title: Gastroprotective effect and chemical characterization of a polysaccharide fraction from leaves of Croton cajucara.
abstract: Croton cajucara Benth. is a tree from the Amazon Forest, where it is known as sacaca. Its leaves and barks are used in medicinal preparations to treat different diseases, including gastric ulcers. The crude polysaccharide fraction (CCP), obtained from the hot aqueous extract of C. cajucara leaves, was able to promote gastroprotection on an ethanol induced gastric ulcer model. Therefore, a bioguided fractionation was performed to isolate the active polysaccharide fraction. After freezing-thawing, ultrafiltration and dialyses at 100, 50, and 25kDa cut-off membranes, fraction 25R was obtained. It contained glucose, galactose, rhamnose, arabinose, galacturonic acid and mannose in a 7:5:5:3:1:1 molar ratio approximately, and had a Mwof 42,840g/mol. Methylation analysis and NMR spectroscopy indicated that 25R is a very complex polysaccharide fraction containing type I rhamnogalacturonan, arabinan, type I arabinogalactan, type II arabinogalactan, rhamnan, starch and mannan. It was able to reduce ethanol-induced gastric ulcers in rats, through preservation of mucus and GSH levels.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Paraná, CEP 81.531-980, CP 19046, Curitiba, PR, Brazil; Centro Multidisciplinar, Universidade Federal do Acre, Campus Floresta, CEP 69.980-000, Cruzeiro do Sul, AC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Adamara M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, CEP 81.531-980, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Maria-Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, CEP 81.531-980, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Evana Figueiredo J
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Paraná, CEP 81.531-980, CP 19046, Curitiba, PR, Brazil; Instituto de Pesquisa Pelé Pequeno Príncipe, Faculdades Pequeno Príncipe, CEP 80250-060, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lauro M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Paraná, CEP 81.531-980, CP 19046, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Guilherme L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Sassaki
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Paraná, CEP 81.531-980, CP 19046, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iacomini
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, CEP 81.531-980, Curitiba, PR, Brazil. Electronic address: mfernanda.werner@ufpr.br.
authors.forename: Maria Fernanda
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: de P Werner
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Paraná, CEP 81.531-980, CP 19046, Curitiba, PR, Brazil. Electronic address: trcipriani@ufpr.br.
authors.forename: Thales R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Cipriani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D029802:Croton / Q000737:chemistry*; D019610:Cytoprotection / Q000187:drug effects*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry*; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013270:Stomach / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology*; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D011134:Polysaccharides; D000431:Ethanol
keywords: Antiulcer activity; Croton cajucara; Polysaccharide