title: Effects of rhamnocitrin 4-β-D-galactopyranoside, isolated from Astragalus hamosus on toxicity models in vitro.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Astragalus hamosus L. (Fabaceae) is used in herbal medicine as emollient, demulcent, phrodisiac, diuretic, laxative, and good for inflammation, ulcers, and leukoderma. It is useful in treating irritation of the mucous membranes, nervous affections, and catarrh.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Rhamnocitrin 4-β-D-galactopyranoside (RGP), isolated from A. hamosus, was investigated for its possible protective effect on different models of toxicity in vitro on sub-cellular and cellular level.
  
  
  METHODS
  The effects of RGP were evaluated on isolated rat brain synaptosomes, prepared by Percoll reagent and on rat hepatocytes, isolated by two-stepped collagenase perfusion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In synaptosomes, RGP had statistically significant protective effect, similar to those of silymarin, on 6-hydroxy (OH)-dopamine-induced oxidative stress. These results correlate with literature data about protective effects of kempferol and rhamnocitrin on oxidative damage in rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells. In rat hepatocytes, we investigate the effect of RGP on two models of liver toxicity: Bendamustine and cyclophosphamide. In these models, the compound had statistically significant cytoprotective and antioxidant activity, similar to those of silymarin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to these results, we can suggest that such cytoprotective effect of RGP might be due to an influence on bendamustine and cyclophosphamide metabolism in rat hepatocytes. In isolated rat hepatocytes, in combination with bendamustine and cyclophosphamide and in 6-OH-dopamine-induced oxidative stress in isolated rat synaptosomes, RGP, isolated from A. hamosus, was effective protector and antioxidant. The effects were closed to those of flavonoid silymarin-the classical hepatoprotector and antioxidant.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Drug Metabolism and Drug Toxicity, Department of Pharmacology, Pharmacotherapy and Toxicology, Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kondeva-Burdina
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Ilina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Krasteva
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Drug Metabolism and Drug Toxicity, Department of Pharmacology, Pharmacotherapy and Toxicology, Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Mitka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mitcheva
keywords: Antioxidant activity; Astragalus hamosus; cytoprotection; flavonol glycoside; hepatocytes; synaptosomes