Antioxidant Properties and Toxicity Assessment of the Crescentia cujete Extracts in Brine Shrimp (Artemia salina)

Abstract

Crescentia cujete has traditionally been used to treat various ailments. The present study attempted to determine the antioxidant activities of 100% ethanol, 50% ethanol and aqueous extracts of the leaves, bark and fruit of the herb. Additionally, the toxicity of the extracts was investigated in brine shrimp. The results showed that 100% ethanol leaf extract had the highest antioxidant activity with an IC 50 value of 261.97 ± 0.57 μg/mL according to the 2,2-diphenyl-1picrylhydrazil (DPPH) radical scavenging assay. Estimation of the total phenolic content (TPC) using the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent showed that the leaves extracted with 100% ethanol had the highest concentration of TPC compared to the extracts prepared with other solvents of all parts of the plant. Analysis of the minerals using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) showed that the parts of the plant primarily consist of high levels of phosphorus, magnesium and calcium. Titration analysis of vitamin C showed that the highest concentration of the vitamin is present in the bark. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of vitamin E indicated that the content is the highest in the fruit, and the content of vitamin A was the highest in the leaves. Brine shrimp lethality assay (BSLA) results showed that 50% ethanol extract of the leaves is the most toxic during a 24 h treatment. Thus, the leaves and bark exhibit excellent antioxidant effects and can be potentially developed as functional food ingredients. The findings of the present study suggest further research in cell lines and in vivo.

A Review of the Phytochemistry, Ethnobotany, Toxicology, and Pharmacological Potentials of Crescentia cujete L. (Bignoniaceae)

“…The various pharmacological properties of C. cujete includes antioxidant [ 8 , 10 , 40 ], antidiabetic [ 37 , 46 , 47 ], anti-inflammatory [ 48 ], anthelmintic [ 13 ], antibacterial [ 7 , 10 , 31 , 34 , 48 , 49 ], antimycobacterial [ 50 ], anticholesterol [ 13 ], antivenom [ 51 ], wound healing [ 9 ], safety potentials, cytotoxic [ 10 , 13 , 38 , 51 ], acaricidal [ 29 ], neuroprotection [ 52 ], and antiangiogenic [ 53 ] ( Table 3 ). Additionally, the antioxidant, antibacterial, and anticancer activities of four ( Nigrospora sphaerica , Fusarium oxysporum , Gibberella moniliformis , and Beauveria bassiana ) isolated endophytic fungi from the plant had been reported [ 55 ].…”

“…Going by this report, it was observed that all extracts are bioactive and toxic to the cells, since LC 50 values were lower than 1000 ppm based on Meyer's toxicity index. Sagrin et al [ 10 ], in a related and recent study from Malaysia, similarly determined the cytotoxic effects of leaves, bark, and fruits extracts (CE, aqueous-ethanol, and aqueous) in BSLT using potassium dichromate dissolved in artificial seawater as control. The concentrations tested are 1.953, 3.907, 7.813, 15.625, 31.25, 62.50, 125, 250, 500, and 1000 μ g/mL.…”

“…e genus Crescentia is endowed with seven species including amazonica, linearifolia, latifolia, plectantha, portoricensis, alata, and cujete, with the latter two known for their numerous medicinal properties [2,3]. e plant is, otherwise, known as Crescentia acuminata with numerous local names (depending on cultures, tribes, and country) such as Calabash or Gourd tree (English), Calebassier (France), Kalbas (Afrikaans), Totumo (Bolivia), Boan-gota (Bangladesh), Maja or Bila (Indonesia), Miracle fruit (Philippines), Osisi mkpo or Oba, Igi igba, Uko, Ugbuba, Gumbusi mboro (Nigeria), Cujuba, Cuieira, Cabaça (Brazil), Labu kayu (Malaysia), Hu lu shu (China), Tanpura (Bengali), Jicaro tree (Honduras), and Higueron (Peru) [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. e mode of preparations and the use of the plant for medicinal purposes vary with tribe or cultures.…”

“…The mode of preparations and the use of the plant for medicinal purposes vary with tribe or cultures. Typically, while the fruit is soaked or prepared with alcohol in Malaysia for managing several diseases [ 10 ], the same part is extracted with water in Indonesia for similar purposes [ 11 ]. In fact, in some cultures, varying parts of the plant are embraced for the same or similar type of diseases such as when the fruits are used in the Philippines for high blood pressure, and the leaves, on the other hand, were adopted for the same condition in Trinidad and Tobago [ 12 , 13 ].…”

In vitro antidiabetic property and phytochemical profiling of Mangifera odorata pulp using UHPLC-ESI-Orbitrap-MS/MS

“…Antioxidants mainly comprise of both enzymes and non-enzymes, which include glutathione peroxidase, catalase, vitamins, and polyphenols. Plants, especially tropical fruits, have been identified as important sources of polyphenols (Sagrin et al, 2019;Gülçin, 2020). In fact, several medicinal drugs are derived from active ingredients in plants (Fabricant and Farnsworth, 2001).…”