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Cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitory effects and composition of the volatile oil from the dried roots of Lithospermum erythrorhizon

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Abstract

The composition of the volatile oil from Lithospermi Radix, the dried roots of Lithospermum erythrorhizon (Boraginaceae), has been investigated by capillary GC and GC–MS. To investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of the oil, in-vitro inhibition of ovine cyclooxygenase-1 and 2 (COX-1 and COX-2) activity by the oil was studied. Fifty-four components of the oil were identified, representing 92.74% of the oil. The main components were 2-methylbutanoic acid (21.50%), 3-methylbutanoic acid (12.61%), 2-methylpropanoic acid (8.99%), methyl linoleate (8.76%), methyl oleate (6.27%), methyl palmitate (6.06%), and 2-methyl-2-butenoic acid (5.74%). Highly selective COX-2 inhibition was observed; at 50 μg/ml the oil inhibited 38.8% of COX-2 activity.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Grant-in-Aid from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (No. 19300244), and a grant from Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology for the “High-Tech Research Center” project for Private Universities, 2004–2008.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Kinki University, 3-4-1 Kowakae, Higashiosaka-shi, Osaka, 577-8502, Japan

    Jyunichi Kawata & Mitsuo Miyazawa

  2. More Cosmetics Co., Ltd, 1-6-12 Kyutaromachi, Chuo-ku, Osaka, 541-0056, Japan

    Jyunichi Kawata & Munekazu Kameda

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  1. Jyunichi Kawata
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  2. Munekazu Kameda
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  3. Mitsuo Miyazawa
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Correspondence to Mitsuo Miyazawa.

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Kawata, J., Kameda, M. & Miyazawa, M. Cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitory effects and composition of the volatile oil from the dried roots of Lithospermum erythrorhizon . J Nat Med 62, 239–243 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-007-0221-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-007-0221-0

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