Stem bark and flower extracts of Vismia cauliflora: modulation of oxidative burst in human neutrophils' and inhibition of oxidative damage in human erythrocytes.

Vismia cauliflora is an Amazonian plant traditionally used to treat dermatosis and inflammatory processes of the skin by indigenous population. Our research group showed that stem bark and flower extracts of V. cauliflora are efficient in vitro scavengers of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. In this study, we determined the activity of stem bark and flower extracts of V. cauliflora plant on the modulation of in vitro oxidative burst in human neutrophils and their potential to inhibit the oxidative damage in human erythrocytes. The oxidative burst in activated neutrophils were monitored by specific probes to detect the oxidizing effect of superoxide anion radical (MCLA), hydrogen peroxide (amplex red) and hypochlorous acid (APF), and both extracts were efficient to neutralize the oxidative burst (IC50 from 3 to 15µg/mL). These same extracts were also effective against oxidative damage in erythrocytes by inhibiting hemoglobin oxidation (IC50=18µg/mL) and lipid peroxidation (IC50=2.7 and 7.5µg/mL, flower and stem bark, respectively). In addition, stem bark extract (100µg/mL) inhibited the depletion of glutathione by 13%. These extracts have similar phenolic composition, but flower presents quercetin (14%) in its composition. Therefore, these results reinforce the potential therapeutic of stem bark and flower extracts of V. cauliflora to heal topical skin disease and requires further research targeted effectively to develop phytopharmaceutical drug based on this plant.