Bioactivity of Talisia esculenta extracts: Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action on RAW 264.7 macrophages and protective potential on the zebrafish exposed to oxidative stress inducers.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Talisia esculenta is a fruit tree commonly found in various regions of Brazil. Its fruit is consumed by the local population, and the leaves are used in infusions within traditional Brazilian medicine. These infusions are employed to alleviate pathological conditions such as rheumatic diseases and hypertension, both of which are strongly linked to oxidative stress and chronic inflammation. The investigation of plant extracts represents a promising field of research, as bioactive compounds abundant in plants exhibit pharmacological effects against a variety of pathological conditions. AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory activities, and toxicity of the infusion and hydroethanolic extracts of T. esculenta leaves (IF and HF) and fruit peels (IC and HC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Initially, the cytotoxicity and the effects of the extracts on oxidative stress in RAW264.7 macrophages were assessed through exposure to H2O2, as well as their impact on NO production in RAW264.7 macrophages exposed to LPS. Additionally, the toxicity and ROS production in zebrafish larvae were evaluated using two oxidative stress inducers: H2O2 and CuSO4 combined with ascorbate. RESULTS: The MTT assay indicated that the extracts exhibited low cytotoxicity, with HF and IF demonstrating protective effects against H2O2 exposure. HC reduced NO production in macrophages by 30%. The zebrafish analysis showed that all four T. esculenta extracts (100 µg/mL) were non-toxic, as they did not affect the survival, heart rate, or body size of the animals. Furthermore, all extracts were capable of reducing ROS levels in zebrafish larvae exposed to the H2O2 stressor. Notably, ROS reduction by HF, IF, and HC extracts exceeded 50% compared to the positive control (H2O2 alone). T. esculenta extracts also demonstrated a significant ability to reduce ROS levels in zebrafish larvae exposed to CuSO4, with a 70% reduction observed for leaf extracts and over 30% for fruit peel extracts. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that T. esculenta extracts exhibit significant activity against oxidative damage and contain components with anti-inflammatory properties. Among the extracts, those obtained from leaves were the most effective in providing oxidative protection, supporting the traditional use of leaf infusions.

Prospecting of the Antioxidant Activity from Extracts Obtained from Chañar (Geoffroea decorticans) Seeds Evaluated In Vitro and In Vivo Using the Tenebrio molitor Model.

Geoffroea decorticans, commonly known as Chañar, is a native Chilean plant widely used in folk medicine for its expectorant, pain relief, and antinociceptive properties. This study explored the antioxidant, cytotoxic, and protective effects of its ethanolic (EE) and aqueous (EA) seed extracts against oxidative stress induced by copper sulfate, using both in vitro and in vivo approaches. Phytochemical analyses revealed the presence of phenolic compounds and flavonoids in the extracts. High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) coupled with Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry/Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) identified significant components such as phytol, alpha-tocopherol, vitexin, and rutin, with the EE being particularly rich in phytol and vitexin. Antioxidant assays-measuring the total antioxidant capacity (TAC), reducing power, DPPH radical scavenging, and copper and iron chelation-confirmed their potent antioxidant capabilities. Both extracts were non-cytotoxic and provided protection against CuSO4-induced oxidative stress in the 3T3 cell line. Additionally, the use of Tenebrio molitor as an invertebrate model underscored the extracts' antioxidant and protective potentials, especially that of the EE. In conclusion, this study highlights the significant antioxidant and protective properties of Chañar seed extracts, particularly the ethanolic extract, in both in vitro and in vivo models.

The Antioxidant and Immunomodulatory Potential of Coccoloba alnifolia Leaf Extracts.

Oxidative stress has been associated with different diseases, and different medicinal plants have been used to treat or prevent this condition. The leaf ethanolic extract (EE) and aqueous extract (AE) from Coccoloba alnifolia have previously been characterized to have antioxidant potential in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we worked with EE and AE and two partition phases, AF (ethyl acetate) and BF (butanol), from AE extract. These extracts and partition phases did not display cytotoxicity. The EE and AE reduced NO production and ROS in all three concentrations tested. Furthermore, it was observed that EE and AE at 500 µg/mL concentration were able to reduce phagocytic activity by 30 and 50%, respectively. A scratch assay using a fibroblast cell line (NHI/3T3) showed that extracts and fractions induced cell migration with 60% wound recovery within 24 h, especially for BF. It was also observed that AF and BF had antioxidant potential in all the assays evaluated. In addition, copper chelation was observed. This activity was previously not detected in AE. The HPLC-DAD analysis showed the presence of phenolic compounds such as p-cumaric acid and vitexin for extracts, while the GNPS annotated the presence of isoorientin, vitexin, kanakugiol, and tryptamine in the BF partition phase. The data presented here demonstrated that the EE, AE, AF, and BF of C. alnifolia have potential immunomodulatory effects, antioxidant effects, as well as in vitro wound healing characteristics, which are important for dynamic inflammation process control.

Exploring the Antioxidant Potential of Talisia esculenta Using In Vitro and In Vivo Approaches.

Medicinal plants, such as Talisia esculenta, are rich in antioxidant biomolecules, which are used in the treatment and prevention of many diseases. The antioxidant potential of T. esculenta extracts obtained from leaves and fruit peels was investigated using biochemical and 3T3 cell line assays as well as in vivo assays using an organism model Tenebrio molitor. Four extracts were tested: hydroethanolic extracts from leaves (HF) and from fruit peels (HC), and infusion extracts from leaves (IF) and from fruit peels (IC). The biochemical assays demonstrated an antioxidant capacity verified by TAC, reducing power, DPPH, and copper chelating assays. None of the extracts exhibited cytotoxicity against 3T3 cells, instead offering a protection against CuSO4-induced oxidative stress. The antioxidant activity observed in the extracts, including their role as free radical scavengers, copper chelators, and stress protectors, was further confirmed by T. molitor assays. The CLAE-DAD analysis detected phenolic compounds, including gallic acid, rutin, and quercitrin, as the main constituents of the samples. This study highlights that leaf and fruit peels extracts of T. esculenta could be effective protectors against ROS and copper-induced stress in cellular and invertebrate models, and they should be considered as coadjutants in the treatment and prevention of diseases related to oxidative stress and for the development of natural nutraceutical products.

Phenolic Acids as Antidepressant Agents.

Depression is a psychiatric disorder affecting the lives of patients and their families worldwide. It is an important pathophysiology; however, the molecular pathways involved are not well understood. Pharmacological treatment may promote side effects or be ineffective. Consequently, efforts have been made to understand the molecular pathways in depressive patients and prevent their symptoms. In this context, animal models have suggested phytochemicals from medicinal plants, especially phenolic acids, as alternative treatments. These bioactive molecules are known for their antioxidant and antiinflammatory activities. They occur in some fruits, vegetables, and herbal plants. This review focused on phenolic acids and extracts from medicinal plants and their effects on depressive symptoms, as well as the molecular interactions and pathways implicated in these effects. Results from preclinical trials indicate the potential of phenolic acids to reduce depressive-like behaviour by regulating factors associated with oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, autophagy, and deregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, stimulating monoaminergic neurotransmission and neurogenesis, and modulating intestinal microbiota.