Groenlandicine

Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 2014 Sep;39(17):3326-9.

Research on bitter components from Coptis chinensis based on electronic tongue.[Pubmed: 25522621]

METHODS AND RESULTS:
Isolated alkaloids from Coptis chinensis Franch. The compounds were identified as berberine, columbamine, Groenlandicine, jatrorrhizine, magnoflorine, corydaldine and ferulic acid methylester. Then measured their bitter degree based on the electronic tongue and evaluated the antibacterial. The results based on the Electronic Tongue showed that berberine, columbamine, Groenlandicine and jatrorrhizine have higher bitter degree than magnoflorine and corydaldine. And they also appeared better antibacterial activity on E. coli and S. aureus. The correlation coefficients between bitter degree and the two bacteria antibacterial activity were 0.983 and 0.911.
CONCLUSIONS:
So there was close relationship between the bitter degree and antibacterial activity of bitter components. Thus, it is confirmed further that bitter components are the material foundation of medicinal effectiveness of bitter herbs.

J Pharm Pharmacol. 2005 Mar;57(3):367-74.

Protective role of Coptidis Rhizoma alkaloids against peroxynitrite-induced damage to renal tubular epithelial cells.[Pubmed: 15807993 ]

A study was conducted to elucidate and compare the protective activity of alkaloids from Coptidis Rhizoma (berberine, coptisine, palmatine, epiberberine, jatrorhizine, Groenlandicine and magnoflorine) using an LLC-PK(1) cell under peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)) generation model.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
Treatment with 3-morpholinosydnonimine (SIN-1) led to an increase in cellular ONOO(-) generation in comparison with non-treated cells. However, Coptidis Rhizoma extract and its alkaloids, except for berberine, reduced the cellular ONOO(-) level. In addition, DNA fragmentation induced by SIN-1 was significantly decreased by the extract, and also by coptisine, epiberberine, jatrorhizine, Groenlandicine and magnoflorine. Moreover, treatment with berberine, coptisine, palmatine and epiberberine exerted a protective effect against G(0)/G(1)phase arrest of cell cycle induced by SIN-1. The increase in cellular ONOO(-) generation, DNA damage and disturbance of the cell cycle by SIN-1 resulted in a decrease in cell viability. However, Coptidis Rhizoma extract, epiberberine, jatrorhizine, Groenlandicine and magnoflorine significantly increased cell viability even at a concentration as low as 10 microg mL(-1).
CONCLUSIONS:
These findings demonstrate that Coptidis Rhizoma extract and its alkaloids can ameliorate the cell damage associated with ONOO(-) generation in renal tubular LLCPK(1) cells, and that the various alkaloids have distinctive mechanisms of action, such as ONOO(-) scavenging, protection from DNA damage and control of the cell cycle. Furthermore, the data suggest that among the Coptidis Rhizoma alkaloids, coptisine is the most effective for protection against SIN-1-induced cellular injury in terms of its potency and content.

Biol Pharm Bull. 2009 Aug;32(8):1433-8.

Anti-Alzheimer and antioxidant activities of Coptidis Rhizoma alkaloids.[Pubmed: 19652386]

Coptidis Rhizoma and its isolated alkaloids are reported to possess a variety of activities, including neuroprotective and antioxidant effects.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
Thus, the anti-Alzheimer and antioxidant effects of six protoberberine alkaloids (berberine, palmatine, jateorrhizine, epiberberine, coptisine, and Groenlandicine) and one aporphine alkaloid (magnoflorine) from Coptidis Rhizoma were evaluated via beta-site amyloid precursor protein (APP) cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) assays, along with peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)) scavenging and total reactive oxygen species (ROS) inhibitory assays. Six protoberberine alkaloids exhibited predominant cholinesterases (ChEs) inhibitory effects with IC(50) values ranging between 0.44-1.07 microM for AChE and 3.32-6.84 microM for BChE; only epiberberine (K(i)=10.0) and Groenlandicine (K(i)=21.2) exerted good, non-competitive BACE1 inhibitory activities with IC(50) values of 8.55 and 19.68 microM, respectively. In two antioxidant assays, jateorrhizine and Groenlandicine exhibited significant ONOO(-) scavenging activities with IC(50) values of 0.78 and 0.84 microM, respectively; coptisine and Groenlandicine exhibited moderate total ROS inhibitory activities with IC(50) values of 48.93 and 51.78 microM, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS:
These results indicate that Coptidis Rhizoma alkaloids have a strong potential of inhibition and prevention of Alzheimer's disease (AD) mainly through both ChEs and beta-amyloids pathways, and additionally through antioxidant capacities. In particular, Groenlandicine may be a promising anti-AD agent due to its potent inhibitory activity of both ChEs and beta-amyloids formation, as well as marked ONOO(-) scavenging and good ROS inhibitory capacities. As a result, Coptidis Rhizoma and the alkaloids contained therein would clearly have beneficial uses in the development of therapeutic and preventive agents for AD and oxidative stress-related disease.

Arch Pharm Res. 2008 Nov;31(11):1405-12.

Inhibitory activities of the alkaloids from Coptidis Rhizoma against aldose reductase.[Pubmed: 19023536]

As part of our ongoing search of natural sources for therapeutic and preventive agents for diabetic complications, the rat lens aldose reductase (RLAR) inhibitory effect of Coptidis Rhizoma (the rhizome of Coptis chinensis Franch) was evaluated.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
Its extract and fractions exhibited broad and moderate RLAR inhibitory activities of 38.9 approximately 67.5 microg/mL. In an attempt to identify bioactive components, six quaternary protoberberine-type alkaloids (berberine, palmatine, jateorrhizine, epiberberine, coptisine, and Groenlandicine) and one quaternary aporphine-type alkaloid (magnoflorine) were isolated from the most active n-BuOH fraction, and the chemical structures therein were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic evidence and comparison with published data. The anti-diabetic complications capacities of seven C. chinensis-derived alkaloids were evaluated via RLAR and human recombinant AR (HRAR) inhibitory assays. Although berberine and palmatine were previously reported as prime contributors to AR inhibition, these two major components exhibited no AR inhibitory effects at a higher concentration of 50 microg/ml in the present study. Conversely, epiberberine, coptisine, and Groenlandicine exhibited moderate inhibitory effects with IC(50) values of 100.1, 118.4, 140.1 microM for RLAR and 168.1, 187.3, 154.2 microM for HRAR.
CONCLUSIONS:
The results clearly indicated that the presence of the dioxymethylene group in the D ring and the oxidized form of the dioxymethylene group in the A ring were partly responsible for the AR inhibitory activities of protoberberine-type alkaloids. Therefore, Coptidis Rhizoma, and the alkaloids contained therein, would clearly have beneficial uses in the development of therapeutic and preventive agents for diabetic complications and diabetes mellitus.