JP-2026075020-A - Geranium thunbergii extract with antimalarial properties

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a Geranium thunbergii extract that has antimalarial efficacy. [Solution] This invention relates to the antimalarial effect of an extract obtained by reacting Geranium thunbergii with an organic solvent and then fractionating the resulting mixture with another organic solvent. It has been confirmed that this extract exhibits an even superior antimalarial effect compared to conventional antimalarial agents such as chloroquine and artemisinin. Therefore, it is expected that using the Geranium thunbergii extract of this invention will enable the development of novel antimalarial therapeutic agents with improved antimalarial effects. [Selection Diagram] Figure 5

Inventors

• ハン，ジン ヒ
• ジョン，ホ ジョン
• イ，ス ウン
• クウォン，テ ヒョン
• ハン，ジュン ヒ
• ホン，ミン

Assignees

• ケーエヌユー－インダストリー コーポレーション ファウンデーション
• チュンチョン バイオインダストリー ファウンデーション

Dates

Publication Date

20260507

Application Date

20241129

Priority Date

20241021

Claims (4)

1. An antimalarial extract of Geranium thunbergii, prepared using an organic solvent.
2. The antimalarial extract of Geranium thunbergii according to claim 1, characterized in that the organic solvent is methanol, ethanol, or chloroform.
3. The antimalarial extract of Geranium thunbergii, as described in claim 1, is characterized by being obtained by fractionating a Geranium thunbergii reaction product, produced by reacting Geranium thunbergii powder with methanol or ethanol, with methanol, ethanol, or chloroform.
4. The antimalarial Geranium thunbergii extract according to claim 1, characterized in that it has a malaria activity inhibitory activity ( IC50 ) of 15 to 70 μg/mL.

Description

This invention relates to an extract of Geranium thunbergii having antimalarial properties. Specifically, it is obtained by reacting Geranium thunbergii with an organic solvent and fractionating the resulting solution, and is characterized by exhibiting superior antimalarial effects compared to conventional antimalarial materials. Malaria is an acute febrile infectious disease caused by infection with Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale, Plasmodium malariae, and Plasmodium falciparum, all belonging to the genus Plasmodium. Malaria treatments include chloroquine, mefloquine, primaquine, and artemisinin. Chloroquine is typically used as a first-line treatment for malaria. However, its effectiveness has been halved due to the rapid spread of chloroquine-resistant malaria. Artemisinin is recommended as a first-line treatment for chloroquine-resistant malaria. However, since malaria resistant to artemisinin is emerging and spreading, there is a growing need for the development of novel antimalarial agents that can replace artemisinin. Geranium thunbergii is a medicinal material used in traditional Chinese medicine. Because it contains tannins, it is used as an antidiarrheal, diuretic, laxative, intestinal regulator, and tonic. Korean Patent Publication No. 10-1762216 discloses the use of Geranium thunbergii extract as a pharmaceutical composition exhibiting antiplatelet activity. Korean Published Patent Publication No. 10-2023-0091289 describes the use of Geranium thunbergii extract in combination with Litsea japonica fruit extract as an obesity treatment. Korean Published Patent Publication No. 10-2024-0146756 discloses the use of Geranium thunbergii extract as a composition for improving or treating menstrual pain. However, no efficacy related to malaria has been confirmed for the aforementioned Geranium thunbergii extract. All documents, including patent documents and references cited herein, are incorporated here by reference, clearly and specifically indicating each document individually, and their entire contents are incorporated here to the same extent as they are described herein. Republic of Korea Registered Patent No. 10-1762216 PublicationRepublic of Korea Publication Patent No. 10-2023-0091289Republic of Korea Publication Patent No. 10-2024-0146756 This document illustrates the process for producing natural product fractions from natural product extract samples according to the present invention.This invention provides a method for screening the antimalarial effects of natural product extracts.The results of the initial screening to confirm the antimalarial effect of the natural product extract of the present invention are shown.The results of analyzing the antimalarial effect IC50 of 15 natural product fractions selected using the secondary screening method of the present invention are shown.The results of analyzing the IC50 of the antimalarial effect of the Geranium thunbergii extract of the present invention are shown. This invention provides an antimalarial extract of Geranium thunbergii prepared using an organic solvent, characterized in that the organic solvent is methanol, ethanol, or chloroform. The antimalarial extract of Geranium thunbergii of this invention is obtained by fractionating a Geranium thunbergii reaction product, prepared by reacting Geranium thunbergii powder with methanol or ethanol, with methanol, ethanol, or chloroform. According to embodiments of the present invention, the antimalarial Geranium thunbergii extract is produced by a method comprising: a first step of grinding Geranium thunbergii to an 80-mesh size to produce Geranium thunbergii powder; a second step of mixing the Geranium thunbergii powder with a first organic solvent and reacting them at room temperature for 6 hours to produce a Geranium thunbergii reaction product; a third step of filtering the Geranium thunbergii reaction product to obtain a Geranium thunbergii reaction solution, freeze-drying it to produce a Geranium thunbergii extract; and a fourth step of mixing the Geranium thunbergii extract with distilled water to produce an aqueous solution of the Geranium thunbergii extract, mixing it with a second organic solvent, and then obtaining an organic solvent fraction using a separatory funnel. The first organic solvent is methanol or ethanol, and the second organic solvent is chloroform. Preferably, the first organic solvent is ethanol, and the second organic solvent is chloroform. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the antimalarial Geranium thunbergii extract is produced by a method comprising a fifth step in which, after obtaining an aqueous layer from a separatory funnel in the fourth step, the aqueous layer is mixed with a third organic solvent, and then an organic solvent fraction is obtained using a separatory funnel. The third organic solvent is characterized by being ethyl acetate. In short, the antimalarial extract of Geranium thunbergii of the present invention may be a ch