In the present study, we investigated whether ambroxol, S-carboxymethyl-L-cysteine, dextromethorphan and noscapine affect mucin release from airway goblet cells. Confluent primary hamster tracheal surface epithelial cells were metabolically radiolabeled and chased for 30 min in the presence of varying concentrations of the above agents to assess the effects on 3H-mucin release. Noscapine stimulated mucin release during 30 min of treatment period in a dose-dependent manner. However, ambroxol, S-carboxymethyl-L-cysteine and dextromethorphan showed no significant effect on mucin release during 30 min of treatment period. We conclude that noscapine can affect mucin release by acting on airway mucin-secreting cells.
Ambroxol* ; Animals ; Carbocysteine* ; Cricetinae ; Dextromethorphan* ; Epithelial Cells ; Goblet Cells* ; Mucins* ; Noscapine*

A series of noscapine analogues have been synthesized via 13-step reaction starting from 2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde. Anti-tumor activities of these compounds were evaluated against HL-60 cell lines in vitro by the standard MTT assay. It was found that most of these derivatives showed appreciable inhibitory activity against HL-60 and tubulin polymerization. The results also indicated that the potency of compound 31 is about three times more than that ofnoscapine against HL-60 cell line and tubulin polymerization. Moreover, it induced a massive accumulation of cells in G2/M phase. These results showed noscapine and its derivatives were worth to be intensively studied further.
Antineoplastic Agents ; chemical synthesis ; pharmacology ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; Noscapine ; analogs & derivatives ; chemical synthesis ; pharmacology ; Polymerization ; drug effects ; Tubulin ; metabolism ; Tubulin Modulators ; chemical synthesis ; pharmacology