Isolation of spilanthol from Acmella oleracea based on Green Chemistry and evaluation of its in vitro anti-inflammatory activity

摘要

Acmella oleracea (jambu) is a South American plant whose pharmacological properties include antimalarial, anesthetic, and anti-inflammatory activities. However, the compounds contributing to the anti-inflammatory effect have received little attention. In this study, the active compound spilanthol was isolated using a Green Chemistry approach and presented significant anti-inflammatory activity in a lipopolysaccharide-activated human neutrophil model. First, the aerial parts of jambu were extracted and fractionated using supercritical carbon dioxide. The spilanthol-enriched fractions obtained were then subjected to further purification by flash chromatography, yielding spilanthol with 97% purity. Use of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) revealed a reduction in the release of Interleukin-8 and Tumor Necrosis Factor - alpha by leukocytes exposed to spilanthol. In conclusion, this new approach enabled spilanthol to be obtained at high purity, in a fairly rapid procedure, while the results of the in vitro anti-inflammatory activity study indicated that the compound could be a promising new therapeutic agent.