Cassiae semen: A review of its phytochemistry and pharmacology

Dong, Xiaoxv; Fu, Jing; Yin, Xingbin; Yang, Chunjing; Zhang, Xin; Wang, Wenping; Du, Xueying; Wang, Qingling; Ni, Jian

treatment of hyperlipidemia. Several Chinese herbal formulations containing Cassiae semen is available in the Chinese market for preventing the formation of atherosclerotic plaques (59) . In certain Asian countries, including China and Korea, it is also commonly drunk as a roasted tea to reduce body weight (60, 61) . Previous studies using mice have evaluated the reductions in blood lipid contents induced by different Cassiae semen extracts obtained through different methods, including supercritical fluid extraction, systematic solvents (petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, 70% ethanol and water) and ethanol precipitation following water extraction. The results revealed that the n-butanol and ethyl acetate extracts were the most effective (62, 63) . In addition, the ethanol and aqueous extracts of Cassiae emen significantly decreased the serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), however, they increased the levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (13, 64, 65) . Similarly, He et al (66) reported that treatment with the water extract form of C. obtusifolia seeds decreased the blood-lipid level by inhibiting cholesterol synthesis. Cho et al (67) demonstrated that soluble fibers from C. tora seeds markedly decreased liver TC and TG levels in rats fed with a high-cholesterol diet. The underlying mechanism may be mediated by increasing fecal bile acid excretion and downregulating the production of lipogenic enzymes (67) . In addition, soluble fibers decreased the serum levels of TC, TG and LDL-C in patients with type II diabetes without serious adverse effects (2). Liu et al (68) revealed that the ethanol extract of Cassiae semen upregulated the expression levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ, sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c, hormone-sensitive lipase and triacylglycerol hydrolase, however, tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 6 was downregulated in adipose tissue. The anti-hyperlipidemia activity of Cassiae semen is primarily due to its antioxidant components, such as anthraquinones and polysaccharides. There are a variety of bioactive anthraquinone components in Cassiae semen, including chrysophanol, physcion, aurantio-obtusin, obtusifolin and emodin, which have been observed to decrease the levels of TC and TG (69, 70) . Previous studies have demonstrated that anthraquinones isolated from Cassiae semen Rubrofusarin triglucoside (17) 52 Cassiaside (50) 53 Nor-rubrofusarin gentiobioside (17) 54 Cassiaside B (50) 55