[Science Times reported in Zhang Wenwen] Recently, after studying the chemical and biological activities of 15 species of Schisandraceae, Chinese researchers discovered more than 8 triterpenoids with 8 skeleton types and novel structures for the first time. Some new skeleton triterpenoids and some lignans have good anti-HIV activity. One lignan compound (SM1) is under preclinical study, with low toxicity, and can be used as an auxiliary drug against HIV, with broad prospects. At the same time, through computer virtual screening, it is found that a series of triterpenoids with novel structures bind to many important targets related to neurodegenerative diseases, such as beta- secretase. Five patents have been applied for this project, and four of them have obtained patent certificates.
The research results were obtained by an innovative research group led by Academician Sun Handong, State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Sustainable Utilization of Plant Resources in Western China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, after nearly 1 years of hard work. The research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Light of the West of Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Natural Science Foundation of Yunnan Province. At present, the relevant research results have published 35 research papers in many internationally renowned magazines, and 34 papers have been included in SCI. Eight new compounds were listed as "research hotspots" by Natural Product Reports, an internationally renowned organic biochemistry review magazine. In addition, in 28, the review article Triterpenoids in Schisandraceae was also published in this journal.
According to reports, this study will not only find lead compounds with higher activity and lower toxic and side effects, but also focus on the research of Schisandraceae plants and their important functional and chemical basis in neurodegenerative diseases and the targets of related diseases. This research not only has important academic value, but also provides scientific basis for the research and development of new drugs with independent intellectual property rights in China, which is of great significance for the rational development and utilization of this unique plant resource in China and the promotion of economic development in poor minority areas. At the same time, it will further enrich and promote the content and development of triterpenoids in chemistry and maintain its leading position in this field in the world, which is also one of the truly original contributions of Chinese scholars in the field of terpenoid chemistry in the world.
Schisandra chinensis, a famous Chinese medicine, has the functions of calming the nerves and calming the heart, but the relationship between its nature and taste and the chemical basis of its function have not been deeply studied and clarified so far. According to Sun Handong, Schisandraceae is divided into two genera, Schisandra and Schisandra. There are about 5 species in the world, which are distributed in East Asia, Southeast Asia and southern North America. There are about 3 species in both genera in China, and the main producing areas are southwest and south-central. Since the 196s, scholars at home and abroad have been very active in studying the chemical constituents of this family, and accumulated a lot of biological activity data.
According to reports, in the future, researchers will apply modern separation and analysis techniques to comprehensively and systematically study Schisandra chinensis, a famous Chinese medicine, and 12 species of Schisandraceae plants that have not been studied in depth in the past, in order to find more compounds with new skeletons and structures, and provide a solid chemical material basis for in-depth discussion on the biological activities of Schisandraceae plants in neurodegenerative diseases. At the same time, we will cooperate with Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Shanghai Jiaotong University Medical College and other domestic units engaged in drug research, and screen the relevant parts and monomer compounds isolated from 12 species of Schisandraceae plants for cytotoxicity, anti-HIV, HBV and HCA, and antioxidant activities in vitro, laying a solid foundation for elucidating the pharmacological efficacy of Schisandraceae plants and discovering drug lead compounds or drug candidate structures with important biological activities.
Science Times (Highlights of 28-1-22 A1)