title: In vitro antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of plants of the ethnopharmacopeia from northwest of Mexico.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study, is to investigate the in vitro antioxidant activity, the total phenols content, the flavonoids content and the antiproliferative activity of methanolic extracts of the plants: Krameria erecta, Struthanthus palmeri, Phoradendron californicum, Senna covesii and Stegnosperma halimifolium, used by different ethnic groups from northwestern Mexico in the treatment and cure of various diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  The in vitro antioxidant activity was measured by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and Ferric Reducing/Antioxidant Power assay (FRAP), the total phenols content was measured by Folin-Ciocalteau assay, the flavonoids content by the AlCl(3) colorimetric method and the antiproliferative activity (line cells HeLa, RAW 264.7, M12A(k).C3.F6 and L929) using MTT method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The K. erecta extract showed the higher radical scavenging activity (67.88%), antioxidant activity by FRAP (1.41 mg Trolox Eq), the highest total phenols content (598.51 mg Galic Acid Eq/g extract), the highest flavonoids content (3.80 mg Quercetin Eq/g extract) and the greatest antiproliferative activity in a dose dependent manner against most Cell line evaluated. A positive correlation was found between the antioxidant activity and the flavonoids content.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study is the first report on the antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of the five species evaluated. The results demostrate that there is a positive correlation between antioxidant activity and the flavonoids content, indicating that these type of polyphenols could be the major contributors to the observed antioxidant activity in the evaluated plant extracts. Of the extracts evaluated, that of Krameria erecta showed the greatest antioxidant and antiproliferative activities, a discovery that makes this species a promising candidate for future research.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Productos Naturales, Instituto de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cd. Universitaria, México, Distrito Federal 04510, México.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jiménez-Estrada
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Velázquez-Contreras
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garibay-Escobar
authors.forename: Davisela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sierras-Canchola
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lapizco-Vázquez
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ortiz-Sandoval
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Burgos-Hernández
authors.forename: Ramón Enrique
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Robles-Zepeda
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002460:Cell Line; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D020834:Ethnopharmacology; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D031326:Krameriaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D028183:Loranthaceae / Q000737:chemistry; D019684:Magnoliopsida / Q000737:chemistry*; D008800:Mexico; D051379:Mice; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D010636:Phenols / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D028184:Phoradendron / Q000737:chemistry; D029602:Phytolaccaceae / Q000737:chemistry; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D059808:Polyphenols / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D029846:Senna Plant / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D000975:Antioxidants; D005419:Flavonoids; D010636:Phenols; D010936:Plant Extracts; D059808:Polyphenols