Dehydrocorydalin

Phytother Res. 2017 Mar;31(3):441-448.

Anti-Metastatic Effect of Dehydrocorydaline on H1299 Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma Cells via Inhibition of Matrix Metalloproteinases and B Cell Lymphoma 2.[Pubmed: 28144994 ]

Though Dehydrocorydaline, an alkaloid isolated from Corydalis turtschaninovii tuber, was known to have anti-coronary artery disease, anti-inflammatory, apoptotic, anti-allergic, anti-acetylcholinesterase, and antitumor effects, the underlying anti-metastatic mechanism of Dehydrocorydalin was never elucidated in lung cancer cells so far.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
Thus, in the present study, the anti-metastatic effect of Dehydrocorydaline was examined in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cells, mainly targeting matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and B cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) signaling. Here, Dehydrocorydaline exerted weak cytotoxicity and attenuated the protein expression of Bcl-2 and activated Bax in a concentration-dependent manner in NSCLC cells, such as A549, H460, H1299, and H596 cells. Also, Dehydrocorydaline suppressed the migration of H1299 cells by wound healing assay and transwell migration assay. Consistently, Dehydrocorydaline attenuated mRNA and protein levels of MMP7 and MMP9 as metastasis biomarkers in H1299 cells by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Of note, Bcl-2 overexpression reduced the cytotoxic and anti-metastatic effects of Dehydrocorydaline on pCDNA-Bcl-2 transfected H1299 cells.
CONCLUSIONS:
Overall, our findings provide scientific evidence that Dehydrocorydaline exerts anti-metastatic potential via suppression of MMPs and Bcl-2 signaling in NSCLC cells.

Mol Med Rep. 2016 Oct;14(4):3029-36.

Dehydrocorydaline promotes myogenic differentiation via p38 MAPK activation.[Pubmed: 27573543]

Muscle regeneration is a coordinated process that involves proliferation and differentiation of muscle progenitor cells. Activation of MyoD is a key event in myogenic differentiation, which is regulated by p38 mitogen‑activated protein kinases (MAPK). In a screen of natural compounds for the enhancement of MyoD activity, Dehydrocorydaline (DHC) from the Corydalis tuber was identified.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
Treatment of C2C12 myoblasts with DHC increased the expression levels of muscle‑specific proteins, including MyoD, myogenin and myosin heavy chain. In addition, C2C12 myoblasts exhibited enhanced multinucleated myotube formation without any cytotoxicity. Treatment with DHC elevated p38 MAPK activation and the interaction of MyoD with an E protein, which is likely to result in activation of MyoD and promotion of myoblast differentiation. Furthermore, defects in differentiation‑induced p38 MAPK activation and myoblast differentiation induced by depletion of the promyogenic receptor protein Cdo in C2C12 myoblasts were restored by DHC treatment.
CONCLUSIONS:
In conclusion, these results indicated that DHC stimulates p38 MAPK activation, which can enhance heterodimerization of MyoD and E proteins, thus resulting in MyoD activation and myoblast differentiation. These findings suggested that DHC may be considered a potential therapeutic compound for the improvement of muscle stem cell regenerative capacity in injured muscle.

Malar J . 2018 Jun 25;17(1):244.

Screening of a library of traditional Chinese medicines to identify anti-malarial compounds and extracts[Pubmed: 29941026]

Abstract Background: Malaria is a major infectious disease in the world. In 2015, approximately 212 million people were infected and 429,000 people were killed by this disease. Plasmodium falciparum, which causes falciparum malaria, is becoming resistant to artemisinin (ART) in Southeast Asia; therefore, new anti-malarial drugs are urgently needed. Some excellent anti-malarial drugs, such as quinine or ART, were originally obtained from natural plants. Hence, the authors screened a natural product library comprising traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) to identify compounds/extracts with anti-malarial effects. Methods: The authors performed three assays: a malaria growth inhibition assay (GIA), a cytotoxicity assay, and a malaria stage-specific GIA. The malaria GIA revealed the anti-malarial ability and half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of the natural products, whereas the malaria stage-specific GIA revealed the point in the malaria life cycle where the products exerted their anti-malarial effects. The toxicity of the products to the host cells was evaluated with the cytotoxicity assay. Results: Four natural compounds (berberine chloride, coptisine chloride, palmatine chloride, and Dehydrocorydaline nitrate) showed strong anti-malarial effects (IC50 < 50 nM), and low cytotoxicity (cell viability > 90%) using P. falciparum 3D7 strain. Two natural extracts (Phellodendri cortex and Coptidis rhizoma) also showed strong antiplasmodial effects (IC50 < 1 μg/ml), and low cytotoxicity (cell viability > 80%). These natural products also demonstrated anti-malarial capability during the trophozoite and schizont stages of the malaria life cycle. Conclusions: The authors identified four compounds (berberine chloride, coptisine chloride, palmatine chloride, and Dehydrocorydaline nitrate) and two extracts (Phellodendri cortex and Coptidis rhizoma) with anti-malarial activity, neither of which had previously been described. The IC50 values of the compounds were comparable to that of chloroquine and better than that of pyrimethamine. These compounds and extracts derived from TCMs thus show promise as potential future anti-malarial drugs. Keywords: Antimalarial drugs; Drug screening; Plasmodium falciparum; Traditional Chinese medicine.

Sci Rep. 2016 Jun 7;6:27129.

Antinociceptive effects of dehydrocorydaline in mouse models of inflammatory pain involve the opioid receptor and inflammatory cytokines.[Pubmed: 27272194 ]

Dehydrocorydaline (DHC) is an alkaloidal component isolated from Rhizoma corydalis. Previous studies have shown that DHC has anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects and that it can protect the cardiovascular system. However, there are few studies of the antinociceptive effects of DHC in vivo.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
This study explored the antinociceptive effects and possible mechanisms of DHC in mice using two inflammatory pain models: the acetic acid-induced writhing test and the formalin paw test. The intraperitoneal administration of DHC (3.6, 6 or 10 mg/kg) showed a dose-dependent antinociceptive effect in the acetic acid-induced writhing test and significantly attenuated the formalin-induced pain responses in mice. The antinociceptive effects of DHC were not associated with changes in the locomotor activity or motor responses of animals, and no obvious acute or chronic toxic effects were observed in the mice. Furthermore, the use of naloxone confirmed the involvement of the opioid receptor in the central antinociceptive effects of DHC. DHC reduced formalin-induced paw edema, which indicated that DHC may produce an anti-inflammatory effect in the periphery. In the formalin test, DHC decreased the expression of caspase 6 (CASP6), TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 proteins in the spinal cord.
CONCLUSIONS:
These findings confirm that DHC has antinociceptive effects in mice.

Int Immunopharmacol. 2011 Sep;11(9):1362-7.

Dehydrocorydaline inhibits elevated mitochondrial membrane potential in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages.[Pubmed: 21575743]

Activated macrophages play a critical role in the pathogenesis of numerous diseases by producing pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6. While the mechanisms of bacterial component recognition and signal transduction have been well investigated, viability regulation in activated macrophages remains unclear.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
We screened herbal ingredients to find an agent that reduces the viability of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages and observed that Dehydrocorydaline, a component of Corydalis yanhusuo, reduced the viability of macrophage-derived RAW264.7 cells and primary macrophages in the presence of LPS. Dehydrocorydaline inhibited the elevation of mitochondrial membrane potential and induced ATP depletion in LPS-stimulated macrophages but neither affected basal mitochondrial membrane potential nor ATP content in non-stimulated macrophages. Dehydrocorydaline also prevented increased concentrations of IL-1β and IL-6 in culture media of LPS-stimulated macrophages.
CONCLUSIONS:
Mode of Dehydrocorydaline action indicates that elevated mitochondrial membrane potential may be a novel target to specifically reduce viability and suppress cytokine production in LPS-stimulated macrophages.

Am J Chin Med. 2012;40(1):177-85.

Dehydrocorydaline inhibits breast cancer cells proliferation by inducing apoptosis in MCF-7 cells.[Pubmed: 22298457 ]

Dehydrocorydaline is an alkaloid isolated from traditional Chinese herb Corydalis yanhusuo W.T. Wang. We discovered that it possessed anti-tumor potential during screening of anti-tumor natural products from Chinese medicine. In this study, its anti-tumor potential was investigated with breast cancer line cells MCF-7 in vitro.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
The anti-proliferative effect of Dehydrocorydaline was determined by MTT assay and the mitochondrial membrane potential (Δ Ψ m) was monitored by JC-1 staining. DNA fragments were visualized by Hoechst 33342 staining and DNA ladder assay. Apoptotic related protein expressions were measured by Western blotting. Dehydrocorydaline significantly inhibited MCF-7 cell proliferation in a dose- dependent manner, which could be reversed by a caspase-8 inhibitor, Z-IETD-FMK. Dehydrocorydaline increased DNA fragments without affecting ΔΨm. Western blotting assay showed that Dehydrocorydaline dose-dependently increased Bax protein expression and decreased Bcl-2 protein expression. Furthermore, Dehydrocorydaline induced activation of caspase-7,-8 and the cleavage of PARP without affecting caspase-9.
CONCLUSIONS:
These results showed that Dehydrocorydaline inhibits MCF-7 cell proliferation by inducing apoptosis mediated by regulating Bax/Bcl-2, activating caspases as well as cleaving PARP.