Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Isolation of xanthones from adventitious roots of St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum L.) and their antioxidant and cytotoxic activities

  • Research Note
  • Published:
Food Science and Biotechnology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this phytochemical study, 5 xanthones, 1,3,5,6-tetrahydroxyxanthone [1], 1,5,6-trihydroxy-3-methoxyxanthone [2], ferrxanthone [3], brasilixanthone B [4], and neolancerin [5] were isolated from adventitious roots of St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum L.). Compound 1–5 were evaluated for antioxidant activities using the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) radical scavenging 2′,7′-dichlorfluorescein-diacetate (DCFDA) assay and for cytotoxic activity against the HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia cells. Among them, compound 1–4 exhibited scavenging activity with inhibition values of 27.4–33.2% at 10 μM; compound 1, 2, and 4 reduced the viability of HL-60 cells significantly, with IC50 values of 31.5, 28.9, and 27.7 μM, respectively.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Barnes J, Anderson LA, Phillipson JD. St John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum L.): A review of its chemistry, pharmacology and clinical properties. J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 53: 583–600 (2001)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Butterweck V, Jürgenliemk G, Nahrstedt A, Winterhoff H. Flavonoids from Hypericum perforatum show antidepressant activity in the forcedswimming test. Planta Med. 66: 3–6 (2000)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Sakar MK, Tamer AU. Antimicrobial activity of different extracts from some Hypericum species. Fitoterapia 61: 464–466 (1990)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Zou Y, Lu Y, Wei D. Antioxidant activity of a flavonoid-rich extract of Hypericum perforatum L. in vitro. J. Agr. Food Chem. 52: 5032–5039 (2004)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Maisenbacher P, Kovar KA. Adhyperforin: A homolog of hyperforin from Hypericum perforatum. Planta Med. 58: 291–293 (1992)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Orth HCJ, Rentel C, Schmidt PC. Isolation, purity analysis, and stability of hyperforin as a standard material from Hypericum perforatum L. J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 51: 193–200 (1999)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Tatsis EC, Boeren S, Exarchou V, Troganis AN, Vervoort J, Gerothanassis IP. Identification of the major constituents of Hypericum perforatum by LC/SPE/NMR and/or LC/MS. Phytochemistry 68: 383–393 (2007)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Rosenkranz AR, Schmaldienst S, Stuhlmeier KM, Chen W, Knapp W, Zlabinger GJ. A microplate assay for the detectionof oxidative products using 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescin-diacetate. J. Immunol. Methods 156: 39–45 (1992)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Cui XH, Murthy HN, Jin YX, Yim YH, Kim JY, Paek KY. Production of adventitious root biomass and secondary metabolites of Hypericum perforatum L. in a balloon type airlift reactor. Bioresource Technol. 102: 10072–10079 (2011)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Hwang BY, Kim HS, Lee JH, Hong YS, Ro JS, Lee KS, Lee JJ. Antioxidant benzoylated flavan-3-ol glycoside from Celastrusor biculatus. J. Nat. Prod. 64: 82–84 (2001)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Nielsen H, Arends P. Xanthone constituents of Hypericum androsaemum L. J. Nat. Prod. 42: 303–306 (1979)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Walia S, Mukerjee SK. Ferrxanthone, a 1,3,5,6-tetraoxygenated xanthone from Mesuaferrea. Phytochemistry 23: 1816–1817 (1984)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Marques VL, de Oliveira FM, Conserva LM, Brito RG, Guilhon GM. Dichromenoxanthones from Tovomita brasiliensis. Phytochemistry 55: 815–818 (2000)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Schaufelberger D, Hostettmann K. Chemistry and pharmacology of Gentiana lactea. Planta Med. 54: 219–221 (1988)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Fotie J, Bohle DS. Pharmacological and biological activities of xanthones. Antiinfect. Agents Med. Chem. 5: 15–31 (2006)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Boonsri S, Karalai C, Ponglimanont C, Kanjana-opas A, Chantrapromma K. Antibacterial and cytotoxic xanthones from the roots of Cratoxylum formosum. Phytochemistry 67: 723–727 (2006)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Suksamrarn S, Komutiban O, Ratananukul P, Chimnoi N, Lartpornmatulee N, Suksamrarn A. Cytotoxic prenylated xanthones from the young fruit of Garcinia mangostana. Chem. Pharm. Bull. 54: 301–305 (2006)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Yimdjo MC, Azebaze AG, Nkengfack AE, Meyer AM, Bodo B, Fomum ZT. Antimicrobial and cytotoxic agents from Calophyllum inophyllum. Phytochemistry 65: 2789–2795 (2004)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 305-764, Korea

    Wei Li, Ya Nan Sun, Xi Tao Yan, Seo Young Yang, Chun Whan Choi & Young Ho Kim

  2. School of Medicine and Brain Korea 21 Program, and Institute of Medical Science, Jeju National University, Jeju, 690-756, Korea

    Jin Won Hyun & Hee Kyoung Kang

  3. Research Center for the Development of Advanced Horticultural Technology, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Chungbuk, 361-763, Korea

    Kee Yoeup Paek

Authors
  1. Wei Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ya Nan Sun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Xi Tao Yan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Seo Young Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Chun Whan Choi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Jin Won Hyun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Hee Kyoung Kang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Kee Yoeup Paek
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Young Ho Kim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Young Ho Kim.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Li, W., Sun, Y.N., Yan, X.T. et al. Isolation of xanthones from adventitious roots of St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum L.) and their antioxidant and cytotoxic activities. Food Sci Biotechnol 22, 945–949 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-013-0168-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-013-0168-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation