Anti-wrinkle and anti-whitening effects of jucá (Libidibia ferrea Mart.) extracts.

Skin aging is a natural process of the human body that may be accelerated due to extrinsic causes. Libidibia ferrea, popularly known as jucá, is a small tree, which possesses an abundant phenolic composition with potential antioxidant and enzymatic inhibition activities. Thus, this work aimed to investigate the anti-wrinkle and anti-whitening potentials of jucá trunk bark (LFB) and pod (LFP) extracts. A comprehensive analysis of LFB and LFP phenolic composition was accomplished by means of liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Effects on skin degradation were assessed by inhibitory enzymatic activity against elastase, hyaluronidase and collagenase through colorimetric assays. Cellular viability in B16F10 and primary fibroblasts were determined by Trypan Blue exclusion assay. Anti-melanogenic effects on B16F10 cells were evaluated using cellular tyrosinase, melanin content, western blot, and RT-qPCR analyses. Inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-2 and MMP-9) was determined by gelatin zymography and western blot methodologies. LC-MS/MS analyses of LFB and LFP extracts allowed the characterization of 18 compounds, among them, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and secoridoids. Additionally the pod and trunk bark compositions were compared. Hyaluronidase inhibitory activity for both extracts, LFB (IC50 = 8.5 ± 0.8 µg/mL) and LFP (IC50 = 16 ± 0.5 µg/mL), was stronger than standard rutin (IC50 = 27.6 ± 0.06). Pro-MMP-2 was significantly inhibited by both extracts. LFB and LFP decreased the melanin content in B16F10 due to tyrosinase inhibitory activity. L. ferrea extracts has high potential as a cosmetic ingredient due to its anti-wrinkle and depigmentant effects.

Spray-dried extract of Phyllanthus niruri†L. reduces mucosal damage in rats with intestinal inflammation.

Phyllanthus niruri L. belongs to the Euphorbiaceae, and is known by the common name of 'stonebreaker' in Brazil. Some species within the Phyllanthus genus are widely used in traditional medicine to counteract different types of anti-inflammatory diseases. OBJECTIVES: In this study, the preventive intestinal anti-inflammatory activity of spray-dried extract of P. niruri (SDEPn) was tested in the model of acetic acid (10%)-induced ulcerative colitis in the rat. METHODS: Colitis animals were given orally at doses 25, 100 and 200 mg/kg. Colons tissue was analysed by macroscopic score, by histopathology score, by the immunohistochemical examination of tumour necrosis factor alpha, p53 and interferon gamma; by spectroscopic ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry (UV/VIS) analysis of the levels of myeloperoxidase, malonaldehyde and total glutathione. KEY FINDINGS/RESULT: Pretreatment of the extract to colitic rats significantly attenuated colonic macroscopic damage induced by acetic acid (P < 0.01). Spray-dried extract of P. niruri prevented glutathione depletion (P < 0.001) and malondialdehyde levels (P < 0.05) declined. Spray-dried extract of P. niruri significantly reduced microscopic damage to tissues, such as leukocyte infiltration accompanied by a significant reduction in myeloperoxidase activity (P < 0.5). Immunohistochemistry revealed a decline in the TNF-α, IFN-γ and p53 protein (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Spray-dried extract of P. niruri has a beneficial effect in the acute phase of acetic acid-induced colitis in the rat, which is probably related to its antioxidant properties.

A dry extract of Phyllanthus niruri protects normal cells and induces apoptosis in human liver carcinoma cells.

The ability to induce apoptosis is an important marker for cytotoxic antitumor agents. Some natural compounds have been shown to modulate apoptosis pathways that are frequently blocked in human cancers, and therefore, these compounds provide novel opportunities for cancer drug development. Phyllanthus, a plant genus of the family Euphorbiaceae, exhibits multiple pharmacological actions. Of these, Phyllanthus niruri extracts exhibit significant antitumor activity, which is consistent with the traditional medicinal use of this plant. To examine the apoptotic effects of a spray-dried extract of P. niruri (SDEPN), human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG2, Huh-7), colorectal carcinoma cells (Ht29) and keratinocytes (HaCaT) were exposed to the extract for 4, 8 and 24 h. Flow cytometry and caspase-3 immunostaining were used to detect apoptosis, while analysis of variance was applied to identify significant differences between groups (P < 0.05). At all timepoints, the SDEPN induced significantly different cytotoxic effects for HepG2 and Huh-7 cells compared with control cells (P < 0.001). In contrast, the SDEPN had a protective effect on HaCaT cells compared with control cells at all timepoints (P < 0.001). In caspase-3 assays, activation was detected after cell death was induced in Huh-7 and HepG2 cancer cells by the SDEPN. In combination, these results indicate that the SDEPN is selectively toxic towards cancer cell lines, yet is protective towards normal cells.

Growth inhibitory effects of Phyllanthus niruri extracts in combination with cisplatin on cancer cell lines.

AIM: To investigate the cytotoxic effects of spray-dried extracts of Phyllanthus niruri in combination with cisplatin on two cancer cell lines. METHODS: Colorectal carcinoma (HT29) and human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells were treated with spray-dried extracts of Phyllanthus niruri (SDEPN) either alone or in combination with cisplatin at different concentrations (0.5 mg/mL and 1 mg/mL) for 4 h and 24 h. To verify and quantify cancer cells treated with these products as well as identify the cell cycle stage and cell viability, we stained the cells with propidium iodide and assessed them by flow cytometry. The percentage of cells in different cell cycle phases was quantified and data were expressed as histograms. Significant differences between groups were determined using analysis of variance and Bonferroni's test, as indicated. A value of P < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. RESULTS: SDEPN had significantly different cytotoxic effects on HT29 (2.81 ± 0.11 vs 3.51 ± 1.13, P > 0.05) and HepG2 (5.07 ± 0.3 vs 15.9 ± 1.04, P < 0.001) cells when compared to control cells for 4 h. SDEPN also had significantly different cytotoxic effects on HT29 (1.91 ± 0.57 vs 4.53 ± 1.22, P > 0.05) and HepG2 (14.56 ± 1.6 vs 35.67 ± 3.94, P < 0.001) cells when compared to control cells for 24 h. Both cell lines were killed by cisplatin in a dose-dependent manner compared to control cells (HepG2 cells for 4 h: 10.78 ± 1.58 vs 53.89 ± 1.53, P < 0.001; 24 h: 8.9 ± 1.43 vs 62.78 ± 1.87, P < 0.001 and HT29 cells for 4 h: 9.52 ± 0.913 vs 49.86 ± 2.89, P < 0.001; 24 h: 11.78 ± 1.05 vs 53.34 ± 2.65, P < 0.001). In HT29 cells, pretreatment with SDEPN and subsequent treatment with cisplatin resulted in a greater number of cells being killed (12.78 ± 1.01 vs 93.76 ± 1.6, P < 0.001). HepG2 cells showed significant cell killing with treatment with SDEPN when combined with cisplatin (12.87 ± 2.78 vs 78.8 ± 3.02, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: SDEPN is selectively toxic against two cancer cell lines. Moreover, SDEPN in combination with cisplatin induces a synergistic increase in the cell death of both HT29 and HepG2 cells.

Total flavonoids content in the raw material and aqueous extractives from Bauhinia monandra Kurz (Caesalpiniaceae).

The aim of this work was to evaluate the spectrophotometric methodology for determining the total flavonoid content (TFC) in herbal drug and derived products from Bauhinia monandra Kurz. Several analytical parameters from this method grounded on the complex formed between flavonoids and AlCl3 were evaluated such as herbal amount (0.25 to 1.25 g); solvent composition (ethanol 40 to 80%, v/v); as well as the reaction time and AlCl3 concentration (2 to 9%, w/v). The method was adjusted to aqueous extractives and its performance studied through precision, linearity and preliminary robustness. The results showed an important dependence of the method response from reaction time, AlCl3 concentration, sample amount, and solvent mixture. After choosing the optimized condition, the method was applied for the matrixes (herbal material and extractives), showing precision lower than 5% (for both parameters repeatability and intermediate precision), coefficient of determination higher than 0.99, and no important influence could be observed for slight variations from wavelength or AlCl3 concentration. Thus, it could be concluded that the evaluated analytical procedure was suitable to quantify the total flavonoid content in raw material and aqueous extractives from leaves of B. monandra.