Bacoside A3

J Pharm Pharmacol. 2018 Nov;70(11):1531-1540.

Comparative evaluation of four triterpenoid glycoside saponins of bacoside A in alleviating sub-cellular oxidative stress of N2a neuroblastoma cells.[Pubmed: 30073654 ]

To examine the neuroprotective property of triterpenoid glycoside saponins of Bacopa monnieri (L.) Wettst. bacoside A and its components against H2 O2 -induced oxidative stress on neuronal (N2a) cells.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
The cytoprotective effects of individual bacoside A components were evaluated towards oxidative stressed neuronal cells. Bacoside A was screened for neuronal cell viability (MTT assay) and change in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), anti-apoptotic properties and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) using fluorescence microscopy. Different bacoside A components showed decrease in N2a cell viability below 100 (%) after bacoside A concentration of 0.4 mg/ml. Further, cytoprotective effect of optimized dose of bacoside A was analysed for alleviating oxidative stressed, apoptosis and MMP in H2 O2 stressed neuronal cells. Results showed increase in MMP, and decrease in apoptotic induction, without much change in nuclear integrity in stressed neuronal cells. Results showed Bacoside A3 and bacopaside II have comparatively higher cytoprotective ability whilst isomer of bacopasponin C, bacopasaponin C and mixture showed comparatively less response.
CONCLUSIONS:
Amongst four different bacoside A components, Bacoside A3 and bacopaside II showed comparatively higher neuroprotective response analysed as higher cell viability and decreased intracellular ROS, suggesting better regulation of cyto-(neuronal) protection of N2a cells.

Nat Prod Bioprospect. 2014 Aug;4(4):251-5.

Molecular docking of bacosides with tryptophan hydroxylase: a model to understand the bacosides mechanism.[Pubmed: 25089244]

Tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) catalyses l-tryptophan into 5-hydroxy-l-tryptophan, which is the first and rate-limiting step of serotonin (5-HT) biosynthesis. Earlier, we found that TPH2 up-regulated in the hippocampus of postnatal rats after the oral treatment of Bacopa monniera leaf extract containing the active compound bacosides. However, the knowledge about the interactions between bacosides with TPH is limited.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
In this study, we take advantage of in silico approach to understand the interaction of bacoside-TPH complex using three different docking algorithms such as HexDock, PatchDock and AutoDock. All these three algorithms showed that bacoside A and Bacoside A3 well fit into the cavity consists of active sites. Further, our analysis revealed that major active compounds Bacoside A3 and A interact with different residues of TPH through hydrogen bond. Interestingly, Tyr235, Thr265 and Glu317 are the key residues among them, but none of them are either at tryptophan or BH4 binding region. However, its note worthy to mention that Tyr 235 is a catalytic sensitive residue, Thr265 is present in the flexible loop region and Glu317 is known to interacts with Fe. Interactions with these residues may critically regulate TPH function and thus serotonin synthesis.
CONCLUSIONS:
Our study suggested that the interaction of bacosides (A3/A) with TPH might up-regulate its activity to elevate the biosynthesis of 5-HT, thereby enhances learning and memory formation.

Heliyon. 2016 Feb 15;2(2):e00068.

Beneficial effects of Bacopa monnieri extract on opioid induced toxicity.[Pubmed: 27441247 ]

The present study examined the hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity of morphine and illicit street heroin and their amelioration by a standardized methanolic extract of Bacopa monnieri (L.) (mBME) in rats.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
Morphine or street heroin was administered at a dose of 20 mg/kg for 14 and 21 days. mBME (40 mg/kg) or ascorbic acid (50 mg/kg) was administered two hours before morphine or street heroin. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used for the standardization of bacoside-A major components in mBME. The antioxidant potential of mBME was evaluated by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay. Administration of morphine and street heroin resulted in marked elevation of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and creatinine. Histopathological changes induced by morphine and street heroin after 14 days were of reversible nature while treatment for 21 days was associated with irreversible changes. Pretreatment with mBME or ascorbic acid restored the elevation of serum ALT, AST and creatinine and protected liver and kidneys from the toxicological influence of morphine and street heroin. HPLC analysis showed that mBME contained bacoside A major components i.e. Bacoside A3 (37.5 μg/mg), bacopaside II (4.62 μg/mg) and bacopasaponin-C (1.91 μg/mg). The EC50 for the DPPH free radical scavenging assay revealed that mBME possessed strong antioxidant potential. These results concluded that as compared to morphine, street heroin was associated with severe biochemical and histopathological changes in the liver and kidneys.
CONCLUSIONS:
Bacopa monnieri having strong antioxidant potential may provide a beneficial herbal remedy for the efficient management of opioid related hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity.

Xenobiotica. 2015;45(8):741-9.

In vitro effects of standardized extract of Bacopa monniera and its five individual active constituents on human P-glycoprotein activity.[Pubmed: 25869246 ]

1. For centuries Bacopa monniera (BM) has been used as an herbal drug for the treatment of various mental ailments. A chemically standardized alcoholic extract of BM is clinically available over the counter herbal remedy for memory enhancement in children and adults. Consumption of herbal preparations has been reported to alter the function of membrane transporters, especially P-glycoprotein (P-gp), ATP-dependent drug efflux transporter responsible for the development of herb-drug interactions.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
2. In the present study, we evaluated the in vitro effect of BM extract and its five individual active constituents (namely, bacopaside I, bacopaside II and bacopasaponin C, bacoside A and Bacoside A3) on P-gp function using luminescent P-gp ATPase assay and Rh123 transport assay across human MDR1 gene transfected LLC-GA5-COL150 cell line. 3. It was observed that BM extract and its five individual constituents inhibited both basal activity as well as verapamil-stimulated ATPase activity, suggesting their affinity towards P-gp. Further, BM and its five active constituents inhibited the rhodamine 123 (Rh123) transport across LLC-GA5-COL150 cell monolayer with bacopaside II being the most potent inhibitor of P-gp, which decreased P-gp efflux ratio of Rh123 by fourfold in comparison to control.
CONCLUSIONS:
4. Our finding may prove beneficial in predicting the potential herb-drug interactions of BM on concomitant medication with P-gp substrate drugs in clinical settings.

Phytother Res. 2014 Jun;28(6):937-9.

Inhibitory effect of bacopasides on spontaneous morphine withdrawal induced depression in mice.[Pubmed: 24243728]

Bacopa monnieri is a perennial herb with a world known image as a nootropic.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
We investigated the effect of Bacopa monnieri methanolic extract (Mt Ext BM) 10, 20, and 30 mg/kg body weight (b.w) on acquisition and expression of morphine withdrawal induced depression in mice. Locally available Bacopa monnieri (BM) was screened for contents of Bacoside A3, Bacopasaponin C, and Bacopaside II using HPLC with UV. Morphine dependence was induced in mice using twice daily escalating chronic morphine treatments (20-65 mg/kg b.w) for eight consecutive days. Morphine withdrawal induced depression was assayed in animals using forced swimming test (FST), three days after last morphine injection. The HPLC analysis revealed that Mt-ext BM contained Bacoside A3 as major component, i.e. 4 µg in each mg of extract. The chronic treatment with Met Ext BM 10, 20, and 30 mg/kg b.w. dosing significantly inhibited opioid withdrawal induced depression in mice.
CONCLUSIONS:
These findings imply a newer potential role of Bacopa monnieri in the clinical management of opioid withdrawal induced depression which can be attributed to Bacoside A3.