Strong antinociceptive effect of incarvillateine, a novel monoterpene alkaloid from Incarvillea sinensis

Curcumin Stereoisomer, Cis-Trans Curcumin, as a Novel Ligand to A1 and A3 Adenosine Receptors

Adenosine receptors (ARs) are being explored to generate non-opioid pain therapeutics. Vanilloid compounds, curcumin, capsaicin, and vanillin possess antinociceptive properties through their interactions with the transient receptor potential channel family. However, their binding with adenosine receptors has not been well studied. The hypothesis in this study was that a vanilloid compound, cis-trans curcumin (CTCUR), binds to each of the two Gi-linked AR subtypes (A₁AR and A₃AR). CTCUR was synthesized from curcumin (CUR) using the cavitand-mediated photoisomerization technique. The cell lines transfected with the specific receptor (A₁AR or A₃AR) were treated with CTCUR or CUR and the binding was analyzed using competitive assays, confocal microscopy, and docking. The binding assays and molecular docking indicated that CTCUR had Ki values of 306 nM (A₁AR) and 400 nM (A₃AR). These values suggest that CTCUR is selective for Gi-linked ARs (A₁AR or A₃AR) over Gs-linked ARs (A_2AAR or A_2BAR), based on our previous published research. In addition, the docking showed that CTCUR binds to the toggle switch domain of ARs. Curcumin (CUR) did not exhibit binding at any of these receptors. In summary, CTCUR and other modifications of CUR can be developed as novel therapeutic ligands for the Gi-linked ARs (A₁AR and A₃AR) involved with pain and cancer.

[2 + 2]-Cycloaddition-derived cyclobutane natural products: structural diversity, sources, bioactivities, and biomimetic syntheses

This review summarizes the structural diversity, bioactivities, and biomimetic synthesis of [2 + 2]-type cyclobutane natural products, along with discussion of their biosynthesis, stereochemical analysis, racemic occurrence, and biomimetic synthesis.

Monoterpene Alkaloids from Incarvillea delavayi Bureau et Franchet and Their Inhibition against LPS Induced NO Production in BV2 Cells

Three new monoterpene alkaloids, delavatines C-E (1-3), along with five known ones (4-8), were separated from the whole plants of Incarvillea delavayi. All compounds were deduced by interpretation of comprehensive NMR spectral data and X-Ray single crystal diffraction, in combination with a quantum chemical calculation of NMR chemical shift coupled with an advanced statistical procedure DP4+. Compounds 1-8 were assessed NO suppressive effect in LPS-stimulated BV2 microglia cells. Compounds 2, 3, 6, and 8 exhibited significant inhibition against NO production in LPS-induced BV2 cells with IC₅₀ values of 25.62, 17.29, 19.94 and 23.88 μM, stronger than or comparable to the positive control (AG) with IC₅₀ value of 26.13 μM.

The isolation of water-soluble natural products - challenges, strategies and perspectives

Covering period: up to 2019Water-soluble natural products constitute a relevant group of secondary metabolites notably known for presenting potent biological activities. Examples are aminoglycosides, β-lactam antibiotics, saponins of both terrestrial and marine origin, and marine toxins. Although extensively investigated in the past, particularly during the golden age of antibiotics, hydrophilic fractions have been less scrutinized during the last few decades. This review addresses the possible reasons on why water-soluble metabolites are now under investigated and describes approaches and strategies for the isolation of these natural compounds. It presents examples of several classes of hydrosoluble natural products and how they have been isolated. Novel stationary phases and chromatography techniques are also reviewed, providing a perspective towards a renaissance in the investigation of water-soluble natural products.

Novel curcumin analog (cis-trans curcumin) as ligand to adenosine receptors A2A and A2B: potential for therapeutics

All four of the adenosine receptor (AR) subtypes mediate pain and have been targeted by pharmacologists to generate new therapeutics for chronic pain. The vanilloid phytochemicals, which include curcumin, capsaicin, and gingerol, have been shown to alleviate pain. However, there is little to no literature on the interaction of vanilloid phytochemicals with ARs. In this study, photochemical methods were used to generate a novel isomer of curcumin (cis-trans curcumin or CTCUR), and the interactions of both curcumin and CTCUR with the two Gs-linked AR subtypes were studied. Competitive binding assays, docking analysis, and confocal fluorescence microscopy were performed to measure binding affinity; cell survival assays were used to measure toxicity; and cAMP assays were performed to measure receptor activation. Competitive binding results indicated that CTCUR binds to both AR A2A and AR A2B with Ki values of 5 μM and 7 μM, respectively, which is consistent with our docking results. Fluorescence microscopy data also shows binding for A2B and A2A. Cell survival results show that CTCUR and CUR are nontoxic at the tested concentrations in these cell lines. Overall, our results suggest that vanilloid phytochemicals may be slightly modified to increase interaction with Gs-ARs, and thereby can be further explored to provide a novel class of non-opioid antinociceptives.

Incarvillateine produces antinociceptive and motor suppressive effects via adenosine receptor activation

(-)-Incarvillateine (INCA) is a natural product that has garnered attention due to its purported analgesic effects and historical use as a pain reliever in China. α-Truxillic acid monoesters (TAMEs) constitute a class of inhibitors targeting fatty acid binding protein 5 (FABP5), whose inhibition produces analgesia in animal models. The structural similarity between INCA and TAMEs motivated us to assess whether INCA exerts its antinociceptive effects via FABP inhibition. We found that, in contrast to TAMEs, INCA did not exhibit meaningful binding affinities toward four human FABP isoforms (FABP3, FABP4, FABP5 and FABP7) in vitro. INCA-TAME, a putative monoester metabolite of INCA that closely resembles TAMEs also lacked affinity for FABPs. Administration of INCA to mice produced potent antinociceptive effects while INCA-TAME was without effect. Surprisingly, INCA also potently suppressed locomotor activity at the same dose that produces antinociception. The motor suppressive effects of INCA were reversed by the adenosine A2 receptor antagonist 3,7-dimethyl-1-propargylxanthine. Collectively, our results indicate that INCA and INCA-TAME do not inhibit FABPs and that INCA exerts potent antinociceptive and motor suppressive effects at equivalent doses. Therefore, the observed antinociceptive effects of INCA should be interpreted with caution.

Inactivated FABP5 suppresses malignant progression of prostate cancer cells by inhibiting the activation of nuclear fatty acid receptor PPARγ

Previous study has suggested that the FABP5-PPARγ-signalling transduction pathway gradually replaces the androgen receptor activated pathway in promoting malignant progression of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) cells. To interfere with this newly discovered FABP5-related signalling pathway, we have produced a highly efficient recombinant FABP5 inhibitor, named dmrFABP5. Treatment with dmrFABP5 significantly supressed the proliferation, migration, invasion and colony formation of the highly malignant prostate cancer cells PC3-M in vitro. To test dmrFABP5's suppressive effect in CRPC, the human PC3-M cells were implanted orthotopically into the prostate gland of immunosuppressed mice to produce tumours. These mice were then treated with dmrFABP5 and produced a highly significant reduction of 100% in metastatic rate and a highly significant reduction of 13-fold in the average size of primary tumours. Immunocytochemial staining showed that the staining intensity of dmrFABP5 treated tumours was reduced by 67%. When tested in vitro, dmrFABP5 suppressed the cancer cells by blocking fatty acid stimulation of PPARγ, and thereby prevented it activating down-stream cancer-promoting or inhibiting cancer-suppressing genes. Our results show that the FABP5 inhibitor dmrFABP5 is a novel molecule for treatment of experimental CRPC and its inhibitory effect is much greater than that produced by SB-FI-26 reported in our previous work.

Ferulic acid dimer as a non-opioid therapeutic for acute pain

Purpose

Search for alternate pain medications has gained more importance in the past few years due to adverse effects associated with currently prescribed drugs including nervous system dysfunction with opioids, gastrointestinal discomfort with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and cardiovascular anomalies with cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors. Phytomedicine has been explored for the treatment of pain, as these have been used for generations in regional communities and tend to lack major side effects in general. One such phytomedicine, incarvillateine (INCA), derived from the Chinese herb Incarvillea sinensis has its primary antinociceptive action through the adenosine receptor, a novel pain target. We hypothesized that derivatives of cinnamic acid dimers, which are structurally similar to INCA, would show potent antinociceptive action and that their effect would be mediated through adenosine receptor action.

Materials and methods

Dimers of cinnamic acid (INCA analogs) were synthesized using cavitand-mediated photodimerization (CMP) method, which utilizes a macromolecule (γ-cyclodextrin) to control excited state reactivity of photoactive compounds. Acute pain response was assessed by using formalin-induced licking behavior in hind paw of mice, and neurologic function was monitored through locomotor activity, mechanical hyperalgesia, and thermal sensitivity upon administration of test compound. For mechanistic studies, binding to adenosine receptor was determined by using computer modeling.

Results

Ferulic acid dimer (FAD), which has the same chemical functionalities on the aromatic ring as INCA, showed significant suppression of formalin-induced acute pain. Antinociceptive effect was observed primarily in the inflammatory phase, and no apparent behavioral changes related to the nervous system were noticeable. Inhibition of opioid receptor did not reverse antinociceptive response, and modeling data suggest adenosine 3 receptor binding.

Conclusion

FAD (INCA analog) shows potent nonopioid antinociceptive action mediated predominantly through A₃AR - adenosine 3 receptor action. Further characterization and selection of such INCA analogs will help us generate a new class of antinociceptives with precise chemical modifications by using CMP methodology.

SAR studies on truxillic acid mono esters as a new class of antinociceptive agents targeting fatty acid binding proteins

Fatty acid binding proteins (FABPs) serve as critical modulators of endocannabinoid signaling by facilitating the intracellular transport of anandamide and whose inhibition potentiates anandamide signaling. Our previous work has identified a novel small-molecule FABP inhibitor, α-truxillic acid 1-naphthyl monoester (SB-FI-26, 3) that has shown efficacy as an antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory agent in rodent models. In the present work, we have performed an extensive SAR study on a series of 3-analogs as novel FABP inhibitors based on computer-aided inhibitor drug design and docking analysis, chemical synthesis and biological evaluations. The prediction of binding affinity of these analogs to target FABP3, 5 and 7 isoforms was performed using the AutoDock 4.2 program, using the recently determined co-crystal structures of 3 with FABP5 and FABP7. The compounds with high docking scores were synthesized and evaluated for their activities using a fluorescence displacement assay against FABP3, 5 and 7. During lead optimization, compound 3l emerged as a promising compound with the Ki value of 0.21 μM for FABP 5, 4-fold more potent than 3 (Ki, 0.81 μM). Nine compounds exhibit similar or better binding affinity than 3, including compounds 4b (Ki, 0.55 μM) and 4e (Ki, 0.68 μM). Twelve compounds are selective for FABP5 and 7 with >10 μM Ki values for FABP3, indicating a safe profile to avoid potential cardiotoxicity concerns. Compounds 4f, 4j and 4k showed excellent selectivity for FABP5 and would serve as other new lead compounds. Compound 3a possessed high affinity and high selectivity for FABP7. Compounds with moderate to high affinity for FABP5 displayed antinociceptive effects in mice while compounds with low FABP5 affinity lacked in vivo efficacy. In vivo pain model studies in mice revealed that exceeding hydrophobicity significantly affects the efficacy. Thus, among the compounds with high affinity to FABP5 in vitro, the compounds with moderate hydrophobicity were identified as promising new lead compounds for the next round of optimization, including compounds 4b and 4j. For select cases, computational analysis of the observed SAR, especially the selectivity of new inhibitors to particular FABP isoforms, by comparing docking poses, interaction map, and docking energy scores has provided useful insights.

Inhibitor SBFI26 suppresses the malignant progression of castration-resistant PC3-M cells by competitively binding to oncogenic FABP5

Castration resistant-prostate cancer is largely impervious to feather hormonal therapy and hence the outlook for patients is grim. Here we use an approach to attach the recently discovered Achilles heel. The experimental treatment established in this study is based on the recent discovery that it is the FABP5-PPARγ-VEGF signalling axis, rather than the androgen receptor pathway, played a dominant role in promoting the malignant progression of castration resistant prostate cancer cells. Treatments have been established in mice by suppressing the biological activity of FABP5 using a chemical inhibitor SBFI26. The inhibitor significantly suppressed the proliferation, migration, invasiveness and colony formation of PC3-M cells in vitro. It also produced a highly significant suppression of both the metastases and the primary tumours developed from cancer cells implanted orthotopically into the prostate glands of the mice. The inhibitor SBFI26 interferes with the FABP5-PPARγ- signalling pathway at the initial stage of the signal transduction by binding competitively to FABP5 to inhibit cellular fatty acid uptake. This avoids the fatty-acid stimulation of PPARγ and prevents it activating the down-stream regulated cancer-promoting genes. This entirely novel experimental approach to treating castration- resistant prostate cancer is completely different from current treatments that are based on androgen-blockade therapy.

Enantioselective C-H Arylation and Vinylation of Cyclobutyl Carboxylic Amides

Chiral mono-N-protected aminomethyl oxazoline (MPAO) ligands are found to promote enantioselective C-H arylation and vinylation of the cyclobutyl carboxylic acid derivatives via Pd(II)/Pd(IV) redox catalysis. This ligand scaffold overcame two important limitations of the previous MPAHA (mono-N-protected α-amino-O-methylhydroxamic acid) ligands-enabled asymmetric C-H activation/C-C coupling reactions of cyclic carboxylic amides through Pd(II)/Pd(0) catalysis: substrates containing α-hydrogen atoms are not compatible; vinylation has not been developed. Sequential C-H arylation and vinylation of cyclobutanes are also accomplished to construct three consecutive chiral centers on the crowded cyclobutane rings, rendering this reaction highly versatile for the preparation of chiral cyclobutanes.

Crystal structure of r-1,c-2-dibenzoyl-t-3,t-4-bis-(2-nitro-phen-yl)cyclo-butane

The condensation reaction of aceto-phenone (1-phenyl-ethan-1-one) with 2-nitro-benzaldehyde in the molten state yielded the expected chalcone, (E)-3-(2-nitro-phen-yl)-1-phenyl-prop-2-en-1-one, and, unexpectedly, the title compound, C₃₀H₂₂N₂O₆, which results from the syn head-to-head [2 + 2] cyclo-addition of the chalcone. The mol-ecular structure of the dimer shows that the four benzene rings of the substituents are oriented in such a way that potential steric hindrance is minimized, whilst allowing some degree of inter-molecular π-π inter-actions for crystal stabilization. In the mol-ecule, one nitro group is disordered over two positions, with occupancies for each part of 0.876 (7) and 0.127 (7).

Fatty-acid-binding protein inhibition produces analgesic effects through peripheral and central mechanisms

Background

Fatty-acid-binding proteins (FABPs) are intracellular carriers for endocannabinoids, N-acylethanolamines, and related lipids. Previous work indicates that systemically administered FABP5 inhibitors produce analgesia in models of inflammatory pain. It is currently not known whether FABP inhibitors exert their effects through peripheral or central mechanisms. Here, we examined FABP5 distribution in dorsal root ganglia and spinal cord and examined the analgesic effects of peripherally and centrally administered FABP5 inhibitors.

Results

Immunofluorescence revealed robust expression of FABP5 in lumbar dorsal root ganglia. FABP5 was distributed in peptidergic calcitonin gene-related peptide-expressing dorsal root ganglia and non-peptidergic isolectin B4-expressing dorsal root ganglia. In addition, the majority of dorsal root ganglia expressing FABP5 also expressed transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) and peripherin, a marker of nociceptive fibers. Intraplantar administration of FABP5 inhibitors reduced thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia in the complete Freund’s adjuvant model of chronic inflammatory pain. In contrast to its robust expression in dorsal root ganglia, FABP5 was sparsely distributed in the lumbar spinal cord and intrathecal administration of FABP inhibitor did not confer analgesic effects. Administration of FABP inhibitor via the intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) route reduced thermal hyperalgesia. Antagonists of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha blocked the analgesic effects of peripherally and i.c.v. administered FABP inhibitor while antagonism of cannabinoid receptor 1 blocked the effects of peripheral FABP inhibition and a TRPV1 antagonist blocked the effects of i.c.v. administered inhibitor. Although FABP5 and TRPV1 were co-expressed in the periaqueductal gray region of the brain, which is known to modulate pain, knockdown of FABP5 in the periaqueductal gray using adeno-associated viruses and pharmacological FABP5 inhibition did not produce analgesic effects.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that FABP5 is highly expressed in nociceptive dorsal root ganglia neurons and FABP inhibitors exert peripheral and supraspinal analgesic effects. This indicates that peripherally restricted FABP inhibitors may serve as a new class of analgesic and anti-inflammatory agents.

Gram Scale Syntheses of (-)-Incarvillateine and Its Analogs. Discovery of Potent Analgesics for Neuropathic Pain

(-)-Incarvillateine (INCA) is the major antinociceptive component of Incarvillea sinensis, which has been used to treat rheumatism and relieve pain in traditional Chinese medicine. We have developed a concise and general synthetic approach for INCA, which enabled gram-scale asymmetric syntheses of (-)-INCA, (-)-incarvilline, (-)-isoincarvilline, and six other INCA analogues. The synthesis of isoincarvilline was reported for the first time. Three structurally simplified analogues of INCA were also synthesized. In vivo screening found that INCA and two structurally optimized analogues were efficacious in preventing the acetic acid-induced writhing response. Moreover, their analgesic efficacy was demonstrated in formalin induced pain model. More importantly, administration of 20 or 40 mg/kg INCA and two structurally optimized analogues showed strong analgesic effects in spared nerve injury (SNI) model, and their effective doses were lower than the current gold standard, gabapentin (100 mg/kg in this model).

A Mixed-Ligand Chiral Rhodium(II) Catalyst Enables the Enantioselective Total Synthesis of Piperarborenine B

A novel, mixed-ligand chiral rhodium(II) catalyst, Rh2(S-NTTL)3(dCPA), has enabled the first enantioselective total synthesis of the natural product piperarborenine B. A crystal structure of Rh2(S-NTTL)3(dCPA) reveals a "chiral crown" conformation with a bulky dicyclohexylphenyl acetate ligand and three N-naphthalimido groups oriented on the same face of the catalyst. The natural product was prepared on large scale using rhodium-catalyzed bicyclobutanation/ copper-catalyzed homoconjugate addition chemistry in the key step. The route proceeds in ten steps with an 8% overall yield and 92% ee.

Delavatine A, a structurally unusual cyclopenta[de]isoquinoline alkaloid from Incarvillea delavayi

Delavatine A, a cytotoxic alkaloid with a unique cyclopenta[de]isoquinoline core, was isolated from I. delavayi.

Antinociceptive effects of incarvillateine, a monoterpene alkaloid from Incarvillea sinensis, and possible involvement of the adenosine system

Incarvillea sinensis is a Bignoniaceae plant used to treat rheumatism and relieve pain in traditional Chinese medicine. As a major component of I. sinensis, incarvillateine has shown analgesic activity in mice formalin tests. Using a series of animal models, this study further evaluated the effects of incarvillateine against acute, inflammatory, and neuropathic pain. Incarvillateine (10 or 20 mg/kg, i.p.) dose-dependently attenuated acetic acid-induced writhing, but did not affect thermal threshold in the hot plate test. In a Complete Freund’s Adjuvant model, incarvillateine inhibited both thermal hyperalgesia and paw edema, and increased interleukin-1β levels. Additionally, incarvillateine attenuated mechanical allodynia induced by spared nerve injury or paclitaxel, whereas normal mechanical sensation was not affected. Incarvillateine did not affect locomotor activity and time on the rotarod at analgesic doses, and no tolerance was observed after 7 consecutive daily doses. Moreover, incarvillateine-induced antinociception was attenuated by theophylline, 1,3-dipropyl-8-cyclopentylxanthine, and 3,7-dimethyl-1-propargylxanthine, but not naloxone, indicating that the effects of incarvillateine on chronic pain were related to the adenosine system, but not opioid system. These results indicate that incarvillateine is a novel analgesic compound that is effective against inflammatory and neuropathic pain, and that its effects are associated with activation of the adenosine system.

[2+2] Photocycloaddition of Cinnamates in Flow and Development of a Thiourea Catalyst

Cyclobutanes derived from the dimerization of cinnamic acids are the core scaffolds of many molecules with potentially interesting biological activities. By utilizing a powerful flow photochemistry platform developed in our laboratory, we have evaluated the effects of flow on the dimerization of a range of cinnamate substrates. During the course of the study we also identified a bis(thiourea) catalyst that facilitates better reactivity and moderate diastereoselectivity in the reaction. Overall, we show that carrying out the reaction in flow in the presence of the catalyst affords consistent formation of predictable cyclobutane diastereomers.

Stereoselective synthesis of 7-epi-incarvilline

The enantioselective synthesis of 7-epi-incarvilline for formal syntheses of (-)-incarvilline, (+)-incarvine C, and (-)-incarvillateine is described. The key features of our synthesis involve (1) stereoselective construction of the optically active bicyclic lactone utilizing Pd(0)-catalyzed allylic alkylation, (2) efficient transformation of the bridged bicyclic lactone to the key bicyclic lactam skeleton, and (3) stereoselective elaborations of two stereocenters via a substrate-controlled catalytic hydrogenation and a 1,4-addition.

Targeting fatty acid binding protein (FABP) anandamide transporters - a novel strategy for development of anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive drugs

Fatty acid binding proteins (FABPs), in particular FABP5 and FABP7, have recently been identified by us as intracellular transporters for the endocannabinoid anandamide (AEA). Furthermore, animal studies by others have shown that elevated levels of endocannabinoids resulted in beneficial pharmacological effects on stress, pain and inflammation and also ameliorate the effects of drug withdrawal. Based on these observations, we hypothesized that FABP5 and FABP7 would provide excellent pharmacological targets. Thus, we performed a virtual screening of over one million compounds using DOCK and employed a novel footprint similarity scoring function to identify lead compounds with binding profiles similar to oleic acid, a natural FABP substrate. Forty-eight compounds were purchased based on their footprint similarity scores (FPS) and assayed for biological activity against purified human FABP5 employing a fluorescent displacement-binding assay. Four compounds were found to exhibit approximately 50% inhibition or greater at 10 µM, as good as or better inhibitors of FABP5 than BMS309403, a commercially available inhibitor. The most potent inhibitor, γ-truxillic acid 1-naphthyl ester (ChemDiv 8009-2334), was determined to have K_i value of 1.19±0.01 µM. Accordingly a novel α-truxillic acid 1-naphthyl mono-ester (SB-FI-26) was synthesized and assayed for its inhibitory activity against FABP5, wherein SB-FI-26 exhibited strong binding (K_i 0.93±0.08 µM). Additionally, we found SB-FI-26 to act as a potent anti-nociceptive agent with mild anti-inflammatory activity in mice, which strongly supports our hypothesis that the inhibition of FABPs and subsequent elevation of anandamide is a promising new approach to drug discovery. Truxillic acids and their derivatives were also shown by others to have anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive effects in mice and to be the active component of Chinese a herbal medicine (Incarvillea sinensis) used to treat rheumatism and pain in humans. Our results provide a likely mechanism by which these compounds exert their effects.

C-H activation: a complementary tool in the total synthesis of complex natural products

The recent advent of transition-metal mediated C-H activation is revolutionizing the synthetic field and gradually infusing a "C-H activation mind-set" in both students and practitioners of organic synthesis. As a powerful testament of this emerging synthetic tool, applications of C-H activation in the context of total synthesis of complex natural products are beginning to blossom. Herein, recently completed total syntheses showcasing creative and ingenious incorporation of C-H activation as a strategic manoeuver are compared with their "non-C-H activation" counterparts, illuminating a new paradigm in strategic synthetic design.

Sesquiterpenoids from Incarvillea arguta: absolute configuration and biological evaluation

Diincarvilones A-D (1-4), incarvilone A (5), and a known compound, argutosine B (6), were isolated from Incarvillea arguta. The structures, including the absolute configurations of the new compounds, were determined by NMR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, CD spectroscopy, and a variety of computational methods. The biological properties of these substances, including effects on intracellular Ca(2+) influx, nitric oxide (NO) production, and human cancer cells, were evaluated. The results showed that at the concentration of 10 μM (in HBSS buffer) diincarvilones A and B cause a persistent increase in cytoplasmic calcium levels in A549 cells.

Utilizing nature as a source of new probes for opioid pharmacology

Background: Traditional and current opioid pharmacology is fundamentally based on interactions between opioid receptors and compounds isolated from natural sources. Adverse effects associated with opioids have led to the search for compounds with diminished side effects. Discussion: Recent discoveries of non-nitrogenous and structurally diverse alkaloids as novel opioid ligands have led to renewed interest in the development of novel chemotypes for opioid receptors. Conclusion: The strong history of natural products as opioid receptor ligands suggests that nature is one of the most promising for the identification of novel opioids. This review highlights the vast potential of investigating natural products as novel probes of opioid receptors.

Diastereoselective Formal Synthesis of a Monoterpene Alkaloid, (−)-Incarvilline

Diastereoselective formal synthesis of a monoterpene alkaloid, (-)-incarvilline, the key intermediate for the synthesis of (-)-incarvillateine, was achieved by using an intramolecular Pauson-Khand reaction of (S)-N-[(E)-2-butenyl]-N-(3-butynyl-2-methoxymethoxy)-p-toluenesulfonamide as a key step.

A novel macrocyclic spermine alkaloid from Incarvillea sinensis

A novel macrocyclic spermine alkaloid incasine C' (1), along with a known compound incasine C (2), were isolated from the whole plants of Incarvillea sinensis, and their structures were elucidated on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic evidence.

Antinociceptive activities of alpha-truxillic acid and beta-truxinic acid derivatives

Our recent study demonstrated that the dimeric structure of alpha-truxillic acid derivatives played an important role in the expression of their anti-inflammatory activities. In the present report, to investigate the correlation between the structure and anti-inflammatory activity, alpha-truxillic acid (1) and its derivatives (2-6), beta-truxinic acid (7) and its derivatives (8-10) were prepared, and their activities were evaluated in the formalin test. All compounds showed only weak or no activities against the neurogenic pain response, but demonstrated significant activities against the inflammatory pain response induced by formalin. The highest anti-inflammatory activities were observed for alpha-truxillic acid (1) and its derivative 4,4'-dihydroxy-alpha-truxillic acid (2). In addition, alpha-truxillic acid (1) and its derivative, alpha-truxillic acid bis(p-nitrophenyl)ester (5), showed higher anti-inflammatory activities than beta-truxinic acid (7) and the corresponding derivative (10). Furthermore, free carboxylic acids (1, 2) showed higher activities than their dimethyl esters (3, 4) and bis(p-nitrophenyl)ester (5). These results confirmed that the alpha-formation of dimeric structure and the free carboxylic acid were also important for the expression of anti-inflammatory activities. Otherwise, 4,4'-dichloro-beta-truxinic acid (8) had higher activity than its parent compound 7; furthermore, 1,3-dibenzoyl-2,4-di(4-chlorophenyl)cyclobutane (6) also showed strong anti-inflammatory activity. These results suggested that substituents in the phenyl groups were also important for the expression of anti-inflammatory activity. In order to gain information about their activity intensity, the anti-inflammatory activities of 2 and 4,4'-dichlorolated derivatives (6, 8) were compared with that of indomethacin (a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug) in the formalin test. As a result, compounds 2, 6 and 8 showed stronger anti-inflammatory activities than indomethacin. These results suggested that alpha-truxillic acid and beta-truxinic acid derivatives might be developed into a new type of anti-inflammatory drug.

Pharmacological study on the novel antinociceptive agent, a novel monoterpene alkaloid from Incarvillea sinensis

To determine the antinociceptive mechanism of incarvillateine (INCA), the opiate antagonists nor-binaltorphimine (nor-BNI), beta-funaltrexamine (beta-FNA) and naltrindole (NTI) were pretreated prior to its injection in a formalin test. The antinociceptive effect of INCA was antagonized by nor-BNI (kappa-receptor antagonist) and beta-FNA (mu-receptor antagonist), while NTI (delta-receptor antagonist) did not influence its effect. Furthermore, the antinociceptive effect of INCA was blocked by theophylline (THEO), an adenosine-receptor antagonist. These results suggested that the antinociceptive effect arose from the activation of mu-, kappa-receptors and adenosine-receptor.

Anti-inflammatory Activity of 4,4'-Dihydroxy-.ALPHA.-truxillic Acid

The oral anti-inflammatory activity of 4,4'-dihydroxy-alpha-truxillic acid (1) was compared with that of two other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, loxoprofen sodium (LOX) and diclofenac sodium (DIC). The activity of 1 against the inflammatory pain response induced by formalin was comparable to that of LOX, but weaker than that of DIC. In the monosodium urate (MSU)-induced acute inflammatory model, 1 showed stronger anti-inflammatory activity than both LOX and DIC. The ED50 value for 1 was 4.5 micromol/kg, while the values for LOX and DIC were 65 and 25 micromol/kg, respectively. Otherwise, the oral single-dose toxicity of 1 was investigated in both sexes of Sprague-Dawley rats administered once at a dose of 2000 mg/kg. 1 showed no death, clinical signs, changes in body weight or pathological findings related to the treatment. In addition, no mutagenicity was observed in the reverse mutation assay. Furthermore, 1 did not show any ulcerogenic activity at doses ranging from 30 to 300 mg/kg in rat. Thus, 1 might be considered to be an effective anti-inflammatory agent with no deleterious adverse effect.

A monoterpene alkaloid from incarvillea sinensis

A novel monoterpene alkaloid, named incarvillateine E, possessing three moles of incarvilline moieties, has been obtained from the aerial parts of Incarvillea sinensis LAM. (Bignoniaceae). On the basis of spectroscopic evidence, the structure of incarvillateine E has been characterized.

Total synthesis of (-)-incarvilline, (+)-incarvine C, and (-)-incarvillateine

The first total syntheses of new monoterpene alkaloids (-)-incarvilline, (+)-incarvine C, and (-)-incarvillateine, corresponding to the natural enantiomers, have been accomplished. The strategy for the synthesis of these natural products utilized 6-epi-incarvilline as a common precursor, which was assembled by a three-component coupling reaction using (4S)-4-siloxy-2-cyclopenten-1-one to construct an appropriately trisubstituted cyclopentanone, followed by ring closure to the cis-perhydro-2-pyrindine skeleton by means of a reductive Heck-type reaction. Furthermore, topochemically controlled [2 + 2] photodimerization of cinnamic acid derivatives in the solid state for the stereospecific construction of a 1,2,3,4-tetrasubstituted cyclobutane ring was also investigated as a means to access (-)-incarvillateine.

Quantitative Determination of Incarvillateine in Incarvillea sinensis by Solid Phase Extraction and High Performance Liquid Chromatography

Method for rapid quantitative analysis of incarvillateine in Incarvillea sinensis by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has been developed. The sample preparation involves solid phase extraction (SPE) with a mixed-mode reversed-phase and cation-exchange cartridge. The linear calibration range for incarvillateine was 0.002-0.5 mg/ml. The limit of detection was 0.35 microg/ml (S/N=3). Intra- and interday precisions were less than 0.36% (n=6) and 1.61% (n=18), respectively. The recovery of incarvillateine was 97.61-102.44% with the relative standard deviation (RSD) ranging from 0.63 to 1.93% (n=3). This method was proposed as a simple, rapid and accurate method for quantitative determination of incarvillateine content in various samples of Incarvillea sinensis collected from different areas of China.

Anti-inflammatory Activities of .ALPHA.-Truxillic Acid Derivatives and Their Monomer Components

The anti-inflammatory activities of alpha-truxillic acid (1) and 4,4'-dihydroxy-alpha-truxillic acid (2) as well as their monomer components (E)-cinnamic acid (3) and (E)-p-coumaric acid (4) were evaluated in the formalin test. alpha-Truxillic acid (1) and its derivative 4,4'-dihydroxy-alpha-truxillic acid (2) exhibited significant activity against inflammatory pain response, while their monomer components (E)-cinnamic acid (3) and (E)-p-coumaric acid (4) did not show any activity against either neurogenic or inflammatory pain responses induced by formalin in mice. These results suggested that the dimeric structure might play an important role for the expression of anti-inflammatory activity. Furthermore, in order to gain information on their potencies, their anti-inflammatory activities were compared with that of incarvillateine (5) which contains the same dimeric structure and showed more potent antinociceptive activity than morphine in the formalin test. The activities of alpha-truxillic acid (1) and 4,4'-dihydroxy-alpha-truxillic acid (2) at the dose of 40 mg/kg against inflammatory pain response were equal to that of incarvillateine at doses of 20 mg/kg.