Ergolide, sesquiterpene lactone from Inula britannica, inhibits inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclo-oxygenase-2 expression in RAW 264.7 macrophages through the inactivation of NF-kappaB. (1/15)

We investigated the mechanism of suppression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) by ergolide, sesquiterpene lactone from Inula britannica. iNOS activity in cell-free extract of LPS/IFN-gamma-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages was markedly attenuated by the treatment with ergolide. Its inhibitory effect on iNOS was paralleled by decrease in nitrite accumulation in culture medium of LPS/IFN-gamma-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages in a concentration-dependent manner. However, its inhibitory effect does not result from direct inhibition of the catalytic activity of NOS. Ergolide markedly decreased the production of prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) in cell-free extract of LPS/IFN-gamma-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages in a concentration-dependent manner, without alteration of the catalytic activity of COX-2 itself. Ergolide decreased the level of iNOS and COX-2 protein, and iNOS mRNA caused by stimulation of LPS/IFN-gamma in a concentration-dependent manner, as measured by Western blot and Northern blot analysis, respectively. Ergolide inhibited nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activation, a transcription factor necessary for iNOS and COX-2 expression in response to LPS/IFN-gamma. This effect was accompanied by the parallel reduction of nuclear translocation of subunit p65 of NF-kappaB as well as IkappaB-alpha degradation. In addition, these effects were completely blocked by treatment of cysteine, indicating that this inhibitory effect of ergolide could be mediated by alkylation of NF-kappaB itself or an upstream molecule of NF-kappaB. Ergolide also directly inhibited the DNA-binding activity of active NF-kappaB in LPS/IFN-gamma-pretreated RAW 264.7 macrophages. These results demonstrate that the suppression of NF-kappaB activation by ergolide might be attributed to the inhibition of nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB resulted from blockade of the degradation of IkappaB and the direct modification of active NF-kappaB, leading to the suppression of the expression of iNOS and COX-2, which play important roles in inflammatory signalling pathway.  (+info)

Antiproliferative sesquiterpene lactones from the roots of Inula helenium. (2/15)

The MeOH extract of the roots of Inula helenium showed a high inhibitory activity for cell growth against MK-1, HeLa and B16F10 cell lines. Significant activity was found in the hexane-soluble fraction. From the hexane-soluble fraction, seven sesquiterpenes, namely, one germacrane (4beta,5alpha-epoxy-1(10),11(13)-germacradiene-8,12-olide), one elemane (igalane), and five eudesmanes (alantolactone, isoalantolactone, 11alpha,13-dihydroalantolactone, 11alpha,13-dihydro-isoalantolactone, 5-epoxyalantolactone) were isolated. In vitro antiproliferative activities of the isolates against MK-1, HeLa and B16F10 cells are reported.  (+info)

A sesquiterpenelactone from Inula britannica induces anti-tumor effects dependent on Bcl-2 phosphorylation. (3/15)

BACKGROUND: The over-expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 in cancer is associated with resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. The phosphorylation of Bcl-2 is one mechanism by which anti-microtubule agents, such as paclitaxel or docetaxel, may inactivate Bcl-2. Although initially active in clinical studies, current anti-microtubule agents are only temporarily effective and the discovery of new agents is warranted. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We isolated and identified two known sesquiterpenelactones, O, O-diacetylbritannilactone (OODABL) and O-acetylbritaanilactone (OABL) from the flowers of the medicinal plant Inula britannica and studied their mechanism of anti-tumor effects. To determine the biological significance of Bcl-2 phosphorylation, we used a baby rat kidney (BRK-p53) cell line that was transformed with EIA and a temperature-sensitive mutant p53. The BRK-p53 cell line was transfected with either a vector with wild type Bcl-2 or a vector in which Bcl-2 had mutations in the paclitaxel phosphorylation sites (pcDNA3.1 V5/His Bcl-2 S70, 87A). RESULTS: OODABL and OABL induced phosphorylation of Bcl-2 in breast, ovary and prostate cancer cell lines and induced G2/M cell cycle arrest. Using the BRK cells with mutant Bcl-2 (BRK-Bcl-2-mt) and control (BRK-Bcl-2-wt), we found that OODABL induced phosphorylation of Bcl-2 at sites similar to paclitaxel. Phosphorylation of Bcl-2 was important for OODABL-induced cytotoxicity, since the abrogation of phosphorylation in BRK-Bcl-2-mt cells decreased OODABL-induced cytotoxicity. CONCLUSION: We concluded that OODABL is cytotoxic in multiple tumor cell lines, and the cytotoxicity is dependent, at least in part, on the phosphorylation of Bcl-2.  (+info)

Anti-diabetic and hypolipidemic effects of aqueous-extract from the flower of Inula japonica in alloxan-induced diabetic mice. (4/15)

The anti-diabetic and hypolipidemic effects of aqueous-extract from the flower of Inula japonica (IJ) and its two fractions (IJR and IJP) were investigated in alloxan-induced diabetic mice. An oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) of IJ was also performed in normal and diabetic mice. The results showed that IJ (1000 mg/kg), IJR (500 mg/kg) and IJP (250 mg/kg) significantly reduced blood glucose levels in diabetic mice by oral administration (p<0.01). IJ and IJP markedly decreased serum triglyceride concentrations (p<0.05) in diabetic mice. Their hypoglycemic activities were better than gliclazide (40 mg/kg) and compared with metformin (250 mg/kg). IJ raised plasma insulin levels in alloxan-induced diabetic mice. IJ, IJR and IJP significantly decreased the consumption of water and food in diabetic mice. OGTT showed that IJ slightly lowered blood glucose levels in normal mice, but significantly decreased blood glucose in diabetic mice between 60-150 min after a glucose load (p<0.05). The data indicated that IJ has both anti-diabetic and hypolipidemic effects.  (+info)

Cytotoxic germacranolide sesquiterpene from Inula cappa. (5/15)

A new germacranolide, inulacappolide (1), was isolated from the EtOH extract of the whole plant of Inula cappa along with 16 known compounds. The structure of inulacappolide was a rare 1(10)-saturated type of germacran-6,12-olide, identified as 2alpha-acetoxy-3beta-hydroxy-9beta-angeloyloxygermacra-4-en-6alpha,12-olide by spectral analysis (IR, HR-ESI/MS, (1)H-NMR, (13)C-NMR, HMQC, HMBC, NOESY). In vitro, it showed antiproliferative effects against human cervical cancer HeLa, human leukemia K562 and human nasopharyngeal carcinoma KB cell lines with IC(50) values of 1.2 microM, 3.8 microM and 5.3 microM, respectively.  (+info)

Quantitative somatic sensory testing and functional imaging of the response to painful stimuli before and after cingulotomy for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). (6/15)

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New eudesmane derivatives and other sesquiterpenes from the epigeal parts of Dittrichia graveolens. (7/15)

In bioassay-guided searches for novel bioactive natural products from higher plants of the Egyptian flora, two new eudesmane sesquiterpene derivatives, 3alpha-hydroxyilicic acid methyl ester (1) and 2alpha-hydroxy-4-epi-ilicic acid (2), together with 11 known sesquiterpenes were isolated from bioactive fractions of the active epigeal parts extracts of Dittrichia graveolens (L.) GREUTER (Asteraceae) growing in the coastal regions of northwestern Egypt. Four other known sesquiterpene lactones with different carbon skeletons, named 2alpha-hydroxy-2R-xanthalongin (8), 4-epi-isoinuviscolide (9), 8-epi-helenalin (10), and bigelovin (11), were also isolated for the first time from the same source. The stereochemical structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated on the basis of physical and spectroscopic methods including UV, IR, 1H-, 13C-NMR, distortionless enhancement by polarization transfer, 2D NMR, 1H-1H correlation spectroscopy, 1H-13C heteronuclear single-quantum coherence, 1H-13C heteronuclear multiple-bond connectivity, 1H-1H nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy experiments, and high-resolution mass spectrometry, as well as some chemical transformations. The antimicrobial, antiinflammatory, and antipyretic activities of D. graveolens extracts and chromatographic fractions were carried out and the various bioactivities of our findings are discussed.  (+info)

A rapid identification of Radix inulae and its active component alantolactone in the Tibetan medicine Manuxitang. (8/15)

This study sought to establish a more reliable method of identifying the "monarch" or principal drug Radix inulae and its active component alantolactone (AL) in the Tibetan medicine Manuxitang. Radix inulae and AL in Manuxitang were effectively identified by thin layer chromatography (TLC). AL was quantitatively determined using gas chromatography in the range of 0.1-1.0 mug/mL (r = 0.9998). The precision was 1.20% (n = 6) with an average RSD of 1.74%. Recovery was in the range of 93.5-98.5% with RSD value of 1.85%. The methods established were simple, accurate, and specific and could be used for quality control of Manuxitang.  (+info)

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