Anti-tumour promoting activity and antioxidant properties of girinimbine isolated from the stem bark of Murraya koenigii S

Molecules. 2012 Apr 20;17(4):4651-60. doi: 10.3390/molecules17044651.

Abstract

Girinimbine, a carbazole alkaloid isolated from the stem bark of Murraya koenigii was tested for the in vitro anti-tumour promoting and antioxidant activities. Anti-tumour promoting activity was determined by assaying the capability of this compound to inhibit the expression of early antigen of Epstein-Barr virus (EA-EBV) in Raji cells that was induced by the tumour promoter, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. The concentration of this compound that gave an inhibition rate at fifty percent was 6.0 µg/mL and was not cytotoxic to the cells. Immunoblotting analysis of the expression of EA-EBV showed that girinimbine was able to suppress restricted early antigen (EA-R). However, diffused early antigen (EA-D) was partially suppressed when used at 32.0 µg/mL. Girinimbine exhibited a very strong antioxidant activity as compared to a-tocopherol and was able to inhibit superoxide generation in the 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced differentiated premyelocytic HL-60 cells more than 95%, when treated with the compound at 5.3 and 26.3 µg/mL, respectively. However girinimbine failed to scavenge the stable diphenyl picryl hydrazyl (DPPH)-free radical.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alkaloids / isolation & purification
  • Alkaloids / pharmacology*
  • Antigens, Viral / genetics
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / isolation & purification
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / pharmacology*
  • Antioxidants / isolation & purification
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Gene Expression / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Murraya / chemistry*
  • Plant Bark / chemistry*
  • Plant Stems / chemistry*
  • Superoxides / metabolism

Substances

  • Alkaloids
  • Antigens, Viral
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
  • Antioxidants
  • Epstein-Barr virus early antigen
  • Superoxides
  • girinimbine