ABSTRACT
Abstract Genus Aloe, Xanthorrhoeaceae, is well distributed all over Egypt, and many species have been used as medicinal plants; mainly reported to prevent cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes. This study attempts to analyze the secondary metabolites in the methanol extract of the leaves of eight Aloe species; A. vera (L.) Burm. f., A. arborescens Mill., A. eru A. Berger, A. grandidentata Salm-Dyck, A. perfoliata L., A. brevifolia Mill., A. saponaria Haw. and A. ferox Mill. growing in Egypt. For this aim HPLC–DAD–MS/MS in negative ion mode was used. Although belonging to the same genus, the composition of each species presented different particularities. Seventy one compounds were identified in the investigated Aloe species, of which cis-p-coumaric acid derivaties, 3,4-O-(E) caffeoylferuloylquinic acid and caffeoyl quinic acid hexoside were the most common phenolic acids identified. Aloeresin E and isoaloeresin D, 2'-O-feruloylaloesin were the common anthraquinones identified. Lucenin II, vicenin II, and orientin were the common identified flavonoids in the investigated Aloe species. 6'-Malonylnataloin, aloe-emodin-8-O-glucoside, flavone-6,8-di-C-glucosides could be considered as chemotaxonomic markers for the investigated Aloe species. The eight Aloe species had significant anti-inflammatory activity, in addition to the significant acceleration of diabetic wound healing in rats following topical application of the methanol extracts of their leaves. This is the first simultaneous characterization and qualitative determination of multiple phenolic compounds in Aloe species from locally grown cultivars in Egypt using HPLC–DAD–MS/MS, which can be applied to standardize the quality of different Aloe species and the future design of nutraceuticals and cosmetic preparations.
ABSTRACT
Abstract Securigera securidaca (L.) Degen & Döefl., Fabaceae, has been widely used in the Iranian, Indian and Egyptian folk medicine as antidiabetic and anti-hyperlipidemic remedy. Phenolic profiling of the ethanolic extract (90%) of the flowers of S. securidaca was performed via HPLC-DAD-MS/MS analysis in the positive and negative ion modes. The total polyphenols and flavonoids in the flowers were determined colorimetrically, and the quantification of their components was carried out using HPLC-UV. Total phenolics and flavonoids estimated as gallic acid and rutin equivalents were 82.39 ± 2.79 mg/g and 48.82 ± 1.95 mg/g of the dried powdered flowers, respectively. HPLC-DAD-MS/MS analysis of the extract allowed the identification of 39 flavonoids and eight phenolic acids. Quantitative analysis of some flavonoids and phenolics (mg/100 g powdered flowers) revealed the presence of isoquercetrin (3340 ± 2.1), hesperidin (32.09 ± 2.28), naringin (197.3 ± 30.16), luteolin (10.247 ± 0.594), chlorogenic acid (84.22 ± 2.08), catechin (3.94 ± 0.57) and protocatechuic acid (34.4 ± 0.15), in the extract. Moreover, the acute toxicity, hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of the extract were investigated using alloxan induced diabetes in rats in a dose of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg bwt. The ethanolic extract was safe up to a dose of 2000 mg/kg. All tested doses of the flower extract showed marked decrease in blood glucose level by 31.78%, 66.41% and 63.8% at 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg bwt, respectively, at p < 0.05. Regarding the anti-hyperlipidemic effect, a dose of 400 mg/kg of the flower extract showed the highest reduction in serum triacylglycerides and total cholesterol levels (68.46% and 51.50%, respectively at p < 0.05). The current study proved the folk use of the flowers of S. securidaca as anti-diabetic and anti-hyperlipidemic agent which could be attributed to its high phenolic content.
ABSTRACT
Essential oils of the fresh leaves and fruits of Fortunella margarita Lour. Swingle (Family: Rutaceae) were prepared by hydrodistillation method, which resulted with 0.27 and 0.30% respectively. The resulted oils of both organs were analyzed by GC/MS which revealed the presence of twenty compounds in the leaves oil representing 86.96% of the oil, from which gurjunene, eudesmol and muurolene were identified as major compounds. The fruit’s oil was found to contain fourteen compounds representing 77.77% of the oil, of which terpineol, t-carveol, limonene, muurolene and cadinene represented the major compounds. The antiviral activity of the essential oils of both leaves and fruits was tested against avian influenza-A virus (H5N1), and the results revealed higher potency of fruits oil. Moreover, the essential oils of the leaves and fruits were investigated for their antimicrobial and antifungal activities. The oil of the leaves showed antimicrobial activity higher than that of the fruits at dilution (1:50 v/v) against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Sarcina luta and Streptococcus faecalis, also it has a moderate activity against Escherichia coli, Klebsilla pneumonia and Pseudomonas aeroginosa. On the other hand, the antifungal activity of the leaves and fruits revealed that the fruits exhibited higher activity than that of the leaves against Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans.