• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.50-58
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• 2006

Translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP), also known as histamine releasing factor (HRF), is found abundantly in different eukaryotic cell types. The sequence homology of TCTP between different species is very high, belonging to the MSS4/DSS4 superfamily of proteins. TCTP is involved in both cell growth and human late allergy reaction, as well as having a calcium binding property; however, its primary biological functions remain to be clearly elucidated. In regard to many possible functions, the TCTP of Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) is known to bind with an antimalarial agent, artemisinin, which is activated by heme. It is assumed that the endoperoxide-bridge of artemisinin is opened up by heme to form a free radical, which then eventually alkylates, probably to the Cys14 of PfTCTP. Study of the docking of artemisinin with heme, and subsequently with PfTCTP, was carried out to verify the above hypothesis on the basis of structural interactions. The three dimensional (3D) structure of PfTCTP was built by homology modeling, using the NMR structure of the TCTP of Schizosaccharomyces pombe as a template. The quality of the model was examined based on its secondary structure and biological function, as well as with the use of structure evaluating programs. The interactions between artemisinin, heme and PfTCTP were then studied using the docking program, FlexiDock. The center of the peroxide bond of artemisinin and the Fe of heme were docked within a short distance of $2.6{\AA}$, implying the strong possibility of an interaction between the two molecules, as proposed. When the activated form of artemisinin was docked on the PfTCTP, the C4-radical of the drug faced towards the sulfur of Cys14 within a distance of $2.48{\AA}$, again suggesting the possibility of alkylation having occurred. These results confirm the proposed mechanism of the antimalarial effect of artemisinin, which will provide a reliable method for establishing the mechanism of its biological activity using a molecular modeling study.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2002

An International Cooperative Biodiversity Group (ICBG) program based at the University of Illinois at Chicago initiated its activities in 1998, with the following specific objectives: (a) inventory and conservation of of plants of Cuc Phuong National Park in Vietnam and of medicinal plants of Laos; (b) drug discovery (and development) based on plants of Vietnam and Laos; and (c) economic development of communities participating in the ICBG project both in Vietnam and Laos. Member-institutions and an industrial partner of this ICBG are bound by a Memorandum of Agreement that recognizes property and intellectual property rights, prior informed consent for access to genetic resources and to indigenous knowledge, the sharing of benefits that may arise from the drug discovery effort, and the provision of short-term and long-term benefits to host country institutions and communities. The drug discovery effort is targeted to the search for agents for therapies against malaria (antimalarial assay of plant extracts, using Plasmodium falciparum clones), AIDS (anti-HIV-l activity using HOG.R5 reporter cell line (through transactivation of the green fluorescent protein/GFP gene), cancer (screening of plant extracts in 6 human tumor cell lines - KB, Col-2, LU-l, LNCaP, HUVEC, hTert-RPEl), tuberculosis (screening of extracts in the microplate Alamar Blue assay against Mycobacterium tuberculosis $H_{37}Ra\;and\;H_{37}Rv),$ all performed at UIC, and CNS-related diseases (with special focus on Alzheimer's disease, pain and rheumatoid arthritis, and asthma), peformed at Glaxo Smith Kline (UK). Source plants were selected based on two approaches: biodiversity-based (plants of Cuc Phuong National Park) and ethnobotany-based (medicinal plants of Cuc Phuong National Park in Vietnam and medicinal plants of Laos). At mc, as of July, 2001, active leads had been identified in the anti-HIV, anticancer, antimalarial, and anti- TB assay, after the screening of more than 800 extracts. At least 25 biologically active compounds have been isolated, 13 of which are new with anti-HIV activity, and 3 also new with antimalarial activity. At GSK of 21 plant samples with a history of use to treat CNS-related diseases tested to date, a number showed activity against one or more of the CNS assay targets used, but no new compounds have been isolated. The results of the drug discovery effort to date indicate that tropical plant diversity of Vietnam and Laos unquestionably harbors biologically active chemical entities, which, through further research, may eventually yield candidates for drug development. Although the substantial monetary benefit of the drug discovery process (royalties) is a long way off, the UIC ICBG program provides direct and real-term benefits to host country institutions and communities.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.383.1-383.1
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• 2002

In connection with our studies on the isolation of hepatoprotective constituents from natural products. we have recently reported hepatoprotective compounds including phenolic bakuchiol. diarylheptanoids. furocoumarins. In the course of continuing efforts. the aqueous extract of the roots of Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb. (Rosaceae) was found to exhibit promising hepatoprotective activity. A. pilosa is a perennial herb distributed throughout South Korea. and its roots have been used as the hemostatic. antimalarial. and antidysenteric agent in oriental medicine. Chemical investigation of the aqueous extract of the roots of this plant. as guided by hepatoprotective active catechin (2). Compound 1 showed hepatoprotective effects on both tacrine-induced cytotoxicity in human level derived Hep G2 cells and tert-hydroperoxide-induced cytotoxicity in rat primary hepatocyles with $EC_{50}$ values of 66.2 $\pm$ 2.8 and 22.9 $\pm$ 2.6 $\mu\textrm{M}$ respectively.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.437-443
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• 2016

Background: Previous phytochemical studies of whole Vernonia cinerea L. plants have identified sesquiterpene lactones, sterols, and triterpenes, which possess anticancer, antifeedant, and antimalarial activities. However, there are no reports of other types of bioactive metabolites. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify phenolic compounds with anti-inflammatory activity in the aerial parts of the plant. Methods and Results: Compounds were isolated from the aerial parts of V. cinerea using a silica and C-18 gel columns and semi-preparative HPLC instrument, and the structures of the compounds were determined using one- and two- dimension nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and mass spectroscopy. The chloroform soluble extracts and isolated compounds were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory potential based on their ability to inhibit nitric oxide production and $TNF-{\alpha}$ induced $NF-{\kappa}B$ activity. Conclusions: Phytochemical study of the aerial parts of V. cinerea led to the isolation of six phenolic compounds. Compound 1 was a major metabolite, and to the best of our knowledge, compounds 2 - 6 were isolated from V.cinerea for the first time. Among the isolates, compounds 1 and 3 exhibited $TNF-{\alpha}$-induced $NF-{\kappa}B$ activity with $IC_{50}$ values of 7.5 and 11.5 M, respectively, and the inhibitory activity of phenyl propanoid compound 3 on $TNF-{\alpha}$-induced $NF-{\kappa}B$ was evaluated for the first time.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.31-43
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• 1985

The $(Ca^{2+}+Mg^{2+})$-ATPase has been purified homogeneously from sarcoplasmic reticulum of rat skeletal muscle by sucrose density gradient centrifugation. The purified enzyme has a molecular weight of 115,000 as judged by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dedecyl sulfate, and therefore has the same size of the enzyme in rabbit and chick skeletal muscle. $Ca^{2+}, Mg^{2+}, Fe^{2+}, Co^{2+}, and Mn^{2+}$ at 50 $\\muM$ show stimulatory effect on the ATP-ase, while $Zn^{2+}, Cu^{2+}, and Hg^{2+}$ inhibit it at the same concentration. The ATPase activity is insensitive to antimalarial drugs such as quinine and quinacrine, but is sensitive to inhibition by p-hydroxymecurie benzoate and phenylmethylsulfonylfluoride. The enzyme has optimum pH of 6 to 7 and Km value for ATP is estimated to be 98 $\\muM$. Thus, a number of biochemical properties of this enzyme appear to be different from those of the enzyme that have been isolated from rabbit skeletal muscle. The $(Ca^{2+}+Mg^{2+})$-ATPase appears to be selectively degraded in microsomal fraction. The activity of metalloendoprotease is evident in the microsomal preparation when assayed by radioactively labeled protein substrate, such as $^{3}H-casein and $^{125}I$-insulin. However, it is presently unclear whether the metalloendoprotease is responsible for the degradation of the $(Ca^{2+}+Mg^{2+})$-ATPase.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.345-349
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• 2015

Betulinic acid, a pentacyclic triterpene isolated from Jujube tree (Zizyphus jujuba Mill), has been known for a wide range of biological and medicinal properties such as antibacterial, antimalarial, anti-inflammatory, antihelmintic, antinociceptive, and anticancer activities. In the study, we investigated the antiviral activity on influenza A/PR/8 virus infected A549 human lung adenocarcinoma epithelial cell line and C57BL/6 mice. Betulinic acid showed the anti-influenza viral activity at a concentration of $50{\mu}M$ without a significant cytotoxicity in influenza A/PR/8 virus infected A549 cells. Also, betulinic acid significantly attenuated pulmonary pathology including increased necrosis, numbers of inflammatory cells and pulmonary edema induced by influenza A/PR/8 virus infection compared with vehicle- or oseltamivir-treated mice in vivo model. The down-regulation of IFN-${\gamma}$ level, which is critical for innate and adaptive immunity in viral infection, after treating of betulinic acid in mouse lung. Based on the obtained results, it is suggested that betulinic acid can be the potential therapeutic agent for virus infection via anti-inflammatory activity.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.217-222
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• 2010

A phytochemical investigation of the ethanolic extract of Erythrina caffra flowers from an Egyptian origin yielded three C-flavonoidal glycosides; 5,7,4'-trihydroxyflavone-8-C-$\beta$-D-glucopyranoside (vitexin) (1), 5,7,4'-trihydroxyflavone-6-C-$\beta$-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 $\rightarrow$ 2)-$\beta$-D-glucopyranoside (isovitexin-2"-$\beta$-D-glucopyranoside) (2), 5, 7, 4'-trihydroxyflavone-6, 8-di-C-$\beta$-D-glucopyranoside (vicenin-2) (3) and one O-flavonoidal glycoside; kaempferol-3-O-$\beta$-D.glucopyranosyl) (1 $\rightarrow$ 2)-$\beta$-D-glucopyranoside (4). The structures of the isolated compounds (1 - 4) were elucidated using different spectral techniques (UV, 1D and 2D NMR and HRESIMS). This is the first report for the isolation of flavonoidal glycosides from Erythrina caffra. The antibacterial, antifungal, antimalarial, and antileishmanial activities of the isolates were evaluated. In addition, the cytotoxic activity of the ethanolic extract and the main fractions were tested using brine shrimp bioassay.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.347-362
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• 2016

Marine sponges have been considered as a drug treasure house with respect to great potential regarding their secondary metabolites. Most of the studies have been conducted on sponge's derived compounds to examine its pharmacological properties. Such compounds proved to have antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antimalarial, antitumor, immunosuppressive, and cardiovascular activity. Although, the mode of action of many compounds by which they interfere with human pathogenesis have not been clear till now, in this review not only the capability of the medicinal substances have been examined in vitro and in vivo against serious pathogenic microbes but, the mode of actions of medicinal compounds were explained with diagrammatic illustrations. This knowledge is one of the basic components to be known especially for transforming medicinal molecules to medicines. Sponges produce a different kind of chemical substances with numerous carbon skeletons, which have been found to be the main component interfering with human pathogenesis at different sites. The fact that different diseases have the capability to fight at different sites inside the body can increase the chances to produce targeted medicines.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.520-526
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• 2018

Conessine, a steroidal alkaloid, is a potent histamine H3 antagonist with antimalarial activity. We recently reported that conessine treatment interferes with $H_2O_2$-induced cell death by regulating autophagy. However, the cellular signaling pathways involved in conessine treatment are not fully understood. Here, we report that conessine reduces muscle atrophy by interfering with the expression of atrophy-related ubiquitin ligases MuRF-1 and atrogin-1. Promoter reporter assay revealed that conessine treatment inhibits FoxO3a-dependent transcription, $NF-{\kappa}B$-dependent transcription, and p53-dependent transcription. We also showed by quantitative RT-PCR and western blot assays that conessine treatment reduced dexamethasone-induced expression of MuRF1 and atrogin-1. Finally, we demonstrated that conessine treatment reduced dexamethasone-induced muscle atrophy using differentiated C2C12 cells. These results collectively suggest that conessine is potentially useful in the treatment of muscle atrophy.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.29 no.7
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• pp.1386-1390
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• 2008

Artemisinin, the effective ingredient of Chinese herb Artemisia annua L (Qinghao in Chinese), has been proved to be effective to antimalarial. Herein, a reliable, sensitive and convenient electrochemical method was developed for the determination of artemisinin utilizing the excellent properties of multi-wall carbon nanotube (MWNT). The electrochemical behavior of artemisinin was investigated. It is found that the reduction peak current of artemisinin remarkably increases and the peak potential shifts positively by 240 mV at the MWNT film-modified electrode. These phenomena indicate that the MWNT film exhibits efficient catalytic activity to the electrochemical reduction of artemisinin. The effects of pH value, amount of MWNT, scan rate and accumulation time were examined. The limit of detection (S/N = 3) is as low as 10 $\mu$ g $L^{-1}$. Finally, this newly developed method was used to determine the content of artemisinin in Artemisia annua L.