Identification of bioactive components on antihemorrhoidal activity of Cistus laurifolius L. using RP-HPLC and LC-QTOF-MS

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Cistus laurifolius is widely used in folk medicine in Anatolia for the treatment of many ailments. The leaves of the plant are used in the form of tea in the treatment of hemorrhoids in the Western Black Sea Region and Central Anatolia. Aims of the study: It was aimed at evaluating the anti-hemorrhoidal effects of C. laurifolus leaves in croton oilinduced hemorrhoid model in rats. Materials and methods: The methanolic and aqueous extracts of C. laurifolius were tested for in vivo antihemorrhoidal efficacy using an experimental hemorrhoid model, followed by histological and biochemical analysis. Hemorrhoid was created by using croton oil on the anal region of the rats. TNF-alpha and VEGF mRNA expression levels were assessed using real-time PCR detections. The extract was also tested for anti-inflammatory properties, which are based on the suppression of an increase in capillary permeability caused by acetic acid. LCQTOF-MS and RP-HPLC were used for the phytochemical analysis. Results: In comparison to the control, histological and biochemical assessment showed that the methanolic extract of C. laurifolius is particularly effective against hemorrhoids. The same extract group's TNF-alpha mRNA expression was found to be the lowest. Additionally, the methanolic extract showed a strong inhibitory effect on the increase in capillary permeability resulted on by acetic acid. Three phenolic compounds were discovered in the extracts by phytochemical analyses, while more than eighteen compounds were found by LC-QTOF-MS analysis. Five of these compounds are phenolic acid derivatives, and flavonoids constitute the majority of the group. Conclusion: This is the first evidence from the research that C. laurifolius possesses strong anti-inflammatory and anti-hemorrhoidal properties.