Metabolic studies of the genus Baccharis (Asteraceae), evaluation of the anti-inflammatory potential in vitro and its correlations by in silico methods

Author(s)

Rosana Casoti

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Ribeirão Preto.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (PCARP/BC)
• Defense date: 2017-03-28

Examining board members

Fernando Batista da Costa; Ian Castro Gamboa; Leonardo Gobbo Neto; Milton Groppo Junior; Ricardo Vessecchi Lourenço

• Advisor: Fernando Batista da Costa

Abstract

The genus Baccharis comprises 433 species which are widespread throughout the American continent and their habit consists of perennial herbs, lianas, sub-shrubs and small trees. The great amount of species and the enormous variability have made difficult the taxonomic circumscription of the genus. Recently, a new classification has been proposed based on morphological and molecular data. It is known that chemical data from compound of the secondary metabolism can help to corroborate or suggest alterations in the taxonomy of plants. Thus, the untargeted metabolomic studies of the genus Baccharis aimed to: determine an efficient and unique extraction method for 306 specimens (211 distinct species); to carry out a chemotaxonomic study for the genus from LC-MS data and multivariate analysis; to screen species with anti-inflammatory potential from prediction models using species from other genera of Asteraceae. The extraction results showed that both solvents ethanol or methanol in aqueous solution provided an efficient extraction of metabolites in ultrasonic bath >= 10 min. The extraction can be carried out in the range of 48.3-85.8% ethanol or above 67% in methanol acidified with formic acid in the range of 0.12-0.27%. The results of the chemotaxonomic study using LC-MS and multivariate analysis showed a strong similarity with the recent taxonomic classification based on morphology and molecular data. In the chemotaxonomic classification, 10 main groups were observed, which are formed almost exclusively by sections of the following subgenera: four groups formed by species of the subgenus Baccharis, three groups formed mainly by species of the subgenus Molina, two groups formed mainly by species of the subgenus Tarchonanthoides and one group formed by species of the subgenus Coridifolia. Substances such as flavonoids and diterpenes were determined as discriminants of the groups formed. The results of the screening of species with anti-inflammatory potential showed that from a good prediction model made by OPLS-DA with coefficients R2X = 0.27, R2Y = 0.987 and Q2 = 0.83 it was possible to predict 30 species of Baccharis able of promoting double inhibition of the 5-LOX and COX-1 enzymes and that the substances correlated to this inhibition are from the flavonoids and phenylpropanoids classes. Therefore, the use of LC-MS chemical data using a non-targeted metabolomic approach generated important discoveries both to the chemotaxonomy of the genus Baccharis and also for the screening of species with anti-inflammatory potential. These findings can help both taxonomists and bioguided studies for the discovery of new drugs (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/14397-7 - Metabolomic studies of the genus Baccharis L. (Asteraceae), in vitro evaluation of the anti-inflammatory potential and their correlation by in silico methods
• Grantee: Rosana Casoti
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate