Action of chlorogenic acid on the complement system

Previous research on plants used in folk medicine as antidotes against snake-bite revealed some constituents responsible for such protection. Chlorogenic acid (3-0-caffeoyl quinic acid) was one of these substances, studied with more attention. It has been shown that this substance binds to proteins through hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonds. This paper shows the preliminary results about the anti-complementary action of chlorogenic acid. Human and guinea pig sera, treated with chlorogenic acid, were added to the hemolytic system (sheep erythrocyte sensitized with hemolysin) to study its effect on the activation of the classical complement pathway. The action on the alternative pathway was studied with human serum treated with chlorogenic acid and zymosan. Our results show that chlorogenic acid presents anti-complementary action at the classical pathway, since the sera are not able to lysis the indicator system. The presence of C3b fragments on the surface of the yeast cells demonstrates that the alternative pathway was not affected.

Looking at the origins

This introductory article offers a broad overview over the historical facts which, in the course of one hundred years - from the mid-nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century - have led to the present vigorous state of Natural Products Research in Brazil, as reflected in the contents of the present two issues of Ciência e Cultura, Journal of the Brazilian Association for the Advancement of Science.

Plants against snakebites

Small molecular weight compounds from Mandevilla velutina and from Eclipta prostata were found to be active against snakebite.