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Lactucin

Lactucin is a guaiane-type sesquiterpene lactone with the molecular formula C15H16O5 and a molar mass of 276.28 g/mol, occurring naturally as a bitter principle in the milky latex of plants such as wild lettuce (Lactuca virosa), garden lettuce (Lactuca sativa), and prickly lettuce (L. serriola), as well as in the roots of chicory (Cichorium intybus).^[1]^[2] It is a primary active component of lactucarium, the dried latex extract traditionally harvested from Lactuca species and employed in herbal medicine for its sedative and mild narcotic effects.^[1] Lactucin manifests as a white crystalline solid with a melting point of 228–233 °C and exhibits solubility in organic solvents like chloroform, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and DMSO.^[3] Structurally, lactucin is an azulenofuran derivative featuring a hexahydroazuleno[4,5-b]furan core with an exocyclic methylene group at position 3, a hydroxy group at position 4, a hydroxymethyl at position 9, and lactone rings at positions 2 and 7, contributing to its reactivity and biological activity.^[4] These sesquiterpene lactones, including lactucin, play a defensive role in plants against herbivores and pathogens through their bitter taste and potential toxicity.^[5] Pharmacologically, lactucin has demonstrated analgesic effects in mice, reducing pain responses in hot-plate and tail-flick tests at doses of 15–30 mg/kg, with potency comparable to ibuprofen.^[1] It also induces sedation by decreasing locomotor activity at similar doses and shows anti-inflammatory potential by modulating immune responses.^[1]^[2] Further research highlights its antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum in vitro, as well as inhibitory effects on cancer cell proliferation through downregulation of MAPK signaling and central carbon metabolism pathways.^[2] These properties underscore lactucin's relevance in both ethnopharmacology and modern therapeutic exploration.^[6]

Chemistry

Structure and nomenclature

Lactucin is a sesquiterpene lactone characterized by the molecular formula C_{15}H_{16}O_{5}. Its systematic classification places it within the guaianolide subgroup of sesquiterpene lactones, which are secondary metabolites featuring a 15-carbon sesquiterpenoid backbone. These compounds typically exhibit a fused ring system derived from farnesyl pyrophosphate, with lactucin specifically structured as an azulenofuran derivative. The preferred IUPAC name for lactucin is (3aR,4S,9aS,9bR)-4-hydroxy-9-(hydroxymethyl)-6-methyl-3-methylidene-3,3a,4,5,9a,9b-hexahydroazuleno[4,5-b]furan-2,7-dione. This nomenclature reflects its core architecture: a γ-butyrolactone ring fused to a hydroazulene skeleton, where the azulene moiety consists of a seven-membered ring fused to a five-membered ring, partially saturated in the hexahydro form. The stereochemistry at the four chiral centers is specified as 3aR, 4S, 9aS, and 9bR, which dictates the three-dimensional arrangement essential to its molecular identity. Key structural features include an exocyclic methylene group at position 3 (3-methylidene), a hydroxyl substituent at C-4, a hydroxymethyl group at C-9, and a methyl group at C-6, alongside the dicarbonyl system with lactone and ketone functionalities at C-2 and C-7, respectively. The α-methylene-γ-lactone moiety—formed by the conjugation of the exocyclic methylene to the γ-lactone carbonyl—is a defining element of lactucin's sesquiterpene lactone classification and underpins its reactivity profile.^[2] This motif, common in guaianolides, consists of the unsaturated lactone ring (O=C-O-CH_2-C=CH_2) integrated into the bicyclic framework.^[2]

Physical and chemical properties

Lactucin appears as a white crystalline solid. It has a molar mass of 276.28 g/mol and a melting point of 228–233 °C.^[7] Lactucin shows limited solubility in water, with estimated values ranging from approximately 7 to 71 g/L at 25 °C depending on predictive models, but it is readily soluble in organic solvents such as ethanol, chloroform, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, acetone, and DMSO.^[7]^[8]^[9] In terms of stability, lactucin is sensitive to light, undergoing UV-induced degradation via hydration of its C(1)–C(10) double bond with a half-life of about 45 minutes under irradiation, independent of temperature in the range of 20–40 °C. It is also unstable in alkaline conditions, where treatment can result in over 99% degradation due to hydrolysis of the lactone ring. Lactucin exhibits moderate thermal stability, consistent with its high melting point.^[10]^[11] Chemically, lactucin possesses reactivity at its α-methylene-γ-lactone moiety, enabling Michael-type addition reactions with nucleophiles such as thiols or amines, a feature linked to its electrophilic nature.^[12]^[13] Key spectroscopic properties include a UV absorption maximum at 257 nm (ε = 14,000), indicative of its conjugated enone system. The infrared spectrum displays a characteristic γ-lactone carbonyl stretch around 1770 cm⁻¹, along with bands for hydroxyl (≈3400 cm⁻¹) and α,β-unsaturated ketone (≈1660 cm⁻¹) functionalities, as typical for sesquiterpene lactones.^[14]^[15]

Natural occurrence

Plant sources

Lactucin is primarily found in species of the genus Lactuca within the Asteraceae family, particularly in Lactuca virosa (wild lettuce) and Lactuca sativa (garden lettuce), where it occurs as a sesquiterpene lactone in the milky latex known as lactucarium.^[16] In L. virosa, lactucin derivatives such as lactucin-15-oxalate are abundant in the latex, reaching concentrations of approximately 40.7 mg/ml.^[16] Similarly, in L. sativa cultivars like 'Diana', total sesquiterpene lactones, including lactucin conjugates, can accumulate to 147.1 mg/ml in latex during the bolting stage.^[16] Other notable sources include Cichorium intybus (chicory), where lactucin is present in leaves at levels up to 350 mg/kg dry weight, alongside derivatives like 8-deoxylactucin (598 mg/kg dry weight).^[17] In Taraxacum officinale (common dandelion), lactucin has been identified in roots and leaves, contributing to its bitter profile.^[18] Concentrations vary by species, plant part, cultivar, and environmental factors such as UV exposure, which can elevate sesquiterpene lactone levels in lettuce and chicory.^[19] Within plants, lactucin is concentrated in the latex of stems and leaves, released upon wounding, with lower amounts in roots and aerial parts; it is notably scarce in seeds.^[16] It co-occurs with related compounds such as lactucopicrin and 11β,13-dihydrolactucin, enhancing the overall bitter and bioactive properties of the latex.^[20] Historically, lactucin has been extracted from chicory roots as a key bitter principle in coffee substitutes and from dandelion roots in herbal preparations, though modern analyses confirm its presence across these plant materials.^[17]

Biosynthesis in plants

Lactucin, a guaianolide sesquiterpene lactone, is biosynthesized in plants primarily through the cytosolic mevalonate pathway, which produces farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP) from acetyl-CoA units as the universal precursor for sesquiterpenes.^[21] FPP is then cyclized to form germacrene A by germacrene A synthase (GAS), initiating the sesquiterpene skeleton.^[22] Subsequent oxidation steps involve germacrene A oxidase (GAO) to yield germacrene A alcohol, followed by further dehydrogenation to the carboxylic acid form, and cyclization mediated by costunolide synthase (COS) and kauniolide synthase (KLS) to produce kauniolide, a key intermediate.^[22] From kauniolide, uncharacterized enzymes facilitate rearrangement to 8-deoxylactucin, which is then hydroxylated at the C-8 position by lactucin synthase (LCS, a cytochrome P450 enzyme CYP71DD33) to form lactucin.^[22] This pathway is conserved across Asteraceae species, with the final lactone ring closure occurring via enzymatic oxidation and cyclization.^[21] Isotopic labeling studies using [1-¹³C]-, [2-¹³C]-, and [1,2-¹³C₂]-acetate in hairy root cultures of Lactuca floridana have confirmed the incorporation of acetate units into lactucin derivatives, as evidenced by ¹³C-NMR enrichment patterns aligning with the acetate-mevalonate-germacradiene route.^[23] These results demonstrate that the carbon skeleton of lactucin originates from multiple acetate molecules, supporting the mevalonate pathway's role in providing the isoprenoid building blocks.^[23] Genes encoding key enzymes in lactucin biosynthesis, such as CiLCS, are predominantly expressed in specialized laticifer tissues where sesquiterpene lactones accumulate.^[22] Biosynthesis is upregulated in response to biotic stresses like herbivory, mediated by signaling hormones such as jasmonic acid, which enhance the production of defense-related sesquiterpene lactones in Asteraceae.^[24] This regulation positions lactucin as a stress-inducible compound contributing to plant defense.^[25] In an evolutionary context, lactucin's biosynthesis is part of the broader secondary metabolism of the Asteraceae family, where over 5,000 sesquiterpene lactone structures have diversified through gene duplications and enzymatic modifications since the family's divergence.^[24] These compounds, including lactucin, evolved primarily as anti-herbivory agents due to their bitter taste, deterring feeding by insects and mammals while providing ecological advantages in natural environments.^[26]

Pharmacology

Sedative and analgesic effects

Lactucin, a sesquiterpene lactone found in various Lactuca species, exerts sedative effects primarily through its interaction with GABA_A receptors. It binds to the benzodiazepine site on these receptors with high affinity (approximately 80.7%), enhancing chloride ion influx and promoting neuronal hyperpolarization, which leads to a calming and anxiolytic-like response milder than that of full benzodiazepine agonists. This partial agonism contributes to reduced spontaneous locomotor activity in animal models, as demonstrated in mice where lactucin at 30 mg/kg decreased activity in behavioral assays.^[27]^[28] The analgesic properties of lactucin have been observed in rodent models using hot-plate and tail-flick tests, indicating both central and peripheral pain relief mechanisms. These effects may involve inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis, akin to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or modulation of opioid pathways through indirect enhancement of endogenous enkephalins via enkephalinase inhibition in related plant extracts.^[27] In mice, lactucin administered at 15-30 mg/kg produced analgesia comparable to ibuprofen at 30-60 mg/kg, with no significant involvement of opioid receptors directly implicated in the isolated compound's action.^[27] Dosage studies in mice highlight lactucin's efficacy for sedation at 15-30 mg/kg.^[27] Traditional uses of wild lettuce (Lactuca virosa) extracts, rich in lactucin, have long included remedies for insomnia and mild pain, often as a safer alternative to opium due to its low addiction potential and absence of strong mu-opioid receptor affinity.^[20] Key research, such as Wesołowska et al. (2006), underscores these properties through in vivo assays, supporting lactucin's role as a mild central nervous system depressant without notable tolerance development in preliminary observations.^[27]

Anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities

Lactucin, a sesquiterpene lactone found in plants of the Asteraceae family, exhibits anti-inflammatory effects primarily through modulation of key signaling pathways involved in immune responses. It inhibits the NF-κB pathway by regulating upstream mediators such as TLR4-MyD88-MAPK signaling, which reduces the translocation of NF-κB subunits to the nucleus and subsequent transcription of pro-inflammatory genes.^[29] Additionally, the α-methylene-γ-lactone moiety in lactucin's structure enables alkylating activity via Michael addition to nucleophilic sites on proteins, contributing to its suppression of inflammatory cascades.^[30] In cellular models, lactucin downregulates cytokine production, notably reducing IL-6 levels in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages at concentrations of 25–50 μM, while effects on TNF-α are less consistent across studies.^[31] Lactucin's antimicrobial properties include notable antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum, as demonstrated in bioassays using the HB3 clone of the Honduras-1 strain. In the seminal study by Bischoff et al., lactucin isolated from Cichorium intybus roots achieved complete inhibition of parasitemia at 10 μg/mL after 48 hours, validating traditional uses of chicory for malaria-like fevers.^[32] It also displays moderate antibacterial effects against Gram-positive pathogens, such as Staphylococcus aureus, where pure lactucin acts as a weak growth inhibitor, though less potent than related compounds like lactucopicrin.^[33] Synergistic interactions enhance lactucin's bioactivity when combined with lactucopicrin, another sesquiterpene lactone co-occurring in plant extracts. Mixtures from Lactuca species show amplified anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects, likely due to complementary inhibition of cytokine release and microbial proliferation.^[34] Recent in vitro models, including LPS-induced inflammation in gut-liver axis simulations, further confirm these combined effects in reducing hepatic fibrosis and systemic inflammation.^[35]

Research and applications

Anticancer potential

Lactucin, a sesquiterpene lactone derived from plants such as Cichorium intybus, has shown promising anticancer activity in preclinical studies, primarily through induction of apoptosis and disruption of cancer cell proliferation pathways. As part of the broader class of sesquiterpene lactones, these compounds exert effects leading to oxidative stress and inhibition of cancer signaling cascades.^[36] The primary mechanism involves the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and activation of caspases, promoting programmed cell death. In human renal carcinoma Caki-1 cells, lactucin treatment dose-dependently induced apoptosis by downregulating anti-apoptotic proteins BCL-2 and CFLARL, with ROS mediating the inactivation of NF-κB and subsequent caspase activation. Additionally, lactucin causes cell cycle arrest, notably at the G0/G1 phase, as observed in lung adenocarcinoma models where it upregulated p53 and p21 while downregulating cyclins and CDKs.^[37]^[38] In vitro studies demonstrate cytotoxicity against various cancer cell lines, including leukemia (HL-60), renal (Caki-1), and lung adenocarcinoma (A549, H2347), with IC50 values ranging from approximately 69–80 μM in lung cells after 48 hours. Notably, lactucin exhibits selectivity, inhibiting proliferation in cancer cells while sparing normal lung fibroblasts (MRC-5) at similar concentrations. In HL-60 leukemia cells, doses of 25–100 μM induced sub-G1 arrest and morphological changes indicative of apoptosis, such as chromatin condensation and apoptotic body formation. Key investigations, including Jang et al. (2021) on ROS-mediated apoptosis in renal cells and Imam et al. (2022) on MAPK and metabolic pathway downregulation in lung cells, underscore these antitumor properties.^[37]^[38]^[39] Despite these findings, lactucin's clinical translation is limited by its low aqueous solubility and poor bioavailability, challenges common to sesquiterpene lactones, with nanoformulations demonstrated for related compounds like parthenolide to improve tumor targeting and reduce systemic exposure.

Historical and modern uses

Lactucin, a sesquiterpene lactone found in the latex of various Lactuca species, has been utilized historically for its sedative properties. In ancient Greek and Roman medicine, the milky sap from lettuce plants, containing lactucin, was employed as a sedative and pain reliever, with references dating back to the first century.^[40] During the 19th century, the dried latex known as lactucarium was harvested from wild lettuce (Lactuca virosa) and prescribed as a milder alternative to opium for sedation and analgesia, particularly in Europe and America, due to its perceived lack of addictive potential and fewer side effects.^[40]^[41] In modern contexts, lactucin is incorporated into herbal supplements derived from wild lettuce extracts for potential pain relief and relaxation, often marketed as natural remedies for mild aches, anxiety, and sleep disturbances, though clinical evidence remains limited.^[42]^[43] Extracts from chicory (Cichorium intybus), rich in lactucin, have been explored for antimalarial applications, with studies identifying lactucin and its derivative lactucopicrin as active compounds inhibiting Plasmodium falciparum growth in vitro, suggesting potential for development into novel therapies against malaria.^[44]^[2] Lactucin exhibits a favorable safety profile, with low acute toxicity demonstrated in animal models; for instance, ethanolic extracts of Cichorium intybus containing lactucin have an oral LD50 exceeding 4000 mg/kg in rats, indicating minimal risk at therapeutic doses.^[45] Common side effects are mild and include drowsiness, which aligns with its sedative effects, as well as occasional gastrointestinal upset such as nausea or indigestion when consumed in higher amounts.^[46]^[42] Lactucin is not approved by the FDA as a pharmaceutical drug and is instead available as a dietary supplement in forms like wild lettuce teas or tinctures, where manufacturers typically include dosage warnings to avoid exceeding recommended amounts (e.g., 12–24 drops of tincture two to three times daily) due to risks of sedation or toxicity in overdose.^[47]^[46] A 2024 study demonstrated lactucin's potential in reversing liver fibrosis in mouse models by inhibiting TGF-β1/STAT3 signaling, reducing inflammation and collagen deposition, highlighting additional therapeutic applications beyond anticancer effects.^[48] Future research directions emphasize the need for clinical trials to standardize lactucin extraction and dosing for reliable efficacy, particularly in pain management and antimalarial applications, alongside investigations into synergistic combinations with other sesquiterpenes like lactucopicrin to enhance therapeutic outcomes without increasing toxicity.^[44]^[49]

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