Effects of the Flavonoid Pilloin Isolated from Marrubium cylleneum on Mitogen-Induced Lymphocyte Transformation

摘要

Flavonoids are known to exhibit a wide range of biological functions. In the present study, the possible immunomodula-tory and cytotoxic effects of pilloin, a flavone extracted from the Greek endemic herb Marrubium cylleneum were investigated by using the in vitro lymphocyte transformation and the cytotoxicity assays, respectively. Apigenin was used as the control flavonoid. Pilloin exerted a cytotoxic action targeted at the transformed lymphoblasts. On the other hand, the glycosylated flavonoid chrysoeriol-7-O-beta-D-(3"-E-p-coumaroyl)-glucopyranoside was inactive, providing further evidence that glycosylation may eliminate the effects of aglycones.