Cepharanthine (biscoclaurine alkaloid) treatment in endotoxic shock of suckling rats

Abstract

Gram-negative sepsis/septic shock causes significant mortality in newborns. However, there has been no established method for newborn endotoxic shock treatment. Prostaglandins play a role in endotoxic shock. Cepharanthine is a biscoclaurine alkaloid that primarily inhibits phospholipase A2. Therefore, the effects of cepharanthine have been studied on endotoxic shock in newborn rats. Cepharanthine decreased the 24 h mortality of endotoxic shock in a dose-related manner. At the dose of 0.2 mg kg-1 it effectively reduced the mortality from 90 to 21% in newborn rats. It also induced hyperglycaemia in control rats and blunted the hypoglycaemia of endotoxic shock. Cepharanthine did not suppress body weight gain nor did it delay death as seen with glucocorticoid treatment. We conclude that cepharanthine is beneficial in the treatment of newborn endotoxic shock.

Inhibition of the STAT3 signaling pathway is involved in the antitumor activity of cepharanthine in SaOS2 cells

“…As an anti-inflammatory agent, CEP has been used to treat many inflammatory diseases such as exudative otitis media and endotoxic shock [3,4] . Similar to other widely studied natural products such as curcumin [24,25] , CEP has multiple targets and multiple effects.…”

“…Cepharanthine (CEP) is a natural occurring small molecule, derived from the plant Stephania cepharantha Hayata, and has been used to treat diseases such as venomous snakebite, alopecia areata, exudative otitis media and endotoxic shock [1][2][3][4] . The pharmacological activities of CEP include the reversal of multidrug resistance [5][6][7] , antitumor activity [8][9][10] and inhibiting the production of inflammatory mediators [11][12][13][14] .…”

Clinical Efficacy of Antivenom and Cepharanthine for the Treatment of Mamushi (Gloydius blomhoffii) Bites in Tertiary Care Centers in Japan

“…CEP lessens the inflammation and pain caused by snake bites (2). CEP, or extracts from the plant, are widely used (primarily in Japan) to treat a variety of acute and chronic diseases such as alopecia areata (8), radiotherapy-induced leucopenia (9), malaria (10), and septic shock (11). Despite its use in treating a diverse number of illnesses, CEP does not have the ability to neutralize circulating venom (12,13).…”

Remarkable enhancement of cytotoxicity of onconase and cepharanthine when used in combination on various tumor cell lines

“…36 Specifically, Cep is used to treat: alopecia areata, 37 venomous snakebites, 38 radiotherapy-caused leukopenia, 39 malaria 40 and septic shock. 41,42 Other pharmacological activities reported to be mediated by CEP are: inhibition of plasma membrane lipid peroxidation, 43 inhibition of histamine release, 44 antiinflammatory effect, 41 anti-allergic effect, 45 multidrug resistance-reversing effect, 46 inhibition of platelet aggregation 47 and antitumor activity. 48,49 The diversity of biological activities of Cep suggests that some may be mediated by a common mechanism.…”

“…[50][51][52] We have recently reported that Cep effectively scavenges endogenous oxidants generated during aerobic metabolism, protecting DNA from oxidative damage. 53,54 The radicals scavenging properties of Cep may mediate several of the effects listed above, such as inhibition of the lipid peroxidation, 43 protection from carcinogens, 49 anti-inflammatory properties 41 or protection from radiotherapyinduced leucopenia. 39 It was recently reported that Cep sensitizes human oral carcinoma cells to radiation by inhibiting activation of NFκB.…”