Antioxidant, inhibition of α-glucosidase and suppression of nitric oxide production in LPS-induced murine macrophages by different fractions of Actinidia arguta stem

The genus Actinidia Lindl. (Actinidiaceae): A comprehensive review on its ethnobotany, phytochemistry, and pharmacological properties

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Actinidia Lindl. belongs to the family Actinidiaceae. Plants of this genus are popularly known as kiwifruits and are traditionally used to treat a wide range of ailments associated with digestive disorders, rheumatism, kidney problems, cardiovascular system, cancers, dyspepsia, hemorrhoids, and diabetes among others.

AIM

This review discusses the ethnobotanical uses, phytochemical profile, and known pharmacological properties of Actinidia plants, to understand their connotations and provide the scientific basis for future studies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The data were obtained by surveying journal articles, books, and dissertations using various search engines such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, Springer Link, and Web of Science. The online databases; World Flora Online, Plants of the World Online, International Plant Names Index, and Global Biodiversity Information Facility were used to confirm the distribution and validate scientific names of Actinidia plants. The isolated metabolites from these species were illustrated using ChemBio Draw ultra-version 14.0 software.

RESULTS

Ten (10) species of Actinidia genus have been reported as significant sources of traditional medicines utilized to remedy diverse illnesses. Our findings revealed that a total of 873 secondary metabolites belonging to different classes such as terpenoids, phenolic compounds, alcohols, ketones, organic acids, esters, hydrocarbons, and steroids have been isolated from different species of Actinidia. These compounds were mainly related to the exhibited antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antiproliferative, anti-angiogenic, anticinoceptive, anti-tumor, and anticancer activities.

CONCLUSION

This study assessed the information related to the ethnobotanical uses, phytochemical compounds, and pharmacological properties of Actinidia species, which indicate that they possess diverse bioactive metabolites with interesting bioactivities. Actinidia plants have great potential for applications in folklore medicines and pharmaceuticals due to their wide ethnomedicinal uses and biological activities. Traditional uses of several Actinidia species are supported by scientific evidences, qualifying them as possible modern remedies for various ailments. Nonetheless, the currently available data has several gaps in understanding the herbal utilization of most Actinidia species. Thus, further research into their toxicity, mechanisms of actions of the isolated bioactive metabolites, as well as scientific connotations between the traditional medicinal uses and pharmacological properties is required to unravel their efficacy in therapeutic potential for safe clinical application.

Actinidia arguta (Sieb. et Zucc.) Planch. ex Miq.: A Review of Phytochemistry and Pharmacology

Actinidia arguta (Siebold & Zucc.) Planch ex Miq. (A. arguta) is a highly valued vine plant belonging to the Actinidia lindl genus. It is extensively utilized for its edible and medicinal properties. The various parts of A. arguta serve diverse purposes. The fruit is rich in vitamins, amino acids, and vitamin C, making it a nutritious and flavorful raw material for producing jam, canned food, and wine. The flowers yield volatile oils suitable for essential oil extraction. The leaves contain phenolic compounds and can be used for tea production. Additionally, the roots, stems, and leaves of A. arguta possess significant medicinal value, as they contain a wide array of active ingredients that exert multiple pharmacological and therapeutic effects. These effects include quenching thirst, relieving heat, stopping bleeding, promoting blood circulation, reducing swelling, dispelling wind, and alleviating dampness. Comprehensive information on A. arguta was collected from scientific databases covering the period from 1970 to 2023. The databases used for this review included Web of Science, PubMed, ProQuest, and CNKI. The objective of this review was to provide a detailed explanation of A. arguta from multiple perspectives, such as phytochemistry and pharmacological effects. By doing so, it aimed to establish a solid foundation and propose new research ideas for further exploration of the plant's potential applications and industrial development. To date, a total of 539 compounds have been isolated and identified from A. arguta. These compounds include terpenoids, flavonoids, phenolics, phenylpropanoids, lignin, organic acids, volatile components, alkanes, coumarins, anthraquinones, alkaloids, polysaccharides, and inorganic elements. Flavonoids, phenolics, alkaloids, and polysaccharides are the key bioactive constituents of A. arguta. Moreover, phenolics and flavonoids in A. arguta exhibit remarkable antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor properties. Additionally, they show promising potential in improving glucose metabolism, combating aging, reducing fatigue, and regulating the immune system. While some fundamental studies on A. arguta have been conducted, further research is necessary to enhance our understanding of its mechanism of action, quality evaluation, and compatibility mechanisms. A more comprehensive investigation is highly warranted to explore the mechanism of action and expand the range of drug resources associated with A. arguta. This will contribute to the current hot topics of anti-aging and anti-tumor drug research and development, thereby promoting its further development and utilization.

Nontargeted metabolomic analysis of four different parts of Actinidia arguta by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS(E)

Actinidia arguta, an edible berry plant with high nutritional values, has been widely used in Asian countries as a food and traditional medicinal herb. The well-recognized health-promoting properties of A. arguta were associated with its bioactive components in its different botanical parts. To rapidly screen and identify chemical components and simultaneously determine the potential metabolites from different parts of A. arguta, UPLC-Q-TOF-MS^E coupled with UNIFI platform and multivariate statistical analysis approach was established in this study. As a result, a total of 107 components were identified from the four different parts of A. arguta, in which 31 characteristic chemical markers were discovered among them, including 12, 8, 6, and 5 compounds from the fruits, leaves, roots, and stems, respectively. These results suggested that the combination of UPLC-Q-TOF-MS^E and metabolomic analysis is a powerful method to rapidly screen characteristic markers for the quality control of A. arguta.

Assisted Extraction with Cyclodextrins as a Way of Improving the Antidiabetic Activity of Actinidia Leaves

Five varieties of Actinidia leaves (Geneva, Jumbo, Ken's Red, Kijivska Hibridna, and Sentyabraskaya) were analyzed. The profiles of active compounds were determined, namely quercetin, rutin, epicatechin, chlorogenic acid, and kaempferol, in the raw material. Suspecting that the raw material might prove important in the treatment of diabetes, the authors assessed the antioxidant activity and the ability to inhibit enzymes responsible for the development of diabetes (α-glucosidase and α-amylase). As a result of the conducted analysis, the Ken's Red variety was indicated as having the highest biological activity (DPPH IC₅₀ = 0.332 ± 0.048; FRAP IC_0.5 = 0.064 ± 0.005; α-glucosidase inhibition IC₅₀ = 0.098 ± 0.007; α-amylase inhibition IC₅₀ = 0.083 ± 0.004). In order to increase the efficiency of the extraction of active compounds from Ken's Red variety leaves, cyclodextrins (α-CD, β-CD, and γ-CD) were used as extraction process enhancers. The obtained results showed a significant increase in the contents of extracted active compounds. In addition, the type of CD used enhanced the extraction of selected compounds (quercetin, kaempferol, rutin, chlorogenic acid, and epicatechin. This study shows that the application of cyclodextrin-based extraction significantly improved the leaf activity of the Ken's Red variety (DPPH IC₅₀ = 0.160 ± 0.019; FRAP IC_0.5 = 0.008 ± 0.001; α-glucosidase inhibition IC₅₀ = 0.040 ± 0.002; α-amylase inhibition IC₅₀ = 0.012 ± 0.003).

Valorization of kiwi agricultural waste and industry by-products by recovering bioactive compounds and applications as food additives: A circular economy model

Currently, agricultural production generates large amounts of organic waste, both from the maintenance of farms and crops (agricultural wastes) and from the industrialization of the product (food industry waste). In the case of Actinidia cultivation, agricultural waste groups together leaves, flowers, stems and roots while food industry by-products are represented by discarded fruits, skin and seeds. All these matrices are now underexploited and so, they can be revalued as a natural source of ingredients to be applied in food, cosmetic or pharmaceutical industries. Kiwifruit composition (phenolic compounds, volatile compounds, vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, etc.) is an outstanding basis, especially for its high content in vitamin C and phenolic compounds. These compounds possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory or antimicrobial activities, among other beneficial properties for health, but stand out for their digestive enhancement and prebiotic role. Although the biological properties of kiwi fruit have been analyzed, few studies show the high content of compounds with biological functions present in these by-products. Therefore, agricultural and food industry wastes derived from processing kiwi are regarded as useful matrices for the development of innovative applications in the food (pectins, softeners, milk coagulants, and colorants), cosmetic (ecological pigments) and pharmaceutical industry (fortified, functional, nutraceutical, or prebiotic foods). This strategy will provide economic and environmental benefits, turning this industry into a sustainable and environmentally friendly production system, promoting a circular and sustainable economy.

Protective effect of Actinidia arguta in MPTP-induced Parkinson's disease model mice

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Oxidative stress-induced neuronal death has been identified as one of the major causes of nigrostriatal degeneration in PD. The fruit of Actinidia arguta (A. arguta), known as sarunashi in Japan, has been reported to show beneficial health effects such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-mutagenic, and anticholinergic effects. In this study, we investigated the neuroprotective effects of A. arguta in 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropypridine (MPTP)-induced PD model mice. A. arguta juice was administered to 7-week-old C57BL/6J mice continuously for 10 days before the first MPTP injection. The degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra was induced by MPTP (30 mg/kg, i. p.) once daily for five consecutive days. We found that the administration of A. arguta ameliorated MPTP-induced motor impairment and suppressed the MPTP-induced reductions of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neurons and tyrosine hydroxylase protein expression in the substantia nigra. Our findings suggest that taking A. arguta could provide neuroprotection that delays or prevents the neurodegenerative process of PD.

Bioactivity, phytochemical profile and pro-healthy properties of Actinidia arguta: A review

Hardy kiwi (Actinidia arguta) is a climbing, perennial and dioecious vine from Actinidiaceae family, native from Asia and valued as ornamental and traditional medicine. In the last decade, the growing interest as fruit-bearing plant encourage the expanding cultivation of A. arguta mainly to fruits production, particularly in Europe and North America. A. arguta plants have an extensive range ofbioactive compoundsthat can be obtained from different botanical structures, such as fruits, leaves, flowers and stems. These bioactive molecules, with well-recognized health-promoting properties, include phenolic compounds, minerals, carbohydrates or even volatile substances, with a great potential to be used in several formulations of food products. Phytochemical studies on this plant reported hypoglycemic effects as well as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, among others. The traditional uses ofA. arguta have been experimentally proved byin vitroandin vivostudies, in which its bioactivities were associated to its phytochemical composition. This review aims to assess and summarize the phytochemical and healthy properties ofthe different botanical parts of A. arguta, describing their bioactive composition and exploring it potential functional properties on foodstuffs.

Purification and Biochemical Characterization of Cysteine Protease from Baby Kiwi (Actinidia arguta)

Background:

It has recently been reported that the fruit, stems and leaves ofActinidia argutahave various potential health effects including an antioxidant effect, anticancer effect, anti-allergic effect and α-glucosidase inhibitory effect. However, little is known about the biochemical properties of cysteine protease in the fruit juice ofA. arguta.

Methods:

Ion exchange chromatography to purify the cysteine protease from the fruit juice ofA. arguta, and some synthetic substrates to determinate the enzyme activity were used.

Results:

Cysteine protease was purified to homogeneity fromA. argutafruit juice by ion exchange chromatography. The molecular weight of the purified enzyme was calculated to be approximately 25,500 by SDS-PAGE in the presence of β-ME. The enzyme rapidly hydrolyzed the substrate Z-Leu-Arg-MCA and moderately hydrolyzed other substrates including Boc-Val-Leu-Lys-MCA, Z-Val-Val-Arg-MCA and Z-Phe-Arg-MCA. Kinetic parameters for these four substrates were determined. TheKm,Vmax,KcatandKcat/Kmvalues for Z-Leu-Arg-MCA, the most preferentially cleaved by the enzyme, were 100 μM, 63.8 μmoles/mg/min, 27.26 sec-1and 0.2726 sec-1μM-1, respectively. Furthermore, the activity of the enzyme was strongly inhibited by inhibitors including antipain, leupeptin, E-64, E-64c, kinin-free-LMW kininogen and cystatin C. Those biochemical data indicated that the enzyme was a cysteine protease. The amino acid sequence of the first 21 residues of cysteine protease purified fromActinidia argutawas Val1-Leu-Pro-Asp-Tyr5-Val-Asp-Trp-Arg-Ser10-Ala-Gly-Ala-Val-Val15-Asp-Ile-Lys-Ser-Qln20-Gly. This sequence showed high homology to the sequences of actinidin fromAcinidia deliciosa(95.0%) and actinidin fromActinidia eriantha(90%). These three cysteine proteases were thought to be common allied species.

Conclusion:

The biochemical properties of the enzyme purified fromA. argutafruit juice were determined. These basic data are expected to contribute to the maintenance and improvement of human health as well as to the promotion of protein digestion and absorption through its proteolytic functions.

Actinidia arguta (Hardy Kiwi) Root Extract Exerts Anti-cancer Effects via Mcl-1-Mediated Apoptosis in Cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a highly aggressive and chemoresistant liver malignancy. Thus, identification of strategies to overcome insensitivity to apoptosis and growth inhibition is a growing focus of research in this malignancy. This study evaluated the potential anti-cancer effects of an ethanol extract from the Actinidia arguta (Hardy Kiwi) root (RAE) on CCA. Our data demonstrated that RAE decreased cell viability and induced apoptosis by activation of Caspase 3, Caspase 8, and Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) in two CCA cell lines. RAE induced a decrease in Mcl-1 in cultured CCA cells and in xenograft CCA tumors. Administration of RAE every other day led to significant growth inhibition in tumor burden xenograft CCA mice. Western blotting analysis of paired human CCA and normal adjacent tissues from the same patient revealed that CCA tissues exhibited significantly higher Mcl-1 expression than normal tissues. Taken together, our findings demonstrated the anti-cancer effects of RAE on CCA both in vitro and in vivo. These data suggest that RAE may be a promising anti-CCA agent and could be beneficial in the treatment of CCA through the targeting of Mcl-1.

Inhibitory effect of Actinidia arguta on mutagenesis, inflammation and two-stage mouse skin tumorigenesis

Background

Actinidia arguta, known as sarunashi in Japan, is a vine tree native to east-Asia, including Japan, that produces small fruit rich in anthocyanins, catechins, vitamin C, chlorophyll, beta-carotene and other polyphenols.

Results

Our study revealed the inhibitory effect of the juice of A. arguta (arguta-juice) toward the mutagenicity of food-derived carcinogens and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons using the Ames test, and antioxidant activity of arguta-juice as determined using a free radical scavenging assay. The formation of DNA adducts in liver of mice fed 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx) decreased significantly following administration of arguta-juice. The preventive effect of arguta-juice on the induction of inflammation of mouse ear by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) was revealed. The anti-carcinogenic effect of a topically applied partially purified fraction of A. arguta was revealed on skin tumorigenesis in mice induced by treatment with 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene and TPA. In an effort to reveal the mechanisms for antimutagenicity of arguta-juice, effects on the enzymes that metabolize xenobiotics were examined. Combined effects comprising i) inhibition of the metabolic activation of mutagens with phase I enzymes, but ii) no prevention on the activity of phase II detoxification enzyme, UGT, were observed. We also investigated the characterization and partial purification of the antimutagenic components in A. arguta, which suggested that the components in A. arguta responsible for the antimutagenicity were water-soluble, heat-labile phenolic compounds.

Conclusions

These results suggested that components in A. arguta are attractive candidates for potential use as chemopreventive agents.

Hypoglycemic and antioxidant effects of Daraesoon (Actinidia arguta shoot) in animal models of diabetes mellitus

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

The primary objective of the treatment of diabetes mellitus is the attainment of glycemic control. Hyperglycemia increases oxidative stress which contributes to the progression of diabetic complications. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the hypoglycemic and antioxidant effects of Daraesoon (Actinidia arguta shoot) in animal models of diabetes mellitus.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes received an oral administration of a starch solution (1 g/kg) either with or without a 70% ethanol extract of Daraesoon (400 mg/kg) or acarbose (40 mg/kg) after an overnight fast and their postprandial blood glucose levels were measured. Five-week-old C57BL/6J mice were fed either a basal or high-fat/high-sucrose (HFHS) diet with or without Daraesoon extract (0.4%) or acarbose (0.04%) for 12 weeks after 1 week of adaptation to determine the effects of the chronic consumption of Daraesoon on fasting hyperglycemia and antioxidant status.

RESULTS

Compared to the control group, rats that received Daraesoon extract (400 mg/kg) or acarbose (40 mg/kg) exhibited a significant reduction in the area under the postprandial glucose response curve after the oral ingestion of starch. Additionally, the long-term consumption of Daraesoon extract or acarbose significantly decreased serum glucose and insulin levels as well as small intestinal maltase activity in HFHS-fed mice. Furthermore, the consumption of Daraesoon extract significantly reduced thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and increased glutathione levels in the livers of HFHS-fed mice compared to HFHS-fed mice that did not ingest Daraesoon.

CONCLUSIONS

Daraesoon effectively suppressed postprandial hyperglycemia via the inhibition of α-glucosidase in STZ-induced diabetic rats. Chronic consumption of Daraesoon alleviated fasting hyperglycemia and oxidative stress in mice fed a HFHS diet.