Butylphthalide (3-''n''-butylphthalide or NBP) is one of the chemical constituents in celery oil, along with
sedanolide, which is primarily responsible for the aroma and taste of
celery
Celery (''Apium graveolens'') is a marshland plant in the family Apiaceae that has been cultivated as a vegetable since antiquity. Celery has a long fibrous stalk tapering into leaves. Depending on location and cultivar, either its stalks, ...
.
Studies in animal models suggest that butylphthalide may be useful for the treatment of
hypertension and may have
neuroprotective
Neuroprotection refers to the relative preservation of neuronal structure and/or function. In the case of an ongoing insult (a neurodegenerative insult) the relative preservation of neuronal integrity implies a reduction in the rate of neuronal los ...
effects. In 2002, NBP was approved in China for the treatment of
cerebral ischemia
Brain ischemia is a condition in which there is insufficient bloodflow to the brain to meet metabolic demand. This leads to poor oxygen supply or cerebral hypoxia and thus leads to the death of brain tissue or cerebral infarction/ischemic stroke. ...
.
NBP undergoes extensive metabolism in humans. The major metabolites in human plasma were 3-OH-NBP, 10-OH-NBP, 10-CO-NBP, 11-COOH-NBP. The AUC of metabolites was much larger than that of NBP.
Minor side effects were observed in preclinical and clinical studies. The minor bioactivation pathway of NBP was proved to be mediated via sulfation of 3-OH-NBP.
[Diao X, Pang X, Xie C, Guo Z, Zhong D, Chen X. Bioactivation of 3-n-butylphthalide via sulfation of its major metabolite 3-hydroxy-NBP: mediated mainly by sulfotransferase 1A1. Drug Metab Dispos 2014;42:774-781.]
References
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Phthalides
Flavors
Celery