The Ursolic Acid-Rich Extract of Dracocephalum heterophyllum Benth. with Potent Antidiabetic and Cytotoxic Activities

Abstract

Pentacyclic triterpenoids are one of the main functional components in Dracocephalum heterophyllum. In this study the optimal process, the fairly simple and accessible extraction and purification of triterpenoids of D. heterophyllum, was developed by a remaceration method. Remaceration is characterized by minimal loss of biologically active compounds on diffusion, which contributes to the largest depletion of raw materials. The triterpenoid yield was 2.4% under optimal conditions which was enhanced to 98.03% after purification. The triterpenoid profiles and their anticancer and antidiabetic activities were further analyzed. GC-MS analysis of triterpenoidal extract of D. heterophyllum resulted ursolic acid (71.9%) and oleanolic acid (18.1%) as the major components. Additionally, total purified triterpenoid contents of D. heterophyllum and its main components were shown to possess significant cytotoxic activity against three human breast cancer cell lines (SK-Br-3, T47D, and MCF-7). The purification of triterpenoids influenced their biological activity. The antidiabetic effect, as measured by inhibition of protein-tyrosine phosphatase (PTP-1B), of the purified fraction of triterpenoids of D. heterophyllum increased by five-fold against the enzyme. The results provide important guidance for the industrial application of D. heterophyllum confirming the prospect of developing plant extracts into effective drugs and health foods for human applications.

Optimization, Validation and Application of HPLC-PDA Methods for Quantification of Triterpenoids in Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.

“…It has been reported about more than 50,000 triterpenoids derived from the acyclic hydrocarbon, squalene. Pentacyclic triterpenoids can be divided into main classes of oleanane (oleonolic, maslinic acids, erythrodiol, β-amyrin), ursane (ursolic acid, uvaol, α-amyrin), lupane (betulinic acid, betulin, lupeol), or friedelane (friedelin) series triterpenoids, based on their parent skeleton [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]. More complex triterpenoids include phytosterols with a predominant member of β-sitosterol [ 9 ].…”

“…More complex triterpenoids include phytosterols with a predominant member of β-sitosterol [ 9 ]. Triterpenoids have been shown from various scientific studies to have a wide range of beneficial bioactivities, namely, chemopreventive, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antihyperlipidemic, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, antibacterial, antioxidant, and wound-healing properties [ 8 , 10 , 11 ]. Therefore, they constitute a source of interest as promising leading compounds for the development of new multi-targeting pharmaceuticals [ 5 , 8 ].…”

Integrated chromatographic approach for the discovery of gingerol antioxidants from Dracocephalum heterophyllum and their potential targets

“…8 At the same time, modern pharmacology has shown that D. heterophyllum has antidiabetic, antioxidant and antibacterial activities. 9,10 It has been reported that avonoids, alkaloids, triterpenoids, phenylpropane and phenylethanoids can be isolated from D. heterophyllum. [11][12][13] But gingerol and its derivatives have not yet been isolated.…”

Preparative isolation of antioxidative furanocoumarins from Dracocephalum heterophyllum and their potential action target

“…D. heterophyllum is a traditional Tibetan medicine known as “Ao‐Ga” or “Ji‐Mei‐Qing‐Bao”, used to treat various ailments such as jaundice, liver disease, cough, lymphangitis, mouth ulcers and dental disease [3, 4]. It has been reported that this herb possesses antidiabetic, inhibiting hepatitis, ameliorates autoimmune disease, antiviral activity, and antioxidant activities [4, 5–7]. Several flavones, alkaloids, triterpenoids, and phenylpropanoids have been isolated from D. heterophyllum in phytochemical studies [8–10].…”