Novel flavonolignan hybrid antioxidants: From enzymatic preparation to molecular rationalization.

A series of antioxidants was designed and synthesized based on conjugation of the hepatoprotective flavonolignan silybin with l-ascorbic acid, trolox alcohol or tyrosol via a C12 aliphatic linker. These hybrid molecules were prepared from 12-vinyl dodecanedioate-23-O-silybin using the enzymatic regioselective acylation procedure with Novozym 435 (lipase B) or with lipase PS. Voltammetric analyses showed that the silybin-ascorbic acid conjugate exhibited excellent electron donating ability, in comparison to the other conjugates. Free radical scavenging, antioxidant activities and cytoprotective action were evaluated. The silybin-ascorbic acid hybrid exhibited the best activities (IC50 = 30.2 µM) in terms of lipid peroxidation inhibition. The promising protective action of the conjugate against lipid peroxidation can be attributed to modulated electron transfer abilities of both the silybin and ascorbate moieties, but also to the hydrophobic C12 linker facilitating membrane insertion. This was supported experimentally and theoretically by density functional theory (DFT) and molecular dynamics (MD) calculations. The results presented here can be used in the further development of novel multipotent antioxidants and cytoprotective agents, in particular for substances acting at an aqueous/lipid interface.

Flavonolignan 2,3-dehydroderivatives: Preparation, antiradical and cytoprotective activity.

The protective constituents of silymarin, an extract from Silybum marianum fruits, have been extensively studied in terms of their antioxidant and hepatoprotective activities. Here, we explore the electron-donor properties of the major silymarin flavonolignans. Silybin (SB), silychristin (SCH), silydianin (SD) and their respective 2,3-dehydroderivatives (DHSB, DHSCH and DHSD) were oxidized electrochemically and their antiradical/antioxidant properties were investigated. Namely, Folin-Ciocalteau reduction, DPPH and ABTS(+) radical scavenging, inhibition of microsomal lipid peroxidation and cytoprotective effects against tert-butyl hydroperoxide-induced damage to a human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cell line were evaluated. Due to the presence of the highly reactive C3-OH group and the C-2,3 double bond (ring C) allowing electron delocalization across the whole structure in the 2,3-dehydroderivatives, these compounds are much more easily oxidized than the corresponding flavonolignans SB, SCH and SD. This finding was unequivocally confirmed not only by experimental approaches, but also by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The hierarchy in terms of ability to undergo electrochemical oxidation (DHSCH~DHSD>DHSB>>SCH/SD>SB) was consistent with their antiradical activities, mainly DPPH scavenging, as well as in vitro cytoprotection of HepG2 cells. The results are discussed in the context of the antioxidant vs. prooxidant activities of flavonolignans and molecular interactions in complex biological systems.

Metabolism of palmatine by human hepatocytes and recombinant cytochromes P450.

In this study, we developed a new liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method for analysis of the protoberberine alkaloid palmatine and its metabolites with separation performed on a cyanopropyl-modified stationary phase. Palmatine (10 µM) was metabolized using suspensions of human hepatocytes and human recombinant cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes. Our analyses using electrospray ionization-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry revealed that palmatine was relatively resistant to the metabolic activity of human hepatocytes and recombinant CYP enzymes. However, we found that the biotransformation of palmatine in human hepatocytes included O-demethylation or hydroxylation, and that the product of palmatine demethylation was conjugated by glucuronidation or sulfation. Moreover, we found that human recombinant CYP2D6 and, to a lesser extent, CYP1A2 can mediate O-demethylation of palmatine. These results provide fundamental insights into the biotransformation of palmatine in human in vitro models and, together with the LC-MS method, can be applied for further studies on the biotransformation of palmatine and other protoberberine alkaloids.