Bioassay-guided isolation of apigenin with GABA-benzodiazepine activity from Tanacetum parthenium

Abstract

Extracts of Tanacetum parthenium are used in the prophylactic treatment of migraine and have also been used in Danish folk medicine for the treatment of epilepsy. An ethanol extract of T. parthenium showed high affinity for the GABAA-benzodiazepine site. An ethanol extract of T. parthenium was fractionated by VLC on silica and preparative C18 HPLC. Each step was monitored with the GABAA-benzodiazepine bioassay. The fractionation led to the isolation of apigenin, which may be responsible for CNS-effects of T. parthenium extracts. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.