β-Glucuronidase Inhibiting Constituents from C. casimiriana Duthie and Prain ex Prain. and Corydalis govaniana Wall

Abstract

Corydalis casimiriana Duthie and Prain ex Prain. and C. govaniana Wall. have been used in the treatment of scrofula, cutaneous infections, syphilis, along with diarrhea and dysentery. In the present work, phytochemical investigation of these two medicinal plants resulted the isolation of One tetrahydro-protoberberine type alkaloid, govaniadine (1); and six other alkaloids, caseadine (2), caseamine (3), protopine (4), stylopine (5), apocavidine (6), and fagarine I (7). β-glucuronidase enzyme plays a major role in generation of toxic metabolites, which may cause cancer in the intestine. Compound 1 showed a good β-glucuronidase (IC50 = 41.9 ± 3.1 µM) inhibition, better than D-saccharic acid 1, 4-lactone (IC50 = 45.8µM). Similarly, compound 2 showed significant inhibitory effect against β-glucuronidase (IC50 = 71.6 ± 4.3µM). Therefore, these compounds can be considered for further research for drug development to prevent tumors in intestine.