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Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Mar 2023The pharmacological actions of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids are quite substantial, and have recently attracted much attention. One of the principle benzylisoquinoline... (Review)
Review
The pharmacological actions of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids are quite substantial, and have recently attracted much attention. One of the principle benzylisoquinoline alkaloids has been found in the unripe seed capsules of L. Although it lacks analgesic effects and is unrelated to the compounds in the morphine class, it is a peripheral vasodilator and has a direct effect on vessels. It is reported to inhibit the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) phosphodiesterase in smooth muscles, and it has been observed to increase intracellular levels of cAMP and cGMP. It induces coronary, cerebral, and pulmonary artery dilatation and helps to lower cerebral vascular resistance and enhance cerebral blood flow. Current pharmacological research has revealed that papaverine demonstrates a variety of biological activities, including activity against erectile dysfunction, postoperative vasospasms, and pulmonary vasoconstriction, as well as antiviral, cardioprotective, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, neuroprotective, and gestational actions. It was recently demonstrated that papaverine has the potential to control SARS-CoV-2 by preventing its cytopathic effect. These experiments were carried out both in vitro and in vivo and require an extensive understanding of the mechanisms of action. With its multiple mechanisms, papaverine can be considered as a natural compound that is used to develop therapeutic drugs. To validate its applications, additional research is required into its precise therapeutic mechanisms as well as its acute and chronic toxicities. Therefore, the goal of this review is to discuss the major studies and reported clinical studies looking into the pharmacological effects of papaverine and the mechanisms of action underneath these effects. Additionally, it is recommended to conduct further research via significant pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic studies.
Topics: Humans; Papaverine; Opium; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Alkaloids; Benzylisoquinolines
PubMed: 37049912
DOI: 10.3390/molecules28073149 -
Proceedings of the National Academy of... Aug 2022Tetrahydropapaverine (THP) and papaverine are plant natural products with clinically significant roles. THP is a precursor in the production of the drugs atracurium and...
Tetrahydropapaverine (THP) and papaverine are plant natural products with clinically significant roles. THP is a precursor in the production of the drugs atracurium and cisatracurium, and papaverine is used as an antispasmodic during vascular surgery. In recent years, metabolic engineering advances have enabled the production of natural products through heterologous expression of pathway enzymes in yeast. Heterologous biosynthesis of THP and papaverine could play a role in ensuring a stable supply of these clinically significant products. Biosynthesis of THP and papaverine has not been achieved to date, in part because multiple pathway enzymes have not been elucidated. Here, we describe the development of an engineered yeast strain for de novo biosynthesis of THP. The production of THP is achieved through heterologous expression of two enzyme variants with activity on nonnative substrates. Through protein engineering, we developed a variant of -methylcoclaurine hydroxylase with activity on coclaurine, enabling de novo norreticuline biosynthesis. Similarly, we developed a variant of scoulerine 9--methyltransferase capable of -methylating 1-benzylisoquinoline alkaloids at the 3' position, enabling de novo THP biosynthesis. Flux through the heterologous pathway was improved by knocking out yeast multidrug resistance transporters and optimization of media conditions. Overall, strain engineering increased the concentration of biosynthesized THP 600-fold to 121 µg/L. Finally, we demonstrate a strategy for papaverine semisynthesis using hydrogen peroxide as an oxidizing agent. Through optimizing pH, temperature, reaction time, and oxidizing agent concentration, we demonstrated the ability to produce semisynthesized papaverine through oxidation of biosynthesized THP.
Topics: Biological Products; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; Hydrogen Peroxide; Oxidants; Papaverine; Plant Proteins; Protein Engineering; Saccharomyces cerevisiae
PubMed: 35939674
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2205848119 -
Annals of Cardiac Anaesthesia 2021
Topics: Administration, Topical; Hemodynamics; Humans; Mammary Arteries; Papaverine; Stellate Ganglion
PubMed: 33938858
DOI: 10.4103/aca.ACA_171_20 -
Cells Oct 2022Papaverine (PPV), a benzylisoquinoline alkaloid, extracted from the plant, is currently in clinical use as a vasodilator. Research has shown that PPV inhibits... (Review)
Review
Papaverine (PPV), a benzylisoquinoline alkaloid, extracted from the plant, is currently in clinical use as a vasodilator. Research has shown that PPV inhibits phosphodiesterase 10A (PDE10A,) resulting in the accumulation of cyclic adenosine 3', 5'-monophosphate (cAMP) that affects multiple downstream pathways, including phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt), a mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The accumulation of cAMP can further affect mitochondrial metabolism through the activation of protein kinase A (PKA), which activates the mitochondrial complex I. Literature has shown that PPV exerts anti-proliferative affects in several tumorigenic cell lines including adenocarcinoma alveolar cancer (A549) and human hepatoma (HepG-2) cell lines. Cell cycle investigations have shown varying results with the effects dependent on concentration and cell type with data suggesting an increase in cells occupying the sub-G phase, which is indicative of cell death. These results suggest that PPV may be a beneficial compound to explore for the use in anticancer studies. More insight into the effects of the compound on cellular and molecular mechanisms is needed. Understanding the effects PPV may exert on tumorigenic cells may better researchers' understanding of phytomedicines and the effects of PPV and PPV-derived compounds in cancer.
Topics: Humans; Papaverine; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; Cell Cycle; Neoplasms; Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases
PubMed: 36359780
DOI: 10.3390/cells11213385 -
International Braz J Urol : Official... 2018
Topics: Alprostadil; Animals; Ischemia; Male; Papaverine; Rats; Reperfusion Injury; Testis
PubMed: 29792653
DOI: 10.1590/S1677-5538.IBJU.2017.0600.1 -
Journal of Analytical Toxicology Sep 2019Opioid usage in the USA has increased over the past decade, with prescriptions increasing from 76 million in 1991 to 207 million in 2013. New regulations have curbed...
Opioid usage in the USA has increased over the past decade, with prescriptions increasing from 76 million in 1991 to 207 million in 2013. New regulations have curbed the number of prescriptions, leading to an increase in heroin use. Heroin-related overdoses have quadrupled between 2000 and 2015. The traditional urinary biomarkers for indicating heroin use are a combination of morphine and 6-acetyl morphine (6-AM). Morphine is detectable in urine for several days. 6-AM is detected in urine for 2-8 hours. Papaverine has been proposed as an alternative heroin biomarker. It has been reported to have a 1-2 day detection window. Papaverine metabolites have been reported to have up to a 3-day detection window. Presented is a method for the detection of papaverine and its metabolites, 6-desmethyl papaverine (6-DMP) and 4', 6-didesmethyl papaverine (4,6-DDMP), in urine using a modified Waters® MCX™ microelution method. An ultra-performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS-MS), with a Waters' BEH C18 column, and 20 mM ammonium formate water: 20 mM ammonium formate methanol mobile phase was employed. Calibration curves were linear from 0.1 to 50 ng/mL. No interferences were observed from the analysis of multicomponent therapeutic drug or drugs of abuse control materials; intra- and inter-run precision tests were acceptable. A total of 428 genuine urine specimens where heroin use was suspected were analyzed. These included 101 6-AM and 179 morphine only positive samples as well as 6 morphine-negative samples where papaverine and/or metabolites were detected. The determined concentrations in these samples for papaverine, 6-DMP and 4,6-DDMP ranged from 0.10 to 994, 0.10 to 462 and 0.12 to 218 ng/mL, respectively. The method was rugged and robust for the analysis of papaverine and metabolites, 6-DMP and 4,6-DDMP. The use papaverine and metabolites, 6-DMP and 4,6-DDMP has the potential to increase the detection window of heroin use.
Topics: Biomarkers; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Heroin Dependence; Humans; Limit of Detection; Papaverine; Reproducibility of Results; Substance Abuse Detection; Tandem Mass Spectrometry; Time Factors
PubMed: 31436291
DOI: 10.1093/jat/bkz069 -
International Journal of Molecular... Sep 2022Conventional cancer treatment is mainly based on the surgical removal of the tumor followed by radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. When surgical removal is not possible,... (Review)
Review
Conventional cancer treatment is mainly based on the surgical removal of the tumor followed by radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. When surgical removal is not possible, radiotherapy and, less often, chemotherapy is the only way to treat patients. However, despite significant progress in understanding the molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis and developments in modern radiotherapy techniques, radiotherapy (alone or in combination) does not always guarantee treatment success. One of the main causes is the radioresistance of cancer cells. Increasing the radiosensitivity of cancer cells improves the processes leading to their elimination during radiotherapy and prolonging the survival of cancer patients. In order to enhance the effect of radiotherapy in the treatment of radioresistant neoplasms, radiosensitizers are used. In clinical practice, synthetic radiosensitizers are commonly applied, but scientists have recently focused on using natural products (phytocompounds) as adjuvants in radiotherapy. In this review article, we only discuss naturally occurring radiosensitizers currently in clinical trials (paclitaxel, curcumin, genistein, and papaverine) and those whose radiation sensitizing effects, such as resveratrol, have been repeatedly confirmed by many independent studies.
Topics: Biological Products; Curcumin; Genistein; Humans; Neoplasms; Paclitaxel; Papaverine; Radiation Tolerance; Radiation, Ionizing; Radiation-Sensitizing Agents; Resveratrol
PubMed: 36142554
DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810627 -
International Braz J Urol : Official... 2018To investigate the effect of papaverine and alprostadil on testicular torsion-detorsion injury in rats.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of papaverine and alprostadil on testicular torsion-detorsion injury in rats.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A total of 40 male Wistar-Albino rats were used in this study. Four hours of right testicular torsion was applied to each group, excluding sham operated group. The torsion-detorsion (T/D), T/D + papaverine and T/D + alprostadil groups received saline, papaverine and alprostadil at the same time as surgical detorsion, respectively. At 14 days after the surgical detorsion, ischaemic changes and the degree of damage were evaluated with Cosentino scoring and the Johnson tubular biopsy score (JTBS).
RESULTS
JTBS was determined as 8.8±2.7 in the Sham group, 5.08±1.9 in the T/ D+papaverine group, 5.29±2.3 in the T/D +alprostadil group and 2.86±1.9 in the TD group. The JTBS was determined to be statistically significantly high in both the T/D + papaverine group and the T/D + alprostadil group compared to the T/D group (p=0.01, p=0.009). In the T/D + papaverine group, 3 (43 %) testes were classified as Cosentino 2, 3 (43%) as Cosentino 3 and 1 (14 %) as Cosentino 4. In the T/D +alprostadil group, 5 (50 %) testes were classified as Cosentino 2, 3 (30 %) as Cosentino 3 and 2 (20%) as Cosentino 4.
CONCLUSION
The present study indicated that spermatic cord administration of alprostadil and papaverine showed a protective effect against ischemia/reperfusion injury after right-side testes torsion and histological changes were decreased after testicular ischemia reperfusion injury.
Topics: Alprostadil; Animals; Biopsy; Ischemia; Male; Papaverine; Protective Agents; Random Allocation; Rats, Wistar; Reperfusion Injury; Reproducibility of Results; Severity of Illness Index; Spermatic Cord Torsion; Testis; Treatment Outcome; Vasodilator Agents
PubMed: 29617080
DOI: 10.1590/S1677-5538.IBJU.2017.0600 -
Advances in Clinical and Experimental... Oct 2019Papaverine is used to induce maximal hyperemia for index of coronary microcirculatory resistance (IMR) measurement in animal experiments, although it can lead to...
Effectiveness and safety of intracoronary papaverine, alprostadil, and high dosages of nicorandil and adenosine triphosphate for measurement of the index of coronary microcirculatory resistance in a pig model.
BACKGROUND
Papaverine is used to induce maximal hyperemia for index of coronary microcirculatory resistance (IMR) measurement in animal experiments, although it can lead to polymorphic ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation.
OBJECTIVES
This study investigated the effect of an intracoronary (IC) bolus of high adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and nicorandil doses for IMR measurement and explored the possibility of inducing maximal hyperemia with an IC alprostadil bolus.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Index of coronary microcirculatory resistance was measured in a hyperemic state induced by 7 experimental conditions in 21 pigs (IC bolus of papaverine (18 mg), ATP (40 μg, 80 μg, 160 μg, and 240 μg), and nicorandil (2 mg and 4 mg)). The 7 conditions were induced sequentially, and the average IMR was calculated. Because of the long-term hyperemic condition in the pilot experiments, the IMR was measured 1, 3, 5, 8, and 10 min after an IC bolus of alprostadil (10 μg) in another 7 pigs.
RESULTS
The IMR induced by 240 μg of ATP or 4 mg of nicorandil was not significantly different from that induced by 18 mg of papaverine (both p > 0.05). A strong linear correlation was observed between IMRs with papaverine (18 mg) and nicorandil (4 mg) (R2 = 0.936, p < 0.001) and with papaverine (18 mg) and ATP (240 μg) (R2 = 0.838, p < 0.05). The IC bolus of nicorandil (4 mg) produced the smallest changes, whereas papaverine caused the most significant changes in mean blood pressure and heart rate (p < 0.05). Tachypnea and transient ST depression were more common with increasing ATP dosages (especially 240 μg). Alprostadil (5 min) yielded a significant hyperemic response but reduced baseline blood pressure by almost 40% for a long time.
CONCLUSIONS
Intracoronary bolus administration of 4 mg of nicorandil was better than 18 mg of papaverine or 240 μg of ATP for induction of maximal hyperemia and IMR measurement in a pig model, whereas alprostadil was not suitable for IMR measurement.
Topics: Adenosine Triphosphate; Alprostadil; Animals; Coronary Circulation; Microcirculation; Nicorandil; Papaverine; Swine; Vasodilator Agents
PubMed: 31638745
DOI: 10.17219/acem/104541 -
Journal of Virology Feb 2020Influenza viruses are highly infectious and are the leading cause of human respiratory diseases and may trigger severe epidemics and occasional pandemics. Although...
Influenza viruses are highly infectious and are the leading cause of human respiratory diseases and may trigger severe epidemics and occasional pandemics. Although antiviral drugs against influenza viruses have been developed, there is an urgent need to design new strategies to develop influenza virus inhibitors due to the increasing resistance of viruses toward currently available drugs. In this study, we examined the antiviral activity of natural compounds against the following influenza virus strains: A/WSN/33 (H1N1), A/Udorn/72 (H3N2), and B/Lee/40. Papaverine (a nonnarcotic alkaloid that has been used for the treatment of heart disease, impotency, and psychosis) was found to be an effective inhibitor of multiple strains of influenza virus. Kinetic studies demonstrated that papaverine inhibited influenza virus infection at a late stage in the virus life cycle. An alteration in influenza virus morphology and viral ribonucleoprotein (vRNP) localization was observed as an effect of papaverine treatment. Papaverine is a well-known phosphodiesterase inhibitor and also modifies the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway by downregulating the phosphorylation of MEK and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). Thus, the modulation of host cell signaling pathways by papaverine may be associated with the nuclear retention of vRNPs and the reduction of influenza virus titers. Interestingly, papaverine also inhibited paramyxoviruses parainfluenza virus 5 (PIV5), human parainfluenza virus 3 (HPIV3), and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections. We propose that papaverine can be a potential candidate to be used as an antiviral agent against a broad range of influenza viruses and paramyxoviruses. Influenza viruses are important human pathogens that are the causative agents of epidemics and pandemics. Despite the availability of an annual vaccine, a large number of cases occur every year globally. Here, we report that papaverine, a vasodilator, shows inhibitory action against various strains of influenza virus as well as the paramyxoviruses PIV5, HPIV3, and RSV. A significant effect of papaverine on the influenza virus morphology was observed. Papaverine treatment of influenza-virus-infected cells resulted in the inhibition of virus at a later time in the virus life cycle through the suppression of nuclear export of vRNP and also interfered with the host cellular cAMP and MEK/ERK cascade pathways. This study explores the use of papaverine as an effective inhibitor of both influenza viruses as well as paramyxoviruses.
Topics: Animals; Antiviral Agents; Dogs; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; Drug Repositioning; HEK293 Cells; Humans; MAP Kinase Signaling System; Madin Darby Canine Kidney Cells; Orthomyxoviridae; Orthomyxoviridae Infections; Papaverine; Paramyxoviridae Infections; Paramyxovirinae
PubMed: 31896588
DOI: 10.1128/JVI.01888-19