Antifungal activity of saponin-rich extracts of Phytolacca dioica and of the sapogenins obtained through hydrolysis.

A saponin-rich extract of Phytolacca dioica L. berries, its acid hydrolysate, and its major aglycone, phytolaccagenin, were assayed for antifungal activity against ATCC standard cultures of Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans, and against clinical isolates of these fungi. The activity of the extract was either low or negligible, but the hydrolysate, containing the sapogenins, including phytolaccagenin, and also pure phytolaccagenin, showed promising antifungal potency. Hydrolysis of a natural product extract is shown to be a useful modification leading to improved bioactivity.

Structure-affinity relationships of halogenated predicentrine and glaucine derivatives at D1 and D2 dopaminergic receptors: halogenation and D1 receptor selectivity.

Halogenation of the aporphine alkaloid boldine at the 3-position leads to increased affinity for rat brain D(1)-like dopaminergic receptors with some selectivity over D(2)-like receptors. A series of 3-halogenated and 3,8-dihalogenated (halogen=Cl, Br or I) derivatives of predicentrine (9-O-methylboldine) and glaucine (2,9-di-O-methylboldine) were prepared and assayed for binding at D(1) and D(2) sites. Halogenation of predicentrine led to strong increases in affinity for D(1)-like receptors, while the affinities for D(2)-like receptors were either practically unchanged or reduced three- to fourfold. Halogenated glaucine derivatives did not show any clear trend towards enhanced selectivity, and the affinities were poor and similar to or worse than the values previously recorded for glaucine itself. Together with earlier work on boldine derivatives, these results suggest that the 2-hydroxy group on the aporphine skeleton may determine a binding mode favoring D(1)-like over D(2)-like receptors, with enhanced affinity when the C-3 position is halogenated.

Effects of some antioxidative aporphine derivatives on striatal dopaminergic transmission and on MPTP-induced striatal dopamine depletion in B6CBA mice.

(S)-(+)-boldine, an aporphine alkaloid displaying antioxidative and dopaminergic properties, and six of its derivatives (glaucine, 3-bromoboldine, 3-iodoboldine, 8-aminoboldine, 8-nitrosoboldine and 2,9-O,O'-dipivaloylboldine) were tested for these properties in comparison with their parent compound. All the tested compounds displayed in vitro antioxidative properties equal to or slightly weaker than those of boldine, and equal to or stronger than (+/-)-6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8,-tetramethylchromane-2-carboxylic acid (Trolox), a water-soluble vitamin E analogue, used as a reference compound. All the aporphine compounds tested displaced [3H]SCH 23390 and [3H]raclopride from their specific binding sites in rat striatum. When tested on dopamine (DA) metabolism in the striatum of B6CBA mice, all the compounds, except 8-aminoboldine, increased striatal levels of DOPAC and HVA, and the HVA/DA ratio, indicating that they cross the blood-brain barrier and that they seem to act as dopamine antagonists in vivo. B6CBA mice were sensitive to the neurotoxic action of MPTP on dopaminergic neurons as indicated by the strongly decreased striatal levels of DA, DOPAC and HVA following administration of MPTP (20 mg/kg, i.p.). Among these aporphine derivatives, only 3-bromoboldine was able to reduce the MPTP-induced decrease of striatal levels of DA and DOPAC, whereas (R)-apomorphine (5 mg/kg, s.c.) and acetylsalicylic acid (100 mg/kg, i.p.), used as reference compounds, were very active. These data suggest that potent in vitro antioxidative properties and the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier are not sufficient criteria to predict the inhibition of neuronal degeneration induced by MPTP.