Inhibition of multidrug-resistant MCF-7 breast cancer cells with combinations of clinical drugs and resin glycosides from Operculina hamiltonii.

The jalap roots, Operculina hamiltonii D.F. Austin & Staples (Convolvulaceae), are extensively commercialized as a depurative and laxative remedy in traditional medicine of the north and northeast regions of Brazil. The purification by recycling HPLC and structure elucidation of three new acyl sugars or resin glycosides are described here from a commercial product made of powdered roots. Three macrocyclic structures of a tetrasaccharide of (11S)-hydroxyhexadecanoic acid, operculinic acid C (1), the undescribed hamiltonins II and III (3 and 4), in addition to the known batatinoside III (5), presented a diastereoisomeric relationship as one residue of n-dodecanoic acid esterified the oligosaccharide core on a different position in each compound. Furthermore, hamiltonin IV (6) was characterized as an ester-type homodimer of acylated operculinic acid C with the same substitution pattern identified in hamiltonins II (3) and III (4) for each of the dimer subunits. All the isolated resin glycosides did not display any intrinsic cytotoxicity (IC50 > 25 µM). However, a combination of the individual isolated compounds 3-6 (1-50 µM) demonstrated an enhancement of cytotoxic effects with sublethal doses of vinblastine and podophyllotoxin (0.003 µM) in multidrug-resistant breast carcinoma epithelial cells (MCF-7/Vin).

Resin Glycosides from Operculina hamiltonii and Their Synergism with Vinblastine in Cancer Cells.

Operculina hamiltonii is a vine native to the north and northeast region of Brazil, where its roots are traded as a depurative and laxative remedy with the name of Brazilian jalap in traditional medicine. Procedures for the isolation, purification by recycling HPLC, and structure elucidation of three undescribed resin glycosides are presented herein. Hamiltonin I (1) represents a macrocyclic structure of a tetrasaccharide of (11S)-hydroxyhexadecanoic acid. Additionally, two acyclic pentasaccharides, named hamiltoniosides I (2) and II (3), were also isolated, which are related structurally to the known compounds 4 and 5, macrocyclic lactone-type batatinosides. The tetrasaccharide core of 1 was diacylated by n-decanoic acid and the unusual n-hexadecanoic acid moiety, while the pentasaccharides 2-5 were esterified by one unit of n-decanoic or n-dodecanoic acid. All the isolated compounds were found to be inactive as cytotoxic agents. However, when they were evaluated (1-25 µM) in combination with a sublethal concentration of the anticancer agent vinblastine (0.003 µM), a significant enhancement of the resultant cytotoxicity was produced, especially for multidrug-resistant breast carcinoma epithelial cells. Such combined synergistic potency may be beneficial for chemotherapy, making resin glycosides potential candidates for drug repurposing of conventional chemotherapeutic drugs to reduce their side effects.

Distribution of 5,6-dihydro-α-pyrones by electrospray ionization ion trap mass spectrometry in different aerial parts of Hyptis monticola.

Hyptis monticola Mart. ex Benth. (Lamiaceae) is an endemic species of altitude regions of Brazil. From the leaves of this plant, two 5,6-dihydro-α-pyrones, named monticolides A and B, have been reported as cytotoxic agents against different tumor cell lines. The isolation by high-speed countercurrent chromatography in combination with recycling preparative high-performance liquid chromatography of the undescribed monticolides C-F is presented. These compounds corresponded to a series of related monticolide derivatives differing from each other by the number of acyl substituents. Their characterization by mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance is also presented, in conjunction with an evidence by a simple chemical correlation for their absolute stereochemistry. The distribution of these chemical markers in extracts of flowers, leaves and branches collected in different seasons by electrospray ionization ion trap mass spectrometry in positive mode was analyzed. Multivariate data analyses indicated that seasonality affects monticolide concentrations in different organs of the aerial parts. Monticolides A-F seem to be present as the original markers of the analyzed plant. However, mono-, di- and triacetylated monticolides can undergo acid-catalyzed transesterifications and their natural yields estimated were affected during the isolation procedures.

Dihydro-furanones from Hyptis species: Chemical correlations and DFT-NMR/ECD calculations for stereochemical assignments.

Dihydro-furanones are bioactive compounds isolated from various plants, marine fungi, and sponges. The present investigation describes the isolation by recycling HPLC and structural characterization by NMR of four previously undescribed 2(5H)-furanones, monticofuranolide A and pectinolides N-P, one phenylpropanoid, rosmarinic acid, and five known flavonoids, in addition to the undescribed natural flavonoid, 2R,3R-dihydrogossipetin or 5,7,8,3',4'-pentahydroxy flavanonol, from collections of H. monticola Mart. ex Benth and Hyptis pectinata (L.) Poit. Chemical correlations, resembling the biogenetic relationship of the isolated 2(5H)-furanones with their 5,6-dihydro-2H-pyran-2-one precursors, were accomplished to confirm their absolute configuration. Density functional theory-NMR/ECD calculations have been used to solve the absolute configuration for this type of compounds.

Dereplication of podophyllotoxin and related cytotoxic lignans in Hyptis verticillata by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

INTRODUCTION: Hyptis verticillata Jacq. (Lamiaceae) is a Mexican medicinal plant for the treatment of skin infections and illness affecting the respiratory and gastrointestinal systems. OBJECTIVE: To associate the efficient resolution provided by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography combined to the accuracy of a hybrid Fourier-transform (FT) mass spectrometer in order to dereplicate podophyllotoxin-type lignans in a plant extract. METHODS: An ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array-high resolution electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-PDA-HRESI-MS/MS) method was applied in an Orbitrap hybrid FT spectrometer for dereplication of podophyllotoxin and related cytotoxic lignans in wild bushmint. This procedure included high-resolution mass values for positively charged ions [M + H]+ and [M + NH4 ]+ , MS/MS data, and comparison of UV maxima and retention times with pure compounds. RESULTS: Podophyllotoxin in addition to seven aryltetralins, four arylnaphthalenes, and one dibenzylbutyrolactone were dereplicated from the methanol extract in a short-time analysis (5 min). 4'-O-Demethyl-dehydro-deoxypodophyllotoxin was identified as a new natural product. CONCLUSION: The applied UHPLC-MS/MS dereplication method is suitable for a rapid analysis of podophyllotoxin-type lignans and the resulting chemical fingerprinting could be valuable in quality control of herbal drugs and their phytopharmaceuticals.

Resin Glycosides from the Roots of Operculina macrocarpa (Brazilian Jalap) with Purgative Activity.

Analysis of the methanol-soluble resin glycosides from the roots of Operculina macrocarpa was assessed by generating NMR profiles of five glycosidic acids obtained through saponification, acetylation, and recycling HPLC purification. Operculinic acid H (1), two novel hexasaccharides, operculinic acids I (2) and J (3), the known purgic acid A (4), and a quinovopyranoside of (-)-(7 R)-hydroxydecanoic acid, operculinic acid K (5), were isolated. Three intact resin glycosides related to 1, the novel macrocarposidic acids A (6) and B (7), in addition to the previously known macrocarposidic acid C (8), were also purified with isovaleroyl, tigloyl, and exogonoyl [(3 S,9 R)-3,6:6,9-diepoxydecanoyl] groups as esterifying residues. A selective intramolecular lactonization was produced to generate a macrocyclic artifact (17) during acetylation of 1, resembling the distinctive structure of the Convolvulaceous resin glycosides.

Structure Elucidation, Conformation, and Configuration of Cytotoxic 6-Heptyl-5,6-dihydro-2 H-pyran-2-ones from Hyptis Species and Their Molecular Docking to α-Tubulin.

Cytotoxic 6-heptyl-5,6-dihydro-2 H-pyran-2-ones are chemical markers of Hyptis (Lamiaceae) and are responsible for some of the therapeutic properties of species with relevance to traditional medicine. The present investigation describes the isolation of known pectinolides A-C (1-3), in addition to the new pectinolides I-M (4-8), from two Mexican collections of H. pectinata by HPLC. The novel biosynthetically related monticolides A (9) and B (10) were also isolated by high-speed countercurrent chromatography from H. monticola, an endemic species of the Brazilian southeastern high-altitude regions. A combination of chemical correlations, chiroptical measurements, and Mosher ester NMR analysis was used to confirm their absolute configuration. The utility of DFT-NMR chemical shifts and JH-H calculations was assessed for epimer differentiation. Molecular docking studies indicated that 6-heptyl-5,6-dihydro-2 H-pyran-2-ones have a high affinity for the pironetin-binding site of α-tubulin, which may be a possible mechanism contributing to the cytotoxic potential of these small and flexible molecules.

HPLC-MS profiling of the multidrug-resistance modifying resin glycoside content of Ipomoea alba seeds

ABSTRACT High performance liquid chromatography profiling with mass spectrometry detection was applicable to identify known and novel multidrug-resistance glycolipid inhibitors from the complex resin glycosides mixture of Ipomoea alba L., Convolvulaceae, seeds. Albinosides X and XI were purified by recycling liquid chromatography and their structural elucidation was accomplished by nuclear magnetic resonance. Albinoside XI exerted a strong potentiation of vinblastine susceptibility in multidrug-resistant human breast carcinoma cells.

Resistance-modifying Activity in Vinblastine-resistant Human Breast Cancer Cells by Oligosaccharides Obtained from Mucilage of Chia Seeds (Salvia hispanica).

The multidrug resistance (MDR) phenotype is considered as a major cause of the failure in cancer chemotherapy. The acquisition of MDR is usually mediated by the overexpression of drug efflux pumps of a P-glycoprotein. The development of compounds that mitigate the MDR phenotype by modulating the activity of these transport proteins is an important yet elusive target. Here, we screened the saponification and enzymatic degradation products from Salvia hispanica seed's mucilage to discover modulating compounds of the acquired resistance to chemotherapeutic in breast cancer cells. Preparative-scale recycling HPLC was used to purify the hydrolysis degradation products. All compounds were tested in eight different cancer cell lines and Vero cells. All compounds were noncytotoxic at the concentration tested against the drug-sensitive and multidrug-resistant cells (IC50  > 29.2 µM). For the all products, a moderate vinblastine-enhancing activity from 4.55-fold to 6.82-fold was observed. That could be significant from a therapeutic perspective. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Complementarity of DFT Calculations, NMR Anisotropy, and ECD for the Configurational Analysis of Brevipolides K-O from Hyptis brevipes.

Brevipolides K-O (1-5), five new cytotoxic 6-(6'-cinnamoyloxy-2',5'-epoxy-1'-hydroxyheptyl)-5,6-dihydro-2H-pyran-2-ones (IC50 values against six cancer cell lines, 1.7-10 µM), were purified by recycling HPLC from Hyptis brevipes. The structures, containing a distinctive tetrahydrofuran ring, were established by comprehensive quantum mechanical calculations and experimental spectroscopic analysis of their NMR and ECD data. Detailed analysis of the experimental NMR 1H-1H vicinal coupling constants in comparison with the corresponding DFT-calculated values at the B3LYP/DGDZVP level confirmed the absolute configuration of 3 and revealed its conformational preferences, which were further strengthened by NOESY correlations. NMR anisotropy experiments by the application of Mosher's ester methodology and chemical correlations were also used to conclude that this novel brevipolide series (1-5) share the same absolute configuration corresponding to C-6(R), C-1'(S), C-2'(R), C-5'(S), and C-6'(S).

Structural elucidation and evaluation of multidrug-resistance modulatory capability of amarissinins A-C, diterpenes derived from Salvia amarissima.

Three new diterpenes (amarissinins A-C, 1-3) containing several oxygenated functionalities were isolated from the leaves and flowers of Salvia amarissima. The structures of these compounds were established through the analysis of their NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry data. The structures of compounds 1 and 2 were confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Compound 2 was identified as a C-10 epimer of dugesin F (5). The cytotoxic activity of these compounds against five human cancer cell lines was determined. Additionally, the capability to modulate the multidrug resistance (MDR) in the MCF-7 cancer cell line resistant to vinblastine was tested.

Conformational and reactivity study of dithiophenyl-fucosyl ketals with theoretical chemical methods.

Carbohydrates can be used as substrates to synthesize new complex molecules; these molecules contain several chiral centers that can be used in organic synthesis. D-Fucose diphenyl thioacetal reacts differentially with acetone, and this paper describes a study of the mechanism of this reaction using theoretical chemistry methods. The conformer distribution was studied using a Monte Carlo method for the reaction products, and the obtained conformers were validated by calculating the hydrogen spin-spin coupling constants with the DFT/B3LYP/DGDZVP method. Results agreed with the experimental coupling constants with an adequate root mean squared deviation. The free energies and enthalpies of formation of the resulting global minimum conformers were calculated with the same method and with the thermochemical compound method CBS-4 M. This technique, combined with the conformational analysis, allowed comparison of the formation enthalpies of the compounds involved in this reaction, and, with this information, we can postulate the correct reaction pathway. Graphical abstract Reaction pathway.

Resin glycosides from Ipomoea wolcottiana as modulators of the multidrug resistance phenotype in vitro.

Recycling liquid chromatography was used for the isolation and purification of resin glycosides from the CHCl3-soluble extracts prepared using flowers of Ipomoea wolcottiana Rose var. wolcottiana. Bioassay-guided fractionation, using modulation of both antibiotic activity against multidrug-resistant strains of Gram-negative bacteria and vinblastine susceptibility in breast carcinoma cells, was used to isolate the active glycolipids as modulators of the multidrug resistance phenotype. An ester-type dimer, wolcottine I, one tetra- and three pentasaccharides, wolcottinosides I-IV, in addition to the known intrapilosin VII, were characterized by NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. In vitro assays established that none of these metabolites displayed antibacterial activity (MIC>512 µg/mL) against multidrug-resistant strains of Escherichia coli, and two nosocomial pathogens: Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi and Shigella flexneri; however, when tested (25 µg/mL) in combination with tetracycline, kanamycin or chloramphenicol, they exerted a potentiation effect of the antibiotic susceptibility up to eightfold (64 µg/mL from 512 µg/mL). It was also determined that these non-cytotoxic (CI50>8.68 µM) agents modulated vinblastine susceptibility at 25 µg/mL in MFC-7/Vin(+) cells with a reversal factor (RFMCF-7/Vin(+)) of 2-130 fold.

Jalapinoside, a macrocyclic bisdesmoside from the resin glycosides of Ipomea purga, as a modulator of multidrug resistance in human cancer cells.

The first macrocyclic bisdesmoside resin glycoside, jalapinoside (4), was purified by preparative-scale recycling HPLC from the MeOH-soluble extracts of Ipomoea purga roots, the officinal jalap. Purgic acid C (3), a new glycosidic acid of ipurolic acid, was identified as 3-O-ß-d-quinovopyranoside, 11-O-ß-d-quinovopyranosyl-(1→2)-O-ß-d-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-O-[ß-d-fucopyranosyl-(1→4)]-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-O-ß-d-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-O-ß-d-quinovopyranoside (3S,11S)-dihydroxytetradecanoic acid. The acylating residues of this core were acetic, (+)-(2S)-methylbutanoic, and dodecanoic acids. The site of lactonization was defined as C-3 of the second saccharide moiety. Reversal of multidrug resistance by this noncytotoxic compound was evaluated in vinblastine-resistant human breast carcinoma cells.

DFT 1H-1H coupling constants in the conformational analysis and stereoisomeric differentiation of 6-heptenyl-2H-pyran-2-ones: configurational reassignment of synargentolide A.

Density functional theory (DFT) (1) H-(1) H NMR coupling constant calculations, including solvation parameters with the polarizable continuum model B3LYP/DGDZVP basis set together with the experimental values measured by spectral simulation, were used to predict the configuration of hydroxylated 6-heptenyl-5,6-dihydro-2H-pyran-2-ones 1, 2, 4, and 7, allowing epimer differentiation. Modeling of these flexible compounds requires the inclusion of solvation models that account for stabilizing interactions derived from intramolecular and intermolecular hydrogen bonds, in contrast with peracetylated derivatives (3, 5, and 6) in which the solvation consideration can be omitted. Using this DFT NMR integrated approach as well as spectral simulation, the configurational reassignment of synargentolide A (8) was accomplished by calculations in the gas phase among four possible diastereoisomers (8-11). Calculated (3) JH,H values established its configuration as 6R-[4'S,5'S,6'S-(triacetyloxy)-2E-heptenyl]-5,6-dihydro-2H-pyran-2-one (8), in contrast with the incorrect 6R,4'R,5'R,6'R-diastereoisomer previously proposed by synthesis (12). Application of this approach increases the probability for successful enantiospecific total syntheses of flexible compounds with multiple chiral centers.

Modulators of antibiotic activity from Ipomoea murucoides.

Reinvestigation of the CHCl3-soluble extract from the flowers of Ipomoea murucoides, through preparative-scale recycling HPLC, yielded three pentasaccharides of 11-hydroxyhexadecanoic acid, murucoidins XVII-XIX, in addition to the known murucoidin III and V, all of which were characterized by NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. These compounds were found to be macrolactones of the known pentasaccharides simonic acid B and operculinic acid A. The acylating groups corresponded to acetic, (2S)-methyl-butyric, (E)-cinnamic and octanoic acids. The esterification sites were established at the C-2 of the second rhamnose and C-3 and C-4 of the third rhamnose. The aglycone lactonization was placed at C-2 or C-3 of the first rhamnose. Bioassays for modulation of antibiotic activity were performed against multidrug-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli Rosetta-gami, and two nosocomial pathogens: Salmonella enterica sv. Typhi and Shigella flexneri. The tested glycolipids did not act as cytotoxic (IC50>4 µg/mL) nor as antimicrobial (MIC>128 µg/mL) agents. However, they exerted a potentiation effect on clinically useful antibiotics against the tested bacteria by increasing their antibiotic susceptibility up to four-fold at concentrations of 25 µg/mL.

Profiling of alkaloids and eremophilanes in miracle tea (Packera candidissima and P. bellidifolia) products.

Commercial preparations of the Mexican herbal drug known as "miracle tea" (Packera candidissima and P. bellidifolia) have been profiled qualitatively by HPLC and GC-MS. Eremophilanes (3-7) were the major components found in the hexane-soluble fraction, while pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) were identified in the alkaloid extracts. The content of free PAs and their N-oxides was determined for a total of 22 samples, and the results showed that the amount of these hepatotoxic compounds (0.0005-0.94% free PAs; 0.0004-0.55% N-oxides), through the presence of retrorsine (1) and senesionine (2) as the main constituents, may reach toxic levels. Hexane-soluble extracts from commercial presentations (dried whole plants) of both species afforded neoadenostylone (3), 6-(2-methylbutanoyloxy)-9-oxo-1-(10)-furanoeremophilene (4), and epineoadenostylone (5), in addition to methyl-4-hydroxyphenylacetate (8) and methyl-2-(1-hydroxy-4-oxocyclohexyl)acetate (9). Also, epicacalone (6) and the new compound 2ß-hydroxyneoadenostylone (7) were isolated from P. bellidifolia.

Characterization of a xylose containing oligosaccharide, an inhibitor of multidrug resistance in Staphylococcus aureus, from Ipomoea pes-caprae.

Pescaprein XVIII (1), a type of bacterial efflux pump inhibitor, was obtained from the CHCl(3)-soluble resin glycosides of beach morning glory (Ipomoea pes-caprae). The glycosidation sequence for pescaproside C, the glycosidic acid core of the lipophilic macrolactone 1 containing D-xylose and L-rhamnose, was characterized by means of several NMR techniques and FAB mass spectrometry. Recycling HPLC also yielded eight non-cytotoxic bacterial resistance modifiers, the two pescapreins XIX (2) and XX (3) as well as the known murucoidin VI (4), pecapreins II (6) and III (7), and stoloniferins III (5), IX (8) and X (9), all of which contain simonic acid B as their oligosaccharide core. Compounds 1-9 were tested for in vitro antibacterial and resistance-modifying activity against strains of Staphylococcus aureus possessing multidrug resistance efflux mechanisms. All of the pescapreins potentiated the action of norfloxacin against the NorA over-expressing strain by 4-fold (8 microg/mL from 32 microg/mL) at a concentration of 25 microg/mL.

Structural reassignment, absolute configuration, and conformation of hypurticin, a highly flexible polyacyloxy-6-heptenyl-5,6-dihydro-2H-pyran-2-one.

The structural reassignment, absolute configuration, and conformational behavior of the highly flexible natural product hypurticin (pectinolide E), 6S-[3'S,5'R,6'S-triacetoxy-1Z-heptenyl]-5S-acetoxy-5,6-dihydro-2H-pyran-2-one (1), were ascertained by a molecular modeling protocol, which includes extensive conformational searching, geometry optimization by DFT B3LYP/DGDZVP calculations, and comparison between the theoretical (DFT) and experimental (1)H-(1)H NMR coupling constants. Hyptolide (2), a related cytotoxic 5,6-dihydro-2H-pyran-2-one that increased the S phase of the HeLa cell cycle, was employed as a reference substance to validate the theoretical protocol designed to characterize the 3D properties of compound 1. The related synthetic derivative, tri-O-acetyl-3,6-dideoxy-d-glucose diphenyldithioacetal (14), was prepared by a six-step reaction sequence starting from d-glucose and served as an enantiopure building block to reinforce the structural and configurational assignment of 1. This protocol proved to be an important tool for the structural characterization of highly flexible bioactive polyoxygenated natural products.