HPLC analysis of phenolics compounds and antioxidant capacity of leaves of Vitex megapotamica (Sprengel) Moldenke

Effect of cold arid high-altitude environment on bioactive phytochemical compounds of organically grown Brassicaceae vegetables for nutri-health security in mountainous regions

High-altitude (HA) environment presents immense physiological adversities for humans that have been overcome by supplementing bio-active phytochemicals from functional foods that support and accelerate acclimatization under these extreme environmental conditions. Several agricultural interventions have been investigated to enhance the phytochemical content in vegetables however; these studies have been limited to low-altitude (LA) regions only. In view of an existing knowledge gap, current work is designed to compare the phytochemical compositions of HA and LA-grown Brassicaceae vegetables (cabbage, cauliflower, knol-khol, and radish) using organic treatments via farm yard manure (FYM) and Azotobacter. The open field study was conducted as a two-factorial randomized block design. The first factor was treatment (T1-FYM, T2-Azotobacter, T3-FYM + Azotobacter, and T4-control) while the second was locations (HA and LA). Among all these treatments, the application of treatment T3 in HA-grown cabbage showed the highest total phenolic content (TPC; 9.56 μg/mg), total flavonoids content (TFC; 14.48 μg/mg), and antioxidant potential using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH; 85.97%) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP; 30.77 μg/mg) compared to LA grown samples. Reverse Phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) analysis showed that treatment T3 at HA led to significantly high kaempferol (0.92 μg/mg) and sulforaphane (8.94 μg/mg) contents in cabbage whereas, indole-3-carbinol (1.31 μg/mg) was higher in HA grown cauliflower. The present study provides scientific evidence for the enrichment of health-promoting phytochemical compounds in Brassicaceae vegetables grown with T3 treatment specifically at HA.

Bioactive Compounds and Sensory Analysis of Freeze-Dried Prickly Pear Fruits from an Inter-Andean Valley in Peru

Prickly pear fruits are seasonal and have shades ranging from pale green to deep purple. Their pigments are associated with bioactive compounds, being sensitive to thermal transformation processes for their conservation. The objective of this research was to evaluate the bioactive compounds and the sensory analysis of freeze-dried prickly pear fruits from an inter-Andean valley in Peru. The prickly pear fruits of the morada, anaranjada, and blanca ecotypes came from an inter-Andean valley in Peru at 2972 m altitude. The sliced fruits were freeze-dried at -40 °C and 0.25 mTorr, and the total polyphenol content (TPC), vitamin C, and antioxidant activity (AA) were determined, as well as the color L* a* b*, color index (CI*), FTIR spectra, and mineral content. In the same way, sensory analysis of preferences with nine scales was applied. It was observed that in the freeze-dried fruits, TPC, AA, and vitamin C increased significantly (p-value < 0.05), and their corresponding functional groups increased in intensity in their corresponding FTIR spectra; furthermore, trace elements such as Cu, Fe, Se, Zn, Si, and Mn were identified. On the other hand, freeze-drying provided deeper colors to the fruits, which most panelists said they "very much liked" during the sensory analysis, although the texture was not very well accepted, with most panelists reporting being "indifferent" towards it. The freeze-drying technique allows the bioactive and sensory attributes of prickly pear fruits from inter-Andean valleys to be preserved, making it a potential fruit for export and conservation due to its seasonality.

Evaluation of Phenolic Content Diversity along with Antioxidant/Pro-Oxidant, Glutathione Transferase Inhibition, and Cytotoxic Potential of Selected Commonly Used Plants

The function of antioxidant polyphenols has been demonstrated for their ability to protect against a variety of diseases. However, some antioxidants have been shown to be pro-oxidant. Some of the important antioxidant enzymes are glutathione transferases (GST), which are involved in maintaining redox homeostasis. GST class Pi (GSTP1-1) hyper-activation is a feature that is found in cancer. This work aims to demonstrate the relationship between the phytochemicals of 18 plants and their ability to act as antioxidant/pro-oxidant agents, as well as their effects on the activity of GSTP1-1 and their cellular toxicity. Tamarindus indica, Cinnamomum verum, and Alpinia galanga extracts had high phytochemical contents, moderate heavy metal levels, and antioxidant/pro-oxidant activities. Among the main plant components identified using high-performance liquid chromatography, only chlorogenic acid, catechin, and quercetin can function as antioxidants and pro-oxidants. Hibiscus sabdariffa, C. verum, A. galanga, T. indica, Gossypium arboreum, and Punica granatum were among the plant extracts examined that inhibited the activity of the purified recombinant GSTP1-1, with the inhibition constant values ranging from 0.48 to 1.67 mg of gallic acid equivalent/g. The level of cytotoxicity was also studied to determine the effects of these extracts on human Caucasian breast cancer. The findings revealed that plants with high phenol content had an antioxidant/pro-oxidant capacity as well as inhibition of the activity of GST. However, the cytotoxic effect was not associated with all of the extracts, which indicates that polyphenols interact with other components that may influence their observed behavior.

The Protective Effect of Aspirin Eugenol Ester on Oxidative Stress to PC12 Cells Stimulated with H2O2 through Regulating PI3K/Akt Signal Pathway

Aspirin eugenol ester (AEE) is a new pharmaceutical compound esterified by aspirin and eugenol, which has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and other pharmacological activities. This study is aimed at identifying the protective effect of AEE against H₂O₂-induced apoptosis in rat adrenal pheochromocytoma PC12 cells and the possible mechanisms. The results of cell viability assay showed that AEE could increase the viability of PC12 cells stimulated by H₂O₂, while AEE alone had no significant effect on the viability of PC12 cells. Compared with the control group, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were significantly decreased, and the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) was significantly increased in the H₂O₂ group. By AEE pretreatment, the level of MDA was reduced and the levels of SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px were increased in H₂O₂-stimulated PC12 cells. In addition, AEE could reduce the apoptosis of PC12 cells induced by H₂O₂ via reducing superoxide anion, intracellular ROS, and mitochondrial ROS (mtROS) and increasing the levels of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm). Furthermore, the results of western blotting showed that compared with the control group, the expression of p-PI3K, p-Akt, and Bcl-2 was significantly decreased, while the expression of Caspase-3 and Bax was significantly increased in the H₂O₂ group. In the AEE group, AEE pretreatment could upregulate the expression of p-PI3K, p-Akt, and Bcl-2 and downregulate the expression of Caspase-3 and Bax in PC12 cells stimulated with H₂O₂. The silencing of PI3K with shRNA and its inhibitor-LY294002 could abrogate the protective effect of AEE in PC12 cells. Therefore, AEE has a protective effect on H₂O₂-induced PC12 cells by regulating the PI3K/Akt signal pathway to inhibit oxidative stress.

Genotoxicity Study of Vitex megapotamica (Spreng.) Moldenke

Vitex megapotamica (Spreng) Moldenke is commonly known as tarumã, it is an important medicinal and edible fruit plant. It is native to regions of tropical and subtropical climate in greater proportion than temperate zones and widely distributed in Central America, South America, Asia, and Africa. In Brazil, it is present in the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado biomes. Despite its widespread use, there are no minimum standards for quality control or information on genotoxicity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to present a detailed description of the short-term genotoxicity assays of V. megapotamica and to provide parameters of a preparation routinely used in traditional folk medicine. For genotoxicity assays, five groups were used with eight wistar rats in each group. For this, three doses of the V. megapotamica extract in doses (100, 300, and 900 mg/kg) or negative control (filtered water) were administered orally and positive control cyclophosphamide monohydrate (20 mg/kg; Sigma-Aldrich^®) was applied by the intraperitoneal route after 24 h. At the end, whole blood was collected in a tube containing EDTA for the comet test and later the animals were euthanized. For the micronucleus test, femurs were removed, and bone marrow was collected. In the comet assay, V. megapotamica crude extract did not show significant DNA damage at all doses tested. The micronucleus assay showed no significant increase in the frequency of inducing micronuclei at any dose examined. It can be concluded that the safety parameters in genotoxicity studies reveal that V. megapotamica has no toxicity, which characterizes the important quality control of this plant species.

Repeated dose 90-day oral toxicity study of Vitex megapotamica (Spreng.) Moldenke

Vitex megapotamica (Spreng.) Moldenke is a plant with medicinal properties popularly used in Brazil to treat diabetes and obesity. Despite the promising use of this plant, are still incipient toxicology studies on prolonged periods of treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the repeated dose 90-day oral toxicity study of V. megapotamica methanolic extract (VMME) in male and female Wistar rats. Different groups of rats (n = 8) were treated daily with three different doses of VMME (100, 300, and 900 mg/kg) or vehicle (filtered water). Body weight, water, and feed consumption, and clinical and behavioral changes were monitored daily. At the end of the experimental period, blood samples were obtained for hematological and biochemical analyzes. After euthanasia, the vital organs were removed for the determination of relative weight and for histopathological analysis. No clinical signs of toxicity or mortality were found during the experimental period. Treatment with VMME did not induce any change in body weight gain, eating patterns, and behavior. We found no statistically significant changes in the different hematological and biochemical parameters evaluated. The relative weight of the organs and histopathological analysis did not show any significant change when compared to animals treated with the vehicle. The data obtained in this study allow us to conclude that the VMME obtained from V. megapotamica is safe after a repeated-dose 90-day oral toxicity study in male and female Wistar rats.

Phytochemical Analysis, Antioxidant Activity, Antimicrobial Activity, and Cytotoxicity of Chaptalia nutans Leaves

Objective

This work was to evaluate the chemical constitution of the hydromethanolic (30/70 methanol-water) macerating extract obtained from the leaves of C. nutans, as well as to study the antioxidant, antimicrobial, cytotoxic, and genotoxic activity of the species. Materials and methods. Phytochemical screening, antioxidant activity (total phenolic, total flavonoid, condensed tannins content, DPPH radical, and FRAP), antibacterial activity (P. aeruginosa, B. cereus, E. epidermidis, E. coli, S. aureus, E. faecalis, P. mirabilis, Candida glabrata (clinical isolate), Candida tropicalis (clinical isolate), C. krusei (clinical isolate), and C. albicans (clinical isolate)), and oxidative stress parameters (TBARS, carbonyl protein, and DCFH) were analyzed according to the literature. Toxicity of C. nutans was evaluated using an alternative method, D. melanogaster, as well as a locomotor assay.

Results

The phytochemical screening test of methanolic leaves extract revealed the presence of alkaloids, coumarins, quaternary bases, phenolics, flavonoids, tannins, and free steroids. A quantitative phytochemical study indicated the total phenol (30.17 ± 1.44 mg/g), flavonoid (21.64 ± 0.66 mg/g), and condensed tannins (9.58 ± 0.99 mg/g). DPPH (345.41 ± 5.35 μg/mL) and FRAP (379.98 ± 39.25 μM FeSO4/mg sample) show to extract of C. nutans leaves an intermediate value, indicating moderate antioxidant activity of the extract. Antibacterial results revealed only a positive result (antimicrobial activity) for the hexane fraction which significantly inhibited the microorganisms E. epidermidis, C. tropicalis, C. glabrata, and C. krusei at a concentration of 1000 μg/mL. TBARS, carbonyl protein, and DCFH demonstrate that the extract has the ability to protect the cell from protein and lipid damage, as well as the inhibition of oxygen-derived radicals at the three concentrations tested: 0.1, 1, and 10 mg/mL. Regarding the toxicity of C. nutans extract against D. melanogaster, it was found that until the concentration of 15 mg/mL, the extract showed no toxicity and that the LC₅₀ obtained was 24 mg/mL. Results show that the C. nutans extract leaves used to prevent PQ damage were effective in reducing flies' mortality and improving locomotor capacity.

Conclusion

Our studies demonstrated for the first time that C. nutans crude leaf extract has high antioxidant capacity both in vitro and in vivo through different analysis techniques. These results make it possible to infer future applications in the pharmacological area, evidenced by the low toxicity observed in D. melanogatser, as well as the ability to neutralize different sources of RONS.

Hesperozygis ringens (Benth.) Epling: a study involving extraction, chemical profiling, antioxidant and biological activity

Hesperozygis ringens is a plant of the Lamiaceae family which is restricted to the Southern region of Brazil. It is popularly used as an insecticide, but knowledge on it is very scarce. This study aimed to determine the chemical markers of H. ringens extracts obtained via ultrasound-assisted (UAE-EtOH) and supercritical fluid (SFE-CO₂) extractions. UAE-EtOH and SFE-CO₂ extracts were characterised by UPLC-MS and GC-MS, respectively. Both products had their antioxidant activity, cytotoxicity and genotoxicity evaluated. Twelve compounds were found in the UAE-EtOH extract, including phenolic acids and flavonoids; the SFE-CO₂ extract contained terpenes and phytosterols. The UAE-EtOH extract showed a greater antioxidant activity. Neither extract presented cytotoxicity or genotoxicity against human mononuclear blood cells.

Peanut leaf extract has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity but no acute toxic effects

Arachis hypogaea L. (peanut) leaves have been popularly used for the treatment of insomnia and inflammation, but no toxicological study has been performed for this plant preparation. This study aimed to examine the phytochemical composition of peanut leaf hydroalcoholic extract (PLHE) and describe its potential toxic effects and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The qualitative chemical analysis of PLHE by UHPLC-ESI-HRMS allowed the identification of eight metabolites types (totaling 29 compounds). The 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) assay revealed that PLHE had strong antioxidant effects; it also exhibited nitric oxide (NO)-scavenging capacity. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) exposed to PLHE showed no reduced cell viability or increased free double-stranded DNA, NO, or reactive species production. PLHE reversed the cytotoxicity, pro-inflammatory (release of interleukin-1β), and pro-oxidant effects of H₂O₂ on human PBMCs. Acute PLHE toxicity analysis was performed in vivo using the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) 423 guidelines. PLHE single injection (2000 mg/kg, intragastric) did not cause mortality or morbidity or induce changes in hematological or biochemical parameters after 14 days of administration. Thus, PLHE could be a source of bioactive compounds and possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties without elicitin cytotoxicity or genotoxicity in human PBMCs or acute toxicity in rats.

Antioxidant activity of Vitis vinifera, Punica granatum, Citrus aurantium and Opuntia ficus indica fruits cultivated in Algeria

Four edible fruits from Vitis vinifera, Punica granatum, Citrus aurantium and Opuntia ficus indica from Algeria were analyzed in order to determine the total polyphenol, total flavonoid and flavonol contents using classical spectrophotometric methods. The antioxidant activity was established by three different single-electron-transfer-based assays (ABTS radical cation, FRAP, and DPPH assays) and one hydrogen-atom-transfer based assay (ORAC). Among the four fruits tested, the Vitis vinifera hydroalcoholic extract showed the highest antioxidant capacity with all methods. The results indicated that the antioxidant activity and the total phenolic content of the selected plants are significantly different (p < 0.001).

Phytochemical analysis and evaluation of antioxidant and antimycobacterial activity of Colletia paradoxa from Brazil

Colletia paradoxa (Spreng.) Esc. (Rhamnaceae, Colletieae) is a medicinal plant, threatened with extinction in Brazil, presenting great morphological variability. Our objective is to investigate the phytochemical components, antioxidant capacity and antimycobacterial activity of different morphotypes of C. paradoxa in different environments. For this, the crude extract of the leaves and branches of the individuals sampled was used. The elimination capacity of the free radicals was determined by the DPPH method, the antimycobacterial activity by the broth microdilution method and the phenolic content by the spectrophotometric method using the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and by HPLC. The extracts of C. paradoxa and its morphotypes showed significant amounts of phenolic compounds, including quercetin, quercitrin and rutin, besides considerable antioxidant and antimycobacterial activity No connection was detected between the phytochemical composition and different morphotypes of C. paradoxa.

Variation in Polyphenolic Profiles, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity of Different Achillea Species as Natural Sources of Antiglycative Compounds

A comparative study was carried out on the methanolic extracts from six Achillea species and the examined polyphenols from these plants on the formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGE) in vitro. A. pachycephala which was richer in flavonoids (15 mg quercetin/g W) and phenolics (111.10 mg tannic acid/g DW) with substantial antioxidant activity (IC₅₀  = 365.5 μg/ml) presented strong anti-AGE properties. Chlorogenic acid, luteolin, quercetin and caffeic acid were identified as the major polyphenols in the extracts by HPLC. In general, polyphenolic content follows the order of A. pachycephalla > A. nobilis > A. filipendulina > A. santolina > A. aucheri > A. millefolium. Most extracts exhibited marked anti-AGE ability in the bovine serum albumin (BSA)/methylglyoxal (MG) system, though A. pachycephala showed the highest potential. The formation of AGEs was assessed by monitoring the production of fluorescent products and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. Diminution in free radical production (assessed by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assays) is discussed as potential mechanism for delay or reduced AGE. The results demonstrate the antiglycative, antioxidant and antimicrobial potential of Achillea species which can be attributed to polyphenols content and the effectiveness on generation of AGEs, thus Achillea species can be considered as natural sources for slowing down glycation related diseases.

Lipid-lowering and antiatherogenic effects of Vitex megapotamica (Spreng.) Moldenke in a mice experimental model

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Vitex megapotamica (Spreng.) Moldenke is a deciduous tree, native of South America. Its leaves are traditionally used to treat cardiovascular diseases. This activity is related to the presence of flavonoids, the major compounds of the crude extract.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study investigated the effects of the oral administration of crude extract and standardized fractions from V. megapotamica leaves on lipid profile and on the formation of atherosclerotic plaque in C57BL/6 LDLr-KO mice treated with high-fat diet (HFD).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Male C57BL/6 LDLr-KO mice were fed with HFD (cholesterol, 1.25%) for 30 days. They were treated with hydroethanolic extract (500 or 1000mg/kg/day) or fractions (125 or 250mg/kg/day). After 30 days of treatment, it was evaluated the serum lipid profile, atherogenic index, and atherosclerotic plaque.

RESULTS

All doses of the hydroethanolic extract reduced significantly the levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-c and the atherogenic index. The n-butanolic fraction also reduced significantly the levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-c and the atherogenic index, at all doses, with exception for the triglycerides, which only the lower dose was effective. The residual fraction reduced significantly the levels of total cholesterol, LDL-c and the atherogenic index, at all doses, with exception for the atherogenic index, which only the higher dose was effective. The atherosclerotic plaque formation was impaired only by the lower dose of the hydroethanolic extract.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, our data suggest that V. megapotamica has potential for the treatment of dyslipidemias.