Publications by authors named "Xu-Chang He"

Aim: To design novel bifunctional derivatives of huperzine B (HupB) based on the concept of dual binding site of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and evaluate their pharmacological activities for seeking new drug candidates against Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Methods: Novel 16-substituted bifunctional derivatives of HupB were synthesized through chemical reactions. The inhibitory activities of the derivatives toward AChE and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) were determined in vitro by modified Ellman's method.

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(1) This study was to evaluate the anti-cholinesterase (ChE), cognition enhancing and neuroprotective effects of FS-0311, a bis-huperzine B derivative. (2) ChE activity was evaluated using a spectrophotometric method. Cognitive deficits in mice were induced by scopolamine or transient brain ischemia and reperfusion.

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Natural (-)-huperzine B (HupB), isolated from Chinese medicinal herb, displayed moderate inhibitory activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Based on the active dual-site of AChE, a series of novel derivatives of bis- and bifunctional HupB were designed and synthesized. The AChE inhibition potency of most derivatives of HupB was enhanced about 2-3 orders of magnitude as compared with the parental HupB.

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Aim: To study asymmetric total synthesis of 14-nor-huperzine A 2 and its inhibitory activity on acetylcholinesterase.

Methods: Highly enantioselective synthesis of compound 5 from beta-keto-ester 3 and 2-methylene-1,3-propanediol diacetate 4 by palladium-catalyzed bicycloannulation was carried out using new chiral ferrocenylphosphine ligands, such as 10, 11, followed by regioselective double-bond migration to produce compound 6. Optically pure 6 was obtained after enantio-enrichment recrystallization.

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Recently, the potent cholinesterase inhibitor (-)-huperzine A (HupA) was demonstrated to protect neuronal and glial cells against the cytotoxicity of beta-amyloid (Abeta). Since the unnatural (+)-HupA is a much less potent inhibitor, it was of interest to examine the stereoselectivity of cellular protection by the two isomers. In the present study, effects of (+)- and (-)-HupA on Abeta(25-35)-induced injury were compared in PC12 and NG108-15 neuroblastoma cell lines.

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