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Liang C, Ma Y, Ding M, Gao F, Yu K, Wang S, Qu Y, Hua H, Li D. Asiatic acid and its derivatives: Pharmacological insights and applications. Eur J Med Chem 2025; 289:117429. [PMID: 40015163 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2025.117429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2025] [Revised: 02/07/2025] [Accepted: 02/19/2025] [Indexed: 03/01/2025]
Abstract
Centella asiatica (L.) Urban has been utilized in wound healing remedies for nearly 3000 years. Asiatic acid (AA), a pentacyclic triterpenoid characterized by ursane-type skeleton, serves as principal bioactive constituent of Centella asiatica, exhibits remarkable therapeutic potential across a spectrum of health conditions. Pharmacological investigations have revealed that AA exerts direct regulatory effects on a multitude of enzymes, receptors, inflammatory mediators, and transcription factors. This article systematically examines the therapeutic applications of AA and its derivatives in the management of neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, cardiovascular disorders, and infections. Additionally, recent advancements in the structural modification of AA are summarized, offering new insights for the development of low-toxicity, effective AA-based therapeutics and diagnostic agents. However, several challenges remain, including the paucity of clinical trials, uncertainties in dosage and treatment regimens, limited data on long-term safety and side effects, and poor bioavailability. Addressing these limitations is crucial for advancing AA-based therapies and ensuring their clinical applicability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaowei Liang
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, and School of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, 110016, PR China
| | - Yongzhi Ma
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, and School of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, 110016, PR China
| | - Minni Ding
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, and School of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, 110016, PR China
| | - Fang Gao
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, and School of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, 110016, PR China
| | - Kewang Yu
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, and School of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, 110016, PR China
| | - Siyu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, and School of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, 110016, PR China
| | - Ying Qu
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, and School of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, 110016, PR China
| | - Huiming Hua
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, and School of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, 110016, PR China.
| | - Dahong Li
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, and School of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, 110016, PR China.
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Heise NV, Meyer SJ, Csuk R, Mueller T. Dehydroabietylamine-substituted trifluorobenzene sulfonamide rhodamine B hybrids as anticancer agents overcoming drug resistance. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 276:116667. [PMID: 38996651 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2024] [Revised: 07/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024]
Abstract
Attachment of a conjugate assembled from a novel fluorinated carbonic anhydrase inhibitor and rhodamine B onto dehydroabietylamine (DHA) or cyclododecylamine led to first-in-class conjugates of good cytotoxicity; thereby IC50 values (from SRB assays; employed tumor cell lines A2780, A2780Cis, A549, HT29, MCF7, and non-malignant human fibroblasts CCD18Co) between 0.2 and 0.7 μM were found. Both conjugates showed similar cytotoxic activity but the dehydroabietylamine derived conjugate outperformed its cyclododecyl analog in terms of tumor cell/non-tumor cell selectivity. Both conjugates accumulate intracellular, and the DHA conjugate was able to overcome drug resistance which is effective independent of the expression status of carbonic anhydrase IX.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niels V Heise
- Organic Chemistry, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Str. 2, D-06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Sven J Meyer
- Organic Chemistry, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Str. 2, D-06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - René Csuk
- Organic Chemistry, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Str. 2, D-06120, Halle (Saale), Germany.
| | - Thomas Mueller
- University Clinic for Internal Medicine IV, Hematology/Oncology, Medical Faculty, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Ernst-Grube-Str. 40, D-06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
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Denner TC, Heise NV, Hoenke S, Csuk R. Synthesis of Rhodamine-Conjugated Lupane Type Triterpenes of Enhanced Cytotoxicity. Molecules 2024; 29:2346. [PMID: 38792206 PMCID: PMC11123818 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29102346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Various conjugates with rhodamines were prepared by starting with betulinic acid (BA) and platanic acid (PA). The molecules homopiperazine and piperazine, which were identified in earlier research, served as linkers between the rhodamine and the triterpene. The pentacyclic triterpene's ring A was modified with two acetyloxy groups in order to possibly boost its cytotoxic activity. The SRB assays' cytotoxicity data showed that conjugates 13-22, derived from betulinic acid, had a significantly higher cytotoxicity. Of these hybrids, derivatives 19 (containing rhodamine B) and 22 (containing rhodamine 101) showed the best values with EC50 = 0.016 and 0.019 μM for A2780 ovarian carcinoma cells. Additionally, based on the ratio of EC50 values, these two compounds demonstrated the strongest selectivity between malignant A2780 cells and non-malignant NIH 3T3 fibroblasts. A375 melanoma cells were used in cell cycle investigations, which showed that the cells were halted in the G1/G0 phase. Annexin V/FITC/PI staining demonstrated that the tumor cells were affected by both necrosis and apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - René Csuk
- Organic Chemistry, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes, Str. 2, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
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Heise NV, Heisig J, Meier K, Csuk R, Mueller T. F16 Hybrids Derived from Steviol or Isosteviol Are Accumulated in the Mitochondria of Tumor Cells and Overcome Drug Resistance. Molecules 2024; 29:381. [PMID: 38257294 PMCID: PMC10821019 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29020381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 01/06/2024] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Steviol and isosteviol were prepared from the commercially available sweetener stevioside and converted into lipophilic F16 hybrids. Their cytotoxicity was determined in SRB assays and showed to depend on both the substitution pattern of the aromatic substituent as well as on the spacer length. Therefore, compound 25 held an IC50 (A2780) of 180 nM, thus surpassing the activity of comparable rhodamine hybrids. Several of the compounds were also able to overcome drug resistance in the A2780/A2780cis model. Extra staining experiments showed a similar subcellular accumulation pattern of the F16 hybrids as a well-established mitocan, hence proving preferential mitochondrial accumulation but also some other accumulation in other cellular areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niels V. Heise
- Organic Chemistry, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes, Str. 2, D-06120 Halle (Saale), Germany; (N.V.H.); (J.H.)
| | - Julia Heisig
- Organic Chemistry, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes, Str. 2, D-06120 Halle (Saale), Germany; (N.V.H.); (J.H.)
| | - Kristof Meier
- Hematology/Oncology, Medical Faculty, University Clinic for Internal Medicine IV, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Ernst-Grube Str. 40, D-06120 Halle (Saale), Germany; (K.M.); (T.M.)
| | - René Csuk
- Organic Chemistry, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes, Str. 2, D-06120 Halle (Saale), Germany; (N.V.H.); (J.H.)
| | - Thomas Mueller
- Hematology/Oncology, Medical Faculty, University Clinic for Internal Medicine IV, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Ernst-Grube Str. 40, D-06120 Halle (Saale), Germany; (K.M.); (T.M.)
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