Water extracts of three Hypericum sps. protect DNA from oxidative and alkylating damage and enhance DNA repair in colon cells

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2013

Authors

Alice A Ramos (Author) Other; Filipe Marques (Author) Other; Manuel Fernandes Ferreira (Author) FCUP; Cristina Pereira Wilson (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Food and Chemical Toxicology

Vol. 51

Pages: 80-86

ISSN: 0278-6915

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 15 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 15 Citations

Pubmed / Medline

Scientific classification

FOS: Agrarian Sciences > Other Agrarian Sciences

CORDIS: Health sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-002-1H1

DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2012.09.014

Resumo (PT): Diet may induce colon carcinogenesis through oxidative or alkylating DNA damage. However, diet may also contain anticarcinogenic compounds that contribute to cancer prevention. DNA damage prevention and/or induction of repair are two important mechanisms involved in cancer chemoprevention by dietary compounds. Hypericum sps. are widely used in traditional medicine to prepare infusions due to their beneficial digestive and neurologic effects. In this study, we investigated the potential of water extracts from three Hypericum sps. and some of their main phenolic compounds to prevent and repair oxidative and alkylating DNA damage in colon cells. The results showed that water extracts of Hypericum perforatum, Hypericum androsaemum, Hypericum undulatum, quercetin and rutin have protective effect against oxidative DNA damage in HT29 cells. Protective effect was also observed against alkylating DNA damage induced by methyl-methanesulfonate, except for H. androsaemum. With regard to alkylating damage repair H. perforatum, H. androsaemum and chlorogenic acid increased repair of alkylating DNA damage by base excision repair pathway. No effect was observed on nucleotide excision repair pathway. Antigenotoxic effects of Hypericum sps. may contribute to colon cancer prevention and the high amount of phenolic compounds present in Hypericum sps. play an important role in DNA protective effects.

Abstract (EN): Diet may induce colon carcinogenesis through oxidative or alkylating DNA damage. However, diet may also contain anticarcinogenic compounds that contribute to cancer prevention. DNA damage prevention and/or induction of repair are two important mechanisms involved in cancer chemoprevention by dietary compounds. Hypericum sps. are widely used in traditional medicine to prepare infusions due to their beneficial digestive and neurologic effects. In this study, we investigated the potential of water extracts from three Hypericum sps. and some of their main phenolic compounds to prevent and repair oxidative and alkylating DNA damage in colon cells. The results showed that water extracts of Hypericum perforatum, Hypericum androsaemum, Hypericum undulatum, quercetin and rutin have protective effect against oxidative DNA damage in HT29 cells. Protective effect was also observed against alkylating DNA damage induced by methyl-methanesulfonate, except for H. androsaemum. With regard to alkylating damage repair H. perforatum, H. androsaemum and chlorogenic acid increased repair of alkylating DNA damage by base excision repair pathway. No effect was observed on nucleotide excision repair pathway. Antigenotoxic effects of Hypericum sps. may contribute to colon cancer prevention and the high amount of phenolic compounds present in Hypericum sps. play an important role in DNA protective effects.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 7