The Effects of Gender and Multiple Oral Dosing on the Pharmacokinetics and Bioavailability of Morroniside in Beagle Dogs: A Pilot Study

March-April 2017 Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 303 Morroniside, an iridoid glycoside (fig. 1), is the main active ingredient from Cornus officinalis Sieb. et Zucc. and Sambucus williamsii Hance, both of which are rich sources of iridoid glycosides and have been used as traditional Chinese medicinal herbs for centuries. Various pharmacologic studies have indicated that morroniside has therapeutic effects on diabetic angiopathies, renal damage, lipid metabolism and inflammation and bone resorption[1-4]. In recent studies, morroniside showed the protective actions against the cytotoxicity produced by exposure to H2O2 in human SH-SY5Y cells[5,6]. In addition, morroniside could protect ischemia/reperfusion-induced brain injury by decreased the caspase-3 activity, reduced the infarction volume and minimized oxidative stress[7].