Ipecacuanha 20mg tablets

Background: Carapichea ipecacuanha (Brot.) L. Andersson is the botanical source of Ipecac drug and contains major alkaloids emetine, cephaline that are pharmaceutically used against bronchitis associated with cough in children, severe diarrhea (amoebic dysentery) and also cancer. Ipecac serves as an expectorant to thin mucous and easy coughing. Low doses are used to enhance appetite and it is administered orally to cause vomiting after suspected poisoning. Materials and Methods: The review highlights the taxonomy, nomenclature, distribution, medicinal uses and major pharmacological activities including side effects of Ipecac drug reported in recent years consulting various published papers dealing with Ipecac. Results and Conclusion: The species is rarely distributed due to disturbances in their habitats in natural growing condition. Further studies are required to scientifically evaluate the traditional uses of this plant through extraction and identification of their active ingredients and the mechanisms and mode of action that would serve as a source of collective information on this plant.

Abstract licence: CC BY-NC-ND

Ipecac alkaloids are medicinal monoterpenoid-derived tetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloids found in two distantly related plants: Carapichea ipecacuanha (Gentianales) and Alangium salviifolium (Cornales). Here we provide evidence suggesting that both plants initiate ipecac alkaloid biosynthesis through a nonenzymatic Pictet-Spengler reaction and we elucidate the biosynthetic fate of both the 1R and 1S stereoisomers that are produced in this nonstereoselective reaction. Although the biosynthesis of the 1S-derived protoemetine proceeds according to the same chemical logic in both species, each plant uses a distinct monoterpene precursor. Phylogenetic analyses show examples of independent pathway evolution through parallel and convergently evolved enzymes. This work provides insight into how nature can capitalize on highly reactive starting substrates and the manner in which multistep pathways can arise and lays the foundation for metabolic engineering of these important medicinal compounds.

Abstract licence: CC BY

Cyclotides are head-to-tail cyclized peptides with a unique cystine-knot motif. Their structure provides exceptional resistance against enzymatic, chemical, or thermal degradation compared to other peptides. Peptide-based therapeutics promise high specificity, selectivity and lower immunogenicity, making them safer alternatives to small molecules or large biologicals. Cyclotides were researched due to their anti-cancer properties by inducing apoptosis in tumor cells in the past, but the impact of cyclotides on cytotoxic immune cells was poorly studied. Natural Killer (NK) cells are cytotoxic innate lymphoid cells and play an important role in the defense against infected, stressed and transformed cells. NK cells do not need prior sensitization and act in an antigen independent manner, holding promising potential in the field of immunotherapy. To investigate the effect of immunomodulatory cyclotides on NK cells, we evaluated several peptide-enriched plant extracts on NK cell mediated cytotoxicity. We observed that the extract samples derived from Carapichea ipecacuanha (Brot.) L. Andersson augments the killing potential of mouse NK cells against different tumor targets in vitro. Subsequent isolation of cyclotides from C. ipecacuanha extracts led to the identification of a primary candidate that enhances cytotoxicity of both mouse and human NK cells. The augmented killing is facilitated by the increased degranulation capacity of NK cells. In addition, we noted a direct toxic effect of caripe 8 on tumor cells, suggesting a dual therapeutic potential in cancer treatment. This study offers novel insights how natural peptides can influence NK cell cytotoxicity. These pre-clinical findings hold significant promise for advancing current immunotherapeutic approaches.

Abstract licence: CC BY

In many plant species, the application of exogenous phytohormones is crucial for initiating de novo shoot regeneration. However, ipecac [Carapichea ipecacuanha (Brot) L. Andersson] has a unique ability to develop adventitious shoots on the epidermis of internodal segments without phytohormone treatment. This characteristic allows us to evaluate the effects of endogenous phytohormones in this species. Here, we showed that the presence of the pith, including vascular bundles in the internodal segment, is required to activate both endogenous cytokinin (CK) biosynthesis and adventitious shoot formation. Adventitious shoots were mainly formed in the apical region of internodal segments, where the CK biosynthesis genes ISOPENTENYL TRANSFERASE 3 (CiIPT3) and LONELY GUY 7 (CiLOG7) were spontaneously upregulated in the early culture stage on phytohormone-free medium. In addition, CiIPT3 and CiLOG7 were respectively expressed in the pith and the epidermis of the internodal segments. The expression of CiLOG7 was localized as several spots on the epidermis. These findings suggest that CK precursors are generated in the pith, transferred to the epidermis, and then converted into active CKs, facilitating adventitious shoot formation on the epidermis. Conversely, auxin levels rapidly decreased during culture and remained low in the region of shoot formation. Auxin is transferred to the basal region of internodal segments, and strongly suppressed the CiLOG7 expression and decreased the CK levels. Thus, we conclude that the ectopic expression of CiLOG7 in the epidermis of internodal segments contributes to de novo shoot regeneration in ipecac.

Abstract licence: CC BY

The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic caused by the infection of SARS-CoV-2, has become a global crisis, threatening public health and disrupting global economy. Until now, effective therapeutics against COVID-19 and other coronavirus diseases are in high demand. Several antiviral strategies of drug discovery have identified many small molecules with potent anti-COVID-19 activity. Emetine, one of the main alkaloids of Carapichea ipecacuanha, has been found to exhibit potent antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2, and other human coronaviruses, multiple RNA and DNA viruses at low nanomolar concentrations in different cell lines. In silico analysis reveals that emetine directly disrupts the activities of SARS-CoV-2 S-protein with host ACE2, and of RdRp-, 3CL-, PL-,and N- proteins. Moreover, emetine shows potent anti-inflammatory and anti-pulmonary arterial hypertensive properties by down-regulating the ERK1/2, NF-κB and RhoA/Rho-kinase/CyPA/Bsg signaling pathways. At low doses, emetine is effective for treatment of COVID-19 patients and other viral infections in rodents. This review discusses the current findings on the antiviral efficacy of emetine against the emerging SARS-CoV-2 and other corona, RNA and DNA viruses, as well as its immunoregulatory pathways and clinical potential in COVID-19 infection for its development as antiviral prodrugs to treat current COVID-19 and future viral pandemics.

Abstract licence: CC BY-NC-ND

Global climate change is currently a serious threat to biodiversity. The understanding of the effects of climate changes on the flora is urgent. Here, we analyze the effects of future climate change on the spatial distribution of the three remaining groups of Carapichea ipecacuanha (Poaia) in the Americas. We built niche-based models for current and optimistic and pessimistic climate scenarios projected for 2050 and 2090. Our findings showed that climatically suitable areas for the Atlantic and Amazon Forest groups will be strongly reduced. The greatest risk of extinction was observed for the Amazon group due to the drastic spatial reduction and abrupt spatial displacement of climate suitability. The climate suitability for the Atlantic Forest group will be reduced, comprising a small suitable area in the transition zone between Minas Gerais and Espirito Santo. The climate suitability for the Panama group remained in an continuous region in Panama and Colombia. Our results encourage future studies that develop conservation management plans in order to ensure the continuation of ecological refugia for this species.

Abstract licence: CC BY

Suspension-cultured cells of a temperate bamboo species (Phyllostachys nigra) accumulate substantial amounts of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives and lignin under culture conditions that promote xylogenesis. In our previous study, we found a metabolite specifically produced in bamboo cells cultured under lignification-inducing conditions in a medium containing N6-benzyladenine (BA), but the chemical structure was not elucidated. In this study, we purified and identified this compound as BA N9-b-d-glucopyranoside (BA-9G). Despite the presence of three nitrogen positions (N-3, N-7, and N-9) that may be glucosylated in the adenine moiety of BA, bamboo cells specifically produced BA-9G (i.e., without other glucoside types) when cells were cultured in the presence of BA. This finding suggests that bamboo cells possess a regio-specific N-glucosyltransferase for catalyzing cytokinin glucoside formation. The biological activity of BA-9G as a cytokinin was compared with that of BA on the basis of adventitious shoot formation on internodal segments of ipecac (Carapichea ipecacuanha) plants grown under in vitro conditions. The activity of BA-9G was more moderate than that of BA, but BA-9G was less cytotoxic than BA at a high concentration, suggesting that BA-9G may be useful as a plant growth regulator. The development of a viable system for the regio-specific bioproduction of BA-9G in bamboo cells may increase the availability of this highly expensive and rare cytokinin derivative.

Abstract licence: CC BY