Bakkenolide G,a Natural PAF-receptor Antagonist

Because platelet-activating factor (PAF, 1-O-alkyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) participates in many physiopathological responses, including inflammatory reaction, endotoxic shock, allergic diseases and platelet aggregation, PAF-receptor antagonists are important in the treatment of these diseases. A biologically active compound, bakkenolide G, extracted from the plant Petasites formosanus selectively and concentration-dependently inhibited PAF-induced platelet aggregation and ATP release. The IC50 of bakkenolide G for PAF (2 ng mL^?1)-induced platelet aggregation was 5.6 ± 0.9 μm . Bakkenolide G also concentration-dependently inhibited PAF-induced intracellular signal transductions, including thromboxane B₂ formation, and increased intra-cellular calcium concentration and phosphoinositide breakdown without affecting those caused by thrombin (01 units mL^?1), collagen (10 μg mL^?1), arachidonic acid (100 μm ) and U46619 (1 μm ). Bakkenolide G shifted the concentration-response curves of PAF-induced platelet aggregation parallel to the right; the Schild plot slope and the pA₂ value were 1.31 ± 0.31 and 6.21 ± 0.75, respectively. Moreover, bakkenolide G concentration-dependently competed with ³H]PAF binding to platelets, with an IC50 value of 2.5 ± 0.4 μm . These data strongly indicate that bakkenolide G is a specific PAF-receptor antagonist as an antiplatelet aggregatory agent.