Potential anticancer activity of young Carpinus betulus leaves.

Abstract

As part of our continuing research for anticancer compounds from the Walloon Region forest, EtOAc extract from Carpinus betulus leaves was phytochemically studied, leading to the bioguided isolation of pheophorbide a, which is responsible of anticancer properties of C. betulus young leaves. This compound was identified using nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrophotometric data and comparison with a commercial standard. Evaluation of the growth inhibitory activities of pheophorbide a using MTT colorimetric assay and phase-contrast microscopy in various human cancer cell lines confirmed the photoactivable properties of this compound. Our research showed, for the first time, the presence of pheophorbide a, a chlorophyll derived compound, which we quantified in high quantities in young leaves of C. betulus. This is in contrast with the literature which generally describes pheophorbide a as a catabolic product of chlorophyll, then preferentially present in old leaves.

• Authors: Ewa Cieckiewicz, Luc Angenot, Thierry Gras, Robert Kiss, Michel Frédérich
• Journal: Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology (Phytomedicine) Vol. 19 Issue 3-4 Pg. 278-83 (Feb 15 2012) ISSN: 1618-095X [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 22014503 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2011 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Acetates
• Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
• Plant Extracts
• Chlorophyll
• ethyl acetate
• pheophorbide a

Topics

• Acetates (chemistry)
• Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic (pharmacology)
• Betulaceae (chemistry)
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Chemical Fractionation (methods)
• Chlorophyll (analogs & derivatives, chemistry, pharmacology)
• Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
• Humans
• Inhibitory Concentration 50
• Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
• Microscopy, Phase-Contrast
• Plant Extracts (chemistry, pharmacology)
• Plant Leaves (chemistry)