Effect of curcuminoids and curcumin derivate products on thioredoxin-glutathione reductase from Taenia crassiceps cysticerci. Evidence suggesting a curcumin oxidation product as a suitable inhibitor

PLoS One. 2019 Jul 22;14(7):e0220098. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220098. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Curcuma is a traditional ingredient of some Eastern cuisines, and the spice is heralded for its antitumoral and antiparasitic properties. In this report, we examine the effect of the curcuminoides which include curcumin, demethoxycurcumin (DMC) and bis-demethoxycurcumin (BDMC), as well as curcumin degradation products on thioredoxin glutathione reductase from Taenia crassiceps cysticerci Results revealed that both DMC and BDMC were inhibitors of TGR activity in the micromolar concentration range. By contrast, the inhibitory ability of curcumin was a time-dependent process. Kinetic and spectroscopical evidence suggests that an intermediary compound of curcumin oxidation, probably spiroepoxide, is responsible. Preincubation of curcumin in the presence of NADPH, but not glutathione disulfide (GSSG), resulted in the loss of its inhibitory ability, suggesting a reductive stabilizing effect. Similarly, preincubation of curcumin with sulfhydryl compounds fully protected the enzyme from inhibition. Degradation products were tested for their inhibitory potential, and 4-vinylguaiacol was the best inhibitor (IC50 = 12.9 μM), followed by feruloylmethane (IC50 = 122 μM), vanillin (IC50 = 127 μM), and ferulic aldehyde (IC50 = 180 μM). The acid derivatives ferulic acid (IC50 = 465 μM) and vanillic acid (IC50 = 657 μM) were poor inhibitors. On the other hand, results from docking analysis revealed a common binding site on the enzyme for all the compounds, albeit interacting with different amino acid residues. Dissociation constants obtained from the docking were in accord with the inhibitory efficiency of the curcumin degradation products.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anthelmintics / chemistry
  • Anthelmintics / pharmacology*
  • Binding Sites
  • Curcumin / analogs & derivatives*
  • Curcumin / pharmacology
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Helminth Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Helminth Proteins / chemistry
  • Helminth Proteins / metabolism
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • Multienzyme Complexes / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Multienzyme Complexes / chemistry
  • Multienzyme Complexes / metabolism
  • NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases / chemistry
  • NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases / metabolism
  • Protein Binding
  • Taenia / drug effects
  • Taenia / enzymology*

Substances

  • Anthelmintics
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Helminth Proteins
  • Multienzyme Complexes
  • NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases
  • thioredoxin glutathione reductase
  • Curcumin

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the research grant IN218816 from Dirección General de Asuntos del Personal Académico (DGAPA) at Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) and by research support number 121/2015 from Facultad de Medicina, UNAM. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.