Phytochemistry, Antioxidant Activity, Antiproliferative Effect, and Acute Toxicity Testing of Two Moroccan Aristolochia Species

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological Relevance Aristolochia baetica (A. baetica) and Aristolochia paucinervis (A. paucinervis) have been largely used in Moroccan folk medicine. The objective of the study was to investigate the phytochemical composition, the antioxidant activity, the antiproliferative effect, and the acute toxicity of the methanolic extract of A. baetica and A. paucinervis roots. Materials and Methods Phytochemical composition of the methanolic extract of A. baetica and A. paucinervis roots were studied using qualitative and quantitative methods, the antioxidant activity was evaluated using DPPH assay, the antiproliferative effects against human cancer cell lines (T-24, HT-29, and Hep G-2) was assessed using WST1 assay, and the acute toxicity was carried out orally by gavage of single dose 2000 mg/kg to mice for 14 days. Results The two studied plants have different classes of secondary metabolites. The concentrations of the total polyphenolic content of A. baetica and A. paucinervis root extracts were estimated at 360 ± 20 mg GAE/g and 280 ± 27 mg GAE/g, respectively. The total flavonoids content of A. baetica and A. paucinervis extracts were estimated at 35 ± 8 mg QE/g and 235 ± 7 mg QE/g, respectively. A. baetica and A. paucinervis extracts exhibited promising DPPH activity with IC50 values of 150 ± 8 μg/ml and 160 ± 10 μg/ml, respectively. The extracts exerted also antiproliferative effects on all tested cancer cell lines (T-24, HT-29, and Hep G-2) with IC50 values ranging from 6 ± 1 μg/ml to 380 ± 7 μg/ml. Regarding the results of acute toxicity study, no signs of toxicities nor mortalities were observed on the oral treated mice with 2000 mg/kg of the two investigated exacts. Conclusion The methanolic extracts of A. baetica and A. paucinervis possess several phytochemicals that exhibited promising free radical scavenging activity and antiproliferative effects.

Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad: Chemical characterization, scavenging and cytotoxic activities

“…After drying the fruits at room temperature in the shade for ten days, seeds were salvaged and ground into a fine powder. One hundred milligrams of powder was extracted by maceration using ethanol for 72 h. Afterward, the mixture was filtered under reduced pressure using a rotary evaporator to obtain 2.4 g of crude extract and then kept at −20°C until further use [13].…”

“…The temperature of the furnace regulating the temperature of the column was programmed as follows: from 50°C to 200°C at a rate of 11°C/min, then from 200°C to 240°C at a rate of 6°C/min. The spectra of the major unknown compounds were compared to the spectrum of the known component in the NIST library [13]. (Figure 1).…”

“…Cell viability assay was performed using the WST-1 assay, according to the methods described in the earlier data [13]. Briefly, during the exponential growth of cells, MDA-MB-231and colon HT-29 were initially seeded on 96-well microplates.…”

“…The antioxidant activity was conducted, according to the earlier found protocols [14]. C. colocynthis extract was tested in different concentrations that ranged from 0.313 to 10 mg/mL.…”

Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Total Phenolic and Flavonoid Contents of Sungkai Leaves (Paronema canescens)

“…The percentage of inhibition was calculated using the formula: % Inhibition Based on the data, a linear regression equation curve was plotted between the sample concentration and the percent inhibition of the sample to determine the IC50 value. 13…”