Study of potentially medicinal plant extracts action on oxidative stress in healthy cells and tumor cell lines

• Grant number: 05/04364-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: June 01, 2006
• End date: December 18, 2006
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry
• Principal Investigator: Ana Célia Ruggiero
• Grantee: Ana Célia Ruggiero
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia, Arquitetura e Urbanismo. Universidade Metodista de Piracicaba (UNIMEP). Instituto Educacional Piracicabano. Santa Bárbara D'Oeste , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The oxidative stress corresponds to an imbalance between the rate of oxidant production and that there degradation. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) react with a variety of biomolecules like DNA, lipids and membrane proteins. In this way several compounds with antioxidant activity has been re-available because the antioxidants molecules can act, in some situation, like proxidants. The vegetables hold several compounds with potentially beneficial effects in human health. The compounds are known as secondary plant metabolites, which indicates that most of these substances have been regarded as secondary in function. Among the different groups of naturally occurring antioxidants from plants, the flavonoids can be transformed in the future, in medicine compounds. The aim of the project is study the antioxidant capacity of the extracts and these fractions, and after, the active compounds isolated of the plants with antioxidant potential and possible activity in the immune system. We will available the citotoxicity and the probably action mechanism in cells. We intend to determinate the action upon the hemolysis and hemoglobin oxidation. The action of the brut extract will be available in healthy and tumoral cells to compare the effect of these extracts. (AU)