Bisindole alkaloids with neural anti-inflammatory activity from Gelsemium elegans

Area of Science:

• Natural Product Chemistry
• Pharmacology
• Medicinal Plant Research

Background:

• Gelsemium elegans is a traditional medicinal plant with a complex chemical profile.
• Bisindole alkaloids are a class of natural products with diverse biological activities.
• The isolation of novel compounds from Gelsemium species remains an active area of research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To isolate and characterize new bisindole alkaloids from Gelsemium elegans.
• To investigate the potential anti-inflammatory activity of the isolated compounds.

Main Methods:

• Isolation of compounds using chromatographic techniques.
• Structure elucidation using spectroscopic methods (NMR, MS) and electronic circular dichroism (ECD).
• In vitro anti-inflammatory assay using BV2 microglial cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS).

Main Results:

• Three new trace bisindole alkaloids, geleganimines A and B and geleganamide, were isolated and their structures determined.
• These are the first bisindole alkaloids reported from the Gelsemium genus.
• Geleganimine B demonstrated indirect anti-inflammatory activity by suppressing LPS-induced pro-inflammatory factors in BV2 cells (IC50 = 10.2 μM).

Conclusions:

• The discovery of novel bisindole alkaloids from Gelsemium elegans expands the known chemical diversity of this genus.
• Geleganimine B exhibits promising anti-inflammatory properties, suggesting its therapeutic potential.
• This study underscores the significance of exploring trace bioactive components in medicinal plants for drug discovery.