Steroidal Alkaloids from the Roots of Veratrum mengtzeanum Loes. with Their Anti-Inflammatory Activities

Wenjuan Yuan; Jinrong Ma; Xinlan Liu; Chengting Zi; Yongkai Xi; Xiaojing Shen; Guodong Li; Jun Sheng; Xuanjun Wang

doi:10.3390/molecules28207116

Steroidal Alkaloids from the Roots of Veratrum mengtzeanum Loes. with Their Anti-Inflammatory Activities

Molecules. 2023 Oct 16;28(20):7116. doi: 10.3390/molecules28207116.

Authors

Wenjuan Yuan^{1

2}, Jinrong Ma^{2

3}, Xinlan Liu^{2

3}, Chengting Zi^{1

2}, Yongkai Xi^{1

2}, Xiaojing Shen¹, Guodong Li⁴, Jun Sheng², Xuanjun Wang²

Affiliations

¹ College of Science, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, China.
² Key Laboratory of Pu'er Tea, Ministry of Education, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, China.
³ College of Food Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, China.
⁴ College of Chinese Medicine, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming 650500, China.

Abstract

The phytochemical investigation of Veratrum mengtzeanum Loes. roots resulted in the isolation and characterization of two novel, namely Mengtzeanines A (1), Mengtzeanines B (2), and eight known steroidal alkaloids (3-10). Their structural properties were assessed though extensive spectroscopic techniques. All constituents 1-10 were analyzed for suppression of NO formation in LPS-induced RAW264.7 macrophages. Among them, constituent 6 (Verazine) showed inhibition against LPS-induced NO production (IC₅₀ = 20.41 μM). Additionally, compound 6 could inhibit the secretion of IL1β, IL6, and TNFα, and downregulate the productions of iNOS and COX2 in LPS-induced RAW264.7 macrophages. Further experiments revealed that 6 exhibited a potent anti-inflammatory level in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages via inhibiting NF-κB, and triggering of Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 axis, implying that compound 6 may be a promising candidate for treating inflammatory disorders.

Keywords: Veratrum mengtzeanum Loes.; anti-inflammatory activity; mengtzeanines A; mengtzeanines B; steroidal alkaloids.

MeSH terms

Alkaloids* / pharmacology
Animals
Anti-Inflammatory Agents / pharmacology
Kelch-Like ECH-Associated Protein 1
Lipopolysaccharides / pharmacology
Mice
NF-E2-Related Factor 2 / metabolism
NF-kappa B / metabolism
Nitric Oxide / metabolism
RAW 264.7 Cells
Veratrum* / chemistry

Substances

Kelch-Like ECH-Associated Protein 1
Lipopolysaccharides
NF-E2-Related Factor 2
Anti-Inflammatory Agents
Alkaloids
NF-kappa B
Nitric Oxide

Grants and funding

This research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 32060084), the Project of the Yunnan Province Agricultural Basic Research Joint Foundation (No. 202301BD070001-025).