In silico screening of anthraquinones from Prismatomeris memecyloides as novel phosphodiesterase type-5 inhibitors (PDE-5Is)

Objective Prismatomeris memecyloides Craib (Rubiaceae) is a medicinal plant traditionally used by ethnic minorities in Vietnam for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED). The aim of this study was to investigate the chemical compositions and screen in silico its possible inhibitory effect against PDE-5 which reduced cyclic guanosine-3′,5′-monophosphate (cGMP) levels and indirectly caused the male ED. Methods Separation of natural compounds were carried out on chromatographic column with silica gel or reversed phase materials, eluting with different solvent gradients. The structures of all isolated compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data (HR-MS, 1D/2D-NMR). Docking simulation study of compound (1–7) was performed by using flexible side chains protocol based on Iterated Local Search Global Optimizer Algorithm of AutoDock/Vina v.1.1.2. Pharmacokinetic parameters and toxicity prediction were also calculated by appropriate softwares. Results From the methanol extract of roots of P. memecyloides collected in Vietnam, seven compounds including four anthraquinone/one anthraquinone glycoside namely damnacanthal (1), lucidin-ω-methyl ether (2), 3-methylalizarin (3), rubiadin-3-methyl ether (4), and 1-O-methylrubiadin 3-O-primeveroside (5) along with two iridoid glucosides, asperulosidic acid (6) and aitchisonide A (7) were isolated. The molecular modeling results showed that 5 anthraquinone compounds possess the lowest binding energies to PDE-5. The anthraquinone glucoside 1-O-methylrubiadin 3-O-primeveroside (5) potentially inhibited PDE-5 similarly to commercial PDE-5Is sildenafil (SLD) and tadalafil (TLD). Calculated pharmacokinetic results like pIC50,pred; miLogP, TPSA, enzyme inhibitory of anthraquinone glucoside (5) were similar and even higher to those of the commercial PDE-5 inhibitors. Especially the predictive toxicity of 1-O-methylrubiadin 3-O-primeveroside (5) was even lower than those of SLD and TLD. Conclusion This is the first study to find a scientific-based evidence for the ethnic use of P. memecyloides as medicinal plant for the treatment of ED. The result indicates that the anthraquinones (damnacanthal (1), lucidin-ω-methyl ether (2), 3-methylalizarin (3) and rubiadin-3-methyl ether (4)), especially anthraquinone glycoside (1-O-methylrubiadin 3-O-primeveroside (5)) are compounds of potential novel drug class for the ED treatment.