Plumbagin activity

Sandur, S.K. et ah, Plumbagin (5-hydroxy-2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone) suppresses NF-kappa B activation and NF-kappa B-regulated gene products through modulation of p65 and I-kappa-B-alpha kinase activation, leading to potentiation of apoptosis induced by cytokine and chemotherapeutic agent, J. Biol. Chem., 281, 17023, 2006. 

The naphthalene derivatives (171, 172), from Daldinia concentrica (Ascomycetes), were significantly active towards C. elegans (10, 25 (ig/ml) and also showed antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity [6]. Since the black fruiting bodies of D. concentrica are highly melanized, it is likely that these compounds arise from melanin biosynthesis. Some naphthoquinones have been found to inhibit the motility and survival of H. contortus (LI). Plumbagin ( 173) was the most potent (ED 1 ig/ml) followed by 1, 4-naphthoquinone, juglone (174) and 1, 2-naphthoquinone [281]. 

Naphthoquinones (Fig. 14), which include phenolic hydroxyl groups, have been reported to exert antiprotozoal activities some of them have been identified as possible leads for drug development [147,148]. Plumbagin, a 1,4-naphthoquinone, can induce oxidative stress on Trypanosoma congolense and T. cruzi, being reduced to semi-quinone radicals by enzymes from trypanosomes mitochondrial electron transport chain and trypanothione reductase, a key enzyme of trypanosomal antioxidant thiol metabolism. 

With naphthoquinones, termiticidal activity was displayed when the benzene ring fultilled the steric requirements of the 5-position substitution of the benzoquinone combined with no 2> substitution or a non-polar substitution in the 2>position (Figure IB, Table III, compounds 3, 5, 6, and 10). Juglone (compound 6) had been previously reported to have activity against C. formosanus (18) consistent with the findings of this report. Plumbagin (compound 5) was reported as non-repellent to Reticulitermes sp. (20). Also active are naphthoquinones with a 2-hydroxyl substitution and no 3-substitution (modest activity. Table III, compound 4) or a substitution of various numbers of carbons attached to the 4-position (Table III, compounds 7-9, and... 

Tokunaga T, Takada N, Ueda M (2004) Mechanism of antifeedant activity of plumbagin, a compound concerning the chemical defense in carnivorous plant Tetrahedron Lett 45 7115-7119 Trapp S, Croteau R (2001) Defensive resin biosynthesis in conifers. Annu Rev Plant Physiol Plant Mol Biol 52 689-724... 

---