Quassic Chemical Components And Pharmacological Activities Of Research

Ku-mu is the dried branches and leaves of tree of Picrasma quassioides (D.Don) Benn., genus Picrasma B1., family Simaroubaceae. According to the2010edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia, it has been used for the treatment of sore throat, cold, snakebite, scabies, eczema and so on. Studies find that alkaloids and picrasins are the major components of Picrasma quassioides (D.Don) Benn., following by volatile oil, triterpenes, saponins, sterols, coumarins and quinones. The modern pharmacology studies have shown that it also has antipyretic, antihypertensive, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-snake anti-malarial, anti-cancer activities as well as reducing transaminase. In our present study, we made research on the chemical components and pharmacological activities of Picrasma quassioides (D.Don) Benn., what we do may provide some references for the further studies and utilization of Picrasma quassioides (D.Don) Benn.Part1Studies on the chemical components of PQBPicrasma quassioides (D.Don) Benn was firstly extracted with80%ethanol by reflux, after evaporated the solvent, the dryness of the extracts were subjected to conventional column chromatography to separate the components, a total of seven compounds was separated and identified by TLC, MS, UV, IR, H1NMR and C13NMR methods, they are:4-methoxy-5-hydroxy-canthin,4,5-dimethoxy-canthin,5-methoxy-canthin,1-methoxy-formyl-P-carboline,3-methyl-canthin-2,6-dione, daucosterol and β-sitosterol. In addition, the total alkaloids of Picrasma quassioides (D.Don) Benn was then subjected to HSCCC to obtained three major compounds with high purities:4-methoxy-5-canthin,1-methoxy-formyl-β-carboline and3-methyl-canthin-2,6-dione. What’s more, the HPLC method was used for quantitative analysis of the main chemical ingredient of Picrasma quassioides (D.Don) Benn, the result showed that4-methoxy-5-hydroxy-canthin had the highest concentrations in PQB and it was higher producing from Dabieshan, what we have done can offer scientific references for the quality control of the herbs.Part2Studies on the biological activities of alkaloids from PQB Extract from Picrasma quassiodes (D. Don) Benn. was administrated to SHR rats by gavage for six consecutive weeks, the blood pressures of the rats were measured with non-invasive blood pressure measurement system. Results showed that PQB had significant antihypertensive effect on SHR, it can reduce the systolic, diastolic, and mean pressure, but have no significant effect on heart rate of SHR. In addition, serum pharmacology, histopathology and immunohistochemistry experiment revealed that the mechanism of its antihypertensive effect may be:increasing expression of important proteins in NO pathway namely eNOS and improving NO availability which infers relaxation of the vessel wall to control blood pressure as well as reducing the Ang II activty; attenuating vascular oxidative stress via enhancing serum SOD activity and protecting endothelial cells to some extent.PQB extract was administrated to mice with inflammatory bowel disease induced by TNBS-ethanol solution, the results from detection of serum cytokines> colonic tissue MPO activity and COX-2, iNOS expression showed that PQB could inhibited the pro-inflammatory mediator production such as IL-8and TNF-a as well as the reduced colonnic tissue levels of MPO activity. In addition, PQB may also restrain the protein expression of colonic COX-2and iNOS. All above experiment results suggested that PQB treatment could repair the IBD mice colon tissue injury through it anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects, our experimental research provide evidence for the further study and therapeutic of IBD.