In traditional Asian medicinal systems, preparations of the root and stem bark of Magnolia species are widely used to treat anxiety and other nervous disturbances. The biphenyl-type neolignans honokiol and magnolol are the main constituents of Magnolia bark extracts. In the central nervous system, Magnolia bark preparations that contain honokiol are thought to primarily interact with γ-aminobutyric acid A (GABAA) receptors. However, stress responses inherently involve the noradrenergic system, which has not been investigated in the pharmacological mechanism of honokiol. We present here interactions of honokiol and other synthesized biphenyl-type neolignans and diphenylmethane analogs with the norepinephrine transporter (NET), which is responsible for the synaptic clearance of norepinephrine and the target of many anxiolytics. Of the synthesized compounds, 16 are new chemical entities, which are fully characterized. The 52 compounds tested show mild, non-potent interactions with NET (IC50 > 100 µM). It is thus likely that the observed anxiolytic effects of, e.g., Magnolia preparations, are not due to direct interaction with the noradrenergic system.
在传统的亚洲药物系统中,玉兰属植物的根和茎皮制剂被广泛用于治疗焦虑和其他神经紊乱。双苯型新木兰醇和木兰醇是玉兰树皮提取物的主要成分。在中枢神经系统中,含有新木兰醇的玉兰树皮制剂被认为主要与γ-氨基丁酸A(GABAA)受体相互作用。然而,应激反应本质上涉及未在新木兰醇的药理机制中进行研究的去甲肾上腺素系统。我们在这里介绍了新木兰醇和其他合成的双苯型新木兰醇和二苯甲烷类似物与去甲肾上腺素转运蛋白(NET)的相互作用,该蛋白负责去甲肾上腺素的突触清除,是许多抗焦虑药物的靶点。在合成的化合物中,有16种是新的化学实体,已经完全表征。测试的52种化合物与NET显示出轻微、非强效的相互作用(IC50 > 100 µM)。因此,例如玉兰制剂的观察到的抗焦虑效果可能不是由于与去甲肾上腺素系统的直接相互作用。