Inhibitor Report for: Scopoletin

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by depositions of amyloid beta (Abeta) peptides aggregates resulting in plaques formation in the central nervous system (CNS). This study evaluates the disease-modifying potential of scopoletin against multiple factors associated with AD such as cholinesterase enzymes, Abeta peptides, and neuroprotective properties against Abeta- and H(2)O(2)-induced cytotoxicity under in vitro conditions. Scopoletin was identified and quantified using UPLC-QTOF (ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), respectively. The antiamyloidogenic potential was evaluated by thioflavin T and congo red binding assay. Inhibition of key enzymes, that is, acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase, was investigated by Ellman's assay. UPLC-QTOF analysis showed that most abundant phytoconstituent present in Argyreia speciosa hydroalcoholic root extract was scopoletin followed by festuclavine and ergometrine. Scopoletin was further quantified using novel reverse phase (RP)-HPLC method developed in this study. The neuroprotective potential of scopoletin was found to be 69% against Abeta42-induced neurotoxicity and 73% against H(2)O(2)-induced cytotoxicity in PC12 cell culture at 40 muM final concentration. At the same concentration, scopoletin inhibited Abeta42 fibril formation up to 57%. The IC(50) concentration for AChE and BuChE enzyme inhibition by scopoletin was 5.34 and 9.11 muM, respectively. The antiaggregation and enzyme inhibition results were complemented with strong molecular interactions of scopoletin with target proteins validated by in silico molecular docking analysis. Based on this study, it can be concluded that scopoletin can be used as a lead for amelioration of symptoms and disease-modifying effects in AD.

A series of scopoletin derivatives incorporated with the pyridinium moiety was synthesized and evaluated for their acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity by the colorimetric Ellman's method. A 2-fluorobenzylpyridinium derivative was the most potent among the tested compounds, with an IC50 value of 0.215+/-0.015muM, which was greatly improved from that of scopoletin. Docking studies revealed that the scopoletin portion of the mentioned compound was bound to the peripheral anionic site of the AChE, whereas the N-benzylpyridinium residue to the catalytic anionic site.

In a previous study the simple, naturally derived coumarin scopoletin (SCT) was identified as an inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), using a pharmacophore-based virtual screening approach. In this study the potential of SCT as procholinergic and cognition-enhancing therapeutic was investigated in a more detailed way, using different experimental approaches like measuring newly synthesized acetylcholine (ACh) in synaptosomes, long-term potentiation (LTP) experiments in hippocampal slices, and behavior studies. SCT enhanced the K+-stimulated release of ACh from rat frontal cortex synaptosomes, showing a bell-shaped dose effect curve (E(max): 4 muM). This effect was blocked by the nicotinic ACh receptor (nAChR) antagonists mecamylamine (MEC) and dihydro-beta-erythroidine (DHE). The nAChR agonist (and AChE inhibitor) galantamine induced a similar increase in ACh release (E(max): 1 muM). SCT potentiated LTP in hippocampal slices of rat brain. The high-frequency stimulation (HFS)-induced, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor dependent LTP of field excitatory postsynaptic potentials at CA3-CA1 synapses was greatly enhanced by pre-HFS application of SCT (4 muM for 4 min). This effect was mimicked by nicotine (2 muM) and abolished by MEC, suggesting an effect on nAChRs. SCT did not restore the total inhibition of LTP by NMDA receptor antagonist D, L-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (AP-5). SCT (2 mug, i.c.v.) increased T-maze alternation and ameliorated novel object recognition of mice with scopolamine-induced cholinergic deficit. It also reduced age-associated deficits in object memory of 15-18-month-old mice (2 mg/kg sc). Our findings suggest that SCT possesses memory-improving properties, which are based on its direct nAChR agonistic activity. Therefore, SCT might be able to rescue impaired cholinergic functions by enhancing nAChR-mediated release of neurotransmitters and promoting neural plasticity in hippocampus.

Strigolactones (SLs) are intriguing phytohormones that not only regulate plant development and architecture but also interact with other organisms in the rhizosphere as root parasitic plants (Striga, Orobanche, and Phelipanche) and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Starting with a pioneering work in 2003 for the isolation and identification of the SL receptor in parasitic weeds, fluorescence labeling of analogs has proven a major strategy to gain knowledge in SL perception and signaling. Here, we present novel chemical tools for understanding the SL perception based on the enzymatic properties of SL receptors. We designed different profluorescent SL Guillaume Clave (GC) probes and performed structure-activity relationship studies on pea, Arabidopsis thaliana, and Physcomitrium (formerly Physcomitrella) patens. The binding of the GC probes to PsD14/RMS3, AtD14, and OsD14 proteins was tested. We demonstrated that coumarin-based profluorescent probes were highly bioactive and well-adapted to dissect the enzymatic properties of SL receptors in pea and a resorufin profluorescent probe in moss, contrary to the commercially available fluorescein profluorescent probe, Yoshimulactone Green (YLG). These probes offer novel opportunities for the studies of SL in various plants.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by depositions of amyloid beta (Abeta) peptides aggregates resulting in plaques formation in the central nervous system (CNS). This study evaluates the disease-modifying potential of scopoletin against multiple factors associated with AD such as cholinesterase enzymes, Abeta peptides, and neuroprotective properties against Abeta- and H(2)O(2)-induced cytotoxicity under in vitro conditions. Scopoletin was identified and quantified using UPLC-QTOF (ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), respectively. The antiamyloidogenic potential was evaluated by thioflavin T and congo red binding assay. Inhibition of key enzymes, that is, acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase, was investigated by Ellman's assay. UPLC-QTOF analysis showed that most abundant phytoconstituent present in Argyreia speciosa hydroalcoholic root extract was scopoletin followed by festuclavine and ergometrine. Scopoletin was further quantified using novel reverse phase (RP)-HPLC method developed in this study. The neuroprotective potential of scopoletin was found to be 69% against Abeta42-induced neurotoxicity and 73% against H(2)O(2)-induced cytotoxicity in PC12 cell culture at 40 muM final concentration. At the same concentration, scopoletin inhibited Abeta42 fibril formation up to 57%. The IC(50) concentration for AChE and BuChE enzyme inhibition by scopoletin was 5.34 and 9.11 muM, respectively. The antiaggregation and enzyme inhibition results were complemented with strong molecular interactions of scopoletin with target proteins validated by in silico molecular docking analysis. Based on this study, it can be concluded that scopoletin can be used as a lead for amelioration of symptoms and disease-modifying effects in AD.

The scopoletin one of the major bioactive components of Convolvulus prostratus Forssk known to have a role in acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, memory enhancer, antimicrobial, antioxidative etc. properties are investigated in the present study. The concentration of scopoletin in C. prostratus is investigated in leaf, stem and root at different growth stages of plant development viz., 30, 45, 60 and 90 days after sowing (DAS). A highly sensitive LC-MS method was developed to quantify the scopoletin even at low concentration with LOD and LOQ of 8 and 24 ng/ml, respectively. The highest quantity of scopoletin was recorded in stem (732 g/g dry weight) and leaf (650 g/g dry weight) collected 90 DAS whereas lowest was recorded at 45 DAS in leaf (90.00 g/g dry weight) and Stem (110 g/g dry weight). Based on the highest and lowest concentration of scopoletin in stem and root tissues at 45 and 90 DAS were selected for transcriptome study. Differential gene expression analysis revealed the differential expression of genes involved in scopoletin biosynthesis. Seven genes viz., phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), 4-coumarate CoA ligase (4CL), trans-cinnamate 4-monooxygenase (TCM), shikimate O- hydroxycinnamoyl transferase (C3'H), 5-O-4-coumaroyl-D-quinate 3'-monooxygenase (HCT), caffeoyl-CoA-O-methyltransferase (CCoAOMT) and feruloyl-CoA 6'-hydroxylase (F6'H) were identified in the phenyl propanoid pathway. Expression of the novel enzyme F6'H showed down regulation in both tissues at 45 DAS. Real-time PCR showed a correlation with the expression of this F6'H genes with the accumulation of scopoletin at 90 DAS. This indicated that the growth stage of plant and expression of F6'H control the scopoletin accumulation in Convolvulus. The results of present investigation may useful in pharmaceutical, drug and cosmetic industries that the harvesting of plant part especially stem of C.prostratus at 90 DAS to get maximum quantity of scopoletin. Also, the novel gene F6'H need to be further characterized to understand its expression dynamics so that scopoletin content can be increase at the highest.

The detection of organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) has received considerable attention for their great harm to human beings. Herein, a novel ratiometric fluorescence biosensor was constructed for the determination of OPs by using Scopoletin (SC) and Amplex Red (AR) as probe pairs that have opposite responses to MnO2 nanosheets (MnO2 NS). MnO2 NS possess peroxidase-like catalytic activity, which could quench the fluorescence of SC as well as enhance the fluorescence of the non-fluorescent substance AR by oxidation. In the absence of OPs, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) hydrolyzed acetylcholine chloride (ATCh) into choline (TCh) and acetate. TCh led the decomposition of MnO2 NS to manganese ions (Mn(2+)), increasing signal of SC and decreasing signal of AR. In the presence of OPs, the activity of AChE was inhibited and the decomposition of MnO2 NS was hindered, therefore the fluorescence intensity of SC was weak and the fluorescence intensity of AR had an obvious increase. Moreover, under the optimal conditions, the ratio of fluorescence intensity response recorded on the AR/SC increases with increasing the concentration of DDVP. The method has wider linear range of 5.0pg/mL approximately 500ng/mL with a detection limit of 1.6pg/mL, which is superior to previously reported methods. This strategy has also been applied to a visual observation based on the color change of the solution under UV light.

The current objective of the study is to identify inhibitory affinity potential of the certain commercially available flavonoids, against crystal structure of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme using in silico and in vitro studies. The inhibitory profiles of the compounds have been compared with standard AChE inhibitor donepezil. In the docking studies, conformational site analysis and docking parameters like binding energy, inhibition constant and intermolecular energy were determined using AutoDock 4.2. Docking studies conducted with diosmin, silibinin, scopoletin, taxifolin and tricetin exhibited tight binding forces prevailing with the enzyme than between donepezil. Based on the in silico studies, compounds were selected for the in vitro AChE inhibitory assay. In vitro results showed that all the selected flavonoids displayed excellent concentration-dependant inhibition of AChE. Scopoletin was found to be the most potent and specific inhibitor of the enzyme with IC50 values of 10.18+/-0.68muM. Scopoletin showed several strong hydrogen bonds to several important amino acid residues against target enzyme. A number of hydrophobic interactions could also explain the potency of the compounds to inhibit AChE. These molecular docking and in vitro analyses could lead to the further development of potent acetylcholinesterase inhibitors for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

A series of scopoletin derivatives incorporated with the pyridinium moiety was synthesized and evaluated for their acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity by the colorimetric Ellman's method. A 2-fluorobenzylpyridinium derivative was the most potent among the tested compounds, with an IC50 value of 0.215+/-0.015muM, which was greatly improved from that of scopoletin. Docking studies revealed that the scopoletin portion of the mentioned compound was bound to the peripheral anionic site of the AChE, whereas the N-benzylpyridinium residue to the catalytic anionic site.

Alzheimer's disease, one of the most common forms of dementia, is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder symptomatically characterized by declines in memory and cognitive abilities. To date, the successful therapeutic strategy to treat AD is maintaining levels of acetylcholine by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase (AChE). In the present study, coumarin derivatives were designed and synthesized as AChE inhibitors based on the lead structure of scopoletin. Of those synthesized, pyrrolidine-substituted coumarins 3b and 3f showed ca. 160-fold higher AChE inhibitory activities than scopoletin. These compounds also ameliorated scopolamine-induced memory deficit in mice when administered orally at the dose of 1 and 2 mg/kg.

Bioassay guided fractionation of an ethanol extract of leaves of Canarium patentinervium Miq. (Burseraceae Kunth.) led to the isolation of scopoletin. The structure of this coumarin was elucidated based on spectroscopic methods including nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR-1D and 2D) and mass spectrometry. Scopoletin inhibited the enzymatic activity of 5-lipoxygenase and acetyl cholinesterase with an IC50 equal to 1.76 +/- 0.01 mu M and 0.27 +/- 0.02 mM, respectively, and confronted oxidation in the ABTS, DPPH, FRAP, and beta -carotene bleaching assay with EC50 values equal to 5.62 +/- 0.03 mu M, 0.19 +/- 0.01 mM, 0.25 +/- 0.03 mM and 0.65 +/- 0.07 mM, respectively. Given the aforementioned evidence, it is tempting to speculate that scopoletin represents an exciting scaffold from which to develop leads for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

In a previous study the simple, naturally derived coumarin scopoletin (SCT) was identified as an inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), using a pharmacophore-based virtual screening approach. In this study the potential of SCT as procholinergic and cognition-enhancing therapeutic was investigated in a more detailed way, using different experimental approaches like measuring newly synthesized acetylcholine (ACh) in synaptosomes, long-term potentiation (LTP) experiments in hippocampal slices, and behavior studies. SCT enhanced the K+-stimulated release of ACh from rat frontal cortex synaptosomes, showing a bell-shaped dose effect curve (E(max): 4 muM). This effect was blocked by the nicotinic ACh receptor (nAChR) antagonists mecamylamine (MEC) and dihydro-beta-erythroidine (DHE). The nAChR agonist (and AChE inhibitor) galantamine induced a similar increase in ACh release (E(max): 1 muM). SCT potentiated LTP in hippocampal slices of rat brain. The high-frequency stimulation (HFS)-induced, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor dependent LTP of field excitatory postsynaptic potentials at CA3-CA1 synapses was greatly enhanced by pre-HFS application of SCT (4 muM for 4 min). This effect was mimicked by nicotine (2 muM) and abolished by MEC, suggesting an effect on nAChRs. SCT did not restore the total inhibition of LTP by NMDA receptor antagonist D, L-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (AP-5). SCT (2 mug, i.c.v.) increased T-maze alternation and ameliorated novel object recognition of mice with scopolamine-induced cholinergic deficit. It also reduced age-associated deficits in object memory of 15-18-month-old mice (2 mg/kg sc). Our findings suggest that SCT possesses memory-improving properties, which are based on its direct nAChR agonistic activity. Therefore, SCT might be able to rescue impaired cholinergic functions by enhancing nAChR-mediated release of neurotransmitters and promoting neural plasticity in hippocampus.

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) are the key enzymes in pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), which is characterized by a deficit in central cholinergic transmission. In the current study, AChE and BChE inhibitory activities of seven coumarin derivatives [umbelliferone (1), 4-methylumbelliferone (2), 4-hydroxycoumarin (3), scopoletin (4), 8-methoxypsoralen (5), bergapten (6), and iso-bergapten (7)], a furanocoumarin mixture obtained from Heracleum crenatifolium Boiss. (Umbelliferae), as well as of two anthroquinone derivatives [rhein (8) and aloe-emodine (9)] and one stilbene, rhapontin (10), were tested by the spectrophotometric method of Ellman using an ELISA microplate-reader at 1 mg mL(-1). Among them, the furanocoumarin mixture [(68.8 +/- 0.76)%], bergapten [(62.4 +/- 0.74)%], aloe-emodine [(57.2 +/- 1.32)%], scopoletin [(53.1 +/- 0.83)%], and 4-methylumbelliferone [(62.3 +/- 1.03)%] showed over 50% inhibition against AchE, while umbelliferone [(54.3 +/- 0.23)%], 4-methylumbelliferone [(80.9 +/- 1.17)%], scopoletin [(73.5 +/- 1.01)%], 8-methoxypsoralen [(67.1 +/- 0.98)%], as well as the furanocoumarin mixture [(76.7 +/- 0.95)%] had a notable anti-BChE effect.

Scopoletin is a coumarin possessing many interesting biological effects, e.g., spasmolytic, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic, antioxidant, antifungal, apoptosis-inducing, antiproliferative, acetylcholinesterase-inhibitory, and hypouricemic activities. Plant tissue cultures represent a promising alternative source of valuable plant-derived substances. A number of physical and chemical factors influence the cell growth and secondary metabolite biosynthesis in plant tissue cultures. The mechanism of their action is not completely understood. Besides other factors, plant growth regulators and light conditions play an important role. Effects of four auxins (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 2,4-D, alpha-naphthaleneacetic acid, NAA, beta-indoleacetic acid, IAA or beta-indolebutyric acid, IBA) at four concentrations (0.2, 2, 10 or 20 mg/l) on the culture growth and accumulation of scopoletin in the medium were tested in Angelica archangelica cell suspension cultures cultured under continuous light or in the dark. The highest culture growth was achieved with 2 mg/l 2,4-D, and 10 mg/l IAA. The best scopoletin levels were obtained with 0.2 mg/l 2,4-D, 2 mg/l 2,4-D, 10 mg/l NAA, and 20 mg/l IAA. The effects of light conditions were less marked than those of auxins and their concentrations in influencing both the cell growth and scopoletin accumulation in Angelica archangelica cell suspension cultures. The changes brought about by auxins were modified by light conditions.

Hypertriglyceridemia is an independent risk factor of cardiovascular diseases. It is caused by the imbalance between hepatic triglyceride production and peripheral removal. Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) plays a central role in the removal of plasma triglyceride. During the screening of possible anti-dyslipidemic drugs, we observed that scopoletin (6-methoxy-7-hydroxycoumarin) significantly increased LPL activity in adipocytes. Scopoletin increased LPL activity in culture medium of 3T3-L1 adipocytes in dose- and time-dependent manners. It did not release LPL from the adipocyte membrane and, instead, increased the LPL mRNA level, suggesting transcriptional control. Scopoletin also partially reversed tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced suppression of LPL activity. These results suggest the possible action of scopoletin as a facilitator of plasma triglyceride clearance.

For the targeting selection of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors from natural sources we generated a structure-based pharmacophore model utilizing an in silico filtering experiment for the discovery of promising candidates out of a 3D multiconformational database consisting of more than 110,000 natural products. In our study, scopoletin (1) and its glucoside scopolin (2) emerged as potential AChE inhibitors by the virtual screening procedure. They were isolated by different chromatographic methods from the medicinal plant Scopolia carniolica Jaqc. and tested in an enzyme assay using Ellman's reagent. They showed moderate, but significant, dose-dependent and long-lasting inhibitory activities. In the in vivo experiments (icv application of 2 micromol) 1 and 2 increased the extracellular acetylcholine (ACh) concentration in rat brain to about 170% and 300% compared to basal release, respectively. At the same concentration, the positive control galanthamine increased the ACh concentration to about the same level as 1. These are the first in vivo results indicating an effect of coumarins on brain ACh.