Phytochemical profile and anti-inflammatory activity of a commercially available Rhodiola rosea root extract.

Rhodiola rosea roots and rhizomes hold an important place in the folk medicines of Russia, Scandinavia, Mongolia, and China as a health supplement for stimulating the nervous system, enhancing physical and mental performances, and nowadays they constitute the active ingredient in many popular commercial preparations sold worldwide as food additives, pharmaceutical remedies, and drinks. This study was aimed at providing a detailed phytochemical characterization of the Rhodiola 5%, a commercially available extract of R. rosea roots, and resulted in the characterization of 18 secondary metabolites, including 13 polyphenols and 6 terpenoids, and in the discovery of the new rhodiosidin (5), the first R. rosea metabolite to show both terpenoid and cinnamoyl moieties. The 5-lipoxygenase inhibiting activity of the main components was characterized and disclosed that rosiridin (6), kenposide A and rosavins are mainly responsible for this activity of the extract.

Phytochemical profile of Centevita®, a Centella asiatica leaves extract, and isolation of a new oleanane-type saponin.

Centella asiatica is a popular medicinal plant and several phytotherapic products in the market include its extracts as active constituents. A LC-MS guided phytochemical investigation on the commercial C. asiatica leaves extract named Centevita® allowed characterization and quantification of 24 secondary metabolites including 10 polyphenols and 14 ursane- or oleanane-type triterpenoids in the sapogenin or saponin form. This metabolomic analysis, besides confirming that the triterpenoid fraction roughly accounts for 45% of the extract weight, also resulted in the discovery of isoterminoloside, a new triglycoside saponin of the unprecedented 2α,3ß,6ß,23-tetrahydroxyolean-13(18)-en-28-oic acid (isoterminolic acid). The structure of isoterminoloside was characterized by a detailed ESI-MS and NMR investigation.

Isomadecassoside, a New Ursane-Type Triterpene Glycoside from Centella asiatica Leaves, Reduces Nitrite Levels in LPS-Stimulated Macrophages.

A madecassoside-rich fraction obtained from the industrial purification of Centella asiatica leaves afforded a new triterpene glycoside, named isomadecassoside (4), characterized by an ursane-type skeleton and migration of the double bond at Δ20(21) in ring E. The structure of isomadecassoside was established by means of HR-ESIMS and detailed analysis of 1D and 2D NMR spectra, which allowed a complete NMR assignment. Studies on isolated J774A.1 macrophages stimulated by LPS revealed that isomadecassoside (4) inhibited nitrite production at non-cytotoxic concentrations, thus indicating an anti-inflammatory effect similar to that of madecassoside.