Antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic activities of wild asparagus (Asparagus acutifolius L.), black bryony (Tamus communis L.) and butcher's broom (Ruscus aculeatus L.) aqueous extracts against T24 and A549 cancer cell lines.

The aim of this study was to determine the phenolic profile, antiproliferative, and pro-apoptotic activities of Asparagus acutifolius, Tamus communis, and Ruscus aculeatus aqueous extracts against human bladder (T24) and lung cancer (A549) cell lines. Antiproliferative activity of the extracts at the concentration range from 0.5 to 4 mg/ml was measured by MTT test, after the incubation period of 4, 24, 48, or 72 hr. Pro-apoptotic activity of selected plant extracts against T24 and A549 cells was analyzed by flow cytometry at the concentrations of 0.5, 1, and 2 mg/ml. The highest antiproliferative activity against both cancer cell lines was detected by T. communis aqueous extract. The highest pro-apoptotic effect was achieved by A. acutifolius aqueous extract and its effect was similar against A549 and T24 cells. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Wild edible plants, such as wild asparagus, black bryony, and butcher's broom represent important aspect of the Mediterranean diet. They are rich source of various natural bioactive compounds which express different biological activities (antioxidative, antiproliferative, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory…). The current trend for natural and healthy diet, such as the Mediterranean diet, is in relation to the rapidly growing problem of chronic diseases in a modern society. Wild edible plants have a high direct-use value using them in dishes containing mixed vegetables, in soup preparation, as natural additives in fermented natural products containing cheese or fish, in water infusions (natural drinks).

Antioxidant Potentials and Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitory Effect of Two Furanocoumarins Isolated from Tamus communis L.

In this investigation, the screening of two furanocoumarins; 5,8- dimethoxypsoralen (1) and heraclinin (2), isolated from the methanol root-extracts of Tamus communis L for their antioxidant activity and xanthine oxidase inhibitory effect was carried out, using different assays such as DPPH free radical scavenging effect, ß- carotene / linoleic acid, xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibition and in addition to blood total antioxidant capacity. Results revealed that the two compounds have significant DPPH radical scavenging activity and effective inhibition of linoleic acid oxidation in a dose-dependent manner; 5,8-dimethoxypsoralen exhibited the highest activity with an I% = 72.69 ± 1.88%. These results indicate that the isolated compounds inhibit xanthine oxidase activity and scavenge superoxide radicals with heraclinin (2) as the more potent xanthine oxidase inhibitor, and 5,8-dimethoxypsoralen (1) as the more effective on cytochrome c reduction, the two tested compounds can effectively protect erythrocytes against hemolytic injury induced by AAPH. These results are promising for further studies of the biological and pathological effects of these natural products.

Carotenoid content of wild edible young shoots traditionally consumed in Spain (Asparagus acutifolius L., Humulus lupulus L., Bryonia dioica Jacq. and Tamus communis L.).

BACKGROUND: Wild vegetables have traditionally been consumed as part of the Mediterranean diet, being valuable sources of nutrients and bioactive compounds. The objective of this work was to analyse the carotenoid content of the edible young shoots of four species (Asparagus acutifolius L., Humulus lupulus L., Bryonia dioica Jacq. and Tamus communis L.) as part of a wider study on the characterisation of the nutritional composition of wild edible plants commonly consumed in Spain. Samples were gathered from two locations in Central Spain for two consecutive years. RESULTS: Lutein, ß-carotene, neoxanthin and violaxanthin were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography with a photodiode array detector. Median concentration ranges (µg g(-1) edible wet weight) were: ß-carotene, 3.39-6.69, lutein, 5.44­19.13;neoxanthin, 5.17-17.37; and violaxanthin, 2.08-8.93. The highest carotenoid content was that of B. dioica (59.01 µg g(-1)) and the lowest was found in A. acutifolius (17.58 µg g(-1)) [corrected]. CONCLUSION: Our results show that these wild young shoots are richer sources of carotenoids than many of the commercially available leafy vegetables.

Antioxidant properties and xanthine oxidase inhibitory effects of Tamus communis L. root extracts.

This study was conducted to search for xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitors from the root extracts of Tamus communis L. traditionally used in folk medicine in Algeria. Root extracts with different solvents were screened for purified milk xanthine oxidase inhibition. The root extracts (methanol, chloroform and ethyl acetate) and proteins, obtained in distilled water, inhibited bovine, sheep and human milk XO from three species in a concentration-dependent manner, with an additional superoxide scavenging capacity, which reached its highest level with ethyl acetate extract (IC(50) = 0.15, 0.04 and 0.09 g/L) for bovine XO, sheep XO and human XO, respectively. The antioxidant potential was confirmed with the non-enzymatic method, total radical-trapping antioxidant parameter (TRAP) assay, which showed that the Tamus communis L. extracts have a potential antioxidant activity in the same order obtained by using the reduction of cytochrome c, an enzymatic method, in which the antioxidant activity followed a decreasing order: ethyl acetate extract > chloroform extract > protein.

Phenanthrenes and a dihydrophenanthrene from Tamus communis and their cytotoxic activity.

From the petroleum ether extract of the rhizomes of Tamus communis, the 7-hydroxy-2,3,4,8-tetramethoxyphenanthrene (1) was isolated, together with the known 2,3,4-trimethoxy-7,8-methylenedioxyphenanthrene (2), 3-hydroxy-2,4,-dimethoxy-7,8-methylenedioxyphenanthrene (3), 2-hydroxy-3,5,7-trimethoxyphenanthrene (4) and 2-hydroxy-3,5,7-trimethoxy-9,10-dihydrophenanthrene (5), through cytotoxic assay guidance. The structures were determined by means of HREIMS, (1)H NMR, JMOD and NOESY experiments. The cytotoxic effects of the isolated compounds were tested on cervix adenocarcinoma (HeLa) cells, with the MTT assay. The results demonstrated that, with the exception of 2, all these compounds displayed pronounced cytotoxic activity; especially 1 and 3 exhibited significant cell growth inhibitory effects, with IC(50)=8.52+/-0.70 and 3.64+/-0.12 microM, respectively.