The Angelica dahurica: A Review of Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry and Pharmacology

Angelica dahurica (A. dahurica) root is a famous edible medicinal herb that has been used in China for thousands of years. To date, more than 300 chemical constituents have been discovered from A. dahurica. Among these ingredients, coumarins and volatile oils are the major active compounds. Moreover, a few other compounds have also been isolated from the root of A. dahurica, such as alkaloids, phenols, sterols, benzofurans, polyacetylenes and polysaccharides. Modern pharmacological studies demonstrated that the root of A. dahurica and its active components displayed various bioactivities such as anti-inflammation, anti-tumor, anti-oxidation, analgesic activity, antiviral and anti-microbial effects, effects on the cardiovascular system, neuroprotective function, hepatoprotective activity, effects on skin diseases and so on. Based on these studies, this review focused on the research publications of A. dahurica and aimed to summarize the advances in the traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology which will provide reference for the further studies and applications of A. dahurica.

Synergistic antioxidant action of Phikud Navakot ameliorates hydrogen peroxide-induced stress in human endothelial cells

BACKGROUND

Phikud Navakot (PN), a combination of nine herbs, has been used traditionally in Thai medicinal formulas to relieve circulatory disorder. The present study aimed to compare the synergistic antioxidant efficacy and toxicity of the hydroethanolic and water extracts of PN at cellular level.

METHODS

PN and its nine herbs were extracted with either 50% ethanol or water. All extracts were tested for in vitro antioxidant potential using standard antioxidant assays. Evaluation of cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and intracellular reactive oxygen species were performed using human endothelial ECV304 cells.

RESULTS

Antioxidant assays in cell-free systems showed that the hydroethanolic extract of PN scavenged superoxide, hydroxyl, nitric oxide radicals, and hydrogen peroxide more effectively than its water extract. Combination indices were calculated to show that the ingredients of the hydroethanolic extract acted synergistically to exhibit antioxidant activities against all tested radicals, whereas, in the case of water extract, this effect was observed only against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, superoxide, and hydroxyl radicals. A cell-based assay also revealed that the hydroethanolic extract concentration-dependently attenuated hydrogen peroxide-induced stress more effectively than the water extract. At the antioxidant and cytotoxic concentrations of both extracts, no genotoxicity was found.

CONCLUSION

Our findings demonstrate that the synergistic antioxidant action of PN ameliorates endothelial stress, which may provide some clues for understanding the traditional use of PN for the treatment of circulatory disorder. Additionally, the selection of a suitable solvent for the extraction of PN herbal combination is essential for maximal efficacy and safety.