Search

Study on the constituents of bioactive culture broth extract (CBE) of Pseudomonas sp. (ABS-36) explored the secretion of an array of cyclic dipeptides (CDPs) and twenty of them had been isolated and reported in the present paper. Six major CDPs [(cyclo(Leu-Pro) (1), cyclo(Val-Pro) (2), cyclo(Leu-hydroxy-Pro) (9), cyclo(Pro-Tyr) (10), cyclo(Pro-Ala) (11) and cyclo(Gly-Pro) (12)] exhibited pan cytokine inhibition effect by inhibiting key pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6 tested under various cell based assays. With this background, the effect of these six CDPs in treating renal inflammation was screened using crystal-induced nephropathy model in mice at 50 mg/kg body weight through oral administration. cis-Cyclo(Val-Pro) (2) exhibited 57% inhibition of plasma IL-1β protein expression and 35.2% inhibition of elevated blood urea nitrogen. Further, cis-cyclo(Val-Pro) (2) attenuated renal injury as demonstrated by significant reduction of mRNA expressions of IL-1β (P 0.01) and kidney injury marker-1 (P 0.001). Furthermore, evaluation of tubular-necrosis, -dilation and -cast in the histological sections exhibited moderate protection of renal tissues by cis-cyclo(Val-Pro) (2). All the tested CDPs reduced the nitrite production and were interestingly non-cytotoxic.

The study aimed to explore the anti-inflammatory effect, underlying mechanism, and chemistry of Halodule pinifolia extract. The ethyl acetate (EHP) and methanol (MHP) extracts of Halodule pinifolia were screened for pro-inflammatory cytokine inhibition effect under various in vitro (LPSand crystal-induced inflammation) and in vivo models (LPS-induced endotoxaemia model, carrageenan-induced paw oedema model, and oxalate-induced renal nephropathy model of inflammation). The effect of EHP on the expression of inflammatory markers using western blot analysis (in vitro) was investigated. Chemical constituents of bioactive EHP were isolated through chromatography and characterised using NMR spectroscopy. Furthermore, EHP was standardised for rosmarinic acid, vanillic acid, and ethyl protocatechuate using HPLC. Also, total phytosterols, phenolic, and flavonoid content of EHP were determined by UV spectroscopy. EHP was comparatively more effective than MHP in inhibiting cytokines secretions under LPS-induced in vitro models. Furthermore, EHP was screened under endotoxaemia in vivo model, EHP (250 mg/kg) reduced plasma IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β levels by 88.3%, 78.2%, and 74.5%, respectively. In the carrageenan-induced oedema model, EHP (200 mg/kg) reduced paw volume and release of TNF-α (69.3%) and IL-1β (43.1%). EHP (200 mg/kg) further controlled renal nephropathy by inhibiting plasma IL-1β and BUN levels. Also, a significant reduction of mRNA expressions of TNF-α and IL-1β and KIM-1 in renal tissues was observed. Through western blot, EHP was identified to regulate the expression of pro-form as well as mature-form of IL-1β and caspase-1. EHP constituted rosmarinic acid (RA), vanillic acid (VA), ethyl protocatechuate (EP), sitosterol, stigmasterol, campesterol, and dihydrobrassicasterol. It was determined that 4.6 mg/g of RA, 2.92 mg/g of VA, 0.76 mg/g of EP, 21.7 mg/g of total phenolics, 29.8 mg/g of total flavonoids, and 48.2 mg/g of total phytosterols were present in dry EHP. The presence of anti-inflammatory constituents such as RA, VA, and PE in EHP corroborated the in vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory activity of EHP. The anti-inflammatory property of EHP and its action through attenuation of pan-cytokines suggest that it can be developed into an oral pharmaceutical drug.

The tea shot-hole borer beetle (TSHB, Euwallacea fornicatus) causes serious damage in plantations of tea, Camellia sinensis var. assamica, in Sri Lanka and South India. TSHB is found in symbiotic association with the ambrosia fungus, Monacrosporium ambrosium (syn. Fusarium ambrosium), in galleries located within stems of tea bushes. M. ambrosium is known to be the sole food source of TSHB. Six naphthoquinones produced during spore germination in a laboratory culture broth of M. ambrosium were isolated and identified as dihydroanhydrojavanicin, anhydrojavanicin, javanicin, 5,8-dihydroxy-2-methyl-3-(2-oxopropyl)naphthalene-1,4-dione, anhydrofusarubin and solaniol. Chloroform extracts of tea stems with red-colored galleries occupied by TSHB contained UV active compounds similar to the above naphthoquinones. Laboratory assays demonstrated that the combined ethyl acetate extracts of the fungal culture broth and mycelium inhibited the growth of endophytic fungi Pestalotiopsis camelliae and Phoma multirostrata, which were also isolated from tea stems. Thus, pigmented naphthoquinones secreted by M. ambrosium during spore germination may prevent other fungi from invading TSHB galleries in tea stems. The antifungal nature of the naphthoquinone extract suggests that it protects the habitat of TSHB. We propose that the TSHB fungal ectosymbiont M. ambrosium provides not only the food and sterol skeleton necessary for the development of the beetle during its larval stages, but also serves as a producer of fungal inhibitors that help to preserve the purity of the fungal garden of TSHB.

Suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6) along with nitric oxide reduction in RAW 264.7 cells by 7,8-dihydroxy-4-methylcoumarin, ethyl p-coumarate, ethyl caffeate and ethyl ferulate drove us to search structural-analogues of the aforementioned compounds through structure-based drug design. Docking studies revealed that substituted cinnamic acids and their ethyl esters (2-7c) showed higher GoldScore-fitness (GSF) and non-bonding interactions with target proteins than 7,8-dihydroxy-4-methylcoumarin (1a) and 7,8-dihydroxy-5-methylcoumarin (1b). With this background, the methylcoumarins (1a and 1b) and the cinnamic acid derivatives (2-7c) were fused in different permutations and combinations to generate sixty novel fused-cyclic coumarinolignans (FCLs) (8-13k). Docking studies on 8-13k indicated that several FCLs possess higher GSF, interesting active site interactions and distinctive π-π interactions compared to the standards (cleomiscosin A, diclofenac Na and prednisolone). Based on these findings, four novel FCLs (9d, 10d, 11d and 11e) were synthesized and tested for inhibition effect on TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 expressions in LPS and oxalate crystal-induced in-vitro models. Compound 10d exhibited significant effect (P 0.0001 at 100 μM) with an IC

We used ibuprofen as a poorly water soluble model drug, to examine the influence of bile salts and mucin layers on the permeability of that entrapped in an O/W microemulsion, in a rat isolated intestinal membrane by the Ussing chamber method. Under the presence of 3 kinds of the primary bile salts such a sodium taurocholate, etc., or a secondary bile salt such a sodium taurochenodeoxycholate at 0.01 mmol/L concentration, a significant difference was not demonstrated in the permeation clearance of the ibuprofen entrapped O/W microemulsion, as compared with the case without the bile salts. Thus, the bile salts did not have a remarkable influence on the permeability of the drug entrapped in the O/W microemulsion, and it was verified that this O/W microemulsion was hardly influenced by the flow of the bile secretion. On the other hand, when N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) with the removal ability of a mucin layer was combined with the ibuprofen entrapped O/W microemulsion at the concentration of 3 and 10 mmol/L, it was shown that the permeation clearance of free ibuprofen did not decrease, but that of ibuprofen entrapped in the O/W microemulsion decreased with the increase of the NAC concentration. Therefore, it is confirmed that the mucin layer participates in the permeability of the drug entrapped in the O/W microemulsion. From these results, the mechanism in which the drug entrapped in the O/W microemulsion is released in a mucin layer, without passing through the route of the mixed micelle formation by bile, thereafter the drug permeates an intestinal membrane, is supposed.

The stabilization effect of the novel self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS) type O/W microemulsion on the gastrointestinal absorption of a poorly water soluble new compound, ER-1258 was examined by bile-fistula model rats. In the components of this formulation, medium chain fatty acid triglyceride (MCT), diglyceryl monooleate (DGMO-C), polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil 40 (HCO-40) and ethanol were used as an oil, a lipophilic surfactant, a hydrophilic surfactant and a solubilizer at the mixture ratio of 25/5/45/25 w/w%, respectively. The ratios of AUC in the non-treated rats to that in the bile-fistula rats were 5.1, 12.1 and 3.0 for the suspension, the oily solution and the SEDDS type O/W microemulsion, respectively. The risk from which the difference between individuals of the compound absorption amounts resulting from the flow of the bile secretion serves as the maximum was high in order of oily solution>suspension>SEDDS type O/W microemulsion. Therefore, it was verified that the SEDDS type O/W microemulsion was able to reduce this risk, compared with the other formulations. When short chain fatty acid triglyceride (Triacetin) was used as an oil, the similar effect was demonstrated in the formulation composed of sorbitan sesquioleate (SO-15) as a lipophilic surfactant and polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil 60 (HCO-60) or polyoxyethylene 20 sorbitan monooleate (TO-10M) as a hydrophilic surfactant.

We examined the design of the versatile novel self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS) type O/W microemulsion formulation which enhances the oral bioavailability by raising the solubility of poorly water soluble compounds. Namely, seven kinds of poorly water soluble compounds such as disopyramide, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, tolbutamide, and other new compounds, as the model compounds were used to compare the plasma concentration profile of the compound following single oral administration of each compound to rats and beagle dogs as a solution, an oily solution, a suspension (or a powder), an O/W microemulsion, and a SEDDS type O/W microemulsion. And the enhancing effect of the SEDDS type O/W microemulsion on the gastrointestinal absorption of these compounds was evaluated. In the components of the SEDDS type O/W microemulsion, medium chain fatty acid triglyceride (MCT), diglyceryl monooleate (DGMO-C), polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil 40 (HCO-40), and ethanol were used as an oil, a lipophilic surfactant, a hydrophilic surfactant, and a solubilizer, at the mixture ratio of 25/5/45/25 (w/w%), respectively. Thereby, to six kinds of the model compounds except disopyramide, the solubility was from 340 to 98,000 times that in water, and the AUCs in plasma concentration of the compound were equivalent to that of solution or O/W microemulsion administration, or was increased by 1.5 to 78 times that of suspension administration. Accordingly, this novel SEDDS type O/W microemulsion is the versatile, useful formulation which enhances the oral bioavailability by raising the solubility of poorly water soluble compounds.

In order to develop orally active pure antiestrogens, we incorporated the carboxy-containing side chains into the 7alpha-position of the steroid scaffold and found that 17-keto derivative CH4893237 (12b) functioned as a pure antiestrogen with its oral activity much superior to clinically used pure antiestrogen, ICI182,780. Results from the pharmacokinetic evaluation indicated that the potent antiestrogen activity at oral dosing in mice attributed to both improved absorption from the intestinal wall and metabolic stability in liver.

The design of the novel O/W microemulsion formulation, which enhances the oral bioavailability by raising the solubility of poorly water soluble compounds was examined. Using medium chain fatty acid triglyceride (MCT), diglyceryl monooleate (DGMO-C), polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil 40 (HCO-40), ethanol and PBS (pH 6.8) as an oil phase, a lipophilic surfactant, a hydrophilic surfactant, a solubilizer and an aqueous phase, at the mixture ratio of 5%/1%/9%/5%/80% (w/w), respectively, the O/W microemulsion with an average particle diameter of 20 nm or less was prepared. Moreover, for nine kinds of poorly water soluble compounds, such as Ibuprofen, Ketoprofen, Tamoxifen, Testosterone, Tolbutamide and other new compounds, the solubility to water was increased from 60 to 20,000 times by this O/W microemulsion formulation. The AUCs in plasma concentration of Ibuprofen and a new compound, ER-1039, following single oral administration of these compounds as the O/W microemulsion to fasted rats were equivalent to that of solution administration or increased by nine and two times that of suspension administration, respectively. Accordingly, this novel O/W microemulsion is a useful formulation, which enhances the oral bioavailability by raising the solubility of poorly water soluble compounds.

Freeze-dried mouse spermatozoa are capable of participating in normal embryonic development after injection into oocytes. When the freeze-dried spermatozoa are used as a method for storage of genetic materials, however, it is essential to assure the relevance of long-term preservation over several decades or centuries. Thus, we applied the theory of accelerated degradation kinetics to freeze-dried mouse spermatozoa. Thermal denaturation kinetics were determined based on Arrhenius plots derived from transition-state theory analysis at three elevated temperatures: 30, 40, and 50 degrees C. Accelerated degradation kinetics were calculated by extrapolation of Arrhenius plots. This theory also is being applied to the long-term stability of drugs. The estimated rate of development to the blastocyst stage at 3 and 6 mo and at 1, 10, and 100 yr of sperm storage at 4 degrees C were 21.60%, 7.91%, 1.00%, 0%, and 0%, respectively. At -80 degrees C, estimated development rates to the blastocyst stage that would be expected after 100 yr of storage did not decline significantly. In addition, after 3 or 6 mo of storage at 4 or -80 degrees C, preimplantation development of the embryos derived from intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) was examined. The actual developmental rates to the blastocyst stage from ICSI by freeze-dried sperm stored for 3 mo at 4 and -80 degrees C were 21% and 62%, respectively, and the rates for such sperm stored for 6 mo were 13% and 59%, respectively. These results indicate that the determination of accelerated degradation kinetics can be applied to the preservation of freeze-dried mouse spermatozoa. Furthermore, for long-term preservation, freeze-dried mouse spermatozoa appear to require being kept at lower than -80 degrees C.

The multiplicity of aryl sulfotransferase (phenol sulfotransferase, PST) in acetaminophen (APAP) sulfate conjugation was studied in rat liver cytosol. The sulfation rate showed the optimal pH of about 9 similar to that in the phenolic monoamine sulfation. And another optimal pH of about 6.4 was found at the higher APAP concentration such as 16 mM, suggesting the existence of the PST multiplicity in the APAP sulfation. The effect of thermal treatment at various temperatures, 37 to 41 degrees C, showed that PST catalyzing the sulfation at the lower APAP concentration (about less than 1 mM) is more thermolabile and has the lower Km for APAP than at the higher APAP concentration. The APAP sulfation at microM order APAP in the presence of p-nitrophenol (PNP) was shown to be decreased by the substrate inhibition of PNP to PST. Consequently it is considered the sulfation at the lower APAP concentration (microM order) is mainly catalyzed by the thermolabile PST with the lower Km for APAP, and at the higher APAP concentration the thermostable PST with the higher Km partially contributes to the sulfation.

The uneven distribution of the glucuronidation and sulfation activity of acetaminophen (APAP) and p-nitrophenol (PNP) in liver was studied using centrilobular and periportal regions of isolated rat hepatocytes obtained by Percoll density gradient centrifugation, in a manner similar to that for harmol reported previously. The glucuronidation of APAP and PNP occurred predominantly in the periportal region. Glucuronidation activity of APAP in the centrilobular region was not detected. This finding may reflect the existence of different forms of uridine diphosphate-glucuronyltransferase (UDPGT) for APAP and PNP. The regional difference in Km values was observed for PNP, but not for harmol as reported in the previous paper. This suggests the existence of multiple forms of UDPGT for PNP as well as the heterogeneous distribution of this enzyme in liver lobules. The sulfation rates of APAP and PNP in the centrilobular region were smaller than those in the periportal region. The regional difference of APAP sulfation was due to different Vmax values. As shown in the harmol experiment, the predominant distribution of sulfation activity of APAP and PNP in the periportal region agreed with the results in the perfused liver previously reported by other investigators but that of glucuronidation activity was at variance with them.

The regional distribution of the conjugation reaction activities of harmol was examined in isolated rat liver cells fractionated to the centrilobular and periportal regions. The heterogeneous distribution in the conjugation rates per unit cell numbers was found only in glucuronidation. The difference in the metabolic intrinsic clearance per total cell numbers in each region was mainly due to the cell numbers, resulting that the metabolic abilities in both reactions are higher in the periportal region than the centrilobular region. This finding in sulfate conjugation is consistent with the results in the isolated perfused liver previously presented by other investigators but the result that in glucuronide conjugation is contradictory to them.

Acetaminophen caused a reversible change in the fluorescence polarization of eosin maleimide and dansyl chloride labeled to rat liver microsomes, indicating that acetaminophen acts on microsomal membrane proteins. Acetaminophen in the presence of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH), brought about an irreversible change in the fluorescence polarization of the probes. Acetaminophen, with or without NADPH, was also found to change the fluorescence polarization of lipid-soluble fluorescent probes, 2- and 12-(9-anthroyloxy) stearic acid labeled to microsomes, indicating its action on microsomal membrane lipids.