Anti-inflammatory extracts and coumaroyl ursolic acid derivatives from Distictis buccinatoria

Abstract

Three ascendant polarities extracts (n-hexane, dichloromethane and methanol) from Distictis buccinatoria were analyzed for their anti-inflammatory activity in the TPA mice ear edema assay. The dichloromethane extract (DbDE) shown the highest percentage of edema inhibition (90.47%; ED 50 = 0.036 mg ear -1 and E max = 90.9%). The chemical bio-guided study of this extract allowed to obtain an anti-inflammatory fraction DbC1F4 (95.8%; D 50 = 0.49 mg ear -1 and E max = 99.01%) and sub-fraction DbC2F3 (93.44% of edema inhibition). The compounds (1) 3-O-(E)-p-coumaroyl ursolic acid, (2) 3-O-(Z)-p-coumaroyl ursolic acid and (3) ursolic acid were isolated from this last fraction. These results give a scientific basis to the traditional uses of this Mexican medicinal plant, which could be standardized in the content of coumaroyl ursolic acid derivatives for future investigations of this species in treatment of inflammation related illness.