Proliferative Effect of Food Plant Species from Brazil's Cerrado on Cultured Fibroblasts

Brazilian Cerrado is the second largest biome in South America and contains many unstudied valuable plant species rich in bioactive substances. In this study we investigated the phenolic content and proliferative effects on cultured fibroblasts of 32 extracts of different polarities prepared from 11 plants found in Cerrado regions. Eight extracts from six species increased cell proliferation and significantly induced ATP production by the cells. Four of these extracts were obtained from plants used as food, specifically from its fruits or seeds. A high phenolic content for these eight extracts, which directly correlated with the induction of cell proliferation, was corroborated by mass spectrometry analysis. We suggest that the bioactive substance content of these species shows an interesting potential use in cosmetic and food industry, which can contribute to the conservation and sustainable development of this region.