LAUSR

BACKGROUND The genus Psychotria and Palicourea are reported as a source of alkaloids and iridoids, which exhibit biological activities. This study aimed to evaluate the antiproliferative, anticholinesterase and LC/MS potential of the methanolic extract of seven species among the genus found in Mato Grosso do Sul region in Brazil. METHODS The extracts were submitted to antiproliferative activity against ten human tumor cell lines. The anticholinesterase activity of the extracts (1 mg/mL) was developed using brain structures of male Wistar rats: cerebral cortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus and striatum by the Ellman method. RESULTS The LC/MS was performed to identify the alkaloids present in the extracts, identifying strictosidinic acid, strictosidine, strictosamide, miriantosine, raucaffricine, calycanthine, croceaine A and B, brachycerine and bufotenine. Regarding the antiproliferative potential, Palicourea crocea demonstrated selectivity against the 786-0 cell line (GI50: 22.87 μg/mL). Psychotria leiocarpa inhibited cell growth against OVCAR-3 (GI50: 3.28 μg/mL), K-562 (GI50: 5.26 μg/mL), HaCaT (GI50: 27.20 μg/mL), PC-3 (GI50: 34.92 μg/mL), MCF-7 (GI50: 35.80 μg/mL) and P. capillacea showed activity against OVCAR-3 (GI50: 2.33 μg/ml) and U251 (GI50: 16.66 μg/ml). The effect of acetylcholinesterase inhibition was more effective in the hippocampus, demonstrating inhibition for Paliourea crocea, Psychotria deflexa, P. brachybotrya and P. leiocarpa of 70%, 57%, 50% and 40%, respectively, followed by P. poeppigiana and P. capillacea, inhibiting 21%, compared to the control. CONCLUSION Herein, the anticholinesterasic and antiproliferative activity of extracts produced from species of Psychotria and Palicourea genus with anticholinesterasic and antiproliferative activity is reported.