Chemical Diversity and Bioactivities of Monoterpene Indole Alkaloids (MIAs) from Six Apocynaceae Genera

Abstract

By the end of the twentieth century, the interest in natural compounds as probable sources of drugs has declined and was replaced by other strategies such as molecular target-based drug discovery. However, in the recent times, natural compounds regained their position as extremely important source drug leads. Indole-containing compounds are under clinical use which includes vinblastine and vincristine (anticancer), atevirdine (anti-HIV), yohimbine (erectile dysfunction), reserpine (antihypertension), ajmalicine (vascular disorders), ajmaline (anti-arrhythmic), vincamine (vasodilator), etc. Monoterpene Indole Alkaloids (MIAs) deserve the curiosity and attention of researchers due to their chemical diversity and biological activities. These compounds were considered as an impending source of drug-lead. In this review 444 compounds, were identified from six genera belonging to the family Apocynaceae, will be discussed. These genera (Alstonia, Rauvolfia, Kopsia, Ervatamia, and Tabernaemontana, and Rhazya) consist of 400 members and represent 20% of Apocynaceae species. Only 30 (7.5%) species were investigated, whereas the rest are promising to be investigated. Eleven bioactivities, including antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant activities, were reported. Whereas cytotoxic effect represents 47% of the reported activities. Convincingly, the genera selected in this review are a wealthy source for future anticancer drug lead.

Construction of ajmalicine and sanguinarine de novo biosynthetic pathways using stable integration sites in yeast

“…Monoterpene indole alkaloids (MIAs) and benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) are the two most important alkaloid families. MIAs include anticancer agents such as camptothecin (Kang et al, 2021) and vinblastine (J. Liu et al, 2014), vascular disorder drugs such as ajmalicine (Mohammed et al, 2021), antihypertension agents such as reserpine (Mohammed et al, 2021), and antimalarial agents such as quinine (Achan et al, 2011). BIAs include the pain killer morphine, the antitussive drug noscapine, and the antibiotic berberine (Narcross et al, 2016).…”

Comprehensive Review of the Components in Cat’s Claw (Uncaria tomentosa) and Their Antibacterial Activity

“…These compounds are distinguished by a quinolizidine ring fused to an indole to form a tetracyclic indoloquinolizidine highlighted in blue in Figure 1. These alkaloids are commonly identified as corynanthe-type monoterpenoid alkaloids in other literature sources [38].…”

Monoterpene Indole Alkaloids from the Aerial Parts of Rhazya stricta Induce Cytotoxicity and Apoptosis in Human Adenocarcinoma Cells

“…MIAs are common compounds isolated from Apocynaceae, Rubiaceae, and Loganiaceae. Monoterpenoid indole alkaloids were reported to display anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, spasmolytic, insecticidal effects [8]. For example, ajmalicine and reserpine reported from the Apocynaceae plant, Rauwolfia serpentina, exhibited cardiopathy and antihypertensive activities.…”