Screening of the in vitro antileishmanial activities of compounds and secondary metabolites isolated from Maytenus guianensis Klotzsch ex Reissek (Celastraceae) chichuá Amazon

Abstract

Introduction:Maytenus guianensis is a member of the Celastraceae family that is used in traditional medicine, particularly for its anti-parasitic and anti-cancer effects. To explore the ethnopharmacological potential of this plant, the present study was designed to screen the in vitro antileishmanial activities of extracts and compounds isolated from M. guianensis. Methods: Maytenus guianensis stems and leaves were extracted in acetone, followed by the preparation of eluates and isolation of secondary metabolites using chromatography on a glass column with silica gel as the fixed phase. The chemical components were identified using spectroscopic methods, including one-and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance of hydrogen-1 and carbon-13, mass spectroscopy, and infrared spectroscopy. The anti-Leishmania amazonensis activities of these eluates and compounds were evaluated by direct promastigote counting and viability assays. Results: It was found that the hexane bark eluate produced the strongest anti-L. amazonensis effect, with 90-100% inhibition of the promastigote form. The isolated metabolite that produced the best result was tingenone B, followed by a compound formed by the union of tingenone and tingenone B (80-90% inhibition). Conclusions: Maytenus guianensis shows anti-parasite activity that warrants further investigation to determine the mechanisms underlying this antileishmanial effect and to evaluate the pharmacological potential of these eluates and isolated secondary metabolites, while minimizing any adverse effects.

Larvicidal activity of Maytenus guianensis (Celastraceae) against Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae)

“…We separated the hexanic extract by using silica gel column chromatography, and eluted it with n-hexane, followed by a mixture of n-hexane: CHCl 3 , which had greater polarity. Moreover, we determined the structures of all isolated compounds by analyzing their spectral data (IR, MS, 1 H, and 13 C, including COSY, HMQC, HMBC, and NOESY spectra) and comparing them with the existing literature data 3 .…”

“…To date, no studies have reported the insecticidal activity of tingenone B; however, Meneguetti et al 3 reported that this substance was the most active triterpene of M. guianensis and completely inhibited the growth of Leishmania amazonensis promastigotes at 100 ppm concentration. Interestingly, the lepidopteran larvae Cydia pomonella, fed on a diet containing a similar molecule, 20-α-hydroxytingenone, presented an LC 50 of 13.0 mg/mL (13,000 ppm) after 5 days of feeding 12 ; whereas for A. aegypti, the LC 50 was 15 ppm after 48 h of contact, thereby suggesting that changes in the position of functional groups are related to the insecticidal potential of these triterpenes.…”

“…Recently, the insecticidal activity of plants against mosquitoes has been immensely explored, thereby revealing that some plants display remarkable larvicidal activity against different vector mosquitoes (Pavela et al 2 for a review) and act as potential sources of new insecticides. The Celastraceae family is represented by four genera; among these, Maytenus, the largest genus with 225 species, includes Maytenus guianensis, an endemic species from the Amazon, popularly known as chichuá, which presents several biological activities, such as leishmanicidal and antibacterial properties 3,4 .…”

“…The present study evaluated the insecticidal effect of ethanolic extract of M. guianensis (Celastraceae) bark and of tingenone B, an isolated triterpene with proven biological activity 3 against A. aegypti, due to their potential application in biotechnology.…”

The Amazonia Third Way Initiative: The Role of Technology to Unveil the Potential of a Novel Tropical Biodiversity-Based Economy

“…Currently, the following products of the Amazonian biodiversity for diversified products are on the market for cosmetics applications: Babaçu Research in the medical field confirms the value of many indigenous traditional medicines and goes beyond, with its own and advanced research methods [36]. As an example, we can mention the chichuá (Maytenus guianensis Klotzsch ex Reissek) that presents anti-leishmaniosis [37] and anti-microbial [38] compounds; guaraná (Paullinia cupana) with its properties for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease [39], priprioca (Cyperus articulatus L.) with anticonvulsant properties [40], babaçu (Orbignya phalerata) with a cicatrizing compound [41], sacaca (Croton cajucara Benth.) with hypoglycemic properties [42] and as ulcer healing [43], pracaxi (Pentaclethra macroloba Willd.)…”