Anti-inflammatory, Gastroprotective, Free-Radical-Scavenging, and Antimicrobial Activities of Hawthorn Berries Ethanol Extract

Abstract

Hawthorn [Crataegus monogyna Jacq. and Crataegus oxyacantha L.; sin. Crataegus laevigata (Poiret) DC., Rosaceae] leaves, flowers, and berries are used in traditional medicine in the treatment of chronic heart failure, high blood pressure, arrhythmia, and various digestive ailments, as well as geriatric and antiarteriosclerosis remedies. According to European Pharmacopoeia 6.0, hawthorn berries consist of the dried false fruits of these two species or their mixture. The present study was carried out to test free-radical-scavenging, anti-inflammatory, gastroprotective, and antimicrobial activities of hawthorn berries ethanol extract. Phenolic compounds represented 3.54%, expressed as gallic acid equivalents. Determination of total flavonoid aglycones content yielded 0.18%. The percentage of hyperoside, as the main flavonol component, was 0.14%. With respect to procyanidins content, the obtained value was 0.44%. DPPH radical-scavenging capacity of the extract was concentration-dependent, with EC50 value of 52.04 microg/mL (calculation based on the total phenolic compounds content in the extract). Oral administration of investigated extract caused dose-dependent anti-inflammatory effect in a model of carrageenan-induced rat paw edema. The obtained anti-inflammatory effect was 20.8, 23.0, and 36.3% for the extract doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg, respectively. In comparison to indomethacin, given in a dose producing 50% reduction of rat paw edema, the extract given in the highest tested dose (200 mg/kg) showed 72.4% of its activity. Gastroprotective activity of the extract was investigated using an ethanol-induced acute stress ulcer in rats with ranitidine as a reference drug. Hawthorn extract produced dose-dependent gastroprotective activity (3.8 +/- 2.1, 1.9 +/- 1.7, and 0.7 +/- 0.5 for doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg, respectively), with the efficacy comparable to that of the reference drug. Antimicrobial testing of the extract revealed its moderate bactericidal activity, especially against gram-positive bacteria Micrococcus flavus, Bacillus subtilis, and Lysteria monocytogenes, with no effect on Candida albicans. All active components identified in the extract might be responsible for activities observed.

Comparative Protective Effect of Hawthorn Berry Hydroalcoholic Extract, Atorvastatin, and Mesalamine on Experimentally Induced Colitis in Rats

“…Although there is no direct in vivo study to show the anti-inflammatory effect of HBE on AA-induced colitis, its anti-inflammatory and gastroprotective effects have been previously demonstrated in carrageenan-induced rat paw edema and ethanol-induced gastric lesions, respectively. 31 Our analysis, on the other hand, showed that HBE contains considerable amounts of the triterpenic acids OA and UA. We found that OA and UA account for as much as 0.13% and 0.5% of the HBE total content.…”

Phytochemical screening of different Crataegus Oxyacantha extracts

“…Studies revealed, by DPPH method, that the berries have a 1000 times more elevated antioxidant capacity than the quercetine, a powerful antioxidant flavonoid, while the leaves have 10 times more elevated this effect. The antioxidant and lipid lowering effects are due mainly by the high content in flavonoids [3,5,[11][12]. It was proved that the anti-inflammatory effect is due by inhibition of different enzymes and cytokines, like COX2, TNF, IL-1, IL-6 and iNOS [5].…”

Standardization of Agrotechniques and Biochemical Assessment of Crataegus oxyacantha in Western Himalaya

“…1 Some workers have also reported its role in controlling various diseases like myocardial problem, 2 heart failure, 3 antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial infections. 4,5 It is also used in some other critical disease such as control of central nervous system (CNS), anxiety and depression. 6 A Homeopathic medicine has also been prepared from its flowers and fruits by Homeopathic pharmacopeia of India.…”