The inhibitory effect of triterpenoid glycosides originating from Sanguisorba officinalis on tissue factor activity and the production of TNF-alpha.

We examined the inhibitory effects of novel triterpene glycoside compounds [ziyu-glycoside II (ZY-II) and its methyl ester (ZYM-201)], which originated from the roots of sanguisorba officinalis L. (Rosaceae), on tissue factor (TF) activity and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha production. In in vitro TF activity tests, ZY-II but not ZYM-201 strongly blocked lung TF activity with an IC50 value of 0.46 microM. By contrast, only ZYM-201 dose-dependently inhibited in vivo TF activity with an ED50 value of 1.7 mg/kg, when orally administered. Furthermore, ZYM-201 diminished both in vitro and in vivo TNF-alpha production with IC50 or ED50 values of 69.4 microM and 87.4 mg/kg, respectively. Therefore, these results suggest either that ZYM-201 may be developed as a potent inhibitor of both TF- and TNF-alpha-mediated diseases such as atherosclerosis and septic shock, or it may be a lead compound to be derivatized for further improvement of its curative efficacy.