Wound healing activity of acylated iridoid glycosides from Scrophularia nodosa

Three acylated iridoid glycosides (E)-6-O-(2", 4"-diacetyl-3" -O-p-methoxycinnamoyl)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl catalpol (scopolioside A) (1), (E)-6-O-(2"-acetyl-3", 4"-di-O,O-p-methoxycinnamoyl)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl catalpol (scrophuloside A(4)) (2) and (E)-6-O-(2",3"-diacetyl-4"-O-p-methoxycinnamoyl)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl catalpol (scrovalentinoside) (3) have been isolated from the dried seed pods of Scrophularia nodosa by HPLC. Their structures were determined by 1D and 2D NMR, UV/Vis and mass spectroscopy and by comparison with published data. All three compounds were shown in vitro to stimulate the growth of human dermal fibroblasts. The effect was negatively dose-dependent for 2 and 3 for which fibroblast growth stimulation was highest at 0.78 microg/mL but was not significantly different from the control at 100 microg/mL. The presence of these compounds in the mature seed pods may explain the ethnobotanical use of this plant in Europe for healing wounds.