Indirubin

June 17, 2019
I’m responsible for folk healers’ success in treating epilepsy.
What molecule am I?
Image of Indirubin 3D Image of Indirubin

Indirubin, an indigo dye, is a biomolecule found in the African and Asian shrub Indigofera arrecta. It is variously known as indigo red; indigo naturalis; qing dai; or Natal, Bengal, or Java indigo. It is also bacterially produced in the urine of humans and other mammals.

I. arrecta has been used as a folk medicine in Africa and Asia for centuries. In particular, Congolese healers use it in combination with other herbs to treat epilepsy. Indirubin itself shows biological activity and has been studied as a treatment for diseases ranging from cancers to colitis.

Recently, a consortium of researchers in Belgium, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, led by Najat Aourz at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, became interested in how the Congolese herb cocktail controls epilepsy. Using zebrafish larvae as an epilepsy model, they deduced that indirubin is the ingredient that protects the larvae against chemically induced seizures. Indirubin similarly prevents induced seizures in rats and mice.

The researchers then sought to identify the protein that indirubin blocks to inhibit seizures. The culprit turned out to be glycogen synthase kinase-3, an enzyme that the body uses to regulate energy storage. The exact mechanism by which indirubin disables the enzyme has not yet been established.

Indirubin hazard information

GHS classification*: skin corrosion/irritation, category 2
H315—Causes skin irritationChemical Safety Warning
GHS classification: serious eye damage/eye irritation, category 2A
H319—Causes serious eye irritationChemical Safety Warning

*Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals. Explanation of pictograms.

Indirubin fast facts

CAS Reg. No.479-41-4
Empirical formulaC16H10N2O2
Molar mass262.26 g/mol
AppearanceRed to deep purple crystals or powder
Melting point204–205 ºC
Water solubility35 mg/L (est.)
Chemical Abstract Service - a division of ACS

Learn more about this molecule from CAS, the most authoritative and comprehensive source for chemical information.

Molecule of the Week needs your suggestions!

If your favorite molecule is not in our archive, please send us a message. The molecule can be notable for its current or historical importance or for any quirky reason. Thank you!

Stay Ahead of the Chemistry Curve

Learn how ACS can help you stay ahead in the world of chemistry.