Nat Prod Sci.  2019 Jun;25(2):143-149. 10.20307/nps.2019.25.2.143.

Enhanced Antioxidant and Anticancer Properties of Processed Eucommiae Cortex

• Yoon HJ
• Park SH
• Lee HJ

• KMID: 2452784
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.20307/nps.2019.25.2.143

Abstract

Eucommiae Cortex (EC), bark of Eucommia ulmoides, has been known as a traditional medicine to regulate hypertension and immune system. Because silk of gum in the EC blocks the release of active ingredients, EC generally has been utilized after processing with carbonization or salt-water to breakdown it. This study aimed to investigate the differences of non-processed EC and processed EC on antioxidant and anticancer properties. Antioxidant capacity was assessed by measuring the content of total polyphenols, reducing power, and ABTS radical scavenging effect. And anticancer effects were examined by evaluating the viability of pancreatic cancer cells and wound healing ability. The results demonstrated that processed EC contained more content of polyphenols and exhibited more potent reducing power and radical scavenging effect than non-processed EC. In addition, processed EC more efficiently inhibited proliferation and migration of pancreatic cancer cells. These results suggest that processing of medicinal plants can improve the biological properties such as antioxidant or anticancer activity, which may lead to the development of herbal medicine treatment technology.

Keyword

Eucommia ulmoides; Processing; Antioxidant; Pancreatic cancer; Cell proliferation

MeSH Terms

Carbon
Cell Proliferation
Eucommiaceae
Gingiva
Herbal Medicine
Hypertension
Immune System
Medicine, Traditional
Pancreatic Neoplasms
Plants, Medicinal
Polyphenols
Silk
Wound Healing
Carbon
Polyphenols
Silk

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 HPLC chromatograms of pinoresinol diglucose (A), non-processed Eucommiae Cortex (B), carbonized Eucommiae Cortex (C), and salt-processed Eucommiae Cortex (D).

• 

  Fig. 2 The antioxidant effects of processed Eucommiae Cortex (EC). (A) The effect of non-processed EC (N-EC), carbonized EC (C-EC), and salt-processed EC (S-EC) on ABTS radical scavenging. (B) The reducing power of N-EC, C-EC, and S-EC. L-ascorbic acid (L-A, 100 µg/mL) was used as a positive control. Values were expressed as means ± S.D. *p < 0.05 indicates significant difference from the vehicle treatment.

• 

  Fig. 3 The inhibitory effect of processed Eucommiae Cortex (EC) on pancreatic cancer cell proliferation. The effect of non-processed EC (N-EC), carbonized EC (C-EC), and salt-processed EC (S-EC) on pancreatic cancer cell viability by MTT assay. Cells were treated with various concentrations of test samples for 48 h. And then, MTT solution was treated and formed formazan crystals were lysed with DMSO. The absorbance at 540 nm was measured. Values were expressed as means ± S.D. *p < 0.05 indicates significant difference from the vehicle treatment.

• 

  Fig. 4 The effect of processed Eucommiae Cortex (EC) on cell cycle distribution of PANC-1 pancreatic cancer cells. Cells were treated with non-processed EC (N-EC), carbonized EC (C-EC), and salt-processed EC (S-EC) for 24 h. Fixed cells were stained with propidium iodide in the presence of RNase A for 45 min in the dark. Cell cycle analysis was performed by flow cytometry.

• 

  Fig. 5 The effect of processed Eucommiae Cortex (EC) on migration of PANC-1 pancreatic cancer cells. Migration of cancer cells by non-processed EC (N-EC), carbonized EC (C-EC), and salt-processed EC (S-EC) were evaluated by wound healing assay. Images are representative wound areas for three independent experiments that show similar results. Results were expressed as means ± S.D. *,# p < 0.05 indicates significant difference from the vehicle treatment.

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