Brazilian cerrado biome plant extract bank screening in inflammatory disease and cancer enzymes

A total of 702 extracts from the Brazilian Cerrado Biome Plant Extract Bank of the University of Brasília, Brazil – produced from 95 species representing 40 families were tested for inhibitory activity against p38 kinase and MALT1 protease. These enzymatic targets are implicated in inflammatory disease and B-cell lymphoma, respectively. Data from both assays were compared directly in order to identify those extracts with specificity for p38. This resulted in the identification of 13 extracts from 6 plant families (Annonaceae, Flacourtiaceae, Hippocrateaceae, Sapindaceae, Sapotaceae and Malpighiaceae) that showed specific p38 inhibition. These extracts were then eluted through polyamide resin to remove polyphenolic compounds. Two extracts (Pouteria gardneri and P. ramiflora) lost their activity, but an additional extract maintained enzymatic inhibition following polyamide and continues to be investigated. Here we report initial results on the identification of natural product inhibitors of p38.