Evaluation of the phototoxic potential of plants used in oriental medicine.
OBJECTIVE
Phototoxicity can be either harmful or beneficial. Yet the phototoxicity of oriental medicinal plants is an understudied area. The purpose of this study is to fill in this gap.


METHODS
The phototoxic potential of oriental medicinal plants was examined in vitro using photohemolysis and the Candida albicans test. Seventeen medicinal plants [Acorus gramineus (ACG), Panax ginseng C.A. (PAG), Platycodon grandiflorum (PLG), Aractylodes japonica (ATJ), Xanthium strumarium (XAS), Dioscorea batatas (DIB), Anemarrhena asphodeloides (ANA), Polygonatum sibiricum Red (PSR), Cocculus trilobus (COT), Ficus carica (FIC), Chelidonium majus var. asiaticum (CMA), Pulsatilla koreana (PUK), Agrimonia pilosa (AGP), Zanthoxylum schinifolium (ZAS), Angelica gigas (ANG), Ledebouriella seseloides (LES), and Cnidium officinale (CNO)] were selected because they showed strong fluorescence in one of our previous studies of 62 plants. We further evaluated in vivo phototoxicity in mice. 0.75 mL/kg of seed oil for Xanthium strumarium (XAS, ), or 1.25 mL/kg of extracted solutions of Atractylodes japonica (ATJ, ), Chelidonium majus var. asiaticum (CMA, ), Zanthoxylum schinifolium (ZAS, ), and Ledebouriella seseloides (LES, ) were given once, and evaluated for sunburn edema, formation of sunburn cell, decrease of epidermal Langerhans cells and local suppression of contact hypersensitivity by UVA irradiation.


RESULTS
Sixteen out of the 17 plants tested except COT showed significant photohemolysis, and 5 of those exhibited phototoxic killing of Candida albicans. The phototoxicity of oriental medicines using those 5 plants was then studied in mice. The 5 plants increased sunburn edema and formation of sunburn cell, and suppressed immune responses locally by decreasing epidermal Langerhans cells and contact hypersensitivity by UVA irradiation.


CONCLUSIONS
More than a quarter of oriental medicinal plants can be phototoxic, and strong fluorescence measured by absorption and fluorescence spectra can be an easier way to screen for phototoxicity. On the other hand, the phototoxicity of the plants may also be used therapeutically. Further studies regarding the phototoxicity of active components extracted from both live and dried oriental medicinal plants are necessary.
Bark
Ki-Min
KM
Department of Chemical Education and Research Institute of Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 660-701, South Korea.
Heo
Eun Phil
EP
Han
Ki Deuk
KD
Kim
Man-Bae
MB
Lee
Seong-Tae
ST
Gil
Eun-Mee
EM
Kim
Tae Heung
TH
D000818:Animals; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D003877:Dermatitis, Contact / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D017484:Dermatitis, Phototoxic / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004487:Edema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D007801:Langerhans Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D008297:Male; D008518:Medicine, East Asian Traditional / Q000009:adverse effects; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018517:Plant Roots; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000009:adverse effects; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D013471:Sunburn / Q000473:pathology; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects
D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts