Coompo Research Chemicals

Sinomenine is a morphinan derivative, related to opioids such as levorphanol and the non-opioid cough suppressant dextromethorphan. Its anti-rheumatic effects are thought to be primarily mediated via release of histamine, but other effects such as inhibition of prostaglandin, leukotriene and nitric oxide synthesis may also be involved.

Sinomenine prevents oligomeric Aβ-induced microglial activation, and confers protection against indirect neurotoxicity to hippocampal cells. These results raise the possibility that sinomenine may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of Alzheimer's diseases as well as other diseases that involve neuroinflammation.

Sinomenine shows a significant neuroprotective effects against both LPS- and MPP+-induced DA neurotoxicity, and that this protection is mediated through microglia. The finding that SN is acting to inhibit NADPH oxidase (PHOX) activity, which then results in the inhibition of a wide array of pro-inflammatory mediators produced by activated microglia, suggests that SN may be a potential novel and safe therapeutic agent for the treatment of inflammatory-mediated neurodegenerative diseases.