Eryxin represents a highly purified, deprotonated 1% aqueous hydrolysate prepared from the biomass of snakes of the Eryx genus. It is used in the traditional medicine of Uzbekistan as anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective and immunomodulatory drugs which have been found effective in cases of rheumatological diseases, tuberculosis, brucellosis, acute obstructive or chronic bronchitis and dermatosclerosis [1].
However, the chemical composition of the Eryxin is not well investigated. The aim of the study was to analyze the composition of Eryxin by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The GC-MS analysis was carried out using a Hewlett-Packard Series 5890 gas chromatograph (Hewlett-Packard, PA, USA) coupled to an HP 5970 quadrupole mass selective detector operating in EI mode. An Rxi-5 ms column (15 m × 0.25 mm ID, 0.25 µm phase, Restek, PA, USA) was used with helium as the carrier gas. Dried extracts were silylated with 50µL of N-methyl-N-trimethylsilyl-trifluoroacetamide containing 1% trimethylchlorosilane.
Thirty seven compounds, constituting more than 95% of samples, were characterized. Typical major compounds found in Eryxin were 5-aminovaleric acid and its lactam, isovaleric, butanoic, succinic and hydrocinnamic acids. Alanine, valine, tryptamine and leucine were the most abundant amino acids. Other short-chain organic acids such as valeric, caproic, hydroxybutyric, aminobutyric, hydroxihexanoic, pipecolinic and pyrotartaric acids were detected in minor concentrations only. Phosphoric acid, together with palmitic and stearic acids suggested the occurrence of phospholipids.
To our knowledge, this is the first approach to the chemical profiling of Eryxin by using GC-MS. Future detailed studies are necessary for more clear explanation of pharmacological effects.
[1] Asatova S.S, Komarin A.S, Karimov M.S, Akbarov S.V. (2003). Pharm Chem J, 37, 63 – 66.
