Myrciaria tenella (DC.) O. Berg (Myrtaceae) Leaves as a Source of Antioxidant Compounds.

Ana Raquel Carneiro Ribeiro,Cicero Flavio Soares Aragão,Moacir Fernandes Queiroz,Silvana Maria Zucolotto,Maria Lúcia Da Silva Cordeiro,Marília Medeiros Fernandes-Negreiros,Larissa Marina Pereira Silva,Riva De Paula Oliveira,Hugo Alexandre Oliveira Rocha,Ricardo Basílio De Oliveira Caland,Jefferson Da Silva Barbosa,Kátia Castanho Scortecci,Cesar Orlando Munoz Cadavid

doi:10.3390/antiox8080310

Ana Raquel Carneiro Ribeiro, Cicero Flavio Soares Aragão + Show 11 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox8080310

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Abstract

Myrciaria species are widely studied to identify their chemical composition and evaluate their biological activity. Since evidence supporting the potential antioxidant and antiproliferative activity of Myrciaria tenella is lacking, the aim of this work was to evaluate these activities in six different leaf extracts: hexane (CHE), chloroform (CCE), ethanolic (CEE), methanolic (CME), aqueous final (CFAE), and only aqueous (CAE). The presence of phenolic compounds, tannin, saponin, and ursolic acid was determined by thin layer chromatography (TLC). CEE, CME, and CFAE showed in vitro antioxidant activity at the initiation, propagation, and termination stages of oxidative damage. Moreover, no toxicity was observed in the 3T3 non-cancerous cell line. On the other hand, all extracts promoted cell death in the tumor cell lines human cervical adenocarcinoma cell line (HeLa) and human stomach gastric adenocarcinoma cell line (AGS). Based on these results, the effect of CEE on the AGS cell line was analyzed using flow cytometry, and necrosis and late apoptosis were observed. Finally, the Caenorhabditis elegans model showed that CEE was able to reduce the basal reactive oxygen species (ROS) level. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) analysis showed rutin as the major compound in CEE. Therefore, Myrciaria tenella fresh leaves may be potential sources of molecules possessing antioxidant and antiproliferative activities.

Highlights

The use of medicinal plants is an ancient practice in traditional medicine
Five extracts from M. tenella leaves were obtained in serial order following apolar to polar: corresponding series of extracts: hexane (CHE), CCE, CEE, CME, and CFAE, and the sixth extract was prepared with only water (CAE)
The thin layer chromatography (TLC) analysis only showed the presence of phenolic compounds in CEE, CME, and CFAE; color spots suggestive of terpenes were visualized in almost all the extracts, except in CAE

Summary

Introduction

In the last few decades, medicinal plants have received attention in research in order to discover new bioactive molecules and sources of dietary supplementation [1]. The plant secondary metabolites are considered a complex mixture and may be used to treat different diseases, since they may possess antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiproliferative, antifungal, antiparasitic, immunomodulatory, and other activities [2,3,4]. These new bioactive molecules may be used directly, or form the basis for the development of new drugs with minor modifications, in order to be improve the effectiveness or reduce the toxicity. The antioxidant potential of plant compounds has been investigated to be used as drug or dietary supplements [7]

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