Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science & Agriculture, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa.
Medicinal Plants and Economic Development (MPED) Research Centre, Department of Botany, Faculty of Science & Agriculture, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa.
PLoS One. 2019 Jan 29;14(1):e0209682. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209682. eCollection 2019.
The Opuntia spp. have been used in traditional medicine for many centuries. It is used in the management of diseases that involves oxidative stress, especially diabetes, obesity and cancer. Opuntia stricta (Haw) is one of the relatively unknown species in South Africa where it is regarded more as a weed. Because of this, not much is known about its chemical composition.
To determine the chemical composition, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxic activities of Opuntia stricta cladodes.
The phytochemical composition of acetone, aqueous and ethanol extract of cladodes of Opuntia stricta (Haw), as well as the vitamins A, C and E of its dried weight cladodes and the antioxidant activities, were evaluated using standard in vitro methods. The anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activities were evaluated using cell-based assays. The phytochemical composition and vitamins were determined spectrophotometrically, while the antioxidant activities were determined by DPPH, nitric oxide, hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity and phosphomolybdenum (total) antioxidant activity. Anti-inflammatory activity was determined using RAW 264.7 cells, while cytotoxicity was determined using U937 cells.
The phytochemical composition showed a significant difference in the various extracts. The total phenolics were higher than other phytochemicals in all the extracts used. All the extracts displayed antioxidant activity, while most of the extracts showed anti-inflammatory activity. Only one extract showed cytotoxicity, and it was mild.
The results show that the Opuntia stricta is rich in polyphenolic compounds and has good antioxidant activity as well as anti-inflammatory activities.
仙人掌属植物在传统医学中已被使用了数个世纪。它被用于管理涉及氧化应激的疾病，特别是糖尿病、肥胖症和癌症。仙人掌（Haw）是南非一种相对不知名的物种，在那里它更多地被视为一种杂草。正因为如此，人们对它的化学成分知之甚少。
确定仙人掌（Haw）的化学组成、抗氧化、抗炎和细胞毒性活性。
采用标准的体外方法评估仙人掌（Haw）的茎段的丙酮、水和乙醇提取物的植物化学成分，以及其干重茎段的维生素 A、C 和 E 以及抗氧化活性。采用细胞基础测定法评估抗炎和细胞毒性活性。使用分光光度法测定植物化学成分和维生素，而使用 DPPH、一氧化氮、过氧化氢清除活性和磷钼酸盐（总）抗氧化活性来测定抗氧化活性。使用 RAW 264.7 细胞测定抗炎活性，使用 U937 细胞测定细胞毒性。
不同提取物的植物化学成分存在显著差异。在所有使用的提取物中，总酚类物质的含量均高于其他植物化学成分。所有提取物均显示出抗氧化活性，而大多数提取物显示出抗炎活性。只有一种提取物表现出细胞毒性，但程度较轻。
结果表明，仙人掌属植物富含多酚类化合物，具有良好的抗氧化活性和抗炎活性。
