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Characterization of chemical components in extracts from Si-wu decoction with proliferation-promoting effects on rat mesenchymal stem cells.

Zeng HP, Wang TT, Chen W, Wang CY, Chen DF, Shen JG

Institute of Functional Molecule, School of Chemistry, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, China. zenghp@scnu.edu.cn

Si-wu decoction (SDE), a classic prescription in Traditional Chinese Medicine, has been used for the treatment of a variety of anaemia in China for centuries. In order to explore the scientific basis of the formula, we investigated the relationship between its chemical components and proliferation-promoting effects on rat marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Twenty (F-1-F-20) components were obtained and their proliferation-promoting effects on MSCs were investigated. The results showed that F-4, F-7, F-10, and F-11 stimulated the proliferation of the MSCs. The chemical components with proliferation-promoting effects on the MSCs were further identified by GC-MS, HPLC, LC-MS, and other spectra. Ligustilide (F-4) isolated from SDE showed the best proliferation-promoting effect. Palmitic acid methyl ester and stearic acid ethyl identified from F-7 and F-10 by HPLC were also confirmed to be responsible for stimulating MSC proliferation. A novel compound, 6,7-dihydroxy-3-(-prop-1-enyl)isobenzofuran-1(3H)-one, was found in the SDE for the first time by LC-MS(n), whose structure was similar to ligustilide.

Published 12 May 2008 in Bioorg Med Chem, 16(9): 5109-14.
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