Jatrorrhizine hydroxide is an alkaloid isolated from Coptis chinensis with neuroprotective, antimicrobial, antiplasmodial and antioxidant activities[1]. Jatrorrhizine hydroxide is a potent and orally active inhibitor of AChE (IC50=872 nM) over >115-fold selectivity for BuChE[2]. Jatrorrhizine hydroxide reduces uptake of serotonin (5-HT) and norepinephrine (NE) via inhibition of uptake-2 transporters[3].

Jatrorrhizine has antiplasmodial and antiamoebic activity, it against Plasmodium falciparum and E. histolytica with IC50 values of 3.15 and 82.7 µM, respectively[1].The hOCT2 (organic cation transporter 2), hOCT3, and PMAT (plasma membrane monoamine transporter) are capable of transporting monoamine neurotransmitters in the brain[3].Jatrorrhizine has the inhibitory potency of jatrorrhizine on 5-HT and NE uptake in hOCT2-, hOCT3-, and PMAT-transfected cells. Jatrorrhizine strongly inhibits PMAT-mediated MPP+ uptake with an IC50 value of 1.05 μM and reduces 5-HT and NE uptake mediated by hOCT2, hOCT3, and hPMAT with IC50 values of 0.1-1 μM (for OCT2 and OCT3) and 1-10 μM (for PMAT)[3].Clearance of neurotransmitters released into the synaptic cleft is defined by two distinct processes. Uptake-1, the common target of current applied antidepressants, is comprised of the serotonin transporter (SERT), the "SERT", had a high affinity but low capacity to take up [3H]5-HT. Uptake-2 transporters are an important supplementary regulation system in monoamine clearancethought to be the "NET", has low affinity but high capacity to take up [3H]5-HT into brain slices.Jatrorrhizine significantly inhibited 5-HT and NE uptake in synaptosomes at 25 μM and 50 μM[3].

Jatrorrhizine (intraperitoneal injection; 5, 10, 20 mg/kg) can significantly reduce the duration of immobility when compared with vehicle control group in tail suspension test (TST)[2]. Animal Model: Male ICR albino mice[2]

[1]. Sun S, et al. Jatrorrhizine reduces 5-HT and NE uptake via inhibition of uptake-2 transporters and produces antidepressant-like action in mice. Xenobiotica. 2019 Oct;49(10):1237-1243. [2]. Xiaofei Jiang, et al. Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Novel Jatrorrhizine Derivatives with Amino Groups Linked at the 3-Position as Inhibitors of Acetylcholinesterase. Research Article Volume 2017 [3]. C W Wright, et al. In vitro antiplasmodial, antiamoebic, and cytotoxic activities of some monomeric isoquinoline alkaloids. J Nat Prod. 2000 Dec;63(12):1638-40.