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Biologically active compounds of natural or synthetic origin have a complex structure and generally contain various structural groups among which polycyclic cage amines are found. Hexaazaisowurtzitanes are representatives of these amines and studies on their biological activity began less than two decades ago, starting with research on the environmental impact of CL-20. This research helped to evaluate the risks of potential pollution in the habitat environments of living organisms and determine whether the chemical compounds in question could be utilized in pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or medicinal drugs. The nomenclature of hexaazaisowurtzitane compounds has recently been expanded significantly, and some of them have demonstrated promise in the design of medicinal drugs. This paper review studies the pharmacological activity of the acyl derivatives of hexaazaisowurtzitane. Most of the compounds have been found to possess a high analgesic activity, providing a solution to the pressing issue of pain management in current pharmacology. Analgesic drugs currently used in the clinical practice do not meet all of the efficacy and safety requirements (gastro-, nephro-, hepato-, haematotoxicity, etc.). The material presented in the seven sections of this paper highlights information about hexaazaisowurtzitane derivatives. Furthermore, they have been observed to exhibit anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant, antihypoxic, and antimetastatic activities, which render them highly promising for evaluation in various fields of medicinal practice.

We studied the effect of an anthocyanin-containing complex from the fruits of S. aucuparia L. on doxorubicin-induced genotoxicity in bone marrow cells of C57BL/6 mice. The complex reduced the genotoxic effect doxorubicin in metaphase plates of bone marrow cells in 24, 48 h, and 10 days after the administration of the cytostatic. The mean number of single fragments and the fraction of cells with gaps and aberrant metaphases also decreased., (© 2023. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Analysis of specific pharmacological activity evaluated high antinociceptive efficacy of the first synthesized compound 10-di(ethoxyacetyl)-2,6,8,12-tetraacetyl-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazatetracyclo[5,5,0,0 3,11 ,0 5,9 ]dodecane (ethowurtzine) in models of somatogenic pain of different genesis (thermal, visceral pain, mechanical compression of paw).The new molecule from the class of hexaazaisowurtzitane effectively blocks nociceptive reactions at the supraspinal and peripheral levels of pain sensitivity organization. The effect of ethowurtzine was comparable or exceeded the effect of tramadol. The obtained results prove the possibility of creating new pharmacologically active molecules based on the high-energy substance hexaazaisowurtzitane., (© 2023. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The results of studying the effect of the anthocyanin-containing complex from Sorbus aucuparia L. on the main indicators of erythropoiesis in the blood and bone marrow of mice with Lewis lung carcinoma against the background of doxorubicin administration were presented. It was shown that administration of the anthocyanin-containing complex from S. aucuparia L. to animals with the tumor prevented the development of anemic syndrome by promoting regeneration of the erythropoiesis after its depletion caused by single administration of a cytostatic agent., (© 2022. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Using rat and mouse models of neurogenic, ethanol-induced, and indometacin-induced damage to the gastric mucosa we demonstrated that course preventive treatment with flavonoid complex from aerial parts of Lychnis chalcedonica L. increased the resistance of gastric mucosa to ulcerogenic factors of different etiology. The gastroprotective effect of the phytocomplex in a dose range of 16-1600 μg/kg was comparable with that of the reference drug plantaglucide and was superior to that of the reference drugs eleutherococcus extract and methyluracil in the therapeutic doses. The antiulcerogenic activity of Lychnis chalcedonica flavonoid complex considerably exceeded activity of Lychnis chalcedonica L. extract demonstrated in our previous experiments.

We studied the effect of an anthocyanin-containing complex from Sorbus aucuparia L. on the main indicators of erythropoiesis in the blood and bone marrow of mice against the background of doxorubicin treatment. It was shown that administration of an anthocyanincontaining complex from S. aucuparia L. prevented the development of anemic syndrome by stimulating regeneration of the erythroid lineage of hematopoiesis after its devastation by single administration of the cytostatic.

Possible involvement of μ 1 - and κ-opioid receptors and cannabinoid type 1 receptors (CB1) into the mechanism of analgesic activity of the experimental drug product "Thiowurtzine, (capsule 120 mg)" synthesized on the basis of active pharmaceutical substance 4-(3,4-dibromthiophencarbonyl)-2,6,8,12-tetraacethyl-2,4,6,8,10,12hexaazatetracyclo [5,5,0,0 3,11 ,0 5,9 ]dodecane was studied in vivo using the hot plate test and acetic acid writhing test. The involvement of κ-opioid receptors and noninvolvement of μ 1 -receptors and CB1 receptors in the mechanism of thiowurtzine analgesia were demonstrated. The mechanism of interaction of the test analgesic with opioid receptors differs from that of the reference drug tramadol. The interaction of thiowurtzine with serotonergic, GABAergic, and muscarinic cholinergic neurotransmitter systems was studied in vivo using pharmacological analyzers. The absence of muscarinic cholinolytic effect of thiowurtzine was demonstrated in the model of arecoline-induced tremor. The central serotonin-blocking activity of the analgesic was revealed in the model of 5-hydroxytryptophan hyperkinesis in mice. Anticonvulsant activity was demonstrated in the corazol convulsions test, which attested to the presence of a GABAergic component. The mechanism of central analgesia caused by the drug product "Thiowurtzine, capsule 120 mg" appeared to be polymodal. The antinociceptive activity of the analgesic was comparable to that of tramadol.

We studied pharmacokinetics of a new analgesic based on a hexaazaisowurtzitane derivative (thiowurtzine, TWZ). A method for measuring TWZ in organs and tissues by HPLC/MS/MS was developed and validated. The sensitivity of the method under conditions of intragastric administration of TWZ to rats in a dose of 100 mg/kg is 0.5 ng/ml (calibration curve 0.5-400 ng/ml). The concentrations of the substance (C max ) in the plasma, organs, and tissues of animals were 20-100 ng/ml, the time to reach the maximum concentration after a single dose (T max ) was 2 h. The mean retention time of the substance in the body ranged from 5.67 to 17.15 h after administration. The highest concentrations were found in excretory organs (liver and kidneys), the substance also actively penetrated into muscle tissue. The medium concentrations were found in the brain and adipose tissue. The tropism to the heart tissues was minimal.

Myelotoxicity is a serious side effect of anticancer drugs. The search for drugs that can reduce the hematological complications of chemotherapy through modulation of hematopoietic stem cells is an urgent task of oncopharmacology. In the present study we showed that administration of Tussilago farfara L. polysaccharides to C57BL/6 mice treated with cyclophosphamide can increase the number of hematopoietic stem cells (CD117 + 34 + ) in the bone marrow.

One of prospective methods for immunotherapy of tumors is modulation via immunological checkpoints, specifically, via the PD-1(CD279)/PD-L1(CD274) system. Interactions between tumor cell receptor (CD279) and the ligand on lymphocytes (CD274) leads to lymphocyte inactivation, which allows tumor escape from the immune control. Experiments on C57BL/6 mice with Lewis lung carcinoma demonstrate the possibility of reducing the expression of CD279 and CD274 on the peripheral blood and tumor tissue lymphocytes under the effects of Tussilago farfara L. polysaccharides. This phenomenon can underlie the antitumor and antimetastatic effects of these substances.

A possibility for correction of damaging effects of polychemotherapy on the intestinal epithelium with Tussilago farfara L. polysaccharides was studied on C57Bl/6 mice with Lewis lung carcinoma. The polysaccharides had protective and/or stimulating effects on the intestinal epithelium during polychemotherapy and promoted reparative regeneration in the intestine.

Pronounced analgesic activity of the innovative compound 4-(3,4-dibromthiophencarbonyl)-2,6,8,12-tetraacethyl-2,4,6,8,10,12hexaazatetracyclo[5,5,0,0 3, 11 ,0 5, 9 ] dodecane (thiowurtzine) was observed in the thermal nociceptive hot plate test and in the acute visceral and somatic deep pain model (acetic acid writhing test). In these experimental models, naloxone-sensitive thiowurtzine-induced analgesia was revealed. The absence of tropism to peripheral opioid receptors in the acetic acid writhing test was demonstrated using naloxone methiodide. Course administration of low-toxic thiowurtzine in effective doses was not associated with ulcerogenic damage to the gastric mucosa in experimental animals.

The experiments on C57Bl/6 mice with Lewis lung carcinoma showed that addition of Tussilago farfara L. polysaccharides to conventional cisplatin/paclitaxel polychemotherapy moderated neutropenia caused by antitumor therapy and increased its efficiency. The stimulating effect of polysaccharides on the granulopoietic lineage cells is comparable with that of recombinant CSF Neupogen.

Using DNA comet assay we found that polysaccharides from Tussilago farfara L. reduced the intensity of polychemotherapy-induced apoptosis and DNA damage in bone marrow cells and small intestinal epithelium of C57Bl/6 mice, which attested to genoprotective properties of these polysaccharides.

Tumor cells can maintain their growth via immunosuppression and escape from host antitumor immunity by controlling the PD-1/PD-L1 system. Expression of PD-L1 (CD274) is an inhibitory signal for T cells, while the increase in CD326 expression in the tumor tissue correlates with metastasis development. The experimental preparation on the basis of α(1,2)-L-rhamno-α(1,4)-D-galactopyranosyluronan from Acorus calamus L. produces an antitumor effect: it reduces tumor node size and the number and area of metastases after transplantation of Lewis lung carcinoma. Using flow cytometry, we demonstrated a decrease in the population of tumor cells expressing surface CD274 (PD-L1) and CD326 antigens after 20-day course of α(1,2)-L-rhamno-α(1,4)-D-galactopyranosyluronan.

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of the complex of flavonoids from Lychnis chalcedonica L. were studied in the models of acute aseptic inflammation induced by carrageenan, histamine, and serotonin and acetic acid-induced painful chemical stimulation. It is demonstrated that course treatment with flavonoids derived from Lychnis chalcedonica L. produced a stable pharmacological effect comparable with that of the reference anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac.

The effects of Fructus Sorbi aucupariae extract, originally saturated with anthocyans, on the development of Lewis lung carcinoma and B-16 melanoma in C57Bl/6 mice and the efficiency of cyclophosphamide treatment were studied. Antitumor activity of the extract and potentiation of the antimetastatic activity of the cytostatic were demonstrated. Studies on melanoma B-16 model revealed an increase in the counts of stromal progenitor cells in the tumor node and their accelerated maturation after treatment with the extract. No effects towards the tumor stem and committed cells were detected.

Mice with Lewis lung carcinoma were used to study the antitumor and antimetastatic effects of JAK3 inhibitor. The study revealed no effect of JAK3 inhibitor on the growth of primary tumor node, but found a pronounced inhibition of hematogenous spread of the pathologic process into the lungs. In vitro blockade of JAK3 in cultured Lewis lung carcinoma produced no effect on the count of the stem tumor cells and stimulated functions of committed elements. In addition, blockade of JAK3 significantly elevated maturation index of the tumor tissue.

Polysaccharides from Tussilago farfara L., Acorus calamus L., and Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench attenuated the toxic effect of fl uorouracil on the small intestinal epithelium of mice with Lewis lung carcinoma. Addition of polysaccharides to chemotherapy protocols stimulated reparative regeneration processes in the small intestine damaged by the cytostatic treatment. No stimulating effects of the polysaccharides on tumor growth and metastasizing were revealed.

Gastroprotective effect of Cichorium intybus L. root extract is demonstrated on H. Shay's model of experimental ulcer in rats. The effect is attributed to the antisecretory activity of the plant and stimulation of defense barrier function of the gastric mucosa. The regulatory effect of the phytocomplex on seasonal characteristics of the gastric secretory and defense functions in dogs with Basov's fistula is detected.

We studied antiulcer activity of the extracts of ecdysteroid-containing plants of the Caryophyllaceae family: Lychnis chalcedonica L., Silene viridiflora L.Sp.Pl., and Silene frivaldszkyana Hampe. Experiments on the model of neurogenic and aspirin-induced ulcerogenesis showed unidirectional and pronounced gastroprotective effects of S. viridiflora and L. chalcedonica extracts comparable to the efficacy of famotidine. In these models, a course of intragastric treatment with the extracts reduced ulcerative lesions of all types.

The effects of nonstarch polysaccharides with different molecular weights on the development of Lewis' lung carcinoma and efficiency of cyclophosphamide therapy in mice were studied. Treatment with these substances with low molecular weights (<30 kDa) caused no changes in the primary tumor growth, but inhibited its metastasizing, while nonstarch polysaccharides with high molecular weights (>400 kDa) inhibited the growth of Lewis' lung carcinoma node. Antimetastatic effects of cyclophosphamide were stimulated by low and high molecular weight polysaccharides.

The pharmacological properties of plant polysaccharides are reviewed and original experimental data on the properties of water-soluble polysaccharides isolated from Acorus calamus L. are presented. The possibility of using plant (in particular, Acorus calamus) polysaccharides to increase the effectiveness of anticancer treatment of transferred tumors and to reduce the toxic effects of cytostatic treatment on the normal cells of blood, liver, and epithelium of thin intestine in experimental animals has been demonstrated.

The effects of various alginate forms on the development of transplanted tumors in mice and efficiency of cytostatic therapy were studied. High-molecular-weight Ca and Na alginates, acid-soluble hydrolysate, and sodium alginate fraction inhibited the growth of Ehrlich adenocarcinoma. The use of acid-insoluble sodium alginate in chemotherapy protocol improved the treatment efficiency. All alginate forms inhibited metastasizing of Lewis pulmonary carcinoma; in combination with cyclophosphamide they potentiated its antimetastatic effect.

In vitro experiments showed that calcium pectate added to the culture medium produces a dose-dependent prebiotic effect on lacto-and bifidobacteria cultures and on non-pathogenic strain of Escherichia coli. Calcium pectate produced a pronounced bacteriostatic effect on Candida albicans strain; the effects was more pronounced in a concentration of 4%.

Antiinflammatory (antiexudative, antiproliferative) activity of calcium pectate was revealed by tests on the mice leg carrageenan-induced edema and cotton-ball granuloma models. It was also established that this polysaccharide produced an anesthetic effect comparable with that of indomethacin on the model of acetate-induced convulsions in mice.

Experiments on C57B1/6 mice showed that ginsenoside Rh2 inhibited the growth and metastasis process of Lewis lung tumor and increased the antitumor and antimetastatic effects of cyclophosphamide. On the model of transferred melanoma B-16, ginsenoside Rh2 showed a tendency to increase the antiblastome effect of the cytostatic drug.

Antiulcer activity of ultralow doses of antibodies to histamine was demonstrated on the model of chronic acetate-induced gastric ulcer in rats. Course therapy with the preparation accelerated healing of chronic experimental ulcer by correcting hemodynamic disturbances and stimulating mucus formation in the gastric wall.

Calcium pectate has been found to exhibit an antiulcer activity in rats with model of chronic ulcers. Course treatment of the experimental animals with calcium pectate (i) accelerated the repair of experimental damage due to better integrity and higher secretory activity of epithelium and (ii) decreased hemodynamic disorders in surrounding mucous and epithelial membranes. The maximum effect, which was achieved with calcium pectate in a dose of 50 mg/kg, exceeded the action of the reference drug maalox on both 14th and 21st days of experiment.

Standard models of experimental ulceration (of neurogenic origin, H. Shay ulcer, indomethacine-, ethanol-, prednisolone-, histamine- and acetate-induced ulcers) were used to demonstrate protective effect of non-starch polysaccharides (potassium alginate, potassium pectate, low-esterified pectin). Potassium pectate proved to be the most efficacious protector. Mechanism of its anti-ulcerative action is attributable to antacidic, cytoprotective, and reparative activity. It appeals to optimally stimulate the motor-evacuation function and, besides, exhibits marked anti-inflammatory activity.

Course prophylactic administration and single therapeutic treatment with calcium pectate improved resistance of rat gastroduodenal mucosa to ethanol-induced ulcers, prednisolone-induced ulcers, and H. Shay ulceration of the gastric mucosa.

Experiments on animals with Lewis lung carcinoma and Ehrlich tumor showed that licorice (glycyrrhiza) extract and glyciram prepared from this plant improved the antitumor effect of cyclophosphamide. Glyciram reduced the toxic effect of the cytostatic on peripheral blood leukocytes. Licorice extract inhibited the growth of Ehrlich tumor and development of metastases in mice with Lewis lung carcinoma. Glyciram administered to mice after removal of Lewis lung carcinoma produced an antimetastatic effect and prevented relapses.

Both chronic (prophylactic) and single administration of standardized calcium pectate considerably increased the resistance of rat stomach mucous membrane with respect to ulcerogenic factors of various etiology, including immobilized stress, indomethacin, ethanol, prednizolone, and histamine, according to H. Shay's model. The gastroprotective effect of this polysaccharide was comparable with or exceeded the action of famotidine, sea buckthorn oil, and maalox.

Experiments on mice (both intact and those with reserpine induced gastric ulcers) showed that dry aspen bark (DAB) extract stimulated the motor gastric activity. The DAB preparation produced a moderate purgative effect.

It is established that cichorium root extract therapy leads to normalization of some morphofunctional liver features (decreases glycogen content and cell of necrosis and increases the number of cells with pronounced protein synthesis activity) in rats with CCl4-induced hepatitis.

Experiments on mice and rats with modeled neurogenic and indomethacin-induced injuries to the gastric mucosa showed that preventive courses of calcium alginate, calcium pectate, and low-esterified pectin improved the resistance of the gastroduodenal mucosa to the destructive effect of the above factors.

We studied the effects of low-esterified pectin, calcium pectate, and alginate on the development of transplanted Ehrlich adenocarcinoma and Lewis pulmonary carcinoma and on the efficiency of cyclophosphamide treatment in mice.

The possibility of inhibiting metastases by preparations from plants growing in Siberia and Far East after removal of the tumor node was proven in experiments on animals with transplanted tumors. Plant preparations stimulated the antitumor resistance of the organism.

Baikal skullcap extract was introduced into cytostatic therapy of mice with Lewis lung carcinoma. This extract potentiated the antimetastatic effect of cyclophosphamide in mice with grafted tumors. Combined treatment with cyclophosphamide and extract of Baikal skullcap modulated cytotoxic activity of natural killer cells and peritoneal macrophages during tumor growth.

Ultralow doses of antibodies to histamine produced a considerable antiulcer effect in rats with gastric ulcers induced by various factors. Antibodies to histamine markedly decreased aggressiveness of the gastric juice.

Experiments on animals with transplanted tumors (Lewis lung carcinoma and carcinosarcoma Walker-256) showed that combination treatment with cyclophosphane and its homeopathically potentiated forms increases antiblastic activity of the preparation.

In mice with Lewis lung carcinoma and melanoma B-16 administration of potentiated antibodies to tumor necrosis factor-alpha started 1 day after transplantation of a small number of tumor cells (10(6)) produced an antiblastic effect.

Antibodies to cyclophosphamide obtained by homeopathic potentiation and administered in ultralow doses exhibit no antiblastic activity and did not modulate the effectiveness of cyclophosphamide during antitumor therapy of animals with transplanted tumors (Lewis lung carcinoma and Ehrlich adenocarcinoma).

Ultralow doses of antibodies to histamine in produced an antiproliferative effect on experimental animals with inflammation. Analgesic activity of antibodies to histamine was revealed on the model of acetic acid-induced writhing.

Tumor process development in rats inoculated with cellular suspension of transplantable Walker's carcinosarcoma-256 involved enhanced thickening of blood on day 7. Treatment with 20 mg/kg cyclophosphamide, thrice a day, every other day, retarded tumor process and brought hemorheologic indices further down, at the same time. Similar treatment of intact rats with cyclophosphamide caused hemorheologic disorders too.

Bioactive additive mammoleptin used for the treatment of fibrocystic breast disease did not stimulate the growth of primary tumors and metastases in mice with transplanted tumors. Mammoleptin in high doses inhibited the growth of Ehrlich adenocarcinoma and metastatic spreading of solid tumors.

Dry aspen (Populus tremula L.) bark extract exhibits antiulcerogenic activity as demonstrated by the results of experiments using the models of gastric ulcers in rats according to H. Shay. The cytoprotective action of the dry aspen bark extract was also demonstrated in experiments on dogs with fistula according to Basov.

Experiments on mice inoculated with metastasing Lewis lung carcinoma showed that the antitumor and antimetastatic effects of cyclophosphan (cyclophosphamide) are potentiated by the extracts of phytopreparations based on Baikal scullcap (Scutellaria baikalensis), rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea), common licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), and their principal acting components--baikalin, paratyrosol, and glycyrram.

Long-term administration of the common sea buckthorn bark and sprout extract improves the hormonal-metabolic organism status in rats disturbed by a stress factor (immobilization). The drug administration led to normalization of the altered functional activity indices of the neuro-endocrine system (disturbed adrenocorticotropin, 11-deoxycortisol, insulin, urea, and glucose levels) by affecting the production of glucocorticoids and increasing the hypothalamus sensitivity with respect to regulatory signals.

Dry aspen bark extract exhibits pronounced antiulcerogenic activity as demonstrated by the results of experiments using the models of histamine and atophan induced ulcers and the ulceration model according to H. Shay. The gastroprotector activity is manifested by decreasing number of animals with ulceration damage in the mucous membrane of the stomach and markedly decreasing ulcer density. The antiulcerogenic effect of the dry aspen bar extract is comparable to that of the reference drugs alanton and gastrozepin.