Chemical Constituents from Leaves of Baccharis sphenophylla (Asteraceae) and Their Antioxidant Effects

Baccharis anomala DC. extract reduces inflammation and attenuates hepatic fibrosis in vivo by decreasing NF-kB and extracellular matrix compounds

Baccharis anomala DC. (BA) is a plant species found in the tropical regions of South America and is widely used for its hepatoprotective effects, as well as for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. Studies have recently reported its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential. BA extract can reverse the activated phenotype of hepatic stellate cells (HSC), which plays a central role in extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition in the development of liver fibrosis. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of the treatment with BA extract on liver fibrosis in a CCl4-induced liver fibrosis model in BALB/c mice. Methanolic extract was obtained from BA leaves, a gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) to detect the compounds present was performed, and then administered by intraperitoneal injection in Balb/C mice at a concentration of 50 and 100 mg/kg together with the administration of CCl4 for inducing liver fibrosis. After 10 weeks, blood analysis, histopathology, oxidative stress, as well as protein and gene expression in the hepatic tissue were performed. Treatment with BA extract was able to reduce profibrotic markers by reducing the expression of α-SMA and Col-1 proteins, as well as reducing the formation of free radicals and lipid peroxidation. (BA extract showed anti-inflammatory effects in the liver by suppressing NF-kB activation and reducing gene expression of signaling targets (IL-6 and iNOS). The data obtained showed that BA extract has antifibrotic and anti-inflammatory effects.

Evaluation of Anti-Trypanosoma cruzi Activity of Chemical Constituents from Baccharis sphenophylla Isolated Using High-Performance Countercurrent Chromatography

Endemic in 21 countries, Chagas disease, also known as American Trypanosomiasis, is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. The available drugs for the treatment of this disease, benznidazole and nifurtimox, are outdated and display severe side effects. Thus, the discovery of new drugs is crucial. Based on our continuous studies aiming towards the discovery of natural products with anti-T. cruzi potential, the MeOH extract from aerial parts of Baccharis sphenophylla Dusén ex. Malme (Asteraceae) displayed activity against this parasite and was subjected to high-performance countercurrent chromatography (HPCCC), to obtain one unreported syn-labdane diterpene - sphenophyllol (1) - as well as the known compounds gaudichaudol C (2), ent-kaurenoic acid (3), hispidulin (4), eupafolin (5), and one mixture of di-O-caffeoylquinic acids (6-8). Compounds 1-8 were characterized by analysis of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS) data. When tested against trypomastigote forms, isolated labdane diterpenes 1 and 2 displayed potent activity, with EC50 values of 20.1 μM and 2.9 μM, respectively. The mixture of chlorogenic acids 6-8, as well as the isolated flavones 4 and 5, showed significant activity against the clinically relevant amastigotes, with EC50 values of 24.9, 12.8, and 2.7 μM, respectively. Nonetheless, tested compounds 1-8 displayed no cytotoxicity against mammalian cells (CC50 > 200 μM). These results demonstrate the application of HPCCC as an important tool to isolate bioactive compounds from natural sources, including the antitrypanosomal extract from B. sphenophylla, allowing for the development of novel strategic molecular prototypes against tropical neglected diseases.