Genotoxic and antiproliferative properties of Endopleura uchi bark aqueous extract

• Published in: Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A Vol. 87; no. 12; pp. 516 - 531
• Main Authors: de Lima e Souza Mesquita, Glaucia Cristina, Da Cruz, Elkejer Ribeiro, Corrêa, Dione Silva, de Barros Falcão Ferraz, Alexandre, Miri, Jéssica Machado, Farias, Ingrid Vicente, Reginatto, Flávio Henrique, Boaretto, Fernanda Brião Menezes, dos Santos, Duani Maria, da Silva, Juliana, Grivicich, Ivana, Picada, Jaqueline Nascimento
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis 17.06.2024; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Adenocarcinoma; Antiproliferatives; Antitumor; Antitumour agents; Assaying; Bioactive compounds; Bioassays; Cancer; Chemical composition; Chromatography; Colorimetry; Comet assay; Cytotoxicity; Diabetes mellitus; DNA damage; Endopleura Uchi; Gallic acid; Genotoxicity; isoquercitrin; Mutagenicity; Plant extracts; Sulforhodamine; Therapeutic applications; Toxicity tests; Tumor cell lines; Endopleura Uchi; mutagenicity; gallic acid; DNA damage; isoquercitrin; Antitumor
• ISSN: 1528-7394; 1087-2620; 2381-3504
• DOI: 10.1080/15287394.2024.2340069

The bark extract from Endopleura uchi has been widely used in traditional medicine to treat gynecological-related disorders, diabetes, and dyslipidemias albeit without scientific proof. In addition, E. uchi bark extract safety, especially regarding mutagenic activities, is not known. The aim of this study was to determine the chemical composition, antitumor, and toxicological parameters attributed to an E. uchi bark aqueous extract. The phytochemical constitution was assessed by colorimetric and chromatographic analyzes. The antiproliferative effect was determined using sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay using 4 cancer cell lines. Cytotoxic and genotoxic activities were assessed utilizing MTT and comet assays, respectively, while mutagenicity was determined through micronucleus and Salmonella/microsome assays. The chromatographic analysis detected predominantly the presence of gallic acid and isoquercitrin. The antiproliferative effect was more pronounced in human colon adenocarcinoma (HT-29) and human breast cancer (MCF-7) cell lines. In the MTT assay, the extract presented an IC 50  = 39.1 µg/ml and exhibited genotoxic (comet assay) and mutagenic (micronucleus test) activities at 20 and 40 µg/ml in mouse fibroblast cell line (L929) and mutagenicity in the TA102 and TA97a strains in the absence of S9 mix. Data demonstrated that E. uchi bark possesses bioactive compounds which exert cytotoxic and genotoxic effects that might be associated with its antitumor potential. Therefore, E. uchi bark aqueous extract consumption needs to be approached with caution in therapeutic applications.