hERG Channel Blocking Ipecac Alkaloids Identified by Combined In Silico - In Vitro Screening.

Human ether-a-go-go-related gene channel blocking is associated with QT interval prolongation and increased risk of potentially fatal arrhythmias. As natural products keep increasing in popularity, there is an urgent need for studies assessing human ether-a-go-go-related gene channel-related cardiotoxic risks. We selected 49 plant species based on the results of a pharmacophore-based virtual screening campaign, in parallel with a literature data survey concerning highly consumed herbal medicines with reported cardiac liabilities. Lead-like enhanced extracts were prepared, an initial in vitro screening was performed at 100 µg/mL by voltage clamp on Xenopus oocytes, and five human ether-a-go-go-related gene channel blocking extracts were identified. In accordance to the six virtually predicted alkaloids, the root extract of Carapichea ipecacuanha inhibited human ether-a-go-go-related gene channel currents by 32.5 %. A phytochemical workflow resulted in the isolation and identification of five out of the six virtually predicted alkaloids. All isolates blocked human ether-a-go-go-related gene channel currents to different extents. The major ipecac constituents emetine (1) and cephaeline (2) showed IC50 values of 21.4 and 5.3 µM, respectively, measured by whole-cell patch clamp in HEK293 cells. This is the first report on human ether-a-go-go-related gene channel blockers from C. ipecacuanha. Its roots and rhizomes are used to produce different pharmacopeial ipecac preparations that are mainly used as emetics for poisoning treatment. Our findings raise further questions regarding the safety and over-the-counter appropriateness of these herbal products.

A stereodivergent strategy for the preparation of corynantheine and ipecac alkaloids, their epimers, and analogues: efficient total synthesis of (-)-dihydrocorynantheol, (-)-corynantheol, (-)-protoemetinol, (-)-corynantheal, (-)-protoemetine, and related natural and nonnatural compounds.

Here we present a general and common catalytic asymmetric strategy for the total and formal synthesis of a broad number of optically active natural products from the corynantheine and ipecac alkaloid families, for example, indolo[2,3-a]- and benzo[a]quinolizidines. Construction of the core alkaloid skeletons with the correct absolute and relative stereochemistry relies on an enantioselective and diastereodivergent one-pot cascade sequence followed by an additional diastereodivergent reaction step. This allows for enantio- and diastereoselective synthesis of three out of four possible epimers of the quinolizidine alkaloids that begin from common and easily accessible starting materials by using a common synthetic route. Focus has been made on excluding protecting groups and limiting isolation and purification of synthetic intermediates. This methodology is applied in the total synthesis of the natural products (-)-dihydrocorynantheol, (-)-hirsutinol, (-)-corynantheol, (-)-protometinol, (-)-dihydrocorynantheal, (-)-corynantheal, (-)-protoemetine, (-)-(15S)-hydroxydihydrocorynantheol, and an array of their nonnatural epimers. The potential of this strategy is also demonstrated in the synthesis of biologically interesting natural product analogues not accessible through synthetic elaboration of alkaloid precursors available from nature, for example, thieno[3,2-a]quinolizidine derivatives. We also report the formal synthesis of (+)-dihydrocorynantheine, (-)-emetine, (-)-cephaeline, (-)-tubulosine, and (-)-deoxytubulosine.

Ipecac alkaloids from Cephaelis acuminata.

From the dried roots of Cephaelis acuminata, five ipecac alkaloids, neocephaeline, 7'-O-demethylcephaeline, 10-O-demethylcephaeline, 2'-N-(1"-deoxy-1"-beta-D-fructopyranosyl)cephaeline and 2'-N-(1"-deoxy-1"-beta-D-fructopyranosyl)neocephaeline, were isolated, along with emetine, cephaeline, psychotrine, protoemetine, 9-demethylprotoemetinol and isocephaeline. Structures were determined by spectroscopic and chemical means.

Enantioselective total syntheses of the Ipecacuanha alkaloid emetine, the Alangium alkaloid tubulosine and a novel benzoquinolizidine alkaloid by using a domino process.

The first enantioselective syntheses of the Ipecacuanha alkaloid emetine (1) and the Alangium alkaloid tubulosine (2) is described employing a domino Knoevenagel/hetero-Diels-Alder reaction and an enantioselective catalytic transfer hydrogenation of imines as key steps. Thus, hydrogenation of the imine 15 with the catalyst (R,R)-16 gives the tetrahydroisoquinoline 14 with 95 % ee which was transformed into the aldehyde (1S)-7. The three-component domino reaction of (1S)-7 with 6 and 8 led to 19, which in a second domino process was treated with K(2)CO(3) in methanol followed by a hydrogenation to give the benzoquinolizidine 4 together with the diastereomers 22 and 23 in a overall yield of 66 %. Further transformation of 4 with the amines 3 and 5 yielded enantiopure emetine (1) and tubulosine (2), respectively. In addition, starting from 19 the novel benzoquinolizidine alkaloid 34 was synthesised; this compound resembles the vallesiachotamine alkaloid dihydroantirhin 31, which has not been isolated so far but probably must also exist in nature.