Planta Med 2009; 75 - J115
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1234920

COX-2 inhibition by ethanol extracts obtained from roots of certain Ranunculaceae species

J Malik 1, P Landa 2, P Marsik 2, T Vanek 2, L Kokoska 1
  • 1Department of Crop Sciences and Agroforestry, Institute of Tropics and Subtropics, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamycka 129, 165 21 Prague 6– Suchdol, Czech Republic
  • 2Laboratory of Plant Biotechnologies, Joint Laboratory of Institute of Experimental Botany AS CR, v.v.i. and Research Institute of Crop Production, v.v.i., Rozvojova 263, 165 02 Prague 6– Lysolaje, Czech Republic

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is one of the key enzymes of arachidonic acid metabolism involved in the production of important mediators of inflammation. It has been believed that inhibition of COX-2 derived prostanoids such as prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) are responsible for anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic effects of therapeutic preparations [1]. The plant family of Ranunculaceae comprehends various species of worldwide traditionally used species for medicinal purposes, whose marked biological activities (including anti-inflammatory) have previously been published in a number of studies [2,3].

Thus we decided to evaluate the in vitro inhibitory activity against COX-2 of 20 samples of ethanol extracts obtained from roots of various species of the genera Aconitum, Actaea, Anemone, Aquilegia, Cimicifuga, Eranthis, Ficaria, Helleborus, Ranunculus, Thalictrum and Trollius using method previously described by Reininger and Bauer [4]. The ethanol samples were tested at final concentrations of 128, 64, 32 and 16µg/ml in the assay mixture. Indomethacin was used as a standard reference material.

Among all samples tested, the H. purpurascens root extract possessed the strongest inhibitory effect against PGE2 formation at a concentration of 16µg/ml. At 32µg/ml, enhanced effect of extracts from C. racemosa, F. bulbifera, Trollius. altissimus and T. europaeus could be also determined. Other samples had relatively weak or no effect on PGE2 production even at 128µg/ml.

Our results show a considerable inhibitory activity of extract of H. purpurascens against COX-2, suggesting these species might be a potential source of effective plant-derived anti-inflammatory substances.

Acknowledgements: This research was supported by Czech Science Foundation (Project No. 525/08/1179).

References: [1] Smith, W.L. et al. (2000) Annu. Rev. Biochem. 69:145–182.

[2] Li, R.W. et al. (2003)J. Ethnopharmacol. 85:25–32.

[3] Jodynis-Liebert, J. et al. (2005): J. Ethnopharmacol. 97:351–358.

[4] Reininger, E.A., Bauer, R. (2006) Phytomedicine 13:164–169.