Papain-like protease (PLpro) inhibitory effects of cinnamic amides from Tribulus terrestris fruits

Biol Pharm Bull. 2014;37(6):1021-8. doi: 10.1248/bpb.b14-00026.

Abstract

Tribulus terrestris fruits are well known for their usage in pharmaceutical preparations and food supplements. The methanol extract of T. terrestris fruits showed potent inhibition against the papain-like protease (PLpro), an essential proteolylic enzyme for protection to pathogenic virus and bacteria. Subsequent bioactivity-guided fractionation of this extract led to six cinnamic amides (1-6) and ferulic acid (7). Compound 6 emerged as new compound possessing the very rare carbinolamide motif. These compounds (1-7) were evaluated for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) PLpro inhibitory activity to identify their potencies and kinetic behavior. Compounds (1-6) displayed significant inhibitory activity with IC50 values in the range 15.8-70.1 µM. The new cinnamic amide 6 was found to be most potent inhibitor with an IC50 of 15.8 µM. In kinetic studies, all inhibitors exhibited mixed type inhibition. Furthermore, the most active PLpro inhibitors (1-6) were proven to be present in the native fruits in high quantities by HPLC chromatogram and liquid chromatography with diode array detection and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC-DAD-ESI/MS).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amides
  • Cinnamates / isolation & purification
  • Cinnamates / pharmacology*
  • Cinnamates / therapeutic use
  • Coronavirus 3C Proteases
  • Cysteine Endopeptidases / genetics
  • Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / isolation & purification
  • Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Escherichia coli / genetics
  • Fruit / chemistry
  • Humans
  • Inhibitory Concentration 50
  • Kinetics
  • Molecular Structure
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry*
  • Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / drug therapy
  • Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / virology
  • Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / enzymology
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Tribulus / chemistry*
  • Viral Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Viral Proteins / genetics

Substances

  • Amides
  • Cinnamates
  • Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors
  • Plant Extracts
  • Viral Proteins
  • Cysteine Endopeptidases
  • Coronavirus 3C Proteases