Jatrorrhizine is a protoberberine

alkaloid Alkaloids are a broad class of natural product, naturally occurring organic compounds that contain at least one nitrogen atom. Some synthetic compounds of similar structure may also be termed alkaloids. Alkaloids are produced by a large varie ...

found in some plant species, such as '' Enantia chlorantha'' (

Annonaceae The Annonaceae are a Family (biology), family of flowering plants consisting of trees, shrubs, or rarely lianas commonly known as the custard apple family or soursop family. With 108 accepted genera and about 2400 known species, it is the largest ...

). Synonyms that may be encountered include jateorrhizine, neprotin, jatrochizine, jatrorhizine, and yatrorizine.

Bioactive effects

Jatrorrhizine has been reported to have antiinflammatory effect, and to improve blood flow and mitotic activity in thioacetamide-traumatized rat livers. It was found to have antimicrobial and antifungal activity. It binds and noncompetitively inhibits

monoamine oxidase Monoamine oxidases (MAO) () are a family of enzymes that catalyze the oxidation of monoamines, employing oxygen to clip off their amine group. They are found bound to the outer membrane of mitochondria in most cell types of the body. The fi ...

(IC₅₀ = 4

μM The micrometre (Commonwealth English as used by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures; SI symbol: μm) or micrometer (American English), also commonly known by the non-SI term micron, is a unit of length in the International System ...

for

MAO-A Monoamine oxidase A, also known as MAO-A, is an enzyme ( E.C. 1.4.3.4) that in humans is encoded by the ''MAOA'' gene. This gene is one of two neighboring gene family members that encode mitochondrial enzymes which catalyze the oxidative deamin ...

and 62 μM for

MAO-B Monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the ''MAOB'' gene. The protein encoded by this gene belongs to the flavin monoamine oxidase family. It is an enzyme located in the outer mitochondrial membrane. It catalyze ...

) It interferes with

multidrug resistance Multiple drug resistance (MDR), multidrug resistance or multiresistance is antimicrobial resistance shown by a species of microorganism to at least one antimicrobial drug in three or more antimicrobial categories. Antimicrobial categories are ...

by cancer cells ''in vitro'' when exposed to a chemotherapeutic agent. Large doses (50–100 mg/kg) reduced blood sugar levels in mice by increasing aerobic

glycolysis Glycolysis is the metabolic pathway that converts glucose () into pyruvic acid, pyruvate and, in most organisms, occurs in the liquid part of cells (the cytosol). The Thermodynamic free energy, free energy released in this process is used to form ...

. Derivatives of jatrorrhizine (notably 3-alkoxy derivatives, and specifically 3-octyloxy 8-alkyljatrorrhizine derivatives such as 3-octyloxy 8-butyljatrorrhizine) have been synthesized and found to have much stronger antimicrobial effects.

References

{{reflist Isoquinolinoisoquinolines Quaternary ammonium compounds Phenol ethers Hydroxyarenes Isoquinoline alkaloids