SUPEROXIDE ANION SCAVENGE EFFECT OF QUERCUS-GLAUCA THUNB. IN WHOLE-BLOOD OF PATIENTS WITH ANKYLOSING-SPONDYLITIS

Nine phenolic compounds, catechin (1), epicatechin (2), gallocatechin (3), epigallocatechin (4), procyanidin B-4 (5), catechin-3-O-rhamnosid e (6), rutin (7), querglanin (8) and isoquerglanin (9) were isolated f rom oak leaves (Quercus glauca Thunb. Fagaceae), and the latter two (8 , 9) were identified as new compounds. Several Quercus species have be en used in folk medicine as an astringent for hemorrhoids and for trea tment of inflammation,jaundice, and tumor. In this study, these compou nds were tested for scavenging effects of the superoxide anion in the whole blood of patients with ankylosing spondylitis by means of an ult ra-sensitive chemoluminescence (CL) analyzer and lucigenin amplificati on. The results showed that at a concentration of 2.3 x 10(-5) M, isoq uerglanin (9) displayed the strongest inhibition activity (73.55%), fo llowed by querglanin (8) (68.81%) and then gallocatechin (3) and epiga llocatechin (4) (66.97 and 60.17% inhibition, respectively). In additi on, the blood chemoluminescence (CL) level of patients with ankylosing spondylitis was inhibited by superoxide dismutase (SOD) but not by ca talase, suggesting that superoxide anion is the major component of rea ctive oxygen species (ROS) involved in this assay system.