1. Assessment of the phenolic content, mutagenicity and genotoxicity of ethanolic extracts of stem bark and leaves from Strychnos pseudoquina A. St.-hil.
- Author
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Gontijo DC, Nunes LG, Farias LM, Duarte MGR, Carvalho AF, Fietto LG, and Leite JPV
- Subjects
- Antioxidants analysis, Antioxidants pharmacology, Ethanol chemistry, Flavonoids analysis, Mutagenicity Tests, Phytochemicals analysis, Plant Leaves chemistry, Plant Stems chemistry, Proanthocyanidins analysis, Salmonella typhimurium drug effects, Salmonella typhimurium genetics, DNA Damage, Phenols analysis, Plant Bark chemistry, Plant Extracts chemistry, Plant Extracts toxicity, Strychnos chemistry
- Abstract
Strychnos pseudoquina is a plant species whose stem bark is used as bitter tonic beverage. The phytochemical analysis, as well as quantification of phenolic constituents and antioxidant activity of ethanolic extracts from S. pseudoquina stem bark, and leaves were conducted. The extracts were tested for mutagenicity (Ames test) and DNA-damaging activity (Plasmid Cleavage test). Leaves recorded the largest amount of flavonoids. The performed high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) showed flavonoids such as isorhamnetin and strychnobiflavone (phytochemical markers of the investigated species) in stem barks, but not in leaves. The proanthocyanidin content and antioxidant activity were significantly higher in stem barks than in leaves. Stem bark and leaf extracts presented mutagenic activity against TA98 and TA100 strains with, and without, metabolic activation (S9). The Plasmid Cleavage test did not indicate DNA-damaging activity. Our results suggest that extracts deriving from S. pseudoquina should be used with extreme caution, mainly the stem bark extract, which is widely used in folk medicine.
- Published
- 2020
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