This study aimed to evaluate the effect of various extracts and fractions obtained from Echinodorus grandiflorus leaves on tumor necrosis factor-α release by lipopolysaccharide-stimulated THP-1 cells, as well as to look at the association between bioactivity and phytochemical composition. To this end, a high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection method was developed and validated, enabling the quantification of seven compounds in E. grandiflorus extracts and fractions. All of these samples showed antitumor necrosis factor-α activity, however, extracts prepared from 50% EtOH, water and dichloromethane, and a flavonoid-rich fraction elicited the most potent responses. trans-Aconitic acid and isoorientin were the major compounds in some preparations. Polynomial regression analysis showed the association between the contents of swertiajaponin, swertisin, trans-aconitic, and chicoric acids with the antitumor necrosis factor-α activity of the extracts and fractions. None of the compounds tested alone abolished tumor necrosis factor-α release completely, however, some extracts and fractions reached this result, suggesting a synergistic effect between the constituents. Therefore, it is clearly shown that the species E. grandiflorus has significant in vitro antitumor necrosis factor-α activity, a promising characteristic that deserves further investigations in the search for new anti-inflammatory agents from plants.
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.