This study evaluated to determine the phenolic and
flavonoids contents, and
antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiproliferative activity of the hydromethanolic extracts of the leaves, pulp, and seeds of Annona cacans. The isolation and structural identification of the constituent acetogenin,
phenolic acid, and
flavonoids were also reported.
Antioxidant capacity was determined by the
2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic
acid (
ABTS), and β-
carotene/
linoleic acid methods. Cell proliferation was determined by spectrophotometric quantification of the cellular
protein content using a
sulforhodamine B assay. Anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated in paw
edema model, to
myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity induced by
carrageenan in mice. Fractionation resulted in the isolation of one acetogenin (annoreticuin-9-one), two
flavonoids (quercetin-3-O-β-glucoside-6-O-α-rhamnoside and kaempferol-3-O-β-glucoside), and one
phenolic acid (
p-coumaric acid). The pulp extract presented potent
antioxidant activities by the DPPH (IC50 = 44.08 μg/mL) and
ABTS (IC50 = 39.32 μg/mL) methods, as well as high contents of
phenols (618.95 mg GA/g) and
flavonoids (477.35 mg QE/g). The bioguided fractionation demonstrated that the
ethyl acetate fraction of the pulp extract and annoreticuin-9-one showed potent antiproliferative activity against
ovarian cancer (GI50 = 6.4 μg/mL). The anti-inflammatory activity demonstrated significant inhibition of
edema compared to the control group in 2 and 4 h; in addition, the extracts inhibited the increase in MPO activity after 6 h, when compared to the DEX and control groups. For the first time, this study demonstrated
antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiproliferative activity, as well as compounds isolated, suggesting that A. cacans could also be potential sources for prevention of
cancer and other diseases associated with oxidative stress.