Novel glutamic acid derivatives from the bulbs of Fritillaria verticillate Willd and their antitumor activities.

Four previously undescribed glutamic acid derivatives, verticillamines A-D (1-4), together with six known compounds (5-10) were isolated from the bulbs of Fritillaria verticillate Willd. The structures of (1-10) were established on the basis of UV, IR, MS, 1D and 2D NMR, and the absolute configurations of compounds (1-4) were determined by calculated ECD methods. Among them, compounds (1-3) were rare 2-methyl-γ-lactam alkaloid derivatives. Moreover, both γ-lactam alkaloids (1-5) and pyrrolidine alkaloids (6-7) were discovered in Fritillaria for the first time. Compound 8 exhibited moderate cytotoxic activities against A2780 and HepG 2 cells, with IC50 values of 11.7 ± 5.2 µM and 25.6 ± 2.8 µM.

Cardioprotective effects of a new glutamic acid derivative in chronic alcohol intoxication.

Alcohol abuse is a risk factor for heart damage and deterioration of its inotropic function. Currently, there is no pathogenetic pharmacological treatment for alcohol-induced myocardial injury. Therefore, the study of drugs with cardioprotective action is of current interest. Our earlier studies of stress-induced heart damage showed that a new derivative of glutamic acid - glufimet - protects the myocardium's inotropic function and limits lipid peroxidation. Additionally, we found that it increases the activity of antioxidant enzymes and improves mitochondrial respiration. The purpose of our study was to assess the effect of glufimet on the heart after chronic alcohol intoxication (CAI). The comparison drug was mildronate, which possesses cardioprotective properties and is used to treat alcohol withdrawal. We conducted our study using female Wistar rats (10 months old, 280-320 g). CAI was simulated by replacing drinking water with a 10% ethanol solution sweetened with sucrose (50 g/L) over a period of 24 weeks. The day after the animals stopped ethanol solution drinking, the control group was injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) with a saline solution once a day for 14 days, while the experimental groups received glufimet (28.7 mg/kg) and the drug of comparison mildronate (50 mg/kg), respectively. After that, we studied the heart contractility by measuring volume load, adrenergic reactivity, and maximum isometric load. Under CAI, the control group showed significantly lower growth in left ventricular pressure (LVP), myocardium contraction rate, and relaxation rate during functional tests. Higher concentrations of LPO products (malondialdehyde) and low activity of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase), indicating a disturbance in mitochondrial respiration compared to the control group, were registered. While being treated with glufimet and mildronate, the animals demonstrated higher growth rates of myocardial contraction, myocardial relaxation, and LVP, compared to the control group. Mitochondrial functioning and activity of the antioxidant enzymes increased in the same group as well.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of glutamic acid derivatives as anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory agents.

A series of glutamic acid derivatives was synthesized and evaluated for their antioxidant activity and stability. We found several potent and stable glutamic acid derivatives. Among them, compound 12b exhibited good in vitro activity, chemical stability and cytotoxicity. A prototype compound 12b showed an anti-inflammatory effect in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cell lines and in a zebrafish model.

Effect of Phenibut and Glufimet, a Novel Glutamic Acid Derivative, on Respiration of Heart and Brain Mitochondria from Animals Exposed to Stress against the Background of Inducible NO-Synthase Blockade.

Increased oxygen consumption by heart and brain mitochondria in the absence of ADP and reduced mitochondrial respiration in the presence of ADP were observed in rats exposed to stress simulated by suspension by the dorsal neck skin fold for 24 h, which attests to uncoupling of substrate oxidation and ATP synthesis and can cause electron drain from the respiratory chain, formation of ROS, and oxidative damage to cell structures. Blockade of inducible NO synthase with aminoguanidine (single intraperitoneal dose of 50 mg/kg before stress exposure) increased coupling of respiration and oxidative phosphorylation in heart and brain mitochondria of rats exposed to immobilization-painful stress, which was especially pronounced in cardiomyocytes. The test compounds glufimet (single intraperitoneal dose of 29 mg/kg before stress exposure) and phenibut (single intraperitoneal dose of 50 mg/kg before stress exposure) limited stress-induced mitochondrial damage against the background of inducible NO synthase blockade and without it, which was seen from increased respiratory control ratio in comparison with that in untreated rats exposed to stress (control).