ABSTRACT
Objective: To determine the major changes in the microstructure of Candida albicans (C. albicans) after treatment with Euphorbia hirta (E. hirta) L. leaf extract. Methods: Transmission electron microscopy was used to study the ultrastructural changes caused by E. hirta extract on C.albicans cells at various exposure time. Results: It was found that the main abnormalities were the alterations in morphology, lysis and complete collapse of the yeast cells after 36 h of exposure to the extract. Whereas the control cultures showed a typical morphology of Candida with a uniform central density, typically structured nucleus, and a cytoplasm with several elements of endomembrane system and enveloped by a regular, intact cell wall. Conclusions: The significant antifungal activity shown by this methanol extract of E. hirta L. suggests its potential against infections caused by C. albicans. The extract may be developed as an anticandidal agent.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To assess antioxidant activities of different parts of Euphorbia hirta (E. hirta), and to search for new sources of safe and inexpensive antioxidants.@*METHODS@#Samples of leaves, stems, flowers and roots from E. hirta were tested for total phenolic content, and flavonoids content and in vitro antioxidant activity by diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay and reducing power was measured using cyanoferrate method.@*RESULTS@#The leaves extract exhibited a maximum DPPH scavenging activity of (72.96±0.78)% followed by the flowers, roots and stems whose scavenging activities were (52.45±0.66)%, (48.59±0.97)%, and (44.42±0.94)%, respectively. The standard butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) was (75.13±0.75)%. The IC(50) for leaves, flowers, roots, stems and BHT were 0.803, 0.972, 0.989, 1.358 and 0.794 mg/mL, respectively. The reducing power of the leaves extract was comparable with that of ascorbic acid and found to be dose dependent. Leaves extract had the highest total phenolic content [(206.17±1.95) mg GAE/g], followed by flowers, roots and stems extracts which were (117.08±3.10) mg GAE/g, (83.15±1.19) mg GAE/g, and (65.70±1.72) mg GAE/g, respectively. On the other hand, total flavonoids content also from leave had the highest value [(37.970±0.003) mg CEQ/g], followed by flowers, roots and stems extracts which were (35.200±0.002) mg CEQ/g, (24.350±0.006) mg CEQ/g, and (24.120±0.004) mg CEQ/g, respectively. HPTLC bioautography analysis of phenolic and antioxidant substance revealed phenolic compounds. Phytochemical screening of E. hirta leaf extract revealed the presence of reducing sugars, terpenoids, alkaloids, steroids, tannins, flavanoids and phenolic compounds.@*CONCLUSIONS@#These results suggeste that E. hirta have strong antioxidant potential. Further study is necessary for isolation and characterization of the active antioxidant agents, which can be used to treat various oxidative stress-related diseases.