Diverse Therapeutic Potential of Nitidine, A Comprehensive Review

Background: Nitidine is a bioactive plant benzophenanthridine alkaloid isolated from the root of Zanthoxylum nitidum. Since its discovery in 1959, literature revealed marked anticancer, neuroprotective, antimalarial, anti-HIV, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antifungal activities. However, its clinical status is not defined yet. Methods: Various scientific search engines were used for the available literature All the peer-reviewed journals were considered in this review. MOE (molecular operating environment) ligand-based pharmacophores features of nitidine were also studied to determine the various targeted sites in the molecule. Results: The search revealed an outstanding therapeutic potential in terms of various pharmacological effects of the molecule. MOE (Molecular Operating Environment) ligand-based pharmacophores features of nitidine showed that it has got multiple bioactive functional sites that implicate its sensitivity towards several receptors protein and therefore could be a useful lead compound. Despite having an outstanding therapeutic potential, it is not subjected to clinical trial yet, probably, due to host toxicity and being a quaternary salt, charged at all body pH values, and therefore, absorption through the gastro-intestinal-tract could be an issue. Conclusion: The issues can be resolved while applying latest pharmaceutical technologies, synthesizing its derivatives and subsequent clinical studies and thus could lead to the discovery of new clinically effective molecule(s).