title: Neuroprotective effects of antioxidative flavonoids, quercetin, (+)-dihydroquercetin and quercetin 3-methyl ether, isolated from Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten.
abstract: The flavonoids quercetin, (+)-dihydroquercetin, and quercetin 3-methyl ether were isolated from the ethyl acetate fractions of the fruits and stems of Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten. In the present study, we evaluated their protective effects against oxidative neuronal injuries induced in primary cultured rat cortical cells and their antioxidant activities by using three different cell-free bioassays. Quercetin was found to inhibit H(2)O(2)- or xanthine (X)/xanthine oxidase (XO)-induced oxidative neuronal cell injury, with an estimated IC(50) of 4-5 micro g/ml. However, it was no more protective at concentrations of 30 micro g/ml and above. (+)-Dihydroquercetin concentration-dependently inhibited oxidative neuronal injuries, but it was less potent than quercetin. On the other hand, quercetin 3-methyl ether potently and dramatically inhibited H(2)O(2)- and X/XO-induced neuronal injuries, with IC(50) values of 0.6 and 0.7 micro g/ml, respectively. All three principles markedly inhibited lipid peroxidation and scavenged 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl free radicals. In addition, quercetin and quercetin 3-methyl ether were shown to inhibit XO activity in vitro, with respective IC(50) values of 10.67 and 42.01 micro g/ml. These results indicate that quercetin, (+)-dihydroquercetin, and quercetin 3-methyl ether are the active antioxidant principles in the fruits and stems of Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten exhibiting neuroprotective actions against the oxidative injuries induced in cortical cell cultures. Furthermore, quercetin 3-methyl ether appears to be the most potent neuroprotectant of the three flavonoids isolated from this plant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Dongguk University, Kyongju, Kyongbuk 780-714, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hyang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dok-Go
authors.forename: Kwang Heun
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hyoung Ja
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Eun Ha
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jiyong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yun Seon
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Yong-Ha
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Changbae
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Yong Sup
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jungsook
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D044948:Flavonols; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D029747:Opuntia / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000737:chemistry; D011794:Quercetin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005419:Flavonoids; D044948:Flavonols; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; C103677:quercetin 3-methyl ether 7-O-arabinofuranosyl(1-6)-glucopyranoside; D011794:Quercetin; C003377:taxifolin