Background: In the present study, we established an HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography)-analysis method for the determination of marker compounds as a part of the material standardization for the development of health-functional foods from Salvia plebeia R. Br. extract. Methods and Results: The quantitative determination method of hispidulin as a marker compound was optimized by HPLC analysis using a YMC hydrosphere C18 column with a gradient elution system. This method was validated using specificity, linearity, accuracy, and precision tests. It showed a high linearity in the calibration curve with a coefficient of correlation (r2) of 0.999995. The method was fully validated, and was sensitive, with the limit of detection (LOD) at 0.09 ㎍• ㎖−1 and limit of quantification (LOQ) at 0.27 ㎍• ㎖−1. The relative standard deviation (RSD) values of the data from intra- and inter-day precision were 0.05 - 0.22% and 0.32 - 0.42%, respectively, and the intra- and inter-day accuracy of hispidulin were 99.5 - 102.3% and 98.8 - 101.5%, respectively. The average content of hispidulin in Salvia plebeia R. Br. extract was 3.945 ㎎• g−1 (0.39%). Conclusions: These results suggest that the developed HPLC method is very efficient, and that it could contribute to the quality control of Salvia plebeia R. Br. extracts as a functional ingredient in health functional foods.

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of Salvia plebeia R. Br. ethanolic extract with differentaspects (stem/leaf and whole plant) on differentiation and lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. The morphologicalchanges and the degrees of lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells were measured by Oil Red O staining and intra-cellular trig-lyceride (TG) assay. The mRNA expressions of special peroxisome proliferation activated receptor- genes (PPAR), CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBPα), fatty acid synthase (FAS) and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) were detected by reverse tran-scriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The 50% ethanolic extracts (100μg/mL) of stem and leaf (SALE) and 30%ethanolic extracts (100g/mL) of whole plant (SAE) from Salvia plebeia R. Br. were significantly attenuated lipid accumula-tion during adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells. Ethyl acetate-soluble fractions (50μg/mL) significantly inhibited lipid dropletaccumulation in 3T3-L1 cells. In addition, SALE induced down-regulation of specific adipogenic transcriptional factors (C/EBPα and PPARγ) and target genes (FAS and LPL) during adipogenesis. Salvia plebeia R. Br. may be used as a safe and effi-cient natural substance to manage obesity.

This study investigates the effect of supercritical fluid extract (CMPB803-C) of Lithospermum erythrorhizon,shikonin and acetylshikonin isolated from Lithospermum erythrorhizon on IL-1β-induced chondrocytes and monosodiumiodoacetate (MIA)-induced osteoarthritis in rat. Shikonin (50μM) and acetylshikonin (3μM) treatment reduced signifi-cantly the mRNA expression and enzyme activity of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1, −3 and −13 in IL-1β-inducedSW1353 chondrosarcoma cells. The chondro-protective effects of CMPB803-C and acetylshikonin were than analyzed in arat OA model using a single intra-articular injection of MIA (1㎎) in the right knee joint. CMPB803-C (200㎎/㎏) or ace-tylshikonin (5㎎/㎏) was orally administered daily for two weeks starting after 1 week of MIA injection. In the histologicalobservation, CMPB803-C and acetylshikonin clearly improved OA lesions being comparable to or better that control group.Our results demonstrated that CMPB803-C and acetylshikonin as active compound of Lithospermum erythrorhizon have astrong chondro-protective effect in OA rats, which likely attributes to its anti-inflammatory activity and inhibition ofMMPs production.