1. Cysteine proteases from the Asclepiadaceae plants latex exhibited thrombin and plasmin like activities.
- Author
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Shivaprasad HV, Riyaz M, Venkatesh Kumar R, Dharmappa KK, Tarannum S, Siddesha JM, Rajesh R, and Vishwanath BS
- Subjects
- Apocynaceae chemistry, Cysteine Proteases metabolism, Fibrin metabolism, Fibrinogen metabolism, Fibrinolysin metabolism, Latex chemistry, Latex therapeutic use, Plant Proteins metabolism, Thrombin metabolism, Wound Healing, Apocynaceae enzymology, Blood Coagulation drug effects, Cysteine Proteases physiology, Latex pharmacology, Plant Proteins physiology
- Abstract
In the present study we evaluated the presence of cysteine protease from the latex of four plants Asclepias curassavica L., Calotropis gigantea R.Br., Pergularia extensa R.Br. and Cynanchum puciflorum R.Br. belongs to the family Asclepiadaceae. Cysteine proteases from these plants latex exhibited both thrombin and plasmin like activities. Latex enzyme fraction in a concentration dependent manner induced the formation of clot in citrated blood plasma. Direct incubation of fibrinogen with latex enzyme fraction resulted in the formation of fibrin clot similar to thrombin enzyme. However prolonged incubation resulted in degradation of the formed fibrin clot suggesting plasmin like activity. Latex enzyme fraction preferentially hydrolyzed Aalpha and Bbeta chains of fibrinogen to form fibrin clot. Latex enzyme fraction also hydrolyzed the subunits of fully cross linked fibrin efficiently, the order of hydrolysis was alpha-polymer > alpha-chains > beta-chain and gamma-gamma dimer. Cysteine proteases from all the four Asclepiadaceae plants latex exhibited similar action on fibrinogen and fibrin. This study scientifically validate the use of plant latex in stop bleeding and wound healing by traditional healers all over the world.
- Published
- 2009
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