Download PDF
Planta Med 1997; 63(4): 316-319
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-957690
Papers
Pharmacology
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Isolation and Immunomodulating Effect of Flavonol Glycosides from Epimedium hunanense

H.-R. Liang, P. Vuorela, H. Vuorela, R. Hiltunen
  • Pharmacognosy Division, Department of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 56, FIN-00014, Finland
Further Information

Publication History

1996

1997

Publication Date:
04 January 2007 (online)

  PDF Download  Permissions and Reprints

Abstract

The ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions from aerial parts of E. hunanense were initially screened to find active fractions with immunomodulatory activity. Nine compounds, tricin (1), luteolin (2), thalictoside (3), icariin I (4), baohuoside I (5), quercitrin (6), icariin (7), epimedin C (8), and B (9) were isolated from this species for the first time, and 3 was isolated for the first time from flavonoid extracts of the genus. Their structures were established by chemical and spectroscopic methods. The immunomodulatory effects of the n-butanol fraction and epimedin C isolated from the fraction were investigated. Hydrocortisone acetate (HCA) was used as an immunosuppressant to inhibit the immune response of mice. The n-butanol fraction and epimedin C significantly enhanced the response of spleen antibody-forming cells (SAFC) to near normal in the mice treated with HCA. They also significantly enhanced lymphocyte proliferation and caused a significant recovery of interleukin-2 (IL-2) production in the mice inhibited with HCA. In conclusion, they are active principles with immunoenhancing effects.

Key words

Epimedium hunanense - Berberidaceae - flavonol glycosides - n-butanol fraction - epimedin C - immunoenhancing

      >