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Anti-angiogenic effects of rhubarb and its anthraquinone derivatives
Zhi-Heng He1, Ming-Fang He, Shuang-Cheng Ma
1Food and Drug Authentication Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Chinese Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, PR China.
Ethnopharmacological Relevance:
Rhubarb root (Dahuang) is often included as an ingredient in traditional Chinese compound prescriptions for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. This application may possibly be mediated through anti-angiogensis and thus would shed light on its potential value in cancer therapy.
Aim Of The Study:
To elucidate the anti-angiogenic properties of rhubarb root, we tested the inhibitory effects of different fractions and a series of anthraquinone derivatives against vessel formation in zebrafish embryos.
Materials And Methods:
The 95% ethanol extract and four subsequent fractions (n-hexane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and aqueous fractions) of rhubarb root and five anthraquinone derivatives were investigated on zebrafish model by quantitative endogenous alkaline phosphatase assay and staining assay.
Results:
Ethyl acetate fraction showed the strongest inhibition of vessel formation by 52%. Three anthraquinones (aloe-emodin, emodin and rhein) displayed potent anti-angiogenic activities.
Conclusions:
The angiogenic properties of rhubarb root may partly account for its use in inflammatory diseases. The anthraquinones with acidic or polar, hydrophilic substitution at C-6 or C-3 positions played a substantial role in inhibiting angiogenesis. The value of the zebrafish angiogenic model is further supported.
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