Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin
Online ISSN : 1347-5215
Print ISSN : 0918-6158
ISSN-L : 0918-6158
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The Influence of Rhein 8-O-β-D-Glucopyranoside on the Purgative Action of Sennoside A from Rhubarb in Mice
Kento TakayamaHiroyuki TsutsumiTakashi IshizuNobuyuki Okamura
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2012 Volume 35 Issue 12 Pages 2204-2208

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Abstract

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.

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© 2012 The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
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