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Planta Med 2021; 87(10/11): 892-895
DOI: 10.1055/a-1494-3513
Biological and Pharmacological Activity
Original Papers

An Efficient Method for the Isolation of Toxins from Pteridium aquilinum and Evaluation of Ptaquiloside Against Cancer and Non-cancer Cells[ # ]

Courtney Williams
1   School of Applied Sciences, University of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, UK
,
Simon J. Allison 
1   School of Applied Sciences, University of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, UK
,
Roger M. Phillips 
1   School of Applied Sciences, University of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, UK
,
Peter A. Linley
2   School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK
,
Colin W. Wright 
2   School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK
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Abstract

The common fern, bracken (Pteridium aquilinum), is well known for its toxic effects on livestock due principally to the carcinogenic constituent ptaquiloside (

1), although other toxins are present including the cyanogenic glycoside, prunasin (

2). Here, we report an improved and relatively “green” process for the isolation of

1 and

2 from fresh bracken fronds and the evaluation of

1 for cytotoxicity against several cancer cell lines. The results indicate that

1 displays selective toxicity against cancer cells relative to noncancer retinal epithelial cells, and the improved method for the isolation of

1 is expected to facilitate further exploration of its pharmacological properties.

Key words

Pteridium aquilinum - ptaquiloside - prunasin - cytotoxic - glycosidase

# Dedicated to Professor Arnold Vlietinck on the occasion of his 80th birthday.


Supporting Information

    Tables 1S and 2S present NMR data for 1 and 2 respectively. 1H- and 13C-NMR and HRMS spectra for 1 are shown in Figs. 1S, 2S, and 3S respectively; 1H- and 13C-NMR and HRMS spectra for 2 are shown in Figs. 4S, 5S, and 6S respectively. In vitro chemosensitivity data of 1 are shown in Fig. 7S, and in vitro selectivity of 1 compared to cisplatin is shown in Fig. 8S.

  • Supporting Information


Publication History

Received: 22 January 2021

Accepted after revision: 21 April 2021

Article published online:
21 May 2021

© 2021. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

 

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