Cytotoxicities of alkaloids from processed and unprocessed seeds of Strychnos nux-vomica
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Published on: October 2, 2016
B C Cai1, T S Wang, M Kurokawa
1Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine & Pharmacology, Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China. bccai@njutcm.edu.cn
Aim:
To examine the cytotoxicities of 6 crude Strychnos alkaloid fractions from the seeds of Strychnos nux-vomica unprocessed or processed with various traditional processing methods and 13 pure Strychnos alkaloids from the fractions.
Methods:
Using cell culture, their inhibitory effects on Vero cell growth-inhibition assay, and host cell DNA synthesis by [3H]thymidine ([3H]TdR) uptake assay.
Results:
The IC50 of processed seeds were 155% and 212% of unprocessed ones in cell growth-inhibition assay and in [3H]TdR uptake assay, respectively. The IC50 of 13 compounds were 0.45-0.80 mmol.L-1 and 0.50-12 mmol.L-1, respectively. The processing method with sand bath exhibited a wide safety margin compared with other traditional processing methods or no processing. The isomers of Strychnos alkaloids and their N-oxides showed much lower cytotoxicities among these alkaloids. Isobrucine N-oxide showed the lowest cytotoxicity. The contents of isomers and N-oxides of Strychnos alkaloids were the highest in the sand processing.
Conclusion:
Processing of nux vomica plays a critical role in its toxicity.
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