Cytotoxic, Antioxidant, and Metabolic Enzyme Inhibitory Activities of Euphorbia cyparissias Extracts.

Mona Alonazi,Mona Alwhibi,Habib Horchani,Abir Ben Bacha,Nicoletta Guaragnella

doi:10.1155/2020/9835167

Abstract

Plants of the Euphorbia genus present a wide range of therapeutic applications. This study is aimed at investigating new antidigestive enzyme agents from Euphorbia cyparissias through inhibition of lipid and carbohydrate absorption, to evaluate their potential applications for the treatment of metabolic syndrome. Lipase, phospholipase, protease, α-amylase, β-glucosidase, and xanthine oxidase activities under treatment with aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Euphorbia cyparissias were observed to evaluate the inhibitory effect of these extracts, as well as their antioxidant and cytotoxic effects. Results showed that ethanolic and aqueous extracts exhibited important inhibitory activity in a concentration-related manner on digestive enzymes, which is more effective than the commercial drugs used as controls. Results also showed that, out of the two extracts tested, the ethanolic extract presented the most promising results in inhibiting the activities of all digestive enzymes used. Moreover, the two extracts displayed a higher reducing power than that of the positive control used. The obtained results, together with previous reports in the literature, strongly suggest that Euphorbia cyparissias extracts may be natural inhibitors of the digestive enzymes and thus a potential new drug for metabolic syndrome treatment.

Highlights

Metabolic syndrome is a serious and escalating worldwide public health threat that directly increases the risk of developing obesity, diabetes, atherosclerosis, and hypertension, or combinations [1]
Three digestive lipases, which are DrPL, SPL, and PPL, had their activities evaluated in the presence of different concentrations (0-100 μg/mL) of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of E. cyparissias or orlistat, a potent inhibitor of gastric and pancreatic lipases and among the most used drugs in obesity, and possibly diabetes, treatment [31, 32]
Data of the present study clearly indicate the efficiency of E. cyparissias extracts even at low concentrations to inhibit digestive phospholipase activities (Figure 2, Table 6), such as the case of lipase (Figure 1), which may confirm their potential use as a natural drug against obesity and diabetes

Summary

Introduction

Metabolic syndrome is a serious and escalating worldwide public health threat that directly increases the risk of developing obesity, diabetes, atherosclerosis, and hypertension, or combinations [1] These metabolic abnormalities are related to, among other enzymes, lipolytic enzymes such as pancreatic lipases, phospholipases, and proteases and metabolic enzymes like β-glucosidase, α-amylase, and xanthine oxidase (XO) [2]. It has been reported that polyphenolic extracts from various plants may positively influence different features of metabolic syndrome and control hyperlipidemia in people with obesity, by directly influencing the activities of metabolic enzymes [5, 6] Independent of their antioxidant activities, these extracts were found to be effective inhibitors of lipases [7], proteases [8], β-glucosidase [9], and α-amylase activities [10] and can cause insulin-like effects in glucose utilization [11]. Plants and their products have been used as drugs for thousands of years, and the recently renewed interest in researching effective drugs with less adverse effects

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