Standardization of Solvent Extracts from Onopordum acanthium Fruits by GC-MS, HPLC-UV/DAD, HPLC-TQMS and 1H-NMR and Evaluation of their Inhibitory Effects on the Expression of IL-8 and E-selectin in Immortalized Endothelial Cells (HUVECtert)

Abstract

In this work we have characterized and standardized the solvent extracts of the fruits of Onopordum acanthium, a plant widely distributed from Europe to Asia and used in different traditional medicines. Fruits were extracted with methanol (ME) and n-hexane (HE) and the extract compositions determined by GC-MS, HPLC-UV/DAD, HPLC-TQMS and 1H NMR spectroscopy. Anti-inflammatory activity (IL-8 and E-selectin, qPCR and ELISA) was investigated in HUVECtert cells stimulated with TNF-α and LPS. Arctiin and isochlorogenic acid were found in ME (87±2%, w/w, and 10.2±0.2%, w/w; 38.0±3.2 mg/gFRUITS and 3.5 ± 0.4 mg/gFRUITS) and (ii) paraffins in the HE (195.6 ± 5.6 mg/g). A dose dependent (from 15 to 40 μgME/mL corresponding to 20–75 μM arctiin) inhibition of E-selectin and of the induction of IL-8 was induced by LPS. The results of this study support the use of O. acanthium fruits in traditional medicine as an anti-inflammatory agent and for cancer prevention and treatment.