Polyphenolic Profile and Targeted Bioactivity of Methanolic Extracts from Mediterranean Ethnomedicinal Plants on Human Cancer Cell Lines

Abstract

Abstract:The methanol extracts of the aerial part of four ethnomedicinal plants of Mediterranean region, two non-seed vascular plants, Equisetum hyemale L. and Phyllitis scolopendrium (L.) Newman, and two Spermatophyta, Juniperus communis L. (J. communis) and Cotinus coggygria Scop. (C. coggygria), were screened against four human cells lines (A549, MCF7, TK6 and U937). Only the extracts of J. communis and C. coggygria showed marked cytotoxic effects, affecting both cell morphology and growth. A dose-dependent effect of these two extracts was also observed on the cell cycle distribution. Incubation of all the cell lines in a medium containing J. communis extract determined a remarkable accumulation of cells in the G2/M phase, whereas the C. coggygria extract induced a significant increase in the percentage of G1 cells. The novelty of our findings stands on the observation that the two extracts, consistently, elicited coherent effects on the cell cycle in four cell lines, independently from their phenotype, as two of them have epithelial origin and grow adherent and two are lymphoblastoid and grow in suspension. Even the expression profiles of several proteins regulating cell cycle progression and cell death were affected by both extracts. LC-MS investigation of methanol extract of C. coggygria led to the identification of twelve flavonoids (compounds 1-11, 19) and eight polyphenols derivatives (12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)20), while in J. communis extract, eight flavonoids (21-28), a α-ionone glycoside (29) and a lignin (30) were found. Although many of these compounds have interesting individual biological activities, their natural blends seem to exert specific effects on the proliferation of cell lines either growing adherent or in suspension, suggesting potential use in fighting cancer.

Withdrawn: The Structural Bioinformatics Analysis of Biophenolic Lignan- Estrogen Receptor Interaction

“…Thanks to the advent of modern molecular biology and combinatorial chemistry, natural products are increasingly taking a secondary role in drug development. Recently there seems to be a renewed interest for natural compounds and their role as the main base for drug development [16][17]. In recent years, a great number of medicinal herbs have been used to treat various cancers, introducing these herbs or their analogs as anti-cancer sources [18][19][20].…”

Synthesis and Evaluation of the Antioxidant Activity of Lipophilic Phenethyl Trifluoroacetate Esters by In Vitro ABTS, DPPH and in Cell-Culture DCF Assays

“…In recent years, antioxidants have become of increasing interest for food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical applications [ 1 ]. In this respect, polyphenols, a large family of compounds found in plants and plant-derived food and beverages, play an important role due to their well-recognized health-promoting effects [ 2 , 3 ]. In particular, they act as protective agents against oxidative attacks by blocking reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) responsible for oxidative modifications of relevant biomolecules including polyunsaturated fatty acids and nucleic acids [ 4 ].…”

The Effect of Hydroalcoholic Extract of Junipers communis on Proliferation BHK Cells

“…Indeed, during the very last years, after the advent of molecular biology and combinatorial chemistry, natural products have partially lost their edges, assuming a secondary role in drug discovery and drug development. However, more recent times have seen a rejuvenated and renewed interest for natural compounds and their role as powerful basis for drug development [10]. But many of them remain untested and their use are either poorly monitored or not even monitored at all.…”