Vicenin-2 and vitexin participate in the in vitromodulation of the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities exerted by two Urtica circularis extracts

Abstract

Urtica circularisis an Argentinean species traditionally used to treat inflammation symptoms and oxidative stress-related diseases. Considering the uses in folk medicine, the purpose of this work was to evaluate and compare the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of two different U. circularisextracts. The contribution of vicenin-2 and vitexin, two compounds identified in the phytochemical analysis, in the biological activity of the extracts was evaluated. The anti-inflammatory activity of the extracts and the isolated compounds was tested on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages, while the antioxidant activity was evaluated through the 2,2 ́ diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical and 2,2 ́-azinobis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) scavenging activities. The popular uses of both extracts were validated, i.e., the use of U. circularisethanol extract for the treatment of inflammation, and the use of the aqueous extract to treat oxidative stress related-diseases. The differences in the biological activities observed between the extracts are probably due to qualitative and/or quantitative differences in the chemical composition and/or the occurrence of synergism between compounds.

Neuropharmacological and anxiolytic effects of extracts of Passiflora tripartita var. mollissima on mice

“…There are a wide variety of effects caused by the different chemical compounds. For instance, the flavonoids such as vitexin, which has been determined in Passiflora (Costa et al, 2016), possess an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect in vitro (Marrassini et al, 2023). A study of patients in Vietnam showed that those undergoing breast cancer cobalt-60 radiotherapy, vitexin administration produced a significant radioprotective effect on peripheral blood cell numbers and lymphocyte transformation function (Van Hien et al, 2002)., which coincides with a systematic review that included nine clinical trials with treatment from one day to 30 days in people over 18 years of age, where the effects of passionflower were measured using several different tests and scales reported in most studies reduced levels of anxiety after the administration of Passiflora incarnata preparations, with a less evident effect in people with mild symptoms of anxiety (Janda et al, 2020).…”