Unraveling the Bioactive Potential of Side Dish Vegetables in Southern Thai Traditional Cuisine: Anti-inflammatory, Anticancer, Antibacterial, and Antioxidant Properties

Anuchit  Phanumartwiwath; Yothin  Teethaisong; Chakkraphong Khonthun; Jirapast  Sichaem; Nawee Jantarit; Hla Myo; Desy Liana; Kongdech Savaspun; Rampai Kodsueb; Chanat Aonbangkhen; Damratsamon Surangkul; Pornpat Sam-ang

doi:10.26538/tjnpr/v9i10.37

Authors

Anuchit Phanumartwiwath College of Public Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Yothin Teethaisong Department of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Burapha University, Chon Buri 20131, Thailand
Chakkraphong Khonthun Division of Biochemistry, School of Medical Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand
Jirapast Sichaem Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Thammasat University Lampang Campus, Lampang 52190, Thailand
Nawee Jantarit Division of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Pibulsongkram Rajabhat University, Phitsanulok 65000, Thailand
Hla Myo College of Public Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Desy Liana College of Public Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Kongdech Savaspun Traditional Lanna Medicine Research Group, School of Science, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand
Rampai Kodsueb Division of Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Pibulsongkram Rajabhat University, Phitsanulok 65000, Thailand
Chanat Aonbangkhen Center of Excellence in Natural Products Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Damratsamon Surangkul Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok 65000, Thailand
Pornpat Sam-ang Division of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Pibulsongkram Rajabhat University, Phitsanulok 65000, Thailand

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26538/tjnpr/v9i10.37

Keywords:

Southern Thai side dish vegetables, Anacardium occidentale L., Anti-colorectal, Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Antibacterial

Abstract

In Thai traditional cuisine, a variety of vegetables is frequently served as condiment dishes, offering numerous health benefits due to their richness in phytochemicals and diverse biological properties. In this study, we investigated antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and anti-colorectal cancer activities of six southern Thai side dish vegetables: Gnetum gnemon L., Anacardium occidentale L., Glochidion littorale Blume, Micromelum minutum (G.Forst.) Wight & Arn., Spondias pinnata (L.f.) Kurz, and Centella asiatica (L.) Urb. Among all extracts, A. occidentale extracts (AOE), particularly dried leaf extract, demonstrated the most promising biological potential. The dried leaf of A. occidentale showed strong antioxidant activity through the DPPH assay, with an IC50 value of 51 µg/mL. The AOE explicitly showed anti-inflammation by suppressing nitric oxide (NO) upon induction by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in RAW 264.7 macrophages (IC50 7.14 µg/mL) and inhibiting 5-lipoxygenase activity (39.3% inhibition). The dried leaf AOE also possessed potent antibacterial activity by inhibiting food-borne pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, with MIC values of 0.78 and 1.56 mg/mL, respectively. Regarding anticancer activity, AOE exhibited strong cytotoxicity against HCT116 human colorectal cancer cells (IC50 69.77 µg/mL). Phytochemical analysis revealed that AOE are rich in phenolic and alkaloid compounds. Taken together, the findings from the present study highlight the potential of A. occidentale and its diverse pharmacological properties for further development as nutraceutical health supplements.

Author Biography

Kongdech Savaspun, Traditional Lanna Medicine Research Group, School of Science, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand

Division of Chemistry, School of Science, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand

References

Tumilaar SG, Hardianto A, Dohi H, Kurnia D. A Comprehensive review of free radicals, oxidative stress, and antioxidants: overview, clinical applications, global perspectives, future directions, and mechanisms of antioxidant activity of flavonoid compounds. J Chem. 2024;1–20.

Crisóstomo L, Oliveira PF, Alves MG. Antioxidants, oxidative stress, and non-communicable diseases. Antioxidants. 2022; 11(6):1080.

Jomova K, Raptova R, Alomar SY, Alwasel SH, Nepovimova E, Kuca K, Klimova B, Adam V, Zdráhal Z, Valko M. Reactive oxygen species, toxicity, oxidative stress, and antioxidants: chronic diseases and aging. Arch Toxicol. 2023; 97(10):2499-2574.

Jena AB, Samal RR, Bhol NK, Duttaroy AK. Cellular redox system in health and disease: the latest update. Biomed Pharmacother. 2023; 162:114606.

Carlsen MH, Halvorsen BL, Holte K, Bohn SK, Dragland S, Sampson L, Willey C, Senoo H, Umezono Y, Sanada C, Barikmo I, Berhe N, Willett WC, Phillips KM, Jacobs DR Jr, Blomhoff R. The total antioxidant content of more than 3100 foods, beverages, spices, herbs and supplements used worldwide. Nutr J. 2010; 9(1):3.

Trisha MR, Gunawan VD, Wong JX, Pak Dek MS, Rukayadi Y. Antibacterial effect of ethanolic Gnetum gnemon L. leaf extract on food-borne pathogens and its application as a natural preservative on raw quail eggs. Heliyon. 2024; 10(16):e035691.

Chan E, Tan Y, Chin S, Gan L, Kang K, Fong C, Goh B, Wong S. Antioxidant properties of selected fresh and processed herbs and vegetables. Free Radic Antioxid. 2014; 4(1):39–46.

Jaiswal YS, Tatke PA, Gabhe SY, Vaidya AB. Antidiabetic activity of extracts of Anacardium occidentale Linn. leaves on n-streptozotocin diabetic rats. J Tradit Complement Med. 2017; 7(4): 421–427.

Bhagirathi L, Asna U. Phytochemical profile and antimicrobial activity of cashew apple (Anacardium occidentale L.) extract. GSC Biol Pharm Sci. 2018; 5(3):95–98.

Bagoudou AF, Zheng Y, Nakabayashi M, Rawdkuen S,

Park HY, Vattem DA, Mitra S, Balasubramaniam V, Arumugasamy S, Nagasawa M, Lee JM. Glochidion littorale leaf extract exhibits neuroprotective effects in Caenorhabditis elegans via DAF-16 activation. Molecules. 2021; 26(13):3958.

Thant TM, Aminah NS, Kristanti AN, Ramadhan R, Aung HT, Takaya Y. Phytoconstituents of genus Micromelum and their bioactivity-a review. Nat Prod Commun. 2020; 15(5):1–15.

Santos ÉMd, Ataide JA, Coco JC, Fava ALM, Silvério LAL, Sueiro AC, Borges CH, Queiroz AL, Soares MBP, Costa JML, Vieira FGK, Ferreira AGL, Maia JGS. Spondias sp.: shedding light on its vast pharmaceutical potential. Molecules. 2023; 28(4):1862.

Wong J, Ramli S. Antimicrobial activity of different types of Centella asiatica extracts against foodborne pathogens and food spoilage microorganisms. LWT. 2021; 142:111026.

Savaspun S, Boonchaisri S, Surangkul D, Preechaworapun A, Sam-ang P. Chemical constituents and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity of Thai medicinal herb. Huachiew Chalermprakiet Sci Technol J. 2023; 9(2):85–94.

Folin O, Ciocalteu V. On tyrosinase and tryptophane determinations in proteins. J Biol Chem. 1927; 73(2):627–650.

Shraim AM, Ahmed TA, Rahman MM, Hijji YM. Determination of total flavonoid content by aluminum chloride assay: a critical evaluation. LWT. 2021; 150:111932.

Sam-ang P, Surangkul D, Savaspun K, Phanumartwiwath A. Antioxidant and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities of Morinda citrifolia L. extracts. Agric Nat Resour. 2020; 54(2):173–179.

Jagetia GC, Baliga MS. The evaluation of nitric oxide scavenging activity of certain Indian medicinal plants in vitro: a preliminary study. J Med Food. 2004; 7(3):343–348.

Mogana R, Teng-Jin K, Wiart C. The medicinal timber Canarium patentinervium Miq. (Burseraceae Kunth.) is an anti-inflammatory bioresource of dual inhibitors of cyclooxygenase (COX) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX). ISRN Inflamm. 2013; 2013(1):986361.

Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). Performance standards for antimicrobial susceptibility testing. (32nd ed.). Wayne (PA): CLSI; 2022. (CLSI supplement M100)

Khonthun C, Surangkul D. Butyrate-mediated resistance to Trichostatin A accompanied by elevated expression of glucose transporter 3 (GLUT3) in human colorectal carcinoma HCT116 cells. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2023; 24(12):4085–4092.

Lapnitiporn S, Laohakunjit N, Kerdchoechuen O. Physico-chemical composition and antioxidant activity of cashew apple juice. Agric Sci J. 2012; 43(2):409–412.

Chan EW, Baba S, Chan HT, Kainuma M, Inoue T, Wong SK. Ulam herbs: A review on the medicinal properties of Anacardium occidentale and Barringtonia racemosa. J Appl Pharm Sci. 2017; 7:241–247.

Ajileye O, Obuotor EM, Akinkunmi EO, Aderogba M. Isolation and characterization of antioxidant and antimicrobial compounds from Anacardium occidentale L. (Anacardiaceae) leaf extract. J King Saud Univ Sci. 2017; 29(1):79-85.

Le TH, Van Do TN, Nguyen HX, Dang PH, Nguyen NT, Nguyen MTT. A new phenylheptanoid from the leaves of Gnetum gnemon L. Nat Prod Res. 2021; 35(21):3999-4004.

Cordaro M, Siracusa R, Fusco R, D'Amico R, Peritore AF, Gugliandolo E, Crupi R, Cuzzocrea S, Impellizzeri D. Cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) nuts counteract oxidative stress and inflammation in an acute experimental model of carrageenan-induced paw edema. Antioxidants. 2020; 9(8):743.

Ramesh BN, Girish TK, Raghavendra RH, Naidu KA, Rao UJSP, Rao KS. Comparative study on anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of Caesalpinia crista and Centella asiatica leaf extracts. J Pharm Bioallied Sci. 2014; 6(2):110-113Tumilaar SG, Hardianto A, Dohi H, Kurnia D. A Comprehensive review of free radicals, oxidative stress, and antioxidants: overview, clinical applications, global perspectives, future directions, and mechanisms of antioxidant activity of flavonoid compounds. J Chem. 2024;1–20.