AUTHOR=Tan Aditya , Scortecci Katia Castanho , Cabral De Medeiros Nathalia Maira , Kukula-Koch Wirginia , Butler Thomas J. , Smith Sinéad Marian , Boylan Fabio 

TITLE=Plukenetia volubilis leaves as source of anti-Helicobacter pylori agents

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pharmacology

VOLUME=15

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2024.1461447

DOI=10.3389/fphar.2024.1461447

ISSN=1663-9812

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Introduction</title><p><italic>Helicobacter pylori</italic> infection is a major issue worldwide, with widespread prevalence, combined with its link to gastritis, peptic ulcers, gastric cancer, and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. Meanwhile, effectiveness of current treatment protocols is limited by increasing antibiotic resistance and patient compliance issues due to long regimens and side effects. <italic>Plukenetia volubilis</italic>, or sacha inchi, is a valuable source of bioactive molecules. However, studies on its antimicrobial activity, especially against <italic>H. pylori</italic>, are lacking.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>In this study, the anti-<italic>H. pylori</italic> activity of <italic>P. volubilis</italic> leaves water extract was explored using <italic>in vitro</italic> and <italic>in silico</italic> approaches. High-Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled to Electrospray Ionisation and Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-ESI- QTOF-MS-MS) analysis of the water extract from the leaves was used to characterise the chemical composition of the plant and allowed identification of some flavonoids, such as astragalin, and some phenolic compounds. Then, high-speed counter current chromatography (HSCCC) was used to fractionate the ethyl acetate partition obtained from the water extract from the leaves.</p></sec><sec><title>Results and Discussion</title><p>The presence of flavonoids derived from kaempferol was confirmed and astragalin was isolated for the first time in <italic>P. volubilis</italic>. The <italic>P. volubilis</italic> water infusion, ethyl acetate extract and the isolated astragalin exhibited anti-bacterial activity against <italic>H. pylori</italic> J99 and two clinical isolates (e.g., minimum inhibitory concentrations of 0.53, 0.51 and 0.49 μg/mL, respectively, for clarithromycin-resistant clinical isolate SSR366). Then, using molecular docking for potential protein targets for <italic>H. pylori</italic>, it was verified that astragalin could interact with these proteins by <italic>in silico</italic> analysis.</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>These findings highlight that <italic>P. volubilis</italic> and astragalin produce a bacteriostatic activity against <italic>H. pylori</italic> and may have potential to be used in treatment against <italic>H. pylori</italic>, after further research.</p></sec>