Quantitative analysis and toxicity determination of artifacts originated in a Thai traditional medicine Prasaplai

Abstract

Prasaplai is a Thai traditional medicine for relieving dysmenorrhea and adjusting the menstrual cycle. Three fatty acid esters, (E)-4-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)but-3-en-1-yl linoleate (1), (E)-4-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)but-3-en-1-yl oleate (2) and (E)-4-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)but-3-en-1-yl palmitate (3) are formed during storage from the reaction of chemical components in two herbs, i.e., fatty acids in Nigella sativa (L.) (Ranunculaceae) and (E)-4-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)but-3-en-1-ol (compound D) in Zingiber cassumunar (Roxb.) (Zingiberaceae). The formations of these artifacts were monitored for 1 year and their amounts were analyzed by HPLC at certain periods of time. The results showed that artifact formation was saturated after 73 days of storage. The amount of each artifact in the saturation period ranged from 3.93 ± 0.06 to 4.30 ± 0.18% w/w for compound 1, 1.69 ± 0.08 to 1.9 ± 0.13% w/w for compound 2 and 0.09 ± 0.003 to 0.1 ± 0.005% w/w for compound 3. Cytotoxicity of the artifacts was evaluated using NCI-H187, KB, and BC cancer cell lines and found that the IC₅₀ of all artifacts in all tests were higher than 20 μg/mL. For acute toxicity in mice, the LD₅₀ of each artifact was more than 300 mg/kg.

Keywords::

• Artifact formation
• cytotoxicity
• acute toxicity
• Prasaplai
• Thai traditional medicine
• fatty acid ester

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the bioassay laboratory at BIOTEC of NSTDA, Thailand for helping us in the cytotoxicity study.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflict of interest. The authors are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.