Abstract
Plant phytochemicals are described as possessing considerable neuroprotective properties, due to radical scavenging capacity and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity, important bioactivities in neurodegeneration. Antirrhinum lopesianum is a rare endemism from the Iberian Peninsula, occurring at the northeastern border between Portugal and Spain. It is classified as Endangered, due to its highly fragmented geographical occupation, facing a high risk of extinction in the Portuguese territory, within 20 years. Here, we describe for the first time the chemical characterization of extracts of the species concerning total phenol content, flavonoid content and antioxidant properties. The profile of high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) of the polyphenol-enriched fraction of plant extracts was also performed, showing the great potential of the species as a source of bioactive phytochemical compounds. A. lopesianum’s potential for neuroprotection was revealed by a significant acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity and also by a neuroprotective effect on a human cell model of neurodegeneration. Moreover, this is the first report describing a successful procedure for the in vitro propagation of this endangered species. The comparison of phenolic content and the HPLC-DAD profile of wild and in vitro propagated plants revealed that in vitro plants maintain the ability to produce secondary metabolites, but the profiles are differentially affected by the growth regulators. The results presented here greatly contribute to the value for this species regarding its potential as a source of phytochemicals with prospective neuroprotective health benefits.
Highlights
Plants are important sources of new drug molecules
The assays described in this work are simple and rapid methods able to give an overview of the whole complex of substances possessing antioxidant properties in order to assess the potential of A. lopesianum leaves as a source for bioactive substances
Chemical characterization and detection of bioactive compounds of A. lopesianum reveal a hidden potential of this endemic species that has not yet been properly valued
Summary
Plants are important sources of new drug molecules. About 49% of new drugs, developed between. The predicted increase in its incidence, due to an ageing population, together with the lack of any cure, make the development of new therapies for halting or reversing such diseases urgent, plants extracts being very attractive options. These diseases are multifactorial disorders in which many biological processes become unregulated. Evaluation of the neuroprotective potential of A. lopesianum extracts through the use of a neurodegeneration cell model and the assessment of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity contributes to the value of the species as a natural source of neuroprotective compounds
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