Bioactivity of polyphenols from Jaboticaba wood

Myrciaria cauliflora (Jaboticaba), native to Brazil, has been traditionally used for the treatment of respiratory problems such as asthma and chronic inflammation of the tonsils. This study was to identify and evaluate major polyphenols from the wood of jaboticaba tree for the first time for their therapeutic relevance to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity-guided fractionation led to the identification and isolation of 3,3'-dimethyellagic acid-4-O-sulphate. The ellagic acid derivative was compared to other potent compounds from the wood and fruits of jaboticaba such as ellagic acid, depside jaboticabin and anthocyanins delphinidin-3-O-glucose and cyaniding-3-O-glucose. The results indicate that 3,3'-dimethyellagic acid-4-O-sulphatate exhibited antiradical activity and significantly inhibited chemokine interleukin-8 production after cigarette smoke treatment of human small airway epithelial cells. Its activity was comparable to that of ellagic acid, but it may be more bioavailable because it is more water-soluble. Bioavailability of jaboticabin, a depside from jaboticaba, was further examined in vitro using the human intestinal Caco-2 cell monolayers and in vivo with an animal model.