Cichoriin

International Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2009, 3(1):11-17.

Cytoprotective Activity of Chemical Constituents Isolated from Streptomyces sp.[Reference: WebLink]

METHODS AND RESULTS:
Four flavonoids including kaempferol (1), isoscutellarin (2), umbelliferone (3) and Cichoriin (4) have been isolated from Streptomyces sp. Tc052, an endophyte in the root tissue of Alpinia galanga Swartz. The evaluation for protective effect of compounds 1-4 against glutamate-induced cytotoxicity in hippocampal HT22 cell line was conducted, Compounds 1 and 2 showed significant effective protection ratios of 62.4+2.8 and 55.3+3.4%, respectively, at a concentration of 100 μM, whereas compounds 3-4 were inactive. Compounds 1 and 2 showed potent scavenging effects on DPPH radical exhibiting IC50 value of 60.74 and 75.65 μM, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS:
These results suggest that compounds 1 and 2 may possess the neuroprotective activity against oxdative cellular injuries.

Electromagn Biol Med. 2012 Dec;31(4):299-309.

Introducing Cichorium Pumilum as a potential therapeutical agent against drug-induced benign breast tumor in rats.[Pubmed: 22812448]

Cichorium Pumilum (chicory) is could be a promising cancer treatment in which a photosensitizing drug concentrates in benign tumor cells and activated by quanta at certain wavelength. Such activated extracts could lead to cell death and tumor ablation. Previous studies have shown that Cichorium Pumilum (chicory) contains photosensitive compounds such as Cichoriin, anthocyanins, lactucin, and Lactucopicrin.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
In the present study, the protective effect of sun light-activated Cichorium against the dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) induced benign breast tumors to female Sprague-Dawley rats was investigated. Chicory's extract has significantly increase P.carbonyl (PC) and malondialdehyde (MDA) and decreases the hepatic levels of total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in benign breast tumors-induced group compared to control. It also significantly decrease the number of estrogen receptors ER-positive cells in tumor masses.
CONCLUSIONS:
These results suggest that chicory extracts could be used as herbal photosensitizing agent in treating benign breast tumor in rats.