Estrogen-like activity of volatile components from Vitex rotundifolia L.
OBJECTIVE
The fruits of Vitex rotundifolia L. are used as a traditional medicine in China. Dried fruits of V. rotundifolia (rich in essential oils) have been known to show strong estrogenic activity. Therefore, we investigated volatile components in the essential oil isolated from the fruits of V. rotundifolia and its estrogen-like biological activity in human breast adenocarcinoma cells.


METHODS
Essential oil was extracted by SFE (supercritical fluid extraction) and its chemical composition was analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The estrogenic activity of essential oil was evaluated in the MCF-7 cells by proliferation assay.


RESULTS
The chemical composition of 40 compounds was determined and this represented 84.1 per cent of the total oil which was characterized by a high content of unsaturated fatty acids (54.84% of total oil). The oil contained mainly linoleic acid (47.46%), palmitic acid (5.18%), untriacontane (2.28%), bicetyl (2.61%) and stearic acid (2.2%). The essential oil strongly stimulated the proliferation of MCF-7 cells, and this effect was significantly inhibited by the specific estrogen receptor antagonist ICI 182,780.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results showed estrogen-like biological activity of the essential oil of the fruits from V. rotundifolia, and in future has a potential medical application.
Hu
Yuan
Y
Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, 325 Guohe Road, Shanghai 200433, China.
Hou
Ting-Ting
TT
Xin
Hai-Liang
HL
Zhang
Qiao-Yan
QY
Zheng
Han-Chen
HC
Rahman
Khalid
K
Qin
Lu-Ping
LP
D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D048789:Phytoestrogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020950:Vitex / Q000737:chemistry*
D009822:Oils, Volatile; D048789:Phytoestrogens