CHELIDONINE

Chelidonine, also named ranunculine, is a kind of alkaloid isolated from the whole plant of Chelidonium majus. L . As a kind of traditional Chinese medicine, Chelidonium majus. L was firstly recorded in Chiu Huang Pen Ts’ao of Ming dynasty. In the seventeenth century, it has been used for the treatment of jaundice, biliary colic, and cholelithiasis. In 1941, a researcher from Soviet Union reported that it showed good effect for the treatment of cutaneous tuberculosis. This plant has multiple effects on different diseases, including anti-inflammatory, analgesia, relieving cough, inducing diuresis, anticancer, antifungal, relieving asthma, and detoxification. It was recorded in the Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China (1977) .
The material basis for Chelidonium majus. L is alkaloid. Among which, chelidonine, a benzophenanthridine alkaloid, is the main effective ingredient . Although great progresses have been made in the chemical synthesis of chelidonine recently, the biosynthetic pathways of chelidonine remain unclear, which still need in-depth study and exploration in the future

White, crystalline powder alkaloid.

Appearance: white crystal or crystalline powder, monoclinic prism crystal. Solubility: insoluble in water; soluble in ethanol, chloroform, and amyl alcohol. Melting point: 135–136 °C. Boiling point: 220 °C. Specific optical rotation: +115°.

Chelidonine was isolated from Chelidonium majus. L in 1824 for the first time. Pharmacological studies found that it exerted antitumor effect via different mechanisms. However, its poor bioavailability limited its application. Some researchers developed a chelidonine/polylactic acid copolymer nanoparticle using nanotechnology. The nano-chelidonine showed good tissue distribution without causing any toxicity in mice and could enter into the brain tissues, showing great application potential. In addition, nano-chelidonine showed protective effect on liver injury induced by cadmium in mice .
In 1981, an Austrian researcher isolated a novel compound ukrain (phosphorothioate derivative of chelidonine) from Chelidonium majus. L. Ukrain could inhibit tumor cell proliferation through a variety of mechanisms. Currently, ukrain is used as an antitumor drug for the clinical treatment of lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and pancreatic cancer . In 2004, quarter amine chelidonine phosphorothioate derivatives have been applied for an invention patent as anticancer drugs in China.
Chelidonine has morphine-like analgesic effects suggesting that its analgesic effect is mainly peripheral and cannot be antagonized by the morphine receptor antagonist naloxone . The 6-alkoxy and 6-acyloxy derivatives of chelidonine can inhibit the central nervous system, especially for nerve terminal, and show sedative and hypnotic effects .

Poison; central nervous system depres- sant causing sleepiness, depression, slowing of the pulse, coma and circulatory failure.

Chelidonine has been used as a painkiller in clinical application due to its significant analgesic effect. Chelidonine phosphate can be used for treatment of gastrointestinal and ulcer pain, as a substitute of morphine preparations. Wei Tong Shu capsule is used to treat pain caused by gastric convulsion, chronic gastritis, gastric ulcer, and duodenal ulcer. Its main effective compositions are chelidonine and protopine. Fu Fang Zhong Yao Tong An injection has collateral dredging and analgesic effects and can be used for the treatment of moderate pain caused by chemoradiotherapy or non-chemoradiotherapy of gastric cancer, lung cancer, and liver cancer. Its two main components are chelidonine and sinomenine. Ukrain (NSC-631570), a phosphorothioate derivative of chelidonine, has been used in clinical treatment as an effective antitumor drug for the treatment of lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and pancreatic cancer.