Detection and isolation of intestinal muscle relaxant substances from the root of Taverniera abyssinica A. Rich

Daniel Seifu; Kristofer F Nilsson; Rajinder Chawla; Solomon Genet; Mikael Holst; Asfaw Debella; Per M Hellström

doi:10.1016/j.jep.2023.116498

Detection and isolation of intestinal muscle relaxant substances from the root of Taverniera abyssinica A. Rich

J Ethnopharmacol. 2023 Aug 10:312:116498. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.116498. Epub 2023 Apr 13.

Authors

Daniel Seifu¹, Kristofer F Nilsson², Rajinder Chawla³, Solomon Genet³, Mikael Holst⁴, Asfaw Debella⁵, Per M Hellström⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Biochemistry, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Department of Biochemistry, Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of medicine, University of Global Health Equity, Kigali, Rwanda.
² Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.
³ Department of Biochemistry, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
⁴ Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
⁵ Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
⁶ Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. Electronic address: Per.Hellstrom@medsci.uu.se.

PMID: 37059252
DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.116498

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevance: In Ethiopian traditional medicine the root of Taverniera abyssinica A.Rich is known as a remedy for sudden gastrointestinal cramping and fever. In this study we have isolated and identified the bioactive principle of Taverniera abyssinica that exerts effects on isolated smooth muscle tissues of the rabbit duodenum and guinea-pig ileum.

Aim of the study: To isolate and purify the bioactive principle from the root of Taverniera abyssinica A.Rich by bioassay-guided fractionation, HPLC purification and masspectrometry, with further investigation of its bioactivity on isolated smooth muscle strips.

Materials and methods: Roots of Taverniera abyssinica A.Rich extracted in 75% methanol/water were fractioned with a reverse phase column and then subjected to HPLC purification. Each fraction collected from the HPLC was tested for its bioactivity using electric field stimulation-evoked contractions of the rabbit duodenum and guinea-pig ileum. Finally, detailed structural analysis of the fraction displaying significant bioactivity was made by mass spectrometry.

Results: Through bioassay-guided fractionation and HPLC purification the bioactive fractions were identified. These were tested for bioactivity on isolated smooth muscle strips which showed about 80% inhibition of contractions evoked by electric field stimulation. These compounds were identified as formononetin, afrormosin and tectorigenin by using masspectrometry applying relevant standards for detection.

Conclusion: The traditionally claimed smooth muscle-relaxing effect of the roots of Taverniera abyssinica A.Rich is essentially due the three isolated and purified the two isoflavones formononetin, afrormosin as well as the metoxyisoflavone tectorigenin, along with possibly other not yet purified bioactive substances, however with similar smooth muscle-relaxing properties.

Keywords: Afrormosin; Bioassay; Formononetin; Muscle strip; Smooth muscle; Tectorigenin.

MeSH terms

Animals
Duodenum
Fabaceae*
Guinea Pigs
Ileum
Intestines
Muscle Contraction
Muscle, Smooth
Plant Extracts* / pharmacology
Rabbits

Substances

Plant Extracts