ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Pharmacol.
Sec. Experimental Pharmacology and Drug Discovery
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fphar.2025.1687789
Bioassay guided isolation of sesamin and fargesin from the hydroalcoholic stem extract of Zanthoxylum armatum DC. inhibited inflammation in CpG-stimulated conventional type 1 dendritic cells
Provisionally accepted
Indrajit Singh Ningthoujam1,2Chayan Mukherjee3Jerina Soibam4Marjit Singh Wangkheimayum4
Naresh Chandra Bal2
Sunil Kumar Raghav3
Brajakishore Singh Chingakham1*- 1Institute of Bio-Resources and Sustainable Development (IBSD), Imphal, India
- 2KIIT School of Biotechnology, Bhubaneswar, India
- 3Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar, India
- 4Ghanapriya Women's College, Imphal, India
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Abstract: Introduction Zanthoxylum armatum DC. is renowned for its medicinal values. All the plant parts have been used to treat tooth and gum related problems, gastro-intestinal problems, inflammation, rheumatism and pain by the indigenous people of Nepal, India, China and other South East Asian countries. Bioassay-guided isolation of active compounds from medicinal plants is recognized as a promising approach for the discovery of novel drug candidates. The objective of this study was to examine the main constituents of Zanthoxylum armatum DC. stem through bio-guided isolation and exploring their anti-inflammatory potential. Method Sequential fractions were prepared from the hydromethanolic stem extract of Zanthoxylum armatum DC. Afterward, bioassay-guided isolation was conducted using a combination of column chromatography and heat induced haemolysis inhibition assay and albumin denaturation inhibition assay. The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated by single crystal XRD and NMR. The anti-inflammatory activity of the compounds was evaluated in vitro by measuring the expression level of IL12 and CD80 using flow cytometry. Results Sequential ethyl acetate fraction showed highest protein anti-denaturation and membrane stabilization activities. Afterward, sesamin and fargesin were isolated from the sequential ethyl acetate fraction. Both of them showed activity against IL12 production by conventional type 1 dendritic cells. Moreover, fargesin significantly inhibited the expression of CD80. Conclusion The results identified bioactive compounds with potential against the pro-inflammatory dendritic cells for the first time. The findings justified the traditional use of Zanthoxylum armatum DC. as anti-inflammatory agent.
Keywords: Zanthoxylum armatum DC., Sesamin, Fargesin, intracellular IL12p40/70, CD80
Received: 18 Aug 2025; Accepted: 13 Oct 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Ningthoujam, Mukherjee, Soibam, Wangkheimayum, Bal, Raghav and Chingakham. 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: Brajakishore Singh Chingakham, braja_mu@yahoo.co.in
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