TITLE:
Comparison of the Biological Activity and Constituents in Japanese Ambers
AUTHORS:
Eisaku Shimizu, Nozomu Shimoda, Tetsuaki Kawamura, Naomi Ueda, Ken-ichi Kimura
KEYWORDS:
Japanese Ambers, Kujigamberol, Growth Restoration of a Mutant Yeast, Inhibition of Degranulation, RBL-2H3 Cells
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Biological Chemistry,
Vol.10 No.3,
June
30,
2020
ABSTRACT: Background/Aim: Kuji amber is an
interesting natural source for drug discovery because a new anti-allergic compound, named
kujigamberol and several new compounds have been isolatated from it. It was
important to evaluate the yield, biological activities and constituents of each
methanol extract of Kuji, Iwaki, Choshi, Mizunami and Ube ambers in
Japan in order to establish if additional new compounds could be identified in
these ambers. Materials and Method:
Biological activities of each extract were evaluated using growth-restoring activity
of the mutant yeast strain involving Ca2+-signal transduction and
inhibition activity of degranulation in rat
basophilic leukemia (RBL)-2H3 cells. Constituents of each extract were
analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results: All ambers
except Ube amber have growth-restoring activity against the mutant yeast. Both
Kuji and Iwaki ambers inhibited the degranulation of RBL-2H3 cells induced by
the calcium ionophore A23187 in a dose dependent manner. The main biologically
active compound in Kuji amber, kujigamberol, was also isolated from Iwaki amber
and analyzed by mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR).
Conclusion: Kuji and Iwaki ambers appeared to have the same origin. Choshi,
Mizunami, and Ube ambers are valuable sources for biologically active compounds
which are different from those of Kuji amber.