Triterpene saponins from Chenopodium bonus-henricus roots

Chenopodium bonus-henricus L. has been recognized by Bulgarian legislation as a medicinal plant. Infusions of the roots have been used for treatment of bronchitis, laryngitis, reumatism, gout, constipation, dermatitis, eczema. The decoct of the roots of Good King Henry (also known as "chuven") is used for production of “tahin” and “white halva”. The present study investigated the hepatoprotective activity of MeOH extract from the roots of C. bonus-henricus, employing in vitro and in vivo hepatotoxicity models based on carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced liver damage in male Wistar rats. In vitro experiments were carried out in primary isolated rat hepatocytes. Cells pre-incubation with the extract significantly ameliorated in a concentration-dependent manner, the CCl₄-induced hepatic damage. Along with decreased malondialdehyde quantity and increased level of reduced glutathione (GSH), seven days pre-treatment of rats with the MeOH extract also prevented the CCl₄-caused oxidative damage by increasing antioxidant enzyme activities (catalase, superoxide dismutase, GSH-s-transferase, GSH peroxidase, GSH reductase). An extensive chromatographic procedure of the MeOH extract led to the isolation of one new as well as three known triterpene saponins. The new compound was identified as 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-phytolaccagenin-28-α-L-arabinopyranosyl ester (1) on the basis of 1D, 2D-NMR techniques, (COSY, HMBC, and HSQC), MS analysis and chemical methods. The known compounds were identified as 3-O-β-glucuronopyranosyl-bayogenin-28-O-β-glucopyranosyl ester (2), 3-O-β-glucopyranosyl-bayogenin-28-α-L-arabinopyranosyl ester (3), 3-O-β-glucuronopyranosyl-medicagenic acid-28-β-xylopyranosyl(1→4)-α-rhamnopyranosyl(1→2)-α-arabinopyranosyl ester (4). Further studies are in progress to investigatethe hepatoprotective activityof the isolated saponins.

Acknowledgement: This study was supported by Medical Council at the Medical University of Sofia (Project 11/2013)