研究之目的在於探討臺灣產佛來明豆屬四種植物萃取物之藥理活性，佛來明豆屬這四種植物包括大葉佛來明豆、線葉佛來明豆、菲島佛來明豆及佛來明豆，其中以大葉佛來明豆進行了抗氧化、保肝、抗癌細胞增生、細胞凋亡、抗癌細胞轉移及抗血管新生實驗。結果顯示大葉佛來明豆水萃取物是所有萃取物中抗氧化及抗增生活性最強的，基於上述，選擇大葉佛來明豆水萃取物進行本研究之其他實驗。
大葉佛來明豆水萃取物顯示在四氯化碳處理過的大鼠中具有保肝活性，在Hep 3B肝癌細胞株中具有誘導細胞凋亡之活性，以及在SK-Hep1肝癌細胞株中具有抗轉移活性。大葉佛來明豆水萃取物在雞胚胎絨毛尿囊膜血管新生及大鼠主動脈環形成試驗中也顯示出其抗血管新生的活性。
而在HPLC分析中，我們發現金雀異黃酮(genistein)可能是佛來明豆屬植物中的重要活性成分。在HPLC分析中，大葉佛來明豆水萃取物的圖譜建立，本研究也以LC/MS/MS分析再次確認大葉佛來明豆水萃取物含有genistein成分。基於上述研究成果，顯示佛來明豆屬植物的藥理學及植物化學值得進一步探討。
The aim of this study was to investigate the biological activities of the extracts of four Flemingia species in Taiwan. The four Flemingia species are F. lineata (FL), F. macrophylla (FM), F. prostrata (FP), and F. strobilifera (FS). The antioxidant, hepatoprotective, antiproliferative, apoptotic, antimetastatic, and anti-angiogenic characterization were also carried out.
The obtained data showed that the aqueous extract of F. macrophylla (AFM) is the highest regarding antioxidative and antiproliferative activities among the all extracts. Thus, AFM was used to do the other experiments in this study.
AFM showed a hepatoprotective effect in CCl4-treated rats, and pro-apoptotic activity in Hep 3B cell line, in addition to an antimetastatic activity in SK-Hep1 cell line. AFM also showed anti-angiogenic activity in chicken chorioallantoic membrane and aortic ring sprouting assays.
According to HPLC analysis, genistein might be an important bioactive compound in F. macrophylla (FM). The profile of AFM was established by HPLC method. The present study also confirmed the presence of qenistein in AFM by LC/MS/MS analysis. Thus, we suggest that the pharmacology and phytochemistry of the Flemingia genus are worthwhile for development in the future.
