Rutaecarpine attenuates monocrotaline-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension in a Sprague-Dawley rat model

Background:Pulmonary arterial hypertension presents with obliterative remodeling of the pulmonary arteries and progressive elevation of pulmonary vascular resistance,which increase the risk of right ventricular failure and death.It has been reported in previous studies that rutaecarpine plays a crucial role in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities,which may help regulate cell apoptosis and cell proliferation.The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of rutaecarpine in the rat model of monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension.Methods:We induced pulmonary arterial hypertension in adult Sprague-Dawley rats by injecting monocrotaline(60 mg/kg)and then treated with rutaecarpine(40 mg/kg·d)or sildenafil(30 mg/kg·d)(positive control).Subsequently,pulmonary function,inflammation,cytokines and pulmonary vascular remodeling or proliferation were assessed.Results:Rutaecarpine was found to improve monocrotaline-induced mean pulmonary artery pressure,cardiac index,right heart index,right ventricular hypertrophy index,pulmonary artery remodeling and pulmonary function.reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction demonstrated a decrease in tumor necrosis factor-α,interleukin-6 and interleukin-1β,whereas western blots a significantly decrease in the expression of nuclear factor kappa-B,endothelin-1,extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2,B cell lymphoma-2,Beclin1 and microtubule-associated protein1 light chain 3-II protein,and increase in the expression of Bax,caspase-3 and p62 protein.Conclusion:Rutaecarpine attenuated pulmonary arterial hypertension by inhibiting inflammation,oxidative stress,cell proliferation and autophagy,while promoting apoptosis.

Neuroprotective effects of rutaecarpine on cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury

Rutaecarpine, an active component of the traditional Chinese medicine Tetradium ruticarpum, has been shown to improve myocardial ischemia repeffusion injury. Because both cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases are forms of ischemic vascular disease, they are closely related. We hypothesized that rutaecarpine also has neuroprotective effects on cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury. A cerebral ischemia reperfusion model was established after 84, 252 and 504 pg/kg rutae- carpine were given to mice via intrapedtoneal injection, daily for 7 days. Results of the step through test, 2,3,5-triphenyl tetrazolium chloride dyeing and oxidative stress indicators showed that rutae- carpine could improve learning and memory ability, neurological symptoms and reduce infarction volume and cerebral water content in mice with cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury. Rutaecarpine could significantly decrease the malondialdehyde content and increase the activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase in mouse brain. Therefore, rutaecarpine could improve neu- rological function following injury induced by cerebral ischemia reperfusion, and the mechanism of this improvement may be associated with oxidative stress. These results verify that rutaecarpine has neuroprotective effects on cerebral ischemia reperfusion in mice.

Antitumor Activity and Theoretical Calculation of Evodiamine and Rutaecarpine

The antitumor activities of two alkaloids, evodiamine（EVO） and rutaecarpine（RUT）, against MCF-7, SMMC-7721 and SW-1353 cells growth in vitro were investigated by MTT assay. The results showed that the anti-tumor effects of two alkaloids were remarkably different. In order to discover the relationship of antitumor activity and structures of the compounds, the dihedral angle, Natural Electron Configuration, frontier molecular orbital profiles（HOMO, LUMO）and bandgaps of these two compounds have been studied based on density functional theory（DFT）by means of DFT-B3LYP/6-31G（d） in Gaussian 03. The calculation results of dihedral angle showed that EVO, due to the existence of methyl group attached to the N（14） atom, have non-planar and twisted structures, which decrease the stability of EVO and increase the activity of EVO. Furthermore, the bandgaps of RUT are lower than that of EVO, indicating RUT has higher stability than EVO, so the activity of EVO is higher than that of RUT. In addition, the negative charge of N14 atom in EVO is lower than that of in RUT, so the positive charge of N（14） atom in EVO is higher than that of in RUT, which suggests that the nucleophile is easier to aggress the N（14） atom in EVO than that in RUT, so the reason of the different antitumor activities of EVO and RUT may be attacked by nucleophile.

Rutaecarpine Inhibits Angiotensin Ⅱ-Induced Proliferation in Rat Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

Objective： To evaluate the effects and possible mechanisms of rutaecarpine on angiotensin Ⅱ （Ang Ⅱ ）-induced proliferation in cultured rat vascular smooth muscle cells （VSMCs）. Methods： VSMCs were isolated from Male Sprague-Dawley rat aorta, and cultured by enzymic dispersion method. Experiments were performed with cells from passages 3-8. The cultured VSMCs were randomly divided into control, model （Ang Ⅱ 0.1 μ moVL）, and rutaecarpine （0.3-3.0μmol/L） groups. VMSC proliferation was induced by Ang Ⅱ, and was evaluated by the 3-（4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl）-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and cell counting. To examine the mechanisms involved in anti-proliferative effects of rutaecarpine, nitric oxide （NO） levels and NO synthetase （NOS） activity were determined. Expressions of VSMC proliferation-related genes including endothelial nitric oxide synthase （eNOS）, and c-myc hypertension related gene-1 （HRG-1） were determined by real-time reverse chain reaction （RT-PCR）. Results： Rutaecarpine （0.3-3.0μmol/l_） inhibited Ang R-induced VSMC proliferation and the best effects were achieved at 3.0 μmol/L. The Ang Ⅱ-induced decreases in cellular NO contents and NOS activities were antagonized by rutaecarpine （P〈0.05）. Ang Ⅱ administration suppressed the expressions of eNOS and HRG-1, while increased c-myc expression （P〈0.05）. All these effects were attenuated by 3.0μmol/L rutaecarpine （P〈0.05）. Conclusion： Rutaecarpine is effective against Ang Ⅱ-induced rat VSMC proliferation, and this effect is due, at least in part, to NO production and the modulation of VMSC proliferation-related gene expressions.

Rutaecarpine Inhibits Intimal Hyperplasia in A Balloon-Injured Rat Artery Model

Objective： To investigate the effect and potential mechanisms of rutaecarpine （Rut） in a rat artery balloon-injury model. Methods： The intimal hyperplasia model was established by rubbing the endothelia with a balloon catheter in the common carotid artery （CCA） of rats. Fifty rats were randomly divided into five groups, ie. sham, model, Rut （25, 50 and 75 mg/kg） with 10 rats of each group. The rats were treated with or without Rut （25, 50, 75 mg/kg） by intragastric administration for 14 consecutive days following injury. The morphological changes of the intima were evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The expressions of proliferating cell nuclear antigen （PCNA） and smooth muscle （SM） oL-actin in the ateries were assayed by immunohistochemical staining. The mRNA expressions of c-myc, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 （ERK2）, MAPK phosphatase-1 （MKP-1） and endothelial nitric oxide synthase （eNOS） were determined by real-time reverse chain reaction. The protein expressions of MKP-1 and phosphorylated ERK2 （p-ERK2） were examined by Western blotting. The plasma contents of nitric oxide （NO） and cyclic guanosine 3＇,5＇-monophosphate （cGMP） were also determined. Results： Compared with the model group, Rut treatment significantly decreased intimal thickening and ameliorated endothelial injury （P〈0.05 or P〈0.01）. The positive expression rate of PCNA was decreased, while the expression rate of SM α -actin obviously increased in the vascular wall after Rut （50 and 75 mg/kg） administration （P〈0.05 or P〈0.01）. Furthermore, the mRNA expressions of c-myc, ERK2 and PCNA were downregulated while the expressions of eNOS and MKP-1 were upregulated （P〈0.05 or P〈0.01）. The protein expressions of MKP-1 and the phosphorylation of ERK2 were upregulated and downragulated after Rut （50 and 75 mg/kg） administration （P〈0.05 or P〈0.01）, respectively. In addition, Rut dramatically reversed balloon injury-induced decrease of NO and cGMP in the plasma （P〈0.05 or P〈0.01）. Conclusion： Rut could inhibit the balloon injury-induced carotid intimal hyperplasia in rats, possibly mediated by promotion of NO production and inhibiting ERK2 signal transduction pathways.

Simultaneous Analysis of Thirteen Bioactive Components in Evodia rutaecarpa and Its Varieties by HPLC-DAD-MS

Objective To control the quality of Evodia rutaecarpa better.Methods An HPLC-DAD-MS/MS method was established for the rapid and efficient identification of bioactive constituents and for simultaneous quantitative analysis of four bioactive ingredients including evodiamine,rutaecarpine,dehydroevodiamine,and evodin in E.rutaecarpa,which was applied to evaluating eight samples of E.rutaecarpa and its varieties from different areas.Results Thirteen potentially bioactive constituents including one flavonoid glycoside,one limonin,four indoloquinazoline alkaloids,and seven quinolone alkaloids were identified in all samples and the contents of dehydroevodiamine,evodine,evodiamine,and rutaecarpine varied widely from 0.10% to 0.51%,0.49% to 3.12%,0.07% to 1.56%,and 0.10% to 0.69%,respectively.Conclusion This method is found to be convenient,fast,accurate,and it is facilitated to improve the quality control standard of E.rutaecarpa and related products.