Description
Jatrorrhizine is an alkaloid compound originally found in Corydalis and Coptydis tubers that exhibits anticancer, neuroprotective, anti-parasitic, antioxidative, and gastrointestinal modulatory activities. Jatrorrhizine increases expression of p21 and p27, inducing G0/G1 phase cell cycle arrest and inhibiting proliferation in melanoma cells. In neurons, jatrorrhizine suppresses amyloid-β (Aβ)-induced increases in caspase 3 activation and cytochrome c release, preventing neurotoxicity. Jatrorrhizine also displays anti-parasitic benefit against Plasmodium, Leishmania, and Trypanosoma. In neurons, this compound inhibits H202-induced decreases in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) and increases in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), malondialdehyde (MDA), and ROS. Jatrorrhizine increases gastric emptying and intestinal transit speeds in animal models of postoperative ileus. Additionally, jatrorrhizine inhibits acetylcholinesterase (AChE).