English

Luiz Affonso Fonseca Fernando,Nanayakkara Dhammika,Luis Maistro Edson,Ferreira Perazzo F Aacute Bio,Pereira Lopes Andrey,Souza Bagatela Bianca,Kenupp Bastos Jairo

doi:10.5897/jmpr2016.6126

Abstract

Presently, medicinal plants, such as Pothomorphe umbellata L. (Piperaceae), have been assessed as sources of potential therapeutic medicines. The inhibitory effects of the crude extract, fractions and 4-nerolidylcathecol, a phenolic compound which has been assigned significant activity in several beneficial properties performed by the plant, on the molecular pathways of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) were evaluated. The in vitro inhibition of COX-2 was performed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Methylene chloride fraction demonstrated the preeminent inhibition of COX-2. In order to estimate the inhibition of NF-κB, an adaptation of the luciferase plasmid assay was developed. 4-Nerolidylcathecol presented the best inhibition NF-κB activity. The results obtained from the in vitro assays were promising, mainly on the molecular pathway of NF-κB, once 4-nerolidylcathecol demonstrated a remarkable inhibition activity. Key words: Piperaceae, Pothomorphe umbellata, Piper umbellatum, 4-nerolidylcathecol, folk medicine, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB), inflammation.

Highlights

From thousand years until today, anti-inflammatory therapies have been applied with the use of natural resources
As a part of our research on pharmacological activities of P. umbellata L., the inhibitory activities of its extract, fractions and 4-nerolidylcathecol, a phenolic compound which is assigned significant activity in several beneficial properties performed by the plant species, on the molecular pathways of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) have been investigated
MATERIALS AND METHODS Plant material Aerial parts of P. umbellata L. were collected in the campus of the

Summary

INTRODUCTION

From thousand years until today, anti-inflammatory therapies have been applied with the use of natural resources. Been sufficiently detailed to promote anti-inflammatory strategies with reduced adverse effects (D’Acquisto et al, 2002) In this context, medicinal plants have been receiving increasing attention. As a part of our research on pharmacological activities of P. umbellata L., the inhibitory activities of its extract, fractions and 4-nerolidylcathecol, a phenolic compound which is assigned significant activity in several beneficial properties performed by the plant species, on the molecular pathways of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) have been investigated. After washing with the culture medium described previously, cells were incubated with 5 mg/mL of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, Sigma-Aldrich Co., St. Louis, MO, USA). It was added 300 mM of arachidonic acid (Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, USA) and the cells were incubated for thirty minutes at 37°C. (Cyclohexyloxy)-4-nitrophenyl]methanesulfonamide (NS-398; Cayman Chemical Company, Ann Arbor, MI, USA), a specific inhibitor of COX-2, was used as control in the assay

MATERIALS AND METHODS

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Conclusion