abstract
The main goal of this study was to chemically characterize an aqueous S. nigra flower extract and validate it as a bioactive agent. The elderflower aqueous extraction was performed at different temperatures (50, 70 and 90 degrees C). The extract obtained at 90 degrees C exhibited the highest phenolic content and antiradical activity. Therefore, this extract was analyzed by GC-MS and HPLC-MS, which allowed the identification of 46 compounds, being quercetin and chlorogenic acid derivatives representative of 86% of the total of phenolic compounds identified in hydrophilic fraction of the aqueous extract. Naringenin (27.2%) was the major compound present in the lipophilic fraction. The antiproliferative effects of the S. nigra extract were evaluated using the colon cancer cell lines RKO, HCT-116, Caco-2 and the extract's antigenotoxic potential was evaluated by the Comet assay in RKO cells. The RKO cells were the most susceptible to S. nigra flower extract (IC50 = 1250 mu g mL(-1)). Moreover, the extract showed antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, particularly Staphylococcus aureus and S. epidermidis. These results show that S. nigra based extracts can be an important dietary source of bioactive phenolic compounds that contribute to health-span improving life quality, demonstrating their potential as nutraceutical, functional foods and/or cosmetic components for therapeutic purposes.
keywords
PHENOLIC-COMPOUNDS; IN-VITRO; ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES; MEDICINAL-PLANTS; CHLOROGENIC ACID; URSOLIC ACID; HEPG2 CELLS; RICH SOURCE; QUERCETIN; NARINGENIN
subject category
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
authors
Ferreira-Santos, P; Badim, H; Salvador, AC; Silvestre, AJD; Santos, SAO; Rocha, SM; Sousa, AM; Pereira, MO; Wilson, CP; Rocha, CMR; Teixeira, JA; Botelho, CM
our authors
Ângelo Miguel Correia Salvador
Post-Doc Fellowship
Armando Jorge Domingues Silvestre
Full professor
Sónia Andreia Oliveira Santos
Assistant Researcheracknowledgements
This research was funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UIDB/04469/2020 unit and for Scientific Employment Stimulus 2017 (CEECIND/01507/2017) provided to Ana M. Sousa.