Chemical composition, nutritional properties, and antioxidant activity of Licania tomentosa (Benth.) fruit.

Licania tomentosa is a Brazilian plant species that produces edible fruits, yet there is little information available concerning their nutritional and/or bioactive composition. This study aimed to evaluate the nutritional and polyphenol composition of L. tomentosa fruits (pulp and seeds) and measure antioxidant activity in ethanolic extracts.The pulp and seeds were excellent sources of fiber (25.62%-41.70%) as well as minerals and vitamins. L. tomentosa contained no lectins or protease inhibitors (chymotrysin and trypsin) and 12 polyphenol compounds were identified in the seed extracts with a predominance of flavonoids. The seeds also presented antioxidant activities using the DPPH (SC5010.30-15.87 µg/mL), TBARS (IC50 18.46-20.84 µg/mL), and FRAP (RC50 0.203-0.309 µg/mL) assays. Due to its nutrient and antioxidant content, L. tomentosa may be used for food applications.

Triplaris gardneriana seeds extract exhibits in vitro anti-inflammatory properties in human neutrophils after oxidative treatment.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Triplaris gardneriana Wedd. (Polygonaceae family) is a plant species from Brazilian semiarid region which is used in local traditional medicine for the treatment of inflammatory conditions such as hemorrhoids. AIM OF THE STUDY: In this study, the in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of different concentrations of ethanolic extract from T. gardneriana seeds (EETg) was performed in order to contribute to the knowledge about etnomedicinal use of this plant species. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The anti-inflammatory properties were evaluated through different approaches, such as in vitro protein anti-denaturation test, scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) inhibition in human neutrophils activated by phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA). Besides that, molecular docking was performed to provide new insights about the interaction between the major phenolic components in the plant extract and MPO. RESULTS: EETg was characterized showing a total phenol content of 153.5 ± 6.3 µg gallic acid equivalent/mg extract, ability to remove hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in a concentration-dependent manner and had a spectroscopic profile which suggests the presence of hydroxyl groups. EETg was able to prevent protein denaturation ranging from 40.17 to 75.09%. The extract, at 10 and 20 µg/mL, was able to modulate neutrophils pro-inflammatory functions, such as degranulation and burst respiratory. In both assays, the EETg had anti-inflammatory effect comparable to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Among the main phenolic compounds of EETg, quercitrin, quercetin and catechin showed the highest binding affinity in silico to MPO. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated, for the first time, that the anti-inflammatory effect of T. gardneriana seeds occurs due to its modulatory effect on human neutrophil degranulation and free-radical scavenging activity.

Polyphenol Composition, Antioxidant Activity and Cytotoxicity of Seeds from Two Underexploited Wild Licania Species: L. rigida and L. tomentosa.

Studies have shown the benefit of antioxidants in the prevention or treatment of human diseases and promoted a growing interest in new sources of plant antioxidants for pharmacological use. This study aimed to add value to two underexploited wild plant species (Licania rigida) and L. tomentosa) from Brazilian flora. Thus, the phenolic compounds profile of their seed ethanol extract and derived fractions were elucidated by HPLC, the antioxidant capacity was assessed by in vitro chemical tests and the cytotoxicity determined using the human carcinoma cell lines MCF-7 and Caco-2. Eleven phenolic compounds were identified in the extracts of each species. The extracts and fractions showed excellent antioxidant activity in the DPPH assay (SC50, ranging from 9.15 to 248.8 µg/mL). The aqueous fraction of L. rigida seeds was most effective in preventing lipid peroxidation under basal conditions (IC50 60.80 µg/mL) whereas, in the presence of stress inducer, the methanolic fraction of L. tomentosa performed best (IC50 8.55 µg/mL). None of the samples showed iron chelating capacity. Ethanolic seed extracts of both species did not reveal any cytotoxicity against MCF-7 and Caco-2 cells. Both plant species showed a promising phenolic profile with potent antioxidant capacity and deserve attention to be sustainably explored.