title: In vitro anti-proliferative activity of Argemone gracilenta and identification of some active components.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Natural products have been regarded as important sources of potential chemotherapeutic agents. In this study, we evaluated the anti-proliferative activity of Argemone gracilenta's methanol extract and its fractions. We identified those compounds of the most active fractions that displayed anti-proliferative activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  The anti-proliferative activity on different cancerous cell lines (M12.C3F6, RAW 264.7, HeLa) was evaluated in vitro using the MTT colorimetric method. Identification of the active compounds present in the fractions with the highest activity was achieved by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both argemonine and berberine alkaloids, isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction, displayed high anti-proliferative activity with IC50 values of 2.8, 2.5, 12.1, and 2.7, 2.4, 79.5 μg/mL on M12.C3F6, RAW 264.7, and HeLa cancerous cell lines, respectively. No activity was shown on the normal L-929 cell line. From the hexane fraction, a mixture of fatty acids and fatty acid esters of 16 or more carbon atoms with anti-proliferative activity was identified, showing a range of IC50 values of 16.8-24.9, 34.1-35.4, and 67.6-91.8 μg/mL on M12.C3F6, RAW 264.7, and HeLa cancerous cell lines, respectively. On the normal L-929 cell line, this mixture showed a range of IC50 values of 85.1 to 100 μg/mL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study that relates argemonine, berberine, and a mixture of fatty acids and fatty acid esters with the anti-proliferative activity displayed by Argemone gracilenta.
authors: Departamento de Ciencias Químico Biológicas, Universidad de Sonora, Boulevard Luis Encinas y Rosales s/n, Hermosillo, Sonora, 83000, Mexico. mario_ups@hotmail.com.
authors: Mario Alberto
authors: MA
authors: Leyva-Peralta
authors: Departamento de Ciencias Químico Biológicas, Universidad de Sonora, Boulevard Luis Encinas y Rosales s/n, Hermosillo, Sonora, 83000, Mexico. rrobles@guayacan.uson.mx.
authors: Ramón Enrique
authors: RE
authors: Robles-Zepeda
authors: Departamento de Ciencias Químico Biológicas, Universidad de Sonora, Boulevard Luis Encinas y Rosales s/n, Hermosillo, Sonora, 83000, Mexico. agaribay@guayacan.uson.mx.
authors: Adriana
authors: A
authors: Garibay-Escobar
authors: Departamento de Ciencias Químico Biológicas, Universidad de Sonora, Boulevard Luis Encinas y Rosales s/n, Hermosillo, Sonora, 83000, Mexico. erbustos@guayacan.uson.mx.
authors: Eduardo
authors: E
authors: Ruiz-Bustos
authors: Centro de Investigaciones Químicas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Av. Universidad No. 1001, Cuernavaca, Morelos, 62209, Mexico. lalvarez@uaem.mx.
authors: Laura Patricia
authors: LP
authors: Alvarez-Berber
authors: Departamento de Ciencias Químico Biológicas, Universidad de Sonora, Boulevard Luis Encinas y Rosales s/n, Hermosillo, Sonora, 83000, Mexico. anisolborano@guayacan.uson.mx.
authors: Juan Carlos
authors: JC
authors: Gálvez-Ruiz
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D031674:Argemone / Q000737:chemistry*; D001599:Berberine / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002460:Cell Line; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D051379:Mice; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D044005:Tetrahydroisoquinolines / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic; D005227:Fatty Acids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D044005:Tetrahydroisoquinolines; C425407:argemonine; D001599:Berberine
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