Search results for "Cardenolide"
showing 10 items of 20 documents
Cardenolides: Insights from chemical structure and pharmacological utility
2019
Cardiac glycosides (CGs) are a class of naturally occurring steroid-like compounds, and members of this class have been in clinical use for more than 1500 years. They have been used in folk medicine as arrow poisons, abortifacients, heart tonics, emetics, and diuretics as well as in other applications. The major use of CGs today is based on their ability to inhibit the membrane-bound Na
Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated genetic transformation of the cardenolide-producing plant Digitalis minor L.
2003
A repeatable transformation system has been established for Digitalis minor using Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Leaf explants from 30-day-old seedlings were inoculated with either EHA105 (carrying the nptII and gusA genes) or AGL1 (with the bar and gusA genes) strains. Among the tested factors influencing T-DNA transfer to plants, the EHA105 strain and the addition of acetosyringone to the co-culture medium increased transformation. The highest transformation efficiency (8.4%) was obtained when freshly isolated explants, soaked in a bacterial suspension with an OD 550 of 0.9, were subcultured on selection medium after a 4-day co-culture with the bacteria. Evidence of stable transgene integrati…
Insulin resistance and endogenous digoxin-like factor in obese hypertensive patients with glucose intolerance
1992
Hypertensive obese subjects with glucose intolerance have hyperinsulinaemia, insulin resistance and intracellular cation imbalance resulting in increased sodium content. The aim of our study was to assess in these patients plasma levels of endogenous digoxin-like factor (EDLF), an inhibitor of the sodium-pump mechanism. We studied 14 hypertensive and 12 normotensive subjects with obesity and glucose intolerance for fasting blood glucose, and plasma insulin, C-peptide and EDLF levels: the two groups were matched for age and BMI and were studied after a 2-week wash-out period from hypotensive drugs. Compared with normotensives, hypertensive subjects had higher plasma insulin levels, a greater…
Plant progesterone 5β-reductase is not homologous to the animal enzyme. Molecular evolutionary characterization of P5βR from Digitalis purpurea
2007
Plants of the genus Digitalis produce cardiac glycosides, i.e. digoxin, which are widely used for congestive heart failure. Progesterone 5beta-reductase (P5betaR) is a key enzyme in the biosynthesis of these natural products. Here, we have carried out the purification and partial amino acid sequencing of the native P5betaR from foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), and isolated a cDNA encoding this enzyme. Similarly to other steroid 5beta-reductases, the recombinant P5betaR catalyzes the stereospecific reduction of the Delta(4)-double bond of several steroids with a 3-oxo,Delta(4,5) structure. The gene encoding P5betaR is expressed in all plant organs, and maximally transcribed in leaves and matur…
Induction of digoxin-like material production, and the digoxin binding in the unicellular organism Tetrahymena by digitoxin.
1998
Thin layer chromatographic, and laser-confocal microscopic analyses with a monoclonal antibody to digoxin also displaying high affinity to digoxigenin, were used to determine the presence and localization of cardioactive glycosides. Tetrahymena pyriformis was found to possess digitoxigenin-like material, but digoxin, digitoxin, digoxigenin, gitoxin and lanatoside C were not detected. Digitoxin treatment elicited the appearance of a digoxin-like material in the progeny generations. Digoxin was taken up by untreated Tetrahymena, especially strongly 24 h after digitoxin treatment. While the cardenolide was localized in vesicles of the cell body in untreated Tetrahymena, the engulfed digoxin ap…
Myasthenia-like syndrome induced by cardiovascular agents. Report of a case
1987
The case of a myasthenia-like syndrome induced by cardiovascular drugs is reported. The clinical and electrophysiological features of the case are discussed. © 1987 Masson Italia Periodici S.r.l.
Digitalis purpurea P5 beta R2, encoding steroid 5 beta-reductase, is a novel defense-related gene involved in cardenolide biosynthesis.
2009
The stereospecific 5 beta-reduction of progesterone is a required step for cardiac glycoside biosynthesis in foxglove plants. Recently, we have isolated the gene P5 beta R, and here we investigate the function and regulation of P5 beta R2, a new progesterone 5 beta-reductase gene from Digitalis purpurea. P5 beta R2 cDNA was isolated from a D. purpurea cDNA library and further characterized at the biochemical, structural and physiological levels. Like P5 beta R, P5 beta R2 catalyzes the 5 beta-reduction of the Delta(4) double bond of several steroids and is present in all plant organs. Under stress conditions or on treatment with chemical elicitors, P5 beta R expression does not vary, wherea…
Die Haftung verschiedener Cardenolide am Papillarmuskel und einer mikrosomalen ATPase des Meerschweinchenherzens
1971
In experiments on isolated electrically stimulated guinea pig papillary muscles and on isolated cardiac Na+-K+-activated ATPase preparations the action and the reversibility of action of 3 different cardenolides-digitoxin, k-strophanthidin and strophanthidin-3-bromoacetate (SBA) (supposed to be an irreversible inhibitor of the transport ATPase)-were studied.
Morphogenesis and Cardenolide Formation in Digitalis obscura Cultures
1991
Summary Cardenolide formation was investigated in hypocotyl cultures of Digitalis obscura L. established on MS medium with growth regulators selected to promote either callus formation, caulogenesis, embryogenesis or rhizogenesis. Examination of the cardenolide composition of leaves from mature plants was also performed. Several compounds of series A and C were identified by HPLC in in vitro and in vivo grown tissues, no marked differences being found between their cardenolide patterns. RIA determinations showed that shoot- or embryo-forming calli accumulated significantly higher amounts of digoxigenin derivatives than undifferentiated or rhizogenic cultures. In any case, field plants prese…
SOIL CHARACTERISTICS, MINERAL NUTRIENTS, BIOMASS, AND CARDENOLIDE PRODUCTION INDIGITALIS OBSCURAWILD POPULATIONS
2002
Mature leaves of wild-growing Digitalis obscura plants and soil samples were collected in four different regions. Soil and leaf mineral nutrient contents as well as biomass and cardenolide productions were determined. The soils in the four collection sites, basic and highly calcareous, showed significant interpopulation differences in phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn). Foliar mineral nutrients and cardenolides also varied among populations. Highest cardenolide yield was found in those Digitalis populations presenting a better development. The cardenolide content exhibited significant negative correlations with the levels …