Antiproliferative effects of Ceratonia siliqua L. on mouse hepatocellular carcinoma cell line

Abstract

Extracts from pods and leaves of carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) were tested for their ability to inhibit cell proliferation of mouse hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (T1). The two extracts showed a marked alteration of T1 cell proliferation in a dose-related fashion reaching the maximal effect at 1 mg/ml. Moreover, we demonstrated that leaf and pod extracts were able to induce apoptosis in T1 cell lines after 24-h treatment mediating a direct activation of the caspase 3 pathway. HPLC analysis revealed the presence of gallic acid, (-) epigallocatechin-3-gallate and (-) epicatechin-3-gallate in pod and leaf extracts, compounds well known to exert antiproliferative effects. Their concentration reached 6.28 mg/g in carob leaves and 1.36 mg/g in carob pods extract. The discovery that carob pod and leaf extracts contained antiproliferative agents could be of practical importance in the development of functional foods and/or chemopreventive drugs.

Identification of phenolic compounds by high performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) and in vitro evaluation of the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Ceratonia siliqua leaves extracts

“…This is the first report on detection of phenolic compounds in C. siliqua leaves to the best of our knowledge. Our data showed that in comparison to the carob pod itself, leaves of C. siliqua contains higher concentrations of phenolic compounds than detected in earlier report (Corsi et al, 2002;Porto et al, 2000). Corsi et al (2002) have demonstrated that the phenolic fraction of carob pod by infusion was dominated by gallic acid with minor contributions of catechins, epigallocatechin and epicatechin gallate.…”

“…Our data showed that in comparison to the carob pod itself, leaves of C. siliqua contains higher concentrations of phenolic compounds than detected in earlier report (Corsi et al, 2002;Porto et al, 2000). Corsi et al (2002) have demonstrated that the phenolic fraction of carob pod by infusion was dominated by gallic acid with minor contributions of catechins, epigallocatechin and epicatechin gallate. As part of our investigation on the constituents of C. siliqua leaves, we have demonstrated that the actively ethyl acetate fraction contained mainly syringic acid, myricetin glycosides and gallic acids derivatives.…”

“…Bark and leaves have been used in Tunisian folk medicine as laxative, diuretic, antidiarrheal and for the treatment of gastroenteritis of lactating babies (Kivçak and Mert, 2002). Furthermore, recent studies have confirmed the presence of antioxidant, hypocholesterolemic activities in pods of C. siliqua (Dimitris and Makris, 2004) and antiproliferative effects on T1 cell line and substances acting on peripheral benzodiazepine receptor in its leaves Corsi et al, 2002).…”

Genetic structure of Tunisian natural carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.) populations inferred from RAPD markers

“…Ceratonia siliqua L. (Caesalpinioideae) is a diploid forest (or semi forest) tree (2n = 2x = 24) native from the Mediterranean basin (Battle, 1997;Mitrakos, 1968;Talhouk et al, (Khair et al, 2001) dietetic, food and cosmetic uses (Albanell et al, 1991;Corsi et al, 2002;Roukas, 1994). However, most of the material used by these industries comes from wild populations which are more and more destroyed, and replaced with more profitable species (i.e.…”

CAROB (Ceratonia siliqua): HEALTH, MEDICINE, CHEMISTRY

“…Authors attribute this activity to the presence of gallic acid and some of its esters. 57 Methanolic extracts of pods and leaves were prepared and tested for antiproliferative and apoptotic activities in MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells, and both found active, with higher activity of leaves extract. Authors relate these activities to the presence of phenolic compounds.…”