Jasonia glutinosa (L.) DC., a Traditional Herbal Tea, Exerts Antioxidant and Neuroprotective Properties in Different In Vitro and In Vivo Systems
by
, , , and
Francisco Les
1,2,*,†
,
Marta Sofía Valero
2,3,4,†
,
Cristina Moliner
1
,
David Weinkove
5,
Víctor López
1,2
and
Carlota Gómez-Rincón
1 1
Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad San Jorge, Villanueva de Gállego, 50830 Zaragoza, Spain
2
Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón, IA2, Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain
3
Departamento de Farmacología Fisiología Medicina Legal y Forense, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
4
Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón (IIS Aragón), 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
5
Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, UK
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
Contributed equally and share first authorship (in alphabetical order).
Biology 2021, 10(5), 443; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology10050443
Submission received: 21 April 2021
/
Revised: 9 May 2021
/
Accepted: 14 May 2021
/
Published: 18 May 2021
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactivity of Medicinal Plants and Extracts)
Simple Summary
Jasonia glutinosa (L.) DC or rock tea (RT) is a plant traditionally used to treat different pathologies. In this study the neuroprotective potential of an ethanolic extract of RT is analyzed. Caenorhabditis elegans model and in vitro assays with relevant central nervous system enzymes were used. The results showed antioxidant and neuroprotective potential of this plant.
Abstract
In traditional medicine, Jasonia glutinosa (L.) DC or rock tea (RT) has been mainly used to treat digestive and respiratory pathologies but also as an antimicrobial or an antidepressant herbal remedy. An ethanolic extract of RT has been demonstrated to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, which may be explained by its phytochemical profile, rich in polyphenols and pigments. The aim of this study is to investigate the neuroprotective potential of RT. For this purpose, the ethanolic extract of RT is assayed in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) as an in vivo model, and through in vitro assays using monoamine oxidase A, tyrosinase and acetylcholinesterase as enzymes. The RT extract reduces juglone-induced oxidative stress in worms and increases the lifespan and prevents paralysis of C. elegans CL4176, a model of Alzheimer’s disease; the extract is also able to inhibit enzymes such as acetylcholinesterase, monoamine oxidase A and tyrosinase in vitro. Together these results demonstrate that Jasonia glutinosa is a good candidate with antioxidant and neuroprotective potential for the development of new products with pharmaceutical interests.
