Effect of Tacrolimus on the pharmacokinetics of bioactive lignans of Wuzhi tablet (Schisandra sphenanthera extract) and the potential roles of CYP3A and P-gp

We recently reported that Wuzhi tablet (WZ), a preparation of the ethanol extract of Wuweizi (Schisandra sphenanthera), had significant effects on blood concentrations of Tacrolimus (FK506) in renal transplant recipients and rats. The active lignans in WZ are schisandrin A, schisandrin B, schisandrin C, schisandrol A, schisandrol B, schisantherin A, and schisantherin B. Until now, whether the pharmacokinetics of these lignans in WZ would be affected by FK506 remained unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whether and how FK506 affected pharmacokinetics of lignans in WZ in rats and the potential roles of CYP3A and P-gp. After a single oral co-administration of FK506 and WZ, the blood concentration of lignans in WZ was decreased by FK506; furthermore, the AUC of schisantherin A, schisandrin A, schisandrol A and schisandrol B was only 64.5%, 47.2%, 55.1% and 57.4% of that of WZ alone group, respectively. Transport study in Caco-2 cells showed that these lignans were not substrates of P-gp, suggesting decreased blood concentration of lignans by FK506 was not via P-gp pathway. Metabolism study in the human recombinant CYP 3A showed that these lignans had higher affinity to CYP3A than that of FK506, and thus had a stronger CYP3A-mediated metabolism. It was concluded that the blood concentrations of these lignans were decreased and their CYP3A-mediated metabolisms were increased in the presence of FK506 since these lignans had higher affinity to CYP3A.     

Dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans: a class of novel inhibitors of multidrug resistance-associated protein 1

We recently reported that dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans were a novel class of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) inhibitors. In this study, we demonstrated that the lignans of this class were also effective inhibitors of multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 (MRP1). The activities of 5 dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans (schisandrin A, schisandrin B, schisantherin A, schisandrol A, and schisandrol B) to reverse MRP1-mediated drug resistance were tested using HL60/Adriamycin (ADR) and HL60/Multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP), two human promyelocytic leukemia cell lines with overexpression of MRP1 but not P-gp. The five lignans could effectively reverse drug resistance of the two cell lines to vincristine, daunorubicin, and VP-16. This study, together with our previous reports, proves that dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans have multiple activities against cancer multidrug resistance, including inhibition of P-gp and MRP1, and enhancement of apoptosis. Considering that cancer multidrug resistance (MDR) is multifactorial, agents with broad activities are preferable to the use of combination of several specific modulators to prevent drug-drug interaction and cumulative toxicity.     

Schisanwilsonins A–G and related anti-HBV lignans from the fruits of Schisandra wilsoniana

Seven new dibenzocyclooctane lignans, schisanwilsonins A–G (1–7), were isolated from the fruits of Schisandra wilsoniana, together with five known lignans (8–12). The structures of these new compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic methods including 2D-NMR techniques. The 12 lignans were tested for anti-hepatitis B virus (HBV) activity in vitro. Schisanwilsonin D (4), schisantherin C (9), deoxyschizandrin (10) and (+)-gomisin K₃ (11) showed anti-HBV activity. 9 exhibited the most potent anti-HBV activity with potency against HBsAg and HBeAg secretion by 59.7% and 34.7%, respectively, at 50 μg/mL.     

Lignans and secoiridoids from the root bark of Chionanthus virginicus L.: isolation, identification and HPLC analysis

Five lignans, phillyrin (1), pinoresinol-beta-D-glucoside (2), pinoresinol di-beta-D-glucoside (3), phillyrin-2-O-beta-D-glucoside (6), phillyrin-6-O-beta-D-glucoside (7), and three secoiridoids, oleuropein (4), ligustroside (5) and angustifolioside B (8), have been isolated from the root bark of Chionanthus virginicus L. (Oleaceae), a raw material used in the commercial preparation of homeopathy tinctures. Compound 6 is a new lignan, and compounds 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8 are described for the first time in the title plant. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic methods (NMR and HPLC-MS). An isocratic HPLC method for the rapid characterisation and quantification of the major constituents, 1 and 4, of the root bark is described and validated.     

Lignans,phenylpropanoids and polyacetylenes from Chaerophyllum aureum L. (Apiaceae)

Sub-aerial parts of Chaerophyllum aureum L. yielded two polyacetylenes, falcarinol (1), falcarindiol (2), three lignans, namely nemerosin (3), deoxypodorhizone (4), deoxypodo-phyllotoxin (5), two phenylpropanoids, 1'-hydroxymyristicin (6) and its angeloyl ester (7). Compounds 6 and 7 were isolated for the first time from plant material and their structures were elucidated by means of extensive 1- and 2-dimensional NMR spectroscopy and high resolution mass spectrometry. In bioautographic tests on TLC plates the dichloromethane extract showed a significant antimicrobial activity. Falcarindiol was identified as the main active principle whereas the phenylpropanoids and lignans showed no activity.     

Dibenzocyclooctane lignans from the stems of Schisandra bicolor

A new dibenzocyclooctane lignan, schisanbicolorin A, together with fifteen known lignans, were isolated from the stems of Schisandra bicolor Cheng. Their structures were identified as (aS,6R,7S)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-2,3,13-trimethoxy-6,7-dimethyldibenzo[3,4]cycloocta [1,2-f][1,3]benzodioxol-1-ol (1), neglschisandrin C (2), angeloylgomisin R (3), schisantherin D (4), gomisin F (5), schisantherin B (6), tigloylgomisin Q (7), gomisin G (8), interiotherin B (9), schisandrin (10), angeloylgomisin H (11), benzoylgomisin H (12), gomisin H (13), angeloyl−(+)−gomisin K₃ (14), deoxyschizandrin (15), and (+)-gomisin K₃ (16), respectively, based on spectroscopic analysis and by comparison of their spectral data with those reported previously in the literature.     

Production of schisantherin A and gomisin G in in vitro cultures of Schisandra chinensis

Methanolic extracts from the biomass of shoot-differentiating and undifferentiating callus cultures of Schisandra chinensis growing respectively on six and two different variants of the Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium, with different concentrations of plant growth regulators, BA (N⁶-benzyladenine) and NAA (α-naphthaleneacetic acid) were analyzed for the accumulation of two lignans–schisantherin A and gomisin G, using the HPLC method. The amounts of the two compounds in the biomass extracts from shoot-differentiating callus cultures were dependent on the concentration of plant growth regulators in the MS medium. The highest amounts of both lignans were obtained on the MS medium supplemented with 3 mg l⁻¹ BA and 1 mg l⁻¹ NAA. The maximum amount of schisantherin A (33.45 mg 100 g⁻¹ DW) was about 1.3 times higher than in the extracts from the leaves and fruits of parent plants. This is the most important result potentially promising from a practical point of view.     

Pharmacokinetics and liver uptake of three Schisandra lignans in rats after oral administration of liposome encapsulating β-cyclodextrin inclusion compound of Schisandra extract

Schisandra chinensis fructus (SCF) is widely used traditional Chinese medicine, which possesses hepato-protective potential. Schisandrin (SD), schisantherin (ST), and γ-schizandrin (SZ) are the major bioactive lignans. The main problem associated with the major bioactive lignans oral administration is low oral bioavailability due to the lignans’ poor aqueous solubility and taste. The aim of the present research work was to develop liposome (SCL) encapsulated β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) inclusion complex loaded with SCF extract (SCF-E). The SD, ST, and SZ were selected as effective candidates to perform comparisons of liver targeting among the solution (SES), β-cyclodextrin inclusion compound (SCF-E-β-CD), liposome (SEL), and SCL of SCF-E to characterize the pharmacokinetic behaviors and liver targeting in rats. The β-CD inclusion complex (SCF-E-β-CD) was used to improve the solubility. The concentrations were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and analyzed by DAS3.0. The pharmacokinetic results indicate that the plasma concentration-time courses were fitted well to the one-compartment model with the first weighing factor. The half-life period (t_1/2) and area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) of the three components in SCL were the largest. The SCL exhibit a relatively high liver targeting effect. The results would be helpful for guiding the clinical application of this herbal medicine.     

Studies on the Lignans of Polygonum orientale

Three lignans were isolated from the aerial parts of Polygonum orientale L. Their structures were elucidated as arctiin (1), lappaol B (2), orientalin (3) by means of the spectral data and chemical methods. Among them, 3 is a novel compound, compounds 1 and 2 were first found in this plant.     

Lignans from Lepidium meyenii and Their Anti-Inflammatory Activities

Meyeniines A–C ( 1 – 3 ), three new lignans, two known neolignans ( 4 – 5 ), and three known lignans ( 6 – 8 ) were isolated from the rhizomes of Lepidium meyenii. Their structures were identified by comprehensive spectroscopic analyses and computational methods. Compound 1 represents a unique lignan featuring an aromatic ring migration. Compounds 2 and 4 – 6 were analyzed by chiral HPLC column as enantiomers. Biological evaluation revealed that compound 8 could inhibit IL-6 production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced RAW264.7 cells in a dose-dependent manner.     

不同贮藏条件对五味子质量的影响

基于多元活性成分同时测定结合多元统计分析探讨不同贮藏条件对五味子药材质量的影响。采用超快速液相色谱-三重四极杆/线性离子阱质谱(UFLC-QTRAP-MS/MS)同时测定不同贮藏条件(包装材料,贮藏温度)五味子中木脂素(五味子酯乙、五味子醇乙、五味子丙素、五味子乙素、五味子甲素、五味子酯甲、五味子醇甲、五味子酚、戈米辛D、戈米辛J、当归酰基戈米辛H)及有机酸(L-苹果酸、酒石酸、原儿茶酸、奎宁酸)共15种指标成分的含量;根据15种目标成分的含量,用灰色关联度分析和TOPSIS法对不同贮藏五味子进行综合评价。结果表明,15种化合物在一定浓度范围内均呈现良好的线性关系,相关系数均大于0.999 1;精密度、重复性和稳定性良好;平均加样回收率在96.64%～99.96%之间,RSD均小于5%。灰色关联度分析中r_i的最大差异较小为57.5%,TOPSIS法中C_i值的最大差异较大为81.3%,两种结果均显示S4、S3、S1的综合质量较好,五味子的适宜贮藏条件为以聚乙烯密封袋为外包装存放于阴凉库。所建立的方法准确、可靠,可用于五味子药材内在质量的综合评价,本研究可为五味子适宜储藏条件的优选提供基础资料。     

组织蛋白酶B的新型天然抑制剂

组织蛋白酶B是木瓜蛋白酶类半胱氨酸蛋白酶家族的重要成员,它与人类多种疾病相关,尤其是在恶性肿瘤的侵袭转移过程中扮演了重要角色.通过随机筛选,发现了五个对组织蛋白酶B具有较好抑制活性的天然化合物prodelphinidin B-23'-O-gallate(1),prodelphinidin B-2(2),ImJcyarddin B-2(3),puexin A(4)和(-)epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate(5),其IC50值分别为0.58,0.44,0.76,2.07和0.96umol/L.这五个抑制剂为黄烷醇类化合物,均为组织蛋白酶B的新型天然抑制剂.     

Analysis of lignans from Phyllanthus niruri L. in plasma using a simple HPLC method with fluorescence detection and its application in a pharmacokinetic study

A simple analytical method using HPLC with fluorescence detection was developed for the simultaneous determination of four lignans, phyllanthin (1), hypophyllanthin (2), phyltetralin (3) and niranthin (4) from Phyllanthus niruri L. in plasma. The method recorded limits of detection for 1, 2, 3 and 4 as 1.22, 6.02, 0.61 and 1.22 ng/ml, respectively, at a signal-to-noise ratio of 5:1 whereas their limits of quantification were 4.88, 24.41, 4.88 and 9.76 ng/ml, respectively, at a signal-to-noise ratio of 12:1. These values were comparable to those of other sensitive methods such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), high-performance liquid chromatography-MS (HPLC-MS) and HPLC-electrochemical detection (HPLC-ECD) for the analysis of plasma lignans. A further advantage over known methods was its simple protocol for sample preparation. The within-day and between-day accuracies for the analysis of the four lignans were between 87.69 and 110.07% with precision values below 10.51%. Their mean recoveries from extraction were between 91.39 and 114.67%. The method was successfully applied in the pharmacokinetic study of lignans in rats. Following intravenous administration, the lignans were eliminated slowly from the body with a mean clearance of 0.04, 0.01, 0.03 and 0.02 l/kg h and a mean half-life of 3.56, 3.87, 3.35 and 4.40 h for 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. Their peak plasma concentration upon oral administration was 0.18, 0.56, 0.12 and 0.62 microg/ml, respectively, after 1h. However, their absorption was incomplete with a calculated absolute oral bioavailability of 0.62, 1.52, 4.01 and 2.66% for 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively.     

Two dimeric lignans with an unusual α,β-unsaturated ketone motif from Zanthoxylum podocarpum and their inhibitory effects on nitric oxide production

Two new dimeric lignans, zanthpodocarpins A (1) and B (2), and five known lignans, eudesmin (3), (1R,2R,5R,6S)-2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-6-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3,7-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane (4), dimethoxysamin (5), rel-(1R,5R,6S)-6-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-3,7-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octan-2-one (6), and magnone A (7), were isolated from the barks of Zanthoxylum podocarpum. Their structures were identified by using spectroscopic methods. Compounds 1 and 2 are rare dilignans bearing an unusual α,β-unsaturated ketone group from a natural source. Bioassay showed that compounds 1 and 2 could inhibit nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS stimulated RAW 264.7 cells with IC₅₀ values of 5.31 μM and 12.15 μM, respectively.     

Chemical Constituents from Roots of Jatropha curcas

Thirteen compounds were isolated from the roots of datropha curcas L. Combining the determination of physico-chemical constants and spectral analyses (IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, EIMS, FABMS), the structures of the compounds were identified as 5α-stigmastane-3, 6-dione (1), nobiletin (2), β-sitosterol (3), taraxerol (4), 2S-tetracosanoic acid glyceride-1(5),5-hydroxy-6,7-dimethoxycoumarin (6), jatropholone A (7), jatropholone B (8), 6-methoxy-7-hydroxycoumarin (9), caniojane (10), 3-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzaldehyde (11), 3-methoxy-4-hydroxybenzoic acid (12) and daucosterol (13). Among them, compound 5 is a new compound which has never been reported in China and abroad, compound 1, 2, 9, 10, 11, 12 were first time isolated from the plant, 7 and 8 are a pair of stereoisomers which can be inverted in dilute basic solution. 10 is a diterpenoid containing peroxide bridge.     

Compounds from Kadsura angustifolia with anti-HIV activity

Four new cycloartane triterpenoids, angustific acid A (1), angustific acid B (2), angustifodilactone A (3) and angustifodilactone B (4) were isolated from the branches of Kadsura angustifolia together with six known compounds, micranoic acid B (5), nigranoic acid (6), schisandrin (7), schisantherin D (8), interiotherin B (9), schisantherin B (10). Their structures were established on the basis of extensive spectroscopic data analyses and comparison with spectroscopic data reported. Compound 1, characterized by the presence of a C-16/C-17, C-20/C-21 conjugated diene and a C-1/C-7 ester bridge formed in rings A and B, provided a novel structural skeleton for 3,4-secocycloartane triterpenoid derivatives. In addition, the anti-HIV activities of these compounds were determined in infected C8166 cells, and it was found that angustific acid A (1) exhibited the most potent anti-HIV activity with an EC₅₀ value of 6.1 μg/mL and a therapeutic index of more than 32.8.     

Simultaneous quantification of four active schisandra lignans from a traditional Chinese medicine Schisandra chinensis(Wuweizi) in rat plasma using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry

A simple, rapid and sensitive method was developed for the simultaneous quantification of four active schisandra lignans (schisandrin, schisantherin A, deoxyshisandrin and gamma-schisandrin) from a traditional Chinese medicine Schisandra chinensis(Wuweizi) in rat plasma using a high-performance liquid chromatography system coupled to a positive ion electrospray mass spectrometric analysis. The plasma sample preparation was a simple deproteinization by the addition of three volumes of methanol followed by centrifugation. The analytes and internal standard (IS) bicyclol were separated on a Zorbax SB-C18 column (3.5 microm, 2.1 mm x 100 mm) with mobile phase of methanol/water (70:30, v/v) containing 0.1% formic acid at a flow rate of 0.2 mL/min with an operating temperature of 25 degrees C. Detection was performed on a Trap XCT mass spectrometer equipped with an electrospray ionization (ESI) source operated in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode. Positive ion ESI was used to form sodium adduct molecular ions at m/z 455 for schisandrin, m/z 559 for schisantherin A, m/z 439 for deoxyshisandrin, m/z 423 for gamma-schisandrin, and m/z 413 for the internal standard bicyclol. Linear detection responses were obtained for the four test compounds ranging from 0.010 to 2.0 microg/mL and the lower limits of quantitation (LLOQs) for four lignans were 0.010 microg/mL. The intra- and inter-day precisions (R.S.D.%) were within 12.5% for all analytes, while the deviation of assay accuracies was within +/-13.0%. The average recoveries of analytes were greater than 80.0%. All analytes were proved to be stable during all sample storage, preparation and analytic procedures. The method was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic study of the four lignans after oral administration of Schisandra chinensis extraction to rats.     

Ceftiofur impairs pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion through the inhibition of the activation of NF-kappaB and MAPK

Ceftiofur is a new broad-spectrum, third-generation cephalosporin antibiotic for veterinary use. Immunopharmacological studies can provide new information on the immunomodulatory activities of some drugs, including their effect on cytokine productions. For this reason, we investigated the effect of ceftiofur on cytokine productions in vitro. We found that ceftiofur can downregulate tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6), but did not affect interleukin-10 (IL-10) production. We further investigated signal transduction mechanisms to determine how ceftiofur affects. RAW 264.7 cells were pretreated with 1, 5, or 10 mg/L of ceftiofur 1 h prior to treatment with 1 mg/L of LPS. Thirty minutes later, cells were harvested and mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs) activation was measured by Western blot. Alternatively, cells were fixed and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation was measured using immunocytochemical analysis. Signal transduction studies showed that ceftiofur significantly inhibited extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p38, and c-jun NH₂-terminal kinase (JNK) phosphorylation protein expression. Ceftiofur also inhibited p65-NF-κB translocation into the nucleus. Therefore, ceftiofur may inhibit LPS-induced production of inflammatory cytokines by blocking NF-κB and MAPKs signaling in RAW264.7 cells.     

流感病毒感染巨噬细胞对缺氧诱导因子-1α诱导炎症反应通路的机制研究

为探索缺氧诱导因子(hypoxia inducible factor,HIF)-1α诱导甲型流感病毒毒株感染小鼠巨噬细胞引起炎症反应的具体机制,本研究以甲型H1N1流感病毒(简称H1N1)株A/PR/8感染小鼠巨噬细胞RAW264.7后,在显微镜下观察其在感染后的表型变化,分别在不同时间段收集样本,通过聚合酶链反应(polymerase chain reaction,PCR)检测HIF-1α、干扰素(interferon,IFN)-γ、白细胞介素(interleukin,IL)-6、肿瘤坏死因子(tumor necrosis factor,TNF)-α和M蛋白(M protein,MBP)mRNA的变化,通过蛋白质印迹法(Western blot, WB)检测HIF-1α、核转录因子-κB(nuclear factor-κB,NF-κB)、促分裂原活化的蛋白激酶(mitogenactivated protein kinase,MAPK)、蛋白激酶B(protein kinase B,Akt)以及M蛋白的变化。随后,加入抑制剂2-MeOE-2(10 nmol/L)进行抑制试验,采用PCR和WB检测HIF-1α表达被抑制后上述炎症因子mRNA表达水平及炎症蛋白通路的变化。结果显示,H1N1PR8感染小鼠巨噬细胞RAW264.7后,H1N1PR8复制率在24 h达到峰值,HIF-1α mRNA在感染6 h后开始升高,12 h迅速上升,24 h达到峰值。IFN-γ、IL-6、TNF-α mRNA变化趋势基本与HIF-1α一致,但在感染12 h并未进入快速上升期。HIF-1α蛋白在感染后6 h表达明显增多,24 h达到峰值,与mRNA变化水平基本一致。NF-κB通路蛋白在感染12 h后明显增多,48 h开始减少。加入抑制剂2-MeOE-2后,培养感染细胞24 h,抑制剂组IL-6、TNF-α mRNA水平较对照组显著下降(P<0.05),抑制剂组NF-κB通路蛋白较对照组表达下降。本研究结果表明,小鼠巨噬细胞被H1N1感染后,HIF-1α可能通过激活NF-κB通路促进IL-6、TNF-α等炎症因子的分泌参与炎症反应。     

Evaluation of Lignans from Piper cubeba against Schistosoma mansoni Adult Worms: A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study

Six dibenzylbutyrolactonic lignans ((?)‐hinokinin ( 1 ), (?)‐cubebin ( 2 ), (?)‐yatein ( 3 ), (?)‐5‐methoxyyatein ( 4 ), dihydrocubebin ( 5 ) and dihydroclusin ( 6 )) were isolated from Piper cubeba seed extract and evaluated against Schistosoma mansoni. All lignans, except 5 , were able to separate the adult worm pairs and reduce the egg numbers during 24 h of incubation. Lignans 1 , 3 and 4 (containing a lactone ring) were the most efficient concerning antiparasitary activity. Comparing structures 3 and 4 , the presence of the methoxy group at position 5 appears to be important for this activity. Considering 1 and 3 , it is possible to see that the substitution pattern change (methylenedioxy or methoxy groups) in positions 3′ and 4′ alter the biological response, with 1 being the second most active compound. Computational calculations suggest that the activity of compound 4 can be correlated with the largest lipophilicity value.