Nutricional and physicochemical aspects of Ilex laurina Kunth (Aquifoliaceae): a comparative study with Ilex Paraguariensis

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the leishmanicidal and cytotoxic activity of alcohol and non-alcohol extracts and saponins from Ilex laurina.

Methods: Extracts were obtained by percolation with solvents of different polarities: hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and ethanol. The ethyl acetate extract was subjected to silica gel column chromatography eluting with a step gradient of dichloromethane-methanol. All products were evaluated in vitro for leishmanicidal activity against amastigotes of leishmania panamensis and cytotoxicity on U-937 cells.

Results: Two saponins were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract. The ethyl acetate extract showed high leishmanicidal activity against intracellular amastigotes of L. panamensis (EC₅₀, 7.5 ± 1.5 μg/mL) and low activity against axenic amastigotes (EC₅₀, 52.8 ±1.6 μg/mL); this extract showed also high cytotoxicity (LC₅₀, 57.7 ± 12.1 μg/mL). Saponin 2 exhibited high activity against intracellular amastigotes (EC₅₀, 5.9 ± 0.5 μg/mL) but also showed high cytotoxicity on U-937 cells (EC₅₀, 25.7 ± 6.1 μg/mL). This compound showed similar leishmanicidal activity and cytotoxicity to meglumine antimoniate and amphotericin B, respectively, drugs currently used for the treatment of leishmaniasis.

Conclusions: Based on these results, Ilex laurina is a potential source of compounds that can lead to the development of new therapeutic alternatives against leishmaniasis.

Citation

Pérez, J. M., Robledo, S. M., Cardona-Galeano, W., Alzate-Guarin, F. A., Muñoz, D., & Herrera-Ramírez, A. (2016). Leishmanicidal and cytotoxic activity of extracts and saponins from Ilex laurina (Aquifoliaceae). Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 15(5), 973. https://doi.org/10.4314/tjpr.v15i5.11