Lichen secondary metabolites as DNA-interacting agents

Toxicol In Vitro. 2014 Mar;28(2):182-6. doi: 10.1016/j.tiv.2013.11.003. Epub 2013 Nov 20.

Abstract

A series of lichen secondary metabolites (parietin, atranorin, usnic and gyrophoric acid) and their interactions with calf thymus DNA were investigated using molecular biophysics and biochemical methods. The binding constants K were estimated to range from 4.3×10(5) to 2.4×10(7)M(-1) and the percentage of hypochromism was found to be 16-34% (from spectral titration). The results of spectral measurement indicate that the compounds act as effective DNA-interacting agents. Electrophoretic separation studies prove that from all the metabolites tested in this study, only gyrophoric acid exhibited an inhibitory effect on Topo I (25μM).

Keywords: DNA-binding; Lichens; Topoisomerase I, II.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Benzoates / pharmacology
  • Benzofurans / pharmacology
  • Cattle
  • Circular Dichroism
  • DNA / drug effects*
  • DNA / metabolism
  • Emodin / analogs & derivatives
  • Emodin / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Hydroxybenzoates / pharmacology
  • Intercalating Agents / pharmacology
  • Kinetics
  • Lichens / chemistry*
  • Lichens / metabolism*
  • Nucleic Acid Conformation
  • Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
  • Topoisomerase I Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Topoisomerase II Inhibitors / pharmacology

Substances

  • Benzoates
  • Benzofurans
  • Hydroxybenzoates
  • Intercalating Agents
  • Topoisomerase I Inhibitors
  • Topoisomerase II Inhibitors
  • usnic acid
  • atranorin
  • DNA
  • calf thymus DNA
  • gyrophoric acid
  • physcione
  • Emodin