RESUMO
Medicinal use of Cannabis sativa L. has an extensive history and it was essential in the discovery of phytocannabinoids, including the Cannabis major psychoactive compound-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC)-as well as the G-protein-coupled cannabinoid receptors (CBR), named cannabinoid receptor type-1 (CB1R) and cannabinoid receptor type-2 (CB2R), both part of the now known endocannabinoid system (ECS). Cannabinoids is a vast term that defines several compounds that have been characterized in three categories: (i) endogenous, (ii) synthetic, and (iii) phytocannabinoids, and are able to modulate the CBR and ECS. Particularly, phytocannabinoids are natural terpenoids or phenolic compounds derived from Cannabis sativa. However, these terpenoids and phenolic compounds can also be derived from other plants (non-cannabinoids) and still induce cannabinoid-like properties. Cannabimimetic ligands, beyond the Cannabis plant, can act as CBR agonists or antagonists, or ECS enzyme inhibitors, besides being able of playing a role in immune-mediated inflammatory and infectious diseases, neuroinflammatory, neurological, and neurodegenerative diseases, as well as in cancer, and autoimmunity by itself. In this review, we summarize and critically highlight past, present, and future progress on the understanding of the role of cannabinoid-like molecules, mainly terpenes, as prospective therapeutics for different pathological conditions.
Assuntos
Doença de Alzheimer/tratamento farmacológico , Ansiedade/tratamento farmacológico , Agonistas de Receptores de Canabinoides/química , Cannabis/química , Disfunção Cognitiva/tratamento farmacológico , Fármacos Neuroprotetores/química , Esquizofrenia/tratamento farmacológico , Doença de Alzheimer/fisiopatologia , Ansiedade/fisiopatologia , Monoterpenos Bicíclicos/química , Monoterpenos Bicíclicos/isolamento & purificação , Monoterpenos Bicíclicos/farmacologia , Canabidiol/química , Canabidiol/isolamento & purificação , Canabidiol/farmacologia , Agonistas de Receptores de Canabinoides/classificação , Agonistas de Receptores de Canabinoides/isolamento & purificação , Agonistas de Receptores de Canabinoides/farmacologia , Disfunção Cognitiva/fisiopatologia , Dronabinol/química , Dronabinol/isolamento & purificação , Dronabinol/farmacologia , Humanos , Doenças Inflamatórias Intestinais/tratamento farmacológico , Doenças Inflamatórias Intestinais/fisiopatologia , Neuralgia/tratamento farmacológico , Neuralgia/fisiopatologia , Fármacos Neuroprotetores/classificação , Fármacos Neuroprotetores/isolamento & purificação , Fármacos Neuroprotetores/farmacologia , Nootrópicos/química , Nootrópicos/classificação , Nootrópicos/isolamento & purificação , Nootrópicos/farmacologia , Esquizofrenia/fisiopatologia , Sesquiterpenos/química , Sesquiterpenos/isolamento & purificação , Sesquiterpenos/farmacologia , Terpenos/química , Terpenos/isolamento & purificação , Terpenos/farmacologiaRESUMO
With the increasing life expectancy of the world's population, neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), will become a much more relevant public health issue. This fact, coupled with the lack of efficacy of the available treatments, has been driving research directed to the development of new drugs for this pathology. Metal-protein attenuating compounds (MPACs) constitute a promising class of agents with potential application on the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as AD. Currently, most MPACs are based on 8-hydroxyquinoline. Recently, our research group has described the hybrid aroylhydrazone containing the 8-hydroxyquinoline group INHHQ as a promising MPAC. By studying the known structure-related ligand HPCIH, which does not contain the phenol moiety, as a simplified chemical model for INHHQ, we aimed to clarify the real impact of the aroylhydrazone group for the MPAC activity of a compound with potential anti-Alzheimer's activity. The present work describes a detailed solution and solid-state study of the coordination of HPCIH with Zn2+ ions, as well as its in vitro binding-ability towards this metal in the presence of the Aß(1-40) peptide. Similar to INHHQ, HPCIH is able to efficiently compete with Aß(1-40) for Zn2+ ions, performing as expected for an MPAC. The similarity between the behaviors of both ligands is remarkable. Taken together, the data presented herein point to aroylhydrazones, such as the compounds HPCIH and the previously published INHHQ, as encouraging MPACs for the treatment of AD.
Assuntos
Hidrazonas/química , Nootrópicos/química , Piridinas/química , Zinco/química , Doença de Alzheimer/tratamento farmacológico , Peptídeos beta-Amiloides/metabolismo , Complexos de Coordenação/síntese química , Complexos de Coordenação/química , Complexos de Coordenação/metabolismo , Hidrazonas/síntese química , Hidrazonas/metabolismo , Ligantes , Estrutura Molecular , Nootrópicos/síntese química , Nootrópicos/metabolismo , Fragmentos de Peptídeos/metabolismo , Estudo de Prova de Conceito , Ligação Proteica , Piridinas/síntese química , Piridinas/metabolismo , Zinco/metabolismoRESUMO
Erythropoietin (EPO) is a cytokine known to have effective cytoprotective action in the brain, particularly in ischemic, traumatic, inflammatory, and neurodegenerative conditions. We previously reported the neuroprotective effect of a low sialic form of EPO, Neuro-EPO, applied intranasally in rodent models of stroke or cerebellar ataxia and in a non-transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here we analyzed the protective effect of Neuro-EPO in APPSwe mice, a reference transgenic mouse model of AD. Mice were administered 3 times a day, 3 days in the week with Neuro-EPO (125, 250 µg/kg) intranasally, between 12 and 14 months of age. Motor responses, general activity, and memory responses were analyzed during and after treatment. The deficits in spontaneous alternation, place learning in the water-maze, and novel object recognition observed in APPSwe mice were alleviated by the low dose of Neuro-EPO. Oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, trophic factor levels, and a synaptic marker were analyzed in the hippocampus or cortex of the animals. The increases in lipid peroxidation or in GFAP and Iba-1 contents in APPSwe mice were significantly reduced after Neuro-EPO. Activation of intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways was analyzed. The increases in Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, TNFα, or Fas ligand levels observed in APPSwe mice were reduced by Neuro-EPO. Finally, immunohistochemical and ELISA analyses of Aß1-42 levels in the APPSwe mouse cortex and hippocampus showed a marked reduction in Aß deposits and in soluble and insoluble Aß1-42 forms. This study therefore confirmed the neuroprotective activity of EPO, particularly for an intranasally deliverable formulation, devoid of erythropoietic side effects, in a transgenic mouse model of AD. Neuro-EPO alleviated memory alterations, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, apoptosis induction, and amyloid load in 14-month-old APPSwe mice.
Assuntos
Doença de Alzheimer/tratamento farmacológico , Peptídeos beta-Amiloides/metabolismo , Eritropoetina/administração & dosagem , Transtornos da Memória/prevenção & controle , Fármacos Neuroprotetores/administração & dosagem , Nootrópicos/administração & dosagem , Administração Intranasal , Doença de Alzheimer/metabolismo , Doença de Alzheimer/patologia , Animais , Córtex Cerebral/efeitos dos fármacos , Córtex Cerebral/metabolismo , Córtex Cerebral/patologia , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Eritropoetina/química , Hipocampo/efeitos dos fármacos , Hipocampo/metabolismo , Hipocampo/patologia , Aprendizagem em Labirinto/efeitos dos fármacos , Memória/efeitos dos fármacos , Transtornos da Memória/metabolismo , Transtornos da Memória/patologia , Camundongos Endogâmicos C57BL , Camundongos Transgênicos , Atividade Motora/efeitos dos fármacos , Ácido N-Acetilneuramínico/química , Fármacos Neuroprotetores/química , Nootrópicos/químicaRESUMO
Trypanosoma cruzi strains from distinct geographic areas show differences in drug resistance and association between parasites genetic and treatment response has been observed. Considering that benznidazole (BZ) can reduce the parasite burden and tissues damage, even in not cured animals and individuals, the goal is to assess the drug response to BZ of T. cruzi II strains isolated from children of the Jequitinhonha Valley, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, before treatment. Mice infected and treated with BZ in both phases of infection were compared with the untreated and evaluated by fresh blood examination, haemoculture, polymerase chain reaction, conventional (ELISA) and non-conventional (FC-ALTA) serologies. In mice treated in the acute phase, a significant decrease in parasitaemia was observed for all strains. Positive parasitological and/or serological tests in animals treated during the acute and chronic (95.1-100%) phases showed that most of the strains were BZ resistant. However, beneficial effect was demonstrated because significant reduction (p < 0.05%) and/or suppression of parasitaemia was observed in mice infected with all strains (acute phase), associated to reduction/elimination of inflammation and fibrosis for two/eight strains. BZ offered some benefit, even in not cured animals, what suggest that BZ use may be recommended at least for recent chronic infection of the studied region.
Assuntos
Humanos , Descoberta de Drogas , Resíduos Industriais/análise , Nootrópicos/isolamento & purificação , Extratos Vegetais/química , Brotos de Planta/química , Estilbenos/isolamento & purificação , Vitis/química , Agricultura/economia , Peptídeos beta-Amiloides/antagonistas & inibidores , Peptídeos beta-Amiloides/metabolismo , Benzofuranos/análise , Benzofuranos/química , Benzofuranos/economia , Benzofuranos/isolamento & purificação , Cromatografia Líquida de Alta Pressão , França , Resíduos Industriais/economia , Estrutura Molecular , Fármacos Neuroprotetores/química , Fármacos Neuroprotetores/economia , Fármacos Neuroprotetores/isolamento & purificação , Fármacos Neuroprotetores/farmacologia , Nootrópicos/química , Nootrópicos/economia , Nootrópicos/farmacologia , Agregação Patológica de Proteínas , Fragmentos de Peptídeos/antagonistas & inibidores , Fragmentos de Peptídeos/metabolismo , Fenóis/química , Fenóis/economia , Extratos Vegetais/economia , Agregados Proteicos/efeitos dos fármacos , Espectrometria de Massas por Ionização por Electrospray , Estereoisomerismo , Estilbenos/análise , Estilbenos/química , Estilbenos/economia , Estilbenos/farmacologiaRESUMO
Wnt/ß-catenin signalling is an important pathway that regulates multiple biological processes, including cell adhesion and determination of cell fate during animal development; in the adult nervous system it regulates the structure and function of synapses. Wnt-signalling dysfunction is associated with several neurodegenerative diseases such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease. The use of natural compounds is an interesting strategy in the search for drugs with the therapeutic potential to activate this signalling pathway. In the present study, we report that andrographolide (ANDRO), a component of Andrographis paniculata, is a potent activator of Wnt signalling. Our results indicate that ANDRO activates this pathway, inducing the transcription of Wnt target genes by a mechanism that bypasses Wnt ligand binding to its receptor. In vitro kinase assays demonstrate that ANDRO inhibits glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3ß by a non-ATP-competitive, substrate-competitive mode of action. In silico analyses suggest that ANDRO interacts with the substrate-binding site of GSK-3ß. Finally, we demonstrated that the increase seen in the levels of GSK-3ß phosphorylated at Ser9 is the result of an autoregulatory mechanism of the kinase in vivo, although not through activation of protein phosphatase type 1. Our results suggest that ANDRO could be used as a potential therapeutic drug for disorders caused by Wnt-signalling dysfunction such as neurodegenerative diseases.
Assuntos
Diterpenos/farmacologia , Quinase 3 da Glicogênio Sintase/antagonistas & inibidores , Hipocampo/efeitos dos fármacos , Neurônios/efeitos dos fármacos , Nootrópicos/farmacologia , Inibidores de Proteínas Quinases/farmacologia , Via de Sinalização Wnt/efeitos dos fármacos , Animais , Ligação Competitiva , Domínio Catalítico , Células Cultivadas , Diterpenos/química , Diterpenos/metabolismo , Quinase 3 da Glicogênio Sintase/química , Quinase 3 da Glicogênio Sintase/genética , Quinase 3 da Glicogênio Sintase/metabolismo , Glicogênio Sintase Quinase 3 beta , Hipocampo/citologia , Hipocampo/metabolismo , Técnicas In Vitro , Camundongos , Simulação de Acoplamento Molecular , Estrutura Molecular , Neurônios/citologia , Neurônios/metabolismo , Nootrópicos/química , Nootrópicos/metabolismo , Fosforilação/efeitos dos fármacos , Inibidores de Proteínas Quinases/química , Inibidores de Proteínas Quinases/metabolismo , Processamento de Proteína Pós-Traducional/efeitos dos fármacos , Ratos , Serina/química , Serina/metabolismoRESUMO
UNLABELLED: CONTEXT. Huperzia saururus (Lam.) Trevis. (Lycopodiaceae), an autochthonous plant species in Argentina, is used as a memory improver in traditional medicine. It was studied for this reason and the purified alkaloid extract did show significant activity on learning and memory. The species is mostly consumed in the form of infusions and decoctions. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the activity of the H. saururus infusion and decoction as inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and to determine the amino acid content in both extracts. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Infusion and decoction were purified by ionic exchange chromatography and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography HPLC-UV, and the AChE inhibition of these extracts was evaluated by using the Ellman method. RESULTS: Both infusion and decoction exerted strong AChE inhibitory activities (IC50=7.2 ± 0.4 and 22.7 ± 5.6 µg/mL, respectively). Among nine amino acids, arginine (Arg) was identified in a concentration greater than 9 mg/100 g of dried aerial parts in both extracts. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: This high content of Arg could be considered a contributing factor to the activity on memory previously demonstrated for the H. saururus alkaloid extract, since Arg is implicated indirectly in mnemonic processes as a precursor in nitric oxide synthesis. Thus, the central effect of H. saururus could involve two different mechanisms, the cholinergic mechanism and the nitric oxide pathway.