A validated high-performance liquid chromatography method for determination of tannin-related marker constituents gallic acid, corilagin, chebulagic acid, ellagic acid and chebulinic Acid in four Terminalia species from India

Pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis optimization of lignocellulosic biomass for ethanol, xylitol, and phenylacetylcarbinol co-production using Candida magnoliae

Cellulosic bioethanol production generally has a higher operating cost due to relatively expensive pretreatment strategies and low efficiency of enzymatic hydrolysis. The production of other high-value chemicals such as xylitol and phenylacetylcarbinol (PAC) is, thus, necessary to offset the cost and promote economic viability. The optimal conditions of diluted sulfuric acid pretreatment under boiling water at 95°C and subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis steps for sugarcane bagasse (SCB), rice straw (RS), and corn cob (CC) were optimized using the response surface methodology via a central composite design to simplify the process on the large-scale production. The optimal pretreatment conditions (diluted sulfuric acid concentration (% w/v), treatment time (min)) for SCB (3.36, 113), RS (3.77, 109), and CC (3.89, 112) and the optimal enzymatic hydrolysis conditions (pretreated solid concentration (% w/v), hydrolysis time (h)) for SCB (12.1, 93), RS (10.9, 61), and CC (12.0, 90) were achieved. CC xylose-rich and CC glucose-rich hydrolysates obtained from the respective optimal condition of pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis steps were used for xylitol and ethanol production. The statistically significant highest (p ≤ 0.05) xylitol and ethanol yields were 65% ± 1% and 86% ± 2% using Candida magnoliae TISTR 5664. C. magnoliae could statistically significantly degrade (p ≤ 0.05) the inhibitors previously formed during the pretreatment step, including up to 97% w/w hydroxymethylfurfural, 76% w/w furfural, and completely degraded acetic acid during the xylitol production. This study was the first report using the mixed whole cells harvested from xylitol and ethanol production as a biocatalyst in PAC biotransformation under a two-phase emulsion system (vegetable oil/1 M phosphate (Pi) buffer). PAC concentration could be improved by 2-fold compared to a single-phase emulsion system using only 1 M Pi buffer.

Chebulinic Acid: An Incipient Anticancer Agent

BACKGROUND

Terminalia chebula (T. chebula) comprising chebulinic acid as its principle active constituent is used to cure various diseases. T. chebula and chebulinic acid are used as antimicrobial, antioxidant, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, antimutagenic, radioprotective, cardioprotective, antiproliferative, antiarthritic, anticaries, and so on.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this current study is to give an overview of the recent literature and patents of T. chebula and chebulinic acid including methods of its isolation/extraction and their application in the prevention of various cancers and other diseases.

METHODS

Present research and patents highlighting the anti-cancer potential of T. chebula and chebulinic acid have been studied and discussed keeping in view the scientific novelty and impact.

RESULTS

Both T. chebula and chebulinic acid are currently being explored for their anticancer potential in vitro and in vivo. They are either incorporated alone or in combination with other plants or drugs to show their activity and many clinical trials are also going on various potentials of the plant and chebulinic acid. Novel extraction techniques are also explored and patented. Efforts are being made to improve the bioavailability by developing Novel herbal drug delivery systems of the plant extract or chebulinic acid itself.

CONCLUSION

Anti-cancer potential of T. chebula and chebulinic acid may be well established by promising clinical trials and may open new interventions in various tumors. Clinical trials in conjunction with standard therapies are required to explore and validate the actual potential of T. chebula and chebulinic acid respectively.

Global Profiling of the Antioxidant Constituents in Chebulae Fructus Based on an Integrative Strategy of UHPLC/IM-QTOF-MS, MS/MS Molecular Networking, and Spectrum-Effect Correlation

An integrative strategy of UHPLC/IM-QTOF-MS analysis, MS/MS molecular networking (MN), in-house library search, and a collision cross-section (CCS) simulation and comparison was developed for the rapid characterization of the chemical constituents in Chebulae Fructus (CF). A total of 122 Constituents were identified, and most were phenolcarboxylic and tannic compounds. Subsequently, 1,3,6-tri-O-galloyl-β-d-glucose, terflavin A, 1,2,6-tri-O-galloyl-β-d-glucose, punicalagin B, chebulinic acid, chebulagic acid, 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-β-d-glucose, and chebulic acid, among the 23 common constituents of CF, were screened out by UPLC-PDA fingerprinting and multivariate statistical analyses (HCA, PCA, and OPLS-DA). Then, Pearson's correlation analysis and a grey relational analysis were performed for the spectrum-effect correlation between the UPLC fingerprints and the antioxidant capacity of CF, which was finally validated by an UPLC-DPPH• analysis for the main antioxidant constituents. Our study provides a global identification of CF constituents and contributes to the quality control and development of functional foods and preparations dedicated to CF.

Comparative analysis of chemical components in fruits of Chebulae Fructus and its pulp based on chromatographic technology coupled with multivariate chemometric methods

Chebulae Fructus, was extensively used as a food supplement and medicinal herb, which contained two medicinal forms corresponding to the mature fruit of Chebulae Fructus (CF) and CF pulp. They were widely used in the Chinese clinical medicine and it played a significant role in the Mongolian and Tibetan medicine for the treatment of sore throat, asthma, diarrhea and other diseases. Both of them were recorded in the 2020 Edition (Volume I) of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. However, the chemical components of CF and CF pulp have not been holistically explored, which seriously hindered its quality evaluation. This study investigated the overall chemical profile of the CF and CF pulp using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS) and ultra high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). Sixty-four chemical components were tentatively identified, and 13 components were quantified in Chebulae Fructus. Furthermore, multivariate chemometric methods were applied to compare the differences among CF samples, and all samples were classified by orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) based on the 13 quantified compounds. The results showed that CF and CF pulp were clustered in two different areas. Ellagic acid, chebulagic acid, chebulinic acid, corilagin and pentagalloyl glucose were selected as the significant constituents to different of CF and CF pulp. LC-MS coupled with chemometrics strategy analysis could comprehensively evaluate the holistic quality of CF, which provided a necessary information for the rational development and utilization of CF and CF pulp resource.

Electrochemical and DFT studies of Terminalia bellerica fruit extract as an eco-friendly inhibitor for the corrosion of steel

It is well known that metal corrosion causes serious economy losses worldwide. One of the most effective ways to prevent corrosion is the continuous development of high-efficient and environment-friendly corrosion inhibitors. Among the widely used organic and inorganic corrosion inhibitors, plant extracts are top candidates due to their nontoxic nature. The present study reports a novel application of the methanolic extract of Terminalia bellerica fruits as an environment friendly corrosion inhibitor for steel in sulphuric acid medium. The phytochemicals of the extract, namely Ellagic, Gallic, and Malic acids, play a key role of the anti-corrosive behavior of the extract. The corrosion prevention activity was studied on the steel in 1 M H2SO4 using a variety of approaches including weight loss analysis (WL), scanning electron microscope (SEM), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), density functional theory (DFT), natural bond orbital analysis (NBO), Fukui function and Monte Carlo simulations (MC). In 1 M H2SO4 solution, the maximum electrochemical inhibition efficiency of 91.79% was observed at 4000 mg/L concentration of the extract. The NBO analysis showed that the charge density of the double bonds and the oxygen atoms of carbonyl and hydroxyl groups of the phytochemicals lies on the top of the natural bond orbitals which promotes the anticorrosive properties of the investigated inhibitors. The surface coverage of steel was validated by SEM measurements. According to DFT studies, numerous nucleophilic regions were present in the active phytochemical constituents of the inhibitor, demonstrating their favorable nucleophilicity. The computed electronic structure of the phytochemicals revealed band gaps of 4.813, 5.444, and 7.562 eV for Ellagic, Gallic, and Malic acids respectively suggesting effective metal-inhibitor interactions. A good correlation between experimental and theoretical findings was addressed.

Ellagic Acid from Terminalia arjuna Fruits Protects Against Chromium and Cobalt Toxicity in Primary Human Lymphocytes

Increased accumulation of heavy metal ions such as Cr⁶⁺ and Co²⁺ due to release from prostheses and metallic implants has been reported. These metal ions have been shown to affect both resting and activated lymphocytes. Natural remedies towards mitigating the cytotoxic effects of metal ions are clearly warranted. Polyphenolic compounds which are part of hydrolysable tannins from natural plant sources are considered effective in cheating heavy metal ions in a biological system. We have isolated and characterized a polyphenolic compound (ellagic acid) from Terminalia arjuna fruits that has been tested for its ability to attenuate the metal ion toxicity in primary human lymphocytes in culture. Cr⁶⁺ and Co²⁺ (100 μM) decreased lymphocyte viability and proliferation and increased apoptosis of resting as well as CD3 and/or CD28-stimulated lymphocytes. Metal ions markedly diminished the cytokine (interleukin-2 and interferon-γ) secretion from activated lymphocytes. Pretreatment with ellagic acid at 25, 50, and 100 μM concentrations effectively improved viability and proliferative responses of both resting and activated lymphocytes, while attenuating the apoptotic index. Ellagic acid also tended to normalize the cytokine secretion from the activated lymphocytes even in the presence of metal ions, suggesting broad effects on the adaptive immune system.

Anti-inflammatory, Antinociceptive, and Antitumorigenesis Activities of Terminalia Bellerica (Gaertn.) Roxb. in Animal Models

Previous pharmacological research has demonstrated that Terminalia bellerica (Gaertn.) Roxb. (TB) extract possesses several pharmacological activities. However, there is scant evidence documenting the therapeutic activities of TB extract on inflammation, pain, and cancers. Our study examined the in vivo anti-inflammation, antinociception, and antitumorigenesis effects of TB extract and investigated possible mechanisms for those effects. Anti-inflammation activities of TB extract were evaluated using ethyl phenylpropiolate (EPP)- and arachidonic acid (AA)-induced ear edema models, a cotton pellet-induced granulation formation model, and a carrageenan-induced hind paw edema model. An antinociceptive property of TB extract was assessed using a formalin-induced nociception test. An anticarcinogenesis effect was investigated using a 7,12-dimethylbenz( a) anthracene (DMBA) and 12- O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced tumorigenesis model. In the study, TB extract exhibited significant anti-inflammatory effects against EPP-induced ear edema and carrageenan-induced hind paw edema in rats. However, the TB extract showed insignificant inhibitory activity against AA-induced ear edema and cotton pellet-induced granuloma. A dose-dependent decrease in analgesic activity was observed with TB extract evidenced by decreased licking time in formalin-induced pain in mice in both the early and late phases. TB extract also significantly inhibited DMBA/TPA-induced mouse skin tumorigenesis. In conclusion, TB extract possesses anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anticarcinogenesis properties which act, at least in part, through inhibitory effects of inflammatory mediator production.

Non-toxic nature of chebulinic acid on biochemical, hematological and histopathological analysis in normal Sprague Dawley rats

Chebulinic acid (CA) is an ellagitannins isolated from the dried fruits of Terminalia chebula with diverse pharmacological activities. The present study focused on the acute toxicity of CA in normal Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. CA was administered via oral gavage to different groups in 300 and 2000 mg/kg body weight and vehicle respectively. All the animals were monitored carefully for any physiological or behavioral changes for 14 days. On day 15th animals were euthanized and blood was collected for hematological and biochemical analysis. Different tissues were collected for histopathological study using four different staining techniques (hematoxylin and eosin, Masson's trichrome, periodic acid Schiff and picro sirius red) to observe any pathological alterations. The results highlighted no morbidity and mortality after oral ingestion of CA (300 and 2000 mg/kg). Food and water consumption, body weight, relative organ weight, hematological and biochemical parameters were normal without any gross pathological lesions in harvested tissues. The outcome of the current study supported safety of CA even at high dose. However, further detailed study is required on experimentally disease model to unfold its therapeutic potential in laboratory animals.

Preventive Effect of Combined Zingiber officinale and Terminalia chebula against DMBA-Induced Breast Cancer Rats via mTOR Inhibition

Zingiber officinale (ZO) and Terminalia chebula (TC) are plants used for the treatment of diverse illnesses in traditional medicine. The present study investigates the preventive effect of Zingiber officinale-Terminalia chebula extract (ZOTC) against DMBA-induced breast cancer in a rat model. Bioactive compounds from ZO (6-gingerol, 6-shogaol) and TC (gallic acid, ellagic acid, corilagin, chebulinic acid, and chebulagic acid) were detected using high-performance liquid chromatography. Mammary carcinogenesis was induced in rats with a single subcutaneous injection of 7,12-Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA). Oral administration of ZOTC ameliorated the antioxidant status in mammary tissues, serum lipid levels, and serum cytokines. Histological analysis of the mammary tissue (normal and tumor) was carried out to obtain pathological alterations due to ZOTC treatment. The effect of ZOTC on the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) gene and accumulation of corresponding gene product was also investigated. mTOR plays a central role in cell metabolism and proliferation in normal and cancer cells. Transcriptional and immunohistochemical analysis showed the downregulation of mTOR expression in the mammary tissues of ZOTC-treated rats. In conclusion, the results obtained suggest that ZOTC can suppress tumor progression in DMBA-induced breast cancer rats via inhibition of the mTOR pathway.

Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective activities of Terminalia bellirica and its bioactive component ellagic acid against diclofenac induced oxidative stress and hepatotoxicity

Long term usage and overdose of diclofenac (DCF), an anti-inflammatory drug is known to cause oxidative stress and liver injury. The present study reports the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective activities of Terminalia bellirica (Tb) fruit aqueous and ethyl acetate extracts and its bioactive compound ellagic acid (EA) against DCF-induced toxicity. in vitro antioxidant activities were measured by ABTS and FRAP assays while anti‐inflammatory activity was assessed by the albumin denaturation method. The adverse effects of DCF and hepatoprotective potential of Tb extracts and EA were assessed in serum and liver tissue of rats after oral administration for 21 days. Silymarin was used as standard hepatoprptective agent for comparison. Hepatic markers analyzed in serum included ALP, GPT, GOT, LDH, γ-glutamyl transferase, total protein, creatinine, and uric acid while superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were analyzed in liver tissue. The EA exhibited superior ABTS radical scavenging, FRAP, and anti-inflammatory activities as compared to fruit extracts. DCF treatment led to rise in the levels of most of the serum hepatic markers with decline in total serum protein as well as SOD and CAT in liver tissue. The supplementation of extracts, EA and silymarin in DCF treated rats significantly reduced the adverse effects of DCF on serum and tissue markers. Histopathology of the liver indicated that extracts and EA significantly decreased the degree of liver fibrosis. The hepatoprotective ability of EA was comparable to the silymarin but activity of Tb fruit extracts was little lower. Among fruit extracts ethyl acetate extract exhibited better activity than aqueous extract. The results revealed that ellagic acid and T. bellirica fruit extracts have potential to mitigate oxidative stress and hepatotoxicity produced by long term use of diclofenac.

Elephantopus mollis Kunth extracts induce antiproliferation and apoptosis in human lung cancer and myeloid leukemia cells

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Elephantopus mollis Kunth (EM), which belongs to Asteraceae family, has been used as a folk medicine with diverse therapeutic properties. Previous studies reported that crude extracts of this plant could inhibit several cancer cell lines, including breast carcinoma MCF-7, liver carcinoma HepG2, colorectal carcinoma DLD-1, lung carcinoma NCI-H23, etc. AIM: In this study, the anticancer activity and associated molecular mechanism of EM which is distributed in Vietnam were investigated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The cytotoxicity of various EM extracts was evaluated on different cell lines by MTT assay. In addition, the effects of EM extracts on cell growth, cell morphology, nuclear morphology, caspase-3 activation, and mRNA expression levels of apoptosis-related genes were also examined.

RESULTS

Our results demonstrated that ethyl acetate extract (EM-EA) caused proliferative inhibition and apoptotic induction towards A549 lung cancer cells (IC₅₀ = 18.66 μg/ml, SI = 5.8) and HL60 leukemia cells (IC₅₀ = 7.45 μg/ml, SI = 14.5) while petroleum ether extract (EM-PE) showed high toxicity to HL60 cell line (IC₅₀ = 11.14 μg/ml, SI = 6.7). Notably, Raji lymphoma cells were also affected by these extracts (IC₅₀ < 20 μg/ml, SI > 4), which has not been reported yet. Furthermore, mechanisms of EM extracts were elucidated. The significant downregulation of PCNA mRNA level induced by EM-EA/PE extracts contributed to the cell-growth restraint. EM-EA extract might activate apoptosis in A549 cells through both extrinsic and intrinsic signaling pathways by causing a 1.55-fold increase in BID, 3.65-fold increase in BAK and 3.11-fold decrease in BCL-2 expression level. Meanwhile, with EM-EA-extract treatment, HL60 cells might encounter P53-dependent apoptotic deaths.

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of antiproliferation and apoptosis activation contributed to the high efficacy of EM extracts. These findings not only proved the anticancer potential of EM but also provided further insights into the mechanisms of EM extracts.

Acute and chronic oral toxicity assessment of longan sugar extracts derived from whole fruit and from fruit pulp in rats

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Longan (Dimocarpus longan Lour.) is one of the most popular subtropical fruits. Various parts of longan, including seeds, pericarp and pulp, have long been used in traditional medicine in China, Thailand and other Asian countries. The pulp has high sugar, vitamin and mineral content as well as bioactive components. The seeds and pericarp have also been reported to contain beneficial polyphenolic compounds. Longan sugar extract from pulp (LGSP) is prepared as a conventional sugar product. Longan sugar extract from whole longan fruit (LGSW) is also offered as a health food and as a medicinal product.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The objective of this study was to identify and compare potential health hazards of both LGSW and LGSP by testing for acute and chronic oral toxicity in rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In acute toxicity testing, an oral dose (20 g/kg) of either LGSW or LGSP was administered to groups of rats. Mortality and clinical signs of toxicity were observed for 24 h, and then daily for a total of 14 days. In the chronic toxicity test, either LGSW (1, 2.5 and 5 g/kg/day) or LGSP (5 g/kg/day) was administered orally for a period of 180 days. After that treatment period, the rats in the satellite groups which received the highest doses of either LGSW or LGSP were observed for an additional 28 days. The rats then underwent clinical observation, body and organ weight measurement, hematological and biochemical analyses, and histopathological examination.

RESULTS

In the acute toxicity study, the oral administration of LGSP or LGSW in either pellet or syrup formulations did not cause mortality or any pathological abnormalities. In the chronic toxicity study, neither LGSW nor LGSP resulted in death or in any changes in behavior of the rats. All hematological and serum biochemical values of both the LGSW- and LGSP-treated groups were within the normal ranges. No histopathological abnormalities of any internal organs were observed.

CONCLUSION

The safety of longan sugar extract made from whole fruit (pulp, seeds and pericarb) is comparable to that of longan sugar extract made from pulp alone.

Aceclofenac-induced hepatotoxicity: An ameliorative effect of Terminalia bellirica fruit and ellagic acid

BACKGROUND

Aceclofenac (ACF), a widely used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, has been associated with a number of severe cases of clinical hepatotoxicity. Terminalia bellirica, an evergreen tree, is known to have several ethnomedicinal uses including antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects. Hence T. bellirica fruit extracts and its phytoconstituent ellagic acid (EA) are expected to provide protection against oxidative stress and liver damage produced by long-term use of ACF.

AIM

To evaluate the antioxidant and hepatoprotective activities of T. bellirica fruit extracts and EA against ACF-induced toxicity in albino Wistar rats.

METHODS

The in vitro antioxidant activities of T. bellirica fruit ethyl acetate and aqueous extracts were measured by metal ion chelation and nitric oxide radical scavenging assays. The in vivo antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects of T. bellirica extracts (200 mg/kg) and EA (40 mg/kg) in ACF-induced hepatotoxic rats were assessed in serum and liver tissue after oral administration for 21 d. Silymarin (40 mg/kg) was used as a standard control. Oxidative stress markers in the blood (ferric reducing ability of plasma and lipid peroxidation inhibition) and liver tissues (superoxide dismutase, catalase and malondialdehyde) were analyzed using standard protocols. Liver function markers such as alkaline phosphatase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase, γ-glutamyl transferase, creatinine, total protein, and uric acid were evaluated in rat serum.

RESULTS

The T. bellirica fruit ethyl acetate extract exhibited superior metal ion chelating and nitric oxide radical scavenging abilities during in vitro antioxidant assays as compared to aqueous extracts. Oral administration of ACF in rats (15 mg/kg) for 21 d produced oxidative stress and adversely affected liver function suggesting liver injury. Treatment with extracts (ethyl acetate and aqueous), EA and silymarin accounted for a significant reduction in the adverse effects of ACF on oxidative stress and liver function markers in serum and hepatic tissue in rats. Histopathological evaluation of the liver indicated that the extracts and EA significantly decreased the degree of liver damage. The in vivo efficacy of EA was higher than T. bellirica fruit extracts. Of these extracts, ethyl acetate extract revealed comparatively better antioxidant and hepatoprotective activity.

CONCLUSION

Ellagic acid and T. bellirica fruit extracts exhibited considerable hepatoprotective and antioxidant activities in long-term ACF-treated rats.

Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn.) roxb. (Bahera) in health and disease: A systematic and comprehensive review

BACKGROUND

Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn.) Roxb. is one of the oldest medicinal herbs of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka as well as South-East Asia. Its medicinal utility has been described in the different traditional medicinal systems, such as Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, and traditional Chinese medicine.

PURPOSE

The present study is aimed at providing a comprehensive overview on the traditional medicinal use, major phytoconstituents, biological and pharmacological activities and related mechanisms of actions and clinical studies of T. bellirica. Another objective is to describe current limitations and future direction of T. bellirica-related research.

METHODS

PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and EBOSCO host databases were selected to explore literature published between 1980 and 2020 (till March). Keywords used in various combinations comprised of Terminalia bellirica, phytoconstituents, health effects, pharmacological activities, molecular targets, in vitro, in vivo, clinical studies, and disease prevention.

RESULTS

A broad spectrum in vitro and in vivo studies suggested various biological and pharmacological effects, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, renoprotective, antidiabetic, anti-hyperlipidemic, and anticancer activities. Diverse bioactivities of T. bellirica have been ascribed to the presence of many bioactive phytochemicals, such as glucoside, tannins, gallic acid, corilagin, ellagic acid, ethyl gallate, galloyl glucose, chebulagic acid, and arjunolic acid.

CONCLUSION

Preclinical and clinical studies have suggested that T. bellirica plant and its phytoconstituents have immense potential for prevention and treatment of various diseases. Additional in vivo studies and clinical trials are warranted to realize the complete medicinal attributes of this plant.

Combined Zingiber officinale and Terminalia chebula Induces Apoptosis and Modulates mTOR and hTERT Gene Expressions in MCF-7 Cell Line

In this study, we evaluated the cytotoxicity and apoptotic activity of Zingiber officinale (ZO), Terminalia chebula (TC) alone, and in combination (ZO:TC-1:4). The presence of major bioactive compounds in ZO (6-gingerol and 6-shogaol) and TC (gallic acid, ellagic acid, and chebulinic acid) were evaluated by high performance liquid chromatography. The IC50 values of ZO, TC, and ZOTC (1:4) was estimated to be 88.5, 108.5, and 53.5 μg/mL, respectively. The cell death and cytomorphology changes upon treatment were observed. At these concentrations, ZO, TC, and ZOTC showed reduced mitochondrial membrane potential, increased reactive oxygen species, and apoptotic activities. It was also reported to downregulate mTOR and hTERT gene expression levels which are the primary genes for cell proliferation and growth. This first report on ZOTC combination has the potential to develop as a therapeutic agent for breast cancer.

CYP2C9, a Metabolic CYP450s Enzyme, Plays Critical Roles in Activating Ellagic Acid in Human Intestinal Epithelial Cells

Background

The metabolic processing of ellagic acid (EA) by cytochrome P450s (CYP450s) expressed in the intestines is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of CYP450s that are highly expressed in HIEC cells on metabolic activity of EA.

Material/Methods

HIEC cell models expressing 2B6, 2C9, 2D6, and 3A4 were generated by stably transfecting with CYP450 genes using a lentivirus system. PCR and Western blot assay were used to detect expression of CYP450s. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was used to examine the cytotoxic effect of EA on CYP450s-expressing HIEC cells. Flow cytometry was employed to evaluate apoptosis of CYP450s-expressing HIEC cells after addition of EA. Metabolic clearance rate of EA in vitro by the constructed HIEC cell models was measured using UPLC-MS method.

Results

CYP450s expression HIEC cell models, including CYP2B6, CYP2C9, CYP2D6, and CYP3A4, were successfully established. EA treatment at different concentrations (10 μg/mL and 50 μg/mL) remarkably decreased cell viability of HIEC cells expressing CYP2C9 compared to the untreated control (p<0.01), in a concentration-dependent and time-dependent manner. Expression of CYP2C9 significantly increased the apoptosis rate of HIEC cells treated with EA compared to that in HIEC cells without any CYP450s expression (p<0.01). The clearance rate of EA in CYP2B6-expressing (p<0.05) and CYP2C9-expressing (p<0.001) HIEC cell models was remarkably reduced after 120 min.

Conclusions

Ellagic acid was effectively activated by CYP2C9 in HIEC cells and caused cytotoxicity and apoptosis of HIEC cells. Therefore, CYP2C9 is main metabolic enzyme of EA when compared to other CYP450 HIEC cell models.

Evaluation of anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive and biological activities of Cenostigma macrophyllum standardized extracts and determination and quantification of the main metabolites

The stem barks and leaves of Cenostigma macrophyllum are used in Brazilian folk medicines in the treatment of stomach and intestinal diseases. However, there are no reports of chromatographic methods used to evaluate the bioactives of its standardized extracts and for biological evaluation. An analytical method was developed and validated for simultaneous determination and quantification of the bioactive phenolics gallic acid, methyl gallate, ellagic acid and, the biflavonoids agathisflavone and amentoflavone in the leaves and stem bark of C. macrophyllum. HPLC operating conditions were optimized and the parameters such as selectivity, linearity, precision, accuracy, LOD, LOQ and, robustness of the method were also evaluated. Robustness was evaluated using a multivariate optimization technique. Linear relationships within the range of investigated concentrations were observed with their correlation coefficients greater than 0.9991. The method was validated for repeatability (RSD ≤ 2.88%), intermediate precision (RSD ≤ 3.38%) with recovery between 84.12 and 106.64% and the RSD less than 3.40% and proved to be robust. Besides, antioxidant, acetylcholinesterase inhibition, anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities of the standardized hydromethanolic extracts of leaves and stem bark of this species were evaluated. The method was successfully applied in the quantification of the gallic acid, methyl gallate, ellagic acid, agathisflavone and amentoflavone of standardized extracts. The results showed the present method developed was simple, sensitive, reproducible, accurate and precise. The standardized hydromethanolic extracts of leaves and stem bark of C. macrophyllum showed antioxidant activity (EC₅₀ 69.09 and 83.06 μg mL⁻¹), acetylcholinesterase inhibition (52.23 and 83.36%) and they were able to inhibit the formalin-induced nociception and also reduced the edema formations at 100 mg kg⁻¹ doses. The anti-inflammatory potentials were evaluated by the decrease of the Cg-induced neutrophils migrations at the same doses.

The stem barks and leaves of Cenostigma macrophyllum are used in Brazilian folk medicines in the treatment of stomach and intestinal diseases.

HPLC Coupled with Chemometric Analysis and LC–MS Studies of Three Flavonoids in Tephrosia purpurea (L.) Pers Revealed Impact of Chemodiversity on the Quest for the Chemical Markers

Globally, Tephrosia purpurea (L.) Pers is used as an important component in herbal drug formulations for liver health. The present study is aimed to develop a suitable analytical approach for simultaneous analysis of three flavonoids (rutin, deguelin and rotenone) to establish quality control methods for plant. A novel High-performance liquid chromatography photodiode array detector (HPLC-PDA) method has been developed to quantify these flavonoids in T. purpurea. The method was validated, and data were subjected to chemometric analysis to select most optimal marker compound. The method that was found linear with R2 values ranges from 0.996 to 0.998 with good recoveries. Intra- and inter-day precision values were &lt;2. HPLC analysis revealed high level of chemodiversity. Quantity of all the three chemical markers was found significantly disparate in samples from different locations. Deguelin was detectable only in three out of total eight samples. However, liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis was found sufficiently sensitive to detect all the compounds in all samples. Thus, results suggest to apply combination of approaches to enhance confidence in chromatographic methods for quality control of herbal drugs. Principal component analysis ranked the markers as Rutin&gt;Rotenone&gt;Deguelin. This comprehensive approach employing multichromatography platforms can be successfully utilized in analysis of these bioactive markers and routine standardization of herbal material and formulations containing T. purpurea.

Antioxidant Rich Extracts of Terminalia ferdinandiana Inhibit the Growth of Foodborne Bacteria

Terminalia ferdinandiana (Kakadu plum) is a native Australian plant containing phytochemicals with antioxidant capacity. In the search for alternatives to synthetic preservatives, antioxidants from plants and herbs are increasingly being investigated for the preservation of food. In this study, extracts were prepared from Terminalia ferdinandiana fruit, leaves, seedcoats, and bark using different solvents. Hydrolysable and condensed tannin contents in the extracts were determined, as well as antioxidant capacity, by measuring the total phenolic content (TPC) and free radical scavenging activity using the 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. Total phenolic content was higher in the fruits and barks with methanol extracts, containing the highest TPC, hydrolysable tannins, and DPPH-free radical scavenging capacity (12.2 ± 2.8 g/100 g dry weight (DW), 55 ± 2 mg/100 g DW, and 93% respectively). Saponins and condensed tannins were highest in bark extracts (7.0 ± 0.2 and 6.5 ± 0.7 g/100 g DW). The antimicrobial activity of extracts from fruit and leaves showed larger zones of inhibition, compared to seedcoats and barks, against the foodborne bacteria Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration in response to the different extracts ranged from 1.0 to 3.0 mg/mL. Scanning electron microscopy images of the treated bacteria showed morphological changes, leading to cell death. These results suggest that antioxidant rich extracts of Terminalia ferdinandiana fruits and leaves have potential applications as natural antimicrobials in food preservation.

Effect of different drying techniques on chemical composition, color and antioxidant properties of kinnow (Citrus reticulata) peel

Aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of different drying techniques on chemical composition, color and antioxidant activity of kinnow peel. Fresh peel was dehydrated by three different techniques (tray, vacuum and freeze) and regardless of the method results showed significant decreases in moisture, total phenols, flavonoids, antioxidant activity and color when compared to the fresh sample. Freeze drying was found superior in retention of polyphenolic characteristics and color attributes when compared with other drying techniques. The fresh and freeze-dried citrus peel extract was analyzed for individual phenolics and flavonoids with the help of HPLC indicating highest concentrations of ferulic acid and hesperidin.

Corilagin Induces High Levels of Apoptosis in the Temozolomide-Resistant T98G Glioma Cell Line

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a malignant tumor of the central nervous system, has a high mortality rate. No curative treatment is presently available, and the most commonly used chemotherapeutic drug, the alkylating agent temozolomide (TMZ), is only able to increase life expectancy and is often associated with drug resistance. Therefore, an urgent need does exist for novel drugs aimed at treating gliomas. In the present study, we obtained three major results using corilagin: (a) demonstrated that it inhibits the growth of U251 glioma cells through activation of the apoptotic pathway; (b) demonstrated that it is also active on TMZ-resistant T98G glioma cells; and (c) demonstrated that when used in combination with TMZ on T98G glioma cells, a higher level of proapototic and antiproliferative effects is observed. Our study indicates that corilagin should be investigated in more detail to determine whether it can be developed as a potential therapeutic agent. In addition, our results suggest that corilagin could be used in combination with low doses of other standard anticancer chemotherapeutic drugs against gliomas (such as TMZ) with the aim of obtaining enhanced anticancer effects.

Development and validation of an UPLC-PDA method for the determination of corilagin in rat plasma and its application to pharmacokinetic study

Corilagin, which was isolated from several medical herbs, has been reported to exert many pharmacological activities. A simple and rapid liquid ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled to photodiode array (PDA) method has been developed to quantify corilagin in rat plasma. In this study, plasma samples were prepared by ethyl acetate extraction. Separation was performed on a HSS T3 (100mm×2.1mm, 1.8μm) column by using a mobile phase of acetonitrile and water with 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid (v/v). Corilagin and internal standard epicatechin were detected at a wavelength of 266nm. The calibration curve was linear (r>0.998) over a concentration range of 0.2μg/mL to 20μg/mL with a lower quantification limit of 0.2μg/mL. Both intra and inter-day precision values were within 5.7% and extraction recovery were greater than 81.0%. Stability tests showed that corilagin and IS remained stable during the analytical procedure. The validated UPLC-PDA method was then used to analyze the pharmacokinetics of corilagin administered to rats intravenously (10mg/kg) or orally (50mg/kg). Oral bioavailability of corilagin was calculated to be 10.7%, indicating that this component is not suitable for oral administration. The results provide basis for further preclinical studies on corilagin.