Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genova, Corso Europa 26, 16132, Genova, Italy; Department of Biology, Laboratory Rammal Rammal (ATAC), Lebanese University, Hadath Campus, Beirut, Lebanon.
Department of Biology, Laboratory Rammal Rammal (ATAC), Lebanese University, Hadath Campus, Beirut, Lebanon.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2020 Oct 5;260:112976. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2020.112976. Epub 2020 May 16.
Ephedra foeminea is a member of the Ephedraceae family which is widespread in the eastern Mediterranean area. In Lebanon, Ephedra is a popular remedy in traditional medicine to prevent and/or counteract many stress oxidative-related diseases like inflammation and bacterial infections.
Oxidative stress leads to endothelial cell dysfunction, and is a major factor contributing to etiology of atherosclerosis and related diseases. This study aims to investigate the antioxidant and cytoprotective potential of extracts from E. foeminea fruits on human endothelial cells exposed to hydrogen peroxide (HO) to mimic in vitro vascular endothelium dysfunction.
Different extracts of E. foeminea fruits were prepared using pure ethanol (EE), methanol/water (EMW), pure hexane (Ehex) or ethyl acetate/water (Epoly) as extraction solvents. The phenolome profile of each extract was characterized using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). Total phenolic and flavonoid content, and radical scavenging properties of the extracts were assessed spectrophotometrically. Then, the effects on human endothelial cells HECV were evaluated.
Epoly extract showed the highest phenol and flavonoid content, and the highest radical scavenging capacity. On HO-insulted HECV cells Epoly was able: (i) to counteract the ROS/RNS production and lipid peroxidation; (ii) to rescue the ROS-dependent decrease in the mitochondrial membrane potential; (iii) to counteract the apoptosis induction; (iv) to restore endothelial cell viability and migration.
The findings indicated that the polyphenol-enriched extract Epoly from E. foeminea fruits is endowed with in vitro anti-oxidant and anti-apoptotic effects and might be used as nutraceutical for treating ROS-related endothelium dysfunction and inflammation.
细梗麻黄是麻黄科的一员，广泛分布于东地中海地区。在黎巴嫩，麻黄是传统医学中预防和/或对抗许多与应激氧化相关的疾病的流行疗法，如炎症和细菌感染。
氧化应激导致内皮细胞功能障碍，是动脉粥样硬化和相关疾病病因的主要因素。本研究旨在探讨细梗麻黄果实提取物对过氧化氢（HO）诱导的人内皮细胞的抗氧化和细胞保护作用，以模拟体外血管内皮功能障碍。
使用纯乙醇（EE）、甲醇/水（EMW）、纯己烷（Ehex）或乙酸乙酯/水（Epoly）作为提取溶剂，制备细梗麻黄果实的不同提取物。采用高效液相色谱-质谱联用（HPLC-MS/MS）对各提取物的酚类成分进行特征分析。采用分光光度法测定提取物的总酚和类黄酮含量及自由基清除能力。然后，评估对人内皮细胞 HECV 的影响。
Epoly 提取物表现出最高的酚类和类黄酮含量以及最高的自由基清除能力。在 HO 损伤的 HECV 细胞上，Epoly 能够：（i）抵抗 ROS/RNS 的产生和脂质过氧化；（ii）挽救 ROS 依赖性的线粒体膜电位下降；（iii）抵抗凋亡诱导；（iv）恢复内皮细胞活力和迁移。
研究结果表明，细梗麻黄果实富含多酚的 Epoly 提取物具有体外抗氧化和抗凋亡作用，可作为治疗 ROS 相关内皮功能障碍和炎症的营养保健品。
