Abstract
Cyperus rotundus is used as an analgesic and sedative in oriental medicine and has been reported to
exhibit antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects. On the other hand, the transient
receptor potential vanilloid 1 channel is a nonselective cation channel that senses
various noxious chemical and thermal stimuli. However, it has recently been reported
that the epidermally expressed transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 channel is
involved in heat- and UV-induced skin aging. The aim of this study was to evaluate
whether C. rotundus extract and its constituents can inhibit this channel. Ethylacetate and hexane fractions
of the methanol extract were found to partially inhibit transient receptor potential
vanilloid 1 channel activity, and at a concentration of 90 µM, oleanolic acid, which
was one of three constituents isolated from the ethylacetate fraction, inhibited this
activity by 61.4 ± 8.0 %. This is first electrophysiological study to be conducted
on the effects of C. rotundus extract and its constituents on the transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 channel.
The results obtained provide insight of the potential therapeutic
effects of C. rotundus in the contexts of analgesia and UV-induced photoaging.
Key words
Cyperus rotundus
- Cyperaceae - TRPV1 - oleanolic acid