Main non-flavonoid constituent of birch leaves water extract – 3-hydroxy-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-propan-1-one 3-O-β-D-glucoside: isolation, permeability, and antiadhesive activity

Birch leaves (Betula pendula Roth, Betula pubescens Ehrh.) is a plant material traditionally used in gout, rheumatism, arthritis, and urinary tract conditions. The main constituents of the birch leaf water infusion are flavonoids, phenolic acids, and glycosides. In previous reports, the diuretic activity of flavonoid-free birch leaves extract was confirmed [1]. The most abundant non-flavonoid constituent of the extract is 3-hydroxy-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-propan-1-one 3-O-β-D-glucoside (3,4′-DHPPG) [2]. The aim of the research was to isolate this compound from birch leaves extract and assess its permeability and antiadhesive activity.

The preparative HPLC was used for direct isolation of 3,4′-DHPPG from raw water infusion (yield 1.8% of dry weight). The obtained compound had 95.67% purity (HPLC). The antiadhesive activity of the compound was assessed by incubating the compound, FITC-labelled uropathogenic E. coli (NU14), and T24-bladder cells forwarded with flow-cytometry analysis. The antiadhesive activity was observed for 100 µM of 3,4′-DHPPG. The transport experiments were performed using Caco-2 monolayers with both raw extract and isolated compound solutions. In both modes, the significant permeability of 3,4′-DHPPG was observed.

The highest described isolation yield of 3,4′-DHPPG from a natural source was obtained [3]. Its antiadhesive activity can contribute to birch leaves beneficial properties considering the treatment of urinary tract infections. Based on the permeability experiments, it might be concluded that 3,4′-DHPPG is the most permeable constituent of the raw extract.

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The presented research was financially supported by the NCN research grant OPUS15 No. 2018/29/B/NZ7/01 873 and the MUW Scholarship No. 06/F/MBM/21.

 

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• References

• 1 European Medicines Agency. Assessment report on Betula pendula Roth and/or Betula pubescens Ehrh. as well as hybrids of both species, folium. 2014; EMA/HMPC/5: 4 – 5.
• 2 Popowski D, Korczak M, Pawłowska K. et al. silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) – phytochemical characterization of the constituents and their metabolites present in the urine. Planta Med 2021; 87: YRW1
• 3 Santos CC de S, Masullo M, Cerulli A. et al. Isolation of antioxidant phenolics from Schinopsis brasiliensis based on a preliminary LC-MS profiling. Phytochemistry 2017; 140: 45-51

Publication History

Article published online:
12 December 2022