Isodihydrocadambine

Traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological properties of Neolamarckia cadamba: A review.[Pubmed:26821190]

J Ethnopharmacol. 2016 Apr 2;181:118-35.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: There are more than 3000 officially documented plants in the Indian subcontinent that hold great medicinal potential. One such under-explored plant is an evergreen tropical tree Neolamarckia cadamba (Roxb.) Bosser (Rubiaceae). It is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of the world and has therapeutic potential against many diseases such as diabetes, anaemia, stomatitis, leprosy, cancer and infectious diseases. Neolamarckia cadamba has historical existence in India and it is mentioned in mythical stories. There are several reports on medicinal values of root, bark and leaves of N. cadamba; but the literature on its fruits is scanty. Therefore, the present review aims to provide updated comprehensive information on the phytochemistry and pharmacological properties of different parts of N. cadamba tree with special reference to its fruit, in order to open new perspectives for future food and pharmacological research. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A literature search was performed on N. cadamba using ethnobotanical textbooks, published articles in peer-reviewed journals, unpublished materials, government survey reports and scientific databases such as Pubmed, Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct, Google Scholar and other web search engines (Google, Yahoo). The Plant List, International Plant Name Index and Kew Botanical Garden Plant name databases were used to validate the scientific names. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Neolamarckia cadamba is one of the economically important trees, which is being exploited for paper, pulp and wood industry. In folk medicine, various parts of N. cadamba are used in the treatment of various ailments such as fever, uterine complaints, blood diseases, skin diseases, tumour, anaemia, eye inflammation and diarrhoea. Other reported uses of N. cadamba include antihepatotoxic, antimalarial, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, diuretic and laxative. Various phytochemicals such as cadambine and its derivatives (dihydrocadambine and Isodihydrocadambine) and indole alkaloids (Neolamarckines) were isolated from the leaves; whereas the presence of quinovic acid derivatives have been reported in the bark of N. cadamba. CONCLUSION: The present review compiles information on an ethnopharmacologically useful plant N. cadamba. Bioactive compounds responsible for its various medicinal properties and their effects at the molecular level need to be investigated in more detail. Furthermore, the detailed study of toxicity and pharmacological properties of extracts as well as molecules in N. cadamba is required to confirm the ethnomedicinal claims of N. cadamba for food and pharmaceutical applications.

A possible solution for hair loss by inhibiting corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) receptor from traditional Chinese medicine.[Pubmed:23998289]

J Biomol Struct Dyn. 2014;32(10):1613-23.

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and corticotropin-releasing factor receptor (CRFR) play important roles in stress response, including anxiety and depression syndrome. The CRF expression also relates to chronic stress-related hair loss. This study utilizes the world's largest traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) database and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate novel CRFR inhibitors for treatment of alopecia. The docking and screening from TCM database results indicate the vitamin B2, 3 beta-Isodihydrocadambine, and caribine display higher binding affinity than maltose in maltose binding protein (MBP). However, the results of MD simulation shows the caribine-facilitated CRFR approach closer to MBP, the 3D structure conformation of MBP and CRFR complex forms compact structure. Interestingly, the distance between the two proteins is reducing significantly after caribine dock into MBP binding site. Beside, from Ligand channel analysis, the paths of caribine demonstrate that residence time is increased in binding pocket. Hence, our finding suggests that caribine might be a potential lead compound to stimulate MBP and CRFR interaction, and help for baldless therapy in further study.

Gluco-indole alkaloids from Nauclea cadamba in Thailand and transformation of 3 alpha-dihydrocadambine into the indolopyridine alkaloid, 16-carbomethoxynaufoline.[Pubmed:12576667]

Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo). 2003 Feb;51(2):232-3.

Three monoterpenoid gluco-indole alkaloids, 3beta-Isodihydrocadambine, cadambine, and 3alpha-dihydrocadambine, were isolated from Nauclea cadamba ROXB. growing in Thailand. The stereochemistry at C19 in 3beta-Isodihydrocadambine was elucidated to be R by spectroscopic analysis. Treatment of 3alpha-dihydrocadambine with beta-glucosidase in aqueous ammonium acetate solution gave an indolopyridine alkaloid, 16-carbomethoxynaufoline, and an unusually rearranged compound.