Bronchodilator and anti-inflammatory activities of glaucine: In vitro studies in human airway smooth muscle and polymorphonuclear leukocytes. (1/80)

1. Selective phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitors are of potential interest in the treatment of asthma. We examined the effects of the alkaloid S-(+)-glaucine, a PDE4 inhibitor, on human isolated bronchus and granulocyte function. 2. Glaucine selectively inhibited PDE4 from human bronchus and polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) in a non-competitive manner (Ki=3.4 microM). Glaucine displaced [3H]-rolipram from its high-affinity binding sites in rat brain cortex membranes (IC50 approximately 100 microM). 3. Glaucine inhibited the spontaneous and histamine-induced tone in human isolated bronchus (pD2 approximately 4.5). Glaucine (10 microM) did not potentiate the isoprenaline-induced relaxation but augmented cyclic AMP accumulation by isoprenaline. The glaucine-induced relaxation was resistant to H-89, a protein kinase A inhibitor. Glaucine depressed the contractile responses to Ca2+ (pD'2 approximately 3.62) and reduced the sustained rise of [Ca2+]i produced by histamine in cultured human airway smooth muscle cells (-log IC50 approximately 4.3). 4. Glaucine augmented cyclic AMP levels in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes challenged with N-formyl-Met-Leu-Phe (FMLP) or isoprenaline, and inhibited FMLP-induced superoxide generation, elastase release, leukotriene B4 production, [Ca2+]i signal and platelet aggregation as well as opsonized zymosan-, phorbol myristate acetate-, and A23187-induced superoxide release. The inhibitory effect of glaucine on superoxide generation by FMLP was reduced by H-89. 5. In conclusion, Ca2+ channel antagonism by glaucine appears mainly responsible for the relaxant effect of glaucine in human isolated bronchus while PDE4 inhibition contributes to the inhibitory effects of glaucine in human granulocytes. The very low PDE4/binding site ratio found for glaucine makes this compound attractive for further structure-activity studies.  (+info)

Mechanical effects of liriodenine on the left ventricular-arterial coupling in Wistar rats: pressure-stroke volume analysis. (2/80)

1. In a recent in vivo study, liriodenine, an aporphine alkaloid, has been identified as a prominent anti-arrhythmic agent that can prevent rats' sudden deaths, even at the dose as low as 10(-7) g kg(-1). The aim of this study was to determine whether liriodenine at its effective anti-arrhythmic dose of 10(-7) g kg(-1) had effects on the left ventricular (LV)-arterial coupling in Wistar rats. 2. LV pressure and ascending aortic flow signals were recorded to construct the ventricular and arterial end-systolic pressure-stroke volume relationships to calculate LV end-systolic elastance (E(es)) and effective arterial volume elastance (E(a)), respectively. The optimal afterload (Q(load)) determined by the ratio of E(a) to E(es) was used to measure the optimality of energy transmission from the left ventricle to the arterial system. 3. Liriodenine at the dose of 10(-7) g kg(-1) showed no significant changes in basal heart rate (HR), cardiac output (CO), LV end-systolic pressure (P(es)), E(a), E(es), and Q(load). 4. By contrast, liriodenine at the dose of 10(-6) g kg(-1) produced a significant fall of 2.0% in HR and a significant rise of 5.8% in CO, but no significant change in P(es). Moreover, liriodenine administration of 10(-6) g kg(-1) to rats significantly decreased E(es) by 8.5% and E(a) by 10.6%, but did not change Q(load). 5. We conclude that liriodenine at the dose of 10(-7) g kg(-1) has no effects on the mechanical properties of the heart and the vasculature and the matching condition for the left ventricle coupled to its vasculature in rats. Even at 10 times the effective anti-arrhythmic dose, liriodenine shows no effects on the efficiency of energy transferred from the left ventricle to the arterial system.  (+info)

Dicentrine is preferentially antagonistic to rat aortic than splenic alpha 1-adrenoceptor stimulation. (3/80)

AIM: Dicentrine is a known alpha 1-adrenoceptor antagonist, but its alpha 1-adrenoceptor subtype selectivity has not yet been determined. We therefore, investigated the putative alpha 1-adrenoceptor subtype selectivity of this agent. METHODS: Graded isometric contractile responses of rat aortic rings and spleen to phenylephrine were observed in the absence or presence of various concentrations of dicentrine. The pA2 values for dicentrine were determined. RESULTS: Aortic tissues were more sensitive to phenylephrine-induced contraction than the spleen tissues. Dicentrine was approximately 100 times more potent as an antagonist to the aortic contraction, than it was to the splenic contractions. CONCLUSION: Dicentrine is an alpha 1-adrenoceptor antagonist which is more selective towards the putative alpha 1D-adrenoceptor subtype of the rat aorta than the alpha 1B-adrenoceptor of the spleen.  (+info)

Multiple actions of glaucine on cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases, alpha 1-adrenoceptor and benzothiazepine binding site at the calcium channel. (4/80)

1. In the present study, the properties of glaucine (an aporphine structurally related to papaverine) were compared with those of papaverine, diltiazem, nifedipine and prazosin. The work includes functional studies on rat isolated aorta contracted with noradrenaline, caffeine or KCl, and a determination of the affinity of glaucine at calcium channel binding sites of alpha-adrenoceptors, by use of [3H]-(+)-cis-diltiazem, [3H]-nitrendipine and [3H]-prazosin binding to cerebral cortical membranes. The effects of glaucine on the different molecular forms of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDE) isolated from bovine aorta were also determined. 2. Contraction evoked by noradrenaline (1 microM) or depolarizing solution (60 mM KCl) were inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner by all the compounds tested. As expected, prazosin showed a greater selectivity of action on NA-induced contraction, whereas nifedipine and diltiazem appeared more potent on KCl-induced contraction. Glaucine had a greater potency on the contraction elicited by noradrenaline whereas papaverine acted non specifically. 3. In Ca(2+)-free solution, prazosin (0.1 microM) and glaucine (0.1 mM) inhibited the contraction evoked by NA; diltiazem (0.1 mM) diminished this contraction whereas nifedipine (1 microM) had no effect. Preincubation of tissues with glaucine, diltiazem, nifedipine and prazosin did not modify the contractile response induced by caffeine. In contrast, papaverine (0.1 mM) significantly inhibited the contractions evoked by NA or caffeine in Ca(2+)-free medium. 4. Glaucine and papaverine show affinity at the [3H]-prazosin binding site and at the benzothiazepine binding site of the Ca(2+)-channel receptor complex, but have no effect at the dihydropyridine binding site in rat cerebral cortex. Glaucine exerts some selectivity as an inhibitor of [3H]-prazosin binding as opposed to [3H]-(+ )-cis-diltiazem binding while papaverine appears to have approximately equal affinity in this respect.5. This study confirms the presence of four phosphodiesterase (PDE) activities in bovine aorta: a calmodulin-activated PDE (CaM-PDE type I) which hydrolyzed preferentially guanosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic GMP); a cyclic GMP selective form (cGMP-PDE type V); and two low Km adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic AMP) PDEs that are insensitive to the stimulatory effect of CaM, one of which was inhibited by cyclic GMP (CGI-PDE, type III) and the other by rolipram (cAMP-PDE, type IV). Glaucine selectively inhibits one of the two forms of Ca2+-independent low Km cAMP-PDE, the type IV. In contrast, papaverine exerts a non-selective inhibitory effect upon all PDE forms.6. The present work provides evidence that glaucine, a benzyltetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloid, has interesting properties as an alpha l-adrenoceptor antagonist, calcium entry blocker (through the benzothiazepine recognition site in the calcium channel) and as a selective inhibitor of the rolipram-sensitive cAMP-PDE, type IV PDE.  (+info)

Haemodynamic effects of dicentrine, a novel alpha 1-adrenoceptor antagonist: comparison with prazosin in spontaneously hypertensive and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats. (5/80)

1. The haemodynamic effects of dicentrine, an aporphine derivative isolated from the plant Lindera megaphylla, were investigated and compared with prazosin in rats. 2. In anaesthetized normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats, i.v. administration of dicentrine (0.1, 0.5, 1.0 mg kg-1) and prazosin (0.01, 0.05, 0.1 mg kg-1) induced a dose-related reduction of mean arterial pressure (MAP) which reached a maximal effect 5-10 min after injection and persisted for 2 h. 3. In anaesthetized WKY rats, a higher dose of dicentrine (1.0 mg kg-1, i.v.) did not cause any significant changes in heart rate (HR), cardiac output (CO) and stroke volume (SV) but markedly increased tail blood flow. In contrast, a higher dose of prazosin (0.1 mg kg-1, i.v.) produced a decrease in HR which paralleled the time course of the hypotensive response. 4. The hypotensive activity of dicentrine was completely abolished by alpha-adrenoceptor blockade. Both dicentrine and prazosin significantly attenuated pressor responses to noradrenaline but failed, even at maximal hypotensive doses, to impair the pressor effects of angiotensin II or vasopressin. These observations suggest that dicentrine appears to exert its hypotensive action through alpha 1-adrenoceptor blockade. 5. In conscious normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive (SH) rats, dicentrine (0.5-2.0 mg kg-1, i.v.) and prazosin (0.05-0.2 mg kg-1, i.v.) also evoked dose-related decreases in MAP which were of greater magnitude in SH rats. Oral administration of dicentrine (5 and 8 mg kg-1) to conscious SH rats caused a hypotensive effect which persisted for over 15 h.6. These results suggest that dicentrine may have therapeutic potential as an oral antihypertensive drug via alpha-adrenoceptor blockade.  (+info)

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation inhibited by aporphine and phenanthrene alkaloids semi-synthesized from natural boldine. (6/80)

Four phenanthrene and one aporphine alkaloids semi-synthesized from boldine were evaluated for their inhibitory effect on reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. ROS generation by neutrophils stimulated with N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine was inhibited in a concentration dependent manner. Alkaloids exerted similar inhibitory effect in the hypoxanthine-xanthine oxidase system than in stimulated neutrophils, which could be attributed to a direct ROS scavenging activity. None of the alkaloids assayed had any effect on xanthine oxidase activity. Therefore the synthesized alkaloids might constitute an alternative therapy in inflammation disorders in which ROS generation is involved.  (+info)

Effect of boldine, secoboldine, and boldine methine on angiotensin II-induced neutrophil recruitment in vivo. (7/80)

Angiotensin-II (Ang-II) has inflammatory activity and is involved in different diseases associated with the cardiovascular system. This study has evaluated the effect of boldine (B), and two phenanthrene alkaloids semisynthesized by us, secoboldine (SB) and boldine methine (BM), on Ang-II-induced neutrophil recruitment. Intraperitoneal administration of 1 nM Ang-II induced significant neutrophil accumulation, which was maximal at 4-8 h. BM inhibited neutrophil infiltration into the peritoneal cavity at 4 h and 8 h by 73% and 77%, respectively, SB at 8 h by 55%, and B had no effect on this response. Although BM inhibited the release of cytokine-inducible neutrophil chemoattractant/keratinocyte-derived chemokine, macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2), and platelet-activating factor (PAF) elicited by Ang-II, SB only reduced the release of MIP-2 after 4 h of its administration. Sixty-minute superfusion of the rat mesentery with 1 nM Ang-II induced a significant increase in the leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions and P-selectin up-regulation, which were inhibited by 1 microM BM and SB. The generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in endothelial cells stimulated with Ang-II was inhibited significantly by the three alkaloids tested. BM also diminished Ang-II-induced interleukin-8 release from endothelial cells and blocked the PAF receptor on human neutrophils (concentration of the compound needed to produce 50% inhibition value: 28.2 microM). Therefore, BM is a potent inhibitor of Ang-II-induced neutrophil accumulation in vivo. This effect appears to be mediated through inhibition of CXC chemokine and PAF release, ROS scavenging activity, and blockade of the PAF receptor. Thus, it may have potential therapeutic interest for the control of neutrophil recruitment that occurs in inflammation associated with elevated levels of Ang-II.  (+info)

Characterization and inhibitor discovery of one novel malonyl-CoA: acyl carrier protein transacylase (MCAT) from Helicobacter pylori. (8/80)

Type II fatty acid synthesis (FAS II) is an essential process for bacteria survival, and malonyl-CoA:acyl carrier protein transacylase (MCAT) is a key enzyme in FAS II pathway, which is responsible for transferring the malonyl group from malonyl-CoA to the holo-ACP by forming malonyl-ACP. In this work, we described the cloning, characterization and enzymatic inhibition of a new MCAT from Helicobacter pylori strain SS1 (HpMCAT), and the gene sequence of HpfabD was deposited in the GenBank database (Accession No. AY738332 ). Enzymatic characterization of HpMCAT showed that the K(m) value for malonyl-CoA was 21.01+/-2.3 microM, and the thermal- and guanidinium hydrochloride-induced unfolding processes for HpMCAT were quantitatively investigated by circular dichroism spectral analyses. Moreover, a natural product, corytuberine, was discovered to demonstrate inhibitory activity against HpMCAT with IC(50) value at 33.1+/-3.29 microM. Further enzymatic assay results indicated that corytuberine inhibits HpMCAT in an uncompetitive manner. To our knowledge, this is the firstly reported MCAT inhibitor to date. This current work is hoped to supply useful information for better understanding the MCAT features of H. pylori strain, and corytuberine might be used as a potential lead compound in the discovery of the antibacterial agents using HpMCAT as target.  (+info)

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