Comparative study on the effect of cinnamon and clove extracts and their main components on different types of ATPases.

The effect of the commonly used spice extracts cinnamon and clove and their main ingredients on the activity of various ATPases were investigated. Water extracts of both spices inhibited the activity of rat liver Na+/K+ ATPase, and Cu2+-ATPase, but stimulated F0F1ATPase. Similar effects were obtained with cinnamaldehyde and eugenol the major components of cinnamon and clove, respectively with eugenol being more potent. The 50% inhibition of the P-type Na+/K+ ATPase was obtained at 4.7 +/- 0.04 mM for cinnamaldehyde and 1.1 +/- 0.02 mM for eugenol. The 50% inhibition of the CPx-type Cu2+ ATPase was obtained at 0.94 mM for cinnamaldehyde and 0.65 mM for eugenol. On the other hand both compounds stimulated significantly the mitochondrial F0F1ATPase. The shared structural and functional similarities between the P- and the CPx-classes of ATPases may underlie the common effect exhibited by both but not the F-ATPase. Our results identify Na+/K+ ATPase, Cu2+-ATPase and F0F1ATPase as possible intracellular targets for the action of spices' components that result in: a decrease in ATP level, defects in proton and ion transports leading to electrolyte imbalance and derangements in mitochondrial function.