Phytochemical Profiles, Physicochemical Analysis, and Biological Activity of Three Colchicum Species

Abstract

Background: Colchicum is a genus of the Colchicaceae family with various isolated compounds, especially tropolone alkaloids and flavonoids, which are used for osteoarthritis, gout, cancer, inflammatory diseases, jaundice, and sexual impotence in different societies. Objectives: The current study aimed to evaluate the phytochemical and physicochemical properties and anti-inflammatory activities of three Colchicum species. Methods: Total tropolone alkaloid, total phenolic/total tannin, and total flavonoid contents were determined using acidic potassium dichromate, Folin-Ciocalteu, and aluminum chloride methods, respectively. Moreover, the HPLC method was used for identification and quantitation purposes of tropolone alkaloids. Physicochemical properties of three Colchicum species, including macroscopic and organoleptic properties, solubility, foreign matter, ash values, and heavy metal contents, were evaluated. Besides, in vitro anti-inflammatory activities of the corms also were determined using the protein denaturation technique as a rapid screening method. Results: The highest levels of tropolone alkaloid, phenolic compounds, tannins, and flavonoids were observed in C. autumnale, C. speciosum, and C. robustum, respectively. HPLC analysis indicated the presence of colchicine, demecolcine, 2-demethyl colchicine, 3-demethyl colchicine, colchicoside, colchifoline, cornigerine, and N-deacetyl-N-formyl colchicine in these Colchicum species. The physicochemical properties of C. speciosum and C. robustum corms are appropriate compared to the standard Colchicum autumnale corm. Moreover, all Colchicum species exhibited high anti-inflammatory activities compared to standard drugs. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that the corm of the Colchicum species contained similar main compounds with different amounts, as well as appropriate physicochemical properties. Moreover, the valuable biological effects of these plants stimulate the cultivations on a large scale.

Pharmacognostic standardization of Rhododendron afghanicum through scanning electron microscopy and analytical techniques

“…The highest extractive values were recorded for 70% ethyl acetate 18.26 ± 0.09% w/w, and 13.3 ± 0.23% w/w for both leaves and stem respectively (Table 3). Similar findings were reported by (Pradhan et al (2015), Prakasia and Nair (2016), Wangchuk et al (2020), Verma et al (2021) and Davoodi et al (2021). Physicochemical property depends on the dissolution rate and particle size which reflects low viscosity in ethyl acetate.…”

“…3). Similar findings were reported by (Pradhan et al (2015), Prakasia and Nair (2016), Wangchuk et al (2020), Verma et al (2021) and Davoodi et al (2021). Physicochemical property depends on the dissolution rate and particle size which reflects low viscosity in ethyl acetate.…”

“…Ethanol, methanol, ethyl acetate, and n‐hexane extractives were determined. The physicochemical analyses of the powdered leaf and stem bark were performed by already published protocols following (Davoodi et al, 2021).…”

“…Qualitative tests for secondary metabolites such as reducing sugar, tannins, saponins, phenols, protein, phytosterol, triterpenoids flavonoids, glycosides, alkaloids, and volatile oils were performed following (Davoodi et al, 2021).…”

Biological effects of some Colchicum autumnale L. extracts on tissue development of two varieties of Ocimum basilicum L.

“…It belongs to the Colchicaceae family, which comprises perennial herbs characterized by an underground corm and hypogynous flowers with six tepals (Bowles, 1924;Nordenstam, 1998, in Jung et al, 2011. The biochemical profile of this species reveals the presence of alkaloids, phenolics, terpenoids, glycosides, and other bioactive compounds (Davoodi et al, 2021;Hailu et al, 2021). The alka loid concentration in this species varies depending on the plant organ; it was reported that it varies in seeds (0.51.2%), fresh flowers (1.22%), fresh leaves (0.150.4%), and fresh bulbs (0.10.6%); among all alkaloids, colchicine constitutes 5070% of the total alkaloid content, followed by some small amounts of colchicoside, demecolcine, and other tropolone derivatives (Kupper et al, 2010).…”