In vitro enzyme inhibitory effects of Rubus sanctus Schreber and its active metabolite as a function of wound healing activity

Abstract

The young shoots of Rubus species have been used in folk medicine for the healing of wounds, infected insect bites and acnes for centuries. In order to investigate the potential wound healing activity, n-hexane, ethyl acetate (EtOAc) and methanol (MeOH) extracts of the aerial parts of Rubus sanctus Schreber, one of the widespread species growing wild in Turkey were successively prepared. The wound healing effect of the extracts was determined by assessing their potential inhibitory activity on hyaluronidase, collagenase and elastase enzymes, all of which have an essential role in the wound healing process. According to activity-guided fractionation assay, the methanol extract was fractionated by silica gel column chromatography. Preparative thin layer chromatography analysis afforded a pure compound which was elucidated by spectral techniques as “quercetin-3-O-β-galactoside”, namely hyperoside. The in vitro assays demonstrated that hyperoside promoted the wound healing process by inhibiting the collagenase and elastase enzymes.