Bioactivity Guided Fractionation of Acai Berry (Euterpe Oleracea Mart.)

Many pharmaceuticals are metabolized by the cytochrome P450 enzymes 2E1 and 2A6, resulting in their bioactivation, and subsequent toxicity. Therfore, it is important to better understand the potential biological effects of compounds found in natural products that may alter the catalytic activity of these enzymes. Using bioactivity guided fractionation of Acai berry (Euterpe Oleracea Mart.) multiple fatty acid containing samples have been found to inhibit humn cytochrome P450 2E1 and 2A6. Structure elucidation of these compounds will yield a greater understanding of the structural determinats that dictate inhibition of these enzymes and may guide future studies of how to manipulate them for medicinal purposes.