title: Chemical and pharmacological profiles of Echinacea complex.
abstract: Echinacea purpurea has a long history in traditional medicine. To verify the pharmacological efficacy of active principles, a polysaccharide-phenolic-protein complex has been isolated from flowering parts of herb by alkaline extraction. It showed on GPC and HPLC one peak of molecular mass around 10 kDa. Chemical and spectroscopic analyses revealed carbohydrate, phenolic and protein contents in Echinacea complex. Pharmacological tests have shown its marked cough suppressing and bronchodilatory effects. The antitussive effect of Echinacea was similar to the narcotic drug codeine and the bronchodilatory effect was more significant than salbutamol, the antiasthmatic drug used in a clinical practice. Pharmacodynamic study shows the beneficial effects of Echinacea complex on the respiratory system and highlights the great potential for development of antitussive and bronchodilatory drugs from natural sources.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chemistry, Center for Glycomics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, Bratislava, Slovakia. Electronic address: chemcape@savba.sk.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Capek
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Martin, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Šutovská
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Martin, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Michaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kocmálová
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Martin, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Soňa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fraňová
authors.affiliation: Division of Organic and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Technology, Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: Izabela
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pawlaczyk
authors.affiliation: Division of Organic and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Technology, Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: Roman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gancarz
mesh_terms: D000420:Albuterol / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000996:Antitussive Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D019343:Citric Acid; D003061:Codeine / Q000494:pharmacology; D003371:Cough / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D020900:Echinacea / Q000737:chemistry*; D035264:Flowers / Q000737:chemistry; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D010991:Plethysmography; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D000996:Antitussive Agents; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011134:Polysaccharides; D019343:Citric Acid; D000420:Albuterol; D003061:Codeine
keywords: Bronchodilatory effect; Echinacea purpurea; Polysaccharide complex