title: Evaluation of the antioxidant and cytotoxic activity of arzanol, a prenylated alpha-pyrone-phloroglucinol etherodimer from Helichrysum italicum subsp.microphyllum.
abstract: Various phenolics and (mero)terpenoids from Helichrysum italicum subsp. microphyllum, a plant endemic to Sardinia, were investigated for their capacity to inhibit non-enzymatic lipid peroxidation. These compounds were studied in simple in vitro systems, under conditions of autoxidation and of iron (EDTA)-mediated oxidation of linoleic acid at 37 degrees C. Arzanol, a pyrone-phloroglucinol etherodimer, and helipyrone, a dimeric pyrone, showed antioxidant activity, and could protect linoleic acid against free radical attack in assays of autoxidation and EDTA-mediated oxidation. Methylarzanol, as well as the sesquiterpene alcohol rosifoliol, showed a decreased, but still significant, protective effect against linoleic acid oxidation. Arzanol and helipyrone were also tested in an assay of thermal (140 degrees C) autoxidation of cholesterol, where arzanol showed significant antioxidant activity. The cytotoxicity of arzanol was further evaluated in VERO cells, a line of fibroblasts derived from monkey kidney. Arzanol, at non-cytotoxic concentrations, showed a strong inhibition of TBH-induced oxidative stress in VERO cells. The results of the present work suggest that the natural compound arzanol exerts useful antioxidant properties in different in vitro systems of lipid peroxidation.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biologia Sperimentale, Sez. Patologia Sperimentale, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, SS 554, Km 4.5, 09042 Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy. anrosa@unica.it
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rosa
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Deiana
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Atzeri
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Corona
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Incani
authors.forename: M Paola
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Melis
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Appendino
authors.forename: M Assunta
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Dessì
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000737:chemistry; D019281:Dimerization; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000494:pharmacology; D036562:Helichrysum / Q000737:chemistry*; D019787:Linoleic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010696:Phloroglucinol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D011753:Pyrones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014709:Vero Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011753:Pyrones; C517830:arzanol; D002784:Cholesterol; D019787:Linoleic Acid; D010696:Phloroglucinol