A polyphenol complex from Thymus vulgaris L. plants cultivated in the Campania Region (Italy): New perspectives against neuroblastoma. (January 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pacifico, Severina; Piccolella, Simona; Papale, Ferdinando; Nocera, Paola; Lettieri, Annamaria; Catauro, Michelina
• Is Part Of: Journal of functional foods. Volume 20(2016)
• Page Start: 253
• Page End: 266
• Publication Date: 2016-01
• Subjects: Thymus vulgaris -- LC–MS metabolic profiling -- Cytotoxicity -- Apoptosis -- ATR FTIR analysis; Cirsimaritin (PubChem CID: 188323) -- Dihydrokaempferol (PubChem CID: 122850) -- Eriodictyol (PubChem CID: 440735) -- Eriodictyol-7-O-glucoside (PubChem CID: 3084727) -- Eupatorin (PubChem CID: 97214) -- Luteolin (PubChem CID: 5280445) -- Luteolin-7-O-glucoside (PubChem CID: 5291488) -- Naringenin (PubChem CID: 439246) -- Rosmarinic acid (PubChem CID: 5281792) -- Taxifolin (PubChem CID: 471); Functional foods -- Analysis -- Periodicals; Food -- Biotechnology -- Periodicals; Nutrition -- Periodicals; 613.2
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jff.2015.11.008
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1756-4646

Abstract

Highlights: A polyphenol thyme leaf complex (TPE) was analysed by LC–MS techniques. Rosmarinic acid and methoxylated flavones mainly constituted TPE. TPE activated caspases and induced apoptosis typical morphological changes. ATR FTIR analysis of TPE treated cells showed a marked DNA/protein ratio decrease. TPE was a new natural anti-neuroblastoma drug, worth investigating further. Abstract: A thyme polyphenol extract (TPE) from Thymus vulgaris plants cultivated in the Campania Region (Italy) underwent qualitative and quantitative analyses using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) techniques and its effects were investigated on neuroblastoma cells. The extract, rich in rosmarinic acid and methoxylated flavones, inhibited mitochondrial redox activity and cell viability towards SH-SY5Y and SK-N-BE(2)-C cell lines at doses of 62.5 and 125 µg/mL. Cytotoxic TPE exposure resulted in an increase in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and activation of caspases-8 and -3, consistent with our hypothesis that it possesses apoptosis-inducing properties. The occurrence of apoptosis was further established by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR FTIR) analysis: spectra from TPE-treated cells showed a significant decrease of nucleic acid/amide II ratio. The data obtained encourage further investigation and assessment of the efficacy of TPE in preclinical and clinical models to treat neuroblastoma, a major cause of mortality worldwide.