Anti-Inflammatory Isoflavonoids from the Stems of Derris scandens

Pisamai Laupattarakasem; Peter J. Houghton; J. Robin S. Hoult

doi:10.1055/s-2004-827147

Planta Medica, Table of Contents

Planta Med 2004; 70(6): 496-501
DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-827147

Original Paper

Pharmacology
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Anti-Inflammatory Isoflavonoids from the Stems of Derris scandens

Pisamai Laupattarakasem¹ ^, ² , Peter J. Houghton¹ , J. Robin S. Hoult³ ^, ⁴

¹Department of Pharmacy, King’s College London, London, U.K.
²Current address: Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
³Messengers and Signalling Research Group, GKT School of Biomedical Sciences, King’s College London, London, U.K.
⁴Deceased 24^th April 2001

Our grateful thanks to Faculty of Medicine, Khon Khaen University, Thailand for a PhD scholarship for Dr Laupattarakasem.

Abstract

Fractionation of the aqueous extract of Derris scandens stems extract using tests for eicosanoid inhibition resulted in the isolation of three isoflavonoids, genistein, its 7-O-α-rhamno(1→6)-β-glucosyl glycoside, a new compound, and two known isoprenyl derivatives 3′-γ,γ-dimethylallylweighteone and scandenin. The isoprenylated compounds showed a high inhibitory effect on eicosanoid production in vitro but HPLC analysis showed that the genistein accounted for most of the activity of the total extract. Antioxidant studies showed that genistein and the isoprenylated compounds showed activity comparable to standard antioxidants. Genistein and its glycoside demonstrated no cytotoxicity in the MTT test but the prenylated compounds showed some toxicity and also increased LDH release from polymorphonucleocytes, at concentrations much greater than would be encountered in an aqueous extract of D. scandens.

Key words

Derris scandens - Leguminosae - isoflavonoids - eicosanoid inhibition - antioxidant - anti-inflammatory

Full Text

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Prof. Peter J. Houghton

Department of Pharmacy

King’s College London

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London, SE1 9NN

U.K.

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Email: peter.houghton@kcl.ac.uk