Abstract Detail

Phytochemical Section

Jones, Tristesse [1], Mahady, Gail [2], Locklear, Tracie [2], Parker, Christina [2], Duncan, Sara [2].

Pharmacological activities of extracts of Salvia officinalis L. leaves used by the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina for the treatment of menopause .

Sage (Salvia officinalis L; Lamiaceae) is a popular food plant and herb used medicinally by many Native Americans. The Latin genus name "Salvia" meaning to cure and the species name "officinalis" meaning medicinal, suggests that the plant was widely used to treat a range of medical conditions. In the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina and other Native American tribes, S.officinalis was used as an anti-transpirant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterialagent and was also used to treat sweats associated with the menopausal transition. As part of an ongoing collaboration with the Lumbee Tribe, we have been investigating medicinal herbs used by the tribe for the management of women's health conditions and menopause. The leaves of S. officinalis were collected in North Carolina and deposited in the Herbarium at Chapel Hill, NC. The leaves(5 kg) were dried, pulverized, and extracted in methanol (MeOH, extracted to exhaustion). The MeOH extract was defatted with dichloromethane (3 L) and partitioned into chloroform, ethyl acetate and water. The partitions were dried and tested at 20 ug/ml in an MCF-7 ERE-SEAP reporter geneassay. The ethyl acetate partition (EtOAc) was highly estrogenic in the MCF-7 cell assay and significantly enhanced the expression of estrogen-dependent reporter genes. In order to identify the chemical constituents responsible for this activity, the EtOAc partition was fractionated using column chromatography (C18 reverse phase silica gel) using increasing concentrations of methanol/water as a solvent (20% MeOH to 100% MeOH), affording 5 fractions(20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100% methanol). These fractions were tested again in the reporter gene assay and fraction 40% was found to be weakly estrogenic and fraction 80% was found to be an estrogen agonist/antagonist. Rosmarinic acid was isolated as the estrogen agonist/antagonist and carnosic acid was found to be weakly estrogenic in MCF-7 cells and enhance the activity estradiol in the cells. These data support the traditional use of S. officinalis for the management of menopause by Native Americans.

Broader Impacts:

1 - University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, 833 S Wood Street, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
2 - University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Pharmacy Practice, 833 S Wood Street, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA

Keywords:
none specified

Presentation Type: Poster:Posters for Sections
Session: P
Location: Khorassan Ballroom/Chase Park Plaza
Date: Monday, July 11th, 2011
Time: 5:30 PM
Number: PPT007
Abstract ID:53