title: Study on noncovalent complexes of cytotoxic protoberberine alkaloids with double-stranded DNA by using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.
abstract: The noncovalent complexes of four cytotoxic protoberberine alkaloids that is, berberine, palmatine, jatrorrhizine, and coptisine with double-stranded oligodeoxynucleotides d(AAGAATTCTT)(2) were investigated by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. These four active components from Chinese herbal medicines showed both 1:1 and 1:2 binding stoichiometries, independent on the alkaloid-to-DNA ratios. Binding affinities in the order of palmatine> or =jatrorrhizine>coptisine>berberine with d(AAGAATTCTT)(2) were obtained. Additionally, the preliminary results indicated that berberine had some sequence selectivities.
authors.affiliation: School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Wen-Hua
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chi-Leung
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Zongwei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Guo-An
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Zhi-Hong
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D001600:Berberine Alkaloids / Q000378:metabolism*; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization
chemical_list: D001600:Berberine Alkaloids; C009090:protoberberine; D004247:DNA