Integrated Approaches for extraction, dereplication, and isolation of cytotoxic alkaloids from species of Conchocarpus J.C. Mikan (Rutaceae)

• Grant number: 24/04413-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): June 01, 2024
• Effective date (End): May 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Organic Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Thiago André Moura Veiga
• Grantee: Maria Vitoria de Oliveira
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Químicas e Farmacêuticas (ICAQF). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus Diadema. Diadema , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Natural products (NPs) have played a crucial role in drug discovery, including those intended for cancer therapy. However, a persistent challenge in oncology is drug resistance. As an alternative, combined treatment strategies can be employed to control or inhibit cell proliferation. In implementing these strategies, a return to a focus on natural products has been observed after decades of predominance of synthetic organic chemistry. Among the various classes of cytotoxic substances, alkaloids stand out, as nitrogen-containing compounds that exhibit considerable structural diversity. In plant groups such as the Rutaceae family, these compounds are considered analytical markers. The advancement of metabolomics analyses, especially with the aid of tools based on high-resolution mass spectrometry data (HRMS), has significantly benefited the investigation of various NPs, accelerating the discovery of new substances. In this context, the present proposal aims to explore the as-yet uninvestigated chemical profile of Conchocarpus J.C. Mikan species, as well as the cytotoxic properties of its alkaloids, through the integration of molecular dereplication strategies, differential extraction techniques, and cytotoxic assays, aiming at the isolation and identification of new metabolites, through chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques, respectively.