Characterization of Natural Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Agonists from Cassia Seed and Rosemary

Molecules

Yoshiaki Amakura¹  Morio Yoshimura¹  Masashi Takaoka¹  Haruka Toda¹  Tomoaki Tsutsumi²  Rieko Matsuda²  Reiko Teshima²  Masafumi Nakamura³  Hiroshi Handa³ 

[1] College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Matsuyama University; 4-2 Bunkyo-cho, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8578, Japan; E-Mails:;Division of Foods, National Institute of Health Sciences; 1-18-1 Kamiyoga, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 158-8501, Japan; E-Mails:;Hiyoshi Corporation, 908 Kitanosho-cho, Omihachiman, Shiga 523-8555, Japan; E-Mails:

关键词: aryl hydrocarbon receptor;    health food;    cassia seed;    rosemary;    reporter gene assay;   

DOI  :  10.3390/molecules19044956

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Many recent studies have suggested that activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) reduces immune responses, thus suppressing allergies and autoimmune diseases. In our continuing study on natural AhR agonists in foods, we examined the influence of 37 health food materials on the AhR using a reporter gene assay, and found that aqueous ethanol extracts of cassia seed and rosemary had particularly high AhR activity. To characterize the AhR-activating substances in these samples, the chemical constituents of the respective extracts were identified. From an active ethyl acetate fraction of the cassia seed extract, eight aromatic compounds were isolated. Among these compounds, aurantio-obtusin, an anthraquinone, elicited marked AhR activation. Chromatographic separation of an active ethyl acetate fraction of the rosemary extract gave nine compounds. Among these compounds, cirsimaritin induced AhR activity at 10–10² μM, and nepitrin and homoplantagenin, which are flavone glucosides, showed marked AhR activation at 10–10³ μM.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.