Withanolide-Type Steroids from Withania aristata as Potential Anti-Leukemic Agents.

Leukemia is a blood or bone marrow cancer with increasing incidence in developed regions of the world. Currently, there is an ongoing need for novel and safe anti-leukemic agents, as no fully effective chemotherapy is available to treat this life-threatening disease. Herein, are reported the isolation, structural elucidation, and anti-leukemic evaluation of twenty-nine withanolide-type steroids (1-29) from Withania aristata. Among them, the new isolated withanolides, withaperoxidins A-D (1-4) have an unusual six-membered cyclic peroxide moiety on the withasteroid skeleton as a structural novelty. Their structures have been elucidated by means of spectroscopic analyses, including 2D NMR experiments. In addition, extensive structure-activity relationships and in silico ADME studies were employed to understand the pharmacophore and pharmacokinetic properties of this series of withasteroids. Compounds 15, 16, and 22 together with withaferin A (14) were identified as having improved antiproliferative effect (IC50 ranging from 0.2 to 0.7 µM) on human leukemia HL-60 cell lines compared with the reference drug, etoposide. This cytotoxic potency was also coupled with good selectivity index (SI 33.0-9.2) on non-tumoral Vero cell line and in silico drug likeness. These findings revealed that these natural withasteroids are potential candidates as chemotherapeutic agents in the treatment of leukemia.

Terpenoids from Maytenus species and assessment of their reversal activity against a multidrug-resistant Leishmania tropica line.

The phytochemical analysis of the root bark extracts of the Chilean Maytenus, M. chubutensis, and M. magellanica (Celastraceae), led to the isolation of one phenolic nortriterpene, 1, and one diterpene with a nor-ent-kaurene skeleton, 2. In addition, four known compounds were isolated, among which compound 3 has been isolated for the first time from a natural source. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, including 1D- and 2D-NMR (COSY, ROESY, HSQC, and HMBC) experiments, comparison with data reported in the literature, and chemical correlations. The isolated compounds were assayed for their reversal activity against a multidrug-resistant Leishmania tropica line, overexpressing a P-glycoprotein related transporter. Compound 1 showed moderate multidrug-resistance reversal activity.

Expanding the Chemical Space of Withaferin A by Incorporating Silicon To Improve Its Clinical Potential on Human Ovarian Carcinoma Cells.

Ovarian cancer represents the seventh most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide. Herein, we report on the development of a withaferin A (WA)-silyl ether library with 30 analogues reported for the first time. Cytotoxicity assays on human epithelial ovarian carcinoma cisplatin-sensitive and -resistant cell lines identified eight analogues displaying nanomolar potency (IC50 ranging from 1 to 32 nM), higher than that of the lead compound and reference drug. This cytotoxic potency is also coupled with a good selectivity index on a nontumoral cell line. Cell cycle analysis of two potent analogues revealed cell death by apoptosis without indication of cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase. The structure-activity relationship and in silico absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion studies demonstrated that the incorporation of silicon and a carbonyl group at C-4 in the WA framework enhances potency, selectivity, and drug likeness. These findings reveal analogues 22, 23, and 25 as potential candidates for clinical translation in patients with relapsed ovarian cancer.

Structure-based design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of withaferin A-analogues as potent apoptotic inducers.

Apoptosis inducers represent an attractive approach for the discovery and development of anticancer agents. Herein, we report on the development by molecular fine tuning of a withaferin A-based library of 63 compounds (2-64), 53 of them reported for the first time. Their antiproliferative evaluation on HeLa, A-549 and MCF-7 human tumor cell lines identified fifteen analogues displaying higher activity (IC50 values ranging 0.3-4.8 µM) than the lead (IC50 values ranging 1.3-10.1 µM) either in lag or log growth phases. SAR analysis revealed that acylation enhances cytotoxicity, suggesting the hydrophobic moiety contributes to the activity, presumably by increasing affinity and/or cell membrane permeability. Further investigation clearly indicated that compounds 3, 11, 12, and 18 induce apoptosis evidenced by chromatin condensation, phosphatidylserine externalization, and caspase-3 activation effects on HeLa cells. The potent capacity to induce apoptosis with concomitant cell loss in G2/M highlights the potential of 27-benzyl analogue (18) as an apoptotic inducer drug candidate.

Withaferin A-related steroids from Withania aristata exhibit potent antiproliferative activity by inducing apoptosis in human tumor cells.

Six new withanolides (1-6) along with eleven known ones (7-17) were isolated from the leaves of Withania aristata. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis, including 1D and 2D NMR techniques. Semisynthesis of the minority metabolites 7 and 15 from compounds 6 and 9, respectively, as starting material, was performed. The isolated compounds as well as three derivatives (7a, 9a and 9b) of withaferin A were evaluated for cytotoxicity against HeLa (carcinoma of the cervix), A-549 (lung carcinoma) and MCF-7 (breast adenocarcinoma) human cancer cell lines, and against normal Vero cells (African green monkey kidney). Five compounds from this series (8, 9a, 9b, 11 and 13) exhibited potent antiproliferative effects on the tumor cells, even higher than the well known anticancer agent, withaferin A (9). Phosphatidylserine externalization, chromatin condensation, and caspase-3 activation clearly indicated apoptosis as a mechanism of action. The structure-activity relationship revealed valuable information on the pharmacophore for withanolide-type compounds.

Metabolites from Withania aristata with potential phytotoxic activity.

A series of apocarotenoids (1-8) and one carotenoid (9) were isolated from the leaves of Withania aristata. In addition, the tetraacetylated apocarotenoid glucosides 10-12 were obtained by acetylation, with derivative 9-hydroxymegastigma-4,6E-dien-3-one 9-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside tetraacetate (10) being described for the first time. The structures have been determined by spectroscopic and spectrometric means, mainly NMR and ESI-MS, and comparison with data reported in the literature. These metabolites were evaluated on a systematic phytotoxicity assay using the etiolated wheat coleoptile bioassay. Compounds 1-3, 9 and 12 were further assayed for their phytotoxicity on the target species Lepidium sativum, Lactuca sativa, Lycopersicum esculentum and Allium cepa. Among the assayed compounds, lutein (9) showed the most significant values for phytotoxicity, followed by the non-glycosylated apocarotenoids (6S, 9R)-vomifoliol (1) and 9-hydroxymegastigma-4,6E-dien-3-one (2).

Withanolides from Withania aristata and their cytotoxic activity.

Seven new withanolides (1-7), along with three known ones (8-10), were isolated from the leaves of Withania aristata. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis, including 2D NMR experiments and spectrometric techniques, and the absolute configuration of 1 and 2 was established by CD analysis. In the search for new cytotoxic compounds from Withania species, the isolated compounds 1-9, along with two derivatives, were assayed for their cytotoxicity against HeLa, MCF-7 and A-549 human tumor cell lines. Derivative (4S,20R,22R)-27-acetoxy-4-p-bromobenzoyloxy-1-oxo-witha-2,5,16,24-tetraenolide (13) showed cytotoxicity against all the cell lines assayed with IC(50) values ranging from 2.8 to 3.6microM, and (4S,20R,22R)-4,27-diacetoxy-4-hydroxy-1-oxo-witha-2,5,16,24-tetraenolide (12) exhibited an IC(50) value of 5.4microM on the MCF-7 cell line.