lithospermic-acid and 1-1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl

Salvianolic acid A (Sal A) was considered to be the compound with highest activity in Salvia miltiorrhiza (danshen). Due to its low content in raw materials, many studies reported its preparation from salvianolic acid B (Sal B). However, the process of this transformation is still unknown. Our objective was to find the chemical change of the transformation from Sal B to Sal A. The results showed that Sal B was hydrolyzed to lithospermic acid (LA) first, and the latter was transformed into Sal A in thermal aqueous solution. The radical scavenging ability of Sal A, Sal B, and LA was tested through DPPH, and Sal A showed higher radical elimination ability compared to Sal B and LA. In vitro liver damage was induced by CCl4 in human hepatic WRL68 cell line. Sal A, Sal B, and LA showed liver protective ability in a dose-dependent manner, while Sal A possessed a much higher ability compared to Sal B and LA.

Topics: Antioxidants; Benzofurans; Biphenyl Compounds; Caffeic Acids; Carbon Tetrachloride; Cell Line; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; Depsides; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Hot Temperature; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Lactates; Liver; Phytotherapy; Picrates; Salvia miltiorrhiza; Water

Buglossoides purpureocaerulea is a little-known plant used in the folk tradition for the preparation of a decoction in Sud, Italy, where it is appreciated for its beneficial effects on liver diseases. These properties may be due to the presence of antioxidant compounds. This study presents the phenolic characterisation and the antioxidant activity (AA) of B. purpureocaerulea extracts obtained by decoction, ethanol infusion and ethanol and methanol macerations. Total phenols ranged between 69 and 100 mg g(-1 ) dry weight (DW). The main compounds were: rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid, lithospermic acid and salvianolic acid C. The extracts showed a good AA, particularly high for the decoction (142-283 µmol TE g(-1) DW; TE, Trolox equivalent) and ethanol maceration extract (214-364 µmol TE g(-1) DW) when determined by DPPH and ferric reducing antioxidant power test, respectively.

Topics: Alkenes; Antioxidants; Benzofurans; Biphenyl Compounds; Boraginaceae; Caffeic Acids; Cinnamates; Depsides; Free Radical Scavengers; Picrates; Plant Extracts; Polyphenols; Rosmarinic Acid