RESUMEN
RATIONALE: Solanum paniculatum L., popularly known as jurubeba, has traditionally been used in Brazilian folk medicine for liver diseases. However, there is a lack of knowledge about the chemical characterization of 3-aminospirostane alkaloids, an important class related to pharmacological activities. This work aimed to characterize the alkaloids using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) supported by molecular networking and theoretical calculations as well as to evaluate the contribution to hepatoprotective activity. METHODS: S. paniculatum roots were collected and macerated with MeOH/H2 O (8:2) obtaining the crude extract (SP-CE). From this, partition using EtOAc with pH variation yielded the alkaloidic fraction (SP-AF). Both were evaluated in an acute liver injury model (100 and 200 mg/kg), after intraperitoneal administration of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4 ) in mice. AST (aspartate transaminase) and ALT (alanine transaminase) serum levels were investigated, as well as the histopathological characteristics. The SP-CE and SP-AF were analyzed by LC/MS/MS, using quadrupole/time-of-flight and ion-trap systems. The alkaloids annotated by the GNPS molecular network had their structures defined using gas-phase ionization and fragmentation reaction supported by theoretical calculations. RESULTS: The SP-CE and SP-AF decreased the ALT serum levels compared with the negative control. The group treated with the SP-CE (at the highest dose) demonstrated a significant decrease of ALT. Hepatic cell degeneration decrease was observed mainly at the highest dose of the treatment. Detailed electrospray ionization MS/MS data allowed us to identify alkaloids not previously reported, to propose their gas-phase reactions and to redefine the initial open ring fragmentation mechanism of the steroidal alkaloids with the jurubidine moiety. CONCLUSIONS: The results allowed us to identify seven steroidal alkaloids from jurubeba and redefine the initial mechanism of fragmentation. A significant hepatoprotective effect was also demonstrated, corroborating its traditional use.