title: Anti-inflammatory activities of triterpenoid saponins from Polygala japonica.
abstract: Bioassay-guided investigation was performed to identify the active constituents from a methanol extract of Polygala japonica, a folk medicinal plant widely used in China to treat inflammatory diseases. The n-BuOH and EtOAc fractions of the P. japonica methanol extract, which show significant anti-inflammatory activity in in vivo test, were further subjected to column chromatography to afford six triterpene glycosides, marked here as saponins 1-6. All compounds were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activity in the carageenan-induced mouse paw edema test, and saponins 1, 4 and 5 showed significantly anti-inflammatory effects on both phases of carageenan-induced acute paw edema in mice. Saponin 5 was also found to significantly inhibit the production of inflammatory mediators - nitric oxide (NO) in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages, with no obvious effects on macrophage viability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Traditional Chinese Prescription, China Pharmaceutical University, Box C-09, No. 1 Shennong Road, Nanjing 210038, PR China.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kou
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002351:Carrageenan / Q000633:toxicity; D002460:Cell Line; D004487:Edema / Q000188:drug therapy; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D015394:Molecular Structure; D008517:Phytotherapy; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D031801:Polygala / Q000737:chemistry*; D012503:Saponins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012503:Saponins; D014315:Triterpenes; D002351:Carrageenan