Serotonergic mechanisms are involved in antidepressant-like effects of bisbenzylisoquinolines liensinine and its analogs isolated from the embryo of Nelumbo nucifera†Gaertner seeds in mice.

OBJECTIVES: We attempted to ascertain if bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids, liensinine and isoliensinine from Nelumbo nucifera Gaertner have antidepressant-like effects and compare the effects with those previously obtained by their analogue neferine. METHODS: Using mice, the forced swimming test (FST) was carried out after treatment with liensinine, isoliensinine and neferine. KEY FINDINGS: Liensinine and isoliensinine elicited antidepressant-like effects in mice after the FST. Anti-immobility effects of liensinine and isoliensinine were antagonized by the 5-hydroxytryptamine1 A (5-HT1 A ) receptor antagonist WAY 100635, but not by the α1 -adrenoceptor antagonist prazosin. The anti-immobility effects of liensinine, isoliensinine and neferine were blocked by pretreatment with p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA), which depletes serotonin (5-HT). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that liensinine and isoliensinine from Nelumbo nucifera Gaertner have antidepressant-like effects and that antidepressant-like effects of liensinine and its analogues are closely related to serotonergic mechanisms.

Bisbenzylisoquinoline Alkaloids from Nelumbo nucifera.

From the embryos of the seeds of Nelumbo nucifera, three bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids, nelumboferine and nelumborines A and B, were isolated along with four known compounds, neferine, liensinine, isoliensinine and anisic acid. The structures of the new alkaloids were determined mainly by spectroscopic methods.

Effects of extracts and neferine from the embryo of Nelumbo nucifera seeds on the central nervous system.

The effects of embryos of the seeds of Nelumbo nucifera on the central nervous system were studied in mice. MeOH extracts of embryos of Nelumbo nucifera seeds significantly inhibited locomotor activity in mice. The MeOH extract was successively partitioned between H(2)O and n-hexane, between H(2)O and CHCl(3), and between H(2)O and n-BuOH. CHCl(3) extracts strongly inhibited locomotor activity in mice, although other extracts had no effect on locomotor activity. The main alkaloid of CHCl(3) extracts, neferine, dose-dependently inhibited locomotor activity in mice. Neferine induced hypothermia in mice and apparently potentiated thiopental-induced sleeping time. An anxiolytic, diazepam, decreased locomotor activity, rectal temperature and enhanced sleep elicited by thiopental, similar to neferine. In addition, neferine and diazepam showed anti-anxiety effects in the elevated plus maze test. Neferine did not affect muscle coordination by the rota-rod test. Neferine did not affect strychnine- nor picrotoxin-induced seizure. In contrast, diazepam had apparent muscle relaxant and anti-convulsant effects. These results suggest that neferine has several central effects and that neferine may participate in the efficacy of the sedative effects of embryos of the seeds of Nelumbo nucifera. The mechanisms of the sedative effects of neferine are not similar to those of diazepam.

Secoiridoid glucosides from Strychnos spinosa.

Three new secoiridoid glucosides, stryspinoside (1) and strychosides A (2) and B (3), were isolated, together with 23 known compounds, from the dried branches of Strychnos spinosa. The structures of the new compounds were determined by spectroscopic means.

Indole alkaloids and other constituents of Rauwolfia serpentina.

From the dried roots of Rauwolfia serpentina were isolated five new indole alkaloids, N(b)-methylajmaline (1), N(b)-methylisoajmaline (2), 3-hydroxysarpagine (3), yohimbinic acid (4), isorauhimbinic acid (5), a new iridoid glucoside, 7-epiloganin (6), and a new sucrose derivative, 6'-O-(3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoyl)glomeratose A (7), together with 20 known compounds. The structures of the new compounds were determined by spectroscopic and chemical means. The inhibitory activities of the selected alkaloids on topoisomerase I and II and their cytotoxicity against the human promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60) cell lines were assessed.

Six secoiridoid glucosides from Adina racemosa.

Six novel secoiridoid glucosides, adinosides A (1), B (2), C (3), D (4), E (5), and grandifloroside 11-methyl ester (6) were isolated, together with 27 known compounds, from the dried leaves, flowers, and twigs of Adina racemosa. The structures of the new compounds were determined by spectroscopic (NMR, MS) and chemical means.

Flavonoid glycosides from Rhazya orientalis.

Six new flavonoid glycosides, quercetin 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->6)-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)]-(4-O-trans-p-coumaroyl)-beta-D-galactopyranoside-7-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (1), quercetin 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->6)-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)]-(3-O-trans-p-coumaroyl)-beta-D-galactopyranoside-7-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (2), isorhamnetin 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->6)-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)]-(4-O-trans-p-coumaroyl)-beta-D-galactopyranoside-7-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (3), isorhamnetin 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->6)-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)]-(3-O-trans-p-coumaroyl)-beta-D-galactopyranoside-7-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (4), isorhamnetin 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->6)-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)]-(4-O-cis-p-coumaroyl)-beta-D-galactopyranoside-7-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (5), and isorhamnetin 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->6)-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)]-(4-O-trans-feruloyl)-beta-D-galactopyranoside-7-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (6), were isolated from the dried aerial parts of Rhazya orientalis. The structures of 1-6 were determined by spectroscopic and chemical means.