• BMB Reports
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.289-294
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• 2015

Caesalpinia sappan is a well-distributed plant that is cultivated in Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Americas. C. sappan has been used in Asian folk medicine and its extract has been shown to have pharmacological effects. Two homoisoflavonoids, sappanol and brazilin, were isolated from C. sappan by using centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC), and tested for protective effects against retinal cell death. The isolated homoisoflavonoids produced approximately 20-fold inhibition of N-retinylidene-N-retinyl-ethanolamine (A2E) photooxidation in a dose-dependent manner. Of the 2 compounds, brazilin showed better inhibition (197.93 ± 1.59 μM of IC₅₀). Cell viability tests and PI/Hoechst 33342 double staining method indicated that compared to the negative control, sappanol significantly attenuated H₂O₂-induced retinal death. The compounds significantly blunted the up-regulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), and sappanol inhibited lipid peroxidation in a concentration-dependent manner. Thus, both compounds represent potential antioxidant treatments for retinal diseases. [BMB Reports 2015; 48(5): 289-294]

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.1-7
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• 2017

Objectives : The heartwood of Sappan Lignum has been used since ancient times as an ingredient in folk medicines against anti-bacterial and anti-anemia purposes. Many bioactive constituents have been derived from this biomass such as chalcones and homoisoflavonoids. In the current investigation, the antioxidant and anti-diabetic properties using DPPH and $ABTS^+$ radicals scavenging, ${\alpha}-glucosidase$, and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) inhibition assays were evaluated by different extraction methods of Sappan Lignum. Methods : In our continuing investigation for bioactive natural ingredients, the antioxidant and ${\alpha}-glucosidase$ inhibitory properties of Sappan Lignum extracts were prepared from different extraction methods and the biological efficacies were investigated in vitro. The antioxidant properties were evaluated employing radical scavenging assays using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) ($ABTS^+$) radicals. In addition, the anti-diabetic effects of Sappan Lignum extracts were tested via ${\alpha}-glucosidase$ and AGEs formation inhibitory assay. The total phenolic contents were determined using a spectrophotometric method. Results : All the tested samples showed dose-dependent radical scavenging and ${\alpha}-glucosidase$ inhibitory activities. Among the tested extracts, the 80% methanolic extract of Sappan Lignum was showed the most potent activity with an $IC_{50}$ value of $82.3{\pm}1.7{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ against DPPH radical scavenging assay. While, $ABTS^+$ radical scavenging activity of 80% methanolic extract was higher than those of other extracts. Also, ${\alpha}-glucosidase$ inhibitory and AGEs formation effects of each extacts and total phenolic contents were evaluated. Conclusions : These results suggested that Sappan Lignum can be considered as a new effective source of natural antioxidant and anti-diabetic materials.