ABSTRACT
Geoffroea decorticans (chañar) is commonly used for culinary and medicinal purposes in rural communities. The aim of this work was to chemically characterize three Geoffroea decorticans extracts and determine their capacity to modulate the wnt/ß-catenin pathway. This signaling pathway plays a key role in embryonic development but its overactivation leads to cancer cell growth. Phytochemical analysis of extracts showed presence of major classes of phytochemicals. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry results revealed the presence of acids, esters and furanic compounds. Using Xenopus embryos as in vivo model organisms, we found that the extracts modulated dorso-ventral axis formation and rescued hyperdorsalized phenotypes produced by LiCl treatment. In agreement with these findings, Geoffroea decorticans extracts decreased ß-catenin levels and suppressed the expression of wnt target genes such as xnr3 and chordin, thus demonstrating an inhibitory regulation of the wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway. All these results support a new role for Geoffroea decorticans fruit derivatives with possible anti-carcinogenic actions.
Subject(s)
Fabaceae/chemistry , Fruit/chemistry , Molecular Targeted Therapy , Neoplasms/metabolism , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Wnt Signaling Pathway/drug effects , Xenopus laevis , beta Catenin/antagonists & inhibitors , Animals , Female , Gene Expression Regulation/drug effects , Glycoproteins/genetics , Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins/genetics , Lithium Chloride/pharmacology , Male , Neoplasms/drug therapy , Plant Extracts/chemistry , Transforming Growth Factor beta/genetics , Wnt Signaling Pathway/genetics , Xenopus Proteins/genetics , Xenopus laevis/embryology , Xenopus laevis/genetics , beta Catenin/genetics , beta Catenin/metabolismABSTRACT
Seventeen sesquiterpene lactones (SLs) isolated from five species of the tribe Vernonieae were evaluated for their in vitro activity against promastigotes of Leishmania amazonensis and Leishmania braziliensis. Additionally, a quantitative structure activity relationship has been made, since all these natural compounds were found to have potent to mild antileishmanial properties. The most active compounds against L. braziliensis were 16 and 17 (IC50 values 1.45 and 1.34 µM, respectively), followed by compound 15 with IC50 value of 1.60 µM against L. amazonensis. The three glaucolide-type SLs (4-6) were the least active against both parasites. The computational study allowed us to establish that lipophilicity and polarisability play an important role in the antiparasitic activity. This is the first report of the known germacradiendiolides 16 and 17 from Elephantopus mollis. The activity data of the compounds 1-17 assayed against Leishmania parasites are reported here for the first time.
ABSTRACT
Propolis was included in the Argentine Food Code as a functional food. The chemical parameters and antioxidant properties of propolis samples from the same colonies of Apis mellifera in San Juan (Cuyo region, Western Argentine) were compared every month for 1 year using two collection methods. Chemical parameters were analyzed by the spectrophotometric method and fingerprinting using high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. The antioxidant activities of propolis samples were measured using model systems including the analysis of the scavenging activities for 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals and the beta-carotene bleaching assay. The results showed that propolis had a higher free radical scavenging and lipid peroxidation inhibitory capacity than butylated hydroxytoluene and quercetin, antioxidants used in the pharmaceutical and food industries. The concentration required to scavenge 50% of free radicals (SC(50)) values differed depending on the sample collection month. Samples collected in November had the highest antioxidant capacity. In all cases, SC(50) values of propolis samples obtained by scraping were similar to those collected from a wire mesh (5 microg/mL for ABTS and 20-30 microg/mL for DPPH radicals). A significant positive correlation was found between the antioxidant capacity and flavonoid content of each analyzed extract. The chemical profiles were very similar. Galangin (3,5,7-trihydroxyflavone), an antioxidant compound, was detected in all samples as a major compound. The chromatographic profile suggests that of Baccharis sp., which would be one of the botanical sources of propolis from western Argentina, and the content of galangin can be used as a parameter for evaluating propolis quality. Our results suggest that Argentine propolis from Cuyo is a promising source of bioactive compounds as ingredients for developing functional foods with a beneficial impact on oxidative stress.
