title: Antioxidant and photoprotective activity of a crude extract of Culcitium reflexum H.B.K. leaves and their major flavonoids.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the in vitro antioxidant and in vivo photoprotective activities of an ethanolic extract of Culcitium reflexum H.B.K. leaves (ECR extract). The antioxidant activity of the extract was assessed by means of three different in vitro tests: (1) bleaching of the stable 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical; (2) peroxidation, induced by the water-soluble radical initiator 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane)hydrochloride, on mixed dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine/linoleic acid unilamellar vesicles; (3) UV radiation-induced peroxidation in phosphatidylcholine multilamellar vesicles. In all in vitro tests used the ECR extract showed a significant antioxidant effect. Furthermore, a gel formulation containing this extract proved, when topically applied, to afford a significant in vivo protection against UV-B-induced skin erythema in healthy human volunteers. Then, by chromatographic fractionation and spectroscopic methods, we identified some cinnamic acid derivatives and the major flavonoid constituents of the ECR extract, viz. the flavonols rutin, quercetin-3-O-beta-D-galactopyranoside-4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, quercetin-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, isorhamnetin-3-O-beta-D-galactopyranoside, quercetin and kaempferol.
authors.affiliation: Scuola di Specializzazione in Scienza e Tecnologia Cosmetiche and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aquino
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morelli
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tomaino
authors.forename: Marialuisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pellegrino
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saija
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grumetto
authors.forename: Carmelo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Puglia
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ventura
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bonina
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019540:Area Under Curve; D019659:Asteraceae / Q000737:chemistry; D004341:Drug Evaluation / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004890:Erythema / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013473:Sunscreening Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005419:Flavonoids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013473:Sunscreening Agents