Crebanine

Induction of G1 arrest and apoptosis in human cancer cells by crebanine, an alkaloid from Stephania venosa.[Pubmed: 22863844]

Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo). 2012;60(10):1283-9.

In this study, we focused the effects of Crebanine, an alkaloid isolated from the tuber of Stephania venosa, on various human cancer cells.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
Crebanine treatment was found to significantly inhibit the proliferation of human leukemic cells (HL-60, U937 and K562), human fibrosarcoma cells (HT1080) and cervix cancer cell lines (KB-3-1 and KB-V1), of which HL-60 cells were the most sensitive to its treatment. In contrast, Crebanine caused much less toxicity in human normal fibroblast cells. Our results demonstrated that Crebanine mediated cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase and this was associated with down-regulation of cyclins A and D. In addition, Crebanine induced apoptosis, which was detected by observation of the membrane phospholipid exposure in flow cytometry. Its induction of apoptosis was accompanied by an increase in cleavage of caspase-3, -8, -9 and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), and was attributable to the augmentation of Bax/Bcl proteins level. Crebanine also decreased mitochondrial membrane potential.
CONCLUSIONS:
Taken together, Crebanine exerts anti-proliferative effects on human cancer cells through the induction of cell cycle arrest at the G1 phases and apoptosis. Our results suggest that Crebanine is a promising new candidate as a chemotherapeutic agent for cancer therapy.

Anti-invasion effect of crebanine and O-methylbulbocapnine from Stephania venosa via down-regulated matrix metalloproteinases and urokinase plasminogen activator.[Pubmed: 23985774]

Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo). 2013;61(11):1156-65.

METHODS AND RESULTS:
We investigated the anti-invasive properties of four alkaloids from S. venosa, Crebanine (CN), O-methylbulbocapnine (OMBC), tetrahydropalmatine (THP), and N-methyltetrahydropalmatine (NMTHP), in HT1080 human fibrosacroma cells. Treatment of the cells with 15 μg/mL of Crebanine and OMBC reduced the chemo-invasion of HT1080 cells to 45 and 50%, respectively, whereas THP and NMTHP had a negative effect. On the other hand, Crebanine and OMBC had no effect on cell migration. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) are the extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation enzymes that play an important role in cancer cell metastasis. Results from zymography and western blot analysis showed that Crebanine and OMBC comparatively reduced MMP-2, MMP-9, MT1-MMP and uPA expression in a dose-dependent manner. However, Crebanine and OMBC had no effect on the activity of collagenase, MMP-2 and MMP-9. We also found that Crebanine and OMBC reduced the nuclear translocation and DNA binding activity of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), which is the expressed mediator of ECM degradation enzymes.
CONCLUSIONS:
These findings demonstrated that Crebanine and OMBC mediated HT1080 cell invasion by the reduction of MMP-2, MMP-9, uPA and MT1-MMP expression, possibly by targeting of NF-κB signaling pathway in the HT1080 cells.

Antiinflammatory Activities of Crebanine by Inhibition of NF-κB and AP-1 Activation through Suppressing MAPKs and Akt Signaling in LPS-Induced RAW264.7 Macrophages.[Pubmed: 26499331 ]

Biol Pharm Bull. 2016;39(1):54-61.

Crebanine, an aporphine alkaloid, displays various biological activities such as anticancer and antimicrobial activities.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
In this study, we further investigated the suppressive effect of Crebanine on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced expression of proinflammatory mediators and the molecular mechanisms underlying these activities in RAW264.7 macrophages. Crebanine inhibited the production of proinflammatory cytokines including interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells. Moreover, Crebanine suppressed LPS-induced inducible nitric oxide (iNO) and prostaglandin E2 and reduced the expression of iNO synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 in RAW264.7 cells. Crebanine suppressed LPS-induced phosphorylation of Akt and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), including extracellular signaling-regulated kinase 1/2, c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase, and p38 MAPK signaling. In addition, the specific inhibitor of MAPKs and Akt reduced the expression of IL-6 and NO production in LPS-induced macrophages. Furthermore, Crebanine inhibited LPS-induced nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) activation by reducing the phosphorylation of p65 at Ser536 but not the p65 translocation to the nucleus and inhibitory factor kappa B alpha degradation. Crebanine also suppressed phosphorylation and nucleus translocation of activator protein-1 (AP-1).
CONCLUSIONS:
These observations suggest that the antiinflammatory properties of Crebanine may stem from the inhibition of proinflammatory mediators via suppression of the NF-κB, AP-1, MAPKs, and Akt signaling pathways.

The effect of crebanine on memory and cognition impairment via the alpha-7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor.[Pubmed: 22749860]

Life Sci. 2012 Aug 21;91(3-4):107-14.

The aims of the present study were to investigate the effect of Crebanine on memory and cognition impairment in mice and to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
The memory-enhancing effects of Crebanine were assessed with a water maze test using scopolamine-induced amnesic mice. The molecular mechanism was explored in silico by docking Crebanine against acetylcholine binding proteins (AChBPs) and in vitro with a radioligand competition assay using (±)-[(3)H]-epibatidine. The pharmacological behavior was assessed by observing changes to the functional activity of α7-nAChRs expressed in Xenopus oocytes and by fluorescent assays on recombinant ligand gated ion channel (LGIC) receptors expressed in mammalian cells.The administration of Crebanine significantly improved the cognitive deficits induced by scopolamine, as measured by the water maze test. The docking results demonstrated that Crebanine bound to the active binding site of the AChBP template with a good docking energy. Crebanine significantly inhibited the binding of (±)-[(3)H]-epibatidine to AChBPs with K(i) values of 179 nM and 538 nM for Ls and Ac, respectively. Further functional assays performed using two separate protocols indicated that Crebanine is an antagonist of the α7-nAChR with an IC(50) of 19.1μM.
CONCLUSIONS:
The observed actions of Crebanine against amnesia and its effect on α7-nAChRs will be beneficial for target-based drug design; Crebanine or its scaffold can be used as the starting point to develop a drug for Alzheimer's disease. The cognition-enhancing effects of Crebanine and the underlying mechanism based on α7-nAChRs are consistent with its traditional use. These findings demonstrate the potential utility of Crebanine in the development of neurodegenerative therapy.

Crebanine inhibits voltage-dependent Na+ current in guinea-pig ventricular myocytes.[Pubmed: 24484592]

Crebanine, an aporphine alkaloid, sensitizes TNF-α-induced apoptosis and suppressed invasion of human lung adenocarcinoma cells A549 by blocking NF-κB-regulated gene products.[Pubmed: 24867094]

Tumour Biol. 2014 Sep;35(9):8615-24.

Crebanine is an alkaloid known to exhibit anticancer, but its mechanism is not well understood. Besides, the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) transcription factor has been correlated with inflammation, carcinogenesis, tumor cell survival, invasion, and angiogenesis.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
In this study, we investigated the effects of Crebanine on tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)-induced NF-κB activation and the expression of NF-κB-regulated gene products. We found that Crebanine reduced the cell proliferation of lung, ovarian, and breast cancer cells. Crebanine also potentiated TNF-α-induced apoptosis which correlated with the suppression of the gene products linked to cell survival, B cell lymphoma-extra large, and proliferation, cyclin D1. In addition, Crebanine affected TNF-α-induced activation of caspase-8, caspase-3, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage, indicating that the apoptotic effects of TNF-α were enhanced by Crebanine. Moreover, Crebanine reduced TNF-α-induced A549 cell invasion and migration. Furthermore, Crebanine suppressed the TNF-α-mediated expression of proteins that involved cancer cell invasion (matrix metalloproteinase 9 urokinase-type plasminogen activator, urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor and intercellular adhesion molecule 1) and angiogenesis (COX-2 and VEGF), all of which are known to be regulated by NF-κB. We also demonstrated that TNF-α induced NF-κB DNA-binding activity, which was inhibited by Crebanine. Moreover, Crebanine suppressed the TNF-α-induced degradation of inhibitor of NF-κB alpha (IκBa), which led to reduced NF-κB translocation to the nucleus.
CONCLUSIONS:
Taken together, our results demonstrated that Crebanine reduced TNF-α-induced cancer cell proliferation, invasion, and survival by suppressing NF-κB activity and expression profile of its downstream genes.

Chin J Nat Med. 2014 Jan;12(1):20-3.

To study the effects of Crebanine on voltage-gated Na(+) channels in cardiac tissues.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
Single ventricular myocytes were enzymatically dissociated from adult guinea-pig heart. Voltage-dependent Na(+) current was recorded using the whole cell voltage-clamp technique. Crebanine reversibly inhibited Na(+) current with an IC50 value of 0.283 mmol·L(-1) (95% confidence range: 0.248-0.318 mmol·L(-1)). Crebanine at 0.262 mmol·L(-1) caused a negative shift (about 12 mV) in the voltage-dependence of steady-state inactivation of Na(+) current, and retarded its recovery from inactivation, but did not affect its activation curve.
CONCLUSIONS:
In addition to blocking other voltage-gated ion channels, Crebanine blocked Na(+) channels in guinea-pig ventricular myocytes. Crebanine acted as an inactivation stabilizer of Na(+) channels in cardiac tissues.

Site of Analgesic Action and Its Mechanism of Crebanine.[Reference: WebLink]

Natural Product Research & Development,2011,23(2):341.

The main aim was to determine the site of analgesic action and the mechanism of Crebanine.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
The pain animal models of mouse toe injection of formaldehyde,hot plate test and writhing test were used.Mouse vas deferentia electrostimulation test was used to study the effect on morphine receptor of Crebanine.As a result,the significant analgesic action of Crebanine(3.2 mg/kg) was observed in three animal pain models.Moreover,Crebanine could strongly inhibit the contraction of vas deferentia induced by electrical stimulation.The effect was not antagonized by naloxone.
CONCLUSIONS:
Crebanine had a central-like analgesic effect,and its mechanism was independent of the morphine-receptor.