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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Hilo, Hawaii » Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center » Tropical Crop and Commodity Protection Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #341115
Title: Protein kinase inhibitory properties of extracts derived from Bocconia frutescens and Gomphocarpus physocarpus

Author
item THOMAS, KUPA'AIKEKAIAO - University Of Hawaii
item MENGKI, ZHANG - University Of Hawaii
item REINICKE, JUSTING - University Of Hawaii
item PARKER, JAMES - University Of Hawaii
item OHORA, DONNA - University Of Hawaii
item Wall, Marisa
item SONGSAK, THANAPAT - Rangsit University
item WONGWIWATTHANANUKIT, SUPAKIT - University Of Hawaii
item CHANG, LENG CHEE - University Of Hawaii

Submitted to: Bulletin of Health, Science and Technology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/30/2017
Publication Date: 6/30/2017
Citation: Thomas, K., Mengki, Z., Reinicke, J., Parker, J., Ohora, D., Wall, M.M., Songsak, T., Wongwiwatthananukit, S., Chang, L. 2017. Protein kinase inhibitory properties of extracts derived from Bocconia frutescens and Gomphocarpus physocarpus. Bulletin of Health, Science and Technology. 15:47-58.

Interpretive Summary: Bocconia frutescens (plume poppy) and Gomphocarpus physocarpus (balloon plant) are invasive plants introduced into Hawaii. Both are used in traditional folk medicine for the treatment of various disorders. Plant-derived protein kinase inhibitors are of significant pharmaceutical interest as potential breakthroughs for treating cancers, in part because abnormal phosphorylations by protein kinases have caused these diseases. Two alkaloid compounds (berberine and chelerythrine) possessing protein kinase inhibitor activity were isolated and identified in plant extracts from Bocconia frutescens, but not G. physocarpus. These natural products derived from Bocconia frutescens expands our cache of biologically active constituents from tropical plants.

Technical Abstract: Bocconia frutescens is an invasive shrub originally introduced to Hawaii as an ornamental plant. Gomphocarpus physocarpus is a shrub that is native to southern Africa, also introduced to Hawaii. These two plants were selected for study due to the possibility of alkaloid contents and biological activities. The objective of this study was to examine the protein kinase inhibitory activity (PKI) of crude methanol extracts derived from Bocconia frutescens and Gomphocarpus physocarpus using hyphae formation inhibition assay against Streptomyces 85E at concentrations of 20 µg/disk. Extracts that showed protein kinase inhibitory activity at this concentration were tested at lower concentrations. Results found that all B. frutescens extracts showed PKI activity, whereas none of the G. physocarpus showed biological activity. In addition, the presence of chelerythrine and berberine alkaloids in B. frutescens extracts were assessed during this study using thin layer chromatography (TLC) and liquid chromatography-massspectrometry (LC-MS) analysis. The results showed that both alkaloids were present in all B. frutescens extracts.