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Potential antiasthmatic substances from antiasthmatic "jamu" ingredient legundi leaves (vitex trifolia l.)
Subagus – Wahyuono, Gemini Alam, Zullies Ikawati, H. Timmerman, Kazutaka Maeyama

"JAMU", Indonesian traditional medicine preparations have been utilized extensively by Indonesian People. JAMU preparations usually consists more than one plant parts ingredient, and there are 10 plant species commonly present in the JAMU intended to treat respiratory disorders. Due to lack of scientific and clinical data, JAMU has not been recommended for formal medication although it has been practiced years before recorded history. Therefore, this study was initiated by screening those plant materials (0.25 and 0.50 mg/ml, n=3) using tracheospasmolytic activity in vitro (induced by histamine 10-7-10-3 M). The promising plant materials obtained was studied further to determine the active compounds and their activity mechanisms. The leaves of Vitex trifolia was among the most promising material, was then taken for further studied.

By Bioassay Guided Isolation, 3 compounds were isolated from the leaves of V. trifolia and identified as Viteosin-A (1), Vitexicarpin (2) and Vitetrifolin-E (3) based on their spectroscopic and literatures data. Compound 2 was the strongest compared to that of 1 and 3, including in a tracheospasmolytic test using sensitized (ovalbumin 5, 50, 500, 5000 ng/ml, n=3) guinea pig trachea. These compounds were not harmful to organ as it was proved by inducing the organ after the test with carbachol, followed by induction with saturated KCl. Their mechanism seems to be antagonist non-competitive to the agonist used (histamine), and are possibly able to stabilize the mast cells membrane function. Upon testing of those compounds (1 x 10-4 M) on RBL-2H3 (Rat Basophilic Leukemia cells represent mucosal mast cells) induced by DNA-BSA (Dinitrophenylated Bovine Serum Albumin), compound 2 still showed the strongest to inhibit the histamine release from RBL-2H3 compared to that of 1 and 3.