Abstract
Maytenus ilicifolia, known as “espinheira-santa”, is used in the popular medicine for peptic ulcer treatment. This work evaluates the preventive and curative actions of M. ilicifolia in animals, the healing activity by EGF expression detected by RT-PCR as well as the anti-oxidative activity by Electron Spin Resonance spectroscopy (ESR). Oral administration of M. ilicifolia (300 and 500 mg/kg, p.o.) one hour before the ulcerogenic agent application prevented the ulcer formation 42 ± 0.98% and 72 ± 1.2% (p <0.05 and p <0.001, respectively), in comparison with the negative control tween 80, preserving the cytoprotection characteristics of the gastric mucosa and assuring the integrity of gastric glands and gastric fossets. The animals treated with tween, had the epithelium and the mucosa layer damaged and accentuated vascularization. The healing activity of M. ilicifolia (500mg/kg, p.o.) was 71 ± 1.4% (p <0.001) in chronic ulcer experiments induced by acetic acid. EGF expression detected by RT-PCR confirmed the healing activity. Histological analysis showed the recovery of the mucosal layer and the epithelium surface harmed by the acetic acid. Studies in vitro by Electron Spin Resonance spectroscopy assessed the anti-oxidative action of M ilicifolia. Experiments with DPPH (2.2-Diphenyl -1-picrylhydrazyl) demonstrated that the polar fraction of M. ilicifolia presents an IC50 of 0.680.09 mg/ml. The value of 92 mg/ml was found for IC50 in experiments with the radical OH, produced by the Fenton Reaction and detected through spin adduct DMPO-OH. Mass spectrometry analysis of crude extracts and fractions from M. ilicifolia was carried out and compounds of pentacyclic triterpenes class were identified.
Highlights
Maytenus ilicifolia (Celastraceae) popularly known in Brazil as “espinheira-santa” is a native plant from southern Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and northern Argentina [1]
This work evaluates the preventive and curative actions of M. ilicifolia in animals, the healing activity by epidermal growth factor (EGF) expression detected by RT-PCR as well as the anti-oxidative activity by Electron Spin Resonance spectroscopy (ESR)
All other reagents used for ESR experiments and Mass spectrometry were of analytical grade
Summary
Maytenus ilicifolia (Celastraceae) popularly known in Brazil as “espinheira-santa” (holy spines) is a native plant from southern Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and northern Argentina [1] It is used in folk medicine for the treatment of dyspepsia as well as gastric ulcers and potentially on cancer treatment [2]–[4]. The pre-treatment with arabinogalactan practically abolished the ethanol-induced gastric damage, suggesting a potential ability to bind to the surface mucosa and function as a protective coating, antisecretory activity, and mucosal protection by increased mucus synthesis, and radical scavenging [5]. Because of anti-inflammatory activity, without gastric irritation and of mucosa protection, hexane and ethyl acetate extracts of Maytenus ilicifolia may represent an important clinical alternative both in inflammation and in antiulcerogenic therapeutics [6]. Mass spectrometry (MS) analysis of M. ilicifolia was carried out to identify its main class of compounds present in the crude ethyl acetate extract
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