1. Biotransformation of colchicinoids into their corresponding 3-O-glucosyl derivatives by selected strains of Bacillus megaterium
- Author
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Marco Rovati, Daniele Ciceri, Federico Perterlongo, Emilio Fata, Walter Cabri, Valter Acquati, Douglas Evangelista, Fabio Donzelli, Davide Berlanda, Cesare Ponzone, Alberto Negrini, and Rosalba Ciulla
- Subjects
Anti-Inflammatory Agents ,Bioengineering ,Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology ,Biochemistry ,Biotransformation ,medicine ,Humans ,Muscle, Skeletal ,Molecular Biology ,Bacillus megaterium ,Demethylation ,Active ingredient ,biology ,Chemistry ,Thiocolchicine ,Regioselectivity ,biology.organism_classification ,Combinatorial chemistry ,Thiocolchicoside ,Reagent ,Colchicine ,Biotechnology ,medicine.drug - Abstract
Natural colchicinoids and their semisynthetic derivatives are important active ingredients for pharmaceutical applications. Thiocolchicoside (3-demethoxy-3-glucosyloxythiocolchicine) is used in several countries as standard therapy for the treatment of diseases of the muscle–skeletal system, due to its potent antiinflammatory and myorelaxant properties. Manufacturing of thiocolchicoside requires a key step, the regioselective demethylation and glucosylation of chemically derivative thiocolchicine. High selectivity and efficiency of this transformation cannot be achieved in a satisfactory way with a chemical approach. In particular, the chemical demethylation, a part from requiring toxic and aggressive reagents, generates a complex mixture of products with no industrial usefulness. We report herein an efficient, direct and green biotransformation of thiocolchicine into thiocolchicoside, performed by a specific strain of Bacillus megaterium. The same process, with minor modifications, can be used to convert the by-product 3-O-demethyl-thiocolchicine into thiocolchicoside. In addition, we describe the B. megaterium strain selection process and the best conditions for this effective double biotransformation. The final product has a pharmaceutical quality, and the process has been industrialised.
- Published
- 2014