Efficient Preparation of Ephedrine Alkaloids-free Ephedra Herb Extract and Its Antitumor Effect and Putative Marker Compound

Abstract

Ephedra Herb is a crude drug for the treatment of headache, bronchial asthma, nasal in‰ammation, and the common cold. Although it has been considered that ephedrine alkaloids (EAs) are the principal active ingredients of Ephedra Herb, EAs are known to induce palpitations, hypertension, insomnia, and dysuria as major side eŠects. Therefore, the administration of EAs-containing drugs to patients with cardiovascular-related diseases is strongly contraindicated. Previously, we isolated herbacetin 7-O-neohesperidoside from Ephedra Herb. In addition, we found that herbacetin, a ‰avonoid aglycone in Ephedra Herb, had antiproliferative and analgesic eŠects. Therefore, the prospect of preparing safer natural medicines without the adverse eŠects associated with EAs was appealing. In this symposium review, to achieve the aim of producting a clinically useful Ephedra Herb extract with none of the adverse eŠects associated with EAs, I present an e‹cient preparation method of EAs-free Ephedra Herb extract, together with its chemical composition, antiproliferative eŠects, and a putative marker for quality control.

The Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, and Anticancer Activity of Greenly Synthesized Selenium and Zinc Composite Nanoparticles Using Ephedra aphylla Extract

“…Ephedra aphylla has been reported as being rich with valuable phytochemicals such as alkaloids like ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, N-methylephedrine, and 6-methoxykynurenic acid, and hordenine [22,23], phenolics and flavonoids, i.e., di-C-glucosyl flavone, 2,2di-O-β-glucopyranosyl-vicenin, di-O-glycoside, herbacetin 3-O-α -rhamnopyranoside-8-O-β-glucopyranoside, vicenin, 7-methoxy-4-oxo-1,4-dihydroquinoline-2-carboxylic acid, ephedralone, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, (E)-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)acrylic acid, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, and 7-methoxy-herbacetin [24,25]. Some of the phytochemical constituents in Ephedra aphylla possess larvicidal activity and could be used for controlling disease-caused by mosquitoes [26].…”

Ephedrae Herba: A Review of Its Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, Clinical Application, and Alkaloid Toxicity

“…Although Ephedra is suitable for treating sweating and fever, it is also commonly used for pain relief in clinics. A study reported that a flavonoid aglycone present in herbacetin 7- O -neohsperidin in Ephedra has anticancer cell proliferation effects and analgesic properties [ 102 ]. It could also inhibit the abnormal proliferation of cancer cells induced by the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) by inhibiting C-Met phosphorylation and its tyrosine kinase activity through the PI3K/Akt pathway [ 103 , 104 ].…”

Potential Molecular Mechanisms of Ephedra Herb in the Treatment of Nephrotic Syndrome Based on Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking

“…EH has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years with its biological and pharmacological properties, such as antioxidative, antimicrobial, antiinflammatory, antiallergic, and antiproliferative effects [11][12][13]. Recently, it is widely used to treat bronchial asthma, cardiovascular related diseases, immune system diseases, cancer, and other diseases [14][15][16]. Moreover, it is reported that EH has positive effects on the treatment of NS through reducing protein in the urine, alleviating kidney functional and structural impairment [17,18].…”