Fractionation of a herbal antidiarrheal medicine reveals Eugenol as an inhibitor of Ca2+-activated Cl- channel TMEM16A

Abstract

The Ca2+-activated Cl- channel TMEM16A is involved in epithelial fluid secretion, smooth muscle contraction and neurosensory signaling. We identified a Thai herbal antidiarrheal formulation that inhibited TMEM16A Cl- conductance. C18-reversed-phase HPLC fractionation of the herbal formulation revealed >98% of TMEM16A inhibition activity in one out of approximately 20 distinct peaks. The purified, active compound was identified as eugenol (4-allyl-2-methoxyphenol), the major component of clove oil. Eugenol fully inhibited TMEM16A Cl- conductance with single-site IC50~150 μM. Eugenol inhibition of TMEM16A in interstitial cells of Cajal produced strong inhibition of intestinal contraction in mouse ileal segments. TMEM16A Cl- channel inhibition adds to the list of eugenol molecular targets and may account for some of its biological activities. © 2012 Yao et al.