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Planta Med 2003; 69(10): 945-947
DOI: 10.1055/s-2003-45105
Letter
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Evidence for Estrogen Receptor β-Selective Activity of Vitex agnus-castus and Isolated Flavones

Hubertus Jarry1 , Barbara Spengler2 , Andrea Porzel3 , Juergen Schmidt3 , Wolfgang Wuttke1 , Volker Christoffel2
  • 1Klinische und Experimentelle Endokrinologie, Universitätsfrauenklinik Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
  • 2Bionorica AG, Neumarkt/Opf, Germany
  • 3Leibnitz-Institut für Pflanzenbiochemie, Abteilung Natur- und Wirkstoffchemie, Halle/Saale, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

Received: March 4, 2003

Accepted: June 19, 2003

Publication Date:
02 December 2003 (online)

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Abstract

Recent cell culture experiments indicated that extracts of Vitex agnus-castus (VAC) may contain yet unidentified phytoestrogens. Estrogenic actions are mediated via estrogen receptors (ER). To investigate whether VAC compounds bind to the currently known isoforms ERα or ERß, ligand binding assays (LBA) were performed. Subtype specific ER-LBA revealed a binding of VAC to ERß only. To isolate the ERß-selective compounds, the extract was fractionated by bio-guidance. The flavonoid apigenin was isolated and identified as the most active ERß-selective phytoestrogen in VAC. Other isolated compounds were vitexin and penduletin. These data demonstrate that the phytoestrogens in VAC are ERß-selective.

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Hubertus Jarry

Abteilung für klinische und experimentelle Endokrinologie

Universitätsfrauenklinik Göttingen

Robert Koch-Straβe 40

37075 Göttingen

Germany

Phone: +49-551-396522

Fax: +49-551-396518

Email: hubjarry@med.uni-goettingen.de