2. Academic Validation
  3. Identification and quantification of kukoamine A and kukoamine B as novel μ-opioid receptor agonists in potato and other solanaceous plants

Identification and quantification of kukoamine A and kukoamine B as novel μ-opioid receptor agonists in potato and other solanaceous plants

  • Food Chem. 2023 Nov 30:427:136637. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2023.136637.
Julia Saller 1,  Carina List 2,  Harald Hübner 3,  Peter Gmeiner 4,  Timothy Clark 5,  Monika Pischetsrieder 6
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Food Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Str. 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 2 Food Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Str. 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 3 Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Str. 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 4 Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Str. 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany; FAU NeW - Research Center New Bioactive Compounds, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Str. 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 5 Computer Chemistry Center, Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Nägelsbachstraße 25, 91052 Erlangen, Germany. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 6 Food Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Str. 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany; FAU NeW - Research Center New Bioactive Compounds, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Str. 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 37385059 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2023.136637
Abstract

Activation of the µ-opioid receptor (µOR) by food components could lead to reward effects or to the modulation of motor functions in the gastrointestinal tract. In an unbiased search for novel µOR agonists in food, a three-step virtual-screening process selected 22 promising candidates with potential to interact with the µOR. Radioligand binding studies showed that ten of these substances indeed bind to the receptor. Functional assays identified kukoamine A as a full agonist (EC50 = 5.6 µM) and kukoamine B as a partial agonist (EC50 = 8.7 µM) to µOR. After extraction, both kukoamines were analyzed by LC-MS/MS in potato, tomato, pepper, and eggplant. Depending on the potato variety, up to 16 µg of kukoamine A and 157 µg of kukoamine B per gram dry weight could be determined in the whole tuber, mainly concentrated in the potato peel. Cooking did not influence the kukoamine contents.

Keywords

Bioactive food compound; Kukoamine; Potato; Solanaceous plant; Virtual screening; µ-Opioid receptor.

Figures
Products