Antioxidant mechanism of gastrodin combined with isorhynchophylline in inhibiting MPP~+-induced apoptosis of PC12 cells / 中国中药杂志

Gastrodiae Rhizoma-Uncariae Ramulus cum Uncis is the most frequently used herbal pair in the treatment of Parkinson's disease(PD). Gastrodin and isorhynchophylline are important components of Gastrodiae Rhizoma-Uncariae Ramulus cum Uncis herb pair with anti-Parkinson mechanism. This study aimed to investigate the effect of gastrodin combined with isorhynchophylline on 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium(MPP~+)-induced apoptosis of PC12 cells and their antioxidant mechanism. The leakage of lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) from cells to media was analyzed by spectrophotometry. Apoptotic cells were labeled with Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate(FITC) and propidium iodide(PI) and analyzed by flow cytometry. The cell cycle was analyzed using propidium iodide(PI) staining. Lipid peroxidation(LPO) level was analyzed by spectrophotometry. The mRNA expression of caspase-3 was examined by Real-time RT-PCR. The protein expressions of heme oxygenase 1(HO-1) and NADPH: quinoneoxidore-ductase 1(NQO-1) were determined by Western blot. Gastrodin combined with isorhynchophylline reduced the percentage of Annexin V-positive cells and cell cycle arrest in MPP~+-induced PC12 cells. Gastrodin combined with isorhynchophylline down-regulated the mRNA expression of caspase-3, up-regulated the protein expressions of HO-1 and NQO-1, and reduced LPO content in MPP~+-induced PC12 cells. PD98059, LY294002 or LiCl could partially reverse these changes pretreated with gastrodin combined with isorhynchophylline, suggesting that gastrodin combined with isorhynchophylline inhibited MPP~+-induced apoptosis of PC12 cells and oxidative stress through ERK1/2 and PI3 K/GSK-3β signal pathways. Our experiments showed that gastrodin combined with isorhynchophylline could down-re-gulate the mRNA expression of caspase-3 and up-regulate the protein expressions of HO-1 and NQO-1, so as to reduce oxidative stress and inhibit apoptosis.

Complexos de cobre com análogos de produtos naturais encontrados em organismos marinhos com atividade antitumoral / Copper complexes with analogues of natural products found in marine organisms with antitumor activity

Neste trabalho foram sintetizados complexos de cobre(II) com derivados imínicos da isatina, incluindo isatinas bromadas semelhantes a compostos encontrados em gastrópodes, a fim de compará-los com o composto já produzido e investigado [Cu(isaepy)], complexo de cobre(II) com base de Schiff feita a partir da isatina e 2-aminoetilpiridina. A isatina é um oxindol produzido em algumas plantas, também encontrado no tecido de mamíferos, com propriedades antitumorais naturais. Isatinas bromadas foram previamente constatadas como mais citotóxicas frente a células tumorais do que a isatina sem substituições. O objetivo principal foi verificar se a presença de bromo nos compostos análogos ao [Cu(isaepy)] levaria a um aumento da atividade antitumoral, assim como maior interação com DNA, alvo usual de metalofármacos. Depois de sintetizados, os compostos foram caracterizados por análise elementar (CHN), espectroscopia no infravermelho, espectroscopia UV/Vis e EPR. Foram feitos testes de citotoxicidade pelo método MTT com células de sarcoma uterino (MES-SA e MES-AS/Dx5, esta última resistente a doxorrubicina), adenocarcinoma cervical (HeLa) e células não cancerosas de fibroblasto humano P4. Adicionalmente, foram feitos testes de interação com DNA por UV/Vis e dicroísmo circular, além de testes de clivagem de DNA plasmidial. De modo geral, foi demonstrado que a simetria tetragonal em torno do cobre, determinada pelo EPR, é importante para a citotoxicidade dos complexos, que dessa forma podem se intercalar ao DNA e impedir sua replicação, por acabar distorcendo a hélice, e pela habilidade de realizarem clivagem oxidativa das fitas. [Cu(isaepy)] e seus análogos bromados demonstraram uma atividade citotóxica muito parecida, assim como grau de interação e clivagem com DNA. Conclui-se que, embora a presença de bromo nos análogos de [Cu(isaepy)] não levem a um aumento de atividade antitumoral, como observado em ligantes correlatos livres, nossos estudos apontam para diferentes fontes naturais (animal ou vegetal) para obtenção de precursores de novos compostos antitumorais

In the present work, copper(II) complexes were synthesized with isatin derived imine ligands, including brominated oxindoles similar to compounds found in gastropods, in order to compare their reactivity with that of [Cu(isaepy)], a Schiff base-copper(II) complex already investigated, obtained with the precursors isatin and 2-aminoethylpyridine. Isatin is a natural oxindole extracted from plants, and also found in mammal tissue, with antitumor properties. Brominated isatins were previously described as much more cytotoxic, towards tumor cells, than unsubstituted isatin. The aim of this work was to verify if the presence of brome in analogue [Cu(isaepy)] compounds would increase their antitumor activity, along with higher DNA interaction, an usual target for metallodrugs. The copper(II) complexes were synthesized and then characterized through elemental analyses (CHN), infrared, UV/Vis and EPR spectroscopies. Cytotoxicity tests were carried out using MTT assay with cells lines MES-SA e MES-SA/Dx5 (uterine sarcome, sensitive and resistent to doxorubicin), HeLa (cervical adenocarcinoma) and non-tumor cells, human fibroblast P4. Additionally, DNA interaction experiments were carried out through UV/Vis spectroscopy and circular dichroism, and at last, DNA cleavage experiments with the studied complexes. In general, it was shown that a tetragonal symmetry around copper, shown by EPR, is very important to the complexes toxicity, since in that way they are able to intercalate DNA, and prevent its replication, as a consequence of double helix distortion, and eventual oxidative cleavage. [Cu(isaepy)] and its brominated analogues demonstrated a very similar cytotoxicity towards cancer cells, as well as quite same level of DNA interaction and cleavage. Although the presence of brome did not increase significantly their antitumor activity, as verified with the free isatin derivatives, our studies pointed to different natural sources to obtain precursors for such new antitumor compounds

Effects of light intensity on growth and content of active components of Uncaria rhynchophyll / 中国中药杂志

The aim of this study was to study the effects of different light intensity on the growth,biomass accumulation and distribution,chlorophyll content and effective components of Uncaria rhynchophylla seedlings,and explore the suitable light intensity conditions for artificial cultivation of U. rhynchophylla seedlings. Three-year-old U. rhynchophylla seedlings were used as experimental materials. Four light intensity levels( 100%,70%-75%,30%-35%,5%-10%) were set up with different layers of black shading net. With the decrease of light intensity,the results showed that the plant height,basal diameter and biomass( root,stem,leaf and hook) of U.rhynchophylla seedlings exhibited the trend of " increase-decrease". Under 70%-75% light intensity,the plant height,basal diameter,biomass( root,stem,leaf,hook) of U. rhynchophylla seedlings were significantly higher than those of other treatments( P< 0. 05);under 5%-10% light intensity,the plant height,basal diameter and biomass( root,hook) of U. rhynchophylla seedlings were significantly lower than those of other treatments( P<0. 05). With the decrease of light intensity,the chlorophyll content of U. rhynchophylla seedlings increased gradually: under 100% light intensity,the chlorophyll content of U. rhynchophylla seedlings were the smallest,while under 100% light intensity,its chlorophyll content was the highest. With the decrease of light intensity,the contents of rhynchophylline and isorhynchophylline in different organs of U. rhynchophylla seedlings varied: under 30%-35% light intensity,the contents of rhynchophylline and isorhynchophylline in hooks and rhynchophylline content in stems were the highest; under 5%-10% light intensity,the contents of rhynchophylline and isorhynchophylline in leaves and stems of U. rhynchophylla were the highest. In conclusion,70%-75% light intensity is suitable for seedling growth and biomass accumulation,and 30%-35% light intensity is suitable for the accumulation of effective components in U. rhynchophylla seedlings.