Several Ranunculaceae species are used in folk medicine to eliminate pathologies associated with oxidative stress as well as parasitic infections; however, a number of studies confirming their pharmacological properties is limited. In this study, 19 ethanolic extracts obtained from 16 Ranunculaceae species were assayed for in vitro antioxidant, antiproliferative, and antiparasitic potential. The maximum antioxidant potential in both oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assays was observed for Aconitum toxicum extract [half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) 18.7 and 92.6 μg/mL]. Likewise, Anemone transsilvanica extract exerted the most promising antiproliferative activity against Caco-2 (IC50 46.9 μg/mL) and HT29 (IC50 70.2 μg/mL) cell lines in 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Additionally, a dual antioxidant and cytotoxicity effect was demonstrated for Aconitum moldavicum and Caltha palustris extracts. Whilst the efficacy of extracts was modest against Trypanosoma brucei (IC50 ranging from 88.8 to 269.3 μg/mL), several extracts exhibited high potency against Leishmania infantum promastigotes (Aconitum vulparia IC50 18.8 μg/mL). We also tested them against the clinically relevant intracellular stage and found extract of A. vulparia to be the most effective (IC50 29.0 ± 1.1 μg/mL). All tested extracts showed no or low toxicity against FHs 74Int normal cell line (IC50 ranging from 152.9 to >512 μg/mL). In conclusion, we suggest the above-mentioned plant extracts as potential candidates for development of novel plant-based antioxidant and/or antiproliferative and/or antileishmanial compounds.

• MeSH
• antioxidancia * farmakologie   chemie   MeSH
• antiparazitární látky farmakologie   chemie   MeSH
• buňky HT-29 MeSH
• Caco-2 buňky MeSH
• léčivé rostliny chemie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• proliferace buněk * účinky léků   MeSH
• Ranunculaceae chemie   MeSH
• rostlinné extrakty * farmakologie   chemie   MeSH
• tradiční lékařství MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Rumunsko MeSH

BACKGROUND: Trypanosomatids of the genus Leishmania are parasites of mammals or reptiles transmitted by bloodsucking dipterans. Many species of these flagellates cause important human diseases with clinical symptoms ranging from skin sores to life-threatening damage of visceral organs. The genus Leishmania contains four subgenera: Leishmania, Sauroleishmania, Viannia, and Mundinia. The last subgenus has been established recently and remains understudied, although Mundinia contains human-infecting species. In addition, it is interesting from the evolutionary viewpoint, representing the earliest branch within the genus and possibly with a different type of vector. Here we analyzed the genomes of L. (M.) martiniquensis, L. (M.) enriettii and L. (M.) macropodum to better understand the biology and evolution of these parasites. RESULTS: All three genomes analyzed were approximately of the same size (~ 30 Mb) and similar to that of L. (Sauroleishmania) tarentolae, but smaller than those of the members of subgenera Leishmania and Viannia, or the genus Endotrypanum (~ 32 Mb). This difference was explained by domination of gene losses over gains and contractions over expansions at the Mundinia node, although only a few of these genes could be identified. The analysis predicts significant changes in the Mundinia cell surface architecture, with the most important ones relating to losses of LPG-modifying side chain galactosyltransferases and arabinosyltransferases, as well as β-amastins. Among other important changes were gene family contractions for the oxygen-sensing adenylate cyclases and FYVE zinc finger-containing proteins. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that adaptation of Mundinia to different vectors and hosts has led to alternative host-parasite relationships and, thereby, made some proteins redundant. Thus, the evolution of genomes in the genus Leishmania and, in particular, in the subgenus Mundinia was mainly shaped by host (or vector) switches.

• MeSH
• délka genomu MeSH
• fylogeneze MeSH
• genomika MeSH
• hostitelská specificita MeSH
• Leishmania klasifikace   genetika   MeSH
• molekulární evoluce MeSH
• ploidie MeSH
• protozoální proteiny genetika   MeSH
• regulace genové exprese MeSH
• sekvenování celého genomu metody   MeSH
• sekvenování exomu MeSH
• stanovení celkové genové exprese metody   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH