Research progress of natural product evodiamine-based antitumor drug design strategies / 药学学报

Natural products are important sources for the discovery of anti-tumor drugs. Evodiamine is the main alkaloid component of the traditional Chinese herb Wu-Chu-Yu, and it has weak antitumor activity. In recent years, a number of highly active antitumor candidates have been discovered with a significant progress. This article reviews the research progress of evodiamine-based antitumor drug design strategies, in order to provide reference for the development of new drugs with natural products as leads.

Study on Liver Injury of Different Components of Evodia Fructus in Vivo and in Vitro / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo evaluate the in vivo and in vitro toxicity of Evodia Fructus water extraction and its index components， and provide a basis for basic research on the toxic substances of Evodia Fructus. MethodInstitute of Cancer Research（ICR） mice were divided into high， medium and low dose groups of water extraction of Evodia Fructus and a blank control group. The administration groups were respectively given 80，60，40 g·kg-1 water extraction of Evodia Fructus， the blank control group was given distilled water in equal volume， blood was taken 24 hours later to determine the serum alanine aminotransferase（ALT）and aspartate aminotransferase（AST）values， the liver was weighed and histopathological examination was performed. Evodia Fructus water extract， evodiamine， rutaecarpine and limonin were respectively acted on HepG2 cells for 24 h， and cell counting kit-8（CCK-8） method was used to investigate the cytotoxicity. The ICR Mice were divided into two groups， one group was given by oral gavage and the other group was given intraperitoneal injection. The two routes of administration were separately given 3 index components of Evodia Fructus， and the dosage was 200 mg·kg-1. Take blood 24 hours after administration to determine the activity of ALT and AST in serum， and take liver to calculate liver index. ResultCompared with the blank group， the high and medium dose groups of Evodia Fructus water extract were depressed 24 hours after administration， and the behavior of the low dose group was not significantly abnormal. The serum biochemical results showed that the activities of serum ALT and AST in the high and medium dose groups were significantly increased （P<0.01）， the activities of serum ALT and AST in the low dose group were significantly increased， and the histopathological results showed that the high and medium dose groups were significantly increased Punctate necrosis and vacuolar degeneration appeared in the liver of the medium dose group， and there was no obvious abnormality in the low dose group. Compared with the blank group， evodiamine and rutaecarpine had a certain inhibitory effect on the proliferation of HepG2 cells， but the inhibitory effect was not strong. Limonin had no significant inhibitory effect on the proliferation of HepG2 cells. Compared with the control group， the 3 index components of Evodia Fructus have no effect after oral administration. There was no significant difference in the activity of ALT and AST in serum of mice， and there was no significant difference in liver index. Intraperitoneal injection of evodiamine and rutaecarpine can cause the activity of serum ALT and AST to increase， and limonin can cause ALT activity was significantly increased （P<0.01）， and the liver index was significantly increased （P<0.05）. ConclusionEvodia Fructus water extract can cause acute liver injury in mice， Oral administration of evodiamine， rutaecarpine and limonin had no damage to the liver of mice. Intraperitoneal administration of evodiamine and rutaecarpine had no effect on liver injury in mice， and intraperitoneal administration of limonin could cause acute liver injury in mice.

Research progress on pharmacological effect of evodiamine / 中国药理学通报

Evodiamine(EVO)is an indoloquinazoline alkaloid isolated from the fruits of Euodia rutaecarpa,which has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat various diseases.Modern medical research shows that evodiamine has various pharmacological activities and extremely high medicinal value such as anti-inflammation,anti-tumor,losing weight,treating Alzheimer's,and antibacterium.Evodiamine can interact with a variety of proteins.For example,the interaction between evodiamine and TRPV1 induces its activation to exert anti-inflammatory and losing weight; the interaction with DNA topoisomerase I inhibits its function and thus inhibit bacterial proliferation; the interaction with tubulin promotes NLRP3 inflammasome activation,and exerts anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory functions.In recent years,with the in-depth study of evodiamine,pharmacological research and mechanism of evodiamine has significant improvement.Recent progress of pharmacological effect of evodiamine is highlighted in this review.

The combination of berberine and evodiamine ameliorates high-fat diet-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease associated with modulation of gut microbiota in rats

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is considered to be a manifestation of hepatic metabolic syndrome. Some studies on the pathogenesis of NAFLD by targeting gut microbiota have attracted wide attention. Previous studies have demonstrated the positive effects of berberine and evodiamine on metabolic diseases and gut microbiota dysbiosis. However, it is not known whether the combination of berberine and evodiamine (BE) can prevent the development of high-fat diet (HFD)-induced NAFLD. Therefore, we aimed to explore the protective effects of BE on the development of HFD-induced NAFLD from the perspective of the gut microbiota. Gut microbiota profiles were established by high throughput sequencing of the bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene. The effects of BE on liver and intestinal tissue, intestinal barrier integrity, and hepatic inflammation were also investigated. The results showed that the abundance and diversity of gut microbiota were enriched by BE treatment, with an increase in beneficial bacteria, such as Lactobacillus, Ruminococcus, and Prevotella, and a decrease in pathogenic bacteria such as Fusobacterium and Lachnospira. In addition, BE effectively improved liver fat accumulation and tissue damage, inhibited the apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells, increased the contents of intestinal tight junction proteins, and decreased the expression of pro-inflammatory factors. Consequently, BE treatment could be an effective and alternative strategy for alleviating NAFLD by modulating gut microbiota and safeguarding the intestinal barrier.

Research progress in pharmacology and toxicology of evodiamine / 中国中药杂志

Evodiamine, a bioactive indole alkaloid from Evodia rutaecarpa, E. rutaecarpa var. officinalis, or E. rutaecarpa var. bodinieri, has been extensively investigated due to its pharmacological activities in recent years. At present, evodiamine is proved to significantly suppress the proliferation of a variety of cancer cells and mediate cell processes such as cell cycle arrest and cell migration. In addition, evodiamine displays significant pharmacological activities against cardiovascular diseases(hyperlipidemia, etc.), and tinea manus and pedis. Recently, evodiamine has been found to have potential toxic effects, such as hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, and cardiotoxicity. However, the pharmacological and toxicological mechanism of evodiamine is not clear, and its toxicity in vitro and in vivo has been rarely reported. Therefore, this study reviewed the pharmacological and toxicological articles of evodiamine in recent years, aiming at providing new ideas and references for future research.

Evodiamine inhibits high-fat diet-induced colitis-associated cancer in mice through regulating the gut microbiota / 中西医结合学报

OBJECTIVE@#High-fat diet is one of the main risk factors that disrupt the balance of gut microbiota, which eventually will induce colorectal cancer (CRC). Evodiamine (EVO) is a wildly used multifunctional traditional Chinese medicine extract. In this study, we investigated the role of gut microbiota in high-fat diet-propelled CRC and the potential of EVO for CRC chemoprevention.@*METHODS@#Gut microbiota, serum d-lactic acid and endotoxin from 38 patients with colon cancer and 18 healthy subjects were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In addition, body mass index, phospho-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (p-STAT3) expression in cancer tissues and paracancerous tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry. A mouse intestinal inflammatory tumor model was established by azomethane/sodium dextran sulfate, followed by treatment with EVO and 5-aminosalicylic acid (ASA). Gut microbiota and inflammatory factors were detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction, while serum d-lactic acid and endotoxin were detected by ELISA. Furthermore, cell proliferation, cell apoptosis, and interleukin (IL)-6/STAT3/P65 pathway were evaluated by 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine, terminal-deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick-end labeling, and Western blot assays.@*RESULTS@#In patients with colon cancer, the numbers of Enterococcus faecalis and Escherichia coli were increased, while those of Bifidobacterium, Campylobacter and Lactobacillus were decreased. Serum endotoxin and d-lactic acid levels and p-STAT3 levels were significantly increased. In the mouse model, both EVO and ASA inhibited tumor formation, decreased the proliferation of tumor cells, and induced apoptosis of tumor cells. Compared with the control group, the numbers of E. faecalis and E. coli were decreased, while Bifidobacterium, Campylobacter and Lactobacillus numbers were increased. In the EVO group, serum endotoxin and d-lactic acid levels and inflammatory factors were significantly decreased. Further, the IL6/STAT3/P65 signaling pathway was inhibited in the EVO group.@*CONCLUSION@#EVO may inhibit the occurrence of colon cancer by regulating gut microbiota and inhibiting intestinal inflammation. The potential mechanism involves inhibition of the IL6/STAT3/P65 signaling pathway, revealing its potential therapeutic significance in clinical applications.

Cytotoxicity and underlying mechanism of evodiamine in HepG2 cells / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate evodiamine (EVO)-induced hepatotoxicity and the underlying mechanism.@*METHODS@#HepG2 cells were treated with EVO (0.04-25 μmol/L) for different time intervals, and the cell survival rate was examined by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) method. After HepG2 cells were treated with EVO (0.2, 1 and 5 μmol/L) for 48 h, the alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities and total bilirubin (TBIL) content of supernatant were detected. A multifunctional microplate reader was used to detect the intracellular superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in HepG2 cells to evaluate the level of cell lipid peroxidation damage. The interactions between EVO and apoptosis, autophagy or ferroptosis-associated proteins were simulated by molecular docking. The HepG2 cells were stained by mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) fluorescent probe (JC-10) and annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide (Annexin V-FITC/PI), and MMP and apoptosis in HepG2 cells were detected by flow cytometry. The protein expression levels of caspase-9, caspase-3, bile salt export pump (BSEP) and multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (MRP2) were detected by Western blot.@*RESULTS@#The cell survival rate was significantly reduced after the HepG2 cells were exposed to EVO (0.04-25 μmol/L) in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of the HepG2 cells treated with EVO for 24, 48 and 72 h were 85.3, 6.6 and 4.7 μmol/L, respectively. After exposure to EVO (0.2, 1 and 5 μmol/L) for 48 h, the ALT, AST, LDH, ALP activities and TBIL content in the HepG2 cell culture supernatant, and the MDA content in the cells were increased, and SOD enzyme activity was decreased. Molecular docking results showed that EVO interacted with apoptosis-associated proteins (caspase-9 and caspase-3) better. JC-10 and Annexin V-FITC/PI staining assays demonstrated that EVO could decrease MMP and promote apoptosis in the HepG2 cells. Western blot results indicated that the protein expressions of cleaved caspase-9 and cleaved caspase-3 were upregulated in the HepG2 cell treated with EVO for 48 h. In contrast, the protein expressions of pro-caspase-3, BSEP and MRP2 were downregulated.@*CONCLUSION@#These results suggested that 0.2, 1 and 5 μmol/L EVO had the potential hepatotoxicity, and the possible mechanism involved lipid peroxidation damage, cell apoptosis, and cholestasis.

Evodiamine induces apoptosis of leukemia cell line K562 VIA modulation of TRIB2/AKT pathway / 中国药理学通报

Aim To investigate the effects of Evodiamine (EVO) on proliferation and apoptosis of human leukemia cell line K562 and its potential mechanisms. Methods K562 cells were treated with EVO at different concentrations (0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 jxmol • L

Preparation of evodiamine-glycyrrhizic acid micelles with glycyrrhizic acid as carrier and their anti-hepatic fibrosis activity / 中国中药杂志

This study aimed to prepare evodiamine-glycyrrhizic acid(EVO-GL) micelles to enhance the anti-hepatic fibrosis activity of evodiamine. Firstly, EVO-GL micelles were prepared with use of thin film dispersion method. With particle size, encapsulation efficiency, loading capacity of micelles and the solubility of evodiamine as the indexes, the effect of different factors on micelles was observed to screen the optimal preparation methods and process. Then the pharmaceutical properties and the therapeutic effects of EVO-GL micelles prepared by optimal process were evaluated on CCl_4-induced hepatic fibrosis. The results showed that the micelles prepared by the thin film dispersion method had an even size, with an average particle size of(130.80±12.40)nm, Zeta potential of(-41.61±3.12) mV, encapsulation efficiency of 91.23%±1.22%, drug loading of 8.42%±0.71%, high storage stability at 4 ℃ in 3 months, and slow in vitro release. Experimental results in the treatment of CCl_4-induced hepatic fibrosis in rats showed that EVO-GL micelles had a synergistic anti-hepatic fibrosis effect, which significantly reduced the liver function index of hepatic fibrosis rats. In conclusion, the EVO-GL micelles prepared with glycyrrhizic acid as a carrier would have a potential application prospect for the treatment of hepatic fibrosis.

UPLC-MS/MS determination of active components from Wuzhuyu Decoction in plasma and brain tissues of nitroglycerin-induced migraine rats / 中国中药杂志

A sensitive and specific ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS) method was deve-loped for analysis of rutaecarpine(Ru), evodiamine(Ev), rutaevine(Rv), limonin(Li), ginsendside Rb_1(Rb_1), ginsendside Re(Re) in rat plasma and brain tissues of nitroglycerin-induced migraine rats. Male healthy Sprague-Dawley(SD) rats were orally given multiple dose of optimized(OS) and un-optimized Wuzhuyu Decoction(UNOS), and their blood samples and brainstem were collected at different time points after injection of nitroglycerin(10 mg·kg~(-1)) into the frontal region. The drug concentrations of the 6 analytes in plasma and brainstem were determined by UPLC-MS/MS method. Subsequently, the main pharmacokinetics parameters of plasma were calculated by using Phoenix WinNolin 5.2.1 software. The methodological test showed that all of analytes in both plasma and brainstem homogenate exhibited a good linearity within the concentration range(r>0.994 7). The intra-day and inter-day accuracy, precision, matrix effect, stability of the investigated components meet the requirements for biopharmaceutical analysis. The developed method was successfully applied in pharmacokinetic studies on abovementioned ingredients in rat plasma and brain stem. The plasma pharmacokinetic parameters of active ingredients in two different Wuzhuyu Decoction group were compared, it was found that Rb_1 had higher t_(1/2), T_(max), C_(max), AUC_(0-24 h) and AUC_(0-∞ )in OS group. Meanwhile, Ev had higher t_(1/2) and T_(max) but lower C_(max), AUC_(0-24 h) and AUC_(0-∞), Ru has higher t_(1/2 )but lower C_(max), AUC_(0-24 h) and AUC_(0-∞ )in OS group. The brain tissue distribution of each component were compared between the two groups, the component with higher content in OS, such as Ru at 30 min and 2 h after administration, Ev at 30 min, Rb_1 at 30 min and Rb_1 at 2 h after administration have lower brain tissue distribution than those in UNOS group, while the component with higher content in UNOS, such as Rv at 30 min, 2 h and 12 h after administration had higher brain tissue distribution than those in OS group.

Pharmacokinetics and in situ intestinal absorption of evodiamine lipidic nanoparticle / 中国药科大学学报

@#The aim of this study was to investigate the in vivo pharmacokinetic behavior characteristics and in situ intestinal absorption characteristics of the evodiamine lipidic nanoparticle in rats. Evodiamine lipidic nanoparticle was prepared by the solvent evaporation methods. The particle size and zeta potential of evodiamine lipidic nanoparticle were measured by dynamic light scattering analysis. Male SD rats were divided into two groups randomly. Each group was given single dose of evodiamine and evodiamine lipidic nanoparticle by gavage at evodiamine dose of 250 mg/kg,respectively. The blood samples were collected at scheduled time points. The content of evodiamine in plasma samples was determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. The main pharmacokinetic parameters of evodiamine and evodiamine lipidic nanoparticle were calculated using DAS 2.1.1 software. Moreover,the single-pass intestinal perfusion model was also established in rats to investigate the in situ intestinal absorption characteristics of evodiamine lipidic nanoparticle. The mean particle size and mean zeta potential of evodiamine lipidic nanoparticle were 180.10 nm and -17.90 mV,respectively. The area under the curve of evodiamine and evodiamine lipidic nanoparticle were (862.60±14.03) and (4084.31±17.21) μg/L·h,respectively,and the peak concentration were (163.40±13.27) and (616.90±21.04) μg/L,respectively. Moreover,the absorption of evodiamine lipidic nanoparticle was significantly higher than that of evodiamine in each segment of intestinal tract in rats (P<0.05). The absorption of evodiamine lipidic nanoparticle in colon was better than those of evodiamine lipidic nanoparticle in stomach,duodenum,jejunum and ileum. The absorption rate constant of evodiamine lipidic nanoparticle in stomach,duodenum,jejunum,ileum and colon were (45.10±6.08)×10-5,(48.20±1.21)×10-5,(22.10±3.18)×10-5,(59.10±1.21)×10-5 and (90.00±3.85)×10-5 s-1,respectively,and the effective permeability coefficient in duodenum,jejunum,ileum and colon was (44.10±0.51)×10-5,(17.21±0.77)×10-5,(35.36±0.31)×10-5 and (40.33±0.34)×10-5 cm/s,respectively.All in all, evodiamine lipidic nanoparticle remarkably improved the in situ intestinal absorption of evodiamine in different segments of the intestinal tract in rats and its oral bioavailability in rats.

Simultaneous determination of 13 bioactive components in Jiawei Zuojin Pill by HPLC-MS/MS / 中草药

Objective: To develop and validate an high performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS) method for simultaneously qualitative and quantitative determination of 13 major bioactive components (ferulic acid, costunolide, baicalin, paeoniflorin, tetrahydropalmatine, rutecarpine, berberine, palmatine, evodiamine, naringin, hesperidin, saikosaponin a, and saikosaponin d) in Jiawei Zuojin Pills (JZP). Methods: The chromatographic separation was performed on a Thermo Syncronis C18 column (100 mm × 4.6 mm, 3.0 μm) with a gradient elution of methanol and 0.02 mol/L ammonium acetate in water at a flow rate of 0.35 mL/min, and the injection volume was 10 μL. The 13 major bioactive components were detected using an electrospray ionization source in ESI+ and ESI- ionization mode, quantified by multiple reaction monitor (MRM) scanning at the same time. Results: The linear ranges of ferulic acid, costunolide, baicalin, paeoniflorin, tetrahydropalmatine, rutecarpine, berberine, palmatine, evodiamine, naringin, hesperidin, saikosaponin a and saikosaponin d were 2-80 μg/mL (r = 0.999 2), 0.5-20.0 μg/mL (r = 0.999 1), 3.5-140.0 μg/mL (r = 0.999 8), 1-40 μg/mL (r = 0.999 2), 0.3-12.0 μg/mL (r = 0.999 1), 1-40 μg/mL (r = 0.999 2), 3-120 μg/mL (r = 0.999 7), 2.5-100.0 μg/mL (r = 0.999 5), 0.5-20.0 μg/mL (r = 0.999 3), 0.5-20.0 μg/mL (r = 0.999 1), 1-40 μg/mL (r = 0.999 1), 0.3-12.0 μg/mL (r = 0.999 2), 0.3-12.0 μg/mL (r = 0.999 2), and the average recoveries were 99.5% (RSD = 4.11%), 98.9% (RSD = 4.88%), 100.2% (RSD = 1.08%), 99.2% (RSD = 3.23%), 99.5% (RSD = 4.13%), 99.7% (RSD = 3.23%), 98.6% (RSD = 2.78%), 99.9% (RSD = 3.12%), 101.3% (RSD = 4.53%), 98.7% (RSD = 3.43%), 99.8% (RSD = 3.58%), 97.9% (RSD = 5.22%), and 101.3% (RSD = 5.13%), respectively. The contents of 12 batches of the 13 major bioactive components were 0.324-0.383, 0.051-0.072, 3.225-3.466, 0.154-0.198, 0.015-0.062, 0.144-0.199, 2.145-2.982, 0.441-0.953, 0.032-0.099, 0.062-0.089, 0.111-0.178, 0.012-0.065, 0.011-0.069 mg/g, respectively. Conclusion: The developed method is simple, specific, and sensitive, and it can be applied for the determination of 13 major bioactive components and the quality control of JZP.

Quality control of eight substances in Changwei San based on quantitative analysis of multi-components by single-marker / 国际药学研究杂志

Objective: To establish a quantitative analysis of multi-components by single marker(QAMS)method for the simultaneous determination of jaceosidin, eupatilin, limoni, evodiamine, rutaecarpine, cinnamyl alcohol, cinnamic acid and cinnamal-dehyde in Changwei San. Methods: The Waters Symmetry C18 column(250 mm×4.6 mm, 5 μm)was used for the separation, and the mobile phase was the acetonitrile(A)and 0.1% phosphoric acid(B)solution in a gradient elution at a flow rate of 1.0 ml/min. The detection wavelengths were set at 345 nm for jaceosidin and eupatilin, 215 nm for limoni, evodiamine and rutaecarpine, and 275 nm for cinnamyl alcohol, cinnamic acid and cinnamaldehyde. With evodiamine as an internal reference standard, the relative correction factors for the other 7 components were established and their contents were calculated with the relative correction factors to achieve the QAMS, and then the differences between the calculated values by QAMS and measured values by the external standard method(ESM) were compared to validate the accuracy and feasibility of the QAMS method. Results: Jaceosidin, eupatilin, limoni, evodiamine, rutaecarpine, cinnamyl alcohol, cinnamic acid and cinnamaldehyde showed good linear relationships within the ranges of 0.98-19.60, 2.67-53.40, 4.06-81.20, 1.98-39.60, 2.69-53.80, 0.56-11.20, 1.49-29.80, and 8.77-175.40 μg/ml(r≥0.9992), whose average recoveries(RSD) were 98.77%(0.96%), 99.38%(1.01%), 100.02%(0.83%), 97.80%(1.40%), 98.91%(1.18%), 96.99% (1.13%), 98.09%(1. 24%)and 99.10%(0.67%), respectively. No significant difference was observed between the calculated values by QAMS and the measured values by ESM. Conclusion: The established QAMS method is simple and accurate, which might be used to evaluate the quality of Changwei San.

Pharmacokinetic study on asparaginase-evodiamine loaded core-shell lipidic nanoparticles / 中国药理学通报

To investigate the pharmacokinetic behavior of core-shell lipidic nanoparticles (AELNs) loaded with asparaginase and evodiamine in rats, and compare the bioavailability of AELNs with free asparaginase (ASNase)/evodiamine (EVO). Methods Eighteen male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups and injected with AELNs, free ASNase and free EVO, respectively. After injection, blood samples were taken from the eyelids of rats at different time. The concentration of EVO and ASNase in plasma samples was determined by HPLC and Nessler reagent colorimetry method, respectively. To analyze the differences in pharmacokinetic behavior be-tween AELNs and free ASNase or EVO, their pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using DAS software. Results and MRTom4thy of ASNase in AELNs were 1. 83 and 1. 94 times higher than those of free ASNase, respectively. The AUC(0-48h) of EVO in AELNs was 29. 94 times that of free EVO. Conclusions Compared with free ASNase and EVO, AELNs have a higher bioavailability in rats.

Evodiamine induces apoptosis of human hepatoma cell line BEL-7402 by Hippo-YAP pathway / 中草药

Objective: To investigate the effects and the underlying mechanisms of evodiamine (EVO) on apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) BEL-7402 cells. Methods: Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was used to detect the effect of EVO on proliferation activity of BEL-7402 cells. Hoechst 33258 staining was used for observing morphological changes of apoptosis. The cell apoptosis and cycle distribution were analyzed by flow cytometry. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting assay were used to detect the expression levels of key genes from Hippo-YAP pathway in HL-7702 and BEL-7402 cells, including mammalian STE20-like protein kinase 1/2 (MST1/2), large tumor suppressor 1 (LATS1), and Yes-associated protein (YAP), then to examine the effect of EVO on the expression levels of these genes in BEL-7402 cells. The effect of EVO on the expression of YAP in hepatocellular carcinoma BEL-7402 cells was observed by immunofluorescence assay. Results: The proliferation of BEL-7402 cells were significantly inhibited by EVO in a dose- and time-dependent manners. Hoechst 33258 staining showed that EVO induced BEL-7402 cell typical apoptotic morphology, such as nuclear chromatin concentration and edge accumulation. Besides, flow cytometry tests showed that BEL-7402 cell apotosis were increased and cell cycle arrested in G2/M phase after being treated with EVO (P < 0.01). qRT-PCR and Western blotting showed that the expression level of MST2 and LATS1 were lower in BEL-7402 cell (P < 0.05), while the transcription and protein levels of YAP were significantly higher (P < 0.05). EVO could activate Hippo signal pathway, upregulate the expression of MST2 and LATS1 and then inhibit the expression of YAP in BEL-7402 cell (P < 0.05). Immunofluorescence assay also validated that EVO would significantly inhibit the overexpression of YAP in BEL-7402 cell (P < 0.01). Conclusion: EVO can induce the apoptosis of BEL-7402 cells, which may be through activating Hippo signal pathway and then down-regulate the expression of YAP.

Evodiamine Inhibits Angiotensin II-Induced Rat Cardiomyocyte Hypertrophy / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of evodiamine (Evo), a component of Evodiaminedia rutaecarpa (Juss.) Benth, on cardiomyocyte hypertrophy induced by angiotensin II (Ang II) and further explore the potential mechanisms.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Cardiomyocytes from neonatal Sprague Dawley rats were isolated and characterized, and then the cadiomyocyte cultures were randomly divided into control, model (Ang II 0.1 μmol/L), and Evo (0.03, 0.3, 3 μmol/L) groups. The cardiomyocyte surface area, protein level, intracellular free calcium ([Ca]) concentration, activity of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and content of nitric oxide (NO) were measured, respectively. The mRNA expressions of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), calcineurin (CaN), extracellular signal-regulated kinase-2 (ERK-2), and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) of cardiomyocytes were analyzed by real-time reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction. The protein expressions of calcineurin catalytic subunit (CnA) and mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase-1 (MKP-1) were detected by Western blot analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the control group, Ang II induced cardiomyocytes hypertrophy, as evidenced by increased cardiomyocyte surface area, protein content, and ANF mRNA expression; increased intracellular free calcium ([Ca]) concentration and expressions of CaN mRNA, CnA protein, and ERK-2 mRNA, but decreased MKP-1 protein expression (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with Ang II, Evo (0.3, 3 μmol/L) significantly attenuated Ang II-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, decreased the [Ca] concentration and expressions of CaN mRNA, CnA protein, and ERK-2 mRNA, but increased MKP-1 protein expression (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Most interestingly, Evo increased the NOS activity and NO production, and upregulated the eNOS mRNA expression (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Evo signifificantly attenuated Ang II-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, and this effect was partly due to promotion of NO production, reduction of [Ca]i concentration, and inhibition of CaN and ERK-2 signal transduction pathways.</p>

Effect of evodiamine on the proliferation and radiosensitivity of endometrial carcinoma cells / 中华放射医学与防护杂志

Objective To investigate the effect of evodiamine on the proliferation and sensitivity of endometrial cancer cells to irradiation.Methods After administration of evodiamine,cell proliferations of human endometrial carcinoma cell lines of Ishikawa,HEC-1A,AN3CA were detected by MTT and the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of drug was calculated.The cell lines most sensitive to drug were screened for further experiment and administered with evodiamine (IC50) and 8 Gy irradiation.Then,cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry,the levels of Cleaved Caspase-3,p38 and p-p38 were measured by Western blot,and the level of intracellular ROS was detected by a ROS kit.Cell clone survival was also detected to evaluate cell radiosensitivity.Results 1,2,4,6 and 8 μmol/L evodiamine could inhibit the proliferation of the cell line of Ishikawa,HEC-1A,and AN3CA with IC50 of(8.32 ± 0.95),(3.98 ± 0.84) and (4.78 ± 0.64) μmol/L,respectively.Compared with radiation alone,after radiation in combination with 4 μmol/L evodiamine,the apoptosis rate of HEC-1A cells was increased from (45.54 ±4.25)％ to (65.87 ±2.93)％ (t =11.010,P ＜0.05) and cell viability decreased from (41.84±4.18)％ to (33.27 ± 3.52)％ (t =7.484,P ＜0.05),and the levels of ROS,Cleaved Caspase-3 and p-p38 were also enhanced.In addition,the sensitivity ratio of evodiamine for HEC-1A cells was calculated to be 1.628.Conclusions Evodiamine could inhibit the proliferation,promote apoptosis and enhance the radiosensitivity of endometrial carcinoma cells,in which the intracellular ROS and p38 signaling pathway may be involved.

Effect of Evodiamine on Hypoxia Induced Cardiomyocytes Injury / 中国药师

Objective:To investigate the protective effect of evodiamine on cardiomyocytes hypoxia injury. Methods:H9c2 myo-cardial cells were exposed to hypoxia for 24 h to induce myocardial cell injury model. The cells were pretreated with different concentra-tions of evodiamine for 12 h. The cardiomyoctes viability was detected by CCK-8 assay. The transcription of inflammatory cytokines was detected by RT-PCR. The cardiomyocyte apoptosis was detected with Tunel staining. The alteration of signal pathway was detected by immunoblotting. Results:Four concentrations of evodiamine did not affect the activity of cardiomyocytes in the basal condition (P>0.05). After 24-hour hypoxia,the viability of cardiomyocytes decreased significantly when compared with that in the control group with significant difference (P<0.05) among 1,5 and 10 μmol·L-1evodia in a dose-dependent manner. The transcription of pro-inflam-matory cytokines(TNF-α,IL-1 and IL-6) significantly increased and the cells apoptosis increased. Evodiamine pretreatment increased the cell viability after hypoxia injury, reduced the transcription of inflammatory cytokines and reduced the number of apoptotic cells when compared with that in the control group with significant differences(P<0.05) between 1 μmol·L-1and 10 μmol·L-1evodia. The results of western blot showed that evodiamine activated AMPKα and AKT, inhibited the activity of NF- kappa B, and compared with the control group,there were significant differences(P<0.05) between 1 μmol·L-1and 10 μmol·L-1of evodia. Conclusion:Evodiamine can protect cardiomyocytes from hypoxia injury and may become a new anti-myocardial ischemia drug.

Evodiamine activates cellular apoptosis through suppressing PI3K/AKT and activating MAPK in glioma / 中国药理学与毒理学杂志

OBJECTIVE Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most malignant primary tumor of the central nervous system and is associated with a very poor prognosis. No further improvements in outcomes have been reported since radiotherapy-temozolomide therapy was introduced.Therefore,de-veloping new agents to treat GBM is important. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-tumor effect of evodiamine (Evo) on GBM cells, and to determine the underlying mechanisms involved. METHODS U251,LN229,HEB and PC12 cells were treated with various concentrations of evodiamine for 24 and 48 hours,cell viability was measured by MTT assay.The U251 and LN229 cells were treated with evo-diamine(0-10 μmol·L-1)for 24 h,and then stained with Hoechst 33258.An Annexin V-FITC Apoptosis Detection Kit was used to detect apoptosis in the cells.Reactive oxygen species(ROS)production was detected using dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) staining. The changes in mitochondrial mem-brane potential (MMP) were assessed by JC-1 after cells were treated with evodiamine. The expres-sion levels of p-PI3K,PI3K,p-Akt,Akt,Bax,Bcl-2,p-p38,p38,p-JNK,JNK,p-ERK,ERK,Cytochrome c, Caspase-3, cleaved Caspase-3, PRAP, and cleaved PARP were measured by Western blot analy-ses. RESULTS According to MTT assay results, Evo significantly inhibited the cell proliferation in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry analyses revealed that Evo induced cell apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner.Moreover,Evo induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) disruption. Finally, Evo induced apoptosis in cancer cells by suppressing PI3K/AKT signaling and inducing MAPK phos-phorylation(p38 and JNK,but not ERK)to regulate apoptotic proteins(Bax,Bcl-2,Cytochrome c,Cas-pase-3, and PARP). CONCLUSION In summary, Evo inhibits cell proliferation by inducing cellular apoptosis via suppressing PI3K/AKT and activating MAPK in GBM;these results indicate that Evo may be regarded as a new approach for GBM treatment.

In vitro release and in situ gastrointestinal absorption of evodiamine butyryl derivative-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles / 中国药理学通报

Aim To prepare evodiamine butyryl deriva-tive (EBD) and evodiamine butyryl derivative-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (EBDLN), and study its re-lease in vitro,and to investigate its in situ gastrointesti-nal absorption. Methods EBD was prepared by a one-step synthetized method, and then EBDLN was prepared by a film dispersion method. Dynamic dialy-sis was used to evaluate drug release in vitro,and sin-gle-pass gastrointestinal perfusion was employed to study the gastrointestinal absorption of EDM,EBD and EBDLN. Results In identical release media, there were identical drug release tendencies of EBD and EB-DLN, but the release rate of EBDLN was faster than EBD. Compared with EDM and EBD, the Kavalues and Pappvalues of EBDLN in every perfusion segment increased significantly. The Kaof EBDLN in stomach, duodenum, jejunum, ileum and colon was 110.14-fold,56.70-fold,51.23-fold,45.70-fold and 127.23-fold of free EDM respectively. The Pappvalue of EB-DLN was 9.74-fold, 4.48-fold, 3.82-fold and 11.3-fold of that of free EDM. Conclusion EBDLN has sustained effect and can enhance the gastrointestinal absorption of EDM and EBD.