Gentiopicroside
Gentiopicroside
Gentiopicroside, also known by the name gentiopicrin, is a secoiridoid compound whose term in the official IUPAC nomenclature is: (3S,4R)-4-ethenyl-3-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4, 5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-4,6-dihydro-3H-pyrano[3,4-c]pyran-8-one.
Gentiopicroside has a brute or molecular formula: C16H20O9 and is a substance of natural origin present in the genus Gentiana spp., Symphyotrichum salignum (Willd.) G.L.Nesom, Exacum affine Balf.fil. and other species of the plant world.
Plants that contain this active ingredient, such as Gentiana, are widely used in folk medicine in Asia for the treatment of inflammatory states.
Gentiopicroside, being a secoiridoid, belongs to the subgroup of iridoids, organic compounds which present in their chemical structure a cyclopentane ring fused to a heterocyclic hexatomic ring containing oxygen. Secoiridoids differ from iridoids in that they exhibit cleavage of the cyclopentane ring; for this reason they have a six-membered heterocyclic ring.
Research and studies on gentiopicroside have been able to highlight some of its properties. These include anti-inflammatory ones, to reduce pain, itching and dermatitis induced by corticosteroids.
Gentiopicroside also inhibits adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells as it leads to a lowering of some key adipogenic factors and, again, is capable of inhibiting, in a dose-dependent manner, lipid absorption.
Gentiopicroside is able to improve the clinical picture of ethanol-induced gastritis and has anti-inflammatory properties due to the downregulation of inflammatory cytokines and also causes the suppression of iNOS and COX-2.
Other research could detect the ability of gentiopicroside as:
– anti-arthritis;
– anti-osteoporosis;
– antidepressant.
Finally, gentiopicroside has demonstrated useful characteristics in diabetic therapy as it is able to prevent renal inflammation (in murine models of streptozotocin-induced diabetes) and, in this way, limits the progression into renal fibrosis.
Warning: The information provided is not medical advice and may not be accurate. The contents are for illustrative purposes only and do not replace medical advice.