Pharmacological Applications of Chelidonium Majus Alkaloids
Summary
Chelidonium majus, commonly known as greater celandine, contains a diverse array of isoquinoline alkaloids that underpin its traditional and emerging therapeutic uses. Key alkaloid classes include benzophenanthridine derivatives (such as sanguinarine and chelerythrine), protoberberine compounds (including berberine and coptisine) and aporphine and protopine structures. These molecules exhibit multiple bioactivities: potent antimicrobial effects against bacterial and fungal pathogens, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory actions, antiviral potential in topical applications, and promising cytotoxicity against various tumour cell lines. Extraction methods and cultivation conditions significantly influence alkaloid profiles, with modern analytical techniques enabling precise quantification and quality control. Safety concerns have prompted toxicological assessments, yet refined dosing and standardisation efforts continue to expand the scope for medicinal chemistry and phytotherapeutics. Together, these advances highlight both the global relevance of C. majus alkaloids and their role as leads for novel pharmacological agents.
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Pharmacological Applications of Chelidonium Majus Alkaloids publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in pharmacological applications of chelidonium majus alkaloids across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Isoquinoline alkaloids: A class of nitrogen-containing compounds characterised by an isoquinoline backbone, responsible for many of the bioactivities of C. majus.
Benzophenanthridine alkaloids: A subtype of isoquinoline alkaloids featuring a fused phenanthridine ring, exemplified by sanguinarine and chelerythrine, noted for antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties.
Protoberberine alkaloids: Isoquinoline derivatives such as berberine and coptisine, commonly associated with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities.
2D-Q-NMR: Two-dimensional quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, a method for simultaneous, high-precision quantification of multiple metabolites in complex mixtures.
HPLC: High-performance liquid chromatography, a conventional separation technique widely used for quantifying individual alkaloids in plant extracts.
Cytotoxicity: The quality of causing cell damage or cell death, often assessed in vitro to evaluate potential anticancer agents.
References
- Alkaloids in Chelidonium majus L: a review of its phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology. Frontiers in Pharmacology (2024).
- Quality control of traditional Chinese medicine Chelidonii herba based on 2D-Q-NMR. Heliyon (2024).
- The Cultivation of Chelidonium majus L. Increased the Total Alkaloid Content and Cytotoxic Activity Compared with Those of Wild-Grown Plants. Plants (2021).
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