Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Determination of (E)-ferulic acid content in the root of Angelica acutiloba: a simple chemical evaluation method for crude drug quality control

  • Note
  • Published:
Journal of Natural Medicines Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The root of Angelica acutiloba Kitagawa is an important crude drug in Kampo medicines (traditional Japanese medicine). Chemical evaluation of crude drugs is crucial to ensuring the safety and efficacy of herbal medicine; however, there is currently no chemical standard for the A. acutiloba crude drug in Japanese pharmacopoeia. (E)-ferulic acid (FA) is an important active ingredient of Angelica spp., including A. sinensis (Oliv.) Diels, and has been suggested as a marker for quality evaluation of those crude drugs. However, it has been controversial whether FA is a reliable marker constituent of A. acutiloba. To achieve effective extraction of FA from A. acutiloba, we compared three different extraction methods: alkaline hydrolysis, ethanol extraction, and hexane extraction. FA levels in these extracts were assessed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and alkaline hydrolysis was found to be the most effective. Furthermore, in the hydrolysate, FA was distinctly identified by thin layer chromatography (TLC) analysis. These results provide useful information for the quality control of the A. acutiloba crude drug.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

References

  1. Wei WL, Zeng R, Gu CM et al (2016) Angelica sinensis in China-A review of botanical profile, ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and chemical analysis. J Ethnopharmacol 190:116–141

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Hook IL (2014) Danggui to Angelica sinensis root: are potential benefits to European women lost in translation? A review. J Ethnopharmacol 152:1–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Tarachiwin L, Katoh A, Ute K, Fukusaki E (2008) Quality evaluation of Angelica acutiloba Kitagawa roots by 1H NMR-based metabolic fingerprinting. J Pharm Biomed Anal 48:42–48

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Lu GH, Chan K, Liang YZ et al (2005) Development of high-performance liquid chromatographic fingerprints for distinguishing Chinese Angelica from related umbelliferae herbs. J Chromatogr A 1073:383–392. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chroma.2004.11.080

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Jeong SY, Kim HM, Lee KH et al (2015) Quantitative analysis of marker compounds in Angelica gigas, Angelica sinensis, and Angelica acutiloba by HPLC/DAD. Chem Pharm Bull 63:504–511

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Srinivasan M, Sudheer AR, Menon VP (2007) Ferulic acid: therapeutic potential through its antioxidant property. J Clin Biochem Nutr 40:92–100. https://doi.org/10.3164/jcbn.40.92

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  7. Ghosh S, Basak P, Dutta S et al (2017) New insights into the ameliorative effects of ferulic acid in pathophysiological conditions. Food Chem Toxicol 103:41–55

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Kumar N, Pruthi V (2014) Potential applications of ferulic acid from natural sources. Biotechnol Reports 4:86–93

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Xie JJ, Lu J, Qian ZM et al (2009) Optimization and comparison of five methods for extraction of coniferyl ferulate from Angelica sinensis. Molecules 14:555–565

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Jankovska P, Copikova J, Sinitsya A (2001) The determination of ferulic acid in sugar beet pulp. Czech J Food Sci 19:143–147

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Rondini L, Peyrat-Maillard MN, Marsset-Baglieri A et al (2004) Bound ferulic acid from bran is more bioavailable than the free compound in rat. J Agric Food Chem 52:4338–4343

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Aarabi A, Honarvar M, Mizani M, Faghihian H (2015) Determination of total phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity and ferulic acid in extracts of sugar beet pulp. Hacettepe J Biol Chem 43:251–257

    Google Scholar 

  13. Gogoi P, Gogoi A, Rajbangshi C et al (2017) Extraction, purification and spectroscopic characterization of ferulic acid by alkaline hydrolysis from brans of Assam, India. Imp J Interdiscip Res 3:358–361

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by “Research project on developing of fundamental technology aiming for promotion of domestic cultivation of medicinal plants and study of medicinal plant resources for drug discovery” from Japan Agency for Medical Research and development, AMED.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Center for Medicinal Plant Resources, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health, and Nutrition, Ohashi 108-4, Nayoro, Hokkaido, 096-0065, Japan

    Noriko Shinjyo & Atsuyuki Hishida

  2. Research Center for Medicinal Plant Resources, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health, and Nutrition, Hachimandai 1-2, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0843, Japan

    Hiroyuki Fuchino & Nobuo Kawahara

Authors
  1. Noriko Shinjyo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Hiroyuki Fuchino
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Nobuo Kawahara
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Atsuyuki Hishida
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Noriko Shinjyo.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

There is no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Shinjyo, N., Fuchino, H., Kawahara, N. et al. Determination of (E)-ferulic acid content in the root of Angelica acutiloba: a simple chemical evaluation method for crude drug quality control. J Nat Med 72, 774–778 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-018-1190-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-018-1190-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation