A screening of plants used in Colombian traditional medicine revealed the anti-inflammatory potential of Physalis angulata calyces

Abstract

The use of natural products by communities from the Colombian Caribbean region to treat health issues, together with biodiversity and geographical features, constitute a great scenery to develop new therapies based on ethnopharmacological heritage. Here, we investigated the anti-inflammatory potential of 10 commonly used plants in Colombian folk medicine, evaluating their effect on nitric oxide (NO) production by LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. The most active plant was evaluated in vivo using 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced mouse ear edema, along with its effect on the production of pro-inflammatory mediators in vitro. The extract of Physalis angulata L. calyces showed the highest activity. This extract was fractionated and its dichloromethane fraction (DF) was the most active in vitro, inhibiting the production of NO, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1 (CCL2). In vivo, DF showed a significant inhibition of ear edema and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, with evident reduction of the leukocyte infiltration into tissue. Our results support the ethnopharmacological use of the selected plants in folk medicine. P. angulata dichloromethane fraction represents a promising source of pharmacological compounds with great potential therapeutic use to treat inflammatory illness.

Physalis angulata Calyces Modulate Macrophage Polarization and Alleviate Chemically Induced Intestinal Inflammation in Mice

“…Another important result of the present study was the confirmation of significant amounts of glycosides and withanolides; secondary metabolites that might be responsible for the bioactivity, as previously reported by Rivera et al [7]. Up to date, all the studies related to the anti-inflammatory activity of P. angulata were directed to the assessment of withanolides such as physalins, aromaphysalins, physangulatins, and whitangulatins, labdane-type diterpenoids, such as physangulatosides, or phenol glycosides, namely physanguloside A.…”

“…To our knowledge, macrophages are the most commonly employed immune cells to study P. angulata derivatives, with all the reports employing LPS-stimulated macrophages [M(LPS)] and the quantification of pro-inflammatory mediators (such as NO, IL-6, and TNF-α) to demonstrate their anti-inflammatory properties. However, with the exception of Rivera et al [7], none of these reports focused on the calyces. Furthermore, no information is available regarding the impact of P. angulata on the expression of anti-inflammatory markers (i.e., IL-10 or TGF-β1) by M(LPS) macrophages or the modulation of resting macrophages (M0) or alternatively activated macrophages [M(IL-4)].…”

“…The calyces of Physalis angulata L were collected at Pueblo Nuevo, Bolívar, Colombia (10 • 44' N; 75 • 15' W) and identified by Felipe Cardona Naranjo in the herbarium of the University of Antioquia (Medellin, Colombia), where a voucher specimen was deposited (HUA175328). Dried calyces were employed to obtain the dichloromethane fraction (PADF) as previously reported by Rivera et al [7] and fully described in the Supplementary Information.…”

“…This has been accomplished with species cultivated on a large scale (i.e., Physalis peruviana and Physalis alkekengi) [5,6], but progress is limited with those growing wildly or cultivated at small scale. Our ongoing bioprospecting investigation on the Colombian Caribbean led to the identification of the anti-inflammatory potential of the calyces of Physalis angulata L. [7]; a wild species with extensive cultivation potential in tropical areas [8]. Although P. angulata is already recognized as a model of wide interest for its pharmacological and nutritional properties [9], few studies have focused on the calyces, a characteristic organ of the Physalis genus that is developed after pollination by modified leaves, forming a papery lantern-like structure that covers and protects the fruit [10].…”

Phytochemical composition and biological activity of Physalis spp.: A mini-review

“…franchetii, P. divericata D. Don, P. peruviana). Most of these are firstly discovered structures and have been pointed out as the characteristic bioactive components responsible for the antitumor, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties of various fractionated extracts by a series of in vitro and in vivo studies (Ji et al 2012;Li et al 2014;Li et al 2018;Pinto et al 2016;Rivera et al 2018;Yang et al 2016). In this review are considered just a few of the Physalis species, sharing the common trait of having edible fruit and a pharmacological promise, with a special accent on the only two species common to Bulgaria -P. peruviana (cultivated) and P. alkekengi (wild growing) ( Figure 1).…”