Identification of compounds from non-polar fractions of Blechnum spp and a multitarget approach involving enzymatic modulation and oxidative stress.

Objectives: The hexane (HEX) and dichloromethane (DCM) fractions from Blechnum binervatum, Blechnum brasiliense and Blechnum occidentale were studied about phytochemicals and biological properties using multitarget approach.
Methods: The chemical composition was performed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry detector (GC-MS) analysis. Antioxidant capacity was evaluated against free radicals and on lipid peroxidation. Monoamine oxidases (MAO) and cholinesterases enzymatic modulation, as well as effects on rat and human cells, were assessed.
Key Findings: The CG-MS analysis allowed the identification of a non-polar compound series, being neophytadiene the major constituent in all DCM fractions and in HEX fractions from B. binervatum and B. occidentale. In B. brasiliense HEX fraction, β-sitosterol was the main compound. In general, B. brasiliense DCM fraction presented the highest antioxidant activity, with IC ₅₀ values around 9, 2 and 1.2 times lower than those found for the other species, against HO˙, NO˙ and on lipid peroxidation, respectively. Regarding enzyme modulations, B. brasiliense DCM fraction presented higher MAO-A inhibition (IC ₅₀ : 31.83 μg/ml), with a better selectivity index (SI MAO-A/MAO-B: 6.77). The lack of harmful effects was observed in rat cells, also highlighted in the stem cells for all Blechnum samples.
Conclusion: These findings encourage the search for multibinding natural products, mainly from B. brasiliense DCM fraction.
(© 2016 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.)