Pu Yajing, Li Lin, Wang Ru, Qin Qiuyi, Xu Jingwen, Xiang Limin, He Xiangjiu, Wang Yihai
School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Lead Compounds & Drug Discovery, Guangzhou 510006, China.
Foods. 2025 Aug 25;14(17):2964. doi: 10.3390/foods14172964.
Baker, traditionally used in southern China as a folk remedy for sore throat and pharyngitis, has long been consumed as a medicinal tea. Steroidal saponins are considered the major bioactive constituents of its rhizome, yet systematic studies on their extraction and biological effects remain scarce. In this study, total steroidal saponins from (TCS) were prepared through optimized extraction and enrichment processes. Response surface methodology identified optimal conditions, and subsequent purification with D-101 resin increased the saponin content to 67.3%. The anti-inflammatory activity of TCS was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. In LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages, TCS significantly inhibited nitric oxide production and downregulated the expression of iNOS, COX-2, and pro-inflammatory cytokines, partly through suppression of NF-κB activation. In a rat model of acute pharyngitis, TCS alleviated pathological symptoms, preserved mucosal integrity, and reduced NF-κB expression. These findings demonstrate that TCS possesses strong anti-inflammatory activity and may serve as a promising candidate for the development of functional foods or natural therapeutics aimed at pharyngitis management.
在中国南方，贝克长期以来一直被用作治疗喉咙痛和咽炎的民间药物，并一直作为药茶饮用。甾体皂苷被认为是其根茎的主要生物活性成分，但对其提取和生物学效应的系统研究仍然很少。在本研究中，通过优化提取和富集工艺制备了贝克总甾体皂苷（TCS）。响应面法确定了最佳条件，随后用D-101树脂纯化将皂苷含量提高到67.3%。对TCS的抗炎活性进行了体外和体内评价。在LPS刺激的RAW264.7巨噬细胞中，TCS显著抑制一氧化氮的产生，并下调iNOS、COX-2和促炎细胞因子的表达，部分是通过抑制NF-κB的激活。在急性咽炎大鼠模型中，TCS减轻了病理症状，保持了黏膜完整性，并降低了NF-κB的表达。这些发现表明，TCS具有很强的抗炎活性，可能是开发针对咽炎管理的功能性食品或天然疗法的有前途的候选药物。
