Castanospermine and other polyhydroxy alkaloids as inhibitors of insect glycosidases
1995
Scofield, A.M. | Witham, P. | Nash, R.J. | Kite, G.C. | Fellows, L.E.
The inhibition of glycosidase activity by a range of polyhydroxy alkaloids was studied in a number of insect species from the orders Orthoptera, Phasmida, Dictyoptera, Diptera and Coleoptera. Glycosidase activity was inhibited by a number of the alkaloids and the pattern of inhibition of hydrolysis of beta-glucosides and most alpha-glucosides (except trehalose) was different from that in mammals. 2R,5R-dihydroxymethyl-3R,4R-dihydroxypyrrolidine inhibited both alpha-glucosidase, including trehalase, and beta-glucosidase activity strongly in insects while castanospermine was a significant inhibitor only of beta-glucosidase activity, trehalase and in the Tenebrionidae, isomaltase and additionally, maltase in Zophobas morio. The identification of an isomaltase in the Tenebrionidae illustrates the value of the alkaloids as taxonomic tools.
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