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Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative pathology, which is characterized by progressive and irreversible cognitive impairment. Most of the neuronal perturbations described in AD can be associated with soluble amyloid- β oligomers (SO-Aβ). There is a large amount of evidence demonstrating the neuroprotective effect of Nicotine neurotransmission in AD, mainly through nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) activation and antiapoptotic PI3K/Akt/Bcl-2 pathway signaling. Using HPLC and GC/MS, we isolated and characterized two alkaloids obtained from C. scoparius, Lupanine (Lup), and 17- oxo-sparteine (17- ox), and examined their neuroprotective properties in a cellular model of SO-Aβ toxicity. Our results showed that Lup and 17- ox (both at 0.03μM) prevented SO-Aβ-induced toxicity in PC12 cells (Lup: 64±7%; 17- ox: 57±6%). Similar results were seen in hippocampal neurons where these alkaloids prevented SO-Aβ neurotoxicity (Lup: 57±2%; 17- ox: 52±3%) and increased the frequency of spontaneous calcium transients (Lup: 60±4%; 17- Ox: 40±3%), suggesting an enhancing effect on neural network activity and synaptic activity potentiation. All of the neuroprotective effects elicited by both alkaloids were completely blocked by α-bungarotoxin. Additionally, we observed that the presence of both Lup and 17- ox increased Akt phosphorylation levels (52±4% and 35±7%, respectively) in cells treated with SO-Aβ (3 h). Taken together, our results suggest that the activation of nAChR by Lup and 17- ox induces neuroprotection in different cellular models, and appears to be an interesting target for the development of new pharmacological tools and strategies against AD.

Abnormal synchronous activity in neurons generates epileptic seizures. Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are effective in 70% of patients, but this percentage is drastically lower in developing countries. Sparteine is a quinolizidine alkaloid synthesized from most Lupine species and has a probable anticonvulsive effect. For this reason, the objective of the present work was to study the anticonvulsant effect of sparteine using a dose–effect curve and to determine its effectiveness against seizures using behavioral, electroencephalographic, morphological and molecular data. Wistar rats were grouped into control [saline solution (0.9%), pentylenetetrazole (90 mg/kg), and sparteine (13, 20 and 30 mg/kg), intraperitoneal (i.p.)] and experimental (sparteine + pentylenetetrazole) groups. The rats were implanted with surface electrodes to register electrical activity, and convulsive behavior was evaluated according to Velisek’s scale. The rats were perfused to obtain brain slices for cresyl violet staining and cellular density quantification as well as for immunohistochemistry for NeuN and GFAP. Other animals were used to determine the hippocampal mRNA expression of the M2 and M4 acetylcholine receptors by qPCR. Sparteine exhibited a better anticonvulsant effect at a dose of 30 mg/kg (i.p.) than at the other doses used. This anticonvulsant effect was characterized by a decrease in the severity of convulsive behavior, 100% survival, an inhibitory effect on epileptiform activity 75 min after pentylenetetrazole administration, and the conservation of the cellular layers of CA1, CA3 and the dentate gyrus (DG); however, astrogliosis was observed after 30 mg/kg sparteine treatment. In addition, sparteine treatment increased the mRNA expression of the M4 receptor three hours after administration. According to our findings, the effective dose of sparteine as an anticonvulsant agent by i.p. injection is 30 mg/kg. The astrogliosis that was observed after sparteine administration may be a compensatory mechanism to diminish excitability and maintain neuronal homeostasis, possibly through redistributing potassium and glutamate. The increase in the mRNA expression of the M4 receptor may suggest the participation of the M4 receptor in the anticonvulsive effect of sparteine, as the activation of this receptor may inhibit acetylcholine release and facilitate the subsequent release of GABA. However, the precise mechanisms by which sparteine produces these effects are not known, and therefore, further experiments are necessary.

Two strains of Pseudomonas putida, Psp-LUP and Psp-SPAR, capable of growth on the quinolizidine alkaloids, lupanine and sparteine respectively, were studied here. We report the isolation of Psp-SPAR and the complete genome sequencing of both bacteria. Both were confirmed to belong to P. putida, Psp-LUP close to the type isolate of the species (NBRC14164T) and Psp-SPAR close to strains KT2440 and F1. Psp-SPAR did not grow on lupanine but did contain a gene encoding a putative quinolizidine-17-hydroxylase peptide which exhibited high similarity (76%identity) to the lupanine-17-hydroxylase characterised from Psp-LUP.

This work explores the potential for development of a lupanine valorization process evaluating different isolated microorganisms for their capacity to metabolize the alkaloid. Ecotoxicological assessment demonstrated that lupanine is toxic for Vibrio fischeri and Daphnia magna exhibiting EC 50 values of 89 mg L −1 and 47 mg L −1 respectively, while acting both as growth inhibitor for a monocotyledonous and as promoter for a dicotyledonous plant. Among the eight aerobic and anaerobic strains isolated and identified Rhodococcus rhodochrous LPK211 achieved 81% removal for 1.5 g L −1 lupanine, while no end-products were detected by NMR constituting a promising microorganism for lupanine biodegradation. Moreover, Rhodococcus ruber LPK111 and Rhodococcus sp. LPK311 exhibited 66% and 71% of removal respectively, including potential formation of lupanine N-oxide. Pseudomonas putida LPK411 reached 80% of lupanine removal and generated three fermentation products potentially comprising 17-oxolupanine and lupanine derivatives with open ring structures enabling the development of alkaloid valorization processes.

Sparteine is one of the most toxic quinolizidine alkaloids found in leguminous plants. Several studies have demonstrated that sparteine affects the nervous system, blocking the nervous ganglion, producing antimuscarinic effects, depressing the central nervous system and causing neuronal necrosis. However, there are no reports identifying the areas of the brain that are sensitive to the toxic effects of this alkaloid. 32 adult Wistar rats were on study, sixteen were implanted with an intracerebral stainless steel cannula and randomly assigned to a control or experimental group (n=8). Animals, control and experimental, received daily intraventricular (ICV) injections of a sparteine or a sterile water solution for five consecutive days. Additionally, two groups of animals (8 rats each) received daily intraperotineal injections (IP) of a sparteine or sterile water solution for five consecutive days. 72h after the last dose, the animals were sacrificed, their brains removed, fixed and embedded in paraffin to obtain 10μm tissue slices. Brain slices were stained with H&E and evaluated under a light microscope. The main brain structures sensitive to sparteine were the cerebral cortex (frontal, fronto-parietal and striate) olfactory and amygdaloid areas, the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus, the Purkinje cells in the cerebellum, and the CA1, CA3 and dentate gyrus regions of the hippocampus. Administration of sparteine, via ICV or IP, caused neuronal necrosis in brain structures, mainly related with cholinergic pathways.

Positive inotropic agents are fundamental in the treatment of heart failure; however, their arrhythmogenic liability and the increased myocardial oxygen demand strongly limit their therapeutic utility. Pursuing our study on cardiovascular activities of lupin alkaloid derivatives, several 2-(4-substituted-phenyl)-2-dehydrosparteines and 2-(4-substituted-phenyl)sparteines were prepared and tested for inotropic and chronotropic activities on isolated guinea pig atria. Four compounds (6b, 6e, 7b, and 7f) exhibited significant inotropism that, at the higher concentrations, was followed by negative inotropism or toxicity. Compound 7e (2-(4-tolyl)sparteine) exhibited a steep dose-depending inotropic activity up to the highest concentration tested (300 µM) with an Emax of 116.5 ± 3.4% of basal force, proving less potent but much more active in comparison to the highest concentrations tested of digoxin and milrinone having Emax of 87.5 ± 3.1% and 52.2 ± 1.1%, respectively. Finally, docking studies suggested that the relevant sparteine derivatives could target the sigma-1 receptor, whose involvement in cardiac activity is well documented.

Helical structures are chiral, which means that if we can synthesize a polymer having a stable one-handed helicity, the polymer is optically active. In 1979, we succeeded in the synthesis of a one-handed helical polymer from an optically inactive achiral monomer, triphenylmethyl methacrylate (TrMA). This is the first example of the asymmetric synthesis of an optically active one-handed helical polymer. The polymer (PTrMA) exhibited an unexpected high chiral recognition ability and afforded a practically useful chiral stationary phase (CSP) for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) by coating it on silica gel. In addition, we also succeeded in the development of very useful CSPs for HPLC using the phenylcarbamate derivatives of polysaccharides, cellulose and amylose. These CSPs can efficiently resolve a broad range of chiral compounds, and have been used all over the world for separating and analyzing chiral compounds.

An 8-step, gram-scale synthesis of the (-)-sparteine surrogate (22 % yield, with just 3 chromatographic purifications) and a 10-step, gram-scale synthesis of (-)-sparteine (31 % yield) are reported. Both syntheses proceed with complete diastereocontrol and allow access to either antipode. Since the syntheses do not rely on natural product extraction, our work addresses long-term supply issues relating to these widely used chiral ligands.

The title ionic compound, (C15H28N2)[ZnCl4]·H2O, is isostructural with the CuIIanalogue published previously [Leeet al.(2004).Bull. Korean Chem. Soc.25, 823–828; Jasiewiczet al.(2006).J. Mol. Struct.794, 311–319]. The [ZnCl4]2−anion is, however, much more close to the tetrahedral conformation than the [CuCl4]2−ion. In the tetrachloridozincate anion, the Cl—Zn—Cl angles are in the range 103.57 (3)–116.81 (3)°.

Plants of the genus Lupinus (Fabaceae) have been studied due to the occurrence of different compounds, especially those possessing quinolizidine and isoflavone-like structures. These kinds of compounds are characterized by both medical and industrial applications, providing various benefits to human being. However, organs such as roots have not been equally studied and there is a lack of such records for native species. Therefore, in the present study, the chemical composition of nodulated roots from greenhouse-established L. bogotensis plants was determined. The resulting crude ethanolic extract was then analyzed by LC/HRMS and chemical nature of most compounds was determined by analyzing the high resolution mass spectra. Recorded profile showed adequate separation allowing tentative identification of detected compounds. 47 secondary metabolites (mainly isoflavones and quinolizidine-type compounds) were thus identified. Most phenolic compounds were found to be conjugated flavonoids (e.g., genistin and genistein malonylglucoside) and lupanine, sparteine and hydroxylupanine were noticed as the main alkaloids. Among alkaloid-like compounds, dehydromitomycin C, a compound produced by Streptomyces caespitosus was identified. Lupadienediol (a lupane-type triterpene recognized for being involved in rhizobacteria:legumes symbiosis) was the only terpene-related component identified in the extract. The present work corresponds to the first report on the chemical composition of L. bogotensis root and constitutes an adequate basis for phytoconstituents finding from nature to support the use of native species.

Using the chiral ligand (-)- sparteine as additive, the asymmetric allylation of ortho-methoxydiphenylmethane (I) is carried out with e.e.

A novel methodology for the asymmetric synthesis of trans-3,4-diaryl-substituted tetrahydroquinolines via sparteine-assisted stereoselective lithiation of o-substituted N-pivaloylanilines (I), kinetic resolution of epoxides in substitution and a stereospecific Mitsunobu cyclization is developed.

The preparation and synthetic application of novel copper(II)/(+)-sparteine surrogates are described.

The (+)-sparteine-mediated lithiation–substitution of o-benzyl-N-pivaloylaniline with various ketones was investigated. The obtained highly enantioenriched tertiary alcohols were used for the synthesis of alkenyl-substituted products 12 and 13 as well as 3,3,4-trisubstituted tetrahydroquinoline derivatives 22–24. The reaction with α,β-unsaturated ketones afforded highly enantioenriched 1,4-addition products 28–33 and provided a protocol for the asymmetric synthesis of highly substituted tetralin derivative 34.

A dicationic ((−)-sparteine)palladium complex underwent a superior catalytic enantioselective aldol reaction of aldehydes with 1-phenyl-1-trimethylsilyloxyethene performing satisfactorily, starting with ((−)-sparteine)PdCl 2 and AgSbF 6 as catalyst precursors (1 mol % loading) in the presence of 3 A molecular sieves over the reaction.

The genus Lupinus is widely distributed. Its seeds are used for animal and human food, and Lupinus possesses pharmacological potential because of its high content of quinolizidine alkaloids and flavonoids; however, there is little available information about its genotoxicity. We used the comet assay and staminal nuclei of Tradescantia (clone 4430) to evaluate the in vitro genotoxicity of 4 concentrations (0.01, 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 mM) of alkaloid extracts of Lupinus mexicanus and Lupinus montanus, flavonoids of L. mexicanus, and commercial sparteine; nitrosodiethylamine was used as a positive control and untreated nuclei were used as a negative control. All concentrations of L. mexicanus and L. montanus showed significant genotoxic activity (P ≤ 0.05). A similar behavior was observed for flavonoid extracts of L. montanus except the 1.0 mM concentration. Sparteine showed genotoxic activity only at 0.5 mM. The order of genotoxicity of the compounds studied was as follows: L. mexicanus > L. montanus > flavonoids of L. montanus > sparteine. There is evident genotoxic activity in the compounds that were studied, particularly at lower concentrations (0.01 and 0.1 mM). Given the limited information about the genotoxicity of the compounds of L. mexicanus and L. montanus, further studies are necessary.

Air is enough to mediate the highly enantioselective oxidation of secondary alcohols at room temperature with palladium(II) and sparteine in nonflammable solvents. Examination of the role of solvents capable of hydrogen bonding and their ability to solvate halide anions led to a novel set of conditions for the highly enantioselective oxidative kinetic resolution of secondary alcohols.

Both enantiomers of a P-chirogenic 1,2-bisphospholanoethane ligand are synthesized via two convergent methods. The first method relies on the chiral alkylation of 1-((-)-menthoxy)phospholaneborane using a s-BuLi/(-)-sparteine derived chiral base. Only one enantiomer of the catalyst could be synthesized via this method because only one antipode of sparteine is available in nature. The second route relies on the combination of methylphosphine borane and a chiral 1,4-diol. Either enantiomer of the ligand can be synthesized via the second route from the appropriate enantiomer of the 1,4-diol. Asymmetric hydrogenation using catalyst precursor 36 on acetamidoacrylic acid derivatives provided modest to good enantioselectivity (77-95% ee) under low H(2) pressure (30 psi). Asymmetric hydrogenation of CI-1008 (pregabalin) precursors, 39 and 40, provided good enantioselectivities (92%) at high catalyst loading (1 mol %) and low pressure (30 psi). Enantiomeric excesses dropped sharply with catalyst loading at this pressure. Increasing the pressure of H(2) caused a significant increase in enantiomeric excess for low catalyst loading reactions. Several studies were undertaken to further investigate the enantioselectivity dependence on both pressure and catalyst loading.

An asymmetric, organocatalytic, one-pot Mannich cyclization between a hydroxylactam and acetal is described to provide fused, bicyclic alkaloids bearing a bridgehead N atom. Both aliphatic and aromatic substrates were used in this transformation to furnish chiral pyrrolizidinone, indolizidi- none, and quinolizidinone derivatives in up to 89 % yield and 97 % ee. The total syntheses of (� )-epilupinine, (� )-tashir- omine, and (� )-trachelanthamidine also achieved to demon- strate the generality of the process. Naturally occurring izidine alkaloids (pyrrolizidine, indoli- zidine, and quinolizidine; Figure 1 A) and their synthetic variants are of considerable importance because of their diverse biological activities. (1) While the polyhydroxylated izidines inhibit glycosidase and glycosyl-transfer enzymes, and show anti-HIV, anti-dengue virus, anticancer, anti- inflammatory, and antidiabetic activities, (2) the alkylated

Herbivory defence chemicals in plants can affect higher trophic levels such as predators and parasitoids, but the impact on pollinators has been overlooked. We show that defensive plant chemicals can damage pollinator fitness when expressed in pollen. Crop lupins (Lupinus species from Europe and South America) accumulate toxic quinolizidine alkaloids in vegetative tissues, conferring resistance to herbivorous pests such as aphids. We identified the alkaloid lupanine and its derivatives in lupin pollen, and then provided this compound at ecologically-relevant concentrations to queenless microcolonies of bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) in their pollen to determine how foraging on these crops may impact bee colony health and fitness. Fewer males were produced by microcolonies provided with lupanine-treated pollen and they were significantly smaller than controls. This impact on males was not linked to preference as workers willingly fed lupanine-treated pollen to larvae, even though it was deleterious to colony health. Agricultural systems comprising large monocultures of crops bred for herbivore resistance can expose generalist pollinators to deleterious levels of plant compounds, and the broader environmental impacts of crop resistance must thus be considered.

Eleven varieties of Lupinus luteus were tested in choice and no-choice experiments for their resistance to feeding by the red-legged earth mite (Halotydeus destructor). Three were found to show resistance, and the alkaloid fraction from these varieties strongly deterred mites from feeding. The alkaloid components of the extracts, lupinine, a number of acyl derivatives of lupinine, and sparteine were tested for deterrent activity. Sparteine was the most potent, with significant activity at 0.001% concentration. Quantitation of the levels of nonpolar alkaloids in the cotyledons and leaves of the 11 varieties was by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. An inverse correlation was found between the concentrations of these alkaloids and the damage caused by the mites; varieties with levels

The effect of the chiral diamine sparteine as a cationic mobile phase modifier on the retention and enantioseparation of five hydrophobic basic drugs on an α1-acid glycoprotein column was studied. Sparteine produced good results over the whole range of its concentration (1–15 mM) in the phosphate buffer mobile phase at pH 6.0 for the selected drugs (alprenolol, propranolol, promethazine, chlorpheniramine and disopyramide). When used as a sole modifier, sparteine greatly reduced retention without significant interference in the enantioseparation of the compounds. Sparteine was also applied in combination with 2.5% of the neutral modifier 2-propanol with good results as well. This study shows sparteine's potential both as a substitute for neutral mobile phase modifier and as an auxiliary in reducing amounts of neutral modifier.

Objective: The present study was conducted to identify in vitro the cytochrome P450(CYP) isoform involved in the metabolic conversion of reduced haloperidol to haloperidol using microsomes derived from human AHH-1 TK +/− cells expressing human cytochrome P450s. The inhibitory and/or stimulatory effects of reduced haloperidol or haloperidol on CYP2D6-catalyzed carteolol 8-hydroxylase activity were also investigated. Results: The CYP isoform involved in the oxidation of reduced haloperidol to haloperidol was CYP3A4. CYP1A1, 1A2, 2A6, 2B6, 2C8, 2C9, 2C19, 2D6, and 2E1 were not involved in the oxidation. The kM value for the CYP3A4 expressed in the cells was 69.7 μmol · l−1, and the Vmax was 4.87 pmol · min−1 · pmol−1 P450. Troleandomycin, a relatively selective probe for CYP3A enzymes, inhibited the CYP3A4-mediated oxidation of reduced haloperidol in a dose-dependent manner. Quinidine and sparteine competitively inhibited the oxidative reaction with a ki value of 24.9 and 1390 μmol · l−1, respectively. Carteolol 8-hydroxylase activity, which is a selective reaction probe for CYP2D6 activity, was inhibited by reduced haloperidol with a ki value of 4.3 μmol · l−1. Haloperidol stimulated the CYP2D6-mediated carteolol 8-hydroxylase activity with an optimum concentration of 1 μmol · l−1, whereas higher concentrations of the compound (>10 μmol · l−1) inhibited the hydroxylase activity. Conclusion: It was concluded that CYP3A4, not CYP2D6, is the principal isoform of cytochrome P450 involved in the metabolic conversion of reduced haloperidol to haloperidol. It was further found that reduced haloperidol is a substrate of CYP3A4 and an inhibitor of CYP2D6, and that haloperidol has both stimulatory and inhibitory effects on CYP2D6 activity.

1. The in vitro human liver metabolism of the alpha1-adrenoceptor blocker tamsulosin was investigated. When 14C-tamsulosin was incubated with human liver microsomes, it was converted to five known urinary metabolites and at least three unknown metabolites. Of the former group, the predominant metabolite was the O-deethylated metabolite (M-1), followed by the o-ethoxyphenoxy acetic acid (AM-1) and the m-hydroxylated metabolite (M-3). 2. There was a good linear relationship between AM-1 formation and testosterone 6beta-hydroxylase activity in microsomes from each of 10 individual donors. The rate of M-1 formation also correlated with the same activity, albeit the correlation curve did not pass through the origin. By contrast, the rates of M-3 and the O-demethylated metabolite (M-4) formation correlated with dextromethorphan O-demethylase activity. 3. Ketoconazole strongly inhibited AM-1 formation and reduced that of M-1 by c. 60%. Immunoinhibition studies using anti-rat antibodies supported these results. The formation of M-3 and M-4 was inhibited by quinidine and sparteine. 4. It is concluded that formation of tamsulosin metabolites, AM-1 and M-1, is catalysed by CYP3A4 whereas that of M-3 and M-4 is catalysed by CYP2D6. However, minor contributions from other CYPs cannot be excluded.

“Chiral carbanions”—that is, enentiomerically enriched lithium–carbanion pairs in which the carbanionic center carries the chiral information—were regarded until recently as “exotic species.” In the past ten years it has become clear that they can, in fact, play a meaningful role in enantioselective synthesis, since substitution for lithium occurs here stereospecifically, usually with retention of configuration. They are also more readily and commonly accessible than was originally assumed. The trick lies in the use of lithium cations with chiral ligands, whether in the form of alkyllithium species used as bases in kinetically controlled, enantiotopically discriminating deprotonation, or in thermodynamically controlled equilibration in configurationally labile epimeric ion pairs. The lupine alkaloid (−)-sparteine has shown itself admirably suited as a chiral bidentate ligand, and its efficiency and breadth of application are so far unsurpassed. This contribution constitutes an overview of the preparation of chiral reagents, convering primarily “umpoled” synthons such as homoenolates. 1-oxyalkanides with a broad pattern of substitution, and α-aminobenzyl anions.

The relationship between genetically determined polymorphic oxidation and acetylation and susceptibility to neoplastic diseases has aroused much interest. The aim of our study was to evaluate whether women with breast cancer differ from healthy women in their ability to oxidize sparteine and acetylate sulfadimidine as model drugs. The results of our study revealed a predominance of the percentage of extensive metabolizers (EMs) of sparteine (97.8%) among 90 women with breast cancer in comparison to the percentage of EM (93.2%) in 74 healthy women. Among very extensive metabolizers of sparteine (VEM), with metabolic ratio (MR)

Objective: To examine the association between the sparteine/debrisoquine (CYP2D6) oxidation polymorphism and the risk of lung cancer. Method: Meta-analysis of case-control studies using a random effects model. The 'Main outcome measure' was the odds ratio for the risk of lung cancer, using extensive metabolisers as the reference group. Results: Thirteen studies were identified. The studies were too heterogeneous to be pooled; the size of the odds ratio increased with the sample size. When the analysis was restricted to the largest studies, there was no difference in risk between poor and extensive metabolisers (odds ratio 0.95, 95% confidence interval 0.68-1.33). Conclusion: No association was found between the CYP2D6 oxidation polymorphism and lung cancer risk when sample size bias was taken into account.

Several novel cascade processes have been designed and developed that involve sequential reactions of imines and iminium ions to form substituted quinolizidine ring systems in a single step from simple and readily available starting materials. The utility and promise of these cascade reactions is evident from their application to extraordinarily concise syntheses of the representative quinolizidine alkaloids (+/-)-epilupinine and (-)-epimyrtine.

In the sparteine derivative, (1), C 18 H 34 N 2 2 +.2ClO 4 - (sparteine = [7α-(7α,7aα,14α,14αβ)]-dodecahydro-7,14-methano-2H,6H-dipyrido[1,2-a:1',2'-e][1,5]diazocine}, the quinolizidine skeletons (A/B and CID systems) have a trans/trans configuration with chair, chair, distorted boat and chair conformations for the A, B, C and D rings, respectively. In the lupanine derivative, (2), C 18 H 31 N 2 O + .ClO 4 - .H 2 O {lupanine = dodecahydro-7,14-methano-4H,6H-dipyrido[1,2-a:1',2'-e][1,5]diazocin-4-one}, the configuration of the cation is quasi-trans and trans for the A/B and C/D ring systems, respectively, and the ring conformations are intermediate between sofa and half-chair, chair, distorted boat and chair for the A, B, C and D rings, respectively. In both (1) and (2), bulky isopropyl substituents are responsible for large deformations of the bisquinolizidine skeletons. Hydrogen bonds play a major role in crystal packing.

Groups of 20 Sprague-Dawley rats of each sex were fed diets containing lupin alkaloid at dose levels of 0, 100, 330, 1000 and 5000 ppm supplemented with maltodextrin to attain a level of 4.5%, for 13 wk (equivalent to average daily intakes of lupin alkaloid of approximately 0, 10, 30, 100 and 500 mg/kg body weight/day, respectively, over the course of the study). A further group of rats was fed control (basal) diet over the same period. All control and high-dose animals underwent an ophthalmological examination before the start of the study and before autopsy. Blood samples were collected from all rats prior to the start of treatment, during wk 6 and prior to autopsy for haematological and clinical chemistry examination. All animals were monitored daily for change in clinical condition, and body weight and food intake were measured twice weekly. A range of tissues were preserved for histological examination at autopsy. There was an initial drop in food intake by all rats in the 1000 and 5000 ppm groups and thereafter the intake was between 90% and 95% of that of the controls. In general, no other effects related to treatment were seen. On the basis of the lower body weights and food intakes of the groups fed the alkaloid at levels of 1000 and 5000 ppm, a no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) of 330 ppm is seen under the conditions of this study. It is likely that these effects are entirely due to the antipalatability effect of the lupin alkaloids. In view of the growth rates, haematology, clinical chemistry and histological findings, a speculative NOAEL of 1000 ppm may be more appropriate.

Objective: The analgesic effect of codeine depends on its O-demethylation to morphine via sparteine oxygenase (CYP2D6) in the liver and presumably also via this enzyme in the CNS. We studied the ability of quinidine, which is a potent inhibitor of CYP2D6, to penetrate the blood brain barrier and its possible impact on codeine O-demethylation in CNS. Methods: The study comprised 16 extensive and one poor metaboliser of sparteine, who underwent spinal anaesthesia for urinary tract surgery or examination. Eight patients were given an oral dose of 125 mg codeine and 9 patients (including the poor metaboliser) were given 200 mg quinidine 2 h before the same dose of codeine. Plasma and spinal fluid samples were collected 2 h after codeine intake. Results: Free concentrations of quinidine were 11-times lower in cerebrospinal fluid than in plasma, and ranged from 9-15 nmol·l-1. Morphine concentrations were significantly lower in patients pre-treated with quinidine, both in plasma (median 1.45 nmol·l-1, range 0.74-1.95 nmol·l-1 vs 9.86 nmol l-1, range 4.59-28.4 nmol l-1) and in cerebrospinal fluid (0.23, 0.16-0.61 nmol l-1 vs 3.63, 0.6-8.09 nmol l-1). The morphine/codeine concentration ratio in plasma (3.07 x 10-3, 1.68-3.68 x 10-3 vs 19.87 x 10-3, 9.87-66.22 x 10-3) and in cerebrospinal fluid (0.83 x 10-3, 0.58-1.45 x 10-3 vs 7.19 x 10-3, 2.03-17.7 x 10-3) was also lower. The morphine/codeine concentration ratios were significantly lower in cerebrospinal fluid both without and with quinidine, but the difference between the plasma and spinal fluid ratios was significantly smaller with quinidine than without (p = 0.0002). Conclusion: Quinidine penetrates the blood brain barrier poorly, but quinidine pre-treatment leads to pronounced lowering of the cerebrospinal fluid concentration of morphine after codeine intake. However, the O-demethylation of codeine in CNS may not be totally blocked by quinidine.

The composition and content of alkaloids in different subspecies of Chamaecytisus proliferus from diverse locations in the Canary Islands, was studied using thin-layer chromatography and capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results obtained showed that sparteine was the main alkaloid in all samples studied. The sparteine content ranged from 0.06% in the ssp proliferus var. palmensis to 0.77% in the ssp meridionalis. Therefore, by breeding, the subspecies with the lower alkaloid content, could produce plants more suitable for use as animal food, whilst those with a high alkaloid content could be used as a natural source of sparteine.

[reaction: see text] A new N-acetyl thiazolidinethione reagent, which undergoes highly diastereoselective aldol reactions upon enolization with dichlorophenylborane and (-)-sparteine and subsequent treatment with a variety of aldehydes, is described. This reagent is pseudoenantiomeric to an L-tert-leucine-derived reagent recently described by us and is useful because it avoids the prohibitively costly D-tert-leucine.

In the title compound, [NiCl(2)(C(15)H(26)N(2))], the chiral alkaloid (6R,7S,8S,14S)-(-)-L-sparteine acts as a bidentate ligand, with two chloride ligands occupying the remaining coordination sites, producing a slightly distorted tetrahedron. The N-Ni-N plane in the title complex is twisted by 81.31 (11) degrees from the Cl-Ni-Cl plane. Other distortions of the tetrahedron are discussed.

Alprenolol 4-hydroxylation and N-desisopropylation in liver microsomes from male Wistar rats were kinetically analyzed to be biphasic. In the 4-hydroxylation at a low substrate concentration (5μM), significant strain [Wistar>Dark Agouti (DA)] and sex (male>female) differences were observed, and the differences decreased at a high substrate concentration (1mM). In the N-desisopropylation, only a strain difference (Wistar>DA) was observed at the low substrate concentration. Cytochrome P450BTL (P450BTL, corresponding to CYP2D2) in a reconstituted system with 5μM alprenolol had high 4-hydroxylase activity, which was about 10 times that of P450ml corresponding to CYP2C11, and N-desisopropylase activity at a similar extent to P450ml. The two microsomal activities at 5μM alprenolol were efficiently decreased by antibodies against P450BTL and by sparteine, a typical substrate of the CYP2D subfamily. Polyclonal antibodies against P450ml and P450PB-1 (corresponding to CYP3A2) partially suppressed only N-desalkylation at 5μM, whereas they reduced the two activities at 1mM. P450ml showed a high N-desisopropylase activity at a substrate concentration of 1mM, where the sex difference was not observed. Furthermore, P450PB-2 corresponding to CYP2C6, which is one of the major P450 isozymes in female rats, also had 4-hydroxylase and N-desalkylase activities. These results suggest that a CYP2D isozyme(s) is the primary enzyme in alprenolol 4-hydroxylation and N-desisopropylation in a lower substrate concentration range, and that the involvement of some male-specific P450 isozyme(s) other than CYP2C11 or CYP3A2 may cause the sex difference in the 4-hydroxylation. In a higher substrate concentration range, CYP2C11 is thought to play a major role particularly in N-desisopropylation in male rats. In female rats, some major constitutive P450 isozyme(s) with a relatively high Km value (e.g., CYP2C6) may be involved in the metabolism of alprenolol, resulting in the disappearance of the sex difference.

The title compound, [ZnBr 2 (C 15 H 26 N 2 )], when synthesized starting from Zn 0 , is obtained in two polymorphic forms, one belonging to space group P2 1 2 1 2 1 and one to P1. The present contribution deals with the triclinic phase, which is isostructural with the orthorhombic form but presents a larger metal-metal intermolecular separation; the Zn...Zn distance is 7.4715 (6) A for the triclinic polymorph as opposed to 6.534 A for the orthorhombic polymorph.

In the title compound, [Cu(N(3))(2)(C(15)H(26)N(2))], the chiral alkaloid (-)-l-sparteine (Sp) acts as a bidentate ligand, with two azide ligands occupying the remaining coordination sites, forming a distorted CuN(4) tetrahedron. The dihedral angle between the N(Sp)-Cu-N(Sp) and N(azide)-Cu-N(azide) planes is 55.3 (2) degrees. Principal dimensions include Cu-N(Sp) = 2.011 (6) and 2.025 (5) A, and Cu-N(azide) = 1.939 (6) and 1.934 (7) A. The mid-point of the N(Sp)...N(Sp) line does not lie exactly in the N(azide)-Cu-N(azide) plane, but is tilted towards one of the N(Sp) atoms by 0.026 A.

1. The in vivo disposition of lupanine and 13-hydroxylupanine was studied in subjects identified as poor metabolizers (PM, n = 4) and extensive metabolizers (EM, n = 7) phenotypes for cytochrome P4502D6 (CYP2D6). 2. After oral administration (40.26 mumol), the half-life (t1/2) of lupanine determined from urinary excretion rate studies in EM subjects was 6.2 +/- 0.5 h (mean +/- SEM) with 95.5 +/- 6.0% of the dose recovered unchanged within 72 h. Similarly, in PM subjects t1/2 = 6.5 +/- 0.9 h and recovery 89.9 +/- 4.5%. 3. For orally administered 13-hydroxylupanine (37.83 mumol) the t1/2 in EM subjects was 6.8 +/- 1.0 h with a recovery of 100.5 +/- 5.3%, and in PM subjects t1/2 = 5.9 +/- 1.6 h with a recovery of 102.5 +/- 4.8%. 4. The t1/2s of both lupanine and 13-hydroxylupanine respectively did not differ significantly between EM and PM phenotypes. In addition, total recovery of dose for both alkaloids was similar between phenotypes. 5. In most subjects,76% of lupanine and85% of 13-hydroxylupanine was recovered as the unchanged compound. Significant apparent partial dehydroxylation of 13-hydroxy-lupanine was observed in one EM (14% of dose) and one PM (34% of dose) subject. 6. Overall, the finding of a high urinary recovery of unchanged lupanine or 13-hydroxylupanine together with similar t1/2s for both alkaloids in EM and PM CYP2D6 phenotypes suggests that clinical toxicity is unlikely to result from the use of lupin seed in footstuffs.

The easy to prepare dimeric bis(?-iodo)bis[(-)-sparteine]- dicopper ([CuI{(-)-spa}] 2 complex) is shown to be versatile catalyst for O-arylation and O-alkylation with various aryl halides with phenols and aliphatic alcohols respectively, including less reactive aryl chlorides, such as chlorobenzene under mild conditions.

The dicopper(I)-complex is a versatile catalyst for the cross-coupling of a broad spectrum of aryl halides, where the bromides are generally the most suitable ones.

In this perspective we discuss the recent developments of stereoselective synthesis of substituted pyridines, piperidines, and piperazines from cheap and commercially readily available starting materials. Pyridine N-oxides and pyrazine N-oxides are reacted with alkyl, aryl, alkynyl and vinyl Grignard reagents to give a diverse set of heterocycles in high yields. Optically active substituted piperazines are obtained by an asymmetric reaction from pyrazine N-oxides using sparteine as chiral ligand. In addition, a stereoselective synthesis of dienal-oximes from the reaction between pyridine N-oxides and Grignard reagents is presented, which results in a useful intermediate for the synthesis of a diverse set of compounds.

We studied the detection of drug-metabolizing enzyme inhibitiors using column-switching high performance liquid chromatography with tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II) (Ru(bpy)(3)(2+))-electrogenerated chemiluminescence detection. This can be applied to evaluate the genetic diversity concerning the ability of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2D6 to metabolize drug in vitro. We demonstrated the ability of CYP2D6 to enable us to examine drugs metabolizing enzyme inhibition with high performance and sensitivity. This method can be applied to investigate metabolite inhibitors of CYP2D6 in vitro and in vivo. Thus, Metixene was found to be a potential CYP2D6 inhibitor.

The beta-adrenoceptor blocker bupranolol turned out to be a competitive inhibitor of the polymorphic cytochrome P450 CYP2D6 of which sparteine is a substrate. There was stereo-selectivity of bupranolol involved: (-)-bupranolol was the weakest inhibitor with an apparent Ki value of 1.32 microM, (+)-bupranolol was the most potent with an apparent Ki value of 0.55 microM, while the therapeutically used racemic bupranolol had an intermediate value of 0.88 microM. A 10 min pre-incubation of 5 microM bupranolol with the enzyme preparation prior to the addition of substrate, reduced the inhibition of sparteine metabolism from 52 to about 25%. This suggests that--during these inhibition studies--bupranolol was much more rapidly metabolized than was sparteine, so that the measured Ki values must represent overestimates. The enzyme catalysing bupranolol metabolism was CYP2D6: microsomes from a liver with the genetic enzyme deficiency did not metabolize bupranolol; in microsomes from livers containing the enzyme and 10 microM bupranolol, 5 microM quinidine caused a 72% inhibition of bupranolol metabolism. Although our methods were not sufficiently sensitive to measure the Km of bupranolol directly, it is undoubtedly the beta-adrenoceptor blocker with the highest-known apparent affinity for CYP2D6. High affinity and rapid metabolism are infrequent combinations in enzymology.

In most cases a reversal in the enantioselectivity of the title reactions is observed changing the catalysts metal atom from copper to nickel.

The cationic complex [Pd(η 3 -C 3 H 5 )(sparteine)]PF 6 ( 6 ) was found to be a suitable catalyst precursor for the asymmetric alkylation of allylic acetates with Na[CH(COOMe) 2 ] as the nucleophile. This constitutes one of the first and still rare examples of a phosphine-free system for this type of Pd-catalyzed reaction. Using 5 mol % of 6 , alkylation products were obtained in up to 90% isolated yield and 85 % enandomeric excess. The alkylation reaction was shown to occur with overall retention of configuration, indicating an analogous mechanism to the one previously proposed for phosphine-containing catalysts. The reactivity of allylic acetates is strongly dependent upon the nature of the substituents, open-chain aliphatic substrates being unreactive.

The preferentially formed (−)-sparteine complex from 1-lithio-2-butenyl N,N -diisopropylcarbamate has ( S )-configuration at the metal bearing carbon atom, in contrary to our previous assumption. Transmetallation with titanium tetraisopropoxide and the carboxylation proceed with inversion. The addition of aldehydes occurs in a anti -S E′ -process. The enantioselective synthesis of homoaldol adducts and some corresponding γ-lactones is reported.