title: Metabolite profiling of polyphenols in a Terminalia chebula Retzius ayurvedic decoction and evaluation of its chemopreventive activity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The decoction of Terminalia chebula fruit is an ayurvedic remedy whose prolonged oral administration is prized as a generic intestinal and hepatic detoxifying agent. Its administration is suggested also under the perspective of a reduced risk of cancer, metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the phytochemical profile and the chemopreventive potential of Terminalia chebula fruit decoction prepared according to the ayurvedic decoction recipe.
  
  
  METHODS
  The quali- and quantitative metabolite profiling of polyphenols was obtained using HPLC-UV/DAD and HPLC-ESI-MS. The crude decoction and purified compounds were tested for their capability to interact with the EphA2-ephrin-A1 system and for their antimutagenic properties against dietary and environmental mutagens (AA, 2-NF, NaN3, and heterocyclic amines IQ, MeIQ, MeIQx, Glu-P1, Glu-P2,) in the Ames-Salmonella/microsome assay, with and without enzymatic induction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The decoction was found to contain 3,4,6-tri-O-galloyl-d-glucose (55.87 mg/g), chebulic acid (54.03 mg/g), β-punicalagin (41.25mg/g), corilagin (40.31 mg/g), α-punicalagin (35.55 mg/g), chebulagic acid (29.09 mg/g), gallic acid (27.96 mg/g) 1,3,4,6-tri-O-galloyl-β-d-glucose (24.25mg/g) chebulinic acid (20.23 mg/g), 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-d-glucose (13.53 mg/g), ellagic acid (8.00 mg/g), 1,6-di-O-galloyl-d-glucose (4.16 mg/g). An inhibitory effect was recorded in both Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100 strains against the mutagenic activity of heterocyclic amines (22-61%), promutagen AA (91-97%) and directly acting mutagen 2-NF (52%) with but not against NaN3 (7%). Galloyl derivatives allowed an inhibition of mutagenicity induced by MeIQ above 80% at 0.01 mol/plate. Both decoction and purified compounds were able to modulate the EphA2-ephrinA1 system, suggesting a potential multiple chemopreventive mechanism.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The traditional ayurvedic decoction of Terminalia chebula may harbour a potential as a safe and low-cost chemopreventive agent at the intestinal level, if administered according to the ayurvedic specifications. Moreover, its recourse may enhance the presence of some polyphenolic constituents.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, via G. Campi, 183-41125 Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pellati
authors.forename: Renato
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bruni
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Righi
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grandini
authors.forename: Massimilano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tognolini
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pio Prencipe
authors.forename: Ferruccio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Poli
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Benvenuti
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Del Rio
authors.forename: Damiano
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rossi
mesh_terms: D016587:Antimutagenic Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D036382:Ephrin-A1 / Q000378:metabolism; D005638:Fruit; D008515:Medicine, Ayurvedic; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D059808:Polyphenols / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D036104:Receptor, EphA2 / Q000378:metabolism; D012485:Salmonella typhi / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D029766:Terminalia
chemical_list: D016587:Antimutagenic Agents; D036382:Ephrin-A1; D009153:Mutagens; D010936:Plant Extracts; D059808:Polyphenols; D036104:Receptor, EphA2