Pharmacological Activities of a Mongolian Medicinal Plant, Malva mohileviensis Down.

Abstract

Aims: To investigate the Mongolian plant M. mohileviensis Down. for the presence of possible bioactive products that could be related to the traditional use of the plant in Mongolia. Methodology: Ethanolic and water extracts of both seeds and herb were tested for anti-inflammatory and DPPH scavenging activity. Polysaccharides were isolated from the seeds using sequence of chromatographic methods. The polysaccharide fraction from the cold water extract was then analyzed for the presence of monosaccharides and their type of linkages by GC and GC-MS. The effect of the polysaccharides on the complement system was then determined. Results: The ethanolic and aqueous extracts of seeds and herbs, as well as crude polysaccharides from cold and hot water extracts exhibited a significant anti-inflammatory activity in the model based on histamine-induced paw edema. Anti-inflammatory effects of all samples were high during the 3rd hour of inflammation. Moreover, the ethanolic extracts of seeds and herbs exhibited DPPH scavenging activity. Phytochemical studies of the cold water seed polysaccharide revealed the presence of an uncommon pectic type polysaccharide. Galacturonic acid (38%) and rhamnose (30%) were present as the main monosaccharides, and linkage analyses revealed that galacturonic acid was present as terminal, 1→4 and 1→3,4 linked units and rhamnose basically as 1→3 linked units. The complement fixation activity was appr. 15 µg/ml, substantially lower than that of the standard used. The results also indicate strongly that the M. mohileviensis and M. verticillata are two different Malva species.