Purification and structural characterization of two polysaccharides with anti-inflammatory activities from Plumbago zeylanica L.

Plumbago zeylanica L., a traditional Chinese medicine, has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, and it is critical important to explore the chemical compounds and evaluate their biological actions from the medicinal plant. However, the chemical structure and biological activities of polysaccharides from P. zeylanica. were still poorly understood. In this study, two water-soluble polysaccharides named WPZP-2-1 and WPZP-2-2 were purified from P. zeylanica L. Chemical and spectroscopic tests showed that the main chain of WPZP-2-1 was →4)-α-D-GalpA-(1 â†’ 2)-α-L-Rhap-(1→, and the branch chain was galactose or arabinose. The main chain of WPZP-2-2 was composed of →4)-α-D-GalpA-(1 â†’ 2)-α-L-Rhap-(1→, and the O-2 and O-3 of →4)-α-D-GalpA had a small amount of acetylation. In addition, in vitro test showed that WPZP-2-1 and WPZP-2-2 significantly improved the inflammatory damage of LPS + IFN-γ-induced THP-1 cells via reducing the protein levels of CD14, TLR4 and MyD88, thereby promoting IL-10 expression and inhibiting the mRNA levels of TNF-α and IL-1ß. Those findings indicated that WPZP-2-1 and WPZP-2-2 from the plant should be served as the potential anti-inflammatory agents.

Comparative hepatoprotective activity of detoxified roots of Plumbago zeylanica L. and Plumbago rosea L. in Wistar rats.

BACKGROUND: Paracetamol (acetaminophen) toxicity is considered to be one of the major causes of drug-induced hepatic failure. Citraka (Plumbago rosea L. and Plumbago zeylanica L.) was mentioned in Ayurveda classics as a remedy in liver disorders. OBJECTIVE(S): The aim of the study was to experimentally evaluate the comparative effect of hepatoprotective activity of detoxified root decoction of the two species of Citraka against paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity in male Wistar albino rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The hepatoprotective effect of Citraka decoction of two species was evaluated by the assessment of biochemical parameters such as SGOT, SGPT, alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, and serum creatinine. The study was also supported by histopathological assessment of liver sections. RESULTS: The results showed the elevated concentration of biochemical markers and histopathological degenerative changes in animals treated with paracetamol indicating severe hepatic damage; whereas, the treatment with decoction of both the species of Citraka showed significant reduction in the serum markers and regenerative changes in the histopathological specimens pointing towards its effectiveness as a hepatoprotective drug. CONCLUSION: The present study showed Citraka's effectiveness as a hepatoprotective drug and proved that the detoxified root decoction of P. rosea L. has a significant protective activity against paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity than P. zeylanica L.

Phenolic constituents of Pumbago zeylanica and their anti-oxidative effects / 中草药

Objective: To investigate the phenolic compounds from Plumbago zeylanica and their anti-oxidant activities. Methods :The phenolic compounds and their analogues were isolated and purified by silica gel column chromatography, semi-preparative HPLC, and HPLC. Their structures were identified by spectroscopy data. The isolated compounds were tested for anti-oxidant activity by ABTS assay. Results: Twelve phenolic compounds were obtained and identified as (±)-5,5’-dimethoxyl ariciresionl 4’-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (1), tracheloside (2), quercetin-3-O-β-D-galactoside (3), quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (4), quercetin (5), quercetin 3-O-α-L-rhamnoside (6), kaempferol-3-O-α-L-rhamnoside (7), apigenin-6-C-β-D-glucopyranoside (8), luteolin 6-C-β- glucopyranoside (9), polybotrin (10), 3-O-(β-D-glucopyranosyl)-1-(3’,5’-dimethoxy-4’-hydroxyphenyl)-1-propanone (11), and (2E,4E,1’R,3’S,5’R,8’S)-dihydrophaseic acid-3’-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (12). The anti-oxidant activity experiment showed that compounds 3-9 displayed significant anti-oxidative activities. Conclusion: All of the twelve phenolic compounds are isolated from this plant for the first time. The isolated flavones 3-9 displayed significant anti-oxidative activities.

Polyketide synthesis in tobacco plants transformed with a Plumbago zeylanica type III hexaketide synthase.

A type III polyketide synthase from Plumbago zeylanica (PzPKS) was cloned and expressed in tobacco plants to study whether the transgenic tobacco plants expressing PzPKS synthesize the pharmacologically important polyketide, plumbagin. High resolution mass spectrometry based metabolite profiling of two transgenic events and wild type tobacco plants was carried out to investigate changes in polyketides, including plumbagin. Ten polyketides, which included six pyrones and four naphthalene derivatives, were identified in PzPKS transgenic plants. While one pyrone, styryl-2-pyranone, was detected in both, wild type and transgenic tobacco plants, three pyrones were expressed only in the leaves of transgenic tobacco plants. The transgenic tobacco plants did not accumulate plumbagin, but showed accumulation of isoshinanolone in the roots, which is postulated to be the reduction product of plumbagin. In addition, leaves of transgenic tobacco plants accumulated 3-methyl-1,8-naphthalenediol, a postulated precursor of plumbagin. The results indicated the requirement of additional Plumbago-specific components in the biosynthetic pathway of this polyketide.

Analysis of inorganic elements in the leaves of Plumbago zeylanica L. cultivated by different methods / 中国药学杂志

OBJECTIVE: To study the inorganic elements in the leaves of Plumbago zeylanica L. cultivated by different methods.

Preliminary Study on Serum Fingerprint of Plumbago Zeylanica / 中国中医药信息杂志

Objective To sieve the bioactive constituents of Plumbago zeylanica, serum pharmacochemistry research was performed. Method Based on the establishment of HPLC fingerprints of Plumbago zeylanica, the constituents absorbed into blood were determined by comparing the HPLC fingerprints of the methanol extracts, medicated serum samples and blank serum sample. Results One compound absorbed into blood was detected, the other might be metabolites of the original constituent. Conclusion The one onstituent absorbed into blood was possible bioactive component of Plumbago zeylanica.

Antitumor activity of different organic solvents extracts and plumbagin from plumbago zeylanica L. on EMT-6 breast cancer and transplanting S180 in vivo / 中国药理学通报

Aim To find out the effect of the different organic solvents extracts and plumbagin from Plumbago zeylanica L.on EMT-6 breast cancer of BALB/C mouse and transplanted S180 of KM mouse primarily.Method Experiments of animal transplanted tumor in vivo were adopted.Results ① The high dose of chloroform group and plumbagin group could inhibit the growth of EMT-6 breast cancer in BALB/C mice in vivo.Compared with that of physiological saline group,tumor weight has obviously lightened(P