Objectives The secondary metabolites of the fruits of Firmiana simplex (L.) were analysed by LC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS; furthermore, we evaluated their antioxidant and antigenotoxic properties. Methods The antioxidant activity was investigated using the 2,2 0 -diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH), the 2,2 0 -azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) and the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. The antigenotoxic potential was determined via the comet assay. Key findings The ethyl acetate fraction (EtOAc) was analysed by LC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS: phenolic acids and flavonoids were the main polyphenols of the fruits. The EtOAc fraction yielded the highest content of polyphenols with 314.61 mg GAE/g extract, followed by 297.51, 153.75, 101.47, 97.19 for dichloromethane, butanol, methanol and water extracts, respectively. As expected, a strong correlation exists between the antioxidant activity of the investigated extracts and their total phenolic content. In the DPPH assay, the IC 50 value of the most active EtOAc fraction was 6.79 lg/ml, relative to 2.92 lg/ml of the standard ascorbic acid. ABTS and FRAP assays supported the results of DPPH assay. Moreover, using the comet assay, we could show that the phenol-rich EtOAc extract exhibits an antigenotoxic potential in human liver cancer cells (Hep-G2) treated with hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) as a genotoxic agent. Conclusions The fruits of Firmiana simplex may be a good natural source of antioxidant and antigenotoxic agents.

The current study aimed to identify the chemical constituents of Chenopodium ambrosioides (Linn.), and the assessment of the in vitro antioxidant activity of the different extracts and pure isolates. Methods: The antioxidant activity was estimated via free radical scavenging and phosphomolybdenum assays.

Eight compounds were isolated and identified from the soil-inhabiting fungus Aspergillus fumigatus 3T-EGY, namely, stearic acid (1), α-linolenic acid (2), physcion (3), di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (4), 2,4,5,17-tetramethoxy pradimicin lactone (5), 3,5-dihydroxy-7-O-α-rhamnopyranoyl-2H-chromen-2-one (6), juglanthraquinone A-5-O-D-rhodosamine-(4′→1″)-2-deoxy-D-glucose (4″→1″′)-cinerulose B (7), and micropeptin (8). Their structures were determined on the basis of one-dimensional (1D-) and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (2D-NMR) [ 1 H-, 13 C-NMR, 1 H-1 H COSY (COrrelated SpectroscopY), and 1 H-13 C HMBC (Heteronuclear Multiple Bond Correlation) spectroscopy]. Compound 7 showed moderate in vitro antimicrobial activity against three pathogenic strains with inhibition zones values were ranged from 9.0 to 10.66 mm compared to neomycin as a positive control with inhibition zones values were ranged from 14.0 to 19.0 mm.

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In this study, five Egyptian species were tested for their In vitro antimicrobial activities. The antimicrobial screening was carried out via disc diffusion method toward four strains of the clinical antibiotic resistant pathogens including Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger. Among the methanolic extracts screened, Azadirachta indica, Tectona grandis and Ficus sycomorus showed a broad antimicrobial spectrum against three strains with inhibition zones between 13-27 mm followed by Gmelina arborea and Ficus microcarpa with inhibition zones between 11-17 mm, all plants showed no activity against Aspergillus niger except Gmelina arborea with inhibition zones 12 mm. Penicillin G was used as positive control at concentration of 100 µg/disc with inhibition zones (Staphylococcus aureus 28mm, Escherichia coli 22mm, Candida albicans 25mm and Aspergillus niger 0mm). Owing to the high activity of the methanolic extracts, these extracts were defatted via petroleum ether then were fractionated via; chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol. The n-butanol of Azadirachta indica was the most active against Candida albicans (25 mm), ethyl acetate of Ficus sycomorus against Staphylococcus aureus (18 mm), n-butanol of Gmelina arborea against Staphylococcus aureus (17 mm) and n-butanol of Ficus microcarpa against Staphylococcus aureus (15 mm). These results suggest that the tested plants may be effective potential sources of natural antimicrobials, and are potent inhibitors of antibiotic resistant pathogens.

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