Skip to main content
Log in

Inhibitory effects of triterpenoids and sterols on human immunodeficiency virus-1 reverse transcriptase

  • Articles
  • Published:
Lipids

Abstract

Fifty-five triterpenoids consisting of 19 tetracyclic, 32 pentacyclic, and 4 incompletely cyclized triterpenoids, and 2 sterols, mostly isolated from various plant and fungal materials, were examined for their inhibitory effects on a purified human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase. Twenty triterpenoids and one sterol showed inhibitory effects with 50% inhibition concentration (IC50) values less than 5.0 μM. Among these cycloartenol ferulate (IC50=2.2 μM), 24-methylenecycloartanol ferulate (1.9 μM), lupenone (2.1 μM), betulin diacetate (1.4 μM), and karounidiol 29-benzoate (2.2 μM) inhibited most effectively. Some of the triterpenoids and sterols may be potential new lead compounds to find still more potent HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitors.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

AIDS:

acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

DMSO:

dimethylsulfoxide

DTT:

dithiothreitol

HIV:

human immunodeficiency virus

methyl-dTTP:

methyl thymidine 5′-triphosphate

RT:

reverse transcriptase

TPA:

12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate

References

  1. Johnson, M.L., and Hoth, D.F. (1993) Present Status and Future Prospects for HIV Therapies, Science 260, 1286–1293.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Lednicer, D., and Narayanan, V.L. (1993) Acquisition and Screening of Natural Products as Potential Anticancer and AIDS Antiviral Agents, in Bioactive Natural Products-Detection, Isolation, and Structural Determination (Colegate, S.M., and Molyneux, R.J. eds.), CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp. 159–172.

    Google Scholar 

  3. De Clercq, E. (1998) The Role of Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NNRTIs) in the Therapy of HIV-1 Infection, Antiviral Res. 38, 153–179.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. De Clercq, E. (2000) Current Lead Natural Products for the Chemotherapy of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infection, Med. Res. Rev. 20, 323–349.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Young, S.D. (1993) Nonnucleoside Inhibitors of HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase, Perspect, Drug Disc. Des. 1:181–192.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Nes, W.R., and McKean, M.L. (1977) Biochemistry of Sterols and Other Isopentenoids, University Park Press, Baltimore.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Goad, L.J., and Akihisa, T. (1997) Analysis of Sterols, Blackie Academic & Professional, London.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Yasukawa, K., Takido, M., Matsumoto, T., Takeuchi, M., and Nakagawa, S. (1991) Sterol and Triterpene Derivatives from Plants Inhibit the Effect of a Tumor Promoter, and Sitosterol and Betulinic Acid Inhibit Tumor Formation in Mouse Skin Two-Stage Carcinogenesis, Oncology 48, 72–76.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Yasukawa, K., and Akihisa, T. (1997) Anti-Inflammatory and Antitumor-Promoting Activities of Sterols, Triterpene Alcohols and Their Derivatives, Recent Res. Devel. Oil Chem. 1, 115–125.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Akihisa, T., Yasukawa, K., and Kasahara, Y. (1997) Triterpenoids from the Flowers of Compositae and Their Anti-Inflammatory Effects, Curr. Top. Phytochem. 1, 137–144.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Akihisa, T., Yasukawa, K., Kimura, Y., Takase, S., Yamanouchi, S., and Tamura, T. (1997) Triterpene Alcohols from Camellia and Sasanqua Oils and Their Anti-Inflammatory Effects, Chem. Pharm. Bull. 45, 2016–2023.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Yasukawa, K., Akihisa, T., Kasahara, Y., Ukiya, M., Kumaki, K., Tamura, T., Yamanouchi, S., and Takido, M. (1998) Inhibitory Effect of Heliantriol C; a Component of Edible Chrysanthemum, on Tumor Promotion by 12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate in Two-Stage Carcinogenesis in Mouse Skin, Phytomedicine 5, 215–218.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Yasukawa, K., Akihisa, T., Yoshida, Z., and Takido, M. (2000) Inhibitory Effect of Euphol, a Triterpene Alcohol from the Roots of Euphorbia kansui, on Tumour Promotion by 12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate in Two-Stage Carcinogenesis in Mouse Skin, J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 52, 119–124.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Watanabe, M., Kobayashi, Y., Ogihara, J., Kato, J., and Oishi, K. (2000) HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase-Inhibitory Compound in Salvia officinalis, Food Sci. Technol. Res. 6, 216–220.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Ono, K., Nakane, H., Fukushima, M., Chermann, J.-C., and Barre-Sinoussi, F. (1989) Inhibition of Reverse Transcriptase Activity by a Flavonoid Compound, 5,6,7-Trihydroxyflavone, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 160, 982–987.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Fujioka, T., Kashiwada, Y., Kilkuskie, R.E., Cosentino, L.M., Ballas, L.M., Jiang, J.B., Janzen, W.P., Chen, I.-S., and Lee, K.-H. (1994) Anti-AIDS Agents. 11. Betulinic Acid and Platanic Acid as Anti-HIV Principles from Syzigium claviflorum, and the Anti-HIV Activity of Structurally Related Triterpenoids, J. Nat. Prod. 57:243–247.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Kashiwada, Y., Hashimoto, F., Cosentino, L.M., Chen, C.-H., Garrett, P.E., and Lee, K.-H. (1996) Betulinic Acid and Dihydrobetulinic Acid Derivatives as Potent Anti-HIV Agents, J. Med. Chem. 39, 1016–1017.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Hashimoto, F., Kashiwada, Y., Cosentino, L.M., Chen, C.-H., Garrett, P.E., and Lee, K.-H. (1997) Anti-AIDS Agents—XXVII. Synthesis and Anti-HIV Activity of Betulinic Acid and Dihydrobetulinic Acid Derivatives, Bioorg. Med. Chem. 5, 2133–2143.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Kashiwada, Y., Wang, H.-K., Nagano, T., Kitanaka, S., Yasuda, I., Fujioka, T., Yamagishi, T., Cosentino, L.M., Kozuzka, M., Okabe, H., et al. (1998) Anti-AIDS Agents. 30. Anti-HIV Activity of Oleanolic Acid, Pomolic Acid, and Structurally Related Triterpenoids, J. Nat. Prod. 61, 1090–1095.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Soler, F., Poujade, C., Evers, M., Carry, J.-C., Henin, Y., Bousseau, A., Huet, T., Pauwels, R., De Clercq, E., Mayaux, J.-F., et al. (1996) Betulinic Acid Derivatives: A New Class of Specific Inhibitors of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Entry, J. Med. Chem. 39, 1069–1083.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Evers, M., Poujade, C., Soler, F., Ribeill, Y., James, C., Lelievre, Y., Gueguen, J.-C., Reisdorf, D., Morize, I., Pauwels, R., et al. (1996) Betulinic Acid Derivatives: A New Class of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Specific Inhibitors with a New Mode of Action, J. Med. Chem. 39, 1056–1068.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Kashiwada, Y., Nagao, T., Hashimoto, A., Ikeshiro, Y., Okabe, H., Cosentino, L.M., and Lee, K.-S. (2000) Anti-AIDS Agents 38. Anti-HIV Activity of 3-O-Acetyl Ursolic Acid Derivatives, J. Nat. Prod. 63, 1619–1622.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Ito, M., Sato, A., Hirabayashi, K., Tanabe, F., Shigeta, S., Baba, M., De Clercq, E., Nakashima, H., and Yamamoto, N. (1998) Mechanism of Inhibitory Effect of Glycyrrhizin on Replication of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Antiviral Res. 10, 289–298.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Chen, K., Shi, Q., Kashiwada, Y., Zhang, D.-C., Hu, C.-Q., Jin, J.-Q., Nozaki, H., Kikuski, R.E., Tramontano, E., Cheng, Y.-C., et al. (1992) Anti-AIDS Agents. 6. Salaspermic Acid, an Anti-HIV Principle from Tripterygium wilfordii, and the Structure-Activity Correlation with Its Related Compounds, J. Nat. Prod. 55, 340–346.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Li, H.-Y., Sun, N.-J., Kashiwada, Y., Sun, L., Snider, J.V., Cosentino, L.M., and Lee, H.-H. (1993) Anti-AIDS Agents. 9. Suberol, a New C31 Lanostane-Type Triterpene and Anti-HIV Principle from Polyalthia suberosa, J. Nat. Prod. 56, 1130–1133.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Quere, L., Wenger, T., and Schramm, H.J. (1996) Triterpenes as Potential Dimerization Inhibitors of HIV-1 Protease, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 227, 484–488.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. El-Mekkawy, S., Meselhy, M.R., Nakamura, N., Tezuka, Y., Hattori, M., Kakiuchi, N., Shimotohno, K., Kawahata, T., and Okabe, T. (1998) Anti-HIV-1 and Anti-HIV-1-Protease Substances from Ganoderma lucidum, Phytochemistry 49, 1651–1657.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Sun, H.-D., Qiu, S.-X., Lin, L.-Z., Wang, Z.-Y., Lin, Z.-W., Pengsuparp, T., Pezzuto, J.M., Fong, H.H.S., Cordell, G.A., and Farnsworth, N.R. (1996) Nigranoic Acid, a Triterpenoid from Schisandra sphaerandra That Inhibits HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase, J. Nat. Prod. 59, 525–527.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. De Clercq, E. (2000) Novel Compounds in Preclinical/Early Clinical Development for the Treatment of HIV Infections, Rev. Med. Virol. 10, 255–277.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Akihisa, T., Hideshima, R., Koike, K., Kimura, Y., and Nikaido, T. (1999) Cycloarta-16,24-dien-3β-ol: Revised Structure of Cimicifugenol, a Cycloartane Triterpenoid, Chem. Pharm. Bull. 47, 1157–1160.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Akihisa, T., and Kimura, Y. (1997) Sterols and Triterpenes of the Family Cucurbitaceae, Rec. Res. Devel. Phytochem. 1, 339–348.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Yasukawa, K., Akihisa, T., Kimura, Y., Tamura, T., and Takido, M. (1998) Inhibitory Effect of Cycloartenol Ferulate, a Component of Rice Bran, on Tumor Promotion in Two-Stage Carcinogenesis in Mouse Skin, Biol. Pharm. Bull. 21, 1072–1076.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Kaminaga, T., Yasukawa, K., Takido, M., Tai, T., and Nunoura, Y. (1996) Inhibitory Effects of Lanostane-Type Triterpene Acids, the Components of Poria cocos, on Tumor-Promotion by 12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate in Two-Stage Carcinogenesis in Mouse Skin, Phytother. Res. 10, 581–584.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Yasukawa, K., Yu, S.Y., Yamanouchi, S., Takido, M., Akihisa, T., and Tamura, T. (1995) Some Lupane-Type Triterpenes Inhibit Tumor Promotion by 12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate in Two-Stage Carcinogenesis in Mouse Skin, Phytomedicine 1, 309–313.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Yasukawa, K., Akihisa, T., Oinuma, H., Kasahara, Y., Kimura, Y., Yamanouchi, S., Kumaki, K., Tamura, T., and Takido, M. (1996) Inhibitory Effect of Di- and Trihydroxy Triterpenes from the Flowers of Compositae on 12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-Induced Inflammation in Mice, Biol. Pharm. Bull. 19, 1329–1331.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Itoh, T., Yoshida, K., Yatsu, T., Tamura, T., and Matsumoto, T. (1981) Triterpene Alcohols and Sterols of Spanish Olive Oil, J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc. 58, 545–550.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Itoh, T., Tamura, T., and Matsumoto, T. (1977) Triterpene Alcohols in the Seeds of Solanaceae, Phytochemistry 16, 1723–1726.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Akihisa, T., Yamamoto, K., Tamura, T., Kimura, Y., Iida, T., Nambara, T., and Chang, F.C. (1992) Triterpenoid Ketones from Lingnania chungii McClure: Arborinone, Friedelin and Glutinone, Chem. Pharm. Bull. 40, 789–791.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Akihisa, T., Tamura, T., Matsumoto, T., Eggleston, D.S., Kokke, W.C.M.C., and Shimizu, N. (1988) Karounidiol [D:C-friedo-Oleana-7,9(11)-diene-3α,29-diol] and Its 3-O-Benzoate: Novel Pentacyclic Triterpenes from Trichosanthes kirilowii. X-Ray Molecular Structure of Karounidiol Diaceate, J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans. 1, 439–443.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Akihisa, T., Kokke, W.C.M.C., Tamura, T., and Nambara, T. (1992) 7-Oxodihydrokarounidiol [7-oxo-D:C-friedo-olean-8-ene-3α,29-diol], a Novel Triterpene from Trichosanthes kirilowii, Chem. Pharm. Bull. 40, 1199–1202.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Akihisa, T., Kokke, W.C.M.C., Kimura, Y., and Tamura, T., (1993) Isokarounidiol [D:C-friedooleana-6,8-diene-3α,29-diol]: The First Naturally Occurring Triterpene with a Δ6,8-Conjugated Diene System. Iodine-Mediated Dehydrogenation and Isomerization of Its Diacetate, J. Org. Chem. 58, 1959–1962.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Akihisa, T., Arai, K., Kimura, Y., Koike, K., Kokke, W.C.M.C., Shibata, T., and Nikaido, T. (1999) Camelliols A-C, Three Novel Incompletely Cyclized Triterpene Alcohols from Sasanqua Oil (Camellia sasanqua), J. Nat. Prod. 62, 265–268.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Akihisa, T., Yasukawa, K., Yamaura, M., Ukiya, M., Kimura, Y., Shimizu, N., and Arai, K. (2000) Triterpene Alcohols and Sterol Ferulates from Rice Bran and Their Anti-inflammatory Effects, J. Agric. Food Chem. 48, 2313–2319.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Toshihiro Akihisa.

About this article

Cite this article

Akihisa, T., Ogihara, J., Kato, J. et al. Inhibitory effects of triterpenoids and sterols on human immunodeficiency virus-1 reverse transcriptase. Lipids 36, 507–512 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-001-0750-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-001-0750-4

Keywords

Navigation