A Chemoprotective and Post-Chemotherapy Agent Using a Plant Extract
The increasing interest in traditional medicine (TM) herbs for chronic disease treatment has led to significant research into plant-based therapeutics with antioxidant properties. One plant of particular interest is Leonotis leonurus, a South African TM plant, of which leaves have been extensively studied for its pharmacological properties. However, the phytochemical composition and therapeutic potential of the flowers of L. leonurus, specifically the white (var. albiflora) and orange variety, remain largely unexplored.
This study, leading to this invention, aimed to profile the phytochemicals in the flowers of both L. leonurus varieties and assess their potential therapeutic benefits. Using high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), several antioxidant phytochemicals and cannabimimetic compounds within the flower extracts were identified. Notably, the white flower extract contained adrenoyl-EA, a cannabimimetic compound, suggesting it can interact with the human endocannabinoid system (ECS) similarly to phytocannabinoids (pCBs) found in Cannabis sativa.
In addition to the phytochemical profiling, the study evaluated the antioxidant, DNA-protective, and cell-protective capacities of the flower extracts. The extracts demonstrated significant total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and the ability to protect human genomic DNA from oxidative damage. Moreover, the extracts enhanced the viability and protection of healthy human cells (MCF-12A) against chemotherapy-induced damage, indicating their potential as adjuvants in cancer therapy, more so post-chemotherapeutic treatment. The discovery of these bioactive compounds in L. leonurus flowers, including the identification of cannabimimetics, highlights the potential of this plant as an alternative source of therapeutic agents.
Overall, the findings suggest that L. leonurus flower extracts hold promise for developing new plant-based therapeutics with antioxidant and protective properties, potentially contributing to the treatment of various chronic diseases and enhancing the efficacy of existing post-cancer treatments.