Determination of dibenzylbutyrolactone-type lignans in Centraurea species and analysis of arctigenin's anticancer effect

• Published in: Planta Medica
• Main Authors: Borsodi Szokol, L, Sedlák, É, Boldizsár, I, Paku, S, Preininger, É, Gyurján, I
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: 24.08.2010
• ISSN: 0032-0943; 1439-0221
• DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1264866

Centaurea species ( Asteraceae ) are mainly considered as weeds or ornamental plants but rarely as a herb. Dibenzylbutyrolactone-type lignans, matairesionoside and arctiin, and their aglycones, matairesinol and arctigenin are present in Centaurea generea. Arctigenin exhibit antitumor effect against colorectal [1], pancreatic [2] and skin cancer [3]. Isolation of lignans was published mainly for taxonomical classification. We investigated Centaurea americana , C. calcitrapa, C. cyanus, C. dealbata, C. montana and C. scabiosa fruits to quantify their lignan composition by HPLC-UV [4, 5]. Matairesinoside and matairesinol were the major lignan components in C. scabiosa with 51.5mg/g and 11.7mg/g, while arctiin was in C. dealbata with 58.7mg/g. Arctigenin was present in all Centaurea species, with highest of 6.3mg/g in C. americana . The total lignan content ranged from 4.53mg/g ( C. cyanus ) to 73.8mg/g ( C. dealbata ) with RSD% between 3.2–6.9. Lignans of the selected Centaurea species were determined and from pharmaceutical point of view C. dealbata seems to be the best source of arctiin and C. scabiosa of matairesinoside for further utilization. In the anticancer experiments with arctigenin, inbred C57Bl/6 mice were transplanted with C38 colorectal tumor. Tumor growth rate in mice treated with 50mg arctigenin/kg body weight was the smallest. The size of the tumors on the 21st day in group was as big as the tumors on the 14th day in the control group. Arctigenin in 50mg/kg dose was effective against C38 colon cancer. Arctigenin's antitumor activity against C38 colon cancer is promising in in vivo experiments. References: 1. Hausott, B et al. (2003)J. Cancer Res. Clin. Oncol. 129: 569–576. 2. Awale, S. et al.(2006) Cancer Res. 66: 1751–1757. 3. Takasaki, M. et al. (2000) Cancer Lett. 158: 53–59. 4. Boldizsár, I et al. (2010)J. Chrom A 1217:1674–1682. 5. Sedlák, É et al. (2008) Chrom 68: S35-S41.