title: Anti-herpes simplex virus activity of alkaloids isolated from Stephania cepharantha.
abstract: By screening water and MeOH extracts of 30 Chinese medicinal plants for their anti-herpes simplex virus (HSV)-1 activity, a MeOH extract of the root tubers of Stephania cepharantha HAYATA showed the most potent activity on the plaque reduction assay with an IC50 value of 18.0 microg/ml. Of 49 alkaloids isolated from the MeOH extract, 17 alkaloids were found to be active against HSV-1, including 13 bisbenzylisoquinoline, 1 protoberberine, 2 morphinane and 1 proaporphine alkaloids, while benzylisoquinoline and hasubanane alkaloids were inactive. Although N-methylcrotsparine was active against HSV-1, as well as HSV-1 thymidine kinase deficient (acyclovir resistant type, HSV-1 TK-) and HSV-2 (IC50 values of 8.3, 7.7 and 6.7 microg/ml, respectively), it was cytotoxic. FK-3000 was found to be the most active against HSV-1, HSV-1 TK- and HSV-2 (IC50 values of 7.8, 9.9 and 8.7 microg/ml) with in vitro therapeutic indices of 90, 71 and 81, respectively. FK-3000 was found to be a promising candidate as an anti-HSV agent against HSV-1, acyclovir (ACV) resistant-type HSV-1 and HSV-2.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Wakan-Yaku (Traditional Sino-Japanese Medicines), Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nawawi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hattori
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kurokawa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shiraki
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kashiwaba
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ono
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000187:drug effects*; D013937:Thymidine Kinase / Q000172:deficiency; D014709:Vero Cells
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D013937:Thymidine Kinase