Abstract
The Chinese herbal drug Cortex Phellodendri is derived from two species of Phellodendron, P. chinensis Schneid. and P. amurense Rupr. Traditionally, Cortex Phellodendri Chinensis (CPC) and Cortex Phellodendri Amurensis (CPA) are used interchangeably because they are believed to share the same clinical efficacy. Berberine has been believed to be the active ingredient of the herbs. However, recent studies have shown that the content of berberine is much higher in CPC than in CPA. Interestingly, the majority of researches deal with CPA, the one with lower content of berberine. These observations provoke us to reconsider the active ingredients of Cortex Phellodendri. In this study, two traditional usages (antidiarrheal and antibacterial) of Cortex Phellodendri were compared with the chemical analysis of the two herb species used in its formulation. The results suggest that berberine is one of the active ingredients responsible for the antidiarrheal and antibacterial activities of the herbs, but that other chemical ingredients are also involved in regulating the biological actions of the herbal drug. These chemical ingredients may have the same or the opposite effect as berberine. The effectiveness of the herbs is more likely to correlate to the content of total alkaloids rather than to the content of berberine.
Key words
Phellodendron chinensis Schneid. -
Phellodendron amurense Rupr. - Rutaceae - berberine - antidiarrheal activity - antibacterial activity
References
-
1 Pharmacopoeia of China, Part 1. Beijing; Chemical Industry Press 2000: 36-37
-
2 Department of Health, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region .Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards, Volume 1. Hong Kong; Department of Health, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region 2005: 21-40
-
3
Chan C O, Chu C C, Mok D K, Chau F T.
Analysis of berberine and total alkaloid content in cortex phellodendri by near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) compared with high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with ultra-visible spectrometric detection.
Anal Chim Acta.
2007;
592
121-131
-
4
Garrison R, Chambliss W G.
Effect of a proprietary Magnolia and Phellodendron extract on weight management: a pilot, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.
Altern Ther Health Med.
2006;
12
50-54
-
5
Garcia G E, Nicole A, Bhaskaran S, Gupta A, Kyprianou N, Kumar A P.
Akt-and CREB-mediated prostate cancer cell proliferation inhibition by Nexrutine, a Phellodendron amurense extract.
Neoplasia.
2006;
8
523-533
-
6
Kumar A P, Bhaskaran S, Ganapathy M, Crosby K, Davis M D, Kochunov P, Schoolfield J, Yeh I T, Troyer D A, Ghosh R.
Akt/cAMP-responsive element binding protein/cyclin D1 network: a novel target for prostate cancer inhibition in transgenic adenocarcinoma of mouse prostate model mediated by Nexrutine, a Phellodendron amurense bark extract.
Clin Cancer Res.
2007;
13
2784-2794
-
7
Park E K, Rhee H I, Jung H S, Ju S M, Lee Y A, Lee S H, Hong S J, Yang H I, Yoo M C, Kim K S.
Antiinflammatory effects of a combined herbal preparation (RAH13) of Phellodendron amurense and Coptis chinensis in animal models of inflammation.
Phytother Res.
2007;
21
746-750
-
8
Park J I, Shim J K, Do J W, Kim S Y, Seo E K, Kwon H J, Lee T K, Kim J K, Choi D Y, Kim C H.
Immune-stimulating properties of polysaccharides from Phellodendri cortex (Hwangbek).
Glycoconj J.
1999;
16
247-252
-
9
Lee Y M, Kim H, Hong E K, Kang B H, Kim S J.
Water extract of 1: 1 mixture of Phellodendron cortex and Aralia cortex has inhibitory effects on oxidative stress in kidney of diabetic rats.
J Ethnopharmacol.
2000;
73
429-436
-
10
Ribeiro B, Andrade P B, Baptista P, Barros L, Ferreira I C, Seabra R M, Valentao P.
Leucopaxillus giganteus mycelium: effect of nitrogen source on organic acids and alkaloids.
J Agric Food Chem.
2008;
56
4769-4774
-
11
Ghanta S, Banerjee A, Poddar A, Chattopadhyay S.
Oxidative DNA damage preventive activity and antioxidant potential of Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) Bertoni, a natural sweetener.
J Agric Food Chem.
2007;
55
10962-10967
-
12
Xu G, Ye X, Chen J, Liu D.
Effect of heat treatment on the phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity of citrus peel extract.
J Agric Food Chem.
2007;
55
330-335
-
13 Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources .Guide for the care and use of laboratory animals. Washington; National Academy Press 1996
-
14
Aniagu S O, Binda L G, Nwinyi F C, Orisadipe A, Amos S, Wambebe C, Gamaniel K.
Anti-diarrhoeal and ulcer-protective effects of the aqueous root extract of Guiera senegalensis in rodents.
J Ethnopharmacol.
2005;
97
549-554
-
15
Akindele A J, Adeyemi O O.
Evaluation of the antidiarrhoeal activity of Byrsocarpus coccineus.
J Ethnopharmacol.
2006;
108
20-25
-
16
Galvez J, Zarzuelo A, Crespo M E, Lorente M D, Ocete M A, Jimenez J.
Antidiarrhoeic activity of Euphorbia hirta extract and isolation of an active flavonoid constituent.
Planta Med.
1993;
59
333-336
-
17
Galvez J, Sanchez de Medina F, Jimenez J, Torres M I, Fernandez M I, Nunez M C, Rios A, Gil A, Zarzuelo A.
Effect of quercitrin on lactose-induced chronic diarrhoea in rats.
Planta Med.
1995;
61
302-306
-
18 Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute .Methods for dilution antimicrobial susceptibility tests for bacteria that grow aerobically. Approved standard M7-A6. Wayne; National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards 2003
-
19
Yu H H, Kim K J, Cha J D, Kim H K, Lee Y E, Choi N Y, You Y O.
Antimicrobial activity of berberine alone and in combination with ampicillin or oxacillin against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
J Med Food.
2005;
8
454-461
-
20
Park K S, Kang K C, Kim J H, Adams D J, Johng T N, Paik Y K.
Differential inhibitory effects of protoberberines on sterol and chitin biosyntheses in Candida albicans.
J Antimicrob Chemother.
1999;
43
667-674
-
21
Fukuda K, Hibiya Y, Mutoh M, Koshiji M, Akao S, Fujiwara H.
Inhibition by berberine of cyclooxygenase-2 transcriptional activity in human colon cancer cells.
J Ethnopharmacol.
1999;
66
227-233
-
22
Li C Y, Lu H J, Lin C H, Wu T S.
A rapid and simple determination of protoberberine alkaloids in cortex phellodendri by H-1 NMR and its application for quality control of commercial traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions.
J Pharm Biomed.
2006;
40
173-178
-
23
Choi S H, Cho S K, Kang S S, Bae C S, Bai Y H, Lee S H, Pak S C.
Effect of apitherapy in piglets with preweaning diarrhea.
Am J Chin Med.
2003;
31
321-326
-
24
Osoniyi O, Onajobi F.
Coagulant and anticoagulant activities in Jatropha curcas latex.
J Ethnopharmacol.
2003;
89
101-105
-
25
Sy G Y, Cisse A, Nongonierma R B, Sarr M, Mbodj N A, Faye B.
Hypoglycaemic and antidiabetic activity of acetonic extract of Vernonia colorata leaves in normoglycaemic and alloxan-induced diabetic rats.
J Ethnopharmacol.
2005;
98
171-175
-
26
Capasso F, Mascolo N, Autore G, Romano V.
Laxatives and the production of autacoids by rat colon.
J Pharm Pharmacol.
1986;
38
627-629
-
27
Stewart J J, Gaginella T S, Bass P.
Actions of ricinoleic acid and structurally related fatty acids of the gastrointestinal tract. I. Effects on smooth muscle contractility in vitro.
J Pharmacol Exp Ther.
1975;
195
347-354
-
28
Higaki S, Hasegawa Y, Morohashi M, Takayoshi Y.
The correlation of Kampo formulations and their ingredients on anti-bacterial activities against Propionibacterium acnes.
J Dermatol.
1995;
22
4-9
-
29
Zhu B, Ahrens F A.
Effect of berberine on intestinal secretion mediated by Escherichia coli heat-stable enterotoxin in jejunum of pigs.
AVMA.
1982;
43
1594-1598
-
30
Sack R B, Froehlich J L.
Berberine inhibits intestinal secretory response of Vibrio cholerae and Escherichia coli enterotoxins.
Infect Immun.
1982;
35
471-475
-
31
Rabbani G H, Butler T, Knight J, Sanyal S C, Alam K.
Randomized controlled trial of berberine sulfate therapy for diarrhea due to enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli and Vibrio cholerae.
J Infect Dis.
1987;
155
979-984
-
32
Stermitz F R, Scriven L N, Tegos G, Lewis K.
Two flavonols from Artemisa annua which potentiate the activity of berberine and norfloxacin against a resistant strain of Staphylococcus aureus.
Planta Med.
2002;
68
1140-1141
-
33
Yu Y, Yi Z B, Liang Y Z.
Main antimicrobial components of Tinospora capillipes, and their mode of action against Staphylococcus aureus.
FEBS Lett.
2007;
581
4179-4183
-
34
Park Y K, Chung Y S, Kim Y S, Kwon O Y, Joh T H.
Inhibition of gene expression and production of iNOS and TNF-alpha in LPS-stimulated microglia by methanol extract of Phellodendri cortex.
Int Immunopharmacol.
2007;
7
955-962
Dr. Siu-Po Ip
School of Chinese Medicine
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Shatin, N. T.
Hong Kong
Phone: + 85 2 31 63 44 57
Fax: + 85 2 31 63 44 59
Email: paulip@cuhk.edu.hk
