Acetylcholinesterase-inhibiting alkaloids from Zephyranthes concolor

Molecules. 2011 Nov 15;16(11):9520-33. doi: 10.3390/molecules16119520.

Abstract

The bulbs and aerial parts of Zephyranthes concolor (Lindl.) Benth. & Hook. f. (Amaryllidaceae), an endemic species to Mexico, were found to contain the alkaloids chlidanthine, galanthamine, galanthamine N-oxide, lycorine, galwesine, and epinorgalanthamine. Since currently only partial and low resolution (1)H-NMR data for chlidanthine acetate are available, and none for chlidanthine, its 1D and 2D high resolution (1)H- and (13)C-NMR spectra were recorded. Unambiguous assignations were achieved with HMBC, and HSQC experiments, and its structure was corroborated by X-ray diffraction. Minimum energy conformation for structures of chlidanthine, and its positional isomer galanthamine, were calculated by molecular modelling. Galanthamine is a well known acetylcholinesterase inhibitor; therefore, the isolated alkaloids were tested for this activity. Chlidanthine and galanthamine N-oxide inhibited electric eel acetylcholinesterase (2.4 and 2.6 × 10(-5) M, respectively), indicating they are about five times less potent than galanthamine, while galwesine was inactive at 10(-3) M. Inhibitory activity of HIV-1 replication, and cytotoxicity of the isolated alkaloids were evaluated in human MT-4 cells; however, the alkaloids showed poor activity as compared with standard anti-HIV drugs, but most of them were not cytotoxic.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetylcholinesterase / metabolism*
  • Alkaloids / chemistry*
  • Alkaloids / metabolism
  • Alkaloids / pharmacology
  • Amaryllidaceae Alkaloids / chemistry
  • Amaryllidaceae Alkaloids / metabolism
  • Amaryllidaceae Alkaloids / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Antiviral Agents / chemistry
  • Antiviral Agents / metabolism
  • Antiviral Agents / pharmacology
  • Cell Line
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors / chemistry*
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors / metabolism
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Electrophorus
  • Galantamine / chemistry
  • Galantamine / metabolism
  • Galantamine / pharmacology
  • HIV-1 / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen Bonding
  • Liliaceae / anatomy & histology
  • Liliaceae / chemistry*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Molecular Structure
  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry*
  • X-Ray Diffraction

Substances

  • Alkaloids
  • Amaryllidaceae Alkaloids
  • Antiviral Agents
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors
  • Plant Extracts
  • chlidanthine
  • Galantamine
  • Acetylcholinesterase