ABSTRACT
Cassia obtusifolia L., of the Leguminosae family, is used as a diuretic, laxative, tonic, purgative, and natural remedy for treating headache, dizziness, constipation, tophobia, and lacrimation and for improving eyesight. It is commonly used in tea in Korea. Various anthraquinone derivatives make up its main chemical constituents: emodin, chrysophanol, physcion, obtusifolin, obtusin, au rantio-obtusin, chryso-obtusin, alaternin, questin, aloe-emodin, gluco-aurantio-obtusin, gluco-obtusifolin, naphthopyrone glycosides, toralactone-9-ß-gentiobioside, toralactone gentiobioside, and cassiaside. C. obtusifolia L. possesses a wide range of pharmacological properties (e.g., antidiabetic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, and neuroprotective properties) and may be used to treat Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and cancer. In addition, C. obtusifolia L. contributes to histamine release and antiplatelet aggregation. This review summarizes the botanical, phytochemical, and pharmacological features of C. obtusifolia and its therapeutic uses.
Subject(s)
Cassia/chemistry , Phytochemicals/chemistry , Phytochemicals/pharmacology , Phytotherapy , Plants, Medicinal/chemistry , Animals , Anthraquinones/chemistry , Anthraquinones/pharmacology , Anti-Infective Agents/chemistry , Anti-Infective Agents/pharmacology , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/chemistry , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/pharmacology , Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic/chemistry , Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic/pharmacology , Antioxidants/chemistry , Antioxidants/pharmacology , Ethnopharmacology , Humans , Hypoglycemic Agents/chemistry , Hypoglycemic Agents/pharmacology , Liver/drug effects , Liver/metabolism , Medicine, Korean Traditional , Mosquito Vectors/drug effects , Neuroprotective Agents/chemistry , Neuroprotective Agents/pharmacology , Phytochemicals/therapeutic use , Republic of KoreaABSTRACT
AIM: To investigate the antioxidant effects of Morinda officinalis (Morindae radix, MR) on H(2)O(2)-induced oxidative stress in cultured mouse TM3 Leydig cells. METHODS: We carried out 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, lipid peroxidation, testosterone enzyme immunoassay, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) assays in Leydig TM3 cells. RESULTS: MR showed a 47.8% 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging effect in TM3 cells with no significant cytotoxicity. Oxidative stress was induced in TM3 cells with 100 micromol H(2)O(2), and treatment of the cells with 250 microg/mL MR showed the most significant protective effect (64%, P < 0.001) in the cell viability assay with a decreased lipid peroxidation level (1.75 nmol/mg protein, P < 0.05), increased testosterone production (43.5 pg/mL), and improvements in SOD activity (7.49 units of SOD/mg protein, P < 0.001) and CAT activity (74.6 units of CAT/mg protein, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that MR, as an antioxidant, protects functions of cultured mouse TM3 Leydig cells from H(2)O(2)-induced oxidative stress.
