Synergistic TRAIL sensitizers from Barleria alluaudii and Diospyros maritima

J Nat Prod. 2012 Mar 23;75(3):394-9. doi: 10.1021/np200805z. Epub 2012 Feb 7.

Abstract

Barleria alluaudii and Diospyros maritima were both investigated as part of an ongoing search for synergistic TRAIL (tumor necrosis factor-α-related apoptosis-inducing ligand) sensitizers. As a result of this study, two naphthoquinone epoxides, 2,3-epoxy-2,3-dihydrolapachol (1) and 2,3-epoxy-2,3-dihydro-8-hydroxylapachol (2), both not previously isolated from natural sources, and the known 2-methylanthraquinone (3) were identified from B. alluaudii. Time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations of electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra were utilized to establish the absolute configuration of 1 and 2. Additionally, five known naphthoquinone derivatives, maritinone (4), elliptinone (5), plumbagin (6), (+)-cis-isoshinanolone (7), and ethylidene-6,6'-biplumbagin (8), were isolated from D. maritima. Compounds 1, 2, and 4-6 showed varying levels of synergy with TRAIL. Maritinone (4) and elliptinone (5) showed the highest synergistic effect, with more than a 3-fold increase in activity observed with TRAIL than with compound alone.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acanthaceae / chemistry*
  • Anthraquinones / chemistry
  • Anthraquinones / isolation & purification*
  • Anthraquinones / pharmacology
  • Diospyros / chemistry*
  • Madagascar
  • Molecular Structure
  • Naphthoquinones / chemistry
  • Naphthoquinones / isolation & purification*
  • Naphthoquinones / pharmacology
  • TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand / drug effects*
  • TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand / metabolism
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Substances

  • Anthraquinones
  • Naphthoquinones
  • TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • maritinone
  • 2-methylanthraquinone
  • plumbagin