Chemical metabolome assay by high-resolution Orbitrap mass spectrometry and assessment of associated antitumoral activity of Actinocephalus divaricatus

Author(s)

Zanatta, Ana C. ^[1] ; Mari, Angela ^[2] ; Masullo, Milena ^[2] ; Carlos, Iracilda Zeppone ^[3] ; Vilegas, Wagner ^{[1, 4]} ; Piacente, Sonia ^[2] ; dos Santos, Lourdes Campaner ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Sao Paulo State Univ UNESP, Inst Chem, Dept Organ Chem, Campus Araraquara, Araraquara, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Salerno, Dept Pharmaceut Sci & Biomed, Fisciano, SA - Italy

^[3] Sao Paulo State Univ UNESP, Fac Pharmaceut Sci, Dept Clin Anal, Araraquara, SP - Brazil

^[4] Sao Paulo State Univ UNESP, Inst Biosci, Coastal Campus Sao Vicente, Sao Vicente, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY; v. 32, n. 3, p. 241-250, FEB 15 2018.
• Web of Science Citations: 3

Abstract

RationaleActinocephalus divaricatus (Eriocaulaceae) is an important source of income for rural communities as it is sold as an ornamental plant. To date, no investigation has been conducted concerning the chemical composition and biological studies of the aerial parts of A. divaricatus. MethodsThe methanolic extract of the aerial parts of this species was chemically characterized. We applied an analytical dereplication approach based on Liquid Chromatography coupled to High-Resolution Orbitrap Mass Spectrometry in order to develop, identify and define rapidly the metabolite fingerprint of the aerial parts of A. divaricatus. Biological in vitro antitumor tests were undertaken using breast and lung cell lines of mice and humans. ResultsHigh-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HRMS) allowed the fast determination of 30 compounds, which comprised three different classes of compounds: naphthopyranones, flavonoids and saponins. Chromatographic fractionation of the crude methanolic extract validated these results, since it led to the isolation of compounds belonging to the aforementioned classes of compounds, including new acyl glycosylated flavonoids (6-hydroxy-7-methoxyquercetin-3-O-(2{''}-O-acetyl)--D-glucopyranoside and 6-hydroxy-7-methoxyquercetin-3-O-(6-O-acetyl)--D-glucopyranoside), which were fully characterized by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Mass Spectrometry experiments, and a known triterpenic saponin (3-O--D-glucuronopyranosyl-30-norolean-12,20(29)-dien-28-O--D-glucopyran osyl ester). Biological assays indicated that the methanolic extract of the capitula exhibited the best in vitro cytotoxicity against MCF7 cells (human breast cancer). ConclusionsThe HRMS technique enabled us to identify several classes of compounds. In addition, saponins were identified for the first time in plants belonging to the Eriocaulaceae family. Thus, the essential contribution of this work lies in the new elements it brings to the taxonomic discussion which the Actinocephalus genus as a distinct genus of the Paepalanthus. The results obtained show that the methanolic extract of the capitula could be a promising source of bioactive fractions and/or compounds that may contribute towards breast cancer treatment. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 15/00809-0 - Metabolite fingerprinting of aerial parts of Actinocephalus divaricatus (Koern.) Sano (Eriocaulaceae) by LC-ESI-MS
• Grantee: Ana Caroline Zanatta Silva
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• FAPESP's process: 15/04899-3 - Chemical study of the extracts produced by endophytic fungi associated with the aerial parts of Eriocaulaceae species and its antimicrobial activity
• Grantee: Lourdes Campaner dos Santos
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 14/04593-9 - Standardization of polar extracts of the aerial parts of Actinocephalus divaricatus (Koern.) Sano (Eriocaulaceae) by HPLC-PDA
• Grantee: Ana Caroline Zanatta Silva
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master