Activity Screening Study on the Anti-tumor Effects of Extracts from Mahoniae caulis

[Objectives]To explore the anti-tumor activity of the extracts of petroleum ether,ethyl acetate,n-butanol and aqueous solution from Mahoniae caulis.[Methods]The extracts were extracted with petroleum ether,ethyl acetate,n-butanol and aqueous solution respectively,and then concentrated.The inhibitory effects of these extracts on the growth of three tumor cell lines in vitro were detected by CCK-8 method,and the IC 50 value was calculated.[Results]The four extracts inhibited the growth of the three tumor cell lines in vitro,among which the n-butanol extract had the best anti-tumor activity.The IC 50 values of the n-butanol extract on human gastric cancer(SGC-7901),human breast cancer(MCF-7)and human liver cancer(BEL-7404)cell lines were 0.23,0.25 and 0.58 mg/mL,respectively.[Conclusions]The ethanol extract of Mahoniae caulis under petroleum ether,ethyl acetate,n-butanol and aqueous solution had certain anti-tumor effect,and n-butanol extract had the best anti-tumor activity.

Analysis of isoquinoline alkaloids from Mahonia leschenaultia and Mahonia napaulensis roots using UHPLC-Orbitrap-MSn and UHPLC-QqQ LIT-MS/MS

Mahonia leschenaultia(ML) and Mahonia napaulensis(MN) are less known and unexplored medicinal plants of the family Berberidaceae. They are used by the Todas of Nilgiris in their religious and medical practices but chemically less identified. Hence, we decided to do extensive phytochemical analysis to explore the potential of these plant extracts. An ultrahigh performance electrospray tandem mass spectrometry(UHPLC–ESI–MS/MS)method was successfully developed for qualitative analysis of the bioactive components in Mahonia species using Orbitrap Velos Pro mass spectrometer. Sixteen compounds were identified by comparison of their retention times and mass spectra(MS) with authentic standards and reported literature. Multi-stage mass spectra(MS^(2–8)) for the identification of protoberberine and aporphine alkaloids showed the sequential expulsion of all the substituents attached with their basic skeleton followed by CO loss. Eight of the identified compounds(berberine, jatrorrhizine, palmatine, magnoflorine, isocorydine, glaucine, tetrahydropalmatine and tetrahydroberberine) were simultaneously determined by another UHPLC–ESI–MS/MS method under the multiple reactions monitoring(MRM) mode quantitatively using triple quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometer. The analytical method was validated for 8 bioactive compounds with overall recovery in the range98.5%–103.6%(RSD≤2.2%), precise(RSD≤2.07%) and linear(r≥0.9995) over the concentration range of 0.5–1000 ng/mL and successfully applied in ML and MN roots, which suggests the suitability of the proposed approach for the routine analysis of Mahonia species and their quality control.

Anticancer activity of Mahonia leschenaultii methanolic root extract and berberine on Dalton’s ascitic lymphoma in mice

Objective: To evaluate the effects of methanol root extract of Mahonia leschenaultii and berberine of Mahonia leschenaultii on Dalton’s ascitic lymphoma in Swiss Albino mice. Methods: The methanol root extracts of Mahonia leschenaultii(200 and 400 mg/kg) were given orally, and berberines(10 and 20 mg/kg) were injected intra-peritoneally for 14 successive days in tumor bearing mice. Hematological parameters(white and red blood cells, haemoglobin level, granulocytes, and agranulocytes), lipid parameters(total cholesterol and triglycerides), serum enzymes(serum glutamate pyruvate transaminases, serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminases, and alkaline phosphatise) and mean survival and solid tumor growth were determined and compared with untreated mice. 5-fluorouracil(20 mg/kg) was used as a reference standard drug. Results: Mahonia leschenaultii and berberine reduced the hematocrit significantly. Furthermore, Mahonia leschenaultii and berberine improved the survival of mice significantly and restored the affected hematological and lipid parameters similar to the normal levels. Conclusions: These observations show a strong anticancer effect of methanol root extract of Mahonia leschenaultii and berberine in suppressing Dalton’s ascitic lymphoma cancer cell growth in a mouse model by controlling haematological, lipid, serum enzymes, and other derived parameters effectively.

Absorption characteristics of the total alkaloids from Mahonia bealei in an in situ single-pass intestinal perfusion assay

AIM: To investigate the absorption characteristics of the total alkaloids from Mahoniae Caulis(TAMC) through the administration of monterpene absorption enhancers or protein inhibitors. METHOD: The absorption behavior was investigated in an in situ single-pass intestinal perfusion(SPIP) assay in rats. RESULTS: The intestinal absorption of TAMC was much more than that of a single compound or a mixture of compounds(jatrorrhizine, palmatine, and berberine). Promotion of absorption by the bicyclic monoterpenoids(borneol or camphor) was higher than by the monocyclic monoterpenes(menthol or menthone), and promotion by compounds with a hydroxyl group(borneol or menthol) was higher than those with a carbonyl group(camphor or menthone). The apparent permeability coefficient(Papp) of TAMC was increased to 1.8-fold by verapamil, while it was reduced to one half by thiamine. The absorption rate constant(Ka) and Papp of TAMC were unchanged by probenecid and pantoprazole. CONCLUSION: The intestinal absorption characteristics of TAMC might be passive transport, and the intestinum tenue was the best absorptive site. In addition, TAMC might be likely a substrate of P-glycoprotein(P-gp) and organic cation transporters(OCT), rather than multidrug resistance protein(MRP) and breast cancer resistance protein(BCRP). Compared with a single compound and a mixture of compounds, TAMC was able to be absorbed in the blood circulation effectively.