Taspine is the Cicatrizant Principle in Sangre de Grado Extracted fromCroton lechleri*

Abstract

Sangre de Grado extract used by Peruvian natives as a cicatrizant agent, was collected from trees of the species Croton lechleri growing in the Peruvian jungle. The Sangre de Grado was found to contain one alkaloid identified as taspine and which was shown to be the active cicatrizant principle by an in vivo test in mice. This alkaloid exhibited a dose-related cicatrizant effect and an ED50 of 0.375 mg/kg. Experiments with taspine hydrochloride in order to study its mechanism of action in cell culture systems showed that the alkaloid was non-toxic to human foreskin fibroblasts at concentrations below 150 ng/ml and that it had no effect on cell proliferation. On the other hand, taspine hydrochloride was found to increase the migration of human foreskin fibroblasts. This effect on the migration of fibroblasts is probably the mechanism by which Sangre de Grado and taspine hydrochloride accelerate the wound healing process. Using the two-stage mouse skin carcinogenesis system, we have been able to show that neither Sangre de Grado nor taspine hydrochloride had carcinogenic or tumour promoter activity after 17 months of treatment.

Traditional uses, chemistry and pharmacology of Croton species (Euphorbiaceae)

“…Taspine (14), an unusual alkaloid with a dilactone structure resembling elagic acid and one nitrogen atom not included in a heterocyclic ring, was found in the red latex of three species, C. draco, 33,108 C. lechleri 9,109 and C. palanostigma. 110 Taspine has been obtained also from plant sources of benzylisoquinolines and biogenetically related alkaloids, such as Berberidaceae and Magnoliaceae.…”

Inducción de la formación de moco gástrico por sangre de grado (Croton palanostigma)

“…La propiedad cicatrizante de heridas y efectos antiinflamatorios de la sangre de grado de Croton palanostigma, Croton lechleari y Croton draconoides, han sido demostradas experimentalmente y los estudios señalan a una fracción alcaloide, la taspina, como la responsable de tales efectos ( 13,14 ). En este estudio demostramos el efecto de la sangre de grado del árbol Croton palanostigma, sobre la mucosa gástrica, tras la administración gástrica de 0,8mL/Kg, acción de manera tópica, puesto que la resina estuvo en contracto directo con la mucosa; esto indicaría que este producto natural induce a la mayor formación de la barrera muco protectora contra la acción irritante del ácido clorhídrico presente en la secreción gástrica, moco cuyo pH referido por la literatura llega a ser hasta de 7 en las zonas muy cercanas al borde libre de las células del epitelio gástrico, favoreciendo de esta manera la protección de dicho tejido, como lo han demostrado ya trabajos anteriores en nuestro medio ( 6 ).…”

Diversidade de angiospermas e espécies medicinais de uma área de Cerrado

“…Algumas destas substâncias podem exercer efeito anti-diarréico, uma vez que estes compostos precipitam proteínas dos enterócitos e reduzem os movimentos peristálticos (Okuda et al, 1989;Gabriel et al, 1999). Segundo estudos fitoquímicos, os principais constituintes químicos desta planta têm atividade antioxidante como os taninos e lignanas, além do alcaloide taspina, que atua como antinflamatório (Perdue et al, 1979;Vaisberg et al, 1989), corroborando sua utilização na medicina popular. Nos xilopódios de G. officinalis há saponinas e ecdisterona (Young et al, 1992).…”