Diversity of Adenostemma lavenia, multi-potential herbs, and its kaurenoic acid composition between Japan and Taiwan

AbstractAdenostemma lavenia (L.) Kuntze (Asteraceae) is widely distributed in tropical regions of East Asia, and bothA. lavenia andA. madurense (DC) are distributed in Japan. In China and Taiwan,A. lavenia is used as a folk medicine for treating lung congestion, pneumonia, and hepatitis. However, neither phylogenic nor biochemical analysis of this plants has been performed to date. We have reported that the aqueous extract of JapaneseA. lavenia contained high levels ofent-11 α-hydroxy-15-oxo-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid (11αOH-KA; a kaurenoic acid), which is a potent anti-melanogenic compound. Comparison of chloroplast DNA sequences suggested thatA. lavenia is originated fromA. madurense. Analyses of kaurenoic acids revealed that JapaneseA. lavenia andA. madurense contained high levels of 11 αOH-KA and moderate levels of 11α,15OH-KA, while TaiwaneseA. lavenia mainly contained 9,11 αOH-KA. The diverse biological activities (downregulation of Tyr, tyrosinase, gene expression [anti-melanogenic] and iNOS, inducible nitric oxide synthase, gene expression [anti-inflammatory], and upregulation of HO-1, heme-oxygenase, gene expression [anti-oxidative]) were associated with 11αOH-KA and 9,11αOH-KA but not with 11α,15OH-KA. Additionally, 11αOH-KA and 9,11αOH-KA decreased Keap1 (Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1) protein levels, which was accompanied by upregulation of protein level and transcriptional activity of Nrf2 (NF-E2-related factor-2) followed by HO-1 gene express ion. 11...
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research