Tormentillae rhizoma – Review for an Underestimated European Herbal Drug

Matthias F. Melzig; Stefan Böttger

doi:10.1055/a-1129-7214

Planta Medica, Table of Contents

Planta Med 2020; 86(15): 1050-1057
DOI: 10.1055/a-1129-7214

Biological and Pharmacological Activity

Reviews

Tormentillae rhizoma – Review for an Underestimated European Herbal Drug^{[
^#
]}

Authors

Matthias F. Melzig

Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany
Stefan Böttger

Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany

Abstract

Potentilla erecta is a medicinal plant described under its traditional name Tormentil in medieval herbal books and used until today in many European countries. Today monographs for Tormentillae rhizoma in the European pharmacopeia, as well as a monograph of the Herbal Medicinal Product Commission as a drug for traditional use, exist. The present review summarizes published investigations in phytochemistry and pharmacology, together with new findings reflecting the mechanisms of action of ellagitannins as one of the main ingredients of this herbal drug. Taken together all in vitro and in vivo investigations’ data support the traditional use for treatment of diarrhea and mucosal inflammation despite a lack of suffcient clinical studies.

Key words

Potentilla erecta - Tormentil - Rosaceae - phytochemistry - pharmacology - traditional use

Full Text

References

References
1 European Medicines Agency (EMA). Tormentil. EMA/166412/2019. Available at (Accessed February 24, 2020): https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-summary/tormentillae-rhizoma-summary-public_en.pdf
2 Anheyer D, Frawley J, Koch AK, Lauche R, Langhorst J, Dobos G, Cramer H. Herbal medicines for gastrointestinal disorders in children and adolescents: a systematic review. Pediatrics 2017; 139: pii:e20170062
3 Tobyn G, Denham A, Whitelegg M. Medical Herbs. Chapter 24. Potentilla erecta, tormentil. Churchill Livingstone Elsevier: Edinburgh; 2011: 241-252
4 Madaus G. Lehrbuch der biologischen Heilmittel. Hildesheim/New York: Verlag G. Olms; 1938: 2716-2720
5 Ahn BZ. Catechintrimeren aus der Eichenrinde und der Tormentilla-Wurzel. Dtsch Apoth Ztg 1973; 113: 1466
6 Ahn BZ. Catechingerbstoffe aus der Tormentilla-Wurzel. Arch Pharm 1974; 307: 241-250
7 Schleep S, Friedrich H, Kolodziej H. The first natural procyanidin with a 3,4-cis-configuration. J Chem Soc Chem Comm 1986; 392-393
8 Tomczyk M, Latté KP. Potentilla – a review of its phytochemical and pharmacological profile. J Ethnopharmacol 2009; 122: 184-204
9 Vennat B, Pouget MP, Pourrat A, Pourrat H. Proanthocyanidines: composition qualitative et quantitative dʼun extrait de rhizomes de Potentilla tormentilla (Rosacées). J Pharm Belg 1992; 47: 485-493
10 Vennat B, Bos MA, Pourrat A, Bastide P. Procyanidins from tormentil: fractionation and study of the anti-radical activity towards superoxide anion. Biol Pharm Bull 1994; 17: 1613-1615
11 Bos MA, Vennat B, Meunier MT, Pouget MP, Pourrat A, Fialip J. Procyanidins from tormentil: antioxidant properties towards lipoperoxidation and anti-elastase activity. Biol Pharm Bull 1996; 19: 146-148
12 Selenina LV, Zozulya RN, Yakovleva TN. Polyphenols of Potentilla erecta (L.) Hampe and their biological activity. Rastitelʼnye resursy 1973; 9: 409-414
13 Hiller K. Potentilla. In: Blaschek W, Hänsel R, Keller K, Reichling J, Rimpler H, Schneider G. eds. Hagerʼs Handbuch der Pharmazeutischen Praxis, Drogen P – Z, 5th Ed., Vol. 6. Berlin, Heidelberg, New York: Springer; 1994: 254-269
14 Schenck G, Frömming KH, Frohnecke L. Papierchromatographische Untersuchungen der Inhaltsstoffe von Tinctura Tormentillae. Arch Pharm 1957; 290: 453-457
15 Grochowski DM, Skalicka-Wozniak K, Orhan IE, Xiao J, Locatelli M, Piwowarski JP, Granica S, Tomczyk M. A comprehensive review of agrimoniin. Ann New York Acad Sci 2017; 1401: 166-180
16 Fecka I. Development of chromatographic methods for determination of Agrimoniin and related polyphenols in pharmaceutical products. J AOAC Int 2009; 92: 410-418
17 Geiger C, Scholz E, Rimpler H. Ellagitannins from Alchemilla xanthochlora and Potentilla erecta . Planta Med 1994; 60: 384-385
18 Feldman KS, Iyer MR, Liu Y. Ellagitannin chemistry. Studies on the stability and reactivity of 2,4-HHDP-containing glucopyranose systems. J Org Chem 2003; 68: 7433-7438
19 Potier P, Das B, Biu AM, Janot MM, Pourrat A, Pourrat H. Structure de lʼacide tormentique, acide triterpénique pentacyclique isolé des racines de Potentilla tormentilla Neck. (Rosacées). Bull Soc Chim Fr 1966; 11: 3458-3465
20 Stachurski L, Bednarek E, Dobrowolski JC, Strzelecka H, Mazurek AP. Tormentoside and two of its isomers obtained from the rhizomes of Potentilla erecta . Planta Med 1995; 61: 94-95
21 Geszprych A, Rosłon W, Weglarz Z. Phenolic acids in rhizomes and herb of tormentil (Potentilla erecta L.). Herba Pol 2003; 49: 315-316
22 Grujic-Vasic J, Ramic S, Bosnic T, Rimpapa Z. Phytochemical investigation of the Tormentil – Potentilla tormentilla . Folia Med Fac Med Univ Saraev 1982; 17: 89-98
23 Seidl O, Bednarska D. Leucoanthocyanidins in the native pharmacopoeial tannin-containing raw materials. Dissertationes Pharmaceuticae et Pharmacologicae 1969; 21: 193-196
24 Lund K. Tormentillwurzelstock – Phytochemische Untersuchungen des Rhizoms von Potentilla erecta (L.) Räuschel [Dissertation]. Freiburg i. Br.: University of Freiburg (Germany); 1986
25 Lund K, Rimpler H. Tormentillwurzel. Isolierung eines Ellagitannins und pharmakologisches Screening. Dtsch Apoth Ztg 1985; 125: 105-108
26 Geiger C, Rimpler H. Ellagitannins from Tormentillae rhizoma and Alchemillae herba . Planta Med 1990; 60: 384-385
27 Bilia AR, Palme E, Catalano S, Flamini G, Morelli I. New triterpenoid saponin from the roots of Potentilla tormentilla . J Nat Prod 1994; 57: 333-338
28 Bilia AR, Catalano S, Fontana C, Morelli I, Palme E. A new saponin from Potentilla tormentilla . Planta Med 1992; 58: 723
29 Brunfels O. Contrafayt Kreüterbuch. Straßburg: Schott; 1532
30 Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC). EMA/HMPC/5513/2010. Available at (Accessed: February 24, 2020): https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-monograph/draft-community-herbal-monograph-potentilla-erecta-l-raeusch-rhizoma_en.pdf
31 Hoffmann KF. Tormentil preparations according to Kneipp. Zahnarztl Rundsch 1955; 64: 373
32 Hoffmann KF. The healing power of the tormentil-root. Zahnarztl Welt 1954; 9: 21-22
33 Braun H. Tormentil as an adstringent. Dtsch Zahnarztl Z 1953; 8: 1297-1299
34 Tomczyk M, Pleszczyńska M, Wiater A. Variation in total polyphenolics contents of aerial parts of Potentilla species and their anticariogenic activity. Molecules 2010; 15: 4639-4651
35 Gau J, Prévost M, Van Antwerpen P, Sarosi MB, Rodewald S, Arnhold J, Flemmig J. Tannins and tannin-related derivatives enhance the (pseudo-)halogenating activity of lactoperoxidase. J Nat Prod 2017; 80: 1328-1338
36 Tomczyk M, Sosnowska K, Pleszczynska M, Strawa J, Wiater A, Grochowski DM, Tomczykowa M, Winnicka K. Hydrogel containing an extract of Tormentillae rhizoma for the treatment of biofilm-related oral diseases. Nat Prod Commun 2017; 12: 417-421
37 Nikitina VS, Kuzʼmina LIu, Melentʼev AI, Shendelʼ GV. Antibacterial activity of polyphenolic compounds isolated from plants of Geraniaceae and Rosaceae families. Prikl Biokhim Mikrobiol 2007; 43: 705-712
38 Langmead L, Dawson C, Hawkins C, Banna N, Loo S, Rampton DS. Antioxidant effects of herbal therapies used by patients with inflammatory bowel disease: an in vitro study. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2002; 16: 197-205
39 Tunón H, Olavsdotter C, Bohlin L. Evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity of some Swedish medicinal plants. Inhibition of prostaglandin biosynthesis and PAF-induced exocytosis. J Ethnopharmacol 1995; 48: 61-76
40 Marcinczyk N, Jarmoc D, Leszczynska A, Zakrzeska A, Kramkowski K, Strawa J, Gromotowicz-Poplawska A, Chabielska E, Tomczyk M. Antithrombotic potential of Tormentil extract in animal models. Front Pharmacol 2017; 8: 534
41 Marcinczyk N, Golaszewska A, Gromotowicz-Poplawska A, Tomczyk M, Chabielska E. Effect of Tormentil extract on hemostasis in STZ diabetic rats. Book of Abstracts. PSE Meeting Lisbon, July 28th – 3th, 2019; P95: 184.
42 Kong SC, Hurlstone DP, Pocock CY, Walkington LA, Farquharson NR, Bramble MG, McAlindon ME, Sanders DS. The incidence of self-prescribed oral complementary and alternative medicine use by patients with gastrointestinal diseases. J Clin Gastroenterol 2005; 39: 138-141
43 Huber R, Ditfurth AV, Amann F, Güthlin C, Rostock M, Trittler R, Kümmerer K, Merfort I. Tormentil for active ulcerative colitis: an open-label, dose-escalating study. J Clin Gastroenterol 2007; 41: 834-838
44 Moss AC, Cheifetz AS. Reducing the torment of diarrhea: tormentil for active ulcerative colitis. J Clin Gastroenterol 2007; 41: 797-798
45 Rahman H, Kim M, Leung G, Green JA, Katz S. Drug-Herb Interactions in the elderly patient with IBD: a growing concern. Curr Treat Options Gastroenterol 2017; 15: 618-636
46 Triantafillidis JK, Triantafyllidi A, Vagianos C, Papalois A. Favorable results from the use of herbal and plant products in inflammatory bowel disease: evidence from experimental animal studies. Ann Gastroenterol 2016; 29: 268-281
47 Wan P, Chen H, Guo Y, Bai AP. Advances in treatment of ulcerative colitis with herbs: from bench to bedside. World J Gastroenterol 2014; 20: 14099-15004
48 Langhorst J, Wulfert H, Lauche R, Klose P, Cramer H, Dobos GJ, Korzenik J. Systematic review of complementary and alternative medicine treatments in inflammatory bowel diseases. J Crohns Colitis 2015; 9: 86-106
49 Triantafyllidi A, Xanthos T, Papalois A, Triantafillidis JK. Herbal and plant therapy in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Ann Gastroenterol 2015; 28: 210-220
50 Piwowarski JP, Granica S, Zwierzyńska M, Stefańska J, Schopohl P, Melzig MF, Kiss AK. Role of human gut microbiota metabolism in the anti-inflammatory effect of traditionally used ellagitannin-rich plant materials. J Ethnopharmacol 2014; 155: 801-809
51 Singh R, Chandrashekharappa S, Bodduluri SR, Baby BV, Hegde B, Kotla NG, Hiwale AA, Saiyed T, Patel P, Vijay-Kumar M, Langille MGI, Douglas GM, Cheng X, Rouchka EC, Waigel SJ, Dryden GW, Alatassi H, Zhang HG, Haribabu B, Vemula PK, Jala VR. Enhancement of the gut barrier integrity by a microbial metabolite through the Nrf2 pathway. Nat Commun 2019; 10: 89
52 Paduch R, Wiater A, Locatelli M, Pleszczyńska M, Tomczyk M. Aqueous extracts of selected Potentilla species modulate biological activity of human normal colon cells. Curr Drug Targets 2015; 16: 1495-1502
53 Subbotina MD, Timchenko VN, Vorobyov MM, Konunova YS, Aleksandrovih YS, Shushunov S. Effect of oral administration of tormentil root extract (Potentilla tormentilla) on rotavirus diarrhea in children: a randomized, double blind, controlled trial. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2003; 22: 706-711
54 Volodina EV, Maksimovskiĭ IuM, Lebedev KA. The combined treatment of lichen ruber planus of the mouth mucosa. Stomatologiia (Mosk) 1997; 76: 28-32
55 Hoffmann J, Casetti F, Bullerkotte U, Haarhaus B, Vagedes J, Schempp CM, Wölfle U. Anti-inflammatory effects of agrimoniin-enriched fractions of Potentilla erecta . Molecules 2016; 21: pii:E792
56 Wölfle U, Hoffmann J, Haarhaus B, Rao Mittapalli V, Schempp CM. Anti-inflammatory and vasoconstrictive properties of Potentilla erecta – a traditional medicinal plant from the northern hemisphere. J Ethnopharmacol 2017; 204: 86-94
57 May G, Willuhn G. Antivirale Wirkung wässriger Pflanzenextrakte in Gewebekulturen. Arzneimittelforschung 1978; 28: 1-7
58 Shushunov S, Balashov L, Kravtsova A, Krasnogorsky I, Latté KP, Vasiliev A. Determination of acute toxicity of the aqueous extract of Potentilla erecta (Tormentil) rhizomes in rats and mice. J Med Food 2009; 12: 1173-1176

Tormentillae rhizoma – Review for an Underestimated European Herbal Drug[ # ]

Authors

Tormentillae rhizoma – Review for an Underestimated European Herbal Drug^{[
^#
]}