New Developments in the Mechanism of Drug Action and Toxicity of Conjugated Imines and Iminiums, including Related Alkaloids

Abstract

This review deals with mechanism and physiological activity of conjugated imine and iminium species, including those in the alkaloid category. An appreciable number can be found in the Merck Index. There is focus in mode of action on electron transfer (ET), reactive oxygen species (ROS), oxidative stress (OS) and reduction potential in the prior review. These aspects can be involved in both therapeutic action and toxicity. A unifying mechanistic approach involving ET-ROS-OS is applied to synthetic drugs and alkaloids in the imine-iminium category in relation to both beneficial and adverse effects. Insight at the basic, molecular level can aid in practical pharmaceutical design.

Intensive herbicide use has selected for constitutively elevated levels of stress‐responsive mRNAs and proteins in multiple herbicide‐resistant Avena fatua L

“…For example, four of the five herbicides/families in the A. fatua MHR resistance spectrum, i.e. paraquat, difenzoquat, ALS inhibitors and ACCase inhibitors, are known to induce ROS production in susceptible species. Thus it may be expected that MHR4 plants exhibit enhanced capacity for redox maintenance, given that they are resistant to at least eleven herbicides from five different mode of action families.…”