title: Isolation and Identification of Cytotoxic Compounds from Aeschynomene fascicularis, a Mayan Medicinal Plant.
abstract: The plant Aeschynomene fascicularis (Fabaceae) has been used in Mayan traditional medicine in the Yucatan peninsula. However, the compounds present in the plant responsible for its curative properties have not yet been investigated. Aeschynomene fascicularis root bark was extracted with 100% methanol to obtain a crude extract. The methanol extract was partitioned successively with solvents with increasing polarity to obtain the corresponding hexane (Hx), dichloromethane (DCM) and ethyl acetate fractions (EtOAc), as well as a residual water-alcoholic fraction. These fractions were tested for their cytotoxic activities using an MTT assay against Hep-2 cancer cell lines. The Hx fraction led to the isolation of spinochalcone C (1), spinochalcone A (2), isocordoin (3) and secundiflorol G (4). Their structures were identified based on spectroscopic evidence and chemical properties. All compounds were subjected to cytotoxicity and antiproliferative assays against a panel of seven cell lines, including one normal-type cell line. Spinochalcone A (2) exhibited cytotoxic activity against DU-145 cell line and antiproliferative activity against the KB cell line. Secundiflorol G (4) showed strong cytotoxic activity towards KB and Hep-2 cell lines. In addition, isocordoin (3) showed moderate activity on KB, Hep-2 and DU-145 cell lines. The active Compounds 2, 3 and 4 are potential therapeutic entities against cancer.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Biotecnología, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán (CICY), Calle 43 No. 130, Col. Chuburná de Hidalgo, Mérida, Yucatán 97200, Mexico. ecaamal@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Edgar E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Caamal-Fuentes
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Biotecnología, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán (CICY), Calle 43 No. 130, Col. Chuburná de Hidalgo, Mérida, Yucatán 97200, Mexico. speraza@cicy.mx.
authors.forename: Sergio R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Peraza-Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Biotecnología, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán (CICY), Calle 43 No. 130, Col. Chuburná de Hidalgo, Mérida, Yucatán 97200, Mexico. lwtorres@cicy.mx.
authors.forename: Luis W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Torres-Tapia
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Investigación Médica Yucatán, Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad, Centro Médico Ignacio García Téllez, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS), Calle 41 No. 439, Col. Industrial, Mérida, Yucatán 97150, Mexico. moopuc@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Rosa E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Moo-Puc
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D003603:Cytotoxins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D007887:Fabaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D024301:Plant Bark / Q000737:chemistry*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D003603:Cytotoxins
keywords: Fabaceae; Mayan medicinal plant; antiproliferative activity; cytotoxic activity; flavonoids