagonist and may be a potential candidate for the treatment of various inflammatory diseases.     

内蒙古产白刺、小果白刺和霸王α-葡萄糖苷酶抑制活性

首次利用体外α-葡萄糖苷酶抑制模型对内蒙古产3种蒺藜科植物的9个提取物进行活性评价,并与阳性对照Acarbose比较,发现3种植物均有抑制α-葡萄糖苷酶活性。其中白刺石油醚提取物对α-葡萄糖苷酶的抑制活性(IC50=81.80 mg/L)最高,其余依次为小果白刺乙酸乙酯提取物(IC50=610.29 mg/L),霸王石油醚(IC50=627.22 mg/L)和乙酸乙酯提取物(IC50=838.40 mg/L),它们的抑制活性远大于阳性对照Acarbose(IC50=1103.01 mg/L)。结果发现,不同植物不同溶剂提取物的α-葡萄糖苷酶抑制活性不同。同一植物不同溶剂提取物相比较,甲醇提取物的α-葡萄糖苷酶抑制活性不及乙酸乙酯和石油醚提取物。     

银杏外种皮提取物对酪氨酸酶的抑制作用

以银杏外种皮为材料,采用水、乙醇和乙醇-乙醚三种不同的方法分离提取其中的活性物质(分别命名为1#,2#,3#),研究它们对蘑菇酪氨酸酶催化L-多巴(L-DOPA)氧化活力的影响。结果表明,这3种提取物均对蘑菇酪氨酸酶有抑制作用,1#,2#和3#对酶抑制作用的IC50分别为2.25、1.75和0.32mg/mL。抑制作用动力学结果表明:三种提取物对酶的抑制作用均表现为混合型,相应的抑制常数KI依次为2.11、1.62和0.29mg/mL;KIS依次为2.80、2.33和0.45mg/mL。结果显示,采用乙醇-乙醚提取的银杏外种皮提取物对酪氨酸酶抑制作用最强。     

The effect of turmeric extracts on inflammatory mediator production.

Major compounds of several commonly used botanicals, including turmeric, have been purported to have anti-inflammatory actions. In order to test the anti-inflammatory activity of compounds isolated from rhizomes of Curcuma longa L. (Zingiberaceae), we have established an in vitro test system. HL-60 cells were differentiated and exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Escherichia coli (1 microg/ml) in the presence or absence of botanical compounds for 24 h. Supernatants were collected and analyzed for the production of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) using standard ELISA assays. Water-soluble extracts were not cytotoxic and did not exhibit biological activity. Organic extracts of turmeric were cytotoxic only at concentrations above 50 microg/ml. Crude organic extracts of turmeric were capable of inhibiting LPS-induced TNF-alpha (IC50 value = 15.2 microg/ml) and PGE2 (IC50 value = 0.92 microg/ml) production. Purified curcumin was more active than either demethoxy- or bisdemethoxycurcumin. Fractions and subfractions of turmeric extracts collected via preparative HPLC had differing biological activity, ranging from no activity to IC50 values of < 1 microg/ml. For some fractions, subfractionation resulted in a loss of activity, indicating interaction of the compounds within the fraction to produce an anti-inflammatory effect. A combination of several of the fractions that contain the turmeric oils was more effective than the curcuminoids at inhibiting PGE2. While curcumin inhibited COX-2 expression, turmeric oils had no effect on levels of COX-2 mRNA.     

4种地衣提取物抗氧化和抗肿瘤活性研究

本研究初步评估了4种药用地衣(太白茶、金刷把、黑石耳、红石耳)不同溶剂提取物的抗氧化活性及其粗多糖的抗肿瘤活性。通过测定清除DPPH自由基、羟基自由基和还原能力,对4种地衣不同溶剂提取物进行体外抗氧化活性评价,结果表明,金刷把和黑石耳的甲醇提取相清除DPPH自由基能力高于其它溶剂提取相,其IC50值(半抑制浓度)分别为0.7847 mg/mL和0.5595 mg/mL;黑石耳甲醇提取相(IC50=0.5747 mg/mL)清除羟基自由基能力优于阳性对照物Vc(IC50=0.6126 mg/mL);黑石耳氯仿提取相、金刷把乙酸乙酯提取相和太白茶甲醇提取相清除羟基自由基能力与Vc相当;4种地衣甲醇提取相还原能力均较强,且与其浓度呈较好的量效关系。利用MTT法分析4种地衣多糖对HeLa、A375和Hep G2细胞体外生长增殖的抑制作用,结果显示黑石耳粗多糖对Hep G2细胞的抑制作用较为突出(IC50=0.2567 mg/mL),而金刷把抑制HeLa细胞的生长增殖作用最强,其IC50值为0.4332 mg/mL。     

Antimicrobial, antitumor and antileishmania screening of medicinal plants from Guinea-Bissau.

Following an ethnobotanical search carried out in Guinea-Bissau, eighteen extracts derived from sixteen medicinal species were screened for antimicrobial, antitumor and antileishmania activity. Significant antitumor activity was found for Holarrhena floribunda against KB (squamous carcinoma), SK-Mel 28 (melanoma), A 549 (lung carcinoma) and MDA-MB 231 (mamma carcinoma) cell lines, with corresponding IC50 values of 7.9, 9.0, 3.4 and 9.9 micrograms/ml. Khaya senegalensis and Anthostema senegalense exhibited a significant activity against Leishmania donovani with IC50 values of 9.8 and 9.1 micrograms/ml, respectively. Most of the extracts showed week or moderate antibacterial and antifungal activity, with MIC values in the range 0.25-1.0 mg/ml. Active extracts were submitted to bioassay-guided fractionation, and the IC50 and MIC of the active fractions were determined.     

Glutathione S-transferase of the malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum: characterization of a potential drug target

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), which occur abundantly in most organisms, are essentially involved in the intracellular detoxification of numerous substances including chemotherapeutic agents, and thus play a major role in the development of drug resistance. A gene encoding a protein with sequence identity of up to 37% with known GSTs was identified on chromosome 14 of the malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum. It was amplified using gametocyte cDNA and expressed in Escherichia coli as a hexahistidyl-tagged protein of 26 kDa subunit size. The homodimeric enzyme (PfGST) was found to catalyse the glutathione (GSH)-dependent modification of 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene and other typical GST substrates such as o-nitrophenyl acetate, ethacrynic acid, and cumene hydroperoxide. The Km value for GSH was 164+/-20 microM. PfGST was inhibited by cibacron blue (Ki=0.5 microM), S-hexylglutathione (Ki=35 microM), and protoporphyrin IX (Ki=10 microM). Hemin, a most toxic compound for parasitised erythrocytes, was found to be an uncompetitive ligand of PfGST with a Ki of 6.5 microM. Based on the activity of PfGST in extracts of P. falciparum, the enzyme represents 1 to 10% of cellular protein and might therefore serve as an efficient in vivo buffer for parasitotoxic hemin. Destabilising ligands of GST are thus expected to be synergistic with the antimalarial drug chloroquine, which itself was found to be a very weak inhibitor of PfGST (IC50>200 microM). X-ray quality crystals of PfGST (250x200x50 microm) will serve as starting point for structure-based drug design.     

放线菌代谢物抑制脯酰氨内酞酶活性及培养条件的初步研究

以脯酰氨内酞酶为靶酶,从供试菌中筛选出一株放线菌A45发酵液乙酸乙酯提取物对该酶有较强的抑制活性,并对该活性的部分进行酶抑制动力学实验,结果表明乙酸乙酯提取物对该酶抑制率达到54.2%,且其活性和浓度呈量效关系,其IC50为60.5μg/mL,动力学表现为非竞争抑制类型,抑制常数Ki=119.1μg/mL;以对该酶的抑制率为指标,进行该菌株液体培养条件和培养时间的初步研究,结果最适培养时间为6d,最佳培养基配方（g/L）为可溶性淀粉30 g,酵母浸粉2g,MgSO.47H2O 0.4g,CaCO30.3g,K2HPO40.4g。