Qualitative and quantitative determination of the caffeoylquinic acids on the Korean mountainous vegetables used for Chwinamul and their peroxynitrite-scavenging effect

Mountainous vegetables called chwinamul are used in Korea to promote health. Chwinamul was obtained from several plants belonging to the Compositae — e.g., Kalimeris yomena, Aster scaber, Solidago virga var. gigantea, Solidago viragaurea var. asiatica, Saussurea grandifolia, Ainsliaea acerifolia — were used for our experiments. Analytical methods for simultaneous determination of the caffeoylquinic acids (3,4-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid, 3,5-di-O-dicaffeoyl-epi-quinic acid, 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid, 4,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid, 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid, 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid, 3-O-p-coumaroyl-caffeoylquinic acids) were established for chwinamul. The kinds of constituents were identified from HPLC chromatograms and it was possible to calculate the percentage (w/w) of seven of these compounds in the dried plants and in the extracts. The proportion of caffeoylquinic acids in the extracts ranged from 20.25 to 38.35%. Since it is known that peroxynitrite (ONOO⁻)-scavenging is beneficial for amelioration of obesity, diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis and even Alzheimer’s disease, assays for peroxynitrite-scavenging activity were performed on the seven chwinamul plants. Of the tested extracts, the MeOH extract of A. acerifolia had the most potent effect (IC₅₀ 1.49 ± 0.68 μg/mL). These results suggest that chwinamul vegetables can be used for treatment or prevention of peroxynitrite-related diseases.