Bioactive properties and functional constituents of Hypericum androsaemum L.: A focus on the phenolic profile

Hypericum androsaemum L. ethanol:water extract acted as a lipid peroxidation inhibitor and free radical scavenger. Amarked inhibition of the growth of breast, lung, cervical and hepatocellular human carcinoma cell lineswas also observed, whereas no toxicity was shown against non-tumor porcine liver cells (N400 μg/mL). The extract was also effective in inhibiting nitric oxide production, as an indicator of the anti-inflammatory potential. The anti-Candida effects varied among different strains of the same species, C. glabrata and C. tropicalis being the most sensible species with an effect directly related with the extract concentrations tested. A significant antibiofilm formation potential was also observed, namely for C. glabrata and C. tropicalis (biofilm reduction N90%). 5-O-Caffeoylquinic and 3-O-caffeoylquinic acids were themost abundant phenolic compounds identified in the extract, and might be related with the observed bioactive effects. Nevertheless, future studies should be carried out to obtain dose-response curves of the isolated active compounds, in order to perform further preclinically testing to quantify the presence of the most active compounds in the extract.

Keywords

Hypericum androsaemum L. Antioxidant Cytotoxic Anti-inflammatory Anti-Candida Phenolic compounds

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10198/13696

Citation

Jabeur, Inés; Tobaldini, Flávia; Martins, Natália; Barros, Lillian; Martins, Ivone; Calhelha, Ricardo C.; Henriques, Mariana; Silva, Sónia; Achour, Lotfi; Santos-Buelga, Celestino; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R. (2016). Bioactive properties and functional constituents of Hypericum androsaemum L.: A focus on the phenolic profile. Food Research International. ISSN 0963-9969. 89, p. 422-431