Cascara sagrada, also known as Rhamnus prinoides, is an evergreen shrub commonly found in Africa. The plant is widely distributed across the continent. In Africa, the stems, branches, and leaves of the plant are widely used to make the traditional fermented beverages Tella and Tedj, which have a long history and cultural significance in the region.
In addition, the roots and bark are widely used in traditional medicine for the treatment of dermatitis, pneumonia, arthritis, backache, stomachache, gonorrhea, malaria, tonsillitis, colds, dyspepsia, scabies, tinea capitis, eczema, and to relieve fatigue.
In recent years, with the increasing interest in natural medicinal plants, researchers have conducted in-depth studies on the pharmacological activities of cascara sagrada. The plant is rich in polyphenolic compounds with excellent biological activities. Cascara sagrada extracts are rich in a variety of bioactive compounds, especially coumarins, which show important medicinal potential in antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and hepato-renal protection.
Despite the widespread use of cascara sagrada in African traditional medicine, little research has been done on its pharmacological activity and polyphenol profile. In order to further explore the medicinal value of Rhamnus officinalis, researchers conducted a detailed study on the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of Rhamnus prinoides L'Herit (R. prinoides) extract and its related chemical constituents from Kenyan origin in Africa.
The results of the chemical content determination of the Kenyan-origin R. prinoides showed that its root bark had a high content of polyphenols, mainly flavonoids. Antioxidant activity analysis showed that the flavonoid-rich extract of R. prinoides had significant scavenging ability against free radicals DPPH and ABTS. The anti-inflammatory activity showed that the flavonoid-rich R. prinoides extract could not only inhibit the production of inflammatory factor NO in macrophage RAW264.7, but also inhibit the activity of COX-2, a key enzyme in the inflammatory response, and play a significant anti-inflammatory effect.
In addition, 65 compounds in the extract of R. prinoides were analyzed and identified by chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS). It was found that the main chemical components with significant anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities were flavonoids and their glycosides.
Fig.1 Rhamnus prinoides extract inhibits the production of inflammatory factor NO and COX-2 enzyme activity.
The present study reveals for the first time the polyphenolic fingerprints of R. prinoides from Kenya, Africa, and its significant anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, confirming that R. prinoides is a good natural source of polyphenols and flavonoids. These findings not only provide a scientific basis for the application of R. prinoides as a folk medicinal plant, but also provide valuable information about its potential application in future healthcare.
As a traditional African medicinal plant, the rich polyphenolic constituents and significant biological activities of cascara sagrada make it important in modern medical research. In the future, in-depth study of its active components and mechanism of action will help develop new natural medicines and healthcare products to provide more choices for human health.
Reference
- Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory Activities and Polyphenol Profile of Rhamnus Prionides. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) (2020).
