Anti-angiogenic activity and phytochemical screening of fruit fractions from Vitex agnus castus.
Although the antitumour activity of Vitex agnus castus fruits has been already addressed, no work has yet assessed their anti-angiogenic potential. To this purpose, several extractive fractions of such fruits were tested on zebrafish embrios by EAP assay, so that only the bioactive fractions could be subsequently tested on the chick chorioallantoic membrane by CAM assay. Bioactive fractions were also phytochemically screened to identify those bioactive compounds responsible for anti-angiogenic activity. A marked inhibition of vessel formation was detected only in zebrafish embryos treated with chloroform or ethyl acetate fractions. Considering CAM assay, chloroform fraction induced a strong reduction of microvasculature and haemoglobin content; while lower anti-angiogenic effects of the ethyl acetate fraction were determined. Phytochemical analyses confirmed the presence of several bioactive anti-angiogenic compounds. Overall, obtained preliminary results highlighted a potential anti-angiogenic activity of V. agnus castus fruits.
a Fondazione Prof. Antonio Imbesi , University of Messina , Messina , Italy.
Giovanna
G
Certo
b Department of Biomedical, Dental, Morphological and Functional Images Sciences , University of Messina , Messina , Italy.
Rosaria
R
Costa
c Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences , University of Messina , Messina , Italy.
Valeria
V
D'Angelo
d Centro Integrato Ricerca (C.I.R.) , University Campus Biomedico , Rome , Italy.
Marina
M
Russo
b Department of Biomedical, Dental, Morphological and Functional Images Sciences , University of Messina , Messina , Italy.|e Science4life S.r.l. , A Spin-Off of the University of Messina , Messina , Italy.
Ambrogina
A
Albergamo
b Department of Biomedical, Dental, Morphological and Functional Images Sciences , University of Messina , Messina , Italy.|e Science4life S.r.l. , A Spin-Off of the University of Messina , Messina , Italy.
Giacomo
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0185-6591
G
Dugo
c Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences , University of Messina , Messina , Italy.
Maria Paola
MP
Germanò
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002642:Chick Embryo; D049033:Chorioallantoic Membrane / Q000187:drug effects; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000187:drug effects; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry; D064209:Phytochemicals / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D020950:Vitex / Q000737:chemistry*; D015027:Zebrafish
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D064209:Phytochemicals; D010936:Plant Extracts
Chasteberry; RP-HPLC-MS; RP-HPLC-PDA; angiogenesis; chick chorioallantoic membrane; zebrafish