Daurichromenic Acid from the Chinese Traditional Medicinal Plant Rhododendron dauricum Inhibits Sphingomyelin Synthase and Aβ Aggregation

• Published in: Molecules Vol. 25; no. 18; p. 4077
• Main Authors: Deepak, Hadya Virupaksha, Swamy, Mahadeva M. M., Murai, Yuta, Suga, Yoshiko, Anetai, Masaki, Yo, Takuro, Kuragano, Masahiro, Uwai, Koji, Tokuraku, Kiyotaka, Monde, Kenji
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 07.09.2020; MDPI
• Subjects: Acids; Amyloid beta-Peptides - antagonists & inhibitors; Amyloid beta-Peptides - metabolism; amyloid β; Apoptosis; Cell growth; Chromans - chemistry; Chromans - pharmacology; daurichromenic acid; Disease; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - chemistry; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - pharmacology; dual inhibitor; Enzyme Activation - drug effects; Enzyme Inhibitors - chemistry; Enzyme Inhibitors - pharmacology; Enzymes; Gram-positive bacteria; Herbal medicine; Ligands; lipid-related disease; Molecular Structure; Natural products; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Plants, Medicinal - chemistry; Protein Aggregates - drug effects; Quantum dots; Rhododendron - chemistry; sphingomyelin synthase; Staphylococcus infections; Traditional Chinese medicine; Transferases (Other Substituted Phosphate Groups) - antagonists & inhibitors; sphingomyelin synthase; daurichromenic acid; dual inhibitor; amyloid β; lipid-related disease
• ISSN: 1420-3049; 1433-1373; 1420-3049; 1433-1373
• DOI: 10.3390/molecules25184077

Species of the genus Rhododendron have been used in traditional Chinese medicine, with the medicinal herb “Manshanfong” used as an expectorant and for the treatment of acute bronchitis. Daurichromenic acid (DCA), a constituent of Rhododendron dauricum, is a meroterpenoid with antibacterial, anti-HIV, and anti-inflammatory activities. However, the mechanisms underlying these pharmacologic activities are poorly understood. To develop new drugs based on DCA, more information is required regarding its interactions with biomolecules. The present study showed that DCA inhibits the activity of the enzyme sphingomyelin synthase, with an IC50 of 4 µM. The structure–activity relationships between DCA and sphingomyelin synthase were evaluated using derivatives and cyclized hongoquercin A. In addition, DCA was found to inhibit amyloid β aggregation. These results may help in the design of effective drugs based on DCA.