ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Pharmacol.
Sec. Ethnopharmacology
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fphar.2025.1538417
This article is part of the Research TopicMolecular Mechanisms of Platelet Aggregation and Modulation with Herbal Medicine TreatmentView all 4 articles
Geum japonicum Thunb. exhibits anti-platelet activity via the regulation of cyclic guanosine monophosphate
Provisionally accepted
- 1University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, Maryland, United States
- 2Kyungpook National University, Daegu, North Gyeongsang, Republic of Korea
- 3University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States
- 4Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan
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Traditionally, Geum japonicum Thunb. (GJ) extract has been used to treat headaches and dizziness. We hypothesize that GJ exhibits anti-platelet activity that may prevent ischemic events to alleviate these symptoms. In this study, we investigated the anti-platelet activity of GJ as a potential mechanism for enhancing blood flow and preventing vessel occlusion.Methods: Platelets were stimulated with collagen, adenosine diphosphate (ADP) or thrombin. Platelet aggregation was carried out using a platelet aggregometer with washed platelets from Sprague-Dawley rats. We observed the mobilization of calcium ions using Fura-2AM and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) release via a luminometer. The activation of integrin αIIbβ3 and population of platelet-neutrophil aggregates (PNAs) were investigated using flow cytometry. Platelet shape change was observed using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy.Results: GJ extract inhibited collagen, ADP and thrombin-induced platelet aggregation. It effectively prevented the mobilization of calcium ions, ATP secretion, and serotonin release while thromboxane B2 levels did not change. Moreover, GJ inhibited the inside-out and outside-in signaling of integrin αIIbβ3. Notably, GJ treatment led to elevated expression of cyclic guanine monophosphate (GMP) (but not cyclic adenosine monophosphate). The protein expressions in the PI3K/Akt pathway were inhibited and platelet shape change was prevented. Finally, GJ treatment resulted in a decreased population of PNAs in vivo.Discussion: GJ exhibits potent anti-platelet activity acting by upregulating cGMP. It holds promise as a potential candidate for supplementation in patients with cardiovascular disease and thrombosis.
Keywords: Platelet Aggregation, cardiovascular disease, Geum japonicum, cyclic guanosine monophosphate, Anti-platelet
Received: 02 Dec 2024; Accepted: 10 Jun 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Lee, Akram, Irfan, Kim, Saba, Kim and Rhee. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Man Hee Rhee, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, 702-701, North Gyeongsang, Republic of Korea
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