Gabriela Hrckova
Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Slovakia
Title: Hypoxic and aerobic culture systems influence activity of selected flavonoids in eukaryotic parasitic organism in vitro: An interesting model for pharmacological research
Biography
Biography: Gabriela Hrckova
Abstract
Larval stage of flatworm, tetrathyridium, has ability of survival and asexual multiplication in a wide range of vertebrate hosts what
indicates a high biochemical and physiological potential for adaptation. We recently developed axenic long-term in vitro cultivation
systems of larvae under both hypoxic and aerobic conditions, representing the unique eukaryotic model for pharmacological and
molecular studies. This in vitro system allowed us to study the dose- and time-dependent effects of various natural compounds on
multiple biochemical and molecular pathways in larvae. We have focussed on flavonolignans (silybin, dehydrosilybin and silychristin)
prepared from silymarin, the main component of herb Silybum marrianum and two other flavonoids: bergenin and arbutin. Activity
of individual compounds on metabolic activity of larvae, which reflects activity of enzymes of complex I and II in mitochondria, was
dependent on oxygen tension in culture. Flavonolignans also modulated activity of other enzymes like GST, SOD, enzymes involved
in glucose transport, in lipogenesis, cell death and motility, indicating their complex activity on multiple targets in larvae.
Hrcka@saske.sk