Procoagulant substances and mechanisms of hemostatic herb Eclipta alba

Abstract

Eclipta alba, as one of the traditional Chinese hemostatic herbs, is often used to treat hemorrhagic diseases. However, the procoagulant components and mechanisms of the herbs are still unknown. In the present study, mixed solvents and macroreticular resin were used to obtain procoagulant extract (PE). The main procoagulant compounds in the extract were further isolated and identified as luteolin 7-sulfate and eclalbasaponin I. Sulfated flavonoids were synthesized by tetrabutylammonium hydrogen sulfate using dicyclohexylcarbodiimide as the medium. Both PE and sulfated flavonoids could agglutinate erythrocytes and flocculate fibrinogen independent of plasma in a dose-dependent manner. Eclalbasaponin I could only agglutinate erythrocytes. PE and sulfated flavonoids could shrink subcutaneous capillaries. Acid condition could promote the procoagulant activity (PA) of PE, eclalbasaponin I, and sulfated flavonoids significantly. PE and sulfated flavonoids exhibited much higher solubilities than Yunnan Baiyao powder, and showed tremendous potential application values in developing hemostatic drugs of treating gastrorrhagia and trauma.