Montanoa Tomentosa
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Latin American Journal of Pharmacy Regular Article (formerly Acta Farmacéutica Bonaerense) Received: May 6, 2011 Revised version: May 9, 2011 Lat. Am. J. Pharm. 30 (7): 1366-71 (2011) Accepted: May 17, 2011 Accumulation and Distribution of Diterpenic Acids in Leaves of Montanoa tomentosa Ramón E. ROBLES-ZEPEDA 1, Edmundo LOZOYA-GLORIA 2, Mercedes G. LÓPEZ 3, & Jorge MOLINA-TORRES *3 1 Departamento de Ciencias Químico Biológicas, Universidad de Sonora, Hermosillo, Sonora, México. 2 Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, 3 Departamento de Biotecnología y Bioquímica, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad Irapuato, Km. 9.6 Libramiento Norte, Irapuato, Guanajuato, México. SUMMARY. Montanoa tomentosa has been used for at least last five centuries in traditional medicine in Mexico as a remedy for reproductive impairments. The accumulation of diterpenic acids in M. tomentosa leaves was determined. Using Scanning Electron Microscopy, the type and distribution of glandular tri- chomes (GTs) was observed on the abaxial and adaxial sides of leaves. GTs and non-glandular trichomes (NGTs) were observed on leaf surface, but the latter are confined to the leaves abaxial side. On the adaxial surface, only non-glandular trichomes were observed. Accumulation in GTs and leaf lamina of kaurenoic (KA) and grandiflorenic (GFA) acids was determined by Gas Chromatography coupled to an Electron Im- pact Mass Spectrometric Detector (GC/EI-MSD). GC-MSD analysis indicated that GTs accumulated KA and GFA, with KA accumulation being at a higher level than GFA in these structures. Attention on GFA and KA is due to their importance as plant growth regulator precursors with potential pharmacological applications. INTRODUCTION The Montanoa genus belongs to the tribe Heliantheae of the Asteraceae family. This genus contains 25 species distributed in Mexico, Cen- tral America and northern part of South Ameri- ca. Because the many autapormorphic features this genus has been difficult to locate within the Figure 1. Chemical structures of kaurenoic acid (1) 1 subtribes of Heliantheae . Montanoa tomentosa and grandiflorenic acid (2). Cerv. is usually a small shrub, but is also known as a vine and in Costa Rica one subspecies is sometimes found as a small tree 2. Known as The aerial surface of most plants contains tri- zoapatle or cihuapatli, is widely distributed in chomes, which can be divided into glandular Mesoamerica. It has been used for at least five (GT) and non-glandular trichomes (NGT) 9. GTs centuries in traditional medicine in Mexico to are secretory structures varying in size, form, lo- treat diverse female health disorders 3. It is par- cation, and function in different plants species. ticularly useful in inducing childbirth 4. Some Glandular trichomes have a spherical morpholo- authors 5,6 attribute the pharmacological proper- gy after reaching the mature stage. Their charac- ties of Montanoa tomentosa to two diterpenic teristic morphology develops as a result of the acids: grandiflorenic (GFA) [kaura-9 (11), 16-di- accumulation of secretory products 10. They en-18-oic acid] and kaurenoic (KA) [ent-kaur-16- store chemical compounds with diverse func- en-18-oic acid] (Fig. 1). These diterpenic acids tions, including defence 11. Accordingly, tri- have been fully chemically characterized previ- chomes density, disposition, and morphology ously 7,8. are known to influence the level of resistance to KEY WORDS: Asteraceae, Glandular trichomes, Grandiflorenic acid, Kaurenoic acid, Montanoa tomentosa, Zoa- patle. * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: [email protected] 1366 ISSN 0326-2383 Latin American Journal of Pharmacy - 30 (7) - 2011 insects 12. Secondary metabolites in trichomes served in a Leo S420 scanning electron micro- are ecologically bioactive compounds of interest scope (Leo Electron Microscope, Cambridge, as pesticides, pharmaceuticals, flavours and fra- UK) at 10 kV. For the adaxial surface samples grances 13. for scanning study were sputter-coated with Montanoa tomentosa leaves have a pleasant copper and analyzed in a Jeol (JSM 6400) at 10 odour that is enhanced after mechanical dam- kV. age. Stereomicroscopic observation of the sur- face of leaves of M. tomentosa confirmed the Glandular trichomes diterpenic acids presence of abundant glandular trichomes con- content taining terpene volatiles 14. In the present work, A general procedure was used to evaluate we studied the diterpenic acids profile of the the bulk content of GTs and within the leaf lam- glandular trichomes and lamina of basal, middle ina. First, a surface extraction was carried out and apical zones at different development with dichloromethane in order to collect the stages of the leaves of M. tomentosa. Our goal GTs content as previously described 15. Briefly, was to find out the leaves distribution of kau- each leaf was submerged in 20 mL dichloro- renoic acids, putative bioactive components, re- methane for 20 s. Then, the solvent was evapo- sponsible of the ethno medicinal use of this rated under a nitrogen stream and the GT con- species. tent re-suspended in 1 mL of the same solvent and kept at 4°C for further analysis. After the MATERIAL AND METHODS surface extraction with dichloromethane, the re- Plant material maining leaf section was ground in liquid nitro- To determinate the accumulation of diter- gen. Five mL of hexane:ethyl acetate (85:15) penic acids in Montanoa tomentosa Cerv. leaves were added and the mixture, sonicated for 15 were collected from field-grown mature one- min (Branson 1200 sonicator. Branson Ultrason- year-old plants cultivated at CINVESTAV-IPN, ics Corp., Danbury, Conn. USA) and then de- Unidad Irapuato (N 20° 43’ 8.9”, W 101° 19’ canted. The plant debris was re-extracted with 42.6” altitude 1740 m), Guanajuato, México. the same solvent and the combined extract was Samples were collected from September to De- concentrated under a nitrogen stream. The cember after the rainy season. Dr. Jerzy Rze- residue was re-suspended in 1 mL of same sol- dowski from the Instituto de Ecología, Centro vent for gas chromatography analysis of diter- Regional del Bajío, Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, Méxi- penic acids. The latter fraction was named lami- co, performed the species authentication. A na extract. Both, GT and lamina extract content voucher specimen (IEB-57689) was deposited at analysis are the result of the average of three in- that Institute. Leaves were collected in four size dependent determinations each. Data were anal- ranges: 7 to 7.5 cm, 9 to 9.5 cm, 14 to 14.5 cm, ysed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) with and 15 to 15.5 cm. These were classified as Tukey media comparison tests. new, young, mature and old leaves, respective- ly. Within these size ranges, the smaller leaves Grandiflorenic and kaurenoic acids were found in a higher position in the plant, evaluation whereas the older leaves were found at lower The identification and quantification of these level. In order to evaluate the GTs distribution, acids was accomplished as follows: 100 mL of each leaf was divided in three zones of approxi- each surface or laminar extract was dissolved in mately the same length termed as basal, middle hexane:ethyl acetate (85:15), and the diterpenic and apical part. The evaluation of GTs density acids present derivatized adding 100 mL of a in the different leaf zones was performed with mixture of BSTFA [bis-(trimethyl) sililtrifluoroac- the aid of a stereomicroscope (Nikon SMZ-2B, etamide from Sigma Aldrich Química, Toluca, Schott KL500 lamp). The average number of Mex.] and TMCS (trimethylchlorosilane from All- GTs was calculated. Three replicas were evalu- tech, D.F. Mex.) in a 100:5 v/v ratio and heated ated for each leaf size. for 30 min at 60 °C. The derivatized compounds were analyzed using a gas chromatograph Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) (Hewlett-Packard 6890 Series II Gas Chromato- Each leaf section from M. tomentosa plants graph System) equipped with a capillary column was lyophilized (Freezone 6, Labconco, Kansas HP-1 (30 m x 0.25 mm x 0.25 mm) coupled to City, Missouri, USA) for 48 h. Samples for the an electron impact mass selective detector GT SEM were sputter-coated with gold and ob- (Hewlett-Packard 5973 MSD), and employing a 1367 ROBLES-ZEPEDA R.E., LOZOYA-GLORIA E., LÓPEZ M.G. & MOLINA-TORRES J. HP 7683 Series injector. Helium was used as the in length from 250 to 400 µm, and containing carrier gas, at a constant flow rate of 1 ML/min. from four to seven cells. The NGTs, being The injector temperature was maintained at 200 longer than the GTs, extend over the latter (Fig. °C. The oven temperature profile was the fol- 2A). lowing: 3 min at 150 °C, followed by a tempera- ture increment rate of 4 °C/min up to 300 °C, Glandular trichomes terpenes content then kept at 300 °C for 20 min. The mass selec- The accumulation of KA and GFA in the GTs tive detector consisted of a quadrupole analyzer of the different leaves studied was evaluated with the electron ionization source set at 70 eV. and presented in Figure 3A and B, respectively. Scan parameters were: mass range from 30 to A higher ratio of KA to GFA was observed in all 550 amu with 5.36 scans per second, and the leaf zones. For the apical zone of new leaves, temperature of source and quadrupole were 230 the KA content was 2.17 ng/GT (± 0.61) where- and 150 °C, respectively. The mass spectra iden- as only 1.1 ng GT–1 (± 0.18) of GFA was found tification and calibration curves for these com- in GTs of the same new leaves zone. This rela- pounds were made by comparison with authen- tion was maintained in GTs from the other two ticated standards obtained as a gift from Dr.