Isoquinoline alkaloids from Tinospora cordifolia inhibit rat lens aldose reductase.

The inhibitory activity of Tinospora cordifolia stem-derived alkaloids was evaluated against lens aldose reductase (AR) isolated from male Wistar rats. Anticataract potential of the alkaloids of T. cordifolia was evaluated in vitro in rat lenses, considering the activity of normal rat lenses as 100%. The biologically active constituents of T. cordifolia extract were characterized as the isoquinoline alkaloids, jatrorrhizine, palmatine and magnoflorine, by spectral analysis. The inhibitory effects varied with all chemicals and concentrations used. The inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) values of jatrorrhizine, palmatine and magnoflorine are 3.23, 3.45 and 1.25 µg/mL respectively. The concentration of maximum activity was selected for its effect on galactose-induced polyol accumulation in vitro. The percentage inhibition of galactose-induced polyol accumulation was 62.6, 58.8 and 27.7% in the presence of jatrorrhizine, palmatine and magnoflorine, respectively. Magnoflorine may be useful as lead compounds and new agents for AR inhibition.