Bongardia chrysogonum (L.) Spach as a potential medicinal plant against cancer and Alzheimer’s disease management

Nazım Şekeroğlu,Sevgi Gezici

doi:10.26650/istanbuljpharm.2021.892746

Abstract

Background and Aims: Bongardia chrysogonum (L.) Spach (Berberidaceae), an ancient medicinal plant in Eastern Mediterranean countries, is traditionally used for the treatment of epilepsy, hemorrhoids, urinary system infections and gastrointestinal disorders. This study was designed to evaluate potential neuroprotective and anticancer effects of different parts from B. chrysogonum. Material and Methods: Leaf, stem, and tuber parts of the plant were extracted and subjected to determine cholinesterase enzyme inhibitory potentials and anticancer activities. Enzyme inhibition assays were carried out to screen neuroprotective potentials, while the MTT assay was performed for evaluating anticancer activities of the extracts towards human lung carcinoma (A549), breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7), brain glioma (C6), and non-tumorous human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) lines. Results: Among the tested extracts, the highest enzyme inhibitory activity was exhibited by tuber-water extract (83.81±0.33% and 62.14±0.60% inhibition on AChE and BChE at 400 µg/mL p<0.01, respectively), whilst the lowest enzyme inhibition was exerted by the tuber-chloroform extract. Moreover, the tuber part of the plant was found to have the most cytotoxic activity against all the cancer cells, and the best anticancer activity was determined in tuber ethanol extract against MCF-7 cells (IC50= 28.36±0.04, p<0.01). Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this research is the first study that assessed the in vitro neuroprotective effect of the aerial parts and tuber extracts of the plant through inhibition of cholinesterase enzymes alongside an anticancer capacity towards human cancer cells. The results revealed that this plant is a good candidate for performing further clinical studies in cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.

Highlights

Medicinal plants used in traditional medicine are well-known to have numerous pharmacological actions and extraordinary therapeutic potentials in the prevention and cure of several diseases, oxidative stress related-diseases including diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis, cancer, ischemia, multiple sclerosis, cardiac hypertrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s diseases
Chemicals and equipment 5,5-dithio-bis-2-nitrobenzoic acid (DTNB), ethanol (EtOH), methanol (MeOH), chloroform (CHCl3), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), neocuproine, ammonium acetate (NH4Ac), AChE, BChE, acetylthiocholine iodide (ATCI), butyrylthiocholine chloride (BTCl), sodium dihydrogen phosphate (NaH2PO4), sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), and reference standards were purchased from Sigma
AChE and BChE enzyme inhibitory results All the extracts from the leaf, stem, and tuber of B. chrysogonum were evaluated for their inhibitory activities against AChE and BChE enzymes at 50, 100, 200, and 400 μg/mL concentrations, and galanthamine was used as the reference drug (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

Medicinal plants used in traditional medicine are well-known to have numerous pharmacological actions and extraordinary therapeutic potentials in the prevention and cure of several diseases, oxidative stress related-diseases including diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis, cancer, ischemia, multiple sclerosis, cardiac hypertrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s diseases Cholinergic-based therapy that means inhibition of the level of some enzymes including acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) seems to be as one of the most effective treatment strategies for the AD pathogenesis (Ismail et al, 2018; Harris, 2019; Gezici, 2018) In this concern, medicinal plants and natural products have been gaining interest among the researchers almost all over the world. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this research is the first study that assessed the in vitro neuroprotective effect of the aerial parts and tuber extracts of the plant through inhibition of cholinesterase enzymes alongside an anticancer capacity towards human cancer cells.

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion