Phytochemical characterization and comparative studies of four Cecropia species collected in Panama using multivariate data analysis

The artificial neural network selects saccharides from natural sources a promise for potential FimH inhibitor to prevent UTI infections

The major challenge in the development of affordable medicines from natural sources is the unavailability of logical protocols to explain their mechanism of action in biological targets. FimH (Type 1 fimbrin with D-mannose specific adhesion property), a lectin on E. coli cell surface is a promising target to combat the urinary tract infection (UTI). The present study aimed at predicting the inhibitory capacity of saccharides on FimH. As mannosides are considered FimH inhibitors, the readily accessible saccharides from the PubChem collection were utilized. The artificial neural networks (ANN)-based machine learning algorithm Self-organizing map (SOM) has been successfully employed in predicting active molecules as they could discover relationships through self-organization for the ligand-based virtual screening. Docking was used for the structure-based virtual screening and molecular dynamic simulation for validation. The result revealed that the predicted molecules malonyl hexose and mannosyl glucosyl glycerate exhibit exactly similar binding interactions and better docking scores as that of the reference bioassay active, heptyl mannose. The pharmacokinetic profile matches that of the selected bioflavonoids (quercetin malonyl hexose, kaempferol malonyl hexose) and has better values than the control drug bioflavonoid, monoxerutin. Thus, these two molecules can effectively inhibit type 1 fimbrial adhesin, as antibiotics against E. coli and can be explored as a prophylactic against UTIs. Moreover, this investigation can pave the way to the exploration of the potential benefits of plant-based treatments.

Graphical abstract

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40203-024-00212-5.

Ursolic acid-rich extract presents trypanocidal action in vitro but worsens mice under experimental acute Chagas disease

Chagas disease is a neglected tropical disease with only two drugs available for treatment and the plant Cecropia pachystachya has several compounds with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities. This study aimed to evaluate a supercritical extract from C. pachystachya leaves in vitro and in vivo against Trypanosoma cruzi. A supercritical CO2 extraction was used to obtain the extract (CPE). Cytotoxicity and immunostimulation ability were evaluated in macrophages, and the in vitro trypanocidal activity was evaluated against epimastigotes and trypomastigotes forms. In vivo tests were done by infecting BALB/c mice with blood trypomastigotes forms and treating animals orally with CPE for 10 days. The parasitemia, survival rate, weight, cytokines and nitric oxide dosage were evaluated. CPE demonstrated an effect on the epi and trypomastigotes forms of the parasite (IC50 17.90 ± 1.2 μg/mL; LC50 26.73 ± 1.2 μg/mL) and no changes in macrophages viability, resulting in a selectivity index similar to the reference drug. CPE-treated animals had a worsening compared to non-treated, demonstrated by higher parasitemia and lower survival rate. This result was attributed to the anti-inflammatory effect of CPE, demonstrated by the higher IL-10 and IL-4 values observed in the treated mice compared to the control ones. CPE demonstrated a trypanocidal effect in vitro and a worsening in the in vivo infection due to its anti-inflammatory activity.

Intra- and Interspecies Differences of Two Cecropia Species from Tabasco, Mexico, Determined through the Metabolic Analysis and 1H-NMR-Based Fingerprinting of Hydroalcoholic Extracts

The genus Cecropia is used in the traditional medicine of Tabasco, Mexico, in diabetes and hypertension treatments, mainly without distinction of the species. This contribution aimed to carry out the metabolic analysis and Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (¹H-NMR) spectroscopy-based fingerprinting of the hydroalcoholic leaf extracts of Cecropia peltata (Cp) and Cecropia obtusifolia (Co) collected in five sub-regions of the State of Tabasco (Cp1, "Centro"; Cp2, "Chontalpa"; Cp3, "Pantanos"; Cp4, "Ríos" and Co5, "Sierra"). Firstly, the extracts were evaluated for their Total Phenol Content (TPC) and Total Flavonoid Content (TFC) by spectrophotometric methods. In addition, metabolic analysis was performed using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Diode-Array Detection HPLC-DAD, which allowed the quantification of the chemical markers: chlorogenic acid, isoorientin, and orientin, as well as a vitexin analog. Finally, metabolomic analysis was carried out based on the ¹H-NMR spectra. The Cp4 extract (C. peltata from the "Ríos" sub-region) presented the highest values of TPC (155 ± 9.1 mg GAE/g E) and TFC (724 ± 22.2 mg RE/g E). The metabolic analysis was similar among the five samples; the highest concentrations of the four chemical markers were found in Cp3 (C. peltata from the "Pantanos" sub-region) for chlorogenic acid (39.8 ± 2.3 mg/g) and isoorientin (51.5 ± 2.9 mg/g), in Cp4 for orientin (49.9 ± 0.6 mg/g), and in Cp2 (C. peltata from the "Chontalpa" sub-region) for the vitexin analog (6.2 ± 0.2 mg/g). The metabolic analysis and the ¹H-NMR fingerprint analysis showed intraspecies differences among the C. peltata samples and interspecies between C. peltata and C. obtusifolia, which were attributed to variations in the metabolite groups as well as in the proportion of sugars such as glucose and xylose.

Saponin and Fatty Acid Profiling of the Sea Cucumber Holothuria atra, α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activity and the Identification of a Novel Triterpene Glycoside

Saponin-rich sea cucumber extracts have shown antidiabetic effects in a few reports. Although the triterpene glycosides of sea cucumbers are commonly isolated from their Cuvierian tubules, these are absent in Holothuria atra Jaeger. Therefore, this study intended to investigate the saponin profile in the body wall of H. atra, as well as to assess the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of the H. atra extracts. The chemical profiling of sea cucumber extracts was conducted by UPLC-HRMS analysis. This resulted in the tentative identification of 11 compounds, 7 of which have not been reported in the H. Atra body wall before. Additionally, two triterpene glycosides were purified and their structures were elucidated based on HRMS and NMR data: desholothurin B (1), and a novel epimer, 12-epi-desholothurin B (2). Moreover, the fatty acid profile of the H. atra body wall was investigated by GC-MS. It was found that the Me90 fraction of the H. atra body wall showed the strongest α-glucosidase inhibitory activity (IC₅₀ value 0.158 ± 0.002 mg/mL), thus making it more potent than acarbose (IC₅₀ value 2.340 ± 0.044 mg/mL).

Ancestral Food Sources Rich in Polyphenols, Their Metabolism, and the Potential Influence of Gut Microbiota in the Management of Depression and Anxiety

The relationship between a population's diet and the risk of suffering from mental disorders has gained importance in recent years, becoming exacerbated due to the COVID-19 lockdown. This review concentrates relevant literature from Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar analyzed with the aim of rescuing knowledge that promotes mental health. In this context, it is important to highlight those flowers, seeds, herbaceous plants, fungi, leaves, and tree barks, among other ancestral matrices, that have been historically part of the eating habits of human beings and have also been a consequence of the adaptation of collectors, consuming the ethnoflora present in different ecosystems. Likewise, it is important to note that this knowledge has been progressively lost in the new generations. Therefore, this review concentrates an important number of matrices used particularly for food and medicinal purposes, recognized for their anxiolytic and antidepressant effects, establishing the importance of metabolism and biotransformation mainly of bioactive compounds such as polyphenols by the action of the gut microbiota.

Antiviral, Anticancer and Hypotensive Potential of Diphyllin Glycosides and their Mechanisms of Action

Diphyllin glycosides (DG) are the type of arylnaphthalene lignans isolated from different plants and their synthetic derivatives have shown effective antiviral, cytotoxic, hypotensive and diuretic effects at very low concentrations similar to standard drugs that are under clinical use. The biological activities of the DG interfere with signaling pathways of viral infection and cancer induction. The sugar moieties of DG enhance bioavailability and pharmacological activities. The promising results of DG at nanomolar concentrations under in vitro and in vivo conditions should be explored further with clinical trials to determine its toxic effects, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. This may identify suitable antiviral and anticancer drugs in the near future. Considering all these activities, the present review is focused on the chemical aspects of DG with a detailed account on the mechanisms of action of DG. An attempt is also made to comment on the status of clinical trials of DG along with the possible limitations in studies based on available literature through September 2020.

Gene-targeted molecular phylogeny, phytochemical analysis, antibacterial and antifungal activities of some medicinal plant species cultivated in Egypt

INTRODUCTION

Medicinal plants have been used in healthcare since time immemorial, as have their therapeutic activities and the production of plant-based medicines.

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to use gene-targeted molecular markers for genetic diversity analysis of 16 medicinal plants. Besides, phytochemical analysis antibacterial and antifungal activities of some medicinal plant extracts commonly used in Egypt are compared to major compounds.

METHODS

DNA-based classification of 16 medicinal species using Conserved DNA-Derived Polymorphism (CDDP) and Start Codon Targeted (SCoT) primers. Three species representing three orders (Pelargonium graveolens, Matricaria chamomilla, and Hyoscyamus muticus were analysed [high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)] and evaluated for their antibacterial and antifungal activities against (Escherichia coli O157: H7 ATCC 93111, Salmonella typhimurium ATCC 14028, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) ATCC 43300, Bacillus ceruse ATCC 33018, and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in comparison with some of their antimicrobial components.

RESULTS

Our results revealed 309 and 349 polymorphic bands with 100% polymorphism. Among them, 51 and 57 were unique loci for CDDP and SCoT, respectively. The 16 species were categorised into three groups depending on the similarity matrix. The results of antibacterial and antifungal activities revealed that Pelargonium oil showed significant antifungal and antibacterial activities against the tested pathogens. Gallic acid severely reduced all tested bacteria's growth, but atropine severely reduced the growth of the B. ceruse only. Molecular modelling revealed their activity against sclerotium development.

CONCLUSION

The gene-targeted marker techniques were highly useful tools for the classification of the 16 medicinal plant species, despite displaying high similarities at morphological and phytochemical analyses but, have antifungal and antibacterial activities.

A High-Content Screen for the Identification of Plant Extracts with Insulin Secretion-Modulating Activity

Bioactive plant compounds and extracts are of special interest for the development of pharmaceuticals. Here, we describe the screening of more than 1100 aqueous plant extracts and synthetic reference compounds for their ability to stimulate or inhibit insulin secretion. To quantify insulin secretion in living MIN6 β cells, an insulin–Gaussia luciferase (Ins-GLuc) biosensor was used. Positive hits included extracts from Quillaja saponaria, Anagallis arvensis, Sapindus mukorossi, Gleditsia sinensis and Albizia julibrissin, which were identified as insulin secretion stimulators, whereas extracts of Acacia catechu, Myrtus communis, Actaea spicata L., Vaccinium vitis-idaea and Calendula officinalis were found to exhibit insulin secretion inhibitory properties. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) were used to characterize several bioactive compounds in the selected plant extracts, and these bioactives were retested for their insulin-modulating properties. Overall, we identified several plant extracts and some of their bioactive compounds that may be used to manipulate pancreatic insulin secretion.

Pharmacognostic Evaluation of Ten Species of Medicinal Importance of Cecropia: Current Knowledge and Therapeutic Perspectives

This work covers a systematic review of literature about the genus Cecropia from 1978 to 2020, emphasizing the analysis of 10 of the most relevant species and their associated biological activities. Cecropia is a neotropical genus, which comprises about 61 native species in the American continent where it is known to be part of the traditional medicine of numerous countries. Secondary metabolites described for this genus showed an elevated structural and functional diversity, where polyphenols have been the most abundant. Based on this diversity, Cecropia phytochemicals represent an important source of potential therapeutic agents yet to be exploited. This review also highlights the effectiveness of combining chemometrics and ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry as a novel approach to successfully single out Cecropia species phytochemicals. While the medicinal use of Cecropia species is officially recognized in National Pharmacopoeias and Formularies of several Latin American countries, it is important to recognize that these phytomedicines are complex mixtures requiring a thorough understanding of their chemical composition and their correlation with biological activities to guarantee their quality, safety, and efficacy.

The Occurrence and Biological Activity of Tormentic Acid-A Review

This review focuses on the natural sources and pharmacological activity of tormentic acid (TA; 2α,3β,19α-trihydroxyurs-2-en-28-oic acid). The current knowledge of its occurrence in various plant species and families is summarized. Biological activity (e.g., anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, anti-cancer, anti-osteoarthritic, antinociceptive, antioxidative, anti-melanogenic, cytotoxic, antimicrobial, and antiparasitic) confirmed in in vitro and in vivo studies is compiled and described. Biochemical mechanisms affected by TA are indicated. Moreover, issues related to the biotechnological methods of production, effective eluents, and TA derivatives are presented.

Evaluation of nutritional composition of Citrullus lanatus Linn. (watermelon) seed and biochemical assessment of the seed oil in rats

The present study investigated the nutritional composition of watermelon seeds and the effect of extracted oil on the biochemical parameters in rats after 28 days of oral administration. The watermelon seeds showed considerable proximate values but with less moisture, crude fiber, ash, and phytochemical components. The maximal dose of 50 ml/kg of watermelon seed oil (WMSO) showed no sign of toxicity in rats. WMSO significantly decreased serum cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL, ALT, and MDA but enhanced the level of HDL, VLDL, SOD, and CAT without compromising the liver integrity. For glucose tolerance, a positive oral glucose-lowering was observed. The fatty acid analysis showed the presence of three major fatty acids; 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (52.32%), n-hexadecenoic acid (21.23%), and oleic acid (10.11%) with good oxidative stability and fatty acid ratio. The outcome of this study suggests that the seeds and oil from watermelon could have a beneficial effect on man. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Plant-based oils have gained significant interest globally as a source of food, cosmetics, and compounds with therapeutic potential against certain human diseases. The watermelon seed oil is a rich source of oleic acid, linoleic, and palmitic acid. These prominent biologically active fatty acid components have contributed to the robust biochemical effects observed in this study. Based on the data obtained in this work on the nutritional analysis of the watermelon seed and potent antioxidative capacity, improved liver biomarkers, good oxidative stability, and the fatty acid ratio of WMSO, we proposed that consumption of the seed and its oil could offer a cheap and affordable nutraceutical for human benefits. However, we recommend further studies on the biological activity and safety aspect of watermelon seed oil for its long-term usage.

Simulated Gastrointestinal Biotransformation of Chlorogenic Acid, Flavonoids, Flavonolignans and Triterpenoid Saponins in Cecropia obtusifolia Leaf Extract

It is well known that biotransformation processes in the human body are crucial to form potentially bioactive metabolites from particular classes of natural products. However, little research has been conducted concerning the bioavailability of polyphenols, especially in the colon. The gastrointestinal stability and colonic biotransformation of the crude extract of the leaves of Cecropia obtusifolia, rich in flavone C-glycosides, was investigated under in vitro conditions, and the processing and interpretation of results were facilitated by using an automated machine learning model. This investigation revealed that flavone C-glycosides and flavonolignans from C. obtusifolia were stable throughout their passage in the simulated gastrointestinal tract including the colon phase. On the other hand, the colon bacteria extensively metabolized chlorogenic acid, flavonol, and triterpenoid O-glycosides. This investigation revealed that the colonic microbiota has an important role in the biotransformation of some chemical constituents of this extract.

1H NMR metabolic phenotyping of Dipterocarpus alatus as a novel tool for age and growth determination

Dipterocarpus alatus belongs to Family Dipterocarpaceae that can be commonly found in Southeast Asian countries. It is a perennial plant with oval-shaped leaves and oleoresin-rich wood. It has been considered as a multipurpose plant since all parts can be practically utilized. One of the major problems for utilizing Dipterocarpus alatus is the difficulty knowing the exact age as this kind of plant is ready for multipurpose use after 20 years of age. At present, the most commonly used method for determining age of Dipterocarpus alatus is the annual ring estimation. However, this conventional method is unable to provide the high precision and accuracy of age determination due to its limitation including blurry annual rings caused by enriched oleoresin in the wood. The current study aimed to investigate the differences of 1H -NMR spectroscopy-based metabolic profiles from bark and leaf of Dipterocarpus alatus at different ages including 2, 7, 15 and 25 years. Our findings demonstrated that there is a total of 56 metabolites shared between bark and leaf. It is noticeable that bark at different ages exhibited the strongest variation and sugar or sugar derivatives that were found in higher concentrations in bark compared with those in leaf. We found that decreasing levels of certain metabolites including tagatose, 1'kestose and 2'-fucosyllactose exhibited the promising patterns. In conclusion, panel metabolites involved in the sucrose biosynthesis can precisely determine the age and growth of Dipterocarpus alatus.

Integrated Analysis of the Transcriptome and Metabolome of Cecropia obtusifolia: A Plant with High Chlorogenic Acid Content Traditionally Used to Treat Diabetes Mellitus

This investigation cultured Cecropia obtusifolia cells in suspension to evaluate the effect of nitrate deficiency on the growth and production of chlorogenic acid (CGA), a secondary metabolite with hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activity that acts directly on type 2 diabetes mellitus. Using cell cultures in suspension, a kinetics time course was established with six time points and four total nitrate concentrations. The metabolites of interest were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and the metabolome was analyzed using directed and nondirected approaches. Finally, using RNA-seq methodology, the first transcript collection for C. obtusifolia was generated. HPLC analysis detected CGA at all sampling points, while metabolomic analysis confirmed the identity of CGA and of precursors involved in its biosynthesis. Transcriptome analysis identified differentially expressed genes and enzymes involved in the biosynthetic pathway of CGA. C. obtusifolia probably expresses a key enzyme with bifunctional activity, the hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA quinate hydroxycinnamoyl transferase and hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA shikimate/quinate hydroxycinnamoyl transferase (HQT/HCT), which recognizes shikimic acid or quinic acid as a substrate and incorporates either into one of the two routes responsible for CGA biosynthesis.

Isolation of Phytochemicals from Bauhinia variegata L. Bark and Their In Vitro Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Potential

Plants have been the basis of traditional medicine since the dawn of civilizations. Different plant parts possess various phytochemicals, playing important roles in preventing and curing diseases. Scientists, through extensive experimental studies, are playing an important part in establishing the use of phytochemicals in medicine. However, there are still a large number of medicinal plants which need to be studied for their phytochemical profile. In this study, the objective was to isolate phytochemicals from bark of Bauhinia variegata L. and to study them for their antioxidant and cytotoxic activities. The bark was extracted with methanol, followed by column chromatography and thus isolating kaempferol, stigmasterol, protocatechuic acid-methyl ester (PCA-ME) and protocatechuic acid (PCA). 2,2-azinobis-3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) and 2, 2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) radical scavenging assays were utilized for assessment of antioxidant activity, and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) dye reduction assay was used to determine cytotoxic activity against C-6 glioma rat brain, MCF-7 breast cancer, and HCT-15 colon cancer cell lines. The compounds were found to have significant antioxidant and cytotoxic activity. Since there is a considerable increase in characterizing novel chemical compounds from plant parts, the present study might be helpful for chemotaxonomic determinations, for understanding of medicinal properties as well as for the quality assessment of herbal supplements containing B. variegata bark, thus establishing its use in traditional medicine.