Planta Med 2002; 68(3): 284-285
DOI: 10.1055/s-2002-23141
Letter

© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Antinociceptive Constituents of Auricularia polytricha

Kiyotaka Koyama1 , Michiko Akiba1 , Tooru Imaizumi1 , Kaoru Kinoshita1 , Kunio Takahashi1 , Akira Suzuki2 , Shingo Yano3 , Syunji Horie3 , Kazuo Watanabe3
  • 1Department of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, Meiji Pharmaceutical University, Tokyo, Japan
  • 2Faculty of Education, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
  • 3Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
Further Information

Publication History

April 27, 2001

September 29, 2001

Publication Date:
25 March 2002 (online)

As part of our project aimed to determine naturally occurring substances with antinociceptive properties, we have previously demonstrated that some triterpenoids present in Ganoderma lucidum (Leyss. ex Fr.) Karst. (Ganodermataceae), such as ganoderic acids A, B, G, and H, and compound C6 are the main active principles of this mushroom [1]. In this study, we have investigated the antinociceptive activity of the fruiting body of Auricularia polytricha (Mont.) Sacc. (Auriculariaceae).

Bioassay-guided fractionation, using the acetic acid-induced writhing method, of the CH2Cl2 extract of A. polytricha yielded three compounds (ceramide 1 and steroids 2 and 3), and of the MeOH extract yielded cerebroside 4 as antinociceptive components. The structures of compounds 1 - 4 were identified on the basis of comparison of their spectral and physical properties with those previously reported in the literatures [2], [3], [4], (copies of the original spectra are obtainable from the corresponding author). The antinociceptive activities of 1 - 4 were higher than that of the positive control (acetylsalicylic acid). As shown in Table [1], the activities of steroids (cerevisterol 2 and 9-hydroxycerevisterol 3) were higher than those of ceramide 1 and cerebroside 4. From the value of antinociceptive activities and yield (1 27.2 mg, 2 44.2 mg, 3 3.6 mg, 4 117.0 mg), cerevisterol 2 and cerebroside 4 contribute to the antinociceptive activity of A. polytricha. [*]

To clarify the active parts of the structures of 1 and 4, sphingosines (5 and 8) and fatty acids (6 and 9), prepared from 1 and 4, were examined in the bioassay. Sphingosines exhibited antinociceptive activity but the fatty acids did not. This indicates the sphingosine part to contribute to the antinociceptive activity of 1 and 4.

Table 1 Antinociceptive effects of ceramide (1), cerevisterol (2), 9α-hydroxycerevisterol (3), cerebroside (4), derivatives (5-9) and positive control (acetylsalicylic acid; ASA) on acetic acid-induced writhing in mice Compounds Dose (s.c.) inhibition (%) mg/kg μmol/kg 1 5 7.3 31.9 10 14.6 42.5* 20 29.3 49.6** 2 5 11.6 47.6* 10 23.3 60.9** 20 46.5 72.0** 3 5 11.2 55.7*** 10 22.4 68.2*** 4 10 13.2 38.2* 30 39.7 47.3* 5 5 15.8 35.7* 10 31.5 49.1*** 6 5 13.0 -6.9 10 26.0 0.0 7 10 16.9 32.7 20 33.7 41.3** 8 5 16.1 32.0 10 32.2 37.1* 9 5 16.7 17.4 10 33.3 14.7 ASA 30 166.7 22.2 50 277.8 41.8** 100 555.6 60.7** Values represent the mean of 5 - 6 experiments. Significantly different from the control value, *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01 and ***p < 0.001.

References

  • 1 Koyama K, Imaizumi T, Akiba M, Kinoshita K, Takahashi K, Suzuki A, Yano S, Horie S, Watanabe K, Naoi Y. Antinociceptive components of Ganoderma lucidum .  Planta Medica. 1997;  63 224-7
  • 2 Hung Q, Tezuka Y, Kikuchi T, Nishi A, Tubaki K. Studies on metabolites of mycoparasitic fungi. III. New sesquiterpene alcohol from Trichoderma koningii .  Chem. Pharm. Bull.. 1995;  43 1035-8
  • 3 Kawagishi H, Katsumi R, Sazawa T, Mizuno T, Hagiwara T, Nakamura T. Cytotoxic steroids from the mushroom Agaricus blazei .  Phytochemistry. 1988;  27 2777-9
  • 4 Takaishi Y, Ohashi T, Murakami Y, Tomimatsu T. Investigation of the constituents of Inonotus mikadoi .  Bull. Inst. Chem. Res., Kyoto Univ.. 1987;  65 134-40

Dr. K. Koyama

Department of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry

Meiji Pharmaceutical University

2-522-1 Noshio, Kiyose-shi

Tokyo 204-8588

Japan

Email: kiyotaka@my-pharmac.jp

Fax: +81-424-95-8912