Binding affinity and in vitro cytotoxicity of harmaline targeting different motifs of nucleic acids: An ultimate drug designing approach

The work focuses towards interaction of harmaline, with nucleic acids of different motifs by multispectroscopic and calorimetric techniques. Findings of this study suggest that binding constant varied in the order single‐stranded (ss) poly(A) > double‐stranded calf thymus (CT) DNA > double‐stranded poly(G)·poly(C) > clover leaf tRNA^Phe. Prominent structural changes of ss poly(A), CT DNA, and poly(G)· poly(C) with concomitant induction of optical activity in the bound achiral alkaloid molecule was observed, while with tRNA^Phe, very weak induced circular dichroism perturbation was seen. The interaction was predominantly exothermic, enthalpy driven, and entropy favored with CT DNA and poly(G)·poly(C), while it was entropy driven with poly(A) and tRNA^Phe. Intercalated state of harmaline inside poly(A), CT DNA, and poly(G)·poly(C) was shown by viscometry, ferrocyanide quenching, and molecular docking. All these findings unequivocally pointed out preference of harmaline towards ss poly(A) inducing self‐structure formation. Furthermore, harmaline administration caused a significant decrease in proliferation of HeLa and HepG₂ cells with GI₅₀ of 28μM and 11.2μM, respectively. Nucleic acid fragmentation, cellular ultramorphological changes, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, upregulation of p53 and caspase 3, generation of reactive oxygen species, and a significant increase in the G₂/M population made HepG₂ more prone to apoptosis than are HeLa cells.     

Production of hairy roots in Aconitum heterophyllum wall. using Agrobacterium rhizogenes

Summary A method for the production of hairy roots of Aconitum heterophyllum wall. is reported for the first time. Embryogenic callus cultures were successfully transformed using Agrobacterium rhizogenes strains viz. LBA 9402, LBA 9360, and A4 for the induction of hairy roots. The transgenic nature of hairy roots was confirmed by mannopine assay using paper electrophoresis. Best growth of transformed roots was obtained on 1/4 MS (Murashige and Skoog, 1962) medium with 3% sucrose. Total alkaloid (aconites) content of transformed roots was 2.96%, which was 3.75 times higher compared to 0.79% in the nontransformed (control) roots. Thin layer chromatography (TLC) analysis of the components of aconites in the transformed roots revealed the presence of heteratisine, atisine, and hetidine.     

Scholaricine,an alkaloid from alstonia scholaris

A new alkaloid, scholaricine, has been isolated to which structure 2 (demethylscholarine) has been assigned.     

Alkaloids of Thermopsis Lupinoides

Ammodendrine, together with seven other known lupin alkaloids, was isolated from Thermopsis lupinoides. (+)-Lupanine (+)-17-oxolupanine occurred together with (?)anagyrine, (?)-baptifoline, (?)-cytisine, (?)-N-methylcytisine (?)N-formylcytisine. These alkaloids have the opposite stereochemistry to that of (+)-lupanine and (+)-17-oxolupanine. The distribution of alkaloids in fresh flowers, leaves, stems roots of this plant was also examined.     

Two New Buxus Alkaloids from Buxus Microphylla Sieb. et Zucc.

Five compounds were isolated from Buxus microphylla Sieb. et Zucc. Based on the physico-chemical constants and spectral analysis (IR, MS, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR), they were identified as cycloprotobuxinamine ( Ⅰ ), buxmicrophylline A ( Ⅱ ), buxtauine M ( Ⅲ ), isoscopoletin (Ⅳ) and epi-lupeol ( Ⅴ ). ( Ⅰ ) and ( Ⅱ ) were new compounds. The structure of buxmicrophylline ( Ⅱ ) was confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis.     

A multimodal metabolomics approach using imaging mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for spatially characterizing monoterpene indole alkaloids secreted from roots

Plants release specialized (secondary) metabolites from their roots to communicate with other organisms, including soil microorganisms. The spatial behavior of such metabolites around these roots can help us understand roles for the communication; however, currently, they are unclear because soil-based studies are complex. Here, we established a multimodal metabolomics approach using imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to spatially assign metabolites under laboratory conditions using agar. In a case study using Catharanthus roseus, we showed that 58 nitrogen (N)-containing metabolites are released from the roots into the agar. For the metabolite assignment, we used ¹⁵N-labeled and non-labeled LC-MS/MS data, previously reported. Four metabolite ions were identified using authentic standard compounds as derived from monoterpene indole alkaloids (MIAs) such as ajmalicine, catharanthine, serpentine, and yohimbine. An alkaloid network analysis using dot products and spinglass methods characterized five clusters to which the 58 ions belong. The analysis clustered ions from the indolic skeleton-type MIAs to a cluster, suggesting that other communities may represent distinct metabolite groups. For future chemical assignments of the serpentine community, key fragmentation patterns were characterized using the ¹⁵N-labeled and non-labeled MS/MS spectra.     

Hypaphorine, an indole alkaloid from Erythrina velutina, induced sleep on normal mice

An indole alkaloid (hypaphorine (1)) was isolated from Brazilian medicinal plant, Erythrina velutina (Leguminosae). This compound was investigated for sleep promoting effects in mice, and the results showed that it significantly increased non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep time during the first hour after its administration. The NREM sleep time was enhanced by 33% in the experimental mice when compared to that of the controls. This study therefore confirmed its sleep promoting property.     

棕色扁海绵中的吡咯生物碱

从中国南海棕色扁海绵Phakellia fusca Schimidt的乙醇浸提物中,分离得到3个吡咯生物碱,结合理化性质,波谱分析,文献检索,确定其结构分别为4,5-二溴-1H-吡咯-2-甲酸甲酯(1)、4,5-二溴-3-氰-1H-吡咯-2-甲酸甲酯(2)、4,5-二溴-1H-吡咯-2-甲酰氨(3)。其中化合物(2)未见文献报道。     

中坝鹅掌叶附子中的生物碱成分

从中坝鹅掌叶附子(Aconitum carmichaeli Debx．)的块根中分离得到6个二萜生物碱,根据波谱方法分别鉴定为：songoramine(1)、次乌头碱(hypaconitine,2)、karakanine(3)、宋果灵(songorine,4)、尼奥宁(neoline,5)、附子灵(fuzline,6)。其中化合物3为首次从该植物的块根中分离鉴定。