Hydroxysafflor Yellow A: A Promising Therapeutic Agent for a Broad Spectrum of Diseases.

Hui Ao,Cheng Peng,Wuwen Feng

doi:10.1155/2018/8259280

Abstract

Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) is one of the major bioactive and water-soluble compounds isolated from Carthami Flos, the flower of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.). As a natural pigment with favorable medical use, HSYA has gained extensive attention due to broad and effective pharmacological activities since first isolation in 1993. In clinic, the safflor yellow injection which mainly contains about 80% HSYA was approved by the China State Food and Drug Administration and used to treat cardiac diseases such as angina pectoris. In basic pharmacology, HSYA has been proved to exhibit a broad spectrum of biological effects that include, but not limited to, cardiovascular effect, neuroprotection, liver and lung protection, antitumor activity, metabolism regulation, and endothelium cell protection. Although a great number of studies have been carried out to prove the pharmacological effects and corresponding mechanisms of HYSA, a systemic review of HYSA has not yet been seen. Here, we provide a comprehensive summarization of the pharmacological effects of HYSA. Together with special attention to mechanisms of actions, this review can serve as the basis for further researches and developments of this medicinal compound.

Highlights

InstructionCarthamus tinctorius L. (Figure 1(a)), named safflower, belongs to the genus Carthamus family Compositae
HO O (c) we managed to give a comprehensive review and analysis of the pharmacological properties of HYSA, supporting the potential application of HYSA in clinic
Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) could reverse the haemodynamic alteration, enhance the survival rate, alleviate the myocardial damage, and promote the angiogenesis in the ischemic myocardium by enhancing expression of nucleolin and upregulating expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) and matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9) in the myocardial ischemia (MI) rats induced by occlusion of left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) [9]

Summary

Instruction

Carthamus tinctorius L. (Figure 1(a)), named safflower, belongs to the genus Carthamus family Compositae. Carthami Flos (Figure 1(b)), named Honghua in China, is the dried floret of safflower and known as a blood stasis promoting herb. (c) Hydroxysafflor yellow A (the main effective compound of Carthami Flos). Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HYSA, Figure 1(c)) is a watersoluble compound mainly responsible for the medicinal activities of Carthami Flos. It was firstly separated from Carthamus tinctorius L. by Meselhy et al in 1993 [2] and is regarded as one of the standard components for quality control of Carthami Flos according to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, because of its rich abundance and strong activities [3]. It could prolong prothrombin time (PT) of rat plasma and recalcification time (RT) of rabbit plasma in vitro [8]

Pharmacology

Conclusion