Potential antigenotoxic and against poisoning by methylmercury and lead of flavonoids and galloylquinic compounds from Copaifera langsdorffii Desf.

• Grant number: 15/05954-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Effective date (Start): June 01, 2015
• Effective date (End): March 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Organic Chemistry
• Acordo de Cooperação: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal Investigator: Jairo Kenupp Bastos
• Grantee: Jennyfer Andrea Aldana Mejía
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 11/13630-7 - Chemical and pharmacological validation of extracts and active compounds of Copaifera species, AP.TEM

Abstract

Plants belonging to Copaifera genus, known as "copaibeira" or "pau d'óleo", are a genus of trees native to the tropical West Africa and Latin America. Among the most abundant species in Brazil Copaifera langsdorffii Desf., stands out for producing an oleoresin from the trunk, which has been used for over 500 years in traditional folk medicine. Most scientific studies of this plant focus on its oleoresin, leaving aside the chemical composition and potential biological activities of the aerial parts for future pharmaceutical applications. This study aims to isolate flavonoid and galloylquinic compounds present in the leaves of C. langsdorffii and to investigate their possible protective effects against heavy metal poisoning. For that, the hydroalcoholic extract of the leaves will be subject to a liquid-liquid partition with dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and n-butanol, in sequence. The flavonoids will be isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction by using countercurrent chromatography and the galoilquinic acids will be isolated from the n-buthanol by using Sephadex gel filtration. The fractions will be analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and purified using the same technique, but in preparation mode (HPLC-PREP). The chemical structures of the isolated compounds will be determined through analysis of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) one-dimensional 1H and 13C and two-dimensional (HSQC and HMBC). Cell lines HepG2 (liver), and PC-12 (neuronal) will be challenged with different concentrations of methylmercury (MeHg), lead (Pb), the isolated flavonoids and galloylquinic acids, to determine the LC50, as well as with the combination of metals with the tested compounds for determining the cytotoxicity, which will be measured by the reduction of tetrazolium salt. Citoma micronucleus tests, comet assay, and the determination of the biochemical parameters and genic expression will be performed for each treatment in both cell lines. Like other flavonoids, it is expected that the isolated flavonoid and galloylquinic acid compounds from C. langsdorffii might display a protective effect against the adverse effects caused by MeHg and Pb. (AU)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

MEJÍA, Jennyfer Andrea Aldana. Evaluation of cytoprotective effects of compounds isolated from Copaifera langsdorffii Desf. against induced cytotoxicity by exposure to methylmercury and lead. 2017. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (PCARP/BC) Ribeirão Preto.