Antioxidant, Antidiabetic, and Anticholinesterase Activities and Phytochemical Profile of Azorella glabra Wedd.

Immacolata Faraone,Daniela Russo,Dilip K Rai,Lucia Chiummiento,Eloy Fernandez,Luigi Milella,Alka Choudhary

doi:10.3390/plants8080265

Abstract

Oxidative stress is involved in different diseases, such as diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases. The genus Azorella includes about 70 species of flowering plant species; most of them are commonly used as food and in particular as a tea infusion in the Andean region of South America in folk medicine to treat various chronic diseases. Azorella glabra Wedd. aerial parts were firstly analyzed for their in vitro antioxidant activity using different complementary assays. In particular, radical scavenging activity was tested against biological neutral radical DPPH; ferric reducing power and lipid peroxidation inhibitory capacity (FRAP and Beta-Carotene Bleaching tests) were also determined. The Relative Antioxidant Capacity Index (RACI) was used to compare data obtained by different assays. Then, the inhibitory ability of samples was investigated against α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes involved in diabetes and against acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase enzymes considered as strategy for the treatment of Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s diseases. Moreover, the phytochemical profile of the sample showing the highest RACI (1.35) and interesting enzymatic activities (IC50 of 163.54 ± 9.72 and 215.29 ± 17.10 μg/mL in α-glucosidase and acetylcholinesterase inhibition, respectively) was subjected to characterization and quantification of its phenolic composition using LC-MS/MS analysis. In fact, the ethyl acetate fraction derived from ethanol extract by liquid/liquid extraction showed 29 compounds, most of them are cinnamic acid derivatives, flavonoid derivatives, and a terpene. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report about the evaluation of significant biological activities and phytochemical profile of A. glabra, an important source of health-promoting phytochemicals.

Highlights

Azorella glabra Wedd., known as Azorella diapensioides or yareta, is an endemic Bolivian species belonging to the Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) family
This is the first time that A. glabra was extracted by 96% ethanol, usually other species of the Azorella genus were extracted by petroleum ether [8,9]
The biological activities demonstrated for A. glabra samples in this study might partially justify its ethnobotanical uses in Bolivian populations

Summary

Introduction

Azorella glabra Wedd., known as Azorella diapensioides or yareta, is an endemic Bolivian species belonging to the Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) family. In the Andean region of South America, the plants belonging the genus Azorella are commonly used to treat several chronic diseases in folk medicine [1]. The Azorella genus is rich in diterpenoids, with mulinane and azorellane skeletal, compounds with a variety of important biological activities [2] that could explain the traditional use of the native food plant species and health benefits of the infusions. The influence of polarity of the solvents on total polyphenolic, flavonoid, and terpenoid contents was reported. The highest total polyphenolic and flavonoid contents were reported in fractions obtained with polar solvents. The highest total terpenoid content was reported in non-polar fractions. Further research studies are needed to explore the biological activities of A. glabra regarding its phytochemical composition to support its potential effects on the human health

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