Amburana cearensis seed extracts protect PC-12 cells against toxicity induced by glutamate

Amburana cearensis: Pharmacological and Neuroprotective Effects of Its Compounds

“…Furthermore, from A. cearensis seed hexane suspension, Rodrigues et al, 2008 [ 26 ] purified coumarin, using supercritical carbon dioxide and a semi-continuous flow apparatus. Using the same part of the plant, Pereira et al, 2017a [ 10 ] obtained an ethanolic extract (ETAC) and performed different partitions with hexane (EHAC), dichloromethane (EDAC) and ethyl acetate (EAAC); coumarin and its 3-methyl derivative, fatty acid esters (methyl octanoate, methyl hexadecanoate, methyl 13-trans-octadecanoate) and phytosterols like γ-sitosterol were identified in all partitions except in EAAC. Some of these metabolites are also present after germination, as described by Canuto and Silveira, 2010 [ 3 ]; using an ethanolic extract of both the ground parts and xylopodiums of young specimens, the authors purified nine compounds after dichloromethane partition, silica gel chromatography and other treatments, namely coumarin, isokaempferol, amburoside A, amburisode B, vanillic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, aiapin, protocatechuic acid and E -( o )-glycosylated coumaric acid.…”

“…In addition, other phenolic and benzopyran derivative compounds, such as flavonoids, are well known as anti-inflammatory drugs that can modulate the expression of cytokines and inflammatory transcription factors, such as NF-κB, nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and, consequently, nitric oxide expression [ 27 , 30 , 90 ]. Flavonoids are also neuroprotective both in vitro and in vivo and are capable of controlling cytokine, chemokine and ROS expression [ 10 , 11 , 91 , 92 , 93 ].…”

“…A. cearensis compounds have been shown to have neuroprotective effects in ND-related models of glutamatergic excitotoxicity. In a work by Pereira et al (2017a) [ 10 ], extracts from A. cearensis seeds protected a neuronal PC-12 cell line from neurotoxicity when exposed to high concentrations of glutamate (1 mM); the authors tested four different partitions: an ethanolic extract (ETAC) and its partitions with hexane (EHAC), dichloromethane (EDAC) and ethyl acetate (EAAC). None of these extracts were neurotoxic at a range of concentrations tested (0.1 to 2000 µg/mL), except EHAC, which reduced cell viability at the highest concentration tested (1000 µg/mL) after 72 h of treatment.…”

“…None of these extracts were neurotoxic at a range of concentrations tested (0.1 to 2000 µg/mL), except EHAC, which reduced cell viability at the highest concentration tested (1000 µg/mL) after 72 h of treatment. The EDAC was characterized by Pereira et al, 2017a [ 10 ] as having the richest extract in coumarins and fatty acids esters, such as methyl hexadecanoate, ethyl hexadecanoate and methyl 13-octadecanoate. In another study by Pereira et al, 2017b [ 11 ], the effects of EHAC, EDAC and EAAC were tested in a more complex in vitro model, in cerebellum primary cultures, which contain neurons, astrocytes, microglia and progenitor cells.…”

“…Many studies attribute the action of these compounds present mostly in the stem bark and seed extracts to their anti-inflammatory potential [ 8 , 9 ], which stimulated research into its effects in experimental models of central nervous system (CNS) diseases associated with neuroinflammation. Notably, in vitro studies have reported neuroprotective effects of coumarin-rich extracts of A. cearensis seeds, especially a dichloromethane extract, which has been shown to be cytoprotective in brain cell lines and primary cell cultures [ 10 , 11 ] as well as a phenol glucoside from A. cearensis bark that protects against 6-hydroxydopamine toxicity [ 12 ]. These classes of compounds are known for their well characterized antioxidant actions and represent potential alternative therapies for neurodegenerative diseases.…”