Potential anti-inflammatory diterpenoids from the roots of Caesalpinia mimosoides Lamk.

Anti-inflammatory assay-guided separation of extracts from the roots of Caesalpinia mimosoides Lamk. led to isolation of seven compounds: four diterpenes (1–4), a dimer (9), and two dibenzo[b,d]furans (10, 11) together with eleven known compounds. Their structures were elucidated by 1D- and 2D-NMR techniques as well as UV, IR, mass spectral data and comparison with literature values. The anti-inflammatory activities of all compounds were evaluated for inhibitory activities against lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW264.7 cell lines. Compounds 4, 6, 8, and 12–14 were also tested for the inhibitory effect on LPS-induced tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) release in RAW264.7 cells. The results indicated that 4 possessed potent inhibitory activity for both tests with IC₅₀ values of 3.0 and 6.5 μM, respectively.     

Drug sequestration in cytoplasmic organelles does not contribute to the diminished sensitivity of anthracyclines in multidrug resistant K562 cells.

Cells that acquire multidrug resistance (MDR) are characterized by a decreased accumulation of a variety of drugs. In addition, sequestration of drugs in intracellular vesicles has often been associated with MDR. However, the nature and role of intracellular vesicles in MDR are unclear. We addressed the relationship between MDR and vesicular anthracycline accumulation in the erythroleukemia cell line K562 and a drug-resistant counterpart K562/ADR that overexpresses P-glycoprotein. We used four anthracyclines (all of which are P-glycoprotein substrates): daunorubicin and idarubicin, which have good affinity for DNA and as weak bases can accumulate inside acidic compartments; hydroxyrubicin, which binds to DNA but is uncharged at physiological or acidic pH and thus cannot accumulate in acidic compartments; and WP900, an enantiomer of daunorubicin, which is a weak DNA binder but has the same pKa and lipophilicity as daunorubicin. The intrinsic fluorescence of anthracyclines allowed us to use macro- and micro-spectrofluorescence, flow cytometry, and confocal microscopy to characterize their nuclear or intravesicular accumulation in living cells. We found that vesicular accumulation of daunorubicin, WP900 and idarubicin, containing a basic 3'-amine was predominantly restricted to lysosomes in both cell lines, that pH regulation of acidic compartments was not defective in human K562 cells, and that vesicular drug accumulation was much more pronounced in the parental tumor cell line than in the multidrug-resistant cells. These results indicate that vesicular anthracycline sequestration does not contribute to the diminished sensitivity to anthracyclines in multidrug-resistant K562 cells.     

Topical Niosome Gel Containing an Anthocyanin Complex: a Potential Oral Wound Healing in Rats

Anthocyanins from dietary sources showing potential benefits as anti-inflammatory in oral lesions were developed as an anthocyanin complex (AC), comprised of extracts of Zea mays (CC) and Clitoria ternatea (CT), and formulated into a niosome gel to prove its topical oral wound healing in vitro and in vivo investigations. The AC formed nano-sized clusters of crystalline-like aggregates, occurring through both intra- and inter-molecular interactions, resulting in delivery depots of anthocyanins, following encapsulation in niosomes and incorporation into a mucoadhesive gel. In vitro permeation of anthocyanins was improved by complexation and further enhanced by encapsulation in niosomes. Collagen production in human gingival fibroblasts was promoted by AC and AC niosomes, but not CC or CT. The in vivo wound healing properties of AC gel (1 and 10%), AC niosome gel (1 and 10%), fluocinolone acetonide gel, and placebo gel were investigated for incisional wounds in the buccal cavities of Wistar rats. AC gel and AC niosome gel both reduced wound sizes after 3 days. AC niosome gel (10%) gave the highest reduction in wound sizes after day 3 (compared to fluocinolone acetonide gel, p?<?0.05), and resulted in 100% wound healing by day 5. Histological observations of cross-sectioned wound tissues revealed the adverse effects of fluocinolone gel and wound healing potential of AC niosome gel. Topical application of AC niosome gel exhibited an anti-inflammatory effect and promoted oral wound closure in rats, possibly due to the improved mucosal permeability and presence of delivery depots of AC in the niosome gel.     

Potential anti-allergic acridone alkaloids from the roots of Atalantia monophylla

Acridone alkaloids, cycloatalaphylline-A (1), N-methylcyclo-atalaphylline-A (2) and N-methylbuxifoliadine-E (3), were isolated from the dichloromethane and acetone extracts of the root of Atalantia monophylla along with eight known acridone alkaloids: buxifoliadine-A (4), buxifoliadine-E (5), N-methylatalaphylline (6), atalaphylline (7), citrusinine-I (8), N-methylataphyllinine (9), yukocitrine (10) and junosine (11) and two known coumarins: auraptene (12) and 7-O-geranylscopoletin (13). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analyses. Compounds 2, 5 and 8 possessed appreciable anti-allergic activity in RBL-2H3 cells model with IC(50) values of 40.1, 6.1 and 18.7 microM, respectively.     

Potential anti-allergic ent-kaurene diterpenes from the bark of Suregada multiflora

Two ent-kaurene diterpenes, ent-16-kaurene-3beta,15beta,18-triol (1) and ent-3-oxo-16-kaurene-15beta,18-diol (2), were isolated from a dichloromethane extract of the bark of Suregada multiflora along with five known diterpenes:ent-16-kaurene-3beta,15beta-diol (3), abbeokutone (4), helioscopinolide A (5), helioscopinolide C (6) and helioscopinolide I (7). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis. Compounds 1-7 possessed appreciable anti-allergic activities in RBL-2H3 cells model with IC50 values ranging from 22.5 to 42.2 microM.     

Phanginin A-K, diterpenoids from the seeds of Caesalpinia sappan Linn

The first chemical study on the seeds of Caesalpinia sappan Linn. led to isolation of 11 cassane-type diterpenes, named phanginin A-K (1-11). The skeleton present in compounds 1-8 is rather unusual, consisting of a cassane-type diterpene with an ether bridge between C-19/C-20 in compounds 1-6 and C-11/C-20 in compounds 7 and 8. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic techniques. In addition, the X-ray structure of phanginin A (1) is reported. Only phanginin I (9) exhibited cytotoxic effect against KB cell line with IC50 value of 4.4 microg/ml.     

New insights into the P-glycoprotein-mediated effluxes of rhodamines.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) in tumour cells is often caused by the overexpression of the plasma drug transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp). This protein is an active efflux pump for chemotherapeutic drugs, natural products and hydrophobic peptides. Despite the advances of recent years, we still have an unclear view of the molecular mechanism by which P-gp transports such a wide diversity of compounds across the membrane. Measurement of the kinetic characteristics of substrate transport is a powerful approach to enhancing our understanding of their function and mechanism. The aim of the present study was to further characterize the transport of several rhodamine analogues, either positively charged or zwitterionic. We took advantage of the intrinsic fluorescence of rhodamines and performed a flow-cytometric analysis of dye accumulation in the wild-type drug sensitive K562 that do not express P-gp and its MDR subline that display high levels of MDR. The measurements were made in real time using intact cells. The kinetic parameter, ka = VM/km, which is a measure of the efficiency of the P-gp-mediated efflux of a substrate was similar for almost all the rhodamine analogues tested. In addition these values were compared with those determined previously for the P-gp-mediated efflux of anthracycline. Our conclusion is that the compounds of these two classes of molecules, anthracyclines and rhodamines, are substrates of P-gp and that their pumping rates at limiting low substrate concentration are similar. The findings presented here are the first to show quantitative information about the kinetic parameters for P-gp-mediated efflux of rhodamine analogues in intact cells.     

Anti-HIV-1 protease activity of compounds from Boesenbergia pandurata

Searching for anti-HIV-1 protease (PR) inhibitors of Thai medicinal plants led to the isolation of a new cyclohexenyl chalcone named panduratin C (1) and chalcone derivatives (2-6) from the methanol extract of Boesenbergia pandurata rhizomes. The known compounds were identified to be panduratin A (2), hydroxypanduratin A (3), helichrysetin (4), 2',4',6'-trihydroxyhydrochalcone (5), and uvangoletin (6). The structures of all compounds were elucidated on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic methods. It was found that 3 possessed the most potent anti-HIV-1 PR activity with an IC50 value of 5.6 microM, followed by 2 (IC50 = 18.7 microM), whereas other compounds exhibited only mild activity. Structure-activity relationships of these compounds on anti-HIV-1 PR activity are summarized as follows: (1) hydroxyl moiety at position 4 conferred higher activity than methoxyl group; (2) prenylation of dihydrochalcone was essential for activity; (3) hydroxylation at position 4' reduced activity; and (4) introduction of double bond at C1' and C6' of chalcone gave higher activity. As regards active constituents contained in B. pandurata rhizomes, hydroxypanduratin A (3) and panduratin A (2) are active principles against HIV-1 PR.     

Candenatenins G–K,phenolic compounds from Dalbergia candenatensis heartwood

Five new phenolic compounds, designated candenatenins G–K (1–5), along with four known compounds, were isolated from the heartwood of Dalbergia candenatensis. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by HR-EI-MS, ¹H and ¹³C NMR, COSY, HMQC, HMBC, and NOESY spectra. Compound 5 exhibited potent activity against DPPH radical scavenging with IC₅₀ value of 25.7 μM, whereas compound 2 showed cytotoxicity against NCI-H187 cell line with IC₅₀ value of 14.8 μM.     

Rhodamine B as a mitochondrial probe for measurement and monitoring of mitochondrial membrane potential in drug-sensitive and -resistant cells

In order to get more insight into the energetic state of multidrug-resistance (MDR) cell compared with its corresponding sensitive cell, a noninvasive fluorescence method for determining and monitoring the mitochondrial membrane potential (DeltaPsi(m)), using rhodamine B and 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) was established. Rhodamine B distributes across biological membranes in response to the electrical transmembrane potential. P-glycoprotein- and MRP1-protein-mediated efflux do not create a concentration gradient, leading the cell-rhodamine B system to reach a steady state, where the ratio of cytosolic to extracellular rhodamine B was equal to 1. The mitochondrial matrix rhodamine B concentration was precisely determined as a decrease of rhodamine B fluorescence in the presence of formazan, a rhodamine B fluorescence quencher, which locally accumulates in the matrix of mitochondria. The kinetics of decrease in rhodamine B fluorescence (V(i)) can be used to estimate DeltaPsi(m) using the Nernst equation: DeltaPsi(m)=-61.54 log V(i)-258.46. The DeltaPsi(m) values determined were -160+/-4 mV for K562 cell, -146+/-6 mV for K562/adr cell, -161+/-10 mV for GLC4 cell and -168+/-2 mV for GLC4/adr cell. An increase or a decrease in DeltaPsi(m) consequently followed an increase or a decrease in the cellular ATP contents. An increase ATP content in the two MDR cell lines can protect cells from cytotoxicity induced by pirarubicin.