In vitro antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities of ethyl acetate soluble proanthocyanidins of the inflorescence of Cocos nucifera L.

Chayanika Padumadasa,Mayuri Thammitiyagodage,Ajit Abeysekera,Durga Dharmadana

doi:10.1186/s12906-016-1335-2

Chayanika Padumadasa, Mayuri Thammitiyagodage + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-016-1335-2

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Abstract

BackgroundProanthocyanidins belong to a class of polyphenolic compounds called flavonoids and have been reported to exhibit important biological activities. The immature inflorescence of Cocos nucifera L. is used by Ayurvedic and traditional medical practitioners for the treatment of menorrhagia in Sri Lanka. Our studies have shown that the inflorescence of Cocos nucifera L. predominantly contains proanthocyanidins.ObjectiveTo determine the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities of ethyl acetate soluble proanthocyanidins (EASPA) of immature inflorescence of Cocos nucifera L.MethodsEASPA fraction of an acetone/water (7:3) extract of Cocos nucifera L. inflorescence was purified on Sephadex LH-20 and was used for the study. Antioxidant activity of EASPA was determined using DPPH and SOR scavenging assays. Anti-inflammatory activity of EASPA was determined by oxidative burst assay using chemiluminescence technique. MTT colorimetric assay was used to evaluate the cytotoxicity of EASPA to both PC3 and HeLa cells.ResultsEASPA showed radical scavenging activity against both DPPH and superoxide radicals with IC50 values of 11.02 ± 0.60 μg/mL and 26.11 ± 0.72 μg/mL. In both assays, EASPA showed less antioxidant activity than the standards used. It exhibited similar anti-inflammatory activity (IC50 = 10.31 ± 1.11 μg/mL) to ibuprofen (IC50 = 11.20 ± 1.90 μg/mL) (P ≥ 0.05). EASPA also showed stronger cytotoxic activity towards Hela cells (IC50 = 18.78 ± 0.90 μg/mL) than tamoxifen (IC50 = 28.80 ± 1.94 μg/mL) (P ≤ 0.05), while low cytotoxicity was observed against PC3 cells (IC50 = 44.21 ± 0.73 μg/mL) compared to doxorubicin (IC50 = 1.38 ± 0.16 μg/mL).ConclusionEASPA showed antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities.

Highlights

Proanthocyanidins belong to a class of polyphenolic compounds called flavonoids and have been reported to exhibit important biological activities
Antioxidants play an important role in neutralizing free radical species, which are produced as end or by-products of normal biochemical reactions in the human body [3]
Our finding suggested a possible mode of action, to explain the use of coconut inflorescence in controlling menorrhagia in Ayurveda and traditional medicine in Sri Lanka

Summary

Introduction

Proanthocyanidins belong to a class of polyphenolic compounds called flavonoids and have been reported to exhibit important biological activities. According to WHO (World Health Organization) data, about 80 % of the world population depends on traditional medicines based on medicinal plants [1]. These plants demonstrate effects comparable to that obtained from allopathic medicines [2]. In recent years, research on medicinal plants has drawn enormous global attention. These plants are rich in a wide variety of phytochemicals such as tannins, terpenoids, alkaloids, flavonoids, etc., that possess diverse biological activities. Research on the exploration of potent natural compounds with good antioxidant activity and low cytotoxicity from plants has become an important branch of natural product chemistry

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