Anna K Jäger1, Bente Gauguin, Jacob Andersen, Anne Adsersen, Lene Gudiksen. 1. Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2 Universitetsparken, 2100 Copenhagen O, Denmark. Electronic address: anna.jager@sund.ku.dk
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: A number of plant species are used in Danish folk medicine for treatment of depression and anxiety. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Aqueous and ethanolic extracts of 17 plant species were tested for affinity to the serotonin transporter and for inhibition of MAO-A-both targets for antidepressive treatment. RESULTS: An ethanolic extract of aerial parts of Borago officinalis had affinity to the serotonin transporter. Ten extracts, from eight plants, had IC(50) values below 25μg/ml extract in the MAO-A assay. The most active extracts in the MAO-A assay were the ethanol extract of seeds of Trigonella foenum-graecum (IC(50) 4μg/ml); ethanol extract of leaves of Apium graveolens (IC(50) 5μg/ml) and the water extract of aerial parts of Calluna vulgaris (IC(50) 8μg/ml). CONCLUSIONS: Besides Borago officinalis, which toxicity profile excludes it from further development as an herbal drug, none of the plants had potential as serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Several plants had MAO-A inhibitory activity.
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: A number of plant species are used in Danish folk medicine for treatment of depression and anxiety. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Aqueous and ethanolic extracts of 17 plant species were tested for affinity to the serotonin transporter and for inhibition of MAO-A-both targets for antidepressive treatment. RESULTS: An ethanolic extract of aerial parts of Borago officinalis had affinity to the serotonin transporter. Ten extracts, from eight plants, had IC(50) values below 25μg/ml extract in the MAO-A assay. The most active extracts in the MAO-A assay were the ethanol extract of seeds of Trigonella foenum-graecum (IC(50) 4μg/ml); ethanol extract of leaves of Apium graveolens (IC(50) 5μg/ml) and the water extract of aerial parts of Calluna vulgaris (IC(50) 8μg/ml). CONCLUSIONS: Besides Borago officinalis, which toxicity profile excludes it from further development as an herbal drug, none of the plants had potential as serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Several plants had MAO-A inhibitory activity.
Authors: Dragana M Vučić; Miroslav R Petković; Branka B Rodić-Grabovac; Olgica D Stefanović; Sava M Vasić; Ljiljana R Comić Journal: Bosn J Basic Med Sci Date: 2014-11-15 Impact factor: 3.363
Authors: F Saverio Bersani; Marialuce Coviello; Claudio Imperatori; Marta Francesconi; Christina M Hough; Giuseppe Valeriani; Gianfranco De Stefano; Flaminia Bolzan Mariotti Posocco; Rita Santacroce; Amedeo Minichino; Ornella Corazza Journal: Biomed Res Int Date: 2015-09-17 Impact factor: 3.411