Evaluation of anticancer potential of eight vegetal species from the state of Oaxaca

Background: Eight plant species from Oaxaca, some of them used in traditional medicine, were subjected to screening of several biological activities to provide data regarding their anticancer potential, although no scientific information is available about their pharmacological effects.Materials and methods: Methanol extracts from stems or roots of the eight plants were tested for antioxidant activity by the DPPH· method. Antimicrobial activity was determined using the agar diffusion method and the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) was obtained by broth dilution method. Antitopoisomerase activity was assessed using mutant strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae JN362a, JN394, JN394t-1, JN394t2-4 and JN394t2-5. The mutagenic activity was evaluated using the Ames test (Salmonella typhimurium TA1535).Results: No extract showed significant antioxidant activity. The best antimicrobial activity was observed for Salpianthus arenarius (MIC 56.25 μg/mL) and Lantana achyranthifolia (MIC 78.12 μg/mL) against Staphylococcus aureus. Extracts of Acalypha cuspidata, Alloispermum integrifolium and L. achyranthifolia stems showed antitopoisomerase II activity with JN394t-1 growth of -30.88±0.0%, -38.11±4.95%, and -70.97±12.02% respectively. Galium mexicanum stem extract showed antitopoisomerase I activity with growth of 35.31±6.36% on the same mutant strain. All plant extracts were non-mutagenic. Fractionation of A. cuspidata extract led to identification of two subfractions with antitopoisomerase I and II activity at 154μg/mL (Positive controls 50 and 100μg/mL).Conclusion: Methanol extracts of A. cuspidata, A. integrifolium, G. mexicanum, and L. achyranthifolia stems showed antitopoisomerase and non-mutagenic activities, and consequently could be promising as a source of anticancer drugs.Keywords: Antitopoisomerase activity, mutagenic activity, vegetal extracts, Acalypha cuspidat

EVALUATION OF ANTICANCER POTENTIAL OF EIGHT VEGETAL SPECIES FROM THE STATE OF OAXACA

Background: Eight plant species from Oaxaca, some of them used in traditional medicine, were subjected to screening of several biological activities to provide data regarding their anticancer potential, although no scientific information is available about their pharmacological effects. Materials and methods: Methanol extracts from stems or roots of the eight plants were tested for antioxidant activity by the DPPH· method. Antimicrobial activity was determined using the agar diffusion method and the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) was obtained by broth dilution method. Antitopoisomerase activity was assessed using mutant strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae JN362a, JN394, JN394t-1, JN394t2-4 and JN394t2-5. The mutagenic activity was evaluated using the Ames test (Salmonella typhimurium TA1535). Results: No extract showed significant antioxidant activity. The best antimicrobial activity was observed for Salpianthus arenarius (MIC 56.25 μg/mL) and Lantana achyranthifolia (MIC 78.12 μg/mL) against Staphylococcus aureus. Extracts of Acalypha cuspidata, Alloispermum integrifolium and L. achyranthifolia stems showed antitopoisomerase II activity with JN394t-1 growth of -30.88±0.0%, -38.11±4.95%, and -70.97±12.02% respectively. Galium mexicanum stem extract showed antitopoisomerase I activity with growth of 35.31±6.36% on the same mutant strain. All plant extracts were non-mutagenic. Fractionation of A. cuspidata extract led to identification of two subfractions with antitopoisomerase I and II activity at 154μg/mL (Positive controls 50 and 100μg/mL). Conclusion: Methanol extracts of A. cuspidata, A. integrifolium, G. mexicanum, and L. achyranthifolia stems showed antitopoisomerase and non-mutagenic activities, and consequently could be promising as a source of anticancer drugs

Alzheimer’s Disease and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Molecular Mechanisms and Similarities

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has become one of the most threatening diseases in the elderly, and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major health problem in the world, representing 7.4% of the population. Several studies have produced epidemiological, clinical, and pathological evidence of the relationship between AD and T2DM. Laboratory research using animal models has identified mechanisms shared by both T2DM and AD. Particularly, there is an increase of tau phosphorylation and cleavage, which is known to be particularly toxic to neurons and to form a nucleation for neurofibrillary tangles. Also, alterations in synaptic plasticity are associated to tau pathology through the direct abnormal interaction of pathological tau with synaptic proteins and indirectly through Tau-activated neuroinflammatory processes. Many T2DM complications are potentiated or initiated by the accumulation of specific forms of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and their interaction with its receptors (RAGE). AGEs promote β-amyloid aggregation and cytotoxicity, while glycation of tau may enhance their aggregation. Therefore, this review addresses the analysis of the common mechanisms where the major molecular players of these two diseases participate and contribute to a better understanding of these diseases in their pathogenic relationship

Chemical Characterization of Plant Extracts and Evaluation of their Nematicidal and Phytotoxic Potential

Nacobbus aberrans ranks among the “top ten” plant-parasitic nematodes of phytosanitary importance. It causes significant losses in commercial interest crops in America and is a potential risk in the European Union. The nematicidal and phytotoxic activities of seven plant extracts against N. aberrans and Solanum lycopersicum were evaluated in vitro, respectively. The chemical nature of three nematicidal extracts (EC50,48h ≤ 113 µg mL−1) was studied through NMR analysis. Plant extracts showed nematicidal activity on second-stage juveniles (J2): (≥87%) at 1000 µg mL−1 after 72 h, and their EC50 values were 71.4–468.1 and 31.5–299.8 µg mL−1 after 24 and 48 h, respectively. Extracts with the best nematicidal potential (EC50,48h < 113 µg mL−1) were those from Adenophyllum aurantium, Alloispermum integrifolium, and Tournefortia densiflora, which inhibited L. esculentum seed growth by 100% at 20 µg mL−1. Stigmasterol (1), β-sitosterol (2), and α-terthienyl (3) were identified from A. aurantium, while 1, 2, lutein (4), centaurin (5), patuletin-7-β-O-glucoside (6), pendulin (7), and penduletin (8) were identified from A. integrifolium. From T. densiflora extract, allantoin (9), 9-O-angeloyl-retronecine (10), and its N-oxide (11) were identified. The present research is the first to report the effect of T. densiflora, A. integrifolium, and A. aurantium against N. aberrans and chemically characterized nematicidal extracts that may provide alternative sources of botanical nematicides