Volume 191, 15 September 2016, Pages 264–272
Abstract
Ethnopharmacological relevance
Carthamus
tinctorius is used as one of the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
materials in prescriptions and composite to promote blood circulation to
remove blood stasis, regulate menstruation and alleviate pain for over
2500 years. Modern pharmacological experiments have demonstrated that
safflower has wide-reaching biological activities, including dilating
coronary artery, modulating immune system, improving myocardial
ischemia, anticoagulation and thromboprophylaxis, antioxidation,
antihypoxic, antiaging, antifatigue, antiinflammation, anti-hepatic
fibrosis, antitumor, analgesia, etc.
Materials and methods
Platelet
aggregation of safflower extract and main constituents in safflower
were determined by PAF-induced or ADP-induced platelet aggregation in
vitro. Anticoagulation activity was measured by clotting assay of
thrombin time (TT), prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial
thromboplastin time (APTT) according to the methods provided by the
biological reagents provider (Sun Biochemical). Antioxidant effects of
safflower were assessed using DPPH radical-scavenging activity test,
ABTS radical-scavenging activity test and ferric reducing antioxidant
power test. In addition, rats ovary granulosa cell proliferation
activity was used for the bio-activity index on regulate menstruation of
safflower.
Results
Safflower extract at the concentration of 0.7 g/mL (P<0.001) and 0.5 g/mL (P<0.01)
had significantly antagonistic effect on PAF-induced platelet
aggregation, compared with negative control. And the anti-platelet
aggregation of 0.7 g/mL safflower extract was significantly stronger
than that of positive control (P<0.001). 0.7 g/mL of hydroxysafflor yellow A (P<0.01), anhydrosafflor yellow B (P<0.05), 6-hydroxykaempferol-3-O-rutinoside (P<0.05), keampferol-3-O-β-rutinoside (P<0.01)
had significant effect on platelet aggregation compared with negative
control. Safflower extract at the concentration of 0.5 g/mL (P<0.001) and 0.125 g/mL (P<0.01)
could significantly inhibit ADP-induced platelet aggregation, compared
with negative control. And antagonistic effect of safflower extract was
significantly stronger than the effect of positive control (P<0.001). Adenosine (P<0.001), anhydrosafflor yellow B (P<0.01) and 6-hydroxykaempferol-3-O-rutinoside (P<0.01) at the concentration of 0.5 g/mL had significant effect on ADP-induced platelet aggregation compared with negative control. 0.125 g/mL of adenosine (P<0.05)
had significant effect on ADP-induced platelet aggregation compared
with negative control. The effect of 0.5 g/mL adenosine (P<0.01) and 6-hydroxykaempferol-3-O-rutinoside (P<0.05) was significantly stronger than that of positive control. Safflower extract at the concentration of 0.7 mg/mL (P<0.001) and 0.5 mg/mL (P<0.001)
had significantly anticoagulation activity in PT, TT and APTT, compared
with negative control. However, the respective compound didn’t have
significant effect on PT and TT at experiment concentration. At the
concentration of 0.7 mg/mL, hydroxysafflor yellow A (P<0.01), 6-hydroxykaempferol-3,6,7-tri-O-β-d-glucoside (P<0.05), 6-hydroxyapigenin-6-O-glucoside-7-O-glucuronide (P<0.01), anhydrosafflor yellow B (P<0.001), 6-hydroxykaempferol-3-O-rutinoside (P<0.05) and keampferol-3-O-β-rutinoside (P<0.05)
significantly prolonged APTT, compared with negative control. At the
concentration of 0.5 mg/mL, hydroxysafflor yellow A (P<0.05), 6-hydroxyapigenin-6-O-glucoside-7-O-glucuronide (P<0.05), anhydrosafflor yellow B (P<0.001), 6-hydroxykaempferol-3-O-rutinoside (P<0.05) and keampferol-3-O-β-rutinoside (P<0.05)
could significantly prolong APTT, compared with negative control. From
the results of DPPH, ABTS radical scavenging activity test and Fe3+
reduction power test, 5 mg/mL, 2.5 mg/mL and 1.25 mg/mL safflower
extract had antioxidant effects. Every compound with each concentration
(5 mg/mL, 2.5 mg/mL and 1.25 mg/mL) had significant effect on Fe3+ reduction power (P<0.001 vs. negative control). Safflower extract, cytidine, 6-hydroxy-kaempferol-3,6-di-O-β-d-glucoside-7-O-β-d-glucuronide, 6-hydroxykaemp-ferol-3,6,7-tri-O-β-D-glucoside and keampferol-3-O-β-rutinoside significantly promoted ovarian granulosa cell proliferation.
Conclusion
Based
on previous researches, the activities of safflower extract and pure
compounds isolated from safflower were studied in this paper. This study
found some compounds with the effects of anti-platelet aggregation,
anticoagulation, antioxidation and ovarian granulosa cell proliferation,
and further revealed the possible pharmacological mechanism of
safflower.
Graphical abstract
Keywords
- Carthamus tinctorius;
- Platelet aggregation;
- Anticoagulation;
- Antioxidant;
- Rats ovarian granulosa cell proliferation
© 2016 Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.
