Indicaxanthin, a multi-target natural compound from Opuntia ficus-indica fruit: From its poly-pharmacological effects to biochemical mechanisms and molecular modelling studies

Mario Allegra; Marco Tutone; Luisa Tesoriere; Anna Maria Almerico; Giulia Culletta; Maria Antonia Livrea; Alessandro Attanzio

doi:10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.07.006

Indicaxanthin, a multi-target natural compound from Opuntia ficus-indica fruit: From its poly-pharmacological effects to biochemical mechanisms and molecular modelling studies

Eur J Med Chem. 2019 Oct 1:179:753-764. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.07.006. Epub 2019 Jul 3.

Authors

Mario Allegra¹, Marco Tutone², Luisa Tesoriere¹, Anna Maria Almerico¹, Giulia Culletta¹, Maria Antonia Livrea¹, Alessandro Attanzio¹

Affiliations

¹ Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche Chimiche e Farmaceutiche (STEBICEF), Università degli Studi di Palermo, Via Archirafi 32, 90123, Palermo, Italy.
² Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche Chimiche e Farmaceutiche (STEBICEF), Università degli Studi di Palermo, Via Archirafi 32, 90123, Palermo, Italy. Electronic address: marco.tutone@unipa.it.

PMID: 31284085
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.07.006

Abstract

Over the latest years phytochemical consumption has been associated to a decreased risk of both the onset and the development of a number of pathological conditions. In this context indicaxanthin, a betalain pigment from Opuntia ficus-indica fruit, has been the object of sound research. Explored, at first, for its mere antioxidant potential, Indicaxanthin is now regarded as a redox-active compound able to exert significant poly-pharmacological effects against several targets in a number of experimental conditions both in vivo and in vitro. This paper aims to provide an overview on the therapeutical effects of indicaxanthin, ranging from the anti-inflammatory to the neuro-modulatory and anti-tumoral ones and favored by its high bioavailability. Moreover, biochemical and molecular modelling investigations are aimed to identify the pharmacological targets the compound is able to interact with and to address the challenging development in the future research.

Keywords: Antiinflammatory; Antioxidant; Antiproliferative; Antitumoral; Indicaxanthin; Molecular modelling; Multi-target compound; Neuromodulator; Poly-pharmacology.

MeSH terms

Animals
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / chemistry
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / isolation & purification
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / pharmacology*
Betaxanthins / chemistry
Betaxanthins / isolation & purification
Betaxanthins / pharmacology*
Biological Products / chemistry
Biological Products / isolation & purification
Biological Products / pharmacology*
Blood-Brain Barrier / drug effects
Cell Line, Tumor
Cell Proliferation / drug effects
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
Fruit / chemistry*
Humans
Inflammation / drug therapy
Mice
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Models, Molecular
Molecular Structure
Neoplasms / drug therapy*
Neoplasms / pathology
Neuroprotective Agents / chemistry
Neuroprotective Agents / isolation & purification
Neuroprotective Agents / pharmacology*
Opuntia / chemistry
Phytochemicals / chemistry
Phytochemicals / isolation & purification
Phytochemicals / pharmacology*
Pyridines / chemistry
Pyridines / isolation & purification
Pyridines / pharmacology*
Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
Betaxanthins
Biological Products
Neuroprotective Agents
Phytochemicals
Pyridines
indicaxanthin