Antioxidant activity edit
Apart from the active compound artemisinin, recent studies show that A. annua is one of the four medical plants with the highest oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) level[1].
Artemisia annua possesses the capacity to produce high phenolic compounds, which result in high antioxidant activity. Five major groups (coumarins, flavones, flavonols, phenolic acids and miscellaneous) containing over 50 different phenolic compounds were identified analyzing A. annua[2].
Flavonoids are generally known for their redox properties involved in the delay or inhibition of the initiation or propagation in oxidizing chain reactions[2].
Even though the beneficial effect of these phenolic compounds in association of a great number of diseases is often discussed, different studies show beneficial effects of flavonoids compound produced by A. annua. It has been stated that there is a negative correlation between the presence of the mentioned components and cardiovascular diseases, cancer and parasitic disease such as malaria[2].
Artemisinin and Flavonoids edit
In the last 20 years researchers focused on the activity of artemisinin against malaria. Therefore less studies were done about the relationship between flavonoids and cancer. Despite that, recent studies show that the flavonoids present in the A. annua leaf are linked to suppression of CYP450 enzymes responsible for altering the absorption and metabolism of artemisinin in the body[2]. Further researches in the synergistic effect of artemisinin and flavonoids and their biological interaction between malaria and cancer are needed[2].
Anti-cancer properties edit
Several studies show that flavonoids assimilation beverages treatments such as tea might prevent, delay or help to cure cancer. Recent investigations linked the influence of flavonoids with different enzymes involved in drug metabolism and in chemical carcinogenesis process. This induces to a therapeutic potential[3].
Many studies show anti-cancer results analyzing different flavonoids, such as flavones and flavonols. In general it has been shown that specific flavonoid compounds can inhibit specific cancer cell growth as well as cell proliferation. Furthermore, these flavonoids induce cell apoptosis[2].
It is proven, that artemisinin has anti-cancer activity as well, because it contains an endoperoxide group. Artemisinin has a high anti-cancer activity due to its interaction with iron complexes[4] in the blood. This shows that artemisinin derivatives induce apoptosis of cancer cells as well[5].
References edit
- ^ Brisibe, Ebiamadon Andi; Umoren, Umoren E.; Brisibe, Fraideh; Magalhäes, Pedro M.; Ferreira, Jorge F. S.; Luthria, Devanand; Wu, Xianli; Prior, Ronald L. (2009-08-15). "Nutritional characterisation and antioxidant capacity of different tissues of Artemisia annua L." Food Chemistry. 115 (4): 1240–1246. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2009.01.033.
- ^ a b c d e f Ferreira, Jorge F. S.; Luthria, Devanand L.; Sasaki, Tomikazu; Heyerick, Arne (2010-04-29). "Flavonoids from Artemisia annua L. as Antioxidants and Their Potential Synergism with Artemisinin against Malaria and Cancer". Molecules. 15 (5): 3135–3170. doi:10.3390/molecules15053135.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link) - ^ Kale, Anup; Gawande, Sonia; Kotwal, Swati (2008-05-01). "Cancer phytotherapeutics: role for flavonoids at the cellular level". Phytotherapy Research. 22 (5): 567–577. doi:10.1002/ptr.2283. ISSN 1099-1573.
- ^ Efferth, Thomas; Benakis, Achille; Romero, Marta R.; Tomicic, Maja; Rauh, Rolf; Steinbach, Daniel; Häfer, Ralf; Stamminger, Thomas; Oesch, Franz (2004-10-01). "Enhancement of cytotoxicity of artemisinins toward cancer cells by ferrous iron". Free Radical Biology and Medicine. 37 (7): 998–1009. doi:10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2004.06.023.
- ^ Nakase, Ikuhiko; Gallis, Byron; Takatani-Nakase, Tomoka; Oh, Steve; Lacoste, Eric; Singh, Narendra P.; Goodlett, David R.; Tanaka, Seigo; Futaki, Shiroh. "Transferrin receptor-dependent cytotoxicity of artemisinin–transferrin conjugates on prostate cancer cells and induction of apoptosis". Cancer Letters. 274 (2): 290–298. doi:10.1016/j.canlet.2008.09.023.