Evaluation of Ethnobotanical Fruit-Based Composition Extracts for Their Active Components and Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Abstract

Chinese medicine employs fruit-based compositions such as Diospyros kaki calyx and Ziziphus jujuba seeds in traditional medications. Thai folklore uses the edible fruits of Dillenia indica and Diospyros rhodocalyx for numerous uses. The goal of this study was to establish the potential benefits of these fruit-based components by creating extracts for pharmacological use and exploring their composition and biological activity. The extracts were characterized using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with betulinic acid as a marker. The extracts containing the marker were tested for anti-inflammatory activity using the inhibition of nitric oxide production assay on RAW264.7 cells. The toxicity to cells was concurrently investigated using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) test. Betulinic acid levels in the extracts varied from 0.78 to 7.75%. All compound-containing extracts demonstrated anti-inflammatory performance in a dose-dependent manner. The IC₅₀ values ranged from 97.1 to 287.6 µg/mL, and greater concentrations resulted in cell toxicity. The correlation study, conducted using Pearson’s analysis, demonstrated a connection between the Diospyros species based on similar chemical compounds and biological functions. Also, the anti-inflammatory effect of a feasible seed extract from Dillenia indica was linked to those of the seeds of Ziziphus jujuba, a widely used Chinese medicinal fruit. These extracts containing betulinic acid have the potential to be investigated more thoroughly for their anti-inflammatory properties for application in herbal preparations.

Keywords:

• Betulinic acid
• Dillenia indica
• Diospyros kaki
• Diospyros rhodocalyx
• high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)
• Ziziphus jujuba

Acknowledgments

The authors express their gratitude to the Research Institute and College of Pharmacy of Rangsit University in Thailand for their affordable financial support and necessary facilities for this investigation. Additionally, we acknowledge the RSU Scientific and Technological Research Equipment Center (RSU-STREC) for assistance in providing the laboratory with the analytical instruments.

Authors’ contributions

PS created and implemented the research concept, provided the samples and drug specimens, as well as plant authentication, and was in charge of the extraction and analysis for this investigation. TS contributed to the anti-inflammatory and cytotoxicity testing of the extracts proposed in this study in vitro. PS prepared the manuscript after carefully reading and analyzing all findings. PS and TS read and approved the final draft. PS is accountable for this research article as the guarantor.

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.