Research on precious active ingredients in mugwort

Mugwort is a familiar plant in Vietnamese life, not only used as a rustic dish but also has many uses. From those values, scientists at the Institute of Advanced Technology have researched and discovered many compounds in mugwort that can support the treatment of gout and rheumatoid arthritis.

Staff of the Institute of Advanced Technology (Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology) check the results of active ingredients after extracting mugwort. (Photo: DUNG HIEU)

Mugwort, also known as mugwort or moxa, belongs to the daisy family, herbaceous, with dark green leaves, grows wild or is cultivated in many places. For a long time, people have used the plant as a food and folk medicine to treat bones and joints, stop bleeding, colds, physical weakness... with obvious anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antioxidant effects.

However, the active ingredients in mugwort are still little known in supporting the treatment of chronic bone and joint diseases. There are many studies on this plant in the world , but there are still few in-depth studies on its ability to inhibit xanthine oxidase, the cause of gout.

From that fact, Associate Professor, Dr. Le Tien Dung and the research team of the Institute of Advanced Technology (Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology) have researched the topic "Research on chemical composition and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity, anti-inflammatory, cartilage protection of mugwort, creating products to treat gout and rheumatoid arthritis". The success of the research topic not only provides a scientific basis but also opens up the direction for the development of health care products from natural herbs, safe and effective.

The research team of Associate Professor, Dr. Le Tien Dung prepared an extract from mugwort. The results showed that the ethyl acetate fraction had outstanding biological activity, with the ability to significantly inhibit the self-production of NO, intracellular ROS at a concentration of 100 mg/mL. The two main compounds, quercetin and 1,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid, also showed clear inhibitory effects, thereby confirming the role of flavonoids in inhibiting the enzyme xanthine oxidase, the target for gout treatment.

The research team successfully developed a method to quantify the active ingredient sesquiterpene lactone in mugwort using infrared spectroscopy, thereby designing and optimizing the extraction process on a laboratory scale. The resulting extract has high stability, especially, the ability to inhibit XO enzyme and inflammatory substances superior to conventional extraction methods, opening up the direction for the development of medicinal preparations to support the treatment of gout and arthritis.

The research team of Associate Professor, Dr. Le Tien Dung prepared an extract from mugwort. The results showed that the ethyl acetate fraction had outstanding biological activity, with the ability to significantly inhibit the self-production of NO, intracellular ROS at a concentration of 100 mg/mL. The two main compounds, quercetin and 1,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid, also showed clear inhibitory effects, thereby confirming the role of flavonoids in inhibiting the enzyme xanthine oxidase, the target for gout treatment.

The results of acute toxicity tests showed that wormwood extract is safe at high doses, without causing any abnormal manifestations in experimental mice. In the acute inflammation model, wormwood extract showed a clear ability to inhibit inflammation compared to the control group. The experiments also confirmed that wormwood extract is safe, has an acute anti-inflammatory effect, and is as effective as the standard drug diclofenac.

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Le Tien Dung, during the research process, the authors discovered the potential of standardized wormwood extract through many pharmacological and toxicological aspects. Specifically, in terms of biological effects, wormwood extract showed clear anti-inflammatory activity in acute inflammation models and in vitro models, inhibiting the enzyme xanthine oxidase, an important factor in treating gout and effective antioxidant. Regarding safety, wormwood extract extracted according to an optimal process does not cause acute toxicity at high doses, does not adversely affect important physiological functions such as the liver, kidneys and hematopoietic system.

In terms of implementation, the process of extracting wormwood extract has been designed in a controlled manner, ensuring the quantification of the main active ingredient group, sesquiterpene lactone, which is closely related to the pharmacological effect. Therefore, it is possible to expand the production scale, serving the purpose of preparing capsules or other dosage forms to support the treatment of arthritis, gout and diseases related to oxidative stress and purine metabolism disorders.

The research topic on active ingredients in mugwort has been highly appreciated by the Acceptance Council of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, opening up a direction for developing products from indigenous medicinal herbs that are safe, accessible and sustainable for community health care.

The research results provide scientific evidence of the effectiveness of supporting the treatment of gout, arthritis and the ability to inhibit intracellular ROS. In particular, the ethyl acetate fraction was determined to have outstanding anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and xanthine oxidase inhibitory effects, creating a foundation for the development of health care products from mugwort.

In addition to the above achievements, the research team has built a process to quantify sesquiterpene lactone in mugwort by infrared spectroscopy, contributing to the standardization of raw materials and high quality of extracts. Along with that, the group of authors also published two articles in international journals related to the scientific topic.

NHAT MINH

Source: https://nhandan.vn/nghien-cuu-hoat-chat-quy-trong-cay-ngai-cuu-post921716.html