Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ agonistic effect of Chrysanthemum indicum capitulum and its active ingredients

Objective: The capitulum of Chrysanthemum indicum (Compositae) is the source of a crude drug used in Japanese traditional Kampo and traditional Chinese medicine. Previous research showed that C. indicum flowers promote adipocyte differentiation through the activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ that may be an important mechanism for controlling systemic insulin resistance or other biological functions. Materials and Methods: The capitulum of C. indicum was extracted with methanol, and its PPAR-γ agonistic activity was measured using luciferase assay. The active ingredients were isolated by the activity-guided fractionations. Results: We isolated (Z)-tonghaosu and (E)-tonghaosu, and (E)-tonghaosu had PPAR-γ agonistic constituents by the activity-guided fractionation from the capitulum of C. indicum. The isomer (Z)-tonghaosu did not show PPAR-γ-agonistic activity. Conclusion: (E)-tonghaosu is one of the active ingredients as PPAR-γ agonist in the capitulum of C. indicum.