Neuroprotective Activities of Boophone haemanthoides (Amaryllidaceae) Extract and Its Chemical Constituents

Abstract

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative condition that progresses as age increases, and some of its major symptoms include tremor and postural and movement-related difficulties. To date, the treatment of PD remains a challenge because available drugs only treat the symptoms of the disease or possess serious side effects. In light of this, new treatment options are needed; hence, this study investigates the neuroprotective effects of an organic Boophone haemanthoides extract (BHE) and its bioactive compounds using an in vitro model of PD involving the toxin 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) and SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. A total of seven compounds were isolated from BHE, viz distichamine (1), 1α,3α-diacetylnerbowdine (2), hippadine (3), stigmast-4-ene-3,6-dione (4), cholest-4-en-3-one (5), tyrosol (6), and 3-hydroxy-1-(4′-hydroxyphenyl)-1-propanone (7). Six compounds (1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7) were investigated, and five showed neuroprotection alongside the BHE. This study gives insight into the bioactivity of the non-alkaloidal constituents of Amaryllidaceae, since the isolated compounds and the BHE showed improved cell viability, increased ATP generation in the cells as well as inhibition of MPP+-induced apoptosis. Together, these findings support the claim that the Amaryllidaceae plant family could be a potential reserve of bioactive compounds for the discovery of neuroprotective agents.

Neuroprotective Activities of Crossyne flava Bulbs and Amaryllidaceae Alkaloids: Implications for Parkinson’s Disease

“…All treatments lasted for 24 h, and the 2.5 µg/mL concentration was selected for the neuroprotection studies. Cells were plated as described above and pre-treated with 2.5 µg/mL of the C. flava extract and compounds for 2 h prior to the addition of 2000 µM MPP + to the extract, and compounds containing wells and treatments were incubated for 24 h [ 64 , 65 ]. The concentration of MPP + used for this study was informed by a previous study from our laboratory [ 45 ] and the untreated cells served as the control.…”

Recent Progress on Biological Activity of Amaryllidaceae and Further Isoquinoline Alkaloids in Connection with Alzheimer’s Disease

“…The cited studies are one of the few that have addressed the neuroprotective activity of individual AAs. Most of the studies dealing with the neuroprotective activity of AAs have used complex alkaloidal extracts accompanied by GC/MS analysis [ 82 , 83 , 84 ]. However, studies performed on mixtures are not able to identify which compound is responsible for the studied activity.…”

Chemical Principles of Boophone, Nerine, Crossyne, Clivia, Cryptostephanus, Haemanthus and Scadoxus of the South African Amaryllidaceae and Their Biological Properties

“…A fresh bulb MeOH extract of B. haemanthoides was found to contain seven known compounds including: alkaloids distichamine (35), 1,3-O-diacetylnerbowdine (49) and hippadine (50); triterpenoids stigmast-4-en-3,6-dione (51) and cholest-4-en-3-one (52) (Figure 6); as well as phenolics tyrosol (53) and 3-hydroxy-1-(4'-hydroxyphenyl)-1-propanone (54) [20]. 1,3-O-Diacetylnerbowdine (49) and hippadine (50) have not been reported in the previous investigation of B. haemanthoides [18].…”

“…Phenolic and triterpenoid structures as referred to above have been detected in B. disticha [10][11][12]. An in vitro model of Parkinson′s disease (PD) involving SH-SY5Y cells was then set up to gauge the neuroprotective effects of the isolated compounds (with the exception of hippadine 50 which was not included in the evaluation) [20].…”

“…All rights reserved. concentrations (2.5, 5 and 10 g/mL) had negligible effects on the SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma, wherein cell viabilities remained high (~100%) over the 24 h treatment period [20]. The effects of 1,3-O-diacetylnerbowdine (49) were concentration-dependent, with the best outcome (~75% viability) observed at the lowest tested dose [20].…”