Phytochemical and Biological Profile of Moricandia arvensis (L.) DC.: An Inhibitor of Pancreatic Lipase

Abstract

Pancreatic lipase, a key enzyme for lipid absorption, is one of the most important targets for the treatment of obesity, while natural compounds have recently attracted much interest as potential inhibitors of this enzyme. Here, in an attempt to find new effective agents, the methanolic extract from Moricandia arvensis (L.) DC. and its sub-extracts were investigated for their potential inhibitory activity. The ability to inhibit pancreatic lipase was verified through the in vitro evaluation of the prevention of p-nitrophenyl caprylate hydrolysis. The antioxidant activity was also verified by means of DPPH and β-carotene bleaching tests. Compositional profiling revealed that flavonoid glycosides were the main specialized metabolites present in the methanolic extract from the aerial parts of the plant with kaempferol and quercetin representing the two O-glycosylated aglycones. Kaempferol-3-O-β-(2″-O-glucosyl)-rutinoside and kaempferol-3-O-a-arabinosyl-7-O-rhamnoside were the most abundant flavonols. The crude methanolic extract and the dichloromethane and ethyl acetate sub-extracts showed a strong lipase inhibitory activity, with IC50 values of 2.06 ± 0.02, 1.52 ± 0.02 and 1.31 ± 0.02 mg/mL, respectively. The best capacity to scavenge DPPH radical was detected for the ethyl acetate sub-extract (IC50 = 171.9 ± 1.0 µg/mL), which was also effective in protecting linoleic acid from peroxidation (IC50 = 35.69 ± 2.30 µg/mL). Obtained results support the hypothesis that M. arvensis can be a source of bioactive phytochemicals for the pharmacological inhibition of dietary lipids absorption.

Lobularia maritima (L.) Desv. Aerial Parts Methanolic Extract: In Vitro Screening of Biological Activity

“…This was also supported by the fragmentation pattern in the mass spectra (Table 3), in which quercetin derivatives were characterized by the [Aglycone + H] + ion at m/z 303, while kaempferol derivatives showed an [Aglycone + H] + ion at m/z 287. In addition, as reported for other Brassicaceae [11][12][13][14][15][16], they were mono-, bi-e tri-glycosides with sophorose (β-1,2-linked glucose) and rutinose (rhamnosyl-(α1→6)-glucose) as the most common disaccharide moieties (Table 3). Detected fragments of ions of sugars (−162 or −146 Da) also indicated that they were all O-glycosides.…”

“…Total flavonoid content was estimated using an aluminum chloride colorimetric method previously described [16]. L. maritima extract (2 mg/mL in 80% ethanol), 1 mL, was mixed with 1 mL of 2% aluminum chloride solution.…”

“…Content of phenolics in the MeOH extract from L. maritima was determined following the general procedure reported in Marrelli et al [16]. A preliminary screening was carried out by TLC eluted with EtOAc:HCOOH:CH 3 CO 2 H:H 2 O (100:11:11:27, v:v).…”

“…HPLC analyses were performed with the same apparatus and analytical column, as previously described [16]. Analytical conditions were as follows: Solvent A, H 2 O-HCOOH 0.1%, pH 2.7; solvent B, CH 3 CN-HCOOH 0.1%; elution gradient, 10-60% B in 60 min; flow rate, 1 mL/min.…”

“…All analyses were run in triplicate. HPLC identification was based on coelution of available phenolics run in the same analytical conditions and comparison of their RT and UV spectra; chromatographic and spectroscopic data from the literature were also used [7,15,16,[29][30][31].…”