Phytochemical Analysis of the Extract from Berries of Schisandra chinensis Turcz. (Baill.) and Its Anti-Platelet Potential In Vitro.

Schisandra chinensis Turcz. (Baill.) is a dioecious vine belonging to the Schisandraceae family. Its berries show beneficial activities, including cardioprotective, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory. We examined the chemical content of S. chinensis berry extract and its antiplatelet potential in vitro. The antiplatelet activity assays included measurements of thrombus formation in full blood (with Total Thrombus-formation Analysis System) and platelet activation and adhesion. We also assessed the extract's effect on coagulation times in human plasma and its cytotoxicity toward blood platelets based on extracellular lactate dehydrogenase activity. The most important constituents of the extract were dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans; schisandrin was the dominant compound. S. chinensis berry extract at the concentration of 50 μg/mL inhibited thrombus formation by approximately 15%. The adhesion of unstimulated and thrombin-activated blood platelets to collagen was inhibited by all used concentrations of the extract (0.5-50 μg/mL), while the adhesion of adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-activated platelets to fibrinogen was inhibited only by the concentrations of 10 and 50 μg/mL. The extract also inhibited the exposition of the active form of GPIIb/IIIa on the surface of platelets stimulated with 10 μM ADP (at 0.5-50 μg/mL) and 20 μM ADP (at 50 μg/mL). The exposition of P-selectin was inhibited only by the extract at the concentrations of 5-50 μg/mL in platelets stimulated with 10 μg/mL collagen. Moreover, the extract was not cytotoxic toward blood platelets. This indicates that S. chinensis berries hold promise as new antiplatelet agents, but more studies are needed to determine their mechanisms of action and in vivo efficiency.