Inhibitory effect of the Pseudobrickellia brasiliensis (Spreng) R.M. King & H. Rob. aqueous extract on human lymphocyte proliferation and IFN-γ and TNF-α production in vitro

Abstract

Pseudobrickellia brasiliensis (Asteraceae) is a plant commonly known as arnica-do-campo and belongs to the native flora of the Brazilian Cerrado. The alcoholic extract of the plant has been used as an anti-inflammatory agent in folk medicine, but the biological mechanism of action has not been elucidated. The present study evaluated the composition of P. brasiliensis aqueous extract and its effects on pro-inflammatory cytokine production and lymphocyte proliferation. The extracts were prepared by sequential maceration of P. brasiliensis leaves in ethanol, ethyl acetate, and water. Extract cytotoxicity was evaluated by trypan blue exclusion assay, and apoptosis and necrosis were measured by staining with annexin V-FITC and propidium iodide. The ethanolic (ETA) and acetate (ACE) extracts showed cytotoxic effects. The aqueous extract (AQU) was not cytotoxic. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated with phorbol myristate acetate and ionomycin and treated with AQU (100 μg/mL) showed reduced interferon (IFN)-γ and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α expression. AQU also inhibited lymphocyte proliferative response after nonspecific stimulation with phytohemagglutinin. The aqueous extract was analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array detection and mass spectrometry. Quinic acid and its derivatives 5-caffeoylquinic acid and 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, as well as the flavonoids luteolin and luteolin dihexoside, were detected. All these compounds are known to exhibit anti-inflammatory activity. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that P. brasiliensis aqueous extract can inhibit the pro-inflammatory cytokine production and proliferative response of lymphocytes. These effects may be related to the presence of chemical substances with anti-inflammatory actions previously reported in scientific literature.

Biotechnological applications of the medicinal plant Pseudobrickellia brasiliensis and its isolated endophytic bacteria

“…Pseudobrickellia brasiliensis aqueous extract presents anti-inflammatory activity in vitro (Almeida et al 2017). Previous studies with aqueous and organic extracts and with essential oil from aerial parts of P. brasiliensis indicated the presence of secondary metabolites of the classes of flavonoids, terpenoids (monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, diterpenes and triterpenes) and phytosterols (Bohlmann et al 1984;Amorim et al 2016;Almeida et al 2017). In histochemical tests performed on the leaves, the presence of chemotaxonomic markers of the Asteraceae family was detected, especially sesquiterpene lactones and phenolic compounds (Athayde et al 2019).…”

“…The alcoholic extract obtained from the leaves of that species is used as a topical anti-inflammatory, wound healing and analgesic agent. Pseudobrickellia brasiliensis aqueous extract presents anti-inflammatory activity in vitro (Almeida et al 2017). Previous studies with aqueous and organic extracts and with essential oil from aerial parts of P. brasiliensis indicated the presence of secondary metabolites of the classes of flavonoids, terpenoids (monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, diterpenes and triterpenes) and phytosterols (Bohlmann et al 1984;Amorim et al 2016;Almeida et al 2017).…”

Produção De Álcoois Em Gel Glicerinados Contendo Compostos Com Atividades Antibacterianas: Uma Revisão De Literatura

“…Estudos in vitro mostraram que os extratos etanólico das folhas, flores e caule da P. brasiliensis exerceram atividade anti-inflamatória, através da diminuição da expressão de citocinas pró-inflamatórias, TNF-α, IFN-γ e IL-10 em monócitos e linfócitos humanos. Além disso, o extrato aquoso das folhas reduziu a resposta proliferativa de linfócitos T, incluindo células CD4+ e CD8+, em linfócitos humanos (ALMEIDA et al, 2017).…”