Planta Med 2001; 67(8): 752-754
DOI: 10.1055/s-2001-18351
Letter

© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Dammarane Triterpene Saponin from Bacopa monniera as the Superoxide Inhibitor in Polymorphonuclear Cells

Rahul Pawar, Chitra Gopalakrishnan, K. K. Bhutani*
  • Department of Natural Products, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Punjab, India.
Further Information

Publication History

November 10, 2000

February 24, 2001

Publication Date:
09 November 2001 (online)

Abstract

The hydroalcoholic extract of the whole plant of Bacopa monniera Wettst. (Scrophulariaceae), exhibited an inhibitory effect on superoxide released from polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells in the nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) assay. The major saponin bacoside A3 was found to be responsible for this effect in the herb. This compound showed 85, 91.66, 91.66, and 83 % inhibitions of NBT reduction at the concentrations of 200, 100, 50, and 25 μg/ml, respectively, with an IC50 value of 10.22 μg/ml. These inhibitory effects were compared with those of the standard positive controls, quercetin and ascorbic acid with IC50 of 111 and 14.16 μg/ml, respectively. Another major saponin bacopasaponin C was found to be much less potent as compared to bacoside A3 whereas the remaining two mixtures of saponins were found to be inactive.

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Dr. K.K. Bhutani

Department of Natural Products

National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER)

Sector 67

S. A .S. Nagar (Mohali)

Punjab - 160 062

India

Fax: +91(0)172-214692

Email: kkbhutani@usa.net or kkbhutani@yahoo.com