The Influence of Rhein 8-O-β-D-Glucopyranoside on the Purgative Action of Sennoside A from Rhubarb in Mice

• Published in: Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin Vol. 35; no. 12; pp. 2204 - 2208
• Main Authors: Takayama, Kento, Tsutsumi, Hiroyuki, Ishizu, Takashi, Okamura, Nobuyuki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan 01.12.2012
• Subjects: Animals; Anthracenes - metabolism; Anthracenes - pharmacology; anthraquinone; Anthraquinones - isolation & purification; Anthraquinones - pharmacology; Anthraquinones - therapeutic use; Bacteria - metabolism; Cathartics - isolation & purification; Cathartics - pharmacology; Cathartics - therapeutic use; Constipation - drug therapy; daiokanzoto; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Synergism; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - metabolism; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - pharmacology; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - therapeutic use; Emodin - pharmacology; Intestinal Mucosa - metabolism; Intestines - microbiology; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Monosaccharides - isolation & purification; Monosaccharides - pharmacology; Monosaccharides - therapeutic use; Phytotherapy; rhein 8-O-β-D-glucopyranoside; Rheum - chemistry; rhubarb; Senna Extract - metabolism; Senna Extract - pharmacology; Senna Extract - therapeutic use; sennoside A
• ISSN: 0918-6158; 1347-5215
• DOI: 10.1248/bpb.b12-00632

Rhubarb is one of the most well-known herbal medicines that constitute daiokanzoto (DKT), which is clinically effective for constipation. Sennoside A is transformed into an active metabolite, rheinanthrone, by intestinal bacteria. Sennoside A in rhubarb showed significantly accelerated metabolic activity in intestinal bacteria in comparison with sennoside A alone. In this study, we investigated the influence of rhubarb constituents on the metabolism and purgative activity of sennoside A. The 20% MeOH-eluted fraction separated by MCI-gel CHP-20P column chromatography from the water extract of rhubarb showed sennoside A metabolic activity similar to that of rhubarb extract. The 20% MeOH elute was further purified and rhein 8-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (RG) was isolated. The metabolic activity of sennoside A was significantly accelerated by increasing the level of RG. Moreover, rhein, emodin and aloe-emodin also accelerated sennoside A metabolism. The purgative activity of sennoside A was significantly accelerated when RG or rhein was concomitantly given with sennoside A in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that anthraquinones contribute to the purgative action of sennoside A in rhubarb. Therefore, it is assumed that the influence of anthraquinones on the fate of rheinanthrone transformed from sennoside A may promote the purgative action of sennoside A.