Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 16, 2026
09:09
Lethality Bioassay Using Artemia salina L.
Published on: October 11, 2022
12.0K
Alkaloids with cytotoxic activities from Zanthoxylum nitidum
Wei Wei1, Jing-Hui Yin1, Bang-Yong Wang1
1Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guilin Medical University, Guilin 541199, PR China.
Fitoterapia
|October 1, 2025
Summary
Two new alkaloids and known compounds from Zanthoxylum nitidum showed potent anticancer activity. Several isolates effectively inhibited HepG2 and SW480 cancer cell proliferation, surpassing doxorubicin efficacy.
Area of Science:
- Natural Product Chemistry
- Medicinal Chemistry
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Zanthoxylum nitidum is a plant source of bioactive alkaloids.
- Alkaloids possess diverse pharmacological properties, including potential anticancer effects.
- Identifying novel compounds with superior efficacy is crucial for drug discovery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To isolate and characterize new and known alkaloids from Zanthoxylum nitidum.
- To evaluate the cytotoxic activity of these compounds against human cancer cell lines.
- To identify potential anticancer drug leads from natural sources.
Main Methods:
- Isolation of alkaloids using chromatographic techniques.
- Structural elucidation via comprehensive spectroscopic analyses (NMR, HRESIMS, X-ray crystallography, ECD, DP4+).
- In vitro cytotoxicity assays against HepG2 and SW480 cells, with doxorubicin as a reference.
Main Results:
- Two novel alkaloids (8-O-demethylmaclekarpine D and zanthonitine) and a pair of rotamers were isolated.
- 35 known alkaloids were identified, including benzophenanthridines, quinolines, and aporphines.
- Compounds 6, 7, 18, 33 demonstrated potent inhibition of HepG2 cells (IC50 7.29-22.90 μM), outperforming doxorubicin.
- Compounds 9, 16, 21 showed significant suppression of SW480 cells (IC50 21.77-25.13 μM), exceeding doxorubicin's efficacy.
Conclusions:
- Zanthoxylum nitidum is a rich source of structurally diverse alkaloids with significant anticancer potential.
- Several isolated alkaloids exhibit superior cytotoxicity against HepG2 and SW480 cells compared to doxorubicin.
- These findings highlight the therapeutic promise of Zanthoxylum nitidum-derived alkaloids for cancer treatment.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Physical Properties of Amines
4.1K
Amines with low molecular weight are usually gaseous at room temperature, while those with high molecular weight are liquid or solids in nature. Usually, low molecular weight amines have a rotten fish-like smell. Diamines typically have a pungent smell. For instance, cadaverine and putrescine, depicted in Figure 1, are two molecules responsible for decaying tissue.
4.1K
01:17Antidotes
1.0K
Antidotes are medicinal substances used to counteract the harmful effects of toxins or drugs in the body. They function in various ways, each uniquely designed to combat specific toxic compounds.
Specific antidotes operate by inhibiting the enzymes that control biochemical pathways, reducing the production of harmful metabolites.
An example of an antidote is atropine, which counteracts the detrimental effects of cholinesterase inhibitors. It achieves this by deactivating muscarinic receptors,...
Specific antidotes operate by inhibiting the enzymes that control biochemical pathways, reducing the production of harmful metabolites.
An example of an antidote is atropine, which counteracts the detrimental effects of cholinesterase inhibitors. It achieves this by deactivating muscarinic receptors,...
1.0K
01:11Aryldiazonium Salts to Azo Dyes: Diazo Coupling
3.6K
The reaction of weakly electrophilic aryldiazonium (also called arenediazonium) salts with highly activated aromatic compounds leads to the formation of products with an —N=N— link, called an azo linkage. This reaction, presented in Figure 1, is known as diazo coupling and occurs without the loss of the nitrogen atoms of the aryldiazonium salt. Highly activated aromatic compounds such as phenols or arylamines favor the diazo coupling reaction. The coupling generally occurs at the para...
3.6K
01:26Fungal Phylum Basidiomycota
873
Basidiomycota is a diverse phylum of fungi that includes ecologically significant decomposers such as white rot fungi, symbionts like mycorrhizal fungi, plant pathogens such as rusts and smuts, and edible species like Agaricus bisporus (the common button mushroom). These fungi play crucial roles in nutrient cycling, symbiotic relationships, and even human health. Their defining feature is the basidium, a microscopic club-shaped structure responsible for producing basidiospores.Fruiting Bodies...
873