SCREENING AND IDENTIFICATION OF POTENTIAL BIOACTIVE CONSTITUENTS IN A NEW HERBAL PRESCRIPTION SEAWEED COMPLEX PREPARATION

Abstract

Background: Seaweed Complex Preparation (SCP) is a clinical traditional Chinese medicine preparation composed of seven
 traditional Chinese herbs, and has been used for treatment of lung cancer, liver cancer and digestive cancer.
 Materials and Methods: In this study, the potential bioactive constituents of SCP were isolated and identified by chromatographic
 and spectroscopic methods. The immunomodulatory and DPPH radical scavenging activities of the constituents were also evaluated
 in vitro.
 Results: Forty-three compounds were isolated from the EtOAc and n-BuOH fractions of the decocted extracts. More than 10
 structural types of chemical constituents were found, including flavonoid glycosides, flavonoids, phenolic acid compounds, lignans,
 iridoid glycosides, and polysaccharides mainly composed of galactose and glucose. Flavonoid glycosides exhibited potential
 immunomodulatory by promoting splenic lymphocyte proliferation and stimulating the secretion of cytokines IL-2 and IFN-γ, as
 well as free radical (DPPH) scavenging activities. Caffeic acid derivatives showed remarkable free radical (DPPH) scavenging
 activity, while polysaccharides also displayed immunological enhancement effects.
 Conclusion: Four molecular communities, flavonoid glycosides, flavonoids, phenolic compounds and polysaccharides, might be the
 potential bioactive components of SCP. Synergism of these four molecular communities in SCP may endue the anticancer properties
 and reflect the feature of multi-components and multi-targets of traditional Chinese medicine formula.