Anti-inflammatory action of components from Melastoma malabathricum
Ethnic folklore or empirical therapeutic uses of plant parts have often provided the early indication of the possibility of discovering some pharmacologically active substance from a plant. Melastoma malabathricum L. (Melastomaceae), locally known as sendudok putih, is a small shrub. Traditiona...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Informa Healthcare
2007
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://irep.iium.edu.my/12166/ http://irep.iium.edu.my/12166/ http://irep.iium.edu.my/12166/ http://irep.iium.edu.my/12166/1/Pharmaceutical_Biology.pdf |
| Summary: | Ethnic folklore or empirical therapeutic uses of plant
parts have often provided the early indication of the
possibility of discovering some pharmacologically active
substance from a plant. Melastoma malabathricum L.
(Melastomaceae), locally known as sendudok putih, is
a small shrub. Traditional medicinal uses include diarrhea,
dysentery, ulcers, wound care, and piles. In the
search for natural compounds useful against anti-inflammatory activity, a-amyrin, betulinic acid, and isolated flavonoids, including quercetin and quercitrin, were assessed in vitro by determining their inhibitory effects on platelet activating factor (PAF) binding to rabbit platelets using 3H-PAF as a ligand. The results indicated that quercetin, quercitrin, a-amyrin, and betulinic acid showed inhibition of PAF receptor binding with IC50 values of 33.0, 45.4, 20.0, and 22.2 mM, respectively. The IC50 values of these compounds were comparable to Cedrol (13.1 mM), which is a known PAF receptor antagonist. These results suggest that natural flavonoid and pentacyclic triterpenes from M. malabathricum possess selective antagonistic activity toward PAF and could
be an attractive candidate as a natural anti-inflammatory
compound. |
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