Title : Antiulcer properties of Anoda critstata a Mexican edible quelite
Abstract:
Anoda cristata (commonly known as Alache), belongs to a group of comestible herbs known as “quelites” in Mexico, which comprise leaves, stems flowers or inflorescences of young and tender annual green plants that are traditionally eaten raw, lightly cooked or fried. Approximately, 500 species of quelites are consumed in Mexico, and the importance of these plants lies in their nutritional richness in terms of their content in vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and antioxidant compounds. In addition to their nutritional value, their consumption is of great relevance as part of the local traditions of different ethnic groups, since these plants may constitute the main component of certain dishes or provide a variety of textures, aromas and flavors. Moreover, some of these species are traditionally used for the treatment of digestive disorders. Gastrointestinal diseases such as peptic ulcers, represent a public health problem worldwide, since they can affect up to 10% of the world’s population. The chronic consumption of NSAID’s and the infection by the Gram-negative bacteria, H. pylori, are the two main etiological factors associated to this disease. Current therapies are mainly directed towards the eradication of H. pylori or the pH gastric modification. Despite the available treatments, the rates of therapeutic failures and relapses are high, mainly due to adverse effects of prolonged therapeutic schemes and their high costs. Previous studies have demonstrated the anti-H. pylori properties of two extracts [Aqueous (AQ) and dichloromethane-methanol (DM)] obtained from three species of quelites (A. cristata, Cnidoscolus aconitifolius and Crotalaria pumila). The DM extract of A. cristata, exhibited a good inhibitory effect against H. pylori and upon one of its colonization factors (adhesion). The AQ extract of A. cristata contained mucilage (Ala- Mu), which was also tested. With this background, we decided to study whether the anti H. pylori activity is preserved when preparing a traditional dish consumed with this quelite and, if the mucilage of alache has a gastroprotective potential. The alaches dish was prepared according to a traditional recipe. It consists of a broth with fresh plant. Water is added to be boiled for 30 min. The stewed broth was dried and pulverized for its usage in the trials. Subsequently, its DM extract was obtained and assayed in vitro against H. pylori growth. The gastroprotective effect of Ala-Mu was tested in an ethanol-induced gastric ulcer model in mice. The results showed that the thermal treatment of alache, promoted an increase in the growth-inhibiting effect of H. pylori by the DM-extracts. The Ala-Mu exhibited a good gastroprotective activity. Collectively, the data presented, give important information about the anti-H. pylori effect of the selected comestible species, and very importantly, it shows that, under a thermal treatment, just in the same way that dishes are usually prepared with these plants, the inhibitory effect upon the bacterial growth increased. These findings provide the basis for further studies that include the evaluation of the impact of routine consumption of species as a way to prevent and control peptic ulcer or its etiologic agents.
