title: Antiplatelet activity of carnosic acid, a phenolic diterpene from Rosmarinus officinalis.
abstract: Carnosic acid is a major phenolic diterpene derived from Rosmarinus officinalis and has been reported to have antioxidant, antibacterial, anticancer, antiobese and photoprotective activities. This study investigated the antiplatelet activity of carnosic acid. carnosic acid significantly inhibited collagen-, arachidonic acid-, U46619- and thrombin-induced washed rabbit platelet aggregation in a concentration-dependent manner, with IC50 values of 39+/-0.3, 34+/-1.8, 29+/-0.8 and 48+/-2.9 microM, respectively, while it failed to inhibit PMA-(a direct PKC activator) and ADP-induced platelet aggregation. In agreement with its antiplatelet activity, carnosic acid blocked collagen-, arachidonic acid-, U46619- and thrombin-mediated cytosolic calcium mobilization. accordingly, serotonin secretion and arachidonic acid liberation were also inhibited in a similar concentration-dependent manner. However, in contrast to the inhibition of arachidonic acid-induced platelet aggregation, carnosic acid had no effect on the formation of arachidonic acid-mediated thromboxane A2 and prostaglandin D2, thus indicating that carnosic acid has no effect on the cyclooxygenase and thromboxane A2 synthase activity. Overall, these results suggest that the antiplatelet activity of carnosic acid is mediated by the inhibition of cytosolic calcium mobilization and that carnosic acid has the potential of being developed as a novel antiplatelet agent.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Research Center for Bioresource and Health, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Korea.
authors.forename: Jung-Jin
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yong-Ri
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Ju-Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ji-Yeon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Xiang-Hua
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Ki-Wan
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Jin Tae
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Tack-Joong
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yeo-Pyo
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Yun
mesh_terms: D045784:Abietanes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010974:Platelet Aggregation / Q000187:drug effects*; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D027542:Rosmarinus / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D045784:Abietanes; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; C018381:salvin; D002118:Calcium