ABSTRACT
Euphorbia tirucalli Lineu (Euphorbiaceae) is a tropical and subtropical ornamental and toxic plant. E. tirucalli produces a latex that is commonly used to treat neoplasms. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of diluted E. tirucalli latex (DETL) on human (SK-MEL-28) and canine (CBMY) melanoma cells. SK-MEL-28 (3 × 103 cells/well) and CBMY (6 × 103 cells/well) were cultivated in 96-well plates. The cells were treated with 50 µl/well of dilutions (1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32, 1/64, 1/128, 1/256, and 1/512) of a standard solution containing 1 mg/mL of the E. tirucalli latex (ETL) in DMEM. Control group cells received 50 µl/well of DMEM. After 24, 48, and 72 h of treatment, cell viability was assessed by the MTT assay. There was a significant decrease in viability at 48 and 72 hours after treatment for human melanoma cells and at 24, 48, and 72 hours for canine cells, mainly in higher dilutions of ETL. Human melanoma cells presented a typical U shape curve, characteristic of hormesis. To our knowledge, this is the first study showing inhibitory effects of DETL on canine melanoma cells. Therefore, DETL is a potentially new antineoplastic drug.
ABSTRACT
Phyllanthus niruri L., conhecida como quebra-pedra, é uma planta da família Phyllanthaceae, pertencente ao gênero Phyllanthus. Neste estudo foi avaliado o planejamento fatorial para estudar a importância dos fatores (concentração de etanol e processo extrativo) na concentração de flavonoides e compostos fenólicos presentes nos extratos de P. niruri. Diferentes extratos de P. niruri foram preparados utilizando etanol 50 e 96%, empregando três métodos extrativos diferentes: maceração, percolação e ultrassom. A quantificação de flavonoides foi realizada pelo método espectrofotométrico com AlCl3 10% (v/v) em água. Já o método utilizado para a quantificação de compostos fenólicos foi de Folin-Ciocalteu. As análises foram feitas em triplicata e os resultados analisados nos softwares Minitab18® e Prisma GraphPad®. Foram observadas diferenças significativas (p≤0,05) nos valores de flavonoides e compostos fenólicos totais nos extratos produzidos de P. niruri, quando foram utilizados diferentes processos extrativos, bem como diferentes concentrações de etanol. Analisando os gráficos de Pareto, foi possível verificar que a concentração de solvente foi o efeito que mais contribuiu na extração de ambos os compostos bioativos. Verificando os gráficos de interações, foi possível identificar que o etanol 96% influenciou positivamente na extração de flavonoides e o etanol 50% na extração de compostos fenólicos. Assim, o planejamento fatorial aplicado ao processo extrativo de P. nirurievidenciou que a extração de flavonoides pode ser realizada com eficiência por métodos extrativos tradicionais, maceração ou percolação, utilizando como solvente o etanol 96%. Já as condições otimizadas para a extração de compostos fenólicos são por percolação ou ultrassom com etanol 50%.
Phyllanthus niruri L., known as stone breaker, is a plant in the Phyllanthaceae family, belonging to the genus Phyllanthus. In this study, the factorial design was evaluated to study the importance of factors (concentration of ethanol and extraction process) on the concentration of flavonoids and phenolic compounds present in P. niruri extracts. Different extracts of P. niruri was prepared using 50 and 96% ethanol, using three different extraction methods: maceration, percolation and ultrasound. The quantification of flavonoids was performed by the spectrophotometric method with 10% AlCl3 (v/v) in water. The Folin-Ciocalteu method were employed for the quantification of phenolic compounds. The analyses were performed in triplicate and the results were analyzed using the Minitab18® and Prisma GraphPad® software. Significant differences (p≤0.05) were observed in the values of flavonoids and total phenolic compounds in the extracts produced from P. niruri, when different extraction processes were used, as well as different concentrations of ethanol. Analyzing the Pareto graphs, it was possible to verify that the solvent concentration was the effect that most contributed to the extraction of both bioactive compounds. Checking the interaction graphs, it was possible to identify that 96% ethanol positively influenced the extraction of flavonoids and 50% ethanol influenced the extraction of phenolic compounds. Thus, the factorial design applied to the extraction process of P. niruri showed that the extraction of flavonoids can be carried out efficiently by traditional extraction methods, maceration or percolation, using 96% ethanol as a solvent. The optimized conditions for the extraction of phenolic compounds are by percolation or ultrasound with 50% ethanol.
ABSTRACT
Grape pomace retains polyphenols in the peels and in the seeds after winemaking, which is indicative of the high valorization potential of this industrial waste. There is strong evidence that phenolics are robust antioxidants and confer photoprotection; thus, it is rational to apply these active compounds from winemaking waste to sunscreens, in order to increase UV protection. Despite the importance of this class of cosmetics to public health, more efficacious strategies are still needed to overcome the problems caused by the photoinstability of some UV filters. The hydroethanolic extract of Vitis vinifera L. grapes was obtained by percolation and then lyophilized. Six formulations were developed: Type I-cosmetic base and UV filters; Type II-cosmetic base and extract; and Type III-cosmetic base, extract and UV filters. Each formulation was prepared in the pHs 5 and 7. The antioxidant activities of the samples were measured by DPPH⢠and expressed in Trolox® equivalents (TE), and their photostability and in vitro sun protection factor (SPF) were analyzed by diffuse reflectance spectrophotometry. The anti-radical efficiencies observed in the formulations with grape extract were: (II) 590.12 ± 0.01 µmol TE g-1 at pH 5 and 424.51 ± 0.32 µmol TE g-1 at pH 7; (III) 550.88 ± 0.00 µmol TE g-1 at pH 5 and 429.66 ± 0.10 µmol TE g-1, at pH 7, demonstrating that the UV filters, butylmethoxydibenzoyl methane, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate and ethylhexyl dimethyl 4-aminobenzoic acid had no influence on this effect. The photoprotective efficacy and the photostability of formulation III containing the extract and UV filters at pH 5 suggested that a synergism between the active molecules provided an 81% increase in SPF. Additionally, this was the only sample that maintained a broad spectrum of protection after irradiation. These results confirmed that the grape pomace extract has multifunctional potential for cosmetic use, mainly in sunscreens, granting them superior performance.
ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT Peptic ulcers are an important pathology, and the search for safer and more effective treatment methods is of paramount importance. In this study, we assess the gastroprotective effects of the hydroethanolic extract (HE) and ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) from Kalanchoe pinnata leaves against an ethanol/HCl-induced ulcer model in rats. The HE reduced gastric lesions by approximately 47% (400 mg/kg). A significant inhibition of the gastric lesions by 50% was observed after pretreatment with the EAF (200 mg/kg). Quercetrin and quercetin 3-O-α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1â2)-α-L-rhamnopyranoside were isolated and identified in the flavonoid fraction (EAF) by HPLC and NMR analyses because this fraction showed the highest gastroprotective effect. This fraction demonstrated high antioxidant activities (CE50=41.91 µg/mL) by DPPH in comparison with Trolox(r) and 11.33 mmol Trolox(r) equivalent by ORAC. In conclusion, the HE and FAE from K. pinnata displayed gastroprotective activity in rats, most likely due to the presence of flavonoids.