Gallic acid is partially responsible for the antiangiogenic activities of Rubus leaf extract

An aqueous extract of leaves from Rubus suavissimus S. Lee (Rosaceae) or sweet leaf tea was tested for antiangiogenic activity in a human tissue-based fibrin-thrombin clot angiogenesis assay. Further fractionation of this crude extract was performed and the antiangiogenic effect of individual fractions was assessed. The extract was also tested for its oral bioavailability by using the serum of normal rats gavaged with the extract in the assay. At a 0.1% w/v concentration, the extract inhibited initiation of the angiogenic response and subsequent neovessel growth from samples that had already initiated an angiogenic response. Two subfractions of the extract showed significant inhibition of angiogenesis at 0.1% w/w. Gallic acid was elucidated as one of the active angiogenesis inhibitors in one fraction. A 1 mm concentration of gallic acid totally inhibited angiogenesis. In the form of leaf extract, a one-tenth concentration produced the same total inhibition as pure gallic acid. The 10-fold difference in potency suggests the presence of other active compounds contributing to the overall antiangiogenic effect of the extract. The oral absorption of this extract was tested by using serum from rats given the extract orally (gavage) in the angiogenesis assay system. The serum of rats orally administered the sweet leaf tea extract at doses of 0.1% w/w and 0.3% w/w did not significantly inhibit angiogenesis. However, the serum of rats injected intraperitoneally at a dose of 0.1% w/w caused a 41% inhibition of angiogenesis compared with saline injected controls. These preliminary results warrant further bioassay directed identification of other responsible compounds.