Obesity, a chronic disease, resulted from excessive consumption of high-calorie foods, leading to an energy imbalance. Protium heptaphyllum (P. heptaphyllum) was used in folk medicine for its analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and healing properties. The association of the extract from P. heptaphyllum with nanotechnology was innovative for combining high technology with active ingredients that are easily accessible in the Amazon region. This study evaluated the effect of liposomes containing the ethyl acetate fraction of the crude extract of P. heptaphyllum leaves on obesity. Male Wistar rats treated with a high-calorie diet for 8 weeks to induce obesity received treatment with the liposome formulation containing P. heptaphyllum extract (1 mg/kg/day, via gavage) for 14 days. Morphological, metabolic, redox status, immunological, and histological parameters were evaluated in the adipose and liver tissue of the animals. The groups were divided as follows: C: control; P: liposomes containing extract; O: obese, and OP: obese + liposomes containing extract. The obesity model resulted in increases in body weight, caloric intake, body fat weight, and in the lipid profile. In adipose tissue, P decreased SOD (superoxide dismutase) activity in obese animals. In the liver, a positive modulation of the extract was observed in relation to glucose, amino acids, lactate, hepatoprotective action, and anti-inflammatory activity, with a decrease in interleukin 1β (IL-1β) in obese animals. The results showed an improvement in the functional and inflammatory aspects, but the treatment was not effective in alleviating general changes related to obesity, such as weight gain, fat, glucose, triglycerides, and inflammation in adipose tissue, highlighting the complexity of responses in different organs during obesity and treatment with P. heptaphyllum.
Background: Protium heptaphyllum (Aubl.) March resin is accepted as an analgesic, healing, expectorant, anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive and gastroprotective agent. However, there are no specific studies on leaves of this plant. Objective: This study identified the chemical composition and biological activity of crude ethanolic extract (EE) and ethyl acetate (EA) fraction from P. heptaphyllum. Methods: Mice were intoxicated with acetaminophen (PCM; 250 mg kg -1 ), and subsequently treated with EE and EA (100 mg kg -1 ) for 7 days via gavage. Plasma analysis and evaluation of liver and kidney homogenates of the animals were performed. Results: The extract and fraction showed the presence of phenols and flavonoids. Three main flavonoids were identified by HPLC-UV, LC-MS/MS fractionation, quercetin-3-β-D-glycoside, myricetin and quercetin. For total antioxidant potential tests, EE presented EC 50 of 75 mg kg -1 and 100 μg mL -1 for EA. ALT, AST and ALP enzymes activity increased in the PCM-exposed plasma, but EA decreased these activities at control levels for ALT and AST. Animal glycemic levels decreased with EE and EA, which may be due to a possible hypoglycemic effect of the plant. In the liver tissue, SOD was unchanged, CAT, GSH and ASA decreased in the PCM group, but EA was able to reverse these effects. TBARS and PC were reduced by both treatments. In the renal tissue, EA fraction recovered the GST activity, GSH levels were restored by EE and EA and PC was reduced by treatments. Conclusion: This antioxidant effect may be due to the presence of the flavonoids identified, which are already well known for their antioxidant properties.
Background: Oxidative stress occurs when the cell's antioxidant defense system is insufficient. This can be corrected by active antioxidant substances, which help to eliminate the consequences of the damage caused or prevent the system from reaching the stress level. Objective: The actions of antioxidants can inhibit or delay tumor cells' appearance, delaying aging, and preventing other cellular damage resulting from the redox imbalance. Therefore, the present work aimed to research studies already published on Protium heptaphyllum (P. heptaphyllum) and its biological activities, mainly antioxidant effects once resulting from phenolic compounds, such as flavonoids, present in the plant. Methods: The methodology used was a literature review where information was collected from several studies related to P. heptaphyllum, oxidative stress, polyphenols, and flavonoids in databases, such as Scielo, PubMed, Google Scholar, LILACS, Chemical Abstract, ScienceDirect, among others in the period from 2002 to 2021. Results: The main studies carried out with metabolites of P. heptaphyllum demonstrated several biological activities such as antioxidant, gastroprotective, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anxiolytic, antihyperglycemic, hyperlipidemic, among others. Although P. heptaphyllum has been little investigated by pharmacological studies, the results reported in this work may contribute to this plant species' chemical/ pharmacological knowledge. Therefore, the secondary metabolites present in the plant may become test targets in future clinical trials for the drug arsenal. Conclusion: It can be observed that P. heptaphyllum is a promising source of secondary compounds, mainly flavonoids.
Protium heptaphyllum (P. heptaphyllum), popularly known as “almacega” or “white pitch”, is widely used in folk medicine due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and healing properties, attributed to its richness in flavonoids and terpenes. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of treatment for 28 days with liposomes containing P. heptaphyllum leaf extract in obese animals. Male Wistar rats, subjected to a hypercaloric diet for 8 weeks to induce obesity (hypercaloric chow and water enriched with 30% sucrose, ad libitum), were treated with the plant formulation (1 mg kg−1day−1, via gavage) for 28 days. The study investigated morphological, metabolic, redox state, immunological and histological parameters in adipose and liver tissue. Rats were divided into four groups: control (C), liposomes with extract (H), obese (O) and obese treated with liposomes containing extract (OH). The results indicated that the obese group (O) presented weight gain, hepatic steatosis and alterations in metabolic and inflammatory parameters. However, treatment with liposomes (OH) reduced glucose, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), creatinine and the lipid profile. In adipose tissue, the OH group showed decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and increased glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity, in contrast to the effects observed in liver GST. In the analysis of thiobarbituric-acid-reactive substances (TBARS), it was possible to observe an increase in all groups in adipose tissue and in group O in liver tissue, in addition to a reduction in TBARS in group OH in the liver, indicating modulation of oxidative stress. The treatment also increased the concentration of IL-10 and IL-17 in the liver and decreased that of IL-6 in adipose tissue. After 28 days of treatment, these results point to the therapeutic potential of treatment with P. heptaphyllum, not necessarily only against obesity, but also an effect per se of the liposomes, possibly due to the high concentration of flavonoids present in the plant extract.
Cyclophosphamide (CPA) is an alkylating agent used as a chemotherapy agent in the treatment of cancer, but it has immunosuppressive effects. Protium heptaphyllum (P. heptaphyllum) is a plant rich in triterpenes and flavonoids, with some bioactive and therapeutic properties presented in the literature. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the chemoprotective potential of P. heptaphyllum extract inserted into liposomes against oxidative damage chemically induced by CPA. Male Swiss mice received 1.5 mg/kg of P. heptaphyllum liposomes as a pre-treatment for 14 consecutive days (via gavage) and 100 mg/kg of CPA in a single dose (via intraperitoneal) on the 15th day. After the experimental period, blood and organ samples were collected for histopathological and biochemical analyses, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT), glutathione S-transferase (GST), reduced glutathione (GSH), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), ascorbic acid (ASA), carbonyl protein, cytokine measurement, and micronucleus testing. The results showed that liposomes containing P. heptaphyllum extract have an antimutagenic effect against damage induced to DNA by CPA, and that they also protect against oxidative stress, as verified by the increase in the antioxidant enzymes SOD and GPx. The improvement in alkaline phosphatase and creatinine markers suggests a beneficial effect on the liver and kidneys, respectively. However, the depletion of GSH in the liver and brain suggests the use of antioxidants for the metabolism of molecules generated in these tissues. In general, these data show good prospects for the use of P. heptaphyllum liposomes as a cancer chemoprotective agent, as well as possible antioxidant action, conceivably attributed to the flavonoids present in the plant extract.
Introducao: O extrato das folhas de Carica papaya L. (mamao) e bem conhecido por ter propriedades antioxidantes. Suas folhas apresentam compostos fenolicos, alcaloides, vitaminas e minerais. Objetivo: Avaliar o efeito do extrato aquoso das folhas de mamoeiro (500 mg/kg) em camundongos submetidos ao estresse oxidativo induzido por paracetamol. Metodos: As folhas foram selecionadas e secas e moidas, submetido a extracao por infusao com agua destilada a 70°C/ 1h. A solucao foi filtrada e concentrada por rota-evaporacao a 70°C. Camundongos Swiss machos receberam uma dose unica de 250 mg/kg de paracetamol ou agua, depois de 3h, os animais foram tratados durante 7 dias com extrato ou agua. 24h apos o tratamento foi retirado o sangue e os animais foram sacrificados para retirada do figado e submetido as seguintes analises: carbonilacao de proteinas, substâncias reativas ao acido tiobarbiturico (lipoperoxidacao), catalase, superoxido dismutase, glutationa-Stransferase, glutationa reduzida, acido ascorbico e parâmetros bioquimicos do plasma (transaminases, fosfatase alcalina, glicose e colesterol). Resultados: O extrato reverteu o dano causado por paracetamol sobre a atividade da glutationa-S-transferase, carbonilacao de proteinas e lipoperoxidacao, alem da restauracao da atividade das transaminases. O extrato per se reduziu glutationa-S-transferase e acido ascorbico, os niveis sericos de glicose, colesterol e alanina aminotransferase. Conclusao: O extrato aquoso das folhas do mamoeiro e capaz de exercer acoes com efeitos antioxidantes, porem, e necessario o desenvolvimento de novas pesquisas a fim de descrever mais detalhadamente sobre seu provavel potencial antioxidante.
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