Department of Biological and Allied Health Sciences, Ohio Northern University 525 S Main St, Ada OH 45801, USA.
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ohio Northern University 525 S Main St, Ada OH 45801, USA.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2015 Mar 13;162:163-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2014.12.024. Epub 2014 Dec 24.
Many different tribes of American Indians used jewelweed, Impatiens capensis Meerb, as a plant mash to reduce development of poison ivy dermatitis. Saponins are a natural soapy constituent found within plants. A 2012 study suggested that saponins may be present in jewelweed which could be responsible for its efficacy in preventing rash development following contact with Toxicodendron radicans (L.) Kuntze (poison ivy). This study validated this hypothesis and demonstrated additional biological activity of the jewelweed saponin containing extract.
Fresh I. capensis leaves were extracted with methanol and further partitioned between ethyl acetate and water, with a final separation between water and n-butanol, to obtain a saponin containing extract. The presence of saponins in the extract was demonstrated by the observation of foaming and using a vanillin colorimetric assay for total saponins. Efficacy of the saponin containing extracts in rash reduction was tested by brushing poison ivy (PI) onto the forearms of volunteers (N=23) in six locations and treating these PI exposed areas with distilled water (control), saponin containing extracts, fresh plant mashes, and soaps made with and without plant extracts. Saponin containing extracts were further tested for biological activity against both gram negative and gram positive bacteria and against cancer cell lines A-375, HT-29, and MCF-7. Additionally, because saponins have been shown to have a stimulatory effect in cardiac muscle 2 µl saponin extract was applied superficially to black worms, Lumbriculus variegatus (N=5).
RESULTS, AND CONCLUSIONS: Both saponin containing extracts and all soaps tested were effective in reducing poison ivy dermatitis; thus, saponin content correlates with PI rash prevention. No apparent antibiosis was observed against any bacteria tested; however, dose response cytotoxicity was documented against MCF-7 breast cancer cells and cytostatic activity was seen against the HT-29 colon cancer cell lines. Lumbriculus variegatus exhibited a 138% increase in heart rate over baseline rate five minutes post treatment implying a possible positive chronotropic effect.
许多不同的美洲印第安部落使用凤仙花，Impatiens capensis Meerb，作为植物糊状物来减少毒葛性皮炎的发展。皂苷是植物中天然的肥皂状成分。2012 年的一项研究表明，凤仙花中可能含有皂苷，这可能是其预防接触 Toxicodendron radicans (L.) Kuntze（毒葛）后皮疹发展的功效的原因。本研究验证了这一假设，并证明了含有凤仙花皂苷的提取物具有额外的生物学活性。
新鲜的凤仙花叶片用甲醇提取，然后用乙酸乙酯和水进一步分离，最后用水和正丁醇分离，得到含有皂苷的提取物。通过观察泡沫的形成和使用香草醛比色法测定总皂苷来证明提取物中皂苷的存在。通过在志愿者的前臂六个部位刷毒葛（PI）并用水（对照）、含皂苷的提取物、新鲜植物糊剂以及含有和不含有植物提取物的肥皂处理这些 PI 暴露区域，测试含皂苷提取物在减少皮疹方面的功效。进一步测试含皂苷提取物对革兰氏阴性和革兰氏阳性细菌以及 A-375、HT-29 和 MCF-7 癌细胞系的生物活性。此外，由于皂苷已被证明对心肌具有刺激作用，因此将 2 µl 皂苷提取物表面应用于黑虫，Lumbriculus variegatus（N=5）。
含皂苷的提取物和所有测试的肥皂都能有效预防毒葛性皮炎；因此，皂苷含量与 PI 皮疹预防相关。对任何测试的细菌均未观察到明显的抗菌作用；然而，记录了对 MCF-7 乳腺癌细胞的剂量反应细胞毒性和对 HT-29 结肠癌细胞系的细胞生长抑制活性。Lumbriculus variegatus 在治疗后五分钟的心率比基线率增加了 138%，这表明可能存在正变时作用。
