title: Tetrandrine--A molecule of wide bioactivity.
abstract: Stephania tetrandra and other related species of Menispermaceae form the major source of the bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid - tetrandrine. The plant is extensively referenced in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia for its use in the Chinese medicinal system as an analgesic and diuretic agent and also in the treatment of hypertension and various other ailments, including asthma, tuberculosis, dysentery, hyperglycemia, malaria, cancer and fever. Tetrandrine, well-known to act as a calcium channel blocker, has been tested in clinical trials and found effective against silicosis, hypertension, inflammation and lung cancer without any toxicity. Recently, the efficacy of tetrandrine was tested against Mycobaterium tuberculosis, Candida albicans, Plasmodium falciparum and Ebola virus. Tetrandrine's pharmacological property has been proved to be through its action on different signalling pathways like reactive oxygen species, enhanced autophagic flux, reversal of multi drug resistance, caspase pathway, cell cycle arrest and by modification of calcium channels. The present review summarises current knowledge on the synthesis, distribution, extraction, structural elucidation, pharmacological properties and the mechanism of action of tetrandrine. Future perspectives in the clinical use of tetrandrine as a drug are also considered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Botany, Mangalore University, Mangalagangotri, Mangalore 574 199, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bhagya
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Botany, Mangalore University, Mangalagangotri, Mangalore 574 199, Karnataka, India. Electronic address: profkrchandrashekar@gmail.com.
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Chandrashekar
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D044182:Benzylisoquinolines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects; D018432:Drug Resistance, Multiple / Q000187:drug effects; D029043:Ebolavirus / Q000187:drug effects; D019142:Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / Q000188:drug therapy; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000187:drug effects; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects; D031609:Stephania tetrandra / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D044182:Benzylisoquinolines; C009438:tetrandrine
keywords: Menispermaceae; Pharmacological properties; Stephania tetrandra; Tetrandrine