title: Helleborus purpurascens-Amino Acid and Peptide Analysis Linked to the Chemical and Antiproliferative Properties of the Extracted Compounds.
abstract: There is a strong drive worldwide to discover and exploit the therapeutic potential of a large variety of plants. In this work, an alcoholic extract of Helleborus purpurascens (family Ranunculaceae) was investigated for the identification of amino acids and peptides with putative antiproliferative effects. In our work, a separation strategy was developed using solvents of different polarity in order to obtain active compounds. Biochemical components were characterized through spectroscopic (mass spectroscopy) and chromatographic techniques (RP-HPLC and GC-MS). The biological activity of the obtained fractions was investigated in terms of their antiproliferative effects on HeLa cells. Through this study, we report an efficient separation of bioactive compounds (amino acids and peptides) from a plant extract dependent on solvent polarity, affording fractions with unaffected antiproliferative activities. Moreover, the two biologically tested fractions exerted a major antiproliferative effect, thereby suggesting potential anticancer therapeutic activity.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Research and Development in Electrochemistry and Condensed Matter-INCEMC, Timisoara 300224, Romania. s_adinaelena@yahoo.com.|University Politehnica Timisoara, 2 Piata Victoriei, Timisoara 300006, Romania. s_adinaelena@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Adina-Elena
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Segneanu
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Research and Development in Electrochemistry and Condensed Matter-INCEMC, Timisoara 300224, Romania. ioangrozescu@gmail.com.|University Politehnica Timisoara, 2 Piata Victoriei, Timisoara 300006, Romania. ioangrozescu@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ioan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Grozescu
authors.affiliation: University "Eftimie Murgu", Resita, 1-4 Traian Vuia, Resita 320085, Romania. cflorentina@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Florentina
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cziple
authors.affiliation: University Politehnica Timisoara, 2 Piata Victoriei, Timisoara 300006, Romania. berki_daniel@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Berki
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Research and Development in Electrochemistry and Condensed Matter-INCEMC, Timisoara 300224, Romania. danieldamian83@gmail.com.|University Politehnica Timisoara, 2 Piata Victoriei, Timisoara 300006, Romania. danieldamian83@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Damian
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphological Sciences, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "<i>Carol Davila</i>", 8 Eroilor Sanitari Blvd, Sector 5, Bucharest 050474, Romania. maria.niculite@ivb.ro.|"Victor Babes" National Institute of Pathology, 99-101, Splaiul Independentei, Sector 5, Bucharest 050096, Romania. maria.niculite@ivb.ro.
authors.forename: Cristina Mariana
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Niculite
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphological Sciences, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "<i>Carol Davila</i>", 8 Eroilor Sanitari Blvd, Sector 5, Bucharest 050474, Romania. alexflorea1992@gmail.com.|"Victor Babes" National Institute of Pathology, 99-101, Splaiul Independentei, Sector 5, Bucharest 050096, Romania. alexflorea1992@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Alexandru
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Florea
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphological Sciences, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "<i>Carol Davila</i>", 8 Eroilor Sanitari Blvd, Sector 5, Bucharest 050474, Romania. mircea.leabu@ivb.ro.|"Victor Babes" National Institute of Pathology, 99-101, Splaiul Independentei, Sector 5, Bucharest 050096, Romania. mircea.leabu@ivb.ro.
authors.forename: Mircea
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leabu
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D000440:Butanols; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D000431:Ethanol; D005025:Ethylene Dichlorides; D006367:HeLa Cells; D039322:Helleborus / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D012997:Solvents; D054809:Thionins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000440:Butanols; D005025:Ethylene Dichlorides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010940:Plant Proteins; D012997:Solvents; D054809:Thionins; D000431:Ethanol
keywords: antiproliferative activiy; chromatographic techniques; hellebore; mass spectroscopy; thionins