Phytoestrogenic Activity of Ethanol Extract from Korean Wild Vegetable Disporum uniflorum

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the estrogenic effect of a Korean wild vegetable, Disporum uniflorum Baker The ethanolic extract from D. uniflorum (DUE) showed a potent estrogenic activity in MCF-7 cells. After the bioassay-guided fractionation from DUE, the ethyl acetate fraction (DUF) was discovered as the active fraction responsible for the estrogenic activity. Luteolin was one of major active components of DUF, and it could be considered as a marker compound for standardization of the activity. Both DUE and DUF induced the transactivation of estrogen response element (ERE) and cell proliferation in MCF-7 cells. DUE also exerted the estrogen signaling via the phosphorylations of estrogen receptor (ER) a at Ser(118) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2). Based on this study, therefore, DUE and DUF could be potential candidates of functional food materials for the prevention and alleviation of postmenopausal symptoms.