Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common type of cancer worldwide. Its treatment options have had a limited impact on cancer remission prognosis. Therefore, there is an ongoing need to discover novel anti-cancer agents. Medicinal plants have gained recognition as a source of anti-cancer bioactive compounds. Recently, ethanolic extract of L. virginicum stems ameliorated dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (DNBS)-induced colitis by modulating the intestinal immune response. However, no scientific study has demonstrated this potential cytotoxic impact on colon cancer cells. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxic effect of the methanolic extract of L. virginicum (ELv) on a human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line (Caco-2) and to identify and quantify the phenolic compounds present in ELv extracts by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. The cytotoxic activity was assessed using cell viability assays by reduction in the compound 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). MTT and LDH assays revealed that the ELv decreases cell viability in the Caco-2 cell line in a concentration-dependent manner. Cell death was a result of DNA fragmentation and p53-mediated apoptosis. Eight phenolic acids and five flavonoids were identified and quantified in the stems. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that the extract of L. virginicum possesses cytotoxic properties on Caco-2 cell line, suggesting that it could be a potential source of new drugs against CRC.

Pereskia sacharosa Griseb. is a plant used in traditional herbal medicine to treat inflammation. We analyzed the phenolic content of P. sacharosa leaves (EEPs) by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and investigated the anti-inflammatory properties of EEPs and its flavonoid fraction (F10) in animal models subjected to acute neuroinflammation induced by bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Coronal brain sections of C57BL/6JN male mice or Wistar male rats administered with EEPs or F10 before LPS were subjected to in situ hybridization to determine c-fos and CD14 mRNA levels in the hypothalamus or GABA_A γ2 mRNA levels in the hippocampus. Theta oscillations were recorded every 6 h in the hippocampus of Wistar rats. In total, five flavonoids and eight phenolic acids were identified and quantified in P. sacharosa leaves. Either EEPs or F10 crossed the blood–brain barrier (BBB) into the brain and reduced the mRNA expression of c-fos, CD14, and GABA_A γ2. A decrease in theta oscillation was observed in the hippocampus of the LPS group, while the F10 + LPS group overrode the LPS effect on theta activity. We conclude that the bioactive compounds of P. sacharosa reduce the central response to inflammation, allowing the early return of ambulatory activity and well-being of the animal.

One of the distinctive characteristics of cacti species is the presence of alkaloids. Alkaloids are nitrogenated molecules with hallucinogenic and pharmacological properties in humans and other animals. Plant cell, tissue, and organ culture have emerged as an effective tool for investigating the biosynthesis of a variety of functional metabolites and for studying the preservation of endangered plant species. In this study, we examined the alkaloid and nitrogenated compound profiles of the aerial and radicular sections of Coryphantha macromeris plants that were cultivated in both greenhouse and in vitro conditions. Additionally, we analyzed the callus cultures generated from stem discs. To perform these analyses, Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-PDA-HESI-Orbitrap-MS/MS) was utilized. Under the working parameters, 78 compounds were detected, and 61 of them were identified. Among the identified compounds, the in vitro plants presented 24 compounds, greenhouse plants a total of 21 compounds, and callus tissue 16 compounds. On the other hand, 7 compounds (laurydiethanolamine, toluic acids, and their derivatives) were detected in all systems, suggesting that these metabolites may serve as markers to help find the authenticity of C. macromeris preparations, and that, plant and cell-tissue cultures with this plant species are suitable for the biosynthesis of the selected compounds. In addition, our research suggests that no alkaloids with reported psychotropic properties are present in C. macromeris.

Cell suspension cultures represent an alternative for the production of active plant metabolites. The agitation velocity is one of the main conditions to achieve high cell viability and high yields in metabolite production. In this work, the effect of agitation velocity on cell viability and morphology of Coryphantha macromeris cell suspension cultures was evaluated, and then, the phytochemical profile of two-month-old cells cultivated at 80 rpm was analyzed using Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-tandem Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-PDA-HESI-Orbitrap-MS/MS). The results indicated that the agitation velocity of 120 rpm impacts negatively on cell integrity, while at 80 and 100 rpm, the cells successfully survived and proliferated with similar viability percentages (ca. 97%). The chromatographic and mass spectral analysis indicated the presence of 49 metabolites, and 45 of them were identified. Among the detected compounds, different classes of metabolites such as phenolic acids (gallic acid derivatives), iridoids (gardoside), stilbenes (tyrolobibenzyl E), lignans (acanthoside B), flavonoids (catechin, lantanoside, sakuranin, afrormosin, kaempferol 7-rhamnoside), and phenylethanoids (phlomisethanoside) were found. Our results contribute to the phytochemical knowledge of cacti species and offer the basis for future investigations regarding cell suspension cultures of C. macromeris and related plant species.