Isoflavonoid Profiling and Estrogen-Like Activity of Four <i>Genista</i> Species from the Greek Flora

• Main Authors: Antigoni Cheilari, Argyro Vontzalidou, Maria Makropoulou, Aggeliki K. Meligova, Nikolas Fokialakis, Sofia Mitakou, Michael N. Alexis, Nektarios Aligiannis
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-11-01
• Series: Molecules
• Subjects: <i>Genista depressa</i>; <i>Genista acanthoclada</i>; <i>Genista millii</i>; <i>Genista hassertiana</i>; isoflavones; estrogen-like activity
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/25/23/5507

As part of our ongoing research on phytoestrogens, we investigated the phytochemical profile and estrogen-like activities of eight extracts from the aerial parts of four <i>Genista</i> species of Greek flora using estrogen-responsive cell lines. Ethyl acetate and methanolic extracts of <i>G. acanthoclada</i>, <i>G. depressa,</i><i>G. hassertiana,</i> and <i>G. millii</i> were obtained with accelerated solvent extraction and their phytochemical profiles were compared using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (uHPLC-HRMS). Fourteen isoflavonoids, previously isolated from <i>G. halacsyi</i>, were used as reference standards for their identification in the extracts. Thirteen isoflavonoids were detected in both extracts of <i>G. acanthoclada</i> and <i>G. hassertiana</i>, while fewer and far fewer were detected in <i>G. millii</i> and <i>G. depressa,</i> respectively. The ethyl acetate extracts of <i>G. hassertiana</i> and <i>G. acanthoclada</i> displayed 2.45- and 1.79-fold higher, respectively, estrogen-like agonist activity in Ishikawa cells compared to MCF-7 cells at pharmacologically relevant concentrations. Both these extracts, but not that of <i>G. depressa</i>, contained mono- and di-<i>O-</i>β-<span style="font-variant: small-caps;">d</span>-glucosides of genistein as well as the aglycone, all three of which are known to display full estrogen-like activity at lower-than-micromolar concentrations. The possibility of using preparations rich in <i>G. hassertiana</i> and/or <i>G. acanthoclada</i> extracts as a potentially safer substitute for low-dose vaginal estrogen for menopausal symptoms is discussed.