HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS phenolic characterization and biological activity of Equisetum giganteum L.
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abstract
Naturally-occurring phytochemicals have received a pivotal attention in the last years,
due to the increasing evidences of biological activities. Equisetum giganteum L.,
commonly known as “giant horsetail”, is a native plant from Central and South
America, being largely used in dietary supplements as diuretic, hemostatic, antiinflammatory
and anti-rheumatic agents [1,2]. The aim of the present study was to
evaluate the antioxidant (scavenging effects on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals-
RSA, reducing power- RP, β-carotene bleaching inhibition- CBI and lipid peroxidation
inhibition- LPI), anti-inflammatory (inhibition of NO production in lipopolysaccharidestimulated
RAW 264.7 macrophages) and cytotoxic (in a panel of four human tumor
cell lines: MCF-7- breast adenocarcinoma, NCI-H460- non-small cell lung cancer,
HeLa- cervical carcinoma and HepG2- hepatocellular carcinoma; and in non-tumor
porcine liver primary cells- PLP2) properties of E. giganteum, providing a
phytochemical characterization of its extract (ethanol/water, 80:20, v/v), by using highperformance
liquid chromatography coupled to diode array detection and electrospray
ionisation mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD–ESI/MS).
E. giganteum presented fourteen phenolic compounds, two phenolic acids and twelve
flavonol glycoside derivatives, mainly kaempferol derivatives, accounting to 81% of the
total phenolic content, being kaempferol-O-glucoside-O-rutinoside, the most abundant
molecule (7.6 mg/g extract). The extract exhibited antioxidant (EC50 values = 123, 136,
202 and 57.4 μg/mL for RSA, RP, CBI and LPI, respectively), anti-inflammatory (EC50
value = 239 μg/mL) and cytotoxic (GI50 values = 250, 258, 268 and 239 μg/mL for
MCF-7, NCI-H460, HeLa and HepG2, respectively) properties, which were positively
correlated with its concentration in phenolic compounds. Furthermore, up to 400
μg/mL, it did not revealed toxicity in non-tumor liver cells.
Thus, this study highlights the potential of E. giganteum extracts as rich sources of
phenolic compounds that can be used in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic fields.
