Identification of ligustrazine-based analogs of piperlongumine as potential anti-ischemic stroke agents.

Piper longum has a specific aroma and spicy taste. In addition to edible value, current studies have shown that piper longum also has pharmacological activities such as anti-platelet aggregation, anti-inflammation, anti-cancer, anti-diabetes and anti-depression. Piperlongumine is an alkaloid isolated from Piper longum. Based on our previous studies, four Piperlongumine analogs were synthesized, and their anti-platelet aggregation activities were evaluated. Among them, compound 8 has the strongest anti-platelet aggregation activity. Therefore, compound 8 was docked with stroke-related protein targets, and it was found that compound 8 had good binding affinity to MRTF-A complex and Bcl-2. Through animal experiments, it was found that compound 8 could significantly improve the pathological damage of brain tissue after ischemia and could increase the expression of MRTF-A and Bcl-2 in cerebral cortex in rats. These results suggest that compound 8 may have a good inhibitory effect on apoptosis and tissue structurel disorders induced by cerebral ischemia-reperfusion, so as to reduce the injury caused by ischemic stroke.

Protective Effect of Pyrola decorata H. Andres on β-amyloid Protein- induced Cytotoxicity in PC12 Cells / 医药导报

Objective To investigate protective activity against Aβ25-35-induced cytotoxicity in PC12 cells of different extracts and ursolic acid, which were isolated from pyrola decorata. Methods Aβ25-35-induced cytotoxicity in PC12 cells was established as the model in vitro. The cultured PC12 cells were divided into blank control group, DMSO control group, model control group, different extract groups of pyrola decorate and ursolic acid(UA) group. The different extract groups included ether extract (PE), acetidin extract (AE), n-butanol extract (BE), the water extract (WE), 50% ethanol extract (HEE). MTT assay was used to test the optimum concentration, and the number of viable cells in culture medium was measured by ELISA at 490 nm wavelength. Results The cell viabilities in different extracts groups(PE, AE, BE, WE, HEE) were respectively 89.3%, 77.2%, 79. 2%, 75. 1% ,74. 0% at the concentration of 5. 0 mg ? mL-1 . Moreover, ursolic acid showed the best neuroprotective activity (88.9%) at the concentration of 500 μg?L-1 . Compared with model control group, the survival rate of each group was remarkably increased, and the protective activities of PE and UA were more significant among them. Conclusion Different polar extracts of pyrola decorata and isolated ursolic acid have neuroprotective effects on Aβ25-35-induced cytotoxicity in PC12 cells in certain degrees.