Biological activity of barbados cherry (acerola fruits, fruit of Malpighia emarginata DC) extracts and fractions

Fractionation of barbados cherry (acerola fruit, a fruit of Malpighia emarginata DC.) extracts were performed by organic solvent extractions and column chromatographies, using two extraction methods. Higher cytotoxic activity was concentrated in fractions A4 and A6 (acetone extract), and H3 and HE3 (hexane extract). These four fractions showed higher cytotoxic activity against tumor cell lines such as human oral squamous cell carcinoma (HSC‐2) and human submandibular gland carcinoma (HSG), when compared with that against normal cells such as human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (HPLF) and human gingival fibroblasts (HGF). HE2 (hexane extract), AE2 (ethyl acetate extract), AE3, AE4, AE5, A8, A9 and A10 showed some relatively higher anti‐bacterial activity on the Gram‐positive Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 1228 but were ineffective on the representative Gram‐negative species E. coli and Ps. aeruginosa. The fractions were inactive against Helicobacter pylori, two representative Candida species, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). H3, H4 and HE3, which displayed higher tumor‐specific cytotoxicity also showed higher multidrug resistance (MDR) reversal activity, than (±)‐verapamil as positive control. ESR spectroscopy shows that the radical‐mediated oxidation is not involved in the induction of tumor‐specific cytotoxic activity. The tumor specific cytotoxic activity and MDR reversal activity of barbados cherry may suggest its possible application for cancer therapy. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

[1]  J. Robert,et al.  Multidrug resistance reversal agents. , 2003, Journal of medicinal chemistry.

[2]  J. Molnár,et al.  Cytotoxic and multidrug resistance reversal activity of a vegetable, ‘Anastasia Red’, a variety of sweet pepper , 2003, Phytotherapy research : PTR.

[3]  I. Nagamine,et al.  Effect of acerola cherry extract on cell proliferation and activation of ras signal pathway at the promotion stage of lung tumorigenesis in mice. , 2002, Journal of nutritional science and vitaminology.

[4]  J. Pino,et al.  Volatile flavor constituents of acerola (Malpighia emarginata DC.) fruit. , 2001, Journal of agricultural and food chemistry.

[5]  O. Oliveira,et al.  Acerola's pectin methylesterase: studies of heat inactivation , 2000 .

[6]  J. Molnár,et al.  Reversal of multidrug resistance of tumor cells. , 2000, Anticancer research.

[7]  Ana Lúcia do Amaral Vendramini,et al.  Chemical composition of acerola fruit (Malpighia punicifolia L.) at three stages of maturity , 2000 .

[8]  H. Sakagami,et al.  Effect of cobalt ion on radical intensity and cytotoxic activity of antioxidants. , 2000, Anticancer research.

[9]  F. Ursini,et al.  Synergistic inhibition of LDL oxidation by phytoestrogens and ascorbic acid. , 2000, Free radical biology & medicine.

[10]  A. Sevanian,et al.  Ascorbic acid enhances 17 beta-estradiol-mediated inhibition of oxidized low density lipoprotein formation. , 2000, Atherosclerosis.

[11]  S. Saito,et al.  In vitro susceptibility of Helicobacter pylori to trifluoromethyl ketones. , 1999, Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters.

[12]  Stephen S. Hecht,et al.  Approaches to Cancer Prevention Based on an Understanding of N-Nitrosamine Carcinogenesis , 1997, Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine.

[13]  K. Onimura,et al.  Antibacterial activity of two alkylamines integrated an indane scaffold: mimicry of a complementary unit on magainin 2. , 1997, Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin.

[14]  H. Sakagami,et al.  Radical intensity and differentiation-inducing activity of benzo[a]phenothiazines and phenothiazines. , 1997, Anticancer research.

[15]  H. Sakagami,et al.  Enhancement of radical intensity and cytotoxic activity of ascorbate by PSK and lignins. , 1996, Anticancer research.

[16]  A. Cáceres,et al.  Plants used in Guatemala for the treatment of dermatophytic infections. 2. Evaluation of antifungal activity of seven American plants. , 1993, Journal of ethnopharmacology.

[17]  F. Ca.  [The reutilization of hospital medical articles: the use of ethylene oxide] , 1993 .

[18]  M. Gottesman,et al.  The effect of ion channel blockers, immunosuppressive agents, and other drugs on the activity of the multi‐drug transporter , 1993, International journal of cancer.

[19]  H. Sakagami,et al.  Inhibition of human immunodeficiency viral replication by tannins and related compounds. , 1992, Antiviral research.

[20]  I. Pastan,et al.  A retrovirus carrying an MDR1 cDNA confers multidrug resistance and polarized expression of P-glycoprotein in MDCK cells. , 1988, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.

[21]  J. Whitaker.  Pectic substances, pectic enzymes and haze formation in fruit juices , 1984 .

[22]  I. Rasko,et al.  l-Serine Deaminase of Escherichia coli , 1968, Journal of bacteriology.

[23]  N. Clein.  Acerola juice, the richest known source of vitamin C; a clinical study in infants. , 1956, The Journal of pediatrics.

[24]  C. F. Asenjo,et al.  Ascorbic acid content and other characteristics of the West Indian cherry. , 1950, Food research.

[25]  M. Kawase,et al.  New multidrug resistance reversal agents. , 2003, Current drug targets.

[26]  A. Sevanian,et al.  Soy and alfalfa phytoestrogen extracts become potent low-density lipoprotein antioxidants in the presence of acerola cherry extract. , 2001, Journal of agricultural and food chemistry.

[27]  H. Sakagami,et al.  Induction of apoptosis and anti-HIV activity by tannin- and lignin-related substances. , 1999, Basic life sciences.

[28]  J. Berliner,et al.  The role of oxidized lipoproteins in atherogenesis. , 1996, Free radical biology & medicine.

[29]  [The acerola. A great source of vitamin C]. , 1993, Enfoque.

[30]  D. Kessel,et al.  Exploring multidrug resistance using rhodamine 123. , 1989, Cancer communications.

[31]  J. P. Walt,et al.  Chapter II – Methods for the isolation, maintenance, classification and identification of yeasts , 1984 .