Isolation of antiosteoporotic compounds from seeds of Sophora japonica

PLoS One. 2014 Jun 3;9(6):e98559. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0098559. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Chemical investigation of Sophora japonica seeds resulted in the isolation of seven metabolites identified as: genistin (1), sophoricoside (2), sophorabioside (3), sophoraflavonoloside (4), genistein 7,4'-di-O-β-D-glucopyransoide (5), kaempferol 3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1 → 6)β-D-glucopyranosyl(1 → 2)β-D-glucopyranoside (6) and rutin (7). Compounds 1, 2 and 5 showed significant estrogenic proliferative effect in MCF-7 cell in sub-cytotoxic concentration range. Compounds 1 and 2 showed minimal cell membrane damaging effect using LDH leakage assay. Accordingly, compound 2 (sophoricoside, (SPH)) was selected for further in-vivo studies as a potential anti-osteoporosis agent. The anti-osteoporotic effect of SPH was assessed in ovarectomized (OVX) rats after oral administration (15 mg/kg and 30 mg/kg) for 45 days compared to estradiol (10 µg/kg) as a positive control. Only in a dose of 30 mg/kg, SPH regained the original mechanical bone hardness compared to normal non-osteoporotic group. However, SPH (15 mg/kg) significantly increased the level of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) to normal level. Treatment with SPH (30 mg/kg) increased the level of ALP to be higher than normal group. SPH (15 mg/kg) did not significantly increase the serum level of osteocalcin (OC) compared to OVX group. On the other hand, treatment with SPH (30 mg/kg) significantly increased the level of OC to 78% higher than normal non-ovarectomized animals group. In addition, SPH (15 mg/kg) decreased the bone resorption marker, acid phosphatase (ACP) to normal level and SPH (30 mg/kg) further diminished the level of serum ACP. Histopathologically, sophoricoside ameliorated the ovarectomy induced osteoporosis in a dose dependent manner. The drug showed thicker bony trabeculae, more osteoid, and more osteoblastic rimming compared to OVX group.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acid Phosphatase / metabolism
  • Alkaline Phosphatase / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Benzopyrans / chemistry
  • Benzopyrans / pharmacology
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Estradiol / chemistry
  • Humans
  • MCF-7 Cells
  • Osteocalcin / blood
  • Rats
  • Seeds / chemistry*
  • Sophora / chemistry*

Substances

  • Benzopyrans
  • sophoricoside
  • Osteocalcin
  • Estradiol
  • Alkaline Phosphatase
  • Acid Phosphatase

Grants and funding

This project was funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research (DSR), King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, under grant no. 208/166/1433. The authors, therefore, acknowledge with thanks DSR technical and financial support. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.