Tchoukouegno Ngueu S, Tchoumtchoua J, Njamen D, Halabalaki M, Laudenbach-Leschowski U, Diel P. Erythrina excelsa exhibits estrogenic effects in vivo and in vitro and is cytotoxic on breast and colon cancer cell lines.
Pharm Biol 2015;
54:835-844. [PMID:
26641735 DOI:
10.3109/13880209.2015.1087037]
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Abstract
CONTEXT
Eythrina excelsa Baker (Fabaceae) is a medicinal plant used to treat various ailments including those of the female genital tract.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study is to investigate the estrogenic and cytotoxic effects of the ethanol extract of the stem bark of E. excelsa.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Erythrina excelsa was evaluated in vitro using the yeast estrogen screen (YES). The extract was then tested in a 3-day uterotrophic assay on ovariectomised Wistar rats at doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg BW/d. Cytotoxic effects were assessed on breast (MCF-7) and colon (HT-29) cancer cell lines using the MTT cell viability assay. Additionally, a LC-PDA-ESI (+)-HRMS and HRMS/MS method was developed and applied for the identification of representative secondary metabolites scaffolds in the extract.
RESULTS
In the YES, the extract stimulated the transactivation of the estrogen receptor in a dose-dependent manner with an EC50 value of 1.8 μg/mL. In rats, E. excelsa increased uterine wet weight, uterine epithelial height, and the mRNA expression of estrogen-responsive genes in the uterus and liver at 50 whereas at 100 mg/kg BW/d anti-estrogenic effects were observed. In the MTT-assay, a dose-dependent decrease of the viability of both cell lines was observed with EC50 values of 13.6 μg/mL (MCF-7) and 27.7 μg/mL (HT-29). The phytochemical analysis revealed that the extract is rich in isoflavonoids, mainly prenylated and pyran-derivatives thereof.
CONCLUSION
Erythrina excelsa is rich in prenylated and pyran-substituted isoflavonoids, exhibits estrogenic/anti-estrogenic and cytotoxic effects and warrant sufficient interest for deeper investigations.
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