Abstract

MACIAS VILLAMIZAR, Víctor Enrique; COY BARRERA, Ericsson David  and  CUCA SUAREZ, Luís Enrique. Preliminary phytochemical analysis and antioxidant, antiinflammatory and antiproliferative activities of the bark ethanol extracts of Zanthoxylum fagara (L.) Sarg. (Rutaceae). Rev Cubana Plant Med [online]. 2011, vol.16, n.1, pp.43-53. ISSN 1028-4796.

Introduction: the Z. fagara species having multiple ethnobotanical uses, and a variety of secondary metabolites becomes a promising object of study at phytochemical and/or pharmacological settings. Objectives: to detect the possible presence of certain groups of secondary metabolites by means of a preliminary phytochemical analysis and to evaluate the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative activities of the ethanolic extract from Zanthoxylum fagara (L.) Sarg. (Rutaceae)bark. Methods: the bark extract underwent preliminary phytochemical analysis using tests to evaluate antioxidant action (DPPH, TBARS test and FeSO₄-induced peroxidation), anti-inflammatory activity (using mouse ear edema induced by acetate 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol, TPA) and antiproliferative property (in treating tumor cells, sulphorodamine B protein (SRB) in microculture assay was used in addition to measuring cell viability and growth). Results: alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins and terpenes were found in the extract. The antioxidant activity at 10, 100 and 1000 ppm concentrations, exhibited inhibition percentages of 14.9; 84.5 and 92.5 % respectively [compared to DPPH]; 92.8 % (1 000 ppm) [TBARS test], and 4.2; 47.1; and 93.9 %, respectively, in the FeSO₄-induced peroxidation. The anti-inflammatory activity showed inhibition percentage of 45.3 %, and in the case of anti-proliferation, the extract was moderately active against cancer cell lines K562, being the inhibition percentage equals to 55.5 %. In the other tested lines (U251, PC-3, HCT-15, MCF-7, and Skule) the inhibition percentage was lower than 50 %. Conclusions: the preliminary phytochemical testing showed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins and terpenes. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties were observed at above 100 ppm extract concentrations, whereas the antiproliferative activity was moderately effective against leukemia cancer cell lines K562.

Keywords : Phytochemical analysis; antioxidant action; antiproliferative activity; anti-inflammatory activity; Zanthoxylum, Rutaceae.

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