Planta Med 1998; 64(3): 204-207
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-957409
Papers
Pharmacology
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

α-Viniferin: A Prostaglandin H2 Synthase Inhibitor from Root of Carex humilis

Seung-Ho Lee1 , Nam-Ho Shin2 , Seh-Hoon Kang3 , Ji Soo Park1 , See Ryun Chung1 , Kyung Rak Min2 , Youngsoo Kim2
  • 1College of Pharmacy, Yeungnam University, Kyongsan, Korea
  • 2College of Pharmacy, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Korea
  • 3Cosmetic R & D Center, LG Chemical Ltd., Taejon, Korea
Further Information

Publication History

1997

1997

Publication Date:
04 January 2007 (online)

Abstract

An inhibitor on cyclooxygenase activity of prostaglandin H2 synthase was purified from the root of Carex humilis Leyss (Cyperaceae) by a variety of column chromatographic methods. As a result of the structure analysis by FAB-mass, 1H-NMR, and 13C-NMR spectral data, the active compound was identified as (+)-α-viniferin, an oligomeric stilbene characterized originally from Caragana chamlagu Lamarck (Legumino-sae). (+)-α-Viniferin exhibited a dose-dependent inhibition on cyclooxygenase activity, where 50% of inhibition (IC50) was shown at a final concentration of about 7 µM. Resveratrol, a putative building block of oligomeric stilbenes, also inhibited the cyclooxygenase activity. The inhibitory potency of (+)-α-viniferin was about 3- to 4-fold stronger than that of resveratrol on cyclooxygenase activity of prostaglandin H2 synthase partially purified from sheep seminal vesicles.