Background and aim: Angiogenesis is defined as the creation of new blood vessels that have been generated from pre- existing vessels by the stimulation of endothelial cells. Herbal extracts that have antiangiogenic activity and low toxicity can increase the focus on using natural sources an important therapeutic agent for treatment of different diseases including tumors. The present research was designed to evaluate the possible antiangiogenic activity of Iraqi Scabiosa palaestina L.
Methods: Plants materials were extracted by 85% methanol using soxhlet apparatus for 12 hours. Aortic rings of rats were seeded in the growth medium and were loaded with a concentration of 100 μg/mL of each fraction (petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol) from the aerial parts and roots of the plant. Moreover, six concentrations of the most active fraction (200, 100, 50, 25, 12.5 and 6.25 μg/mL) were tested to assess the dose-response relationship.
Results: The results showed that the petroleum ether, chloroform and the ethyl acetate fractions from the roots in addition to the ethyl acetate fraction from the aerial parts significantly inhibited the growth of blood vessels on the fifth day of the experiment; there was a significant difference in blood vessels growth inhibition from the negative control (p˂0.05).
Conclusion: The anti- angiogenic activity showed by ethyl acetate fraction may be attributed to the presence of antioxidant compounds. The presence of phenolic compounds like flavonoids correlated with different health benefits in addition to their antiangiogenic properties.
Key words: angiogenesis; VEGF; natural products; Scabiosa palaestina L.
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