Antigenotoxic, Anti-photogenotoxic, and Antioxidant Properties of Polyscias filicifolia Shoots Cultivated In Vitro

Abstract

Traditional medicinal plants are an important source of active compounds with potential antimutagenic activity. Polyscias filicifolia Bailey (Araliaceae) is a South Asian traditional herb used as an adaptogenic and cardiac drug. Extracts of P. filicifolia contain a wide range of biologically active compounds like phenolic acids and triterpenoid saponins. In the present study. antigenotoxic potential of three naturally occurring phenolic acids and extracts of P. filicifolia growing in vitro with the addition of elicitors was evaluated against direct (4-nitroquinoline-N-oxide (4NQO) and mitomycin C (MMC)) and indirect mutagens (2-aminoanthracene (2AA)). The evaluation was made using a bacterial umu-test. Moreover, the ability to prevent photogenotoxicity induced by chlorpromazine (CPZ) under UVA irradiation was measured. The phytochemical profiling of examined extracts revealed the presence of numerous compounds with the prevelance of chlorogenic, caffeic, and ferulic acid derivatives; however, saponin fractions were also determined. The antioxidant potential of extracts strictly correlated with their composition. The tested extracts exhibited high antigenotoxic activity if the assay was performed with 2AA and metabolic activation. Moreover, the extracts slightly decreased the MMC-induced genotoxicity. However, an increase of the genotoxic effect was observed in the assay performed with 4NQO. In addition, photo-antigenotoxic activity was observed. In our study, phenolic acids exhibited lower activity than the extracts.

In Vitro Response of Polyscias filicifolia (Araliaceae) Shoots to Elicitation with Alarmone–Diadenosine Triphosphate, Methyl Jasmonate, and Salicylic Acid

“…Among all the investigated phenolic acids (CGA, CA and FA) CGA was the most abundant with its highest content being found in shoots treated with SA + MeJA (4.18 mg/g DW), followed by Ap3A + SA + MeJA treatment (3.33 mg/g DW) or by SA alone (3.23 mg/g DW); however, these means were not statistically different ( p < 0.05). Our present findings are consistent with those of Figat et al [ 27 ], combined application of MeJA + SA stimulated phenolic compounds accumulation in P. filicifolia shoot cultures. However, in suspension cultures of Psoralea coryfolia , combined MeJA + SA treatment did not augment psoralen content in contradiction to their individual usage [ 41 ].…”

“…Pearson’s correlation coefficient amounted to r 2 = 0.81, 0.64, 0.80, 0.77, 0.87 and 0.64, for CGA, FA, CA, TPC, TFC and OA concentration, respectively. These results are consistent with those reported by Figat et al [ 27 ] who note that the extract from shoots treated with SA + MeJA exhibited the strongest antioxidant activity, which could be attributed to the presence of phenolic compounds with strong antiradical properties [ 60 ]. Moreover, UHPLC-DAD-MS/MS analysis of SA + MeJA extracts revealed presence of ferulic acid and its derivatives, which are known to be effective scavengers of [ 61 ].…”

“…Next, the experiments with medium supplementation with methyl jasmonate (MeJA), salicylic acid (SA) and diadenosine 5′,5″- P 1 P 3 -triphosphate (Ap3A) were performed. The concentration of the two elicitors, were chosen on the basis of Figat et al [ 27 ], as the most effective for stimulation secondary metabolite biosynthesis in P. filicifolia shoot cultures. Ap3A concertation was chosen based on Pietrowska-Borek et al [ 14 ].…”

“…It has been reported recently that shoots of P. filicifolia accumulated significant amounts of phenolic compounds, in response to elicitation with methyl jasmonate (MeJA) or salicylic acid (SA), with chlorogenic acid predominating [ 26 ]. Furthermore, the application of combined elicitation with 200 µM MeJA and 50 µM SA improved phenolic compounds yield [ 27 ]. Interestingly, the extracts derived from the elicited shoots demonstrated more potent antigenotoxic, anti-photogenotoxic and antioxidant activity than the standard compounds, viz .…”

Comparative Study of the Genetic and Biochemical Variability of Polyscias filicifolia (Araliaceae) Regenerants Obtained by Indirect and Direct Somatic Embryogenesis as a Source of Triterpenes

“…In addition, shoot extracts derived from in vitro cultures were found to reduce cancer cell viability and increase their mortality, and to exert a protective effect on healthy cells. In subsequent investigations, shoot extracts of P. filicifolia derived from in vitro cultures also exhibited anti-genotoxic and anti-photogenotoxic activities [ 10 ].…”