Evaluation of antioxidant and antiproliferative activities in fruits of Campomanesia pubescens

Abstract

Chemical investigation on the bioactive extracts from fruits of Campomanesia pubescens (Myrtaceae) resulted in the isolation of two chalcones. The isolated compounds were identified by means of spectroscopic analysis (1H, 13C and 2D NMR), and by comparing with the data reported in the specific literature. Antioxidant capacity of extracts and fractions was determined using the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC-FL) and DPPH assays; and the total soluble phenolic contents were measured by using Folin-Ciocalteau reagent. The anti-proliferative effects of the extracts and of the chalcone isolates 1 and 2 were determined in vitro against human cancer cells lineages U251 (glioma), UACC-62 (melanoma), MCF-7 (breast), NC1-ADR/RES (ovarian-resistant), 786.0 (kidney), NCI-H460 (lung), PC-3 (prostate), OVCAR-3 (ovarian), HT-29 (colon) and K562 (leukemia), and against non-cancerous cell line VERO. Hexanic extract and chalcone isolated compounds 1 and 2 showed potent antiproliferative effect against cancer cell lineages with lower total growth inhibition (TGI) values than those found in control cell line. The highest activity of the chalcones 1 and 2 was observed against the MCF-7, PC-3 and HT-29 cell lines.