The design and synthesis of a novel compound of berberine and baicalein that inhibits the efficacy of lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

Synthesis, Quality Control and Preliminary Activity Evaluation of a New Compound HM475

Based on the principle of molecular splicing and theory of traditional Chinese medicine pairs, a new multi-active compound (HM475) was synthesized by connecting metformin with honokiol, and its structure was characterized, which not only reduced the toxicity of raw materials, but also maintained the original activity, and had a certain significance in research and innovation. At the same time, quality control and preliminary activity evaluation were carried out, and the effect of HM475 on neuroinflammation was further explored, which provided a new idea for drug development of neurodegenerative diseases.

Application of cinnamic acid in the structural modification of natural products: A review

Natural products can generally exhibit a variety of biological activities, but most show mediocre performance in preliminary activity evaluation. Natural products often require structural modification to obtain promising lead compounds. Cinnamic acid (CA) is readily available and has diverse biological activities and low cytotoxicity. Introducing CA into natural products may improve their performance, enhance biological activity, and reduce toxic side effect. Herein, we aimed to discuss related applications of CA in the structural modification of natural products and provide a theoretical basis for future derivatization and drug development of natural products. Published articles, web databases (PubMed, Science Direct, SCI Finder, and CNKI), and clinical trial websites (https://clinicaltrials.gov/) related to natural products and CA derivatives were included in the discussion. Based on the inclusion criteria, 128 studies were selected and discussed herein. Screening natural products of CA derivatives allowed for classification by their biological activities. The full text is organized according to the biological activities of the derivatives, with the following categories: anti-tumor, neuroprotective, anti-diabetic, anti-microbial, anti-parasitic, anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and other activities. The biological activity of each CA derivative is discussed in detail. Notably, most derivatives exhibited enhanced biological activity and reduced cytotoxicity compared with the lead compound. CA has various advantages and can be widely used in the synthesis of natural product derivatives to enhance the properties of drug candidates or lead compounds.

An efficient strategy based on two-stage chromatography and in vitro evaluation for rapid screening and isolation of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors from Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi

The extraction of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi was investigated using the response surface methodology-genetic algorithm mathematical regression model, and the extraction variables were optimized to maximize the flavonoid yield. Furthermore, a simple and efficient ultrafiltration-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and molecular docking methods was developed for the rapid screening and identification of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors present in Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi. Subsequently, four major chemical constituents, namely baicalein, norwogonin, wogonin, and oroxylin A, were identified as potent acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. This novel approach, involving the use of ultrafiltration-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and molecular docking methods combined with stepwise flow rate counter-current chromatography and semi-preparative high-performance liquid chromatography, could potentially provide a powerful tool for the screening and extraction of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors from complex matrices and be a useful platform for the production of bioactive and nutraceutical ingredients. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Berberine modulates deacetylation of PPARγ to promote adipose tissue remodeling and thermogenesis via AMPK/SIRT1 pathway

Pharmacological stimulation of adipose tissue remodeling and thermogenesis to increase energy expenditure is expected to be a viable therapeutic strategy for obesity. Berberine has been reported to have pharmacological activity in adipose tissue to anti-obesity, while the mechanism remains unclear. Here, we observed that berberine significantly reduced the body weight and insulin resistance of high-fat diet mice by promoting the distribution of brown adipose tissue and thermogenesis. We have further demonstrated that berberine activated energy metabolic sensing pathway AMPK/SIRT1 axis to increase the level of PPARγ deacetylation, which leads to promoting adipose tissue remodeling and increasing the expression of the thermogenic protein UCP-1. These findings suggest that berberine that enhances the AMPK/SIRT1 pathway can act as a selective PPARγ activator to promote adipose tissue remodeling and thermogenesis. This study proposes a new mechanism for the regulation of berberine in adipose tissue and offers a great prospect for berberine in obesity treatment

Berberine: A Promising Natural Isoquinoline Alkaloid for the Development of Hypolipidemic Drugs

Berberine, as a representative isoquinoline alkaloid, exhibits significant hypolipidemic activity in both animal models and clinical trials. Recently, a large number of studies on the lipid-lowering mechanism of berberine and studies for improving its hypolipidemic activity have been reported, but for the most part, they have been either incomplete or not comprehensive. In addition, there have been a few specific reviews on the lipid-reducing effect of berberine. In this paper, the physicochemical properties, the lipid-lowering mechanism, and studies of the modification of berberine all are discussed to promote the development of berberine as a lipid-lowering agent. Subsequently, this paper provides some insights into the deficiencies of berberine in the study of lipid-lowering drug, and based on the situation, some proposals are put forward.

An insight into the medicinal attributes of berberine derivatives: A review

In the last few decades, traditional natural products have been the center of attention for the scientific community and exploration of their therapeutic abilities is proceeding perpetually. Berberine, with remarkable therapeutic diversity, is a plant derived isoquinoline alkaloid which is widely used as a traditional medicine in China. Berberine has been tackled as a fascinating pharmacophore to make great contributions to the discovery and development of new therapeutic agents against variegated diseases. Despite its tremendous therapeutic potential, clinical utility of this alkaloid was significantly compromised due to undesirable pharmacokinetic properties. To overcome this limitation, several structural modifications were performed on this scaffold to improve its therapeutic efficacy. The collective efforts of the community have achieved the tremendous advancements, bringing berberine to clinical use and discovering new therapeutic opportunities by structural modifications on the berberine scaffold. In this review, recent advancements in the medicinal chemistry of berberine and its derivatives in the last few years (2016-2020) have been compiled to represent inclusive data associated with various biological activities of this alkaloid. The comprehensive structure-activity relationship studies along with molecular modelling and mechanistic studies have also been summarized. This article would be highly helpful for the scientific community to get better insight into medicinal research of berberine and become a compelling guide for the rational design of berberine based compounds.

Promising influences of Scutellaria baicalensis and its two active constituents, baicalin, and baicalein, against metabolic syndrome: A review

Metabolic syndrome is known as a group of metabolic abnormalities with features including central obesity, insulin resistance, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and hypertension as well as low level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol. Previous studies showed the ameliorating effects of Scutellaria baicalensis on metabolic syndrome parameters, including antidiabetic, anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-obesity, and antihypertensive. In this review, we deeply and mechanistically evaluated different studies on the effect of S. baicalensis and its two major bioactive constituents, baicalin, and baicalein, on the critical components of metabolic syndrome, including diabetes, hyperlipidemia, obesity, hypertension, and atherosclerosis. Scientific databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar were searched in the English language until the end of June 2020. Accordingly, S. baicalensis, and its two major bioactive constituents, baicalin and baicalein, represent promising effects on the control of metabolic syndrome and its related disorders such as obesity, hyperlipidemia, atherosclerosis, diabetes, and their following complications. In summary, our findings show that S. baicalensis and its active constituents, baicalin and baicalein, by activation and upregulation of AMPK and PPAR-γ as the main signaling in the hemostasis of glucose and lipid metabolisms may be favorable candidates for the prevention and treatment of the metabolic syndrome.

Discovery of C-9 Modified Berberine Derivatives as Novel Lipid-Lowering Agents

Berberine (BBR), a kind of quaternary ammonium benzylisoquinoline alkaloids with multiple pharmacological activities, has been regarded as a promising lipid-lowering agent in the field of drug repurposing. Particularly, the chemical modification at the C-9 position of BBR can remarkably improve its lipid-lowering efficacy. In this study, thirteen novel BBR derivatives were rationally designed, synthesized, and evaluated by preliminary pharmacological tests. The results showed that most compounds exhibited more potent hypolipidemic activities when compared with BBR and simvastatin. Among these compounds, compound 2h-1 and 2h-2 exhibited better activity profiling in these four tests involving with inhibition of total cholesterol (TCHO), triglyceride (TG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) and the increase of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC). Correspondingly, the BBR analogs with 9-O-cinnamic moiety probably exhibited potent lipid-lowering activity, and should be exploited as an important versatile template for the development of BBR-like lipid-lowering agents.

Discovery of 7,9-Disulfatetrahydroberberine as Novel Lipid-Lowering Agents

Berberine (BBR), a well-known alkaloid, exhibits various pharmacological activities, especially hypolipidemic activity, which has attracted much interest from medicinal chemists in the past decade. However, little progress was made on the structural modification of BBR for improving lipid-lowering activity, mainly due to its unclear biological target and low safety. In this study, a new scaffold of 7,9-disulfatetrahydroberberine was discovered unexpectedly, provided with extremely low cytotoxicity. Hence, a novel series of highly safe 7,9-disulfatetrahydroberberines were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their hypolipidemic activities. In order to investigate the significance of the 9-position substituent, another new series of 7-sulfatetrahydroberberines were designed and synthesized. Lipid-lowering experiments showed that among these compounds, 5f exhibited the best lipid-lowering activity based on two cell models, 3T3-L1 cells and HepG2 cells. Compared with the blank control, the inhibition rate of compound 5f against total cholesterol was over 60%, the inhibition rate against triglyceride was over 70%, the inhibition rate against low-density lipoprotein cholesterol was approximately 75%, and the inhibition rate against high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was close to 50%, which were far superior to the positive control BBR. This result also verified the feasibility of the development of BBR as a lipid-lowering drug via disubstituted modification at the 7- and 9-position.

Development of 13-Cys-BBR as an Agent Having Dual Action of Anti-Thrombosis and Anti-Inflammation

Background

There is a correlation between tumor and inflammation. The activity of 13-[CH₂CO-Cys(Bzl)-OBzl]-berberine (13-Cys-BBR) slowing tumor growth is higher than that of BBR. Whether the anti-inflammation activity of 13-Cys-BBR is higher than that of BBR remains unknown. There is a correlation between thrombosis and inflammation. Whether 13-Cys-BBR is an inhibitor of thrombosis remains unknown.

Purpose

The object of this investigation is to compare the activities of 13-Cys-BBR inhibiting thrombosis and inflammation to those of BBR.

Methods

In vivo anti-thrombosis assay was performed on rat model of arterial and venous thrombosis. In vivo anti-inflammation assay was performed on mouse model of xylene induced ear edema.

Results

At oral dose of 66.7 nmol/kg, 13-Cys-BBR, but not BBR, inhibited the rats to form both venous thrombus and arterial thrombus. At oral dose of 2 μmol/kg, 13-Cys-BBR, but not BBR, inhibited the ears of the mice to occur edema.

Conclusion

The anti-venous thrombosis activity, anti-arterial thrombosis activity and anti-inflammation activity of 13-Cys-BBR were significantly higher than those of BBR. 13-Cys-BBR is a promising preclinical candidate.

The effect of berberine supplementation on obesity parameters, inflammation and liver function enzymes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

INTRODUCTION

So far, no study has summarized the findings on the effects of berberine intake on anthropometric parameters, C-reactive protein (CRP) and liver enzymes. This systematic review and meta-analysis were done based upon randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to analyze the effects of berberine on anthropometric parameters, CRP and liver enzymes.

METHOD

Following databases were searched for eligible studies published from inception to 30 July 2019: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, PubMed and Google scholar. Necessary data were extracted. Data were pooled by the inverse variance method and expressed as mean difference with 95% Confidence Intervals (95% CI).

RESULT

12 studies were included. Berberine treatment moderately but significantly decreased body weight (WMD = -2.07 kg, 95% CI -3.09, -1.05, P < 0.001), body mass index (BMI) (WMD = -0.47 kg/m², 95% CI -0.70, -0.23, P < 0.001), waist circumference (WC) (WMD = -1.08 cm, 95% CI -1.97, -0.19, P = 0.018) and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations (WMD = -0.42 mg/L, 95% CI -0.82, -0.03, P = 0.034). However, berberine intake did not affect liver enzymes, including alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (WMD = -1.66 I/U, 95% CI -3.98, 0.65, P = 0.160) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (WMD = -0.87 I/U, 95% CI -2.56, 0.82, P = 0.311).

CONCLUSION

This meta-analysis found a significant reduction of body weight, BMI, WC and CRP levels associated with berberine intake which may have played an indirect role in improved clinical symptoms in diseases with metabolic disorders. Berberine administration had no significant effect on ALT and AST levels.

The Quest to Enhance the Efficacy of Berberine for Type-2 Diabetes and Associated Diseases: Physicochemical Modification Approaches

Berberine is a quaternary isoquinoline alkaloid that has been isolated from numerous plants which are still in use today as medicine and herbal supplements. The great deal of enthusiasm for intense research on berberine to date is based on its diverse pharmacological effects via action on multiple biological targets. Its poor bioavailability resulting from low intestinal absorption coupled with its efflux by the action of P-glycoprotein is, however, the major limitation. In this communication, the chemical approach of improving berberine's bioavailability and pharmacological efficacy is scrutinised with specific reference to type-2 diabetes and associated diseases such as hyperlipidaemia and obesity. The application of modern delivery systems, research from combination studies to preparation of berberine structural hybrids with known biologically active compounds (antidiabetic, antihyperlipidaemic and antioxidant), as well as synthesis approaches of berberine derivative are presented. Improvement of bioavailability and efficacy through in vitro and ex vivo transport studies, as well as animal models of bioavailability/efficacy in lipid metabolism and diabetes targets are discussed.

Baicalin and its aglycone: a novel approach for treatment of metabolic disorders

BACKGROUND

The current strategies for prevention and treatment of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes are not fully effective and frequently accompanied by many negative effects. Therefore, novel ways to prevent insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes are urgently needed. The roots of Scutellaria radix are commonly used in traditional Chinese medicines for prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, dysentery, and other respiratory disorders. Baicalin and baicalein are the major and active ingredient extracts from Scutellaria baicalensis.

METHODS

A comprehensive and systematic review of literature on baicalin and baicalein was carried out.

RESULTS

Emerging evidence indicated that baicalin and baicalein possessed hepatoprotective, anti-oxidative, anti-dyslipidemic, anti-lipogenic, anti-obese, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic effects, being effective for treating obesity, insulin resistance, non-alcoholic fatty liver, and dyslipidemia. Besides, baicalin and baicalein are almost non-toxic to epithelial, peripheral, and myeloid cells.

CONCLUSION

The purpose of this study is to focus on the therapeutic applications and accompanying molecular mechanisms of baicalin and baicalein against hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, obesity, and non-alcoholic fatty liver, and trying to establish a novel anti-obese and anti-diabetic strategy.

13-[CH2CO-Cys-(Bzl)-OBzl]-Berberine: Exploring The Correlation Of Anti-Tumor Efficacy With ROS And Apoptosis Protein

Background

The discovery of novel derivative of berberine (BBR) having higher anti-tumor activity in vivo is of clinical importance. In this profile, 13-[CH₂CO-Cys-(Bzl)-OBzl]-berberine (13-Cys-BBR) was prepared for related assays.

Purpose

The object of preparation and evaluation is to show the advantages of 13-Cys-BBR over BBR in both in vitro and in vivo anti-tumor actions, furthermore to correlate the proliferation of cancer cells with ROS formation and anti-apoptosis protein (XIAP) expression inside cancer cells.

Methods

Transwell chamber was used to simulate the intestinal and cell wall for bioavailability evaluation; MTT assay was used to evaluate the in vitro anti-proliferation activity; fluorescein isothiocyanate content was used to represent ROS level in HCT-8 cells; Western blot assay was used to quantify the expression of XIAP, caspase-3, and poly ADP-ribose polymerase in HCT-8 cells; and S180 mouse model was used to evaluate the in vivo anti-tumor activity.

Results

In vitro the IC₅₀ values (~15–40 μM) of 13-Cys-BBR against the proliferation of eight cancer cell lines were significantly lower than those of BBR (~25–140 μM); the content of ROS formed inside HCT-8 cells treated by 13-Cys-BBR was ~3.44-folds higher than that inside HCT-8 cells treated by BBR; the expression of XIAP in HCT-8 cells treated by 13-Cys-BBR was ~1.21-folds lower than that in HCT-8 cells treated by BBR; the tumor weight of S180 mice orally treated by 2 μmol/kg/day of 13-Cys-BBR (~1.5 g) was significantly lower than that of S180 mice orally treated by 2 μmol/kg/day of BBR (~2.5 g); and the active pocket of XIAP was more suitable for 13-Cys-BBR than for BBR.

Conclusion

The anti-tumor action correlates with ROS and apoptosis protein, which suggests 13-Cys-BBR is a promising candidate for preclinical study.

Development of a Novel Anti-Obesity Compound with Inhibiting Properties on the Lipid Accumulation in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes

Background:

Obesity as a developing global challenge can be characterized by increase in adipocyte number and size arising from adipogenesis. Control of adipogenesis, as a potential strategy, can prevent and manage obesity. So far, the effectiveness of herbal medicine and active ingredients therapies for obesity and metabolic syndrome treatment has been investigated. In this study, a novel combination of berberine, catechin, and capsaicin was developed, and their effect on 3T3-L1 adipocytes was investigated.

Methods:

The effect of active ingredient on the cell viability was assessed by MTT assay. Adipocytes were treated with various concentrations of berberine (3 and 6.25 μM), catechin (6.25 and 12.5 μM), and capsaicin (6.25 and 12.5 μM) alone and in combination.

Results:

All active ingredients did not affect the cell viability by MTT assay at different concentrations. The dual and triple combinations of three active ingredients showed excellent potential as anti-obese without any toxicity. The inhibitory effect of berberine, catechin, and capsaicin on the differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes was found to be dose-dependent. These results indicate that catechin in both doses may have a stronger effect than the two other active ingredients on the intracellular lipid accumulation. Also, the triple combination of the aforementioned ingredients showed better responses than their dual combination.

Conclusion:

This work is the first report to simultaneously investigate these three active ingredients in a single, dual, and triple formats. The berberine, catechin, and capsaicin co-treatment inhibits the adipogenesis during the differentiation process. This compound can be a prospective therapy for obesity and relevant diseases such as dyslipidemia.

Effects of Huanglian-Renshen-Decoction, a Fixed Mixture of Traditional Chinese Medicine, on the Improvement of Glucose Metabolism by Maintenance of Pancreatic β Cell Identity in db/db Mice

Huanglian-Renshen-Decoction (HRD) is widely used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in China. However, the underlying mechanism is unclear. We aimed to investigate the mechanism by which HRD regulates the glucose level. Forty 7-8-week-old db/db (BSK) mice were randomly assigned to the following four groups: model, low dose HRD (LHRD), high dose HRD (HHRD), and saxagliptin (SAX). Additionally, 10 db/m mice were assigned to control group. The experimental mice were administered 3.03g/kg/d and 6.06g/kg/d of HRD in the LHRD and HHRD groups, respectively, and 10mg/kg/d saxagliptin in the SAX group for 8 weeks. The control and model groups were supplied with distilled water. After the intervention, the pancreas and blood were collected and tested. Compared with that of model group, the fasting blood glucose (FBG) was significantly decreased in all intervention groups (p < 0.05 or 0.01), whereas fasting serum insulin (FINS) was increased significantly in both HHRD and SAX groups. The immunofluorescence images showed that the mass of insulin⁺ cells was increased and that of glucagon⁺ cells was reduced obviously in experimental groups compared to those of the model group. In addition, the coexpression of insulin, glucagon, and PDX1 was decreased in HHRD group, and the level of caspase 12 in islet was decreased significantly in all intervention groups. However, little difference was found in the number and morphology of islet, and the expression of ki67, bcl2, bax, caspase 3, and cleaved-caspase 3 in the pancreas among groups. Interestingly, the cleaved-Notch1 level was increased and the Ngn3 level in islet was decreased significantly in HHRD group. The HRD showed dose-dependent effects on glucose metabolism improvement through maintenance of β cell identity via a mechanism that might involve the Notch1/Ngn3 signal pathway in db/db mice.

Lipid reducing activity of novel cholic acid (CA) analogs: Design, synthesis and preliminary mechanism study

Bile acids, initially discovered as endogenous ligands of farnesoid X receptor (FXR), play a central role in the regulation of triglyceride and cholesterol metabolism and have recently emerged as a privileged structure for interacting with nuclear receptors relevant to a large array of metabolic processes. In this paper, phenoxy containing cholic acid derivatives with excellent drug-likeness have been designed, synthesized, and assayed as agents against cholesterol accumulation in Raw264.7 macrophages. The most active compound 14b reduced total cholesterol accumulation in Raw264.7 cells up to 30.5% at non-toxic 10 μM and dosage-dependently attenuated oxLDL-induced foam cell formation. Western blotting and qPCR results demonstrate that 14b reduced both cholesterol and lipid in Raw264.7 cells through (1) increasing the expression of cholesterol transporters ABCA1 and ABCG1, (2) accelerating ApoA1-mediated cholesterol efflux. Through a cell-based luciferase reporter assay and molecular docking analysis, LXR was identified as the potential target for 14b. Interestingly, unlike conventional LXR agonist, 14b did not increase lipogenesis gene SREBP-1c expression. Overall, these diverse properties disclosed herein highlight the potential of 14b as a promising lead for further development of multifunctional agents in the therapy of cardiovascular disease.