Alternanthera brasiliana L. extract alleviates carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury and fibrotic changes in mice: Role of matrix metalloproteinases and TGF-ß/Smad axis.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Alternanthera brasiliana L. is a flowering plant belonging to the family Amaranthaceae and is popularly known as "penicillin". It is used in folk medicine to treat infections, coughs, wound healing, and inflammatory diseases. AIM OF THE STUDY: We investigated the effect of Alternanthera brasiliana L. leaves hydroalcoholic extract (AB) against oxidative stress, inflammation, and fibrotic changes in an experimental model of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver injury and fibrosis in mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-six male Balb/C mice were randomized into five groups: normal control, AB control, CCl4 control, CCl4 + AB-200 mg/kg, and CCl4 + AB-400 mg/kg. In mice, liver injury was induced by intraperitoneal injection of CCl4 (20% in corn oil, 5 ml/kg body weight) thrice a week for six consecutive weeks. AB extract at two doses (200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg body weight) was administered orally for six consecutive weeks. Liver injury-related serum markers (ALT, AST, ALP), antioxidants (GSH, GST, SOD, and vitamin C), pro-inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1ß, and IL-18, ultrasonographic and histological alterations, proteins of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), nuclear factor-κB (p65) (NF-κB), nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3), and TGF-ß/Smad signaling were accessed. LC-Q-TOF-MS/MS analysis of AB was performed. RESULTS: AB treatment significantly decreased the CCl4-induced rise in serum ALT, AST, and ALP activities and improved the histological alterations. Compared with the CCl4-treated group, treatment with AB significantly restored the hepatic antioxidants and reduced the pro-inflammatory cytokines in the liver. The antioxidant activity of AB may be attributed to its terpenoid constituents, which was confirmed by LC-Q-TOF-MS/MS analysis. The CCl4-induced rise in expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 and decrease in TIMP-1 were markedly restored in the AB-treated groups. Further findings revealed a significant reduction in the protein levels of phospho-NF-κB (p65), NLRP3, TGF-ß, pSmad2/3, collagen I, and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in the AB treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: The hepatoprotective effect of AB may be attributed to the high content of terpenoid compounds and alleviates liver injury and associated fibrotic changes through modulating MMPs, NF-κB (p65), and the TGF-ß/Smad axis.

Development, validation, and application of an HPLC-MS/MS method for quantification of oxidized fatty acids in plants.

Oxylipins constitute a huge class of compounds produced by oxidation of long-chain unsaturated fatty acids either chemically (by radicals such as reactive oxygen species, ROS) or enzymatically (by lipoxygenases, LOX; cyclooxygenases, COX; or cytochrome P450 pathways). This process generates fatty acids peroxides, which can then be further modified in a broad range to epoxy, hydroxy, keto, ether fatty acids, and also hydrolyzed to generate small aldehydes and alcohols. In general, oxylipins are present in almost all living organisms and have a wide range of signaling, metabolic, physiological, and ecological roles depending on the particular organism and on their structure. In plants, oxylipins have been extensively studied over the past 35 years. However, these studies have focused mainly on the jasmonates and so-called green leaves volatiles. The function of early LOX products (like keto and hydroxy fatty acids) is yet not well understood in plants, where they are mainly analyzed by indirect methods or by GC-MS what requires a laborious sample preparation. Here, we developed and validated a straightforward, precise, accurate, and sensitive method for quantifying oxylipins in plant tissues using HPLC-MS/MS, with a one-step extraction procedure using low amount of plant tissues. We successfully applied this method to quantify the oxylipins in different plant species and Arabidopsis thaliana plants treated with various biotic and abiotic stress conditions.

Evaluation of antitumor activity and antioxidant status of Alternanthera brasiliana against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma in Swiss albino mice.

OBJECTIVE: The main objective of the present study was to explore the antitumor activity of the ethyl acetate extract of the Alternanthera brasiliana (EAAB) and its antioxidant status against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) in Swiss albino mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Based on the preliminary in vitro cytotoxicity studies, EAAB was selected for anti-tumor and antioxidant effects. Anticancer activity of EAAB was evaluated against EAC in Swiss albino mice at the doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg. EAAB was administered for 14 consecutive days after induction of cancer. After 24 h of the last dose and 18 h of fasting, half of the mice were sacrificed and rest were kept alive for assessing any increase in life span. The antitumor effect of EAAB was assessed by evaluating tumor volume, viable and nonviable tumor cell count, tumor weight, hematological and biochemical parameters of EAC bearing host. Furthermore, the antioxidant and histopathological parameters were evaluated. RESULTS: EAAB treatment has shown significant decrease in tumor volume, viable cell count, tumor weight and elevated the life span of EAC tumor bearing mice in a dose dependent manner. In hematological profile count of RBC, hemoglobin, and WBC were found reverted to normal. EAAB also significantly decreased the levels of lipid peroxidation and significantly increased the levels of GSH, SOD and Catalase. CONCLUSION: From the above results it may be concluded that EAAB has potent dose dependent antitumor activity and is comparable to that of 5-flourouracil.

Antibiotic oxylipins from Alternanthera brasiliana and its endophytic bacteria.

Bioassay-guided fractionation of Alternanthera brasiliana stem extracts resulted in the isolation of an antibiotically active fraction. Five human pathogenic bacteria were used to guide the fractionation process for the isolation of antimicrobial compounds. Finally, 17 linoleate oxylipins were identified by LC-MS/MS and NMR spectroscopy. Five of the isolated compounds present in A. brasiliana tissues were also detected to be synthesized by endophytic bacteria of the genus Bacillus that were isolated from A. brasiliana. It is speculated that the antibiotic oxylipins from A. brasiliana might derive from bacteria and be involved in an ecological relationship between this plant and its endophytes.

Chemical constituents from three medicinal plants: Piper renitens, Siparuna guianensis and Alternanthera brasiliana

Chemical study of three medicinal plants: from leaves of Piper renitens (Miq.) Yunck, Piperaceae, and Siparuna guianensis Aubl., Siparunaceae, and from flowers of Alternanthera brasiliana (L.) Kuntze, Amaranthaceae, resulted in isolation of nine compounds: three steroids, β-sitosterol, stigmasterol from P. renitens and sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside from A. brasiliana, the diterpene kaurane ent-kauran-16α,17-diol from P. renitens, two derivatives kaempferol-methylether, kumatakenine (kaempferol-3,7-dimethylether) and kaempferol-3,7,3'-trimethylether from S. guianensis and three flavones, crysoeriol (5,7,4'-trihydroxy-3'-methoxyflavone), tricin (5,7,4'-trihydroxy-3',5'-dimethoxyflavone) and 7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside-5,4'-dihydroxy-3'-methoxyflavone from A. brasiliana. Compounds structures were determinate using 1D and 2D ¹H NMR and 13C spectral data, mass and IR spectra, comparing with literature data.

Healing efficacy of methanol extract of leaves of Alternanthera brasiliana Kuntze in aged wound model.

The methanol extract of Alternanthera brasiliana Kuntze (Family: Amaranthaceae) leaf was investigated for its wound healing effect by excision wound model (in vivo) in aged Sprague Dawley rats. In excision wound model, compared to the control group, percent contraction of wound was significantly (P < 0.01) higher in A. brasiliana-treated group (5% w/w ointment). The collagen, elastin, and hydroxyproline contents of the granulation tissue of A. brasiliana-treated group increased significantly (P < 0.01) compared to the control group, indicating better wound healing activity of the test plant. These findings were also confirmed by histopathological examination. The results suggested that methanol extract of A. brasiliana possesses significant wound healing potential in aged animal wound model.

Estudo mineral das espécies vegetais Alternanthera brasiliana (L.) Kuntze e Bouchea fluminensis (Vell) Mold. / Mineral evaluation of the species Alternanthera brasiliana (L.) Kuntze and Bouchea fluminensis (Vell) Mold.

Alternanthera brasiliana e Bouchea fluminensis são plantas encontradas amplamente na América do Sul, sendo utilizada pela população pelas suas propriedades analgésicas e antiinflamatórias. O trabalho objetivou determinar o teor de cinzas totais e os elementos minerais em ambas espécies. O teor de cinzas totais das folhas de A. brasiliana e B. fluminensis foi de 13,23 por cento ± 0,47 e 8,28 por cento ± 0,07, respectivamente. Em relação à presença de macro e micronutrientes nas folhas observou-se uma maior concentração de nitrogênio (3,13 por cento) e manganês (0,296 por cento) para A. brasiliana e de cálcio (3,08 por cento) e ferro (0,256 por cento) para B. fluminensis. Os dados obtidos, cinzas totais, macro e microelementos, contribuem significativamente no controle de qualidade e padronização de ambas drogas vegetais, além de dar suporte ao uso como suplemento nutricional.

Alternanthera brasiliana and Bouchea fluminensis are plants widely distributed in South America. These plants are used by native populations as analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent. The aim of this paper was to assay the total ashes and mineral content in both species. The levels of total ashes in leaves of A. brasiliana and B. fluminensis were 13.23 percent ± 0.47 and 8.28 percent ± 0.07, respectively. The analysis of macro and micronutrients content in leaves of A. brasiliana shown as main components, nitrogen (3.13 percent) and manganese (0.296 percent). However, in B. fluminensis they were calcium (3.08 percent) and iron (0.256 percent). These data are very useful for the quality control and standardization of the plant raw materials, and support their use as nutritional agents.