Activity of Alkaloids on Peptic Ulcer: What’s New?

Abstract

Peptic ulcer is a common disease characterized by lesions that affect the mucosa of the esophagus, stomach and/or duodenum, and may extend into the muscular layer of the mucosa. Natural products have played an important role in the process of development and discovery of new drugs, due to their wide structural diversity and present, mostly specific and selective biological activities. Among natural products the alkaloids, biologically active secondary metabolites, that can be found in plants, animals or microorganisms stand out. The alkaloids are compounds consisting of a basic nitrogen atom that may or may not be part of a heterocyclic ring. This review will describe 15 alkaloids with antiulcer activity in animal models and in vitro studies.

Epiisopiloturine hydrochloride, an imidazole alkaloid isolated from Pilocarpus microphyllus leaves, protects against naproxen-induced gastrointestinal damage in rats

“…Thus, the suppression of neutrophil infiltration into the gastrointestinal mucosa may contribute to the ameliorative effect of EPI against naproxen lesions. Other studies show that alkaloids can prevent oxidative stress and produce anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting neutrophil infiltration associated with gastrointestinal damage induced by NSAIDs in rats [14].…”

“…Recently, a review has listed fifteen alkaloids applied to different experimental models of peptic ulcers, including ulcers caused by NSAIDs. Several mechanisms are involved in the defense of the gastrointestinal tissue by alkaloids, and it revealed common peculiarities as immunomodulation, increased gastric blood flow and participation of the endogenous antioxidant system [14]. Most alkaloids are crystalline substances, which dissolve poorly in water due to their low solubility grade into aqueous systems of preparation [23].…”

“…In this context, some imidazole derivatives were found to be versatile scaffolds with which to design antiinflammatory compounds, because the imidazole rings are known to possess gastric protective and ameliorative effects [13]. Furthermore, a range of alkaloids have been shown prominent place in research as scope of drugs able to improve peptic ulcers [14]. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the ameliorative effect of epiisopiloturine hydrochloride, a derivative imidazole alkaloid, on naproxen-induced gastrointestinal damage in rats.…”

<i>In vitro</i> anticancer activity and cytotoxicity of some papaver alkaloids on cancer and normal cell lines

“…Among the reported biological effects (Awaad et al 2007), antidepressant (Nesterova et al 2011), antimicrobial (Karou et al 2006), antiemetic (Bulbul et al 2013), and anti-inflammatory (Vijayalakshmi et al 2011) properties. Nonetheless, there are also reports of toxic effects to humans; thus, the use of different experimental models to understand the exact mechanism of the molecules under study is necessary, in order to have the real knowledge of their effect (Nascimento et al 2015). In vitro cytotoxicity investigations on plant extracts are commonly the first steps of research for anticancer compounds from natural sources (Erel et al 2014).…”

Solanum cernuum Vell: estudo fitoquímico, avaliação das atividades gastroprotetora, antimicrobiana, citotóxica e obtenção do extrato seco por spray dryer

“…Diversas substâncias de origem vegetal, entre elas, flavonoides, alcaloides e triterpenos têm apresentado atividade antiúlcera (NASCIMENTO et al, 2015;BABU et al, 2010;JORGE et al, 2004;HIRUMA-LIMA et al, 1999). …”