Abstract
To understand the impacts of different processing methods on the composition and effects of the herb Saussurea laniceps (SL), the present study report the first comparison of the chemical constituents of aqueous and ethanolic SL extracts using chromatographic analysis, and to compare their pharmacological effects in a mouse anti-inflammatory, anti-nociceptive model and an in vitro anti-oxidant test. Chemical comparison demonstrated that the types of chemicals in the two extracts were identical, but the contents of the main constituents in the aqueous extract were lower than those of the ethanolic extract. A transesterification of dicaffeoylquinic acids took place in the aqueous extract during boiling. As for pharmacological effects, oral administration of aqueous and ethanolic SL extracts significantly inhibited croton oil-induced mice ear edema, and significantly inhibited acetic acid-induced mice writhings, respectively. In the DPPH anti-oxidant activity test, the IC50 values were calculated as 409.6 mg/L and 523.4 mg/L for the ethanolic and aqueous extracts, respectively. The inhibitory effects of the ethanolic extract were more potent than those of the aqueous extract in all pharmacological tests, although there was no significant difference. This study suggests that the two preparations should be distinguished when used.
Highlights
Process-induced changes in herbs, which can influence their chemical composition and even the overall attributes of a medicine, is an important research direction of medicinal study [1]
The results demonstrated that the types of chemical composition of the two extracts are identical, namely phenolic acids and coumarins, but the contents of most constituents in the aqueous extract are decreased compared with those in the ethanolic extract
To understand the effects of processing on the composition and efficacy of S. laniceps (SL) herbal extract, the present study is the first to compare the chemical composition and pharmacological effects of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of SL prepared by boiling in water and steeping in spirit containing 50% ethanol, respectively
Summary
Process-induced changes in herbs, which can influence their chemical composition and even the overall attributes of a medicine, is an important research direction of medicinal study [1]. A comparative study of the two processing methods is important because, firstly, safety and efficacy are key requisites for herbs [9], and evidence-based efficacy associated with consumption of the herbs may increase patient confidence [10]. This comparison has a special significance for alcoholics and other people who may prefer not to take alcoholic beverages. We compared the chemical composition of SL aqueous and ethanolic extracts processed by boiling in water and by steeping in spirit containing 50% ethanol. These results suggest that the two preparations should be distinguished when used
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