Biomaterial Database

Quercetin as an inhibitor of snake venom secretory phospholipase A2. 2011

Camila Aparecida Cotrim, and Simone Cristina Buzzo de Oliveira, and Eduardo B S Diz Filho, and Fabiana Vieira Fonseca, and Lineu Baldissera, and Edson Antunes, and Rafael Matos Ximenes, and Helena Serra Azul Monteiro, and Marcelo Montenegro Rabello, and Marcelo Zaldini Hernandes, and Daniela de Oliveira Toyama, and Marcos Hikari Toyama

Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Rua Monteiro Lobato 255, Campinas, SP, Brazil. cami_cotrim@yahoo.com.br

As polyphenolic compounds isolated from plants extracts, flavonoids have been applied to various pharmaceutical uses in recent decades due to their anti-inflammatory, cancer preventive, and cardiovascular protective activities. In this study, we evaluated the effects of the flavonoid quercetin on Crotalus durissus terrificus secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2), an important protein involved in the release of arachidonic acid from phospholipid membranes. The protein was chemically modified by treatment with quercetin, which resulted in modifications in the secondary structure as evidenced through circular dichroism. In addition, quercetin was able to inhibit the enzymatic activity and some pharmacological activities of sPLA2, including its antibacterial activity, its ability to induce platelet aggregation, and its myotoxicity by approximately 40%, but was not able to reduce the inflammatory and neurotoxic activities of sPLA2. These results suggest the existence of two pharmacological sites in the protein, one that is correlated with the enzymatic site and another that is distinct from it. We also performed molecular docking to better understand the possible interactions between quercetin and sPLA2. Our docking data showed the existence of hydrogen-bonded, polar interactions and hydrophobic interactions, suggesting that other flavonoids with similar structures could bind to sPLA2. Further research is warranted to investigate the potential use of flavonoids as sPLA2 inhibitors.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008958	Models, Molecular	Models used experimentally or theoretically to study molecular shape, electronic properties, or interactions; includes analogous molecules, computer-generated graphics, and mechanical structures.	Molecular Models,Model, Molecular,Molecular Model
D010974	Platelet Aggregation	The attachment of PLATELETS to one another. This clumping together can be induced by a number of agents (e.g., THROMBIN; COLLAGEN) and is part of the mechanism leading to the formation of a THROMBUS.	Aggregation, Platelet
D011794	Quercetin	A flavonol widely distributed in plants. It is an antioxidant, like many other phenolic heterocyclic compounds. Glycosylated forms include RUTIN and quercetrin.	3,3',4',5,7-Pentahydroxyflavone,Dikvertin
D002645	Chickens	Common name for the species Gallus gallus, the domestic fowl, in the family Phasianidae, order GALLIFORMES. It is descended from the red jungle fowl of SOUTHEAST ASIA.	Gallus gallus,Gallus domesticus,Gallus gallus domesticus,Chicken
D002942	Circular Dichroism	A change from planar to elliptic polarization when an initially plane-polarized light wave traverses an optically active medium. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed)	Circular Dichroism, Vibrational,Dichroism, Circular,Vibrational Circular Dichroism
D003435	Crotalid Venoms	Venoms from snakes of the subfamily Crotalinae or pit vipers, found mostly in the Americas. They include the rattlesnake, cottonmouth, fer-de-lance, bushmaster, and American copperhead. Their venoms contain nontoxic proteins, cardio-, hemo-, cyto-, and neurotoxins, and many enzymes, especially phospholipases A. Many of the toxins have been characterized.	Bothrops Venom,Crotalidae Venoms,Pit Viper Venoms,Rattlesnake Venoms,Crotactin,Crotalid Venom,Crotalin,Crotaline Snake Venom,Crotalotoxin,Crotamin,Pit Viper Venom,Rattlesnake Venom,Snake Venom, Crotaline,Venom, Bothrops,Venom, Crotalid,Venom, Crotaline Snake,Venom, Pit Viper,Venom, Rattlesnake,Venoms, Crotalid,Venoms, Crotalidae,Venoms, Pit Viper,Venoms, Rattlesnake,Viper Venom, Pit
D005260	Female		Females
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001681	Biological Assay	A method of measuring the effects of a biologically active substance using an intermediate in vivo or in vitro tissue or cell model under controlled conditions. It includes virulence studies in animal fetuses in utero, mouse convulsion bioassay of insulin, quantitation of tumor-initiator systems in mouse skin, calculation of potentiating effects of a hormonal factor in an isolated strip of contracting stomach muscle, etc.	Bioassay,Assay, Biological,Assays, Biological,Biologic Assay,Biologic Assays,Assay, Biologic,Assays, Biologic,Bioassays,Biological Assays