Sesamin from Cuscuta palaestina natural plant extracts: Directions for new prospective applications
Date
2018-04-10
Authors
Abu-Lafi, Saleh
Makhamra, Sadam
Rayan, Ibrahim
Barriah, Waseim
Nasser, Ahmed
Abu Farkh, Basheer
Rayan, Anwar
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Publisher
Public Library of Science since
Abstract
The aim of this study is to disclose the potential bioactive components of Cuscuta palaestina,
a native parasitic natural plant of flora palaestina and to open direction towards new
prospective application. GC-MS analysis identified 18 components in the methanolic extract
of C. palaestina for the first time. The most appealing among them are Sesamin and two
other phytosterols (Campesterol and Stigmasterol), all of which are documented in the scientific
literature for their anticancer activity. Quantitation of Sesamin extracted from C. palaestina
by HPLC-PDA with the use of three organic solvents showed that the Sesamin
content in the methanolic extract was the highest. Following the disclosure of Sesamin presence
in C. palaestina, we raised the question of whether it is produced naturally in C. palaestina
or acquired from the host plant. The quantitation of Sesamin in C. palaestina was
performed while being with five different host plants, and was compared with the amount of
Sesamin in C. palaestina grown alone. The findings reveal that Sesamin is an endogenous
secondary metabolite in C. palaestina. Thus, further studies are required to prove if C. palaestina
can be used as an alternative source of anticancer phytochemicals, mainly Sesamin,
and if proteins in the Sesamin production pathway could be valid biological targets for
the development of novel and selective pesticides for control/ eradication of C. palaestina
and maybe some other Cuscuta species. As well, the findings from this study raise a big
question of whether inferring Sesamin production in C. palaestina could reduce its attack
ability to host plants.
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Citation
Abu-Lafi S, Makhamra S, Rayan I, Barriah W, Nasser A, Abu Farkh B, et al. (2018) Sesamin from Cuscuta palaestina natural plant extracts: Directions for new prospective applications. PLoS ONE 13(4): e0195707