Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity Characterization and Toxicity Studies of Flowers of “Jarilla”, a Medicinal Shrub from Argentina

Abstract

Zuccagnia punctata Cav. (Fabaceae) is an Argentine medicinal aromatic shrub (jarilla pispito, puspus, lata and jarilla macho). The chalcones were identified as pigments responsible for the yellow color of the flowers. Hydroethanolic extracts were obtained both from fresh flowers and from flowers dried by lyophilization. The extracts were standardized by their phenolic and flavonoids content. Their fingerprints by HPLC-DAD indicated the presence of two chalcones as major compounds (2ʹ,4ʹ-dihydroxychalcone and 2ʹ,4ʹ-dihydroxy-3ʹ-methoxychalcone). Both extracts showed the same total phenolic, nonflavonoid phenolic and flavonoid phenolic content and their phenolic profiles were similar. The polyphenolic extracts exhibited antioxidant (free radical scavenging and inhibitory activity on lipoperoxidation) and anti-inflammatory (inhibition of lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase enzymes) activities. The flower extracts were active against six Candida species with MIC values between 60 and 120 µg GAE.mL-1 and were also active on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MIC: 250 µg GAE.mL-1) and Enterococcus faecalis (MIC: 500 µg GAE.mL-1). The extracts were neither toxic (Artemia salina test) nor mutagenic (Ames test). Jarilla flowers could be considered as a new dietary supplement that could help to prevent pathologies associated with oxidative stress and the polyphenolic extract obtained from them could be considered as a standardized phytotherapeutic product with antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.

Zuccagnia punctata: A Review of its Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry, Pharmacology and Toxicology

“…Antioxidant capacity: Flower extracts exhibited ABTS •+ reducing capacity, with SC 50 values of 3.8±0.2 μg GAE/mL. In addition, flower extracts were able to protect lipids from oxidation, showing an IC 50 value of 14.7±0.2 μg GAE/mL [18]. Both identified chalcones would be responsible for antioxidant capacity as demonstrated in previous reports [7a,11].…”

“…The in vitro inhibitory activity of two enzymes responsible for the biosynthesis of inflammatory mediators, cyclooxygenase (COX-2) and lipoxygenase (LOX), was used as an indicator of sample anti-inflammatory activity. The phenolic extracts obtained from Z. punctata flowers were able to inhibit COX-2 (IC 50 = 59.7 µg/mL) and LOX (IC 50 = 49.6 µg/mL) [18].…”

Oral administration of Zuccagnia punctata extract improves lipid profile, reduces oxidative stress and prevents vascular dysfunction in hypercholesterolemic rabbits

“…Zuccagnia punctata Cav., which belongs to the family of Fabaceae is a monotypic species widely distributed in western Argentina (Cabrera, 1971). Z. punctata is reported to have antioxidant (Moran Vieyra et al 2009), anti-inflammatory effects attributed to cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and LOX (lypooxygenase) inhibition (Moreno et al 2015;Nuño et al 2016), and antigenotoxic (Zampini et al 2008) properties. In addition, phytochemical analysis of Z. punctata shows that it is a rich source of flavonoids (flavanones, flavones, chalcones) and caffeoyl esters (Svetaz et al 2004;Moreno et al 2015).…”

“…Z. punctata is reported to have antioxidant (Moran Vieyra et al 2009), anti-inflammatory effects attributed to cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and LOX (lypooxygenase) inhibition (Moreno et al 2015;Nuño et al 2016), and antigenotoxic (Zampini et al 2008) properties. In addition, phytochemical analysis of Z. punctata shows that it is a rich source of flavonoids (flavanones, flavones, chalcones) and caffeoyl esters (Svetaz et al 2004;Moreno et al 2015). The major constituents from the leaf resin of Z. punctata were of 2´, 4´dihydroxychalcone and 2´, 4´-dihydroxy-3´-methoxychalcone (Agüero et al 2010;Moreno et al 2015).…”

“…In addition, phytochemical analysis of Z. punctata shows that it is a rich source of flavonoids (flavanones, flavones, chalcones) and caffeoyl esters (Svetaz et al 2004;Moreno et al 2015). The major constituents from the leaf resin of Z. punctata were of 2´, 4´dihydroxychalcone and 2´, 4´-dihydroxy-3´-methoxychalcone (Agüero et al 2010;Moreno et al 2015).…”