Anti-inflammatory and immunological effects of Centaurea cyanus flower-heads

doi:10.1016/S0378-8741(99)00112-9

Journal of Ethnopharmacology

Volume 68, Issues 1–3, 15 December 1999, Pages 235-241

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-8741(99)00112-9 Get rights and content

Abstract

Centaurea cyanus flower-heads are used in European phytotherapy for the treatment of minor ocular inflammations. Different pharmacological experiments (inhibition of carrageenan, zymosan and croton oil-induced oedemas, inhibition of plasma haemolytic activity, induction of anaphylatoxin activity) showed that polysaccharides extracted from C. cyanus flower-heads had anti-inflammatory properties and interfered with complement. Moreover, these polysaccharides were found to be mainly composed of galacturonic acid, arabinose, glucose, rhamnose and galactose.

Introduction

Centaurea cyanus L. (Asteraceae) flower-heads are a well-known crude drug used in European traditional medicine in the treatment of minor ocular inflammation (Bruneton, 1995). To our knowledge, only one study on the anti-microbial activity of cornflower’s overground parts has been published (Monya et al., 1968) and no other information about the pharmacological properties of the inflorescence have yet appeared, although no risk or objection to its use as an admixture in herbal drugs has been reported (Hänsel et al., 1992). These facts justify our interest in further studies of this plant.

In recent years, polysaccharides of plant origin have emerged as an important class of bioactive natural products. Such polysaccharides have been reported to elicit a wide range of anti-tumour, immunological, anti-complementary, anti-inflammatory, anti-coagulant, hypoglycemic and anti-viral activities (Franz, 1989, Srivastava and Kulshreshta, 1989).

In this study, a water-soluble ethanol-insoluble (WSEI) fraction was obtained from C. cyanus. The anti-inflammatory and anti-complementary effects of this fraction were examined using carrageenan and zymosan-oedema tests in rats, croton oil test in mice, inhibition of total haemolytic activity and formation of anaphylatoxin activity. The composition of this fraction was also investigated by spectrophotometric techniques, GLC and HPLC analysis.

Section snippets

Plant material

The flower-heads of C. cyanus were obtained from the trading company P. Müggenburg, Alveslove, Germany and the blue flowers without receptacles of C. cyanus L. from Cailleau, Chemillé, France. They were authenticated by our department according to the monograph of the French Pharmacopœia X.

Isolation of water-soluble ethanol-soluble fraction and water-soluble ethanol-insoluble fraction

The powdered inflorescences of C. cyanus were pre-extracted in a Soxhlet apparatus with ethanol. The pre-extracted drug was prepared as a tea, by pouring boiling water (20 parts) on the sliced drug (1 part)

Extraction yield and chemical analysis

The aqueous extract (extraction yield: 25% of the dried flower weight) was separated into a water-soluble ethanol soluble fraction (WSES fraction, about 18% of the aqueous extract dry weight) and into a water-soluble ethanol-insoluble fraction (WSEI fraction, about 8% of the aqueous extract dry weight).

The WSEI fraction contained 91% of carbohydrate (W/W) and 9% of proteins (W/W). The carbohydrate part was mainly composed of uronic acids (79%, in molar ratio of the constituents). The neutral

Discussion and conclusion

There were two water-soluble extract fractions isolated from C. cyanus flower-heads. The ethanol-insoluble fraction inhibited carrageenan-induced oedema whereas ethanol-soluble fraction used at large doses was devoid of anti-inflammatory effect in this test.

The analysis of the WSEI fraction composition showed pectic polymer, consisting mainly in uronic acids (79%, molar ratio of the polysaccharidic fraction). The principal constituent was found to be galacturonic acid.

The WSEI fraction

Acknowledgements

This work is partly supported by the F.R.S.M. (National Fund for Scientific Medical Research of Belgium) grant 3.4527.93. The authors are also indebted to V. Goldsztajn, industry pharmacist, Asta Medica, Brussels for providing C. cyanus L. inflorescences batches. We thank Professor Dr G. Franz (University of Regensburg) for his close interest in this work.

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Anti-inflammatory and immunological effects of Centaurea cyanus flower-heads

Abstract

Introduction

Section snippets

Plant material

Isolation of water-soluble ethanol-soluble fraction and water-soluble ethanol-insoluble fraction

Extraction yield and chemical analysis

Discussion and conclusion

Acknowledgements

Anal. Biochem.

Eur. J. Pharmacol.

Eur. J. Pharmacol.

Eur. J. Pharmacol.

J. Biol. Chem.

Int. J. Immunopharmacol.

Phytochemistry

An unusual prostaglandin-mediated response of rat stomach strip to anaphylatoxin

Arch. Int. Pharmacodyn.

Further studies of the mechanism of counter-irritation by turpentine

Naunyn-Schmiedebergs Archiv für Pharmakol.

Kinins and peritoneal exudates induced by carrageenan and zymosan

Br. J. Pharmacol.

Inhibition by WEB 2086, a PAF-acether antagonist of oedema and peritonitis induced by zymosan in rats

Arch. Int. Pharmacodyn.